Well it's the first anniversary of my Giro. Here are some numbers. 3120 miles
231.8 hours road time
232.459 mph average.
[While 13.459 mph doesn't seem all that fast. . I seldom go out for a ride and average less than
15mph. I'm really curious if anyone else has miles vs accumilated riding time stats]
This Giro was one of the early ones. I've replaced the bottom bracket, that died around the 1300
mile point. So far nearly 2k miles on a new FSA with no problems. My original idler was badly
grooved and replaced at 1900 miles with an improved model freebee from Bacchetta. So far it looks
really good with over 1200 miles on it.
I replaced the chain and cassette at 2300 miles. I tried taking the chain apart at a master link
earlier in its life and not realizing it was not a reusable link weakened it. It eventually failed.
The chain was a KMC. The new chain is a Sram pc-59 and the cassette is also a 9 speed Sram. They
work well together, and the shifting is nice and crisp.
I've had several tire combinations on the bike over the last year. The original were the 65 pound
Kenda Kwests. They worked ok, but I over inflated the rear tire one too many times and it started to
separate from the wire bead. When Kenda says 65 pounds they mean it. I also tried a Performance 1.25
inch kevlar city tire, with good results. It was matched with a Primo comet kevlar and the
durability and rolling resistance seemed acceptable. The current Tires are a set of Kenda Kwest 100
psi 1.25 inch wide units. They roll nice and are quite durable. I've got about 1200 miles on them
with only one flat. I believe I hit a piece of jagged metal on a bridge approach. There was a 1/4
inch cut on the front tire and a pinhole in the tube. I replaced the tube and reinforced the tire on
the inside of the cut and have ridden it more than 1000 miles since. One thing that impressed me
about the Kenda Tire is the thickness of the rubber on the center of the tire. It feels quite thick,
much thicker than any tire I have ever used. For my weight (250 pounds) 1200 miles is quite good for
a rear tire. I usually don't get much more than 1400 miles before the rolling surface gets flat and
the cords start to show. I think these will last quite a while longer. The rolling surface is just
starting to wear flat.
The Giro is my third main recumbent. I've owned a BikeE, Rans Vrex (still have it). I also own a
EZ-1 that doesn't get much use. The Giro compares very favorably with the Vrex. Speed wise they are
quite similar, my coast downs are just a tick faster with the Giro. I like the handling of the Giro
better. The seat on the Giro fits me perfectly, and I prefer the superman posistion to the Hamster
bars of the Vrex. The longer wheel base has some nice passive suspension, yet it doesn't have power
robbing flex.
I am very pleased with the bike it has a nice combination of comfort, handling and speed. It's my
current ride of choice.
Denny in Sayre, Pa "Bent but not Broken" Current Bacchetta owners or prospective owners are invited
to Join the Bacchetta_Bikes egroup on Yahoo.com