My Very First Recumbent is a V20

[vosadrian]

I am a bit stubborn when it comes to driving to a ride.... I like to ride from home and not have to pack a car etc. I sometimes ride 30km to get to the start of a group ride!! I do occassionally drive to a starting point, but for me cycling means the freedom of riding out and back into my garage. I pride myself in being self reliant and have never called for a pickup to date (from a mechanical or crash) and always managed to get something going to ride home! (sometimes with blood running down my leg!!) About half the times I have driven to a ride, I forgot something!!

 

[Frito Bandito]

Regular WD-40, or the bike lube they now make?

My 11-speed chains have never shown much wear. I've heard somewhere that they do wear out, but without showing the typical wear of the chains for fewer gears.

I support you in these KOM efforts! I hope you can make them all unbeatable! Were you able to unflag the KOM?

I've also thought about going with a single chainring setup on mine. Unfortunately, that thought came to me right after I bought a new front shifter. Lol. If I'd thought of single chainring before, I probably would've switched over. Right now, I have a 11-25 cassette with 52x36 chainrings. I haven't done any hard calculations, but I think I could do OK with a 53 chainring and 11-36 cassette. Most of my riding is all flat, so I'd seldom need the larger cog. Only for group charity rides, and I do maybe two of those a year. The 53x11 would give me all the gear I'd need except for one segment that's mostly downhill.

If you go to 55t chainring, the chain will need to be a bit longer to use the bigger cogs. But you probably know that already.

I have been using the regular WD40. I think it was ZeroFriction who tested it compared with other wet lubes and waxes and while it was almost lowest on the leaderboard, it was still on the leaderboard. The bike specific WD40 is a tad better, but I think it is important to note that my riding conditions are essentially dry and dust free, meaning any light oil is going to do pretty well. If I were riding in wet conditions, and more dirty, then I wouldn't be using WD40. I do like the rib the waxers a bit, but it is all in good fun. Their riding conditions aren't the same, and they don't mind the extra steps, which I think can be kind of therapeutic for us gear heads

The 53/11 is a pretty massive gear that is enough in virtually all rides. It is only those few instances where the wind and elevation call for something more. KOMs being the case. For any group rides or bike touring I will be using a 2x system. Actually, I'll probably buy a spare chain to keep at 118L for that 2x system, and start off with a 120L for the 1x 55t system.

I was able to resolve the flag though. Either Strava told him it was legit, or the 4th upload made him tired of flagging it. In the future, I just might keep my GoPro 7 in the bag though just in the off chance I chase KOMs so I can upload the video to Youtube first, then link it in the Strava ride description so anyone has a chance to watch the video first before flagging it.

FWIW, I have dual discs on full time now though. That last ride only had a disc on the drive side on the front, not the on-drive side. I took it off after the previous ride intending to reinstall it later, but on the day of the ride I didn't have time so I did the ride with only the right side of the front disced up haha.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I am a bit stubborn when it comes to driving to a ride.... I like to ride from home and not have to pack a car etc. I sometimes ride 30km to get to the start of a group ride!! I do occassionally drive to a starting point, but for me cycling means the freedom of riding out and back into my garage. I pride myself in being self reliant and have never called for a pickup to date (from a mechanical or crash) and always managed to get something going to ride home! (sometimes with blood running down my leg!!) About half the times I have driven to a ride, I forgot something!!

Same here. My legs work fine. I really don't need a car to get anywhere, even to the start of a ride. So far I haven't been bloodied on my V20, but I have held the front end up while I walked +10km home haha

 

[vosadrian]

I got in trouble with my wife a couple times for not calling her when I turned up at home with gravel rash. This is over many years of road biking. For me the only times I have come down were because of cars doing stupid stuff when I am solo. Mostly low speed stuff and nothing serious. I've never come down in a bunch luckily, and never in a race. I've actually been pretty lucky considering I probably have close to 100,000kms of riding on roads with cars. I've never had an issue riding shared paths.

I've never walked home... but I have borrowed a tube! I once snapped a chain, but it happened as I was starting my ride, so just rolled back home. Again, this is all on the road bike which I have far more kms on.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I got into a bit of trouble when I walked the 10km home with a "Why didn't you call a taxi?" despite not being able to fit a V20 in one. That one was a broken wheel. I've been caught out with needing a tube way back, and then once with needing a tire after a blowout, but now I carry a spare tire, a spare tube, a repair kit, a CO2 kit, a small pump, and recently even a small bottle of sealant after helping the 5th or 6th Bianchi rider who had none of the above. Lovely bikes but some of those riders think Boutique bikes never get flats. The last one had a tubular tire and a slow leak, and I filled his tire up 3 times after my ride was finished before his old sealant finally worked well enough. I have never snapped a chain though

 

[Jeffers]

Jeffers, so far I haven't had the chain fall off yet, but that could be because the FD is still on, and my cranks are still a 2x system. I checked my usual sites for 55t cranks but no luck yet. If I can find a 55t crankset I might have to improvise just to keep the chain from falling off.

Vos, you are probably right that they are using a 55t or larger front. Either that or those young bucks aren't out of their element with +120rpms even with a big tailwind. I can't say I hate climbing, but I'd probably drive to the flat roads if I were you just to avoid the hills. I know the V20 can handle hills, but I didn't buy it for that lol. Being able to pedal at 70kph would be just fine though.

Weather forecast now shows a 25kph tailwind on Saturday so I'll keep my eye on that. Hopefully it will increase, but being the weekend means it'll likely be crowded and the gates will be up.

1 more option I have is dropping the Shimano 11-34 for a new set of wheels with a SRAM driver and a 10-33t cassette.

I was pretty surprised when the chain fell off the chain ring.
I never heard any noise from the front mech guiding the chain, and never thought it was necessary to be there to keep the chain on.

 

[Bill Wightman]

've never walked home... but I have borrowed a tube! I once snapped a chain, but it happened as I was starting my ride, so just rolled back home. Again, this is all on the road bike which I have far more kms on.

I walked home once but it could not have been closer to home. The ride I was on a loop past our subdivision and just as I was going over some rough patch the chain came off and dragged the derailleur into the front wheel causing loss of many $$$ and spokes. Luckily the wheel did not taco and it was still round enough that I could walk. It would have been a call to the wife any other time.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I swapped out the cartridge style bearings on my 50mm Bullets when they reached about 20,000km, and did the same for my 80mm Bullet non-drive wheel not too long after buying it because when I pulled the wheels off and gave them a spin while holding them they didn't feel like they were spinning very smoothly. Yesterday I removed the Monokote from my 80mm Bullet to redo it and noticed that it wasn't spinning as smoothly despite it not having much mileage. So, I am going to removed everything except the bearings, give them a good spray down to remove the grease and see if I can see any rust or gunk in there. If it is just gunk then I will relube and keep them in, but if it is rust then I will replace the bearings with new ones.

 

[Jeffers]

I swapped out the cartridge style bearings on my 50mm Bullets when they reached about 20,000km, and did the same for my 80mm Bullet non-drive wheel not too long after buying it because when I pulled the wheels off and gave them a spin while holding them they didn't feel like they were spinning very smoothly. Yesterday I removed the Monokote from my 80mm Bullet to redo it and noticed that it wasn't spinning as smoothly despite it not having much mileage. So, I am going to removed everything except the bearings, give them a good spray down to remove the grease and see if I can see any rust or gunk in there. If it is just gunk then I will relube and keep them in, but if it is rust then I will replace the bearings with new ones.

I've had good luck removing the seals, flushing them out with a brush and gasoline, and regreasing them. Wheel bearings plus 3 idlers on my bike to service. Steering head bearings last a lot longer with service because you're reorienting the wear surfaces each time you service them. That way you won't find them notched in the straight ahead position when you turn the steering with the wheel off the ground.

 

[Frito Bandito]

So far I haven't touched my steering head bearings after installing them when I first got my V20. They still feel fine and since there seems to be less rotation on them I think they will last much longer. Luckily, changing the bearings on the Bullets or Sciroccos is quite easy. And since the cartridge type Sciroccos are better sealed than the Bullets I can probably service them at 30,000km or more. My Zondas are cup and cone type, similarly sealed as the Sciroccos and I haven't touched them in at least 3 years and they still feel fine. And the bike they are on sits outside and gets a ton of mileage. Monokoting them would give me a very light rim set that is not only fast but durable and comfortable, but they are already so old and the brake track wear indicator is starting to show that they might need replacing.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Just ordered a bottle of Silca's Synergetic chain lube from my LBS so that when I install a new chain in a week or so it will save a couple of watts as well as be a little bit more durable in the rain. I also checked for a long cage SRAM AXS RD since my SRAM AXS brifters are sitting in a box with nothing to do. I can put the long cage RD on my V20 with my wireless blips and eventually a 1x12 system with a 55t chain ring and an 11/34 or 11/36.

 

[CuHead]

I have been using the regular WD40. I think it was ZeroFriction who tested it compared with other wet lubes and waxes and while it was almost lowest on the leaderboard, it was still on the leaderboard. The bike specific WD40 is a tad better, but I think it is important to note that my riding conditions are essentially dry and dust free, meaning any light oil is going to do pretty well. If I were riding in wet conditions, and more dirty, then I wouldn't be using WD40. I do like the rib the waxers a bit, but it is all in good fun. Their riding conditions aren't the same, and they don't mind the extra steps, which I think can be kind of therapeutic for us gear heads

If I want to clean an old oiled chain, cogs, and rings, then I'll lube it with WD40 every day for 2-3 days, riding about 25mi each day. Then compressed air and ultrasonic cleaner. WD is messy stuff; touch the chain or chainring with your leg and you've got a tattoo. I don't think one application of WD would last a full 50 miles, so carry extra lube on a century ride. I've sprayed a new chain 3 times now with Dupont Chain-Saver wax, and this third time is lasting much longer than 200 miles. Pluses are 1) wax lasts, 2) touch chain and the black wipes of skin completely, 3) quieter chain operation, 4) very low buildup on cogs and rings, especially if chain is wiped right after spray wax applied. I'm a newbie waxer, but it seems the right direction.

 

[Frito Bandito]

New wheel day.

I finally found a very good set of Mavic CXR 60C clinchers for Susumebachi (Japanese Murder Hornet). They are only 1 watt slower than Mavic CXR 80s, however the 80s are tubular only. Worst case is that I can run sealant filled tubes with the 60s, and I'll probably be able to run tubeless 25mm Conti GP5000s, which are about 3 less watts rolling resistance than Mavic's Yksion tubeless Pro USTs. This should make them about even total power consumption with the 80s, while being a little lighter. I totally lucked out with finding them practically brand new and at only about $1100. How new? The drive wheel ratchet sound is still muffled from the factory grease. I will give them the once over before taking them out but here they are on Susumebachi...

 

[Jeffers]

Man, that's a great looking bike Frito. And Susumebachi is a fitting name too.

I haven't named my bike yet....

But I've heard roadies say, "Here comes that Sonofabitchi" on the bike path.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Man, that's a great looking bike Frito. And Susumebachi is a fitting name too.

I haven't named my bike yet....

But I've heard roadies say, "Here comes that Sonofabitchi" on the bike path.

Thanks Jeffers! Gonna give it a spin today but I don't expect anything magical. I hope the placebo effect is good though

I prepped a new chain yesterday so I will put it on afterwards. Sadly, it isn't gold like the one on it now.

You gotta give yours a name braddah. An earned name is best, especially if it is of an animal. Black Mamba?

 

[Frito Bandito]

With the flash on the "CXR" becomes visible.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Not usually a fan of stickers on my wheels since the edges peel up, but since the yellow stickers kinda match and the reflective CXR stickers are blacked out but work at night for a bit of added safety they will stay on.

 

[Always-Learnin]

Frito Man,

What is your storage set up on the back of the bike. I really like the way it looks.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Thanks Always-Learning. It is a 14L tail bag for a sportbike that expands to 16L, and it sits on a Rixen Kaul Contour Magnum aluminum frame that is hose clamped to my head rest bars. There is a velcro flap on the tail bag that wraps through a heavy duty Zip tie to prevent it from coming off the bike, as well as two more straps with quick releases that help hold it down on the aluminum frame. I can easily remove it to carry it into the hotel room or restaurant, and easily put it back on. The aluminum frame is quite sturdy, but I don't put a lot of weight in the bag since it would probably start bending under the pressure of the continuous bouncing. You could probably cut 2 graphite golf shafts about 12" long to hose clamp onto your bars, and those would surely be sturdy enough to put a hydration system with a bite down tube magnetized to your helmet strap. Since the tip of the golf shaft near the head is reinforced that is the side I would hose clamp to the bars if you go that route. If you buy a hydration bag, most of them come with a magnet on the tube, and another magnet to connect to your backpack. Just put it on your helmet strap instead.

On top of the tailbag, I have a velcro strip to connect my Mohoc camera. It connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth. I can mount my iPhone to my bars next to my cycling computer, open the Mohoc app and turn on the camera. Then I can use the Mohoc camera as a rear facing dash cam to see approaching cars on my iPhone screen instead of a mirror if I want to. I never do that, but I can.
Anyway, here is a pic of the underside of the bag. If you want to know the exact make and model of the tailbag I can get it for you, but there are quite a few kinds to choose from.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I just removed the stock 23mm Mavic tire and found that a 28mm Schwalbe TLR is the same width as the rim, and it looks like the rim tape is fine for tubeless tires, so I will switch to either 25mm or 28mm Conti 5000 TL or TLR tires, which are at the very least 3 watts lower rolling resistance per tire than Mavic's 23mm tires. I also put a fender on the rear and moved the rim brake to the lower position.