Fitting myself to the v20

[Amehta]

I’ve mostly assembled my bike. But I feel my arms are highly extended almost in a straight line when I sit and recline on the seat. I tried Fred flintstoning in this position and lost control and fell because the front end is very twitchy.
How can I bring the handlebars closer? I see several holes where the pivot screw goes but can only use one of them. Is that what I should be adjusting? Maybe something is assembled wrong?
Attached is a picture. I cannot pull the handlebar back any more because then the holes in it won’t align with the bottom and I won’t be able to put in the pivot bolt.

 

[mesooslo]

On my Silvio you adjust the foot length till your heel just reaches the pedal at full extention. Then adjust the boom length till your thighs just touch the bars.

 

[IyhelM]

The problem with the 1st gen boom is that it has much more limited adjustment range - on top of being awfully heavy.
@Ametha please try to share a broader picture of your bike - ideally also one with you on it so we can better advise.

 

[Tuloose]

I'm pretty sure Robert Holler has video instructions on how to set up a Vendetta.
Your arms definitely should not be fully extended.
Your elbows should be at your midsection, just above your hips or just slightly more extended than that.

 

[Amehta]

Thanks all. I’ll share a picture of my fit on the bike

 

[Mathew Fy]

Loosen the clamps on the bottom bracket and the quick release to allow articulation, then you should be able to align the bolt to your desired hole. It looks like the previous owner used the middle one. It’s a personal preference, but for best aerodynamics having your arms straight out like Superman while hammering is fastest. Beginners often prefer bent elbows. You then adjust the yellow boom length by sliding it in or out of the silver slider until you have a slight knee bend at that leg’s maximum extension. Then tighten the quick release and clamps. Don’t over tighten and break it.

 

[Amehta]

Based on the replies above made some adjustments. These are pictures of me on the bike after the adjustments. Does it look about right? It does feel a bit better now

 

[Mathew Fy]

Your arm length looks good. Most bike fitters recommend a knee angle closer to 140 or so.
I used an online protractor

Online Protractor

Measuring degrees of angles with this transparent online protractor, use your laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone to measure the angle of any objects

www.ginifab.com

 

[Frito Bandito]

As @Mathew Fy wrote, 140 degree is a great place to start. Not everyone has the same flexibility and range of motion so being a few degrees off 140 is fine if it provides the right balance of comfort and power. When setting up my V20 I was experiencing pain in my left hamstring just under my knee from what I felt was over extending. I moved the bottom bracket closer and the pain shifted to the top of my left knee which I believe meant that it was bending too much. I moved the bottom bracket back further about half that distance and there was no pain so I just kept it there. Do some test rides and make adjustments to see what feels best.

 

[Amehta]

Thank you for your comments and input. Does my neck position relative to the headrest look fine?

 

[Frito Bandito]

Neck comfort for me was especially important in the beginning because 1 of the main reasons for me to switch from an upright to a recumbent was because of neck issues in the TT position. The more neck bend I had the more comfortable I was. However, once the neck issues were resolved I wanted to get more aero so I had to adjust the head rest bars so that my head was lower and my helmet was laid back a little more so that wind would not be hitting the lens straight on. This did create a problem though in that air was entering between the lease and my cheekbone, drying out my eyes quite quickly, and lead to dirt, debris and even bugs sometimes smacking me right in the eyes, which was pretty serious because the speeds on a V20 are quite a bit faster than what I was used to on my road bike. It took the longest time for me to get a good helmet/lens and sunglasses solution that stopped my eyes from getting pelted. You might find the same problems but as far as your specific neck angle, you have to play around with it to (1) make it comfortable, (2) gives your head enough height that you feel you are able to see ahead adequately and (3) your head doesn't cause too much of a vertical wall for the wind to smash into and slow you down.

 

[Amehta]

Thanks much for your reply.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Thanks much for your reply.

You are welcome