Recent content by chicorider

I went from a V20 to a V20c, and the only difference I noticed was maybe a slightly more refined ride quality.

Glad to hear you're having some decent riding weather. The good stuff is coming. Fast stops and tight turns improve with practice and time on the bike, as you suggest. Some of it is also situational. Not all fast stops and tight turns are the same, and they come with varying amounts of...

All of this. For a tighter move while carrying some speed, like a fairly quick u-turn, I will stay clipped in but sit up for the turn. For slower speed tight maneuvers, such as moving through narrow entrances, around bollards, or through people on foot, I will shift into an easier, spinnable...

Good to know I'm not the only one who does that.

The pedal question is one of a few Cruzbike conundrums, especially for those on the learning curve. Being clipped in feels scary. If you have to put a foot down quickly, you have to unclip first, raising the possibility that you might not get that foot down fast enough to avoid a fall. But...

That's genius! Makes sense.

The SRAM Apex shifters will work just fine on your S40, as will Shimano shifters.

I'm starting my 10th year riding a V20, now V20c. At 5'3" and 130 pounds, climbing has always been my strength. I am maybe a tiny bit faster climbing on my Specialized Aethos, but I can climb a lot longer, with less fatigue on the V, making it perhaps the faster/better climber for long...

My take on the finish on the carbon bits of the V20c is that they were going for that semi-opaque/semi-transparent top coat that shows off the carbon a little bit, especially in the sun. It's not so much that the finish is bad, but that you are able to see the carbon layup beneath. My...

For me, I don't think that pushing vs. pulling is an either/or thing. As I'm pedaling along normally, I'm pushing a little and pulling a little; pushing the right pedal leads me to pull a bit with my right hand while I also push a bit with the left hand. I don't think about it. It's just what...

I went from a V20, which has basically the same front end as your S40, to a V20c. While the V20c maybe has a slightly smoother ride with its carbon fiber front end, the weight difference between the two is negligible. I imagine they had to use a fair amount of carbon fiber to create enough...

I was riding with a friend a couple years ago, when we came to the top of a gradual 12 mile downhill that averages about 4%. So, not very steep. It can be a pedally downhill if you want it to be. I was on my V20c and he was on his Specialized Roubaix. Without telling him, I decided to run...

I ran 650b on my S40, with 50mm Gravel King slicks. The ride was nice and smooth, and with enough air pressure, could even be fast. I also still had room for fenders.

I often use a wiggling motion with stubborn thru axles. When inserting, push and wiggle. When extracting, pull and wiggle. The wiggle helps break thru axles free when coming out, and helps them find the threads when going in. The V20c design does complicate things, but I've never had to...

Welcome to the learning curve! It gets easier and easier, especially with short repetitions over time as the brain creates new wiring.