1st few days on my V20

[Kurts Recumbent]

Day 1 ... rolling down the driveway
Day 2 ... figure 8's at the school parking lot
Day 3 ... 2 rides, total = 15 miles

I have a lot of tuning and tweaks to accomplish yet but here is what I've noticed.

1. I have trouble starting from a dead stop on any incline. I'm sure this will just take some practice and time.

2. My upper thighs keep on hitting the bottom of the handlebars. I have to figure out what options are available to to correct this.

 

[LarryOz]

Day 1 ... rolling down the driveway
Day 2 ... figure 8's at the school parking lot
Day 3 ... 2 rides, total = 15 miles

I have a lot of tuning and tweaks to accomplish yet but here is what I've noticed.

1. I have trouble starting from a dead stop on any incline. I'm sure this will just take some practice and time.

2. My upper thighs keep on hitting the bottom of the handlebars. I have to figure out what options are available to to correct this.

..
Great job - starting on the incline will come with practice.
Thighs hitting handlebars: Getting a side picture showing your extension and retraction maximums while pedals will help.
Chances are you are a candidate for shorter cranks, which will help with that.
You may also just have to pull the handlebars toward you just a touch until you don't hit.

 

[Charles.Plager]

1. I have trouble starting from a dead stop on any incline. I'm sure this will just take some practice and time.

This is just hard. You'll always have this problem. But what you call "an incline" will become steeper and steeper.

(I was riding a metric century and stopped half way up an 8% grade hill. I told my friend I was screwed because I'd never get started. He offered me a push and I made it up the rest of the hill. ).

 

[hoyden]

2. My upper thighs keep on hitting the bottom of the handlebars. I have to figure out what options are available to to correct this.

You may also just have to pull the handlebars toward you just a touch until you don't hit.

I did this on my S30 and it compromises ability to sit up in the saddle. I settled for a position where my thighs barely touch.

 

[Charles.Plager]

I did this on my S30 and it compromises ability to sit up in the saddle. I settled for a position where my thighs barely touch.

What about getting a stem riser. Moves the handlebars up so it's both out of the way of your thighs and lets you sit up (which I find very important).

 

[hoyden]

What about getting a stem riser.

That is probably where I will eventually go. I like the bars low so raising them is further deviation from my preferred position. Sitting up is important and right now I've tweaked things so that I have some sitting up with minimal thigh interference.

 

[DavidCH]

You can move your cleats as far back as they go. It certainly helps on recumbents and it will give your knees less agro too.

 

[Kerry Kerr]

My legs hit the handlebars at first, I was actually was too close pedal wise, extended boom and now knees everything feels much better. Inclined hills, takes time!