My Very First Recumbent is a V20

[Frito Bandito]

I bought cables for half price (damaged package) at Cycle Paradise near Tokyo Bay and strung up my T1 yesterday to keep the legs turning. I need to do a few things such as change to a regular seat, index the gears, maybe buy another cassette (11/29) and wrap the bars. I put a tubeless GP5000 on the front with a tube to hopefully get the tire to be able to seat easier once I put it on V20 later as a true tubeless. I am also doing that with a tubeless Schwalbe Pro One since I couldn't get that one to seat earlier.

At the shop, by chance I saw a lense for $15 that looked like I could use just like I use the Air Attack lense. The lense is off a Casco helmet. Not this one exactly, but same shape. It's a helmet for skiing but looks like a great helmet for cold weather riding if it isnt too heavy.

https://www.bergzeit.co.uk/casco-men-039-s-sp-2-polarised-visor-helmet/

 

[Don1]

Noice. But why are aero helmet s so expensive

 

[Frito Bandito]

Noice. But why are aero helmet s so expensive

Probably because they know riders will pay $3-4K for a new frame that is a handful of watts faster than the previous model, so they can afford $300-$500 for a some fancy shaped styrofoam painted a matching color

 

[DavidCH]

I decided to stop looking like a dork. My China cheapie aero helmet with visa has been doctored. I removed the middle magnet on the visa so it just slides down on to the bridge of my nose.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I decided to stop looking like a dork. My China cheapie aero helmet with visa has been doctored. I removed the middle magnet on the visa so it just slides down on to the bridge of my nose.

I went to the DIY store and bought the smallest U-shaped rubber material for window sealing and it works like a charm in protecting my nose from the sharp edge of the visor. The Air Attack lenses work well, and they come with a plastic nose piece, 1 of which is on my nice lense, and I used the DIY material for the edges to hopefully protect the edges a little in case it falls.


I am often on the lookout for a new helmet to replace my Limar 007. I like the Limar SpeedKing, but they are difficult to find and expensive.

 

[Frito Bandito]

My new clamps arrived!!!
They were sent out the day after I ordered them (thanks CB) and I was expecting 2-3 weeks, but it took only 6 days. In the mean time I got my titanium bike up and running and had a great ride today chasing a young buck in a skin suit riding a Canyon for about 15km. He just kept getting further and further away until he turned around exactly at my planned stop.

 

[Don1]

Let him see how he goes against a v20

 

[Frito Bandito]

Let him see how he goes against a v20

Yep. That would have been much more fun. I checked the flybys to see if his ride was public so I could add him as a friend, but surprisingly no one's ride today was public. All I saw was my circle on the map, so the only chance I'll get is if we happen to be going the same way at the same time next time.

 

[Don1]

Yeah, all rides are set as private by default and each person must set themselves as public, so no one never does. You can still find them if you look up a segment you were both in and select today....

 

[Frito Bandito]

I went to Cycle Paradise and got 2 more items for my V20. 1 is a 34t chain ring to replace the 36t on my 52/36 to give me some lower gear help in climbs. Practically brand new at $10 and I hope the slightly smaller ring doesn't require me to do anything to prevent the chain from falling off on the inside, or when shifting to the bigger ring.

The other is a practically brand new Shimano CS-R7000 11/30 rear cassette to also give me a bit more help in climbs. Off hand, I am not sure if my short cage Shimano R7000 RD can accept this bigger 30t ring, but if not then I will eventually get a new, mid or long cage RD.


Edit: It looks like my RD can handle the 11/30 out of the box.

 

[Don1]

Sweet

 

[cpml123]

I went to Cycle Paradise and got 2 more items for my V20. 1 is a 34t chain ring to replace the 36t on my 52/36 to give me some lower gear help in climbs. Practically brand new at $10 and I hope the slightly smaller ring doesn't require me to do anything to prevent the chain from falling off on the inside, or when shifting to the bigger ring.

I have 52/34 on Cobbs crank. Works fine. Actually I had to change from 50 to 52 because the chain keeps dropping when shifting from 34 to 50. After it's replaced with a 52, no more chain dropping.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I have 52/34 on Cobbs crank. Works fine. Actually I had to change from 50 to 52 because the chain keeps dropping when shifting from 34 to 50. After it's replaced with a 52, no more chain dropping.

Good to hear it works. The specs should be the same for Shimano as well so it should be okay. I liked how easy it was to swap out it out. I felt like I still needed to do another step or two but it was simple.

 

[Frito Bandito]

The FD shifting was off for a bit, but a few adjustments had the chain dropping to the 34t well. The only problem now is when on the 11t the chain skips so bad that the 11t is unusable. It is a relatively new cassette, but it seems that the edges of the end cap don't allow the chain rollers to seat all the way down. This was also the case on another cassette, so I will have to sort that out.

 

[Don1]

You got a chain tension tester? Cuz that doesn't sound right/gud

 

[Frito Bandito]

Nah, I don't have 1 of those. The 50mm Bullet wheel with the 11/28 seems to not skip so I will put that one on and see what happens. Before installing it I will compare it with the Scirocco cassette and see if the end caps are the same. If not then that might be the problem. If they are the same then it is likely the chain or even a bent RD. The chain has about 15,000km on it so I will have to replace it in a few months anyway. When I do, I will test different lengths as well.

With that said, I have a Deda Tribar and Campagnolo CF bar end brake levers, that either Shimano Di2 satellite shifters or SRAM Blip shifters would fit on nicely. I wouldn't have a place to put a mirror but who cares about who is behind ya anyway?

 

[vosadrian]

That chain is almost certainly worn out. I normally replace chains at 5-7000kms. Have you got a chain wear indicator? I find it is cheaper to replace chains regularly than chain rings which will get worn out if the chain is very worn.

 

[Frito Bandito]

That chain is almost certainly worn out. I normally replace chains at 5-7000kms. Have you got a chain wear indicator? I find it is cheaper to replace chains regularly than chain rings which will get worn out if the chain is very worn.

I do have a spare here so I'll get it on soon. I got 20,000km out of my Campagnolo chain and it was just stretching to the limit before I replaced it so I figured I'd be able to get the same out of Shimano, but swapping it and putting a brand new cassette on should fix the problem.

 

[vosadrian]

Maybe the V20 is easier on chains? I have not replaced mine on the V20 yet at just over 5000kms, but I was planning to shortly. I think it was reading 0.5% when I checked it about 1000kms a go. I normally like to replace before 0.75% (on my DF bikes). I find if I let it go more than that, the chainring wears and it gets really noisy with the new chain on worn chainrings. Also it starts dropping the chain on big ring and small cassette if I pedal backwards (like I often do when stopped at lights to get my clipped in foot to a good starting position). I have on order a 155mm crankset with 52/36 rings (I am 50/34 currently). I will put a new chain on when that goes on.

Also I am using the ceramicspeed UFO squirt on wax these days. Not sure if that is better or worse for chain wear.... but it is much cleaner for changing front wheels! It is nice not to get grease all over you whenever you touch the chain.

 

[benphyr]

Cleaner is always better.

Beware: experience and opinion below. Read at your own risk. There is a huge thread on Chain Waxing.

Dirt mixed with lubricant is a grinding paste. Waxed chains have been known to last a very long time when cleaned like meticulously such as @Frito Bandito does. The dirt causes more wear than the difference in lubricants ability to lubricate and therefore the dryer was ones are better for many because they pick up less dirt.