My background:
66 year old male. Athletic most of my life. Recent years physical body challenges. Neck fusion surgery ACDF c4-7 fusion. Lower spine issues. Major heart attack 4/17/17, LAD 100% blockage. Heart damage leaving me not 100%. Several miscellaneous surgeries this past year. Last stand up bike use, 7/30/2018 five miles on an Elliptigo SUB. Have experience with an Elliptigo 11R, 8C, Arc24 and the SUB. No experience with the Bionic Runner. Enjoy running but gave it up due to spine and heart issues. Try to walk 6 miles daily and pretty successful doing that.
Introduction to the Cyclete:
June of 2018 I visited the Cyclete Cottage and met Steven Ascher. I became acquainted with the Cyclete and the build quality. I had little time to test ride but the short time I had with Steven I was impressed with Steven and his focus on quality and detail.
Delivery of the Cyclete: 12/20/2018
After the Fed Ex delivery it took a mere 10 minutes to unbox and attach the steering wheel along with the front tire. It was ready to ride. I took it for a mere two miles to make sure everything was functioning properly.
12/21/2018
The plan was to not overdo my real inaugural ride. I hadn’t ridden since last July.
The ride: 12 miles
I was struck by the smooth stable feeling of the big tires. I opted for the Trailrunner tires. The whole Cyclete feels stable and well balanced. No issues turning, in fact it can turn sharply with no issues. As I progressed through the gears it dawned on me all I could hear was the sound of tires on the pavement. No swishing sound of tracks. No worries of rocks or debris getting caught in tracks. I was aware that I may ride over goat heads so I knew I would have to check for those somewhere in my ride. I sailed past the 3 mile mark and knew I had enough gas in me to target 6 miles out. I stopped at my usual spot at 6 miles out and took a photo of the Cyclete. I had expected some shoulder or arm aches since I hadn’t ridden for so long. None of that! I was surprised at how much adrenalin I had rushing through me. It was time to eat an orange I had packed and take a moment to ponder the possibilities of what the Cyclete has to offer. I couldn’t help but think of Brian Baker and the long rides he will be taking. I thought of the Cyclettes and the trails they take. The other Cyclete owners and how and where they ride came to mind.
I looked at my Garmin and it read 12.4 mph avg. I didn’t care how fast I had gone. There was no intention to race, the only plan was to get familiar with the Cyclete. It didn’t take long. If there was anything I was conscious of it was my feet and how free they felt on the foot platforms. On previous stand up bikes I dealt with foot numbness. I experienced none of that with the Cyclete. The tear drop motion the Cyclete offers is obviously the answer to combating foot numbness. It took very little time to adjust to the tear drop motion. The motion reminded me of past joys of running.
Conclusion:
The Cyclete answers the shortcomings of other stand up bikes and is a 5 star winner in my book!