Schwalbe Durano Tires

Note: Photos of My Schwalbe Durano Tires Below

This is less of a review and more of a preveiw as I have not ridden these tires.  I just purchased  the Schwalbe Durano’s to replace my Specialized Fatboys.  I considered the Continental Ultra Gatorskinds, the Specialized All Condition II Pro’s, and Michelin WildRun’R Advance.

Why Durano?  Well for starters Schwalbe seems to have a great reputation in the Recumbent World.  I read as many reviews as I could find on 559 Slicks.  Over and over Schwalbe kept coming up.  Continental had only the one option in a lightweight slick with puncture protrection.  Unfortunately in the 559 size the Ultra Gator Skins are only available in wire bead.  I read way too many reviews of how hard the Ultra Gator Skins are to mount and how stiff they ride.  The Michelin WildRun’R Advance is new for 2010 so there were virtually no reviews. Michelin also provides very little information on the tire – I suppose they expect you to buy into their Brand Identity.  Plus at this time they appear to only be avaialbe in France. And while I’ve had a decent experience with Specialize Tires in the past I’ve never had a set last very long.  They seem to start falling apart around 1,000 miles.  There were plenty of online reviews to support this obeservation.

So after evaluation this left the Schwalbe Kojak and the Schwalbe Durano. I chose the 559 28 (26x 1 1/8) folding tire because of the weight and claims of durability.  Schwalbe states that in circumstances where the tires are not under load and ridden normally you may get up to 6,500 miles!  (This is stated right on the Schwalbe Site). So I figured if I was going to spend $45 on a tire it might as well last!  Plus the tires are only 260 grams so I can still run liners and be light enough for the style of riding I do. I dread flats as it is such a pain to change flat tube out on the road.  I read some great things about the Kojak, but I wanted to go with a narrower tire without a wire bead at a higher PSI to get the rolling resistance down a bit. The trade off will probably be a bit harsher ride, but my bike is suspended and I have a very thick foam seat cushion so I believe it will work out well for me.  If I had a non-suspended bike I would have bought the Kojak’s.

The only downside to my purchase is that I had to order the Schwalbe Durano tires online and wait about a week for the tires to show up. I visited about a half dozen local bike shops and none of them had Schwalbe.  Everyone was pushing Continental or Specialized.

When my tires arrived they were stamped Made in Indonesia. While Schwalbe is a German Company like most companies they take advantage of low labor rates in Asian Countries.  I have posted a video in the Parts Section about how Schwalbe Tires are made.

My first impression upon taking the tires out of the box are they are manufactred to a very high standard. The Tread itself feels about the same thickness as the Specialized Fatboy’s they replace. The materials in the Durano Tires just feel different, they feel “softer”.  One thing I noticed is that after mouting on my bike and spinning the tires they seem to be very true!  I hope this helps any of you looking for 26″ 559 tires for your recumbent. I’ll probably add a bit more informaiton as I begin to pile up miles!

———————————————– Update —————————————————–

I’ve had a chance to put a few miles on the Duranos now.  In comparison to the Fatboys they don’t ride as smoothly, but it’s pretty close.  I don’t know how much better the ride would be with a 1.35 version.  The added PSI 115/8 Bar doesn’t seem to make them roll any better than the Fatboys. Because of the narrower profile and the higher PSI I had hoped for a little less rolling resistance.

The Duranos  are more “sticky” than the Fatboys and in my opinion grip the road better and corner better. They feel very solid underneath me and I’m not afraid to corner.  I have not tired them on wet pavement as I don’t like to ride in the rain.

As far as speed goes I haven’t really taken a hit per se… seem to ride about the same speed. It’s pretty subjective at this point as there was a lot of wind today on my usual route and as you know when you are riding in wind it seems to be into a headwind both ways!  Actually lots of gusty crosswinds today made it hard for me to get up to my usual speeds.  So while not disappointedwith the speed, but I had hoped to pick up maybe 1-2mph.

So should you buy the Schwalbe Durano or the Kojak? That’s a tough one to answer.  In 559 the Kojak are only available in wire bead.  They weigh an additional 35 grams, but I would bet they do roll better. But I doubt the will last nearly as long and they are about the same price.

FYI:  I’m running tire liners in the Duranos right now.  Kind of self defeating one might suggest to run such a light tire with a liner.  I considered the Durano Plus but then I wouldn’t have the option to pull the liner.

It’s 6′s really.  I’d bet the Durano is a great Trike Tire as it is grippy and offers a better than expected ride.

Schwalbe Durano Package

Schwalbe Durano Tire Mounted on Rim

Durano Tread Pattern

Schwalbe Durano Tread Pattern Close Up

Take the Pain out of Mounting Bicycle Tires with the Tire Bead Jack

The Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack is an amazingly simple idea put into practice. This is one of those tools that you use once then wonder why you did buy it years ago! I was really amazed at just how easy tires are to mount with the Tire Bead Jack.

Get one and save your thumbs. All you do is mount the tire normally, then when you get to the last few inches you place the tool on the backside of the rim, reach the claw over the top of the tire and with a short pull back towards you the tire slides up and over the rim. And no more pinch flats as the tube doesn’t get caught under the tire bead!

The best part is this tool retails for less than $15! I couldn’t find one locally so I ordered it online. If your local bike shop has one… buy it. If not just pick it up online. This is one tool you won’t be sorry you bought. Plus it’s light enough to just throw in your bag and take with you on the road.

Tip:  Costco Sells Nitrile  Gloves in boxes of 100 for about $10.  These weigh almost nothing.  Take a few with you on the road.  When you need to replace a tire or work on your chain you don’t end up with grease all over your fingers.

My Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack

To be honest I have considered adding one to my Recumbent to make riding more enjoyable as there are so many hills to climb here. However what has prevented me from taking the leap in addition to the high cost is there have been so few legitimate reviews of the product. I won’t be purchasing one anytime soon after reading this review due to their apparent lack of quality control. I can not imagine riding and having a wheel separate.

The real pros of the Bionx system to me are: low weight compared to no name competition, controller components allowing for “assist” mode instead of throttle acceleration, and ease of installation.

It’s my understanding Bionx is working with TREK to manufacturer 2 models of electric bicycles. Perhaps there is an option to purchase the product through Trek to get better service and warranty in the United States. It’s ridiculous ot have to send a part to Canada to get serviced in order to avoid voiding your warranty. Yes in many areas you can probably find a dealer, but in so many other areas you can not and thus Trek’s Dealer network would be a huge bonus.

For now I’ll keep looking. Too bad because I really like the idea of available electronic assist for pleasure riding and exercise.

————— User Review Below ———————–

Full Review: Bionx PL-350 Electric Bike Motor Kit

Main Review:

I strongly recommend buying this from a local dealer as you may be back several times for replacement parts under warranty.

Before this motor, I was commuting 10 miles to work via bike about once or twice a week, arriving soaking wet, needing to shower and it took about 30 min longer than taking the train (each way). As I aged, it seemed to take longer and longer to get to work (especially if I tried avoid knee pain). It was becoming a chore I did to loose weight and no longer much fun. I was down to twice a week tops (40 miles/ week).

I wanted to regain as much as possible that 1 hour per day as well as make it enjoyable enough to bike every single day and save more money on train fare.

I researched many options, but settled on the Bionx PL 350.

I wanted a solution that would allow me to park on the sidewalk right outside my building in downtown Chicago, which limited me to electric bicycles.

I narrowed it down to an add-on kit because I liked my current bike, even tho it is 20 years old. I felt buying a new bike was a waste of resources. I had spent a fair amount of time and money tweaking the bike to my liking (it is a Schwinn MOB).

Many electric bikes had smaller wheels and I am reluctant to go with smaller wheels because Chicago is not known for silky smooth streets and I have doubts about putting 2,000+ miles/year and a 250 lb load on a small bike.

I could not use a front-wheel kit because a decently powered motor would have simply ripped my front fork apart.

My biggest reason for going with the Bionx was simply its ability to be controlled by pedal power (off when not pedaling, on when pedaling over 3mph). It is exactly like normal biking except I now have “bionic” legs.

I did not want to deal with a toggle switch. In fact, I did not want anything on the handlebars to break if I crash or get stolen or simply malfunction due to exposure.

I also liked that the Bionx was the only motor narrow enough to allow for Disk Brakes (which my next bike would likely have). I chose the 350 because I needed the horsepower to get my 200 pounds and all my bags up to 20mph. From my research, I am pretty sure that a 24v 250hp motor would run out of steam long before I got my bike up to 20mph.

I chose the LiMn battery because much of this biking would be in the cold and I read that NiMH batteries do not perform well in the cold. LiMn also had the added benefit of “the more frequently you rec-charge them, the longer they will last” as opposed to NiMH where you needed to occasionally completely empty the battery in order to prolong its life and I did not want to deal with being in the middle of a ride and run out of battery power every week.

I chose the bag battery because I wanted to save time and hide the fact that I have a motor. It is an Arkel bag and it is a very nice bag (I actually already had that exact same bag). That big box on the frame screams “motor”. I would have to put that white box into a bag anyway in order to take it indoors, so why not have it in the bag all the time? Also, the bag concept allowed me to keep everything, including the controller better protected from vibrations and weather.
I keep the controller inside the bag on my rear rack. Before I start out to ride, I connect the motor to the battery, turn on the controller, set the assistance level to 2, zip up the bag and take off. I have seldom felt a need to see it again until after I arrive. Pushing the cord for the controller connector thru the hole in the front of the bag took a little effort, but was easy enough.

I had no problems installing it myself, and it came assembled in such a manner that the “notch” already was in the down position, so I did not have to fiddle with it.

I disabled the throttle. I tried to buy it without the throttle, but could not.

I never spent the time connecting the “brake to trigger regeneration” as it would be just one more thing to fiddle with. My battery never runs low enough to require the little regeneration it provides. If you had to go down hills a lot however, I can definitely see the benefit of connecting it, no braking required. However, there are not many hills in Chicago.

I DID have trouble finding the correct freewheel however. My bike uses a “compact drive” system where the front sprocket was 42 Teeth and the rear was 11 Teeth. Finding an 11T freewheel was a frustrating research project, until I finally found a vendor who kept them in stock at jvbike.com

My next project was to get a 46T front sproket because I kept wanting a higher gear as I pedaled (with the motor)

I used to spend 4 hours riding 40 miles per week and took any excuse not to ride that day.

Now I spend 6 hours riding 100 miles per week (same level of effort per hour) and hate having to take the train because it means being crowded and waiting and paying.

I used to average 11 to 15 mph.
Now I average 16 to 20 mph.

I used to start riding 1/2 way and taking the train 1/2 the first two times in April and only ride once a week to get my legs and rear end in shape.

Now I start riding the full stretch 5 days a week starting April 1st. I start out on level 4 assistance and in May, I will have worked my way down to level 2 on my way into work (to avoid excessive perspiration) and level 1 on my way back (to compensate for the extra resistance of the motor and extra weight).

I love the fact that I can now get to work 20 minutes faster while still getting the endorphins from exercising without feeling so exhausted that I need to shower and wait a day to recover.

I do wish that Bionx officially supported 3rd party batteries. Their asking price of $1,000 for this battery seems to be highway robbery. However there are sites out there that explain that as long as you buy your first battery from Bionx, you can use their battery controller chip and hook it up to a third party battery. This was another reason for wanting the bag battery as it seemed so much easier to re-wire and fit a 3rd party battery. Preferably a 12ah LiFePO4 battery from eBay.com

For $100 more, nycewheels.com will sell to you a Bionx approved version that has 25mph as the top limit (tho you sacrifice some torque). In some ways, I kinda wish I had that option, however I suspect my aging knees better appreciate that low-end torque assist in getting up to speed.

Be sure you double check that you received all the correct parts. The box we opened at the bike store included the 24 volt battery in the box. Everything else (including the charger) was for the 36 volt kit.

It has a tendancy to not turn off when I stop pedaling but ONLY downtown. I think if you only pedal short distances, the computer gets confused.

The system occasionally freezes up while biking. Basically it just stops helping you while you are pedaling, but works fine after you unplug the controller and plug it back in again.

It can spontaneously turned on while walking astride the bike across the street (no pedaling), but I just hit the brakes to get it under 3mph and the motor turns off.

I am contemplating connecting the regen brakes just to turn off the motor when it does occasionally stay on or turn on when I do not want it to.

I am figuring that counting saved train fares and value towards fitness it easily pays itself off after 3 years (with each 3rd party battery having a 1 year payoff).

The downside is the increased probability of being injured due to riding twice as often and the higher speeds. Last fall, I was doored for the first time after 30 years of using my bike as a primary means of transportation.

In summary, the system has more smarts than any other, but can still use a lot more improvement (most notable quality control with the rim and charger and motor).

It really was my only viable option for keeping my weight down and it is responsible for making me once again really enjoy biking to work every day.

Some useful links:
Here is the Bionx website

http://www.bionx.ca/

These guys seems to sell a lot of kits and I was hoping to avoid our 10% sales tax, however they never responded past my first email, so I just bought it from a local retailer (now I can get local support and I am supporting the local economy)

http://nycewheels.com/

bionx-electric-motor.html

My local retailer (great service)

http://villagecyclesport.com/

Besides having in stock an 11T freewheel, JV Bikes also carries a complete range of Bionx parts

http://www.jvbike.com/BionX_Options.htm

I was VERY tempted to get a folding bike at the same time so I can more easily put it into our SUV on the occasions my wife picks me up with 3 kids in the back, but I decided to delay that expense until another time. As long as I get a 26″ folder, I can easily just transfer the wheel (or re-spoke it to a smaller wheel if I cannot find a 26″ folder I want to buy)

http://www.greenspeed.us/

bionx_montague_electric_bikes.htm

Here is everything you needed to know about bicycle terminology (which was very helpful to me understanding why the 11T became such an issue… apparently compact drive systems are not well supported in the aftermarket parts world)

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Here is a very useful forum for Bionx

http://visforvoltage.org/forums/

electricrides/bicyclesandpedelecs/bionx

with links to manuals and codes and such

http://visforvoltage.org/page/technical-help/

399-downloadable-manuals-and-diagrams

Here is a site that proclaims itself as “Everything you ever wanted to know about BionX”

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=896

I’ve been running these on my recumbent 559 under by Fatboys.  I love them!  They are about half the weight of the Hutchison tubes they replaced.  The Race 650′s are 26×1 and will work with 559′s.  I even had them a bit over inflated in the Fatboy’s with no problems.  At 75 grams these are very light tubes in comparison to the alternatives!  You can’t go lighter in this size for 559 at this price!  The other advantage is they are available with 60mm presta valve stems for tall road rims.  I don’t know what else to say about the Continental Bicycle Tubes… they do a great job at low weight and moderate cost.  I paid $7.50 at a local bike shop.  Cheap tubes are in the $4 range, but are much heavier and I would have to use extenders to make them work on my bicycle.  Definitely recommended.

Race 650 Bicycle Tubes w/60mm Presta Valve Stem

Note:  Photos of Specialize Fatboy Tires Below

Specialized bicycles calls their “Fatboy” tire a “Performance Road” tire. At 26×1.25 for 559rims these are a pretty good choice for mountain bikers who want to ride the asphalt. These are a pretty good choice for middle of the road 559 Recumbent trainers.

I’ve ridden these on both my mountain bike and my recumbent. They definitely fill a bit different depending on the type of bicycle you are riding. On the Mountain Bike they feel a bit unstable to me and I’m not that comfortable on them… however on the recumbent they feel just about right and seem to handle better. Probably just my perception as on the Mountain Bike I am much higher in the air and used to wider tires with a lot more grip.

At 390 grams these are fairly light wire bead training tires. The tread is a bit stiff, but inflated at about 85psi they offer a fairly smooth ride… pump them to 100psi and the ride gets noticeably harsher, but they do roll a lot better.

The Fatboy Tire is 60 tpi nylon with Specialized Flak Jacket sub tread. In the 1,300 miles I put on them on the Recumbent I did not encounter a single flat. However in the photos included below you will see I had a pretty bad puncture that extended through the tread. This occurred on the front tire. Fortunately I also had a thin liner in this tire courtesy of the technician who trued my wheel. Saved me a long walk home!

Having ridden several brands of tires in the 26″ size on my mountain bikes over the years I’d say Specialized makes a decent tire for the money. Nothing terribly special about these (pun intended). The tread is a bit hard but rolls well but the casing on the rear tire is beginning to separate. On smooth asphalt barring accident or misfortune you might be able to push these to 2,000 miles. They retail for about $25.

If you have actual experience with these tires please feel free to comment. Please refrain from posting opinions of these tires unless you have experience with them.

They are not the easiest tire to mount, but there is a solution to that which I have also reviewed – Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack

Specialized Fatboy Tire Mounted on Recumbent Rim

Puncture Failure in Tread (Sharp Rock)

View of Puncture from Inside Tire

Sidewall Separation on Fatboy Tire

Original Date of Review: July 19, 2004

Shockproof Ti 559 Photographs on bottom of this page.

As much as I would like it to be lighter and a better climber I still stand by my statements that the construction is top notch. This bike is exceptionally well built (but you pay the price in weight). I still hate the brakes – yuck! They slow you down, but don’t stop you on the hills. On the flats the brakes are adequate.

This is a fun bike to ride, gets lots of looks, and I like the color scheme with the Titanium/Black. In hindsight I wish I had opted for the 650c wheels and less spokes. I think a little faster wheels would help some in climbing. I’ve logged a couple of hundred miles now so I’m pretty comfortable even at slow speeds. Yes it can be twitchy and you can get some heel strike, but I wouldn’t hold that against the bike; it’s what you get with the “low racer” design. So overall I think it’s a solid bike, I just don’t think it’s worth the price I paid.

If you can buy the frame separately you might consider this as an option to build up your own quasi-fast around town fun bike. Definitely get the carbon fiber seat, build your own wheels, and spec your own component group. I’d also advise you have an experienced technician help with the assembly and tuning. Well I’ve pretty much said all I can about this model. Caveat Emptor – enjoy you’re ride!

Update: August 6, 2004

CLIMBING EXPERIENCE

I took the bike for it’s first real climbing test – an 8 mile climb up a canyon with a 2 to 3% grade, and the last 2 miles at about 6%. This bicycle is just too heavy to be a good climber, all the road bikes were passing me. I maintained about 10mph on the lower part of the climb and it was all I could do to keep about 6 to 7mph on the upper. And I’m not tooting my own horn, but I’m in hella good shape because I ride on average every other day and already have hundreds of miles on my mountain bike logged this season. So if you want to go fast in the flats this is a good bike, but if you want to climb with it you will be disappointed like I am. One MAJOR reason I bought this bike was for it’s low weight (billed as 24.5lbs, but actually 33lbs). So I guess I’ll get a Trek 5200 for climbing. Yes I’ve heard all the stories how recumbents can climb, but if your idea of climbing is 2 to 4mph in granny gears then I guess you are right. But if you want to maintain a reasonable speed then I’d opt for the road bike. How many of you ride centuries anyways? Most of you probably ride 5 to 20 miles for recreation and fun.

YIKES I’VE BEEN SCREWED!

I have spoken too soon about M5′s service. I guess I was excited to be part of the recumbent world. Shortly after my comment about good service I received a bill from Federal Express for additional charges. Turns out nobody ever informed me of these charges and M5 who said the shipping was inclusive is now refusing to step up to the plate and honor their word BUT BRAM DID KEEP MY MONEY PROFITED AT LEAST $300 ON THE SHIPPING. Fed Ex never informed me of any extra charges either – otherwise the bicycle would still be at customs – I WILL NOT BE SCREWED FURTHER BY BRAM MOENS OR FEDEX.

I paid $600 US and the actual shipping according to a Fed Ex rep was about $300. So M5 banked $300 profit off of my ignorance. I’ve learned my lesson, buy from a local dealer and make sure you know exactly what you are getting for you money. I guess my good service prior to this invoice was based on the fact that they had gouged me so hard in shipping. Did they think I wouldn’t find out? But what can you do? Some dealers are honest, some try to take advantage of you. It was my fault for wanting a bike I couldn’t buy here. In the future I’ll make due with the best American Made product I can find. PERSONALLY I WOULDN’T PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM M5 AGAIN, BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Wow! That’s the feeling I have now after returning from my first full-blown ride. But about an hour ago my first impression was – ought oh! What have I done. So lets step back to the beginning. I’ll spare you all the reasons why I made the move to a recumbent, lets just say the time was right. I have other bikes which are quite nice in their own right.

THE SHOCKPROOF BUYING PROCESS

After researching for a couple of months everything I wanted in a Recumbent I selected the M5 Shockproof Ti 559 from M5 Ligfietsen! I wanted the dual 26″ wheels and there were not many bikes available with dual suspension and dual 26″ wheels. The suspension ruled out Volae, Bachetta, and Rans. I choose the Ti Version because I wanted lighter weight (too bad it isn’t really light like it’s billed to be). So I committed and sent off an email to M5 which was answered quite promptly by Bram Moen. A note to website owners – YES PEOPLE REALLY DO BUY BIKES THEY FIND ON THE INTERNET. You (the reader) might be surprised to know that many of the dealers/manufacturers I contacted via E-mail never responded to my inquiries. They must have too much business? IF A DEALER IS GOING TO POST A WEBSITE AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS DON’T YOU THINK THEY WOULD BE ADVISED TO ANSWER THE EMAIL? I thought so… anyways back to the Shockproof Ti 559!.

After a process of about 6 weeks of writing back and forth (It was not a great experience for a person like me who has many virtues, patience not among them). I’m not sure they (Bram) thought I was a serious buyer. I had difficulty with my bank trying to do a wire transfer – In fact they said they could, but failed to be able to do an international wire transfer correctly. So I ended up putting the bike on the Visa Card. And was told my bike was on it’s way.

The next series of frustrations began. I received a telephone call from my Sister telling me that there was a package for me from FedEx that was being held for some reason. She gave me a telephone number and a lady to call. I called and of course received “voice mail”. Yikes I thought, this is going to be another hurdle. Fortunately she called back within the hour. Due to the Homeland Security Act here in the USA my bike was being held while until I filled out the necessary Import Paperwork. Yikes how long was that going to take? I downloaded the application (Adobe Acrobat Format), and emailed it off. Surprise – next day my bike arrived! The funny part (in hindsight) of the story is that FedEx didn’t know how to contact me, so they opened the telephone book for my City and called a person with the same last name, who turned out to be my uncle. He in turn called my sister, who called me. Lucky? NOPE! Written in BIG BLOCK LETTERS right on the top of the box was my Telephone number! How FedEx missed that I’ll never know!

OUT OF BOX EXPERIENCE

As adults we sometimes forget the pure adrenaline rush, exhilaration, and excitement of childhood Christmas’s. Can you remember the first gift you got that just totally fulfilled your expectations. You knew you were going to get it and when you did, you were just totally into the moment? Hold on to that feeling, you may experience it again if you get one of these bikes! That’s the feeling I had RIGHT UP UNTIL THE POINT I OPENED THE BOX! Yikes pieces of bubble wrap and tape everywhere. The tape was rather hard to get off in places (i.e. the carbon fork). The Shockproof was too large to ship assembled, so it had to be disassembled into component pieces in order to ship across the pond.

So what I had on my living room floor was a dozen or so very nicely wrapped packages of Shockproof Ti component parts “mostly” assembled. No problem I figured, I’ve put together a few bicycles in the past. This was a little different though. I quickly pieced together the pieces that made sense from the photograph of the bike. I got everything mostly together except for the derailleur adjustment before I encountered a major problem. (Pictures of the M5 TI 559 Shockproof including how it was packaged are available below).

I didn’t know exactly where washers went on the bolts, but I worked through the process. The problem was the front brake pad was rubbing the rim. So I spun the rim and it still rubbed. I was not very happy! No matter how hard I tried I could not adjust the Teckro Mini V brake on the left front side for the life of me (More on this later).

The Tech (At M5) that installed the brake had cut the wire so short that I it had no play. But that was only part of the problem. Turns out the bigger problem was the wheel simply was not true, and aggravated the whole situation. Now you would think (Or at least I would think) that someone at M5 would have taken more time to make sure these “little” things didn’t happen on a bicycle shipping so far. But they didn’t.

LITTLE INCONVENIENCES

Now I’ll be the first to admit I am NOT the world’s best bicycle technician, but I’m not bad. I can do most maintenance tasks, but I leave the big stuff to the shop technicians as I do not have the tools, nor the desire to delve into the world of bike building. Having qualified my bicycle skills in this manner I must now admit that after my frustrations with the brakes, and my burning desire to ride the darn thing and not just look at it – I took the Shockproof 559 Ti into a local bike shop. I called 5 shops and finally found one willing to do the simple things I needed to “fine tune” the assembly (Adjust brakes, derailleur, etc.). But before we talk about the bicycle shop experience, lets talk about that darn wheel that wasn’t true!

I also sent my untrue wheel off to Dave Thomas at Dave’s Wheels. I learned of Dave’s services by reading the wheel reviews at Mountain Bike Review (MTB Review). After so many glowing reviews how could I go wrong? So I phoned up Dave and explained the situation. He told me it wouldn’t be a problem, but he was in Colorado for the summer (Not Arizona). I needed to ship him the package and enclose a check for $35 ($25 for the truing and $10 to cover shipping – turns out shipping was $8.80 so he was right on target). I have never met or spoken to Dave before, but I figured it shouldn’t be a problem. So I sent the wheel off, and a week later it came back perfectly true! That’s good service, and he even dismounted and remounted the tire for me because I was too lazy to do that! Good deal, if you need custom wheels you might want to give him a call!

THE BICYCLE SHOP EXPERIENCE

After 5 calls I found a shop and a competent sounding technician – “Derek” who was willing to take the time to answer all my questions, and also agreed to adjust my bicycle while I was there right in the shop. The other technicians I called didn’t sound competent and didn’t understand my need to be there during the adjustment of the boom, etc.

In the span of about half an hour I had my derailleur adjusted, and the front brakes adjusted. Derek removed the weird (That’s the description I’ll use) nut on the top of the left pad and replaced it with a more common nut from a set of used Tecktro Brakes he had in the shop. He also had to replace the cable as it was too short (as previously mentioned). Total damage – $30 USA for the “tune up” and $5 USA for the brake cable. Not a bad deal for same day service while you wait. I was so happy I immediately took my Trek Fuel 98 in for a broken spoke problem. DEALERS – ANYONE CAN SELL A BIKE, BUT SERVICE WINS CUSTOMERS. Okay I’m preaching – lets ride the darn thing!

MY FIRST RIDE ON THE SHOCKPROOF 559 TI

Ought oh! What have I done? What have I gotten myself into? Have I made a huge financial mistake? With basic black Shimano 105 components (See full M5 Shockproof Component list below) but it was more than $4,000 USA after shipping! That’s a lot to me considering the middle of the road component package (I was, and am a little envious of the Bachetta Aero because it is so much lighter, and comes with all High End components for about the same price). I figure I got the same basic deal any other customer would have received – not counting being screwed on the shipping.

I began to pedal – I have only ridden one other recumbent before this one – a Sun something or other with a cushy seat and a low bottom bracket. It was really easy to ride, but very mushy slow feeling. This new Shockproof 559 felt entirely different. My first impression was “this feels kind of squirrelly”. Due to my inexperience and slow speed stability problems I almost crashed before I was even out of the driveway. I had trouble starting… but I just kept pedaling, and at 6 or 7 miles per hour the stability improves drastically.

Even so my first mile or so was scary stuff! I thought for sure I was going to crash again. I applied the brakes – SQREECH! So loud a car that drove by with it’s windows down gave me a strange look. Perhaps the brakes need a while to “break in” (pun intended). I kept pedaling. Now I must say I’m a experienced rider (Just not recumbents). I’ve been on a bicycle for as long as I can remember and never had a problem with any bike as far as handling and balance are concerned. This was a different experience. I kept pedaling. I got more and more comfortable.

I decided to take one of my longer “usual” loops around town. About half an hour into the ride I felt pretty comfortable on the bike. However, I am still not all that comfortable with the handle bar position or the shifting. I’ve never been a fan of “grip shift” shifters. Hopefully I’m not violating some trademark there, perhaps it’s twist shifters. And the braking does leave something to be desired. I find myself anticipating stops much more than on any other bicycle. I would have loved a disc brake option but that adds weight. Weight is bad? Isn’t it? Maybe not.

MY FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE TI 559

Weight! I put my Trek Fuel 98 on the Bicycle shop scale (An electronic hanging scale designed for weighing bicycles). This looked like a quality scale and it read 28.6 lbs. Right on! It’s the largest frame they make 21.5″ and full suspension, so I knew the scale was accurate. I next put the Shockproof TI 559 on the scale expecting to see about 27lbs. Wow was I shocked (no pun intended). 33lbs 2 ounces. I did a slight double take. The M5 website lists this bicycle at 11.5 kg (25.4lbs) with Shimano 105! Now I expected my bike to be heavier as I had more spokes in the wheels, and the TI rack – I figured 27lbs would be about right. NOT EVEN CLOSE! This bike was a full 6lbs heavier than that!

I guess there really is some truth to weight not being as important in the recumbent world. Just a word of warning with any bike, if you care about weight, buy from a dealer (In this case I had no choice as there were no dealers in the USA) ) and have them weigh the bike with the accessories you want already installed. I’m definitely happy with the bicycle and will be keeping it as my main ride for some time to come.

More about the weight: Yes it’s heavier than I expected, but it doesn’t feel super heavy. It’s hard to explain you just have to ride it. In all fairness to M5 I did spec the bicycle a little “heavy duty” – but not 8 extra pounds heavy duty, just extra spokes – 36 spoke wheels.. And as stated earlier the build quality is impeccable.

The Shockproof Ti 559 bike can be made lighter with higher end components: carbon seat, Dura-Ace, etc. – But even so I don’t see how you could possibly get it down below 28 to 29lbs. 33lbs is what it weighs in the configuration I recieved. I didn’t realize I was getting the Fiberglass seat and not the carbon fiber seat. I guess I had “sucker” written on my forehead.

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE TI 559 SHOCKPROOF

Scary at first for those of us with limited recumbent experience. It’s my understanding slow speed handling is not a strength of any recumbent design. But even a person of average balance and skill will quickly become accustomed to starting and stopping. After you get the knack of starting and you get up to say 5 to 8 mph the handling improves exponentially! This bike feels like performance machine right up until you need to climb something steep! If you ride in the flats you won’t be disappointed with the performance.

I opted for the Specialized “Fatboy” tires. These are fast easy rolling comfortable tires (I have them on my spare mountain bike). A seasoned recumbent rider will probably take to this bike faster than I did, but I’m catching on quickly. It’s slow speed handling isn’t great (as mentioned above this tends to be the case for recumbents in general), but at speed (and I’ll report the actual speeds after I hook up the computer and go on several rides) it handles pretty well. I am a little concerned about low speed stability from the very narrow handlebars. I understand the ergo/aerodynamic ramifications. It’s a fair tradeoff, but slightly wider bars in my opinion would add to the feeling of stability. I also found my wrists getting a little uncomfortable, and I wasn’t about to take my hands off the bars. Knowing this I think bars that are about 2″ wider on each side would add tremendously to the “feel” of stability for a recreational rider like myself, while the racer will probably want to keep the tight aero bars this shipped with this bicycle. Catch me in a month or two and I’ll probably be saying “Boy I’m glad I have these narrow bars, I wish I could go faster!”.

While riding (even on my very first ride) I was amazed at how much difference the riding position makes not only to comfort (I like the M5 Seat – I have a very long back and the large seat fits me well, if anything it might be 1 or 2 inches too short, but it feels good) but to the speed you can attain and more importantly maintain in a headwind. It is so much easier to pedal into the wind. I noted a rider about 300 yards ahead of me riding into the wind on his upright road bike, and within about 5 minutes of casual pedaling I had closed at least a hundred yards on him. This bike may be too much for your riding goals, style, or budget, but recumbents in general will open your eyes to how much easier it is to ride in the wind. The shockproof 559 Titanium excels in a head wind! I think my first impressions were based a lot on fear of the unknown and as I ride this bike I’ll like it more an more.

SEXY AND FAST

Sexy is local slang we like to use among friends to describe things which are “cool”, “innovative” and just easy on the eyes. This bike has all of that! I didn’t mention that I’m fairly large at 6’4″ and about 210lbs. I felt very much at home with the dual 26″ and really liked the M5 Seat (I’ve said that twice now!). This bike feels very fast to me! It’s SEXY! But I just can’t get over the weight because I have to do a lot of climbing where I live. This is a good bike for people that don’t have to climb.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There are very few options in the dual 26″ recumbent market right now. I wanted and got dual suspension. The ride is firm yet forgiving, when I push hard on the pedals the seat provides the support I need to really accelerate. The seat is comfortable for my body (although a headrest would be nice) but it did seem to get a little bit hot. I left a trail of sweat on the nylon covered foam pad. I would sacrifice a little aero for the more secure feeling wider handle bars would bring – although not full on wide like the “tweener” bars on other bikes. I really like the fact that my knees are nowhere near hitting the handlebars. I did rub my right leg slightly on occasion against the chain housing. And while this bike is not perfectly silent the chain noise didn’t bother me much, I could barely hear it. I usually ride with my MP3 Flash Player (iRiver) and ear buds so I couldn’t really tell. I set the volume very low so I can hear traffic. I just like the rhythm of music when riding it helps me keep a nice smooth pace. And a final thought about low speed handling. Yes it’s possible to have “heel strike” but only at very slow speeds and relatively sharp turns.

Good – Benefits

• Performance: Fast, Fast, Scary Fast on the flats and downhill!
• Sexy looking.
• Top quality welds, stiff yet forgiving. This frame will be around 200 years after I’m 6′ under. I just can’t impress upon you enough the quality of the frame, and overall “feel” of this bike.
• I was happy with Bram’s willingness to take the time to answer my questions and work with me through the minor glitches. I’m sure an authorized dealer and dealer assembly would have avoided the problems I had.
• Great Website – Love the information on Energy/Speed expectations.

Bad – Downside

• Unless you are experienced in recumbents you may choose bad components for the money. Hopefully you’ll find a dealer you can trust. Don’t buy direct unless you want to be screwed.
• I still don’t like the brakes! I don’t think I’ll ever like these brakes, but they will stop you once you get used to them, but they are nothing special. If you are going too fast you’ll need plenty of room to slow down before stopping.
• Handling is a little “Twitchy” – this is a cyclists bike – not Grandpa’s campground cruiser material and definitely not something you are going to teach the kids to ride on.
• I’ll probably do something stupid and die on this thing due to the tight handle bars (I’m already getting a false sense of security as I get comfortable on the bike which is followed quickly by extreme fear when something goes even a little awry. Steering is NOT forgiving.
• It’s heavier than I expected for Titanium (but rock solid construction).
• No dealers here in the USA. This (as I now know) is not a good choice for casual bikers, but if you have good balance, want to go like hell, and have everyone look at you with envy – go get one! or Buy mine! Bram is NOT concerned in the slightest about making good on promises. Customer support is terrible.

COMPONENTS ON MY BIKE

• Frame – M5 Titanium
• Fork: Carbon Fiber – Mfg. ?
• Rear Shock: DNM – DV22
• Steering – OSS Scary Tight Bars
• Seat – M5 w/nylon covered foam pad
• R. Derailleur: Shimano Deore black
• F. Derailleur: Shimano 105 black
• Shifters: SRAM Rocket
• Crankset: Shimano 105
• Wheelset: Custom Aero M5 36 Spoke
• Hubs: Shamino 105
• Brakes – Tektro Mini V
• Weight: 33lbs 2 oz (15kg) w/Ti Rack

Note: Please feel free to link to this review as you see fit, but please don’t copy it or repost it without permission.

Shockproof Ti 559 Pictures

Box Contents

M5 Shockproof 559 Box Contents

Dropouts

Ti Dropouts

Bars/Shifters

Handle Bars and Shifters

Boom Welds

Boom Welds

Fork Dropouts

Fork Dropouts

Frame Pivots

Frame Pivots

Left View

M5 Shockproof 559 Ti Left Side View

Right View

M5 Shockproof 559 Ti Right Side View

Stock Pedal

Stock Pedals

Ti Tubing

Shockproof 559 TI Tubing

Carbon Fork

Carbon Fiber Fork

Front View

M5 Shockproof 559 Titanium Front View

Rear Shock

Rear Shock Absorber

Rear Derailleur

Rear Derailleur

Rear Brake

Rear Brake

Ti Rack

Titanium Rack

Idler

Idler

Front Brake

M5 Shockproof Front Brake