My Very First Recumbent is a V20
- Thread starter Frito Bandito
- Start date
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
If the wind is blowing the right direction it would help unless I outran the wind. Then it would get stuck in the front wheel causing me to endo 
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
The stock OEM bars work pretty well, but since they are bit narrow I decided to try out the adjustable head rest bars to see if I could get a bit more comfortable, and to stabilize my head more. The OEM pad worked okay, but my head was rolling around too much. Jon, I tried moving the base bars further out, tilting the head rest bars in various angles, raising and lowering them, and with the helmet I have the new fit isn't much different than the old one. The difference now is that the bars spaced wider stop my head from rolling around too much. We'll see if a road test reveals any flaws.
Those are foam grips that I slid over the ends to act as a cushion since I have already bounced my head enough before ever even getting on a bike
Now, with those bars I should have something solid to connect stuff to for rear storage.
Those are foam grips that I slid over the ends to act as a cushion since I have already bounced my head enough before ever even getting on a bike
Now, with those bars I should have something solid to connect stuff to for rear storage.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
I just checked all my bolts, pulled the bars 3cm closer to my chest, rotated the bars down a little, pulled the brifters a little closer and rotated them more so I don't stab myself in the knees when I change gears, disconnected all the cables so I can rewire my V20 tomorrow, and will install new grip tape. All of those should make it a bit more comfortable, get my arms tucked in more, and should incorporate my back muscles instead of my biceps when pulling on the bars during heavy cranking.
I bought a 3.5" water bottle cage to hold a 1L bottle on the XLab cage in back. I drilled a hole in the cap for a make-shift straw because there isn't an adaptor for that size lid. While it held the bottle perfectly, hydration splashed out through the straw so I might have to concoct up something new with the bite down tube.
I bought a 3.5" water bottle cage to hold a 1L bottle on the XLab cage in back. I drilled a hole in the cap for a make-shift straw because there isn't an adaptor for that size lid. While it held the bottle perfectly, hydration splashed out through the straw so I might have to concoct up something new with the bite down tube.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
I was looking forward to a lot of cycling over the New Years holidays but I am absolutely beyond frustrated with Shimano 105 R7000. Between myself and 3 different bike shops the shifting works for a few days and then starts making noise. Not only that, after working okay for a while it starts skipping gears down shifting or needing 2 clicks to change 1 gear upshifting. On top of all of that, the left brifter stopped clicking when shifting to the big ring in front, requiring a field hack of putting a 2-sided sticky tape piece of plastic on the internals so the lever could contact the shifting mechanism. My original field hack (which I completely forgot about) eventually stopped working and when I took it to the bike shop to have them look at why it wasn't working they called me to come pick it up unfixed. A quick google search lead me back to the same Youtube video showing the hack, and even after doing it again today my brifter still failed to shift.
Figuring I could just remove the FD for the holidays and keep it on the big ring for all my rides I went ahead and replaced the RD cable after moving my bars 3cm closer to my chest. Well now the right brifter doesn't work. I strung up everything the way it should be done and NOPE. Nada. Nothing. Zilch. Neither upshifting nor downshifting works.
So, 1 and maybe 2 things are going to happen over the holidays. (1) The junk Shimano 105 R7000 parts are coming off the bike except for the cranks and that is only because the PM is on them. Then, I am going the put my Campagnolo Chorus stuff from my titanium bike on my V20.
I was thinking of going Di2 but Screw Dat. I would have to have an even worse experience with SRAM ETAP AXS or Campagnolo EPS before I'll try Shimano again.
Figuring I could just remove the FD for the holidays and keep it on the big ring for all my rides I went ahead and replaced the RD cable after moving my bars 3cm closer to my chest. Well now the right brifter doesn't work. I strung up everything the way it should be done and NOPE. Nada. Nothing. Zilch. Neither upshifting nor downshifting works.
So, 1 and maybe 2 things are going to happen over the holidays. (1) The junk Shimano 105 R7000 parts are coming off the bike except for the cranks and that is only because the PM is on them. Then, I am going the put my Campagnolo Chorus stuff from my titanium bike on my V20.
I was thinking of going Di2 but Screw Dat. I would have to have an even worse experience with SRAM ETAP AXS or Campagnolo EPS before I'll try Shimano again.
ChaleJake
Guru
Wow, I sure hate to hear the 105 issues. This summer I put 105s on my Silvio 2.1. It doesn’t have many miles on it since it is my Ky bike. I haven’t had any issues with it over about 500 miles. I am running Ultegra components on my S30 with no issues. I am a light rider and not a hard or fast rider. My S30 is in Fl where I am currently enjoying great weather.
It is a big bummer to have issues. I hope you get it sorted out.
It is a big bummer to have issues. I hope you get it sorted out.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
Thanks guys. Living in Japan I wanted to stick with Shimano because I figured I would have many more options for repairs or setting up but that doesn't seem to be the case. 2 different shops said "We don't work on recumbents because we are not familiar with them." So I lifted the rear wheel and stood the V20 on it's head, pointed at front triangle that looked exactly like a regular road bike rear triangle and said "Now it is the same as a regular road bike." They looked confused for a moment but then blabbered something else that I knew was coming but have since forgotten.
I don't get it. I take care of the 105s by not shifting under heavy power and it lasted only 1 year and 13,000km. My Shimano Claris is going on 5 years now with a change or 2 of the cables. Hell, the front chainring isn't even straight but the chain has never fallen off and it has always shifted fine.
Normally I would take this out on the titanium bike tomorrow, but like Jules in Pulp Fiction "I'm trying Ringo. I'm trying real hard."
I don't get it. I take care of the 105s by not shifting under heavy power and it lasted only 1 year and 13,000km. My Shimano Claris is going on 5 years now with a change or 2 of the cables. Hell, the front chainring isn't even straight but the chain has never fallen off and it has always shifted fine.
Normally I would take this out on the titanium bike tomorrow, but like Jules in Pulp Fiction "I'm trying Ringo. I'm trying real hard."
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
The offending Shimano 105 stuff is off, and since all of the bike shops are closed due to New Years, bullhorns with a 2x11 Dura Ace TT bar end shifters are now back on the bike. I found a SRAM Force ETAP AXS 2x12 groupset for sale in an LBS for about $2000 without the crank set, rim brakes or a cassette. Luckily the shop was closed today or I could have had a much lighter wallet.
DavidCH
In thought; expanding the paradigm of traversity
Xshifter can give you 12,13,14 gears off one chainring for about $150 + chainring and 12 spd chain... allows the boom to be freely adjusted too. Guess it's poor man's solution but it works ... just as long as you don't want to use brifters.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
Wow, that is pretty sweet David. And cheap.
If I were on an S40 then brifters would be ok. Hell, they still aren't bad on a V20 or even an S30. I am trying to get my arms out of the airflow and that requires more narrow bars. Since I don't have a curved boom and there is a limit to how narrow I can go without switching to gunner bars, which is about 380-390mm. I have a Deda Tribar and Capaganolo TT bar end controls like these.
The problem is that only 1 of them can fit in the bar ends. I have to see if I can find parts to come up with a working solution by using clamp on brake levers if I don't just bite the bullet and go with SRAM AXS and blips with my Campagnolo brake levers.
Attachments
bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
You know this will not be simple. This is a Cruzbike. Do your knees catch the guns? Does the weight interfere with the steering? How do you reload without stopping? Where do you put the ammo? The kickback shakes the bike so much you are going to need a Thor seat.
bladderhead
Zen MBB Master
Long cranks and high BB? You need an interrupter gear.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
Just ordered Sram Force eTap AXS 2x12 groupset.
I believe it will, but not exactly sure if it will work with my R7000 Shimano 52/36 cranks right out of the box. Also, not sure if it will work with a Shimano 12 speed cassette out of the box or if I have to buy a Sram 12 speed cassette and driver to put on my Campagnolo wheels.
I believe it will, but not exactly sure if it will work with my R7000 Shimano 52/36 cranks right out of the box. Also, not sure if it will work with a Shimano 12 speed cassette out of the box or if I have to buy a Sram 12 speed cassette and driver to put on my Campagnolo wheels.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
New 12 speed parts day. In prep for the new groupset that is supposed to arrive just before my birthday. I was going to go with a SRAM Force 10/33 cassette, but there is not a single one of those in Japan available now. There was a Rival 10/30 for about $150, but would require another $80 for the XD-R driver to take advantage of the 10t. With a SRAM chain that would have put my purchase at almost $300. Instead, it was $200 for an Ultegra 11/30 cassette. With my 52/34 front I should be fine for anything.
Sadly, there is not even a single blip box or blips available in Japan unless I find someone who is getting rid of theirs. So, it'll take a while for me to get the Deda Tribars on my V20
Sadly, there is not even a single blip box or blips available in Japan unless I find someone who is getting rid of theirs. So, it'll take a while for me to get the Deda Tribars on my V20
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
When it rains, it pours. Just found a SRAm Force 2x12 TT setup with EVERYTHING except brifters for about $2200 on a local auction. The guy bought it and never installed it. He decided to go with Shimano Di2. And I already ordered a SRAM 2x12 road set up. Every LBS told me there won't be any new SRAM stuff coming for a year or so. Should I buy this one too just for the blip box and blips and then sell what I don't need?
Use for spare parts and sell individual pieces. More work but probably will get your money back. My wife would have killed me though.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
Mine would too. The 1 I already bought has the 2 derailleurs, Brifters, 2 batteries and a charger for about $2000. The 2nd 1 in the pic above is about $2200. It is an auction with 1 day left so it could go way up.
