Recumbent Bike Showdown! Bacchetta Corsa A70 Vs Cruzbike S40!

[@darrinturko5397]

greatly appreciated watching your video as I was looking at both and have settled on the Bacchetta Corsa A70.

[@slitespd]

I’ve considered an S40 but I too find it very hard to justify the pricing. Average components, heavy 32 spoke wheels and a basic aluminum frame just don’t add up to nearly $5K with tax. If an S40 was more in the price range of $3K, I’d have zero issues in taking a bit of a loss on my current bike and switching over. Cruzbike does not have sufficient distributorship either. The nearest distributor to me is 600 miles away to even see or test ride one.

[@fredderf6208]

Hey, a dealer that does an subjective comparison on bikes they sell! Pretty unusual. And thanks, you’re one of very few in a position to do this kind of thing. Was very informative. Btw I went with an Azub Six and love it, just upgraded the tires to handle gravel a little better. Build quality is top notch.

[@BryceLovesTech]

He’s an amazing dealer and the super nice guy

[@BryceLovesTech]

I watch this video several times then decided to make a second comment. As a three time Bacchetta owner one negative of the high bottom bracket is hot foot. Over a long distance your feet kind of numb from them being so high I found. I'm really torn between the Cruz bike and a HP Veloteknik Scorpion FS. I do pull a kids trailer sometimes so the trike might be a better fit.

[@FACE-PROFILERZ]

High BB makes our feet numb because of the blood flow that reduced to supply's our toes. If you could mount a peg on front fork may resupply blood back to your feet. I used to own ATP Vision R40 USS SWB, Optima Baron, (both pix on my blogs), Cruzbike Silvio S 4.0 These 3 vents numb my feet. I still had 2001 Rans Rocket 62t @ 40⁰ seat angle so far no issue on feet numbness. Uploaded the Rans on my blogs.

[@jonathanb7549]

I pull a trailer with a Cruzbike 😊

[@briannugent5518]

I ride the budget Cruzbike T50 and one thing I like about FWD is the pedals and your knees are a few inches lower for a clearer view ahead. A FWD negative is that sharp slow cornering increases the outside pedal distance and decreases the inside pedal distance long enough for pedal slip if pedaling.

[@jonabub]

Fwd is not the same as bottom bracket steering. Usually fwd aren't with feet lower. Check out zox for reference.

[@mikyl-fo8rh]

Great debate. The extra cost of the Cruz is prohibitive for me but otherwise my choice. Having and loving a Bacchetta Cafe in new condition for $300 and having the front wheel hitting my heals on tight turns is a turn-off. I also like the shorter chain and distribution of weight on the front wheel of the Cruz.

[@leomarkaable1]

I have always preferred long wheel base recumbent bikes. They feel much more stable and the turning radius is not a problem usually. I have ridden a Burley and a Cycle Genius - both companies defunct now.

[@gabrieltalbotphoto]

On the cruzbike, each time you push on the pedals you must compensate with your arms if you want to go straight? In a global energy caculation are you sure to have some advantage?

[@BHman841]

Thanks for a well done video. I just got a used Corsa A60 with 650c wheels that suit my shorter stature well. Choosing the right crank length matters and also handlebar height. Mine has RotorQ rings which are nice when climbing.

[@davidgerescher5527]

I just bought a Corsa A65. Wont get it till around the 24. Would like to hear from you and your Corsa adventures.

[@BHman841]

@@davidgerescher5527 about 300 mi on it. Avg 2 - 3 mph faster than my upright bikes, despite being slower uphill. Hotfoot is an issue over 50 miles if clipped in. Prefer not clipping and use studded MTB pedals one side spd the other so I can use either. Started upright seating have tilted it down some, will probably do more. Put 25 mm Pasela tires on at 100 psi. More comfy on chipseal than 23 mm at 150 psi. Looks like 28 mm will fit, can’t find any to try.

[@davidgerescher5527]

@@BHman841 I went ahead and bought a used Bacchetta Corsa 65a. Should get it around the end of the month. Not sure what is being run on it now but I thank you for the peddle and tire ideas.

[@BHman841]

@@davidgerescher5527 cool! It takes getting used to the steering and balance, but I love mine. Did you get the one on eBay with a schlumph mountain drive crankset?

[@davidgerescher5527]

Bruce, I also have no idea what the schlumph mountain drive crankset is and can you tell by looking at the pictures? Also what cranksets do you recommend and why?

[@BryceLovesTech]

Thank you for making this video, keep up the great work

[@Guillaume_F]

Thank you for the nice video.

[@jonabub]

Checked the prices and concluded I'd never go with a cruzbike. The prices they charge even just for the components are from another dimension. At the price range of the cheapest frame set you can get a complete hp Velotechnik or azub recumbent, at the prices they charge for complete bikes you can get a full Velomobile. They claim to have patented the drive train yet there's plenty of pictures from the same concept decades earlier. I honestly hate it when companies are overcharging without reason just because the demand is kept high enough. I bet it's the lawyers they're using to scare of potential competition. Otherwise they'd have to be swimming in money.

[@FACE-PROFILERZ]

I'd rather make my own FWD instead. FWD is the hardest to resell on ads platforms. Only for the existing FWD users could able to have a second look.

[@tauncfester3022]

You cannot patent something that has been built since the early 1980's a cyclist friend of mine designed a FWD 20" arm and leg powered bike called a Lightspeed that was remarkably zippy and made a full Reynolds tube set version of his first bike that was only 24 pounds. That bike was very fast and could climb hills better than most recumbents.

[@brianxcunningham]

But which is more enjoyable to ride all round, speeding down hills, climbing, going fast, etc.?

[@jean-pierredecouvreur9500]

Maybe the design has changed but my older 20 Giro 26 has a simple one bolt adjustment for the stem's fore-aft adjustment and the handlebars also adjust as simply. The review seems to imply that only the seat adjusts. As to the front wheel strike...unclip the foot on the inside of the turn and do a 1/2 dozen one-legged revolutions. Practice it in a parking lot and when you get comfortable, you'll want to challenge singltrack 😊

[@DemiGod..]

Unclip your foot on every turn? Can't imagine anyone wanting to do that, just get another bike instead.

[@jean-pierredecouvreur9500]

@@DemiGod.. You misunderstand. That's only for tight turns at very low speed, like when you ré making a 180 on a bike path. Otherwise, it's full speed ahead and, leaned over as far as you can go in a fast turn, you're pedaling through it all with no fear of a pedal strike on the road.

[@jonathanb7549]

Thanks for your video. I was thinking about buying a Bruchetta but found a 2nd hand Cruzbike Silvio on the internet. Your information was useful but could you please make category of handling (manoeuvrability around cones or something? And how fast do they go. Both important. Thanks 👍

[@boatman222345]

For folks on a low budget who live in a hilly area I'd take a pass on both these bikes and look for a used short wheelbase RANS Rocket. These bikes feature dual 20" wheels which in effect allow for lower gearing which is great in hilly areas. Smaller wheels reault in a slightly stiffer ride but nothing you can't get used to. Gearing wise stock Rocket gearing works OK in Kansas and Florida but in hilly areas the first thing you need to do is remove and toss the huge front chainrings. These chainrings were supplied on the stock bike to placate those claiming that the slight speed loss resulting from 20" wheels needed to be compensated for. Maybe in Kansas, and maybe for Lance Armstrong in Colorado. Everyone else would be better off with a Shimano 105 touring triple setup. I live in the mountains of Maine, weigh 130 lbs and am 75 years old so I found even the 105 setup too high and wound up swithing to a Shimano Deore Otn Bike crankset and an 11/34 9 speed rear cluster which allows me to spin up even the steepest hills. All told the RANS Rocket is one hell of a recumbent offering good soeed, hill climbing ability, great rider comfort and adjustability, and sweet handling. Why RANS stopped producing the bike is a complete mystery to me...

[@johnsimion2893]

I have a RANS Vivo and live in Las Vegas, so it is sort of "Vivo Las Vegas" for me. The Vivo is very similar to your Rocket except for the full suspension. I agree with your assessment of these bikes as well as the gearing. I also ended up replacing the stock chainrings for a 52-39-28 unit which is much better on the hills. Something else I like is the tiller steering. No pressure on my arms at all, totally comfortable. I can't imagine how you could be comfortable with your arms fully extended on the Bacchetta Corsa A70, at least not for very long.

[@curtvaughan2836]

Rans no longer exists as a bicycle company. The rights to the Rans designs and its remaining inventory were sold to Phoenix Bike Works. I bought the SWB Rans V-Rex as my first recumbent 20 years ago. It had a 20" front wheel and a 26" rear wheel. The bikes in this test are basically "high racer" SWB's, having dual 26" or 700c wheels. Those are difficult to handle for shorter folks (under 5'10" or so). I recently bought a Rans designed crank-forward bicycle from Phoenix Bike Works to replace my 17 year old Rans Cruz crank forward. It's a nice bike.

[@FACE-PROFILERZ]

I asked God to have a Rans Rocket 62T in 2001 and granted in 2017 for $150.00 in a garage sale's Caring Transitions. I still owned it since. It's in my yt blogs. I adjust the the seat angle to 40⁰ and removed the seat foam cushion then cutout a yoga mat. The comfort improves more comfortable and fast with added corrugated plastic rear seat fairing.

[@KutWrite]

My problem with front-wheel power is that your arms will fight your legs to keep the bike straight while pedaling, the equipment on the front will make it heavier to steer, and you have to bend your legs awkwardly to steer while pedaling. I have a Bacchetta Bella LWB, but keep thinking I might switch to the SWB Giro 20 AT. I remember trying one, though, and had the same complication as with the Lightning P-38: Having to stop pedaling in a safe "o'clock" position when turning to avoid heel strike on the front wheel. My Challenge trike has none of those problems, but is hard to transport and is heavier

[@curtvaughan2836]

I wonder if the S40 would have issues with traction going up hills, since it has front wheel drive. Wouldn't that shift most of the weight to the rear wheel?

[@BentRevolution]

I have very limited experience climbing on either, but I have heard from people in hilly regions that you overcome any traction issues by getting off the back of the seat and sitting more upright.

[@markthomasson5077]

Am I correct…because you have very long legs, the bottom bracket is much lower than it would be for a short legged person

[@tdasegard]

Mark, you are correct. On the Cruzbike the bottom bracket moves and would be much higher for a shorter person. On the Bacchetta, the botom bracket is not moveable so it would be the same height reqardless of rider size.

[@naldovaz9157]

interested in both, l would have to ride them to see how they ride, 2 totally different bikes.. Front wheel drive WOW.. But l do love that long wheel base on the Bacchetta, beautiful bike. Video was very nice

[@stephaniemuehlbauer8337]

@bentrevolution I am new to recumbents. So new I don’t have my bike yet. I’m thinking about coming to Florida in February to test ride some bikes and buy. I’m looking at the Cruz S40. What would you recommend for a bike rack? I doubt it would fit in the back of my Jeep Compass.

[@BentRevolution]

I think a 2-wheel recumbent might fit in the back of a Compass. A hitch tray rack would be good or Sea Sucker makes a good roof rack that is strong and easy to remove when you don't need it. Florida in February is also a great idea ;)

[@FACE-PROFILERZ]

Hi Stephanie, most Recumbents are expensive. Consider my used to be Cruzbike Silvio S 4.0 fits inside my 2013 Mazda CX-5. I do not invest on either back rack as it easy to steal for parts.

[@DemiGod..]

I would go for the cruz due to low pedals, no pedal strikes, use of arms to help climbing, better looks. My concern though would be pedalling effecting steering. I have 50/34 chainrings on the diamond frame and 11-34 cassette which is similar to the S40 which is fine to climb a 15% hill seated at about 5mph; I wonder if the s40 would have issues and possibly wobble all over the place as a result.

[@jesseheath7718]

Excellent content . Really appreciate this segment. Intresting to be able to compare the two designs. A decent Degree of consideration though should be rear wheel vs front wheel drive the pros and cons of both? For Steeper gradient geography it has been reported of the potential issue of front wheel spin that can occur on a front wheel drive bicycle. How common is this? Also gravel and rougher terrain including loose gravel may not be ideal on a front wheel drive design ? In short versatility could be another category. Both great bikes though.

[@BentRevolution]

I have not had much experience on steep terrain other than an occasional overpass, but I know if you sit up off the backrest you get better traction on the front wheel. I have seen other videos of people riding this bike up very challenging unpaved terrain, but your results may vary.

[@FACE-PROFILERZ]

FWD slips even on my Mazda CX-5 FWD especially on hills. Found strategies of slightly pedal to either left or right as you gain momentum then pedal straight on a hills.

[@georgesfromsouth2991]

Thanks a lot for this amazing video.I have a bacchetta ca3.0 which is a very good bike . It s really fast on flat and downhill. But to climb, it s another story. It s a lighter bike than the s 40 . Which one could be the best to climb. In one side s 40 we ave the front wheel action but a heavy bike and in the over side the bacchetta with the rear wheel action but lighter.

[@adam964]

Thanks for the great video. I got into my first recumbent this summer with a Bacchetta Giro 20 due to recovering from low back surgery. I've been having a great time riding again, but I miss the speed of my road bikes. Do you think that the bigger front wheel of the Corsa will make a difference vs the Giro 20? Should I be considering the Vendetta vs the S40? The Giro has been great to learn on, but I think I always knew that I was going to want something faster. Thanks!

[@BentRevolution]

The speed of the A70 is more because of the position the large front wheel puts you in. The Giro has you in a much more upright position while the A70 has you more tipped back so you have less drag. The Vendetta has a 20 degree seat angle which puts you in a much more aero position and as a result is a very fast bike. The speed comes at a cost however.

[@adam964]

@@BentRevolution Thanks for the explanation! I think I am comfortable enough to try the lower angles at this point.

[@hhjhj393]

A bike has to look good. So that I can take aesthetic photos of my bike in beautiful locations.

[@maxrider5264]

I had my eye on Cruzbike's for a long time, but I feel that they are just too overpriced.

[@johnyang1420]

Doordash

[@fakename8314]

Yes very overpriced

[@Vurbanowicz]

I bought an entry-level Cruzbike (T50 I think) and after two seasons I got rid of it. Too much energy wasted steering with your feet. I admit that a more talented/coordinated rider might like it better. After all that time struggling to master the front drive, it was a joy to get onto my diamond frame road bike. Some front drive recumbents don't require steering with the feet. By the way, videos about the Cruzbike seem to contain no negative comments, and I wonder if they are promptly deleted as soon as they appear. Just a suspicion with no evidence, though.

[@velosapien]

how tall are you?, only asking as the bottom bracket length seems to be maximum.

[@BentRevolution]

6'8" or 203cm depending on where you are. Crazy tall is the answer.

[@thomasstinson1696]

Thank you for the review. However, you missed a very large component of comparing these two bicycles. PERFORMANCE!!How about average speed, maximum speed, climbing ability, long rides, sprinting, cornering? How could you not address all this? Also, I make fast turns while pedaling all the time without heel-strike. Unless you are turning around on a sidewalk, a rider should not have heel strike. Cheers

[@BentRevolution]

Thanks for your comment. I didn't mention top speed since it is rider-dependent. As for climbing, Florida is very flat, so no hills for miles.

[@BikesAndBanjos]

I was kind of surprised by your comfort ratings for the Bacchetta. I know you're a big guy and are probably used to fitting yourself onto these bikes. But from the video clips of you riding, it just doesn't look like you're in that comfortable of a position on the A70. Also, I've had a little experience with lwb recumbents where I didn't have the handlebars close enough to my body and having them out and/or too high for extended rides tends to make my shoulders sore. I'm kind of curious if you've ridden longer distances on this Bacchetta and if you experienced any soreness from having to hold your arms up so much to grab the handlebars or if I'm just imagining this discomfort.

[@thomasstinson1696]

Helmet?

[@Vasileski88]

I like recumbent bikes a lot but I don't understand why they're so damn expensive!

[@garyp.7501]

unique designs don't lend themselves to mass production and thus reduced cost per unit. Ie if more people bought recumbents, then each one would pay less per bike. Going the used route can save you quite a bit of money.

[@fakename8314]

It is a high profit market, they buy the bikes in large runs and then do not order more from the factory until they have orders

[@garyp.7501]

@@fakename8314 Seems like a reasonable business model. You don't actually make a profit until you sell all the inventory to cover your costs. Then sell the last few, those are the profitable sales. ie, if it costs $6 to build 10 items, after you've sold the first 6, the next 4 are your profit.

[@fakename8314]

@@garyp.7501 Just buy one direct from Indonesia and not pay the stupid prices

[@samduffey7098]

Thanks for doing this review. I picked up some details I had not known about before. I do feel that speed perhaps could have been one of the criteria but it was a very valuable overview anyway. No pressure..... but does this mean you'll do other models :) ???? I'd love to see other models compared (Performers, M5's, other brands) .

[@bertyjustice4424]

The way Cruz bikes sway as you push each pedal could make it scary in traffic. I can see this swaying even with a expert like yourself riding it.

[@casualguy393]

I ride a V20 in traffic and while there is such a thing as pedal steer, it is not difficult to keep the bike straight. I have videos on my channel of me going through very narrow gates at +24mph with barely inches of clearance on both sides. It is on average 6kph (4mph) faster than my TT bike, and much more comfortable. I wouldn't even bother racing against an S40 on my TT bike. If possible ask on the Cruzbike forum for a test ride and see if 1 fits for you.

[@MiguelMartinez-ch3tp]

Traduzca en castellano por favor 1:56

[@casualguy393]

En la Bacchetta existe la posibilidad de que la rueda golpee con el talón. En la S40 no hay golpe con el talón.

[@nannuartworks5812]

I think if you live in a hilly area the Cruzbike will edge out the Bacchetta.

[@tauncfester3022]

My big complaint about Bacchetta is their stupid aluminum to steel, fork blades to steer tube is a glued joint. Also that they don't make their bikes anymore and provide no phone to call or even a parts supplier. I repair bikes at a community bike shop and we got in a Bacchetta as a trade in that had a loose front fork. Looked up their Seattle dealer, which wouldn't answer any calls, seems according to a Seattle bicycle forum that they weren't exactly a good shop. The fork needed to be replaced so I ended up buying a 26" size steel track bike fork with little rake. it also didn't have the mounts for the disc brake so I had to mount a sidepull. There is NO recourse to repairing your Bacchetta's wobbling fork, none. You cannot weld steel to aluminum and whoever came up with this lame construction design should be ashamed. BTW my experience is building my own recumbent FWD arm and leg powered recumbent and working for Burley's tandem frame shop. So I'm fairly experienced in production bike frame manufacturing.

[@petermichelson3865]

Carbent recumbent Stick bikes blow away both of these recumbents!

[@tigerboy211]

Good luck finding one

[@leonz6429]

The bottom brackets are way too high for commuting. These bikes are made for long rides where you don't have to stop and go a lot. Anyone who buys one for of these for commuting is making a mistake.

[@BentRevolution]

I commuted on an S40 for 4 years. It was awsome. Your milage may vary. )

[@fakename8314]

Cruzebikes are enormously over priced if you really want one buy directly from factory in Indonesia.

[@johnyang1420]

You cant do that now.

[@fakename8314]

@@johnyang1420 what ??

[@sitoudien9816]

Name? How?

[@sspoonless]

I'm sorry, but I just don't think Florida is a qualified place to rate any human powered conveyance.

[@thomasstinson1696]

I live in Neptune beach. Only hills are the Intracoastal bridges. The review did not cover any performance ratings. ???