Interested to hear what you think about the Cruzbike. I’ve read lots about them and there seems to be 2 schools of thought...
1) front wheel drive is the way forward and makes uphill riding that much easier
2) avoid them like the plague and way too twitchy as every pedal stroke pulls you off line and in to a wobble
Which model do you ride? 1st bent a cruzbike?
The v20 just looks a racing machine too laid back but the S40 seems a good bike for keeping up the speed with the up-wrong rides.
1. There's an argument to be made that you will lose less energy in flexing the frame vs a CB's front triangle and save weight in a shorter chain. If however your bike is as inherently heavy as mine, then that's a wash at best. Get a light and fast one one though, and very few Cruzbikers report being slower up a hill. Generally the S40 is reported to be faster up hill since you have a better hip angle (much debate follows), but the over the course of a day the V20 will win through pure aero.
2. In commerce, detractors are ten times more likely to say so publically than satisfied customers. If the ratio of those who actually report good and bad news is about equal (I happen to think it's generally positive), then I make the assumption that that's a minimum 10:1 satisfied/not satisfied, and probably better.
The first bent was actually SWMBO's TerraTrike Cruiser while replicating a new SWMBO. Fine machine but not a racer - even though we raced it a couple of times at Hillingdon
. That got me interested in the industry. The decision point was my 12 mile commute into London; one should not be purchasing heamorroid ointment with a fitted saddle.
I got a V2k, which is a Sofrider at the end of the production line painted white. The frame-set was a price I could afford and brother-in-law imported it on a business trip. I built it with poverty-spec hub dynamo and SA 8Sp IGH, so it's a proper Kelpie even though the seat's back to 35 deg. There's a few pics here. (The rear-fairing is a Belgian's idea, it's not me or my bike!!!!
)
https://forum.cruzbike.com/media/users/mcwheels.8193/With the money, I'd have an S40 with under-seat rack in a heart-beat, but there's nothing wrong with this one; just quietly, it's my only bike.
If you can follow direction, and don't mind being a beginner again, I'd say do it. The steering is just a property you learn to adapt to, I don't see it as good, bad or difficult, it's just how it is.