Bent / Burley Limbo questions

Cletus said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping
the bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

On an upright you are supporting a portion of your upper
body weight with you arms, so the force you apply to the
handlebars is fairly high. On a recumbent, applying this
degree of force will make the bike feel directionally
unstable (i.e. "twitchy"😉. I suggest that you hold the
handlebars with just your thumb and forefinger (except when
braking) until you adjust to the much lower control forces a
recumbent requires compared to an upright.

The other upright habit to break is pulling on the
handlebars. This will make most recumbents feel
"squirrelly".

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

Thanks for the into, Mike. I also got some tips from a tech
at Hollywood on how to retrofit a longer bolt on the locking
cap, using a 2" diameter dowel or shims to balance out the
thickness of the frame.

One other thing I noticed is that even though I use a
recumbent exercise bike regularly, riding the Limbo seems to
work different leg muscles, leaving me pretty sore at this
stage. It does beat the heck out of having an aching back
and numb behind from riding the hardtail.

I'll work on that handlebar mast. That will be a relief.

Thanks again

Mike said:

Cletus said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping
the bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

To paraphrase the Bike-E manual

RELAX

Then read skip to the answer to '3'

Quoted message said:

2) I had a Hollywood Boomer hitch rack to tote my Trek
around, but there is just no way it can handle this
bent. What are people using hitch-wise to carry thier
CLWB bents? The closest thing I have found is the
Sportworks recumbent rack, which is supposed to
accomodate a max wheelbase of 63".

I use a Rhode Gear hitch rack - carrying the bike across
the back of a SUV. One arm goes through the chains just
abaft of the shock mount, the other arm goes near the
idylers - under both chains.

Quoted message said:

3) I'm 5'11", but I have to keep the steering close to
vertical to keep from banging my knees. No matter how I
adjust it, this is a continual problem. Any
suggestions? And no, amputation is not an option...

First: you can extend the 'mast', but don't go past the
"don't go past this point" mark.

Then: rotate the handle bar to clear your knees. My knees
miss touching

Now you will be able to relax. Riding while holding the
mast forward is not a way to relax, and explains you
problem #1.

Mike Limbo driver

Thanks for the tip. I'm glad I did not opt for the short
wheelbase to start out. I have next week off and plan to hit
the trails every day...

Thanks again,

Sean B.

Tom Sherman said:

Cletus said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping
the bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

On an upright you are supporting a portion of your upper
body weight with you arms, so the force you apply to the
handlebars is fairly high. On a recumbent, applying this
degree of force will make the bike feel directionally
unstable (i.e. "twitchy"😉. I suggest that you hold the
handlebars with just your thumb and forefinger (except
when braking) until you adjust to the much lower control
forces a recumbent requires compared to an upright.

The other upright habit to break is pulling on the
handlebars. This will make most recumbents feel
"squirrelly".

about all i can say it took me at least 9 month to really
fell comfortable on my hepcat, just keep riding and you will
get use to it

good luck

Cletus said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping
the bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

2) I had a Hollywood Boomer hitch rack to tote my Trek
around, but there is just no way it can handle this
bent. What are people using hitch-wise to carry thier
CLWB bents? The closest thing I have found is the
Sportworks recumbent rack, which is supposed to
accomodate a max wheelbase of 63".

3) I'm 5'11", but I have to keep the steering close to
vertical to keep from banging my knees. No matter how I
adjust it, this is a continual problem. Any
suggestions? And no, amputation is not an option...

Thanks.

Cletus you wrote about the right car rack to accomodate the
Limbo. I have the Sportworks rack, I did want to tell you
the rack is just excellent. It held my Stealth confidentally
without a problem. It is very easy to use, and the only
drawback I could see is the length it adds to the vehicle
itselt, that makes it difficult to back up. The rack
couldn't be seen from my Subaru.

Incidentally, I subsequent purchased a Chrysler Van and
am not using the rack at the moment. The Sportswork rack
sits beside the Megawarrior and Yakima Rocket Box in my
garage, while I contemplate whether either is really
necessary anymore.

As for the knee banging, it sounds like you need a riser
extention to
me.

Melanie

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Cletus
Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping the
bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

2) I had a Hollywood Boomer hitch rack to tote my Trek
around, but there is just no way it can handle this bent.
What are people using hitch-wise to carry thier CLWB
bents? The closest thing I have found is the Sportworks
recumbent rack, which is supposed to accomodate a max
wheelbase of 63".

3) I'm 5'11", but I have to keep the steering close to
vertical to keep from banging my knees. No matter how I
adjust it, this is a continual problem. Any suggestions?
And no, amputation is not an option...

Thanks.

Sean:

Nice to see someone mention the Burley Limbo, a bike not often mentioned on the board. I think the Limbo is a great, and sometimes under-rated, bike, especially for combination road/commuter/ gravel trail use. With its 58” wheelbase, it’s a relatively “compact” bike (CLWB) which offers a 20/26 wheel combination. Kind of unique.

I’m planning to ride one this weekend myself. My dealer has one in stock, though not yet assembled. I hope to ride the Limbo and the Burley Jet Creek back to back.

I’ve been riding a friend’s Burley “Canto” for a few weeks, which uses the linkage steering similar to you Limbo. When I first tried it, I found the riding position odd, with the stem & bars seeming too close to my chest (or so I thought at first). But, as Mike pointed out, there are a number of adjustments to the tilt & rise of the stem and bars that you should be able to reach a comfortable position with no knee clearance issues, and without having to hold the stem in a near-vertical position. I’m 6’ and, after fiddling with the adjustments, have no problem finding a relaxing position with no knee interference. I only have about 150 recumbent miles under my belt. My initial twitchiness is gone and I’m much more confident now.

Like the Canto, the Limbo isn’t intended to be ridden in an “arms-out” position (what I was used to) but is set up to be comfortable with the stem & bars a bit closer to the rider, with your elbows slightly bent & resting at or near your sides. I found this position odd at first, but have now grown to find it comfortable. The Burley Jet Creek on the other hand, seems to allow for a more arms-out riding position. So I want to ride both it and the Limbo before making a decision. One of the reasons I’m leaning towards the Limbo is its relatively compact size, with a 58” wheelbase as compared to 65” for the Jet Creek. Makes for easier transport.

Anyway Sean, good luck with your new bike. I hope you’ll continue to post as you get more familiar with your Limbo. By the way, if you haven’t already discovered it, there is a Burley-specific group at the following address. A nice forum to post your Burley questions.

http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/burleyriders

And there is also BentRider Online:

http://www.bentrideronline.com/

Jameson

Cletus said:

Thanks for the tip. I'm glad I did not opt for the short
wheelbase to start out. I have next week off and plan to
hit the trails every day...

Thanks again,

Sean B.

So is it Sean or Cletus?

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

I am a Burley Canto rider. Been one for three years. When I
first started out I went with the short wheel base becuse I
felt it gave me better control. Now I am back to the long
wheel base and enjoy the smoother ride. There is a site that
is for Burley riders,

http:://clubs.wanadoo.co.uk/groups/burleyriders

The only problem I've had for the three years are the pains
in my right leg. My left leg has been fine. I've moved the
seat forward, backwards, and every way possible. With every
move the pain changes from knee, to ankle, to hip, to ham,
etc. I finally settled on the most comfortable position with
the least amount of pain.

Other than that I love riding the recumbent and have given
up all riding my uprights this year. Dom.

Cletus <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<tLednas7HNQ-jEfdRVn-
[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping
the bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

2) I had a Hollywood Boomer hitch rack to tote my Trek
around, but there is just no way it can handle this
bent. What are people using hitch-wise to carry thier
CLWB bents? The closest thing I have found is the
Sportworks recumbent rack, which is supposed to
accomodate a max wheelbase of 63".

3) I'm 5'11", but I have to keep the steering close to
vertical to keep from banging my knees. No matter how I
adjust it, this is a continual problem. Any
suggestions? And no, amputation is not an option...

Thanks.

Its Sean, just Cletus because thats my Hotmail account...

Tom Sherman said:

Cletus said:

Thanks for the tip. I'm glad I did not opt for the short
wheelbase to start out. I have next week off and plan to
hit the trails every day...

Thanks again,

Sean B.

So is it Sean or Cletus?

Thanks for the feedback. Even when I used my Hollywood rack,
I had to take it off each time to be able to close the
garage. I have been hauling the bike around in my wife's
Venture van, but it is a real pain, plus she likes the van
better than my Civic...

Sean (aka Cletus)

Melanie said:

Cletus you wrote about the right car rack to accomodate
the Limbo. I have the Sportworks rack, I did want to tell
you the rack is just excellent. It held my Stealth
confidentally without a problem. It is very easy to use,
and the only drawback I could see is the length it adds to
the vehicle itselt, that makes it difficult to back up.
The rack couldn't be seen from my Subaru.

Incidentally, I subsequent purchased a Chrysler Van and am
not using the rack at the moment. The Sportswork rack sits
beside the Megawarrior and Yakima Rocket Box in my garage,
while I contemplate whether either is really necessary
anymore.

As for the knee banging, it sounds like you need a riser
extention to
me.

Melanie

Great feedback, thanks. It does seem that when I do lower
the handlebar, I feel even less in control right now. I'm
off work next week, so I will have a lot of time to ride.

I took a rather large chance and bought this bike used from
a guy near San Francisco. Lucky for me, the bike is really
clean, and that was according to the bike shop tech I took
it to. The bike shops here do not stock recumbents other
than the Cannondale, so I read up on different bikes and
decided to take a chance on a used Burley or Rans if one
showed up for auction.

I didn't know about the Burley group. I'll check it out.

Thanks,

Sean

Jameson said:

Cletus said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about
the Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as
CLWB. Any feedback is appreciated.
1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm
still nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails,
which is where I like to spend most of my time. The
steering is much more sensitive, and I get nervous
about dumping the bike in a ditch, or worse,
hitting another rider. Hopefully this is just due
to the inexperience, but if anyone has tips, I'd be
grateful.
2) I had a Hollywood Boomer hitch rack to tote my Trek
around, but there is just no way it can handle this
bent. What are people using hitch- wise to carry
thier CLWB bents? The closest thing I have found is
the Sportworks recumbent rack, which is supposed to
accomodate a max wheelbase of 63".
3) I'm 5'11", but I have to keep the steering close to
vertical to keep from banging my knees. No matter
how I adjust it, this is a continual problem. Any
suggestions? And no, amputation is not an option...
Thanks.

Sean:

Nice to see someone mention the Burley Limbo, a bike not
often mentioned on the board. I think the Limbo is a
great, and sometimes under-rated, bike, especially for
combination road/commuter/ gravel trail use. With its 58”
wheelbase, it’s a relatively “compact” bike (CLWB) which
offers a 20/26 wheel combination. Kind of unique.

I’m planning to ride one this weekend myself. My dealer
has one in stock, though not yet assembled. I hope to ride
the Limbo and the Burley Jet Creek back to back.

I’ve been riding a friend’s Burley “Canto” for a few
weeks, which uses the linkage steering similar to you
Limbo. When I first tried it, I found the riding position
odd, with the stem & bars seeming too close to my chest
(or so I thought at first). But, as Mike pointed out,
there are a number of adjustments to the tilt & rise of
the stem and bars that you should be able to reach a
comfortable position with no knee clearance issues, and
without having to hold the stem in a near-vertical
position. I’m 6’ and, after fiddling with the adjustments,
have no problem finding a relaxing position with no knee
interference. I only have about 150 recumbent miles under
my belt. My initial twitchiness is gone and I’m much more
confident now.

Like the Canto, the Limbo isn’t intended to be ridden in
an “arms-out” position (what I was used to) but is set up
to be comfortable with the stem & bars a bit closer to the
rider, with your elbows slightly bent & resting at or near
your sides. I found this position odd at first, but have
now grown to find it comfortable. The Burley Jet Creek on
the other hand, seems to allow for a more arms-out riding
position. So I want to ride both it and the Limbo before
making a decision. One of the reasons I’m leaning towards
the Limbo is its relatively compact size, with a 58”
wheelbase as compared to 65” for the Jet Creek. Makes for
easier transport.

Anyway Sean, good luck with your new bike. I hope you’ll
continue to post as you get more familiar with your Limbo.
By the way, if you haven’t already discovered it, there is
a Burley-specific group at the following address. A nice
forum to post your Burley questions.

smartgroups.comgroupsOpen ↗
/burleyriders

And there is also BentRider Online:

bentrideronline.combentrideronline.comOpen ↗

Jameson

Quoted message said:

--

Thanks for the info, Dom. My back kills me on my Trek, and
so far the only pain in my legs has been from using
different muscles. I will check out the web site...

Sean

Dom said:

I am a Burley Canto rider. Been one for three years. When
I first started out I went with the short wheel base
becuse I felt it gave me better control. Now I am back to
the long wheel base and enjoy the smoother ride. There is
a site that is for Burley riders,

http:://clubs.wanadoo.co.uk/groups/burleyriders

The only problem I've had for the three years are the
pains in my right leg. My left leg has been fine. I've
moved the seat forward, backwards, and every way possible.
With every move the pain changes from knee, to ankle, to
hip, to ham, etc. I finally settled on the most
comfortable position with the least amount of pain.

Other than that I love riding the recumbent and have given
up all riding my uprights this year. Dom.

Cletus <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<tLednas7HNQ-jEfdRVn-
[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Riding a bent is new for me, and I have a couple of
questions about riding one in general, plus one about the
Limbo specifically. My Limbo is configured as CLWB. Any
feedback is appreciated.

1) I never had problems balancing or maneuvering on a
hardtail, but after two weeks on the Burley, I'm still
nervous about riding on smooth, flat trails, which is
where I like to spend most of my time. The steering is
much more sensitive, and I get nervous about dumping
the bike in a ditch, or worse, hitting another rider.
Hopefully this is just due to the inexperience, but if
anyone has tips, I'd be grateful.

2) I had a Hollywood Boomer hitch rack to tote my Trek
around, but there is just no way it can handle this
bent. What are people using hitch-wise to carry thier
CLWB bents? The closest thing I have found is the
Sportworks recumbent rack, which is supposed to
accomodate a max wheelbase of 63".

3) I'm 5'11", but I have to keep the steering close to
vertical to keep from banging my knees. No matter how I
adjust it, this is a continual problem. Any
suggestions? And no, amputation is not an option...

Thanks.

Cletus said:

Its Sean, just Cletus because thats my Hotmail account...

Some of us here may find that humorous.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area