JoeV
Member
I'm new to the Cruzbike world. I got my first Cruzbike, a V20 two weeks ago today. I have many RWD recumbents, with my Bacchetta Carbon Aero being my favorite over the last year. With that bike I set so many personal bests, and achieved speeds I never thought possible. I used it to participate in the Cruzbike challenge last year, with a best average of 24.8 mph for the time trial course. Most of my life I've puttered along at 11-12 mph and was focused on touring. But since I stopped touring, I've tried to see how fast I could go, partly as a measure of how good a shape I could get myself into. So, while I love the CA and found it not only comfortable, but fast, the V20 has intrigued me. I had a shop build one up from a frame they had. I didn't go crazy on the components since I didn't know if I would like the bike. It has a combination of SRAM Force, Rival and TRP - partly dictated by the scarcity of components. We used what we could find. I transferred my nice Hed wheels from my CA.
Following the video tips for learning to ride, it took only a few 10 minute sessions in the driveway till I felt I could take it out onto the trail. I did a few 20-30 mile rides that felt progressively more relaxed, and were uneventful. Other than upper body soreness, things went well, and I focused on riding smoothly NOT going fast.
On my sixth ride, a 38 mile somewhat windy 38 miler, I decided to push it a bit as I was getting comfortable. Not all out, just enough to get my heartrate up. I averaged 19.3 mph, which is a good speed for me. But I was surprised to find out that Strava said, that out of my 17 "matched rides" , this was the fastest! Second fastest was a CA ride at 18.6.
OK, that was just a fluke. It was that I hadn't ridden that exact course on "good" days or something. So yesterday, I again set out to do a "take it easy" ride. I wanted my upper body to get really used to this thing before I pushed it. And I thought I did take it easy. I stopped a few times, took take off my sweatshirt, answer nature's call, have a banana etc. I stopped for a nice long chat with a trail acquaintance who just got a recumbent after learning about them from me, during which we were passed by three uprights in a little pace line. Around 8 miles from the car, I caught up with them. I was doing about 19-20. I hesitated passing them because I didn't want to be tempted to push it, but I had a bit of tailwind and they weren't going fast so I slowly caught them. As I went past, I announced "on your left" and said "hi!", "nice day!" etc. to each of them. None acknowledged me, other than to give what I perceived to be a disdainful look. OK, whatever. I picked it up a bit to pass them and put in a little distance. When I looked in my mirror I saw that the guy with no shirt (it is Florida, that's not so crazy) at the back of the line, had moved out and was accelerating to catch me. Had they been civil, I would have enjoyed the company. As it was, I felt compelled to try and prevent him from passing. It took a few miles, and I pushed it to 27 mph, but eventually he faded away. I was pretty pumped and kept up a brisk pace back to the car.
When checking Strava, I found that I had AGAIN set a PB for the matched rides, and taken a PB on a segment to boot! Yes it was a two mile stretch during which I was trying to drop my shirtless friend, but still, I have been on that segment 358 other times. I know I've sprinted it a bunch of those times, and still this was the fastest.
Frankly, I'm a bit shocked. I know the bike is supposed to be fast, but I'm just getting used to it. It's not at all dialed in, the seat is not comfortable and my upper body needs to improve. Furthermore, I'm not in as good a shape as I was at the peak of the Cruzbike challenge last year, and I weigh a bit more.
What's it going to be like when I really get the hang of it?
Following the video tips for learning to ride, it took only a few 10 minute sessions in the driveway till I felt I could take it out onto the trail. I did a few 20-30 mile rides that felt progressively more relaxed, and were uneventful. Other than upper body soreness, things went well, and I focused on riding smoothly NOT going fast.
On my sixth ride, a 38 mile somewhat windy 38 miler, I decided to push it a bit as I was getting comfortable. Not all out, just enough to get my heartrate up. I averaged 19.3 mph, which is a good speed for me. But I was surprised to find out that Strava said, that out of my 17 "matched rides" , this was the fastest! Second fastest was a CA ride at 18.6.
OK, that was just a fluke. It was that I hadn't ridden that exact course on "good" days or something. So yesterday, I again set out to do a "take it easy" ride. I wanted my upper body to get really used to this thing before I pushed it. And I thought I did take it easy. I stopped a few times, took take off my sweatshirt, answer nature's call, have a banana etc. I stopped for a nice long chat with a trail acquaintance who just got a recumbent after learning about them from me, during which we were passed by three uprights in a little pace line. Around 8 miles from the car, I caught up with them. I was doing about 19-20. I hesitated passing them because I didn't want to be tempted to push it, but I had a bit of tailwind and they weren't going fast so I slowly caught them. As I went past, I announced "on your left" and said "hi!", "nice day!" etc. to each of them. None acknowledged me, other than to give what I perceived to be a disdainful look. OK, whatever. I picked it up a bit to pass them and put in a little distance. When I looked in my mirror I saw that the guy with no shirt (it is Florida, that's not so crazy) at the back of the line, had moved out and was accelerating to catch me. Had they been civil, I would have enjoyed the company. As it was, I felt compelled to try and prevent him from passing. It took a few miles, and I pushed it to 27 mph, but eventually he faded away. I was pretty pumped and kept up a brisk pace back to the car.
When checking Strava, I found that I had AGAIN set a PB for the matched rides, and taken a PB on a segment to boot! Yes it was a two mile stretch during which I was trying to drop my shirtless friend, but still, I have been on that segment 358 other times. I know I've sprinted it a bunch of those times, and still this was the fastest.
Frankly, I'm a bit shocked. I know the bike is supposed to be fast, but I'm just getting used to it. It's not at all dialed in, the seat is not comfortable and my upper body needs to improve. Furthermore, I'm not in as good a shape as I was at the peak of the Cruzbike challenge last year, and I weigh a bit more.
What's it going to be like when I really get the hang of it?
