Completed first 500 miles on V20 in 6 weeks, now I have a few questions

Andrew Roerkohl

Andrew Roerkohl

Member
Just some questions if everyone can help answer so I improve.

1) How much bending will my stock seat take before I need to worry about damage?
2) Does anyone use magnetic pedals on their V20?
3) I know cadence is important but its a struggle to keep myself under 2rpms, is that an issue?
4) What angle should my elbow be? How close should the handlebars be to my chest? Struggling with my handlebar adjustment.
5) 165mmcranks, I am 5'9", should my legs fully extend when pedaling on V20?
6) Has anyone wrapped their handlebars extra thick for better grip (keeps hands from clinching too much), just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me to relax grip a bit more.

Best success story I have had is a 71.2 mile segment with about 2k in elevation changes, I felt really good but knees were a bit sore so I think I might need to make a few adjustments. Also I found I was too low in my seat while learning how to ride so I am thinking about adjusting the backrest. I am also finding my cadence is too fast and was wondering if anyone else had to work really hard on this bad habit.

This is the most fun I have ever had on a bike. Recently did 44 miles at average 20MPH, I think I may be a candidate to focus more on length of ride than focusing on speed. Thank you all for any hints and thoughts to my questions.
 
chicorider

chicorider

Zen MBB Master
Welcome Andrew!

I have six years on my V20, and I still love it. I cannot respond to all of your questions, but here is my two-cents worth:

I use double-sided Shimano SPD pedals. Regardless of what pedals you use to clip in, these bikes are much easier to control when clipped in.

My cadence is a bit slower on the V than on a diamond frame bike. On a D-frame I spin around 90rpm, which is pretty standard, while on the V I am around 80. This is what has come to feel the most natural for me, and I have heard others say that their cadence is a little slower on their Vs as well. That said, when climbing, it is important to keep your cadence up, rather than mashing the pedals, so that you don't do harm to your knees.

Elbow angle is mostly a matter of preference. Some people like their arms fairly bent, while others like them mostly straight. For me, it was a matter of finding the elbow angle that created the least arm fatigue. It takes some trial and error. Mark your current spot with tape, adjust forwards or backwards 1/4 to 1/2 inch, go for a ride. If that felt better, keep going in that direction. If it felt worse, go the other way. The same holds true for pedal position. You don't want your legs fully extended at the end of the pedal stroke, but you don't want too much knee bend either. Mark the boom with tape and make fine adjustments until you find the sweet spot (you'll probably know it when you find it). Knee pain is often the result of either too much knee bend, or mashing too hard of a gear (which sounds less likely if your cadence is high).

I am 5'4" and I use 160mm cranks. 165mm for your height probably at the long end of "good."

When I was learning, I gripped the bars so hard I tore an elbow ligament and was out of commission for seven months. Robert H. gave me the best advice while I was healing: grip the bars as if they were ripe bananas. When I got going again, that much lighter grip forced me to understand that the feet are part of the steering and that I needed to include them, rather than using my arms to fight them. That ah-ha radically changed how I ride, eliminated arm pain, and boosted both my power and speed. It feels so natural now that I can ride the V no-handed. There isn't much of a reason to do so, but my feet are so integrated with the bike that I can do it.

Personally, I would not mess with the seat angle. Instead, keep riding it as it is until you are used to it (which took me about 1000 miles). I also have an S30 and, for a while, had an S40. Of the three, the V is easily the most comfortable for me. Yes, it is true that of the three, the V is the most challenging to handle, but once out on the road, that 20 degree recline is super nice.

I hope this helps. Keep on riding!
 
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