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  1. chicorider

    S40 with 650 or 26inch wheels?

    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.
  2. chicorider

    Removing thru axle

    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...
  3. chicorider

    New (to me) Bike Day (S40)

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

    Results of installing a Viscoset headset in an S40

    I've reused aluminum headset cups in the past without problems. Just as you want to take it slow and be precise when pressing them in, keeping the cup straight and level as you press, you want to do the same when pushing them out. If you get the cup out and it looks fine, then it probably is...
  5. chicorider

    Clip-on mirrors

    Ooh! I've been using the Zefal Spy Mirrors for years. They work fine, but the plastic mirror leaves a bit to be desired for clarity. The view is a little wavy, and if a car is coming from behind without running lights on, and it is a neutral color, like tan or gray, it can be harder to see...
  6. chicorider

    1st time Forum member - new S40 build - 1st time rider - terrified !!!!

    As others have suggested, so much of what you are working through gets better and easier with practice, reps, time, and a kind of stubborn faith that it will indeed get better. For tight turns, such as flipping a U, or maneuvering through tight bollards, I unclip a foot (usually my left, which...
  7. chicorider

    Weight Distribution

    After nine years on a V20 and S30, I have noticed that the front/drive tire wears faster than the rear/non-drive tire, at about the same rate as the difference between front and rear wear on a standard road bike. I weigh 130lbs.
  8. chicorider

    1st time Forum member - new S40 build - 1st time rider - terrified !!!!

    I'll second this. Early on with my V20, I was gripping and pulling so hard on the bars that I tore a tendon in my right arm. It took seven months to heal and I was afraid that I'd have to start the learning process all over. But I didn't. The brain wiring was still there and hooked up...
  9. chicorider

    2 sets of spare seat and headrest covers, unused, $20 per set, shipped on me within the U.S.

    Sometimes my spare parts bin reaches critical mass, and it's time to clear some things out. I contacted CB a while back to order a couple extra headrest socks--the thin, old-school kind--to have on hand, should the one I was using wear out. What arrived were two sets of stock seat pad covers...
  10. chicorider

    A (re)introduction to Cruzbike and the forum

    Welcome back! At the age of 48, lower back pain made riding a road bike just about impossible. The thought of becoming one those riders sitting bolt-upright, going 11 miles per hour depressed me. The thought of going recumbent depressed me. The thought of not riding at all really depressed...
  11. chicorider

    Climbing

    I agree that crank length is a personal choice. I'm short, at 5'3". I built up my first V20 with 165mm cranks. They seemed fine, but I had no frame of reference, having tried nothing else. As an experiment, I put on 160mm cranks and liked them a little better. I rode those for quite a...
  12. chicorider

    Steady Climbing

    Ditto much of what has been said. I have a climber's body and climbing has always been my strength. I have nine years on a V20 (now V20c), and I climb just about as fast on it as I do on my Specialized Aethos road bike (my local club is hosting its annual 12 mile uphill time trial this Sunday...
  13. chicorider

    Rear vs under seat pannier racks?

    I get no recumbutt on my V20, a little bit on my last generation S30, but it usually goes away after 15 minutes, and got it badly enough on my S40 that I had to sell it. I like my S30, but yeah, it's not really designed to carry much more than just the rider. I liked the flexibility built into...
  14. chicorider

    New Cruzbike rider issues

    All good advice about the feeling of sliding forward off the front of the seatpan. I'll add this: years ago, when I was new to riding Cruzbikes, I definitely had the sensation of sliding forward, and feared that I would somehow slide or bounce off the front. I use the word "sensation" because...
  15. chicorider

    Chain Link Count on V20c with new Sram AXS 24 speed setup not single chainring

    That should work. I'm running a V20c with a standard chainstay and Dura Ace Di2 12 speed 11-30 cassette, 36/52 oval chainrings (so the 52 is more like a 54), and a 122-link chain that I cut down from 126.
  16. chicorider

    Noisy drivetrain

    Hi Jan. I had a similar noise on my old V20, which had a similar design to your S40. In my case, the culprit was the clamp bolt that connects the boom to the steering column. Others have commented on this particular spot too, over the years. Some have solved it by checking/correcting the...
  17. chicorider

    Rear vs under seat pannier racks?

    Maybe. I weigh 130 pounds and my recumbutt on the S40 was bad enough that I sold the bike. I am glad to hear stories of people not having this issue. I wish I was one of them.
  18. chicorider

    New Cruzbike rider issues

    Everything that has been said far is good stuff, and I'll add this: I started with a V20 with a Ventisit pad nine years ago, and remember how much I felt all the road imperfections along the length of my body. At the time, I was so focused on not weaving into traffic, that the chattery ride...
  19. chicorider

    Car rack solution

    Sorry for the slow reply. Yes, the front wheel goes into the cradle and the stabilizing bar clamps down in the crook created by the front tire and the fork crown. It works great for both my V20c and S30, and should for a Q45 as well.
  20. chicorider

    Ventisit 2cm or 3cm?

    A side note about the Ventisit pad: As sweat works its way into the pad, salt and other gunk can accumulate beneath the pad and seat pan. You won't necessarily see this on the top of the pad. I take my pad off a few times a year and take it into the shower with me to soap it down and rinse it...
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