My Very First Recumbent is a V20

[Frito Bandito]

Got the two 750ml water bottles behind the head now instead of under the seat, so the aero should be a bit improved. Under the seat, the old ones started leaking my hydration onto the wheels and hubs. I bought new bottles but they also were leaking. So, I finally bit the bullet and stuck them where they belong. Additionally, it is getting about time to replace the bearings in the hubs since the front has about 8000km on it since the last one and the rear has about 6000km on it since I bought it.

 

[Frito Bandito]

For multi-day trips, I have been considering storage options on my V20. I have the Moose pack and Scarab bag but wanted something behind my head. 1 option is the Brain Bag but seems to require buying a Thor seat. From what I've read it is a great seat and together they are an excellent aero package too. Even if there were many options available to V20 owners, that would still be extremely difficult to pass up. Being the tinkerer that I am and having too much time on my hands I started looking around for other options.
During my search I came across Topeak's TetraRack series. Topeak makes front and rear mounts for mountain bikes, but the rear mounts are what looked like would work on a Vendetta.

So, I went there on my Vendetta, hoping they would let me test fit it, which they did. I removed the seat, pulled out the Performance Adjustable Head Rest, removed the Velcro straps from the M2 mount and put it on the seat stays. The mounts near the hubs fit fine but I had to pinch the mounts on the front end quite a bit to get the mounts near the seat to fit on the seat stays. At the time, I didn't know there was an M2 and an R2. I just assumed that there was 1 model. When I got home and checked Topeak's website I noticed that there are 2 models. Topeak lists that the M2 is compatible with seatstays that are between 95mm-125mm, and the R2's range is from 75-105mm. Since I had to pinch the tops of the M2 to get it to fit, it seems that the R2's compatibility matches the V20's seatstay width. The width of my V20's seatstays at the lowest possible mounting point is 90mm, and at the top mounting point it is 73. I remember the 95mm-125mm being written on the box, so I would guess that the R2 will fit better as it is a tad narrower.


However, this is where it gets complicated. On the front of the M2 and R2 there is a large bar that Topeak's compatible bags lock onto. It just might fit under the seat but above where the head rest bars enter the frame. The bars need to be removed before installing the R2, but they can be inserted back into the frame after the R2 is mounted. Worst case scenario is you might have to chop off that large bar and secure the bag to the mount another way.


Since I had the PAH (Performance Adjustable Headrest) on my V20 at the time, I noticed that the tracks that the compatible bags slide on before locking the bag into place interfered with the bottom of the PAH. I think it would be possible to cut out a section of the tracks to give enough clearance for a PAH to be used. It’s not a perfect solution and it would likely affect the structural integrity with so much chopping, but since the R2 is rated for 9kg (20lbs) and the M2 is rated for 12kg (26lbs) I think it would still be good enough for the light stuff to be put in there if you were to use the PAH. I have already put the stock headrest back on my V20, and I am going to call the bike shop to see if they can bring in an R2 for me to test out (with the seat on and stock headrest bars inserted) next time.


I have to say that I am not a fan of that kind of locking mechanism. Maybe they did a great job in designing it, I don’t know but it rattling around for a few thousand miles and being removed and installed numerous times has me worried. Velcro or bungee cords suit my fancy more and might be the way to secure the bag to the rack instead of using the supplied locking mechanism.

 

[jond]

You don’t need a Thor seat to fit a bachetta brain bag.



Make a paddle to fit pocket out of aluminium flat bar. Use cruzbike plastic p clips that fit on neckrest to mount paddle. Bag sits under top lip of neckrest.

don’t put a rack on a tt bike. Lol. It’s been done before.

Heck I put raceblade mudguards on my vendetta V2 I was so in love rain would not stop me.

 

[Frito Bandito]

That definitely looks a lot cleaner than what I imagine the Topeak R2 would look like. Just not sure how you connect it. Can you do a close-up pic of the paddle, and P-clips please?

 

[jond]

That definitely looks a lot cleaner than what I imagine the Topeak R2 would look like. Just not sure how you connect it. Can you do a close-up pic of the paddle, and P-clips please?

I already did.You’ll get an alert. Frito you asked before remember.

“Maybe the vendetta is a fast bike after all “ is the post.

I noticed someone used the hand carry strap to secure top of brain bag. But with weight the carry handle stitching fails eventually. Well It did for me. Obviously it won’t with little weight.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Thanks braddah. It had been a while so I had to revisit that thread to see how you did it.

 

[jond]

Thanks braddah. It had been a while so I had to revisit that thread to see how you did it.

here’s another image. Oem seat oem neckrest. As you can see you can pull the bag in close if you get it right.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Yes. That looks great. Clean lines, aero and looks stable. The wife is handy with a sewing machine so I might see if I can convince her to make one with some material I pick out. She might want to do something too cute or make it in some gawdawful color that doesn't match the Vendetta yellow.

 

[jond]

Yes. That looks great. Clean lines, aero and looks stable. The wife is handy with a sewing machine so I might see if I can convince her to make one with some material I pick out. She might want to do something too cute or make it in some gawdawful color that doesn't match the Vendetta yellow.

bachetta brain bag in Australia are $100. Pretty cheap. Good bag.

 

[Frito Bandito]

For now, I put my Wahoo bolt on the frame just under the boom. First, I cut off the bar clamp and then put double sided take on the frame, and on the part of the mount that the Bolt connects too. Now it is out of the wind and still visible. At first I tried using velcro but that seemed like it would fall off if I hit and big bumps or potholes. It seems very sturdy with the double sided tape.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Just confirmed what I already suspected, the Vendetta can climb. I rode with a few mates up ascents on wet asphalt on the V20 for the first time. No wheel slip despite trying to induce it in a few places I most suspected it would happen. On the front I had a 28mm tubed Schwalbe Pro One at 100psi. A tubeless at 80psi most likely would have been nearly impossible to cause slippage on the same route. HR barely got above 120bpm.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5467253224/segments/2839444462912032284

 

[Frito Bandito]

Head rest padding. I needed some curvature instead of a flat backing so I bought some rain gutter material and cut it to size, drilled 2 holes in a sheet of rubber, then added 2 layers of sticky-backed foam padding. Works like a charm.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Wanting to make my V20 a better climber I removed the 11/23 cassette and Frankensteined a Campagnolo 12/29 cassette. The teeth were 12-13-14-15-16(1 tooth jump), 17-19-21(2 tooth jump), 23-26-29(3 tooth jump). I took off the 12 (end cap piece) and the 16. Then, I put the 12 from my 11/23, and also the 11 (end cap piece) from my 11/23.
Now my cassette is 11-12-13-14-15(1 tooth jump), 17-19-21(2 tooth jump) and 23-26-29(3 tooth jump). Today I took the V20 up the steepest slopes in my area to give it a try and I like it. On the 36 front ring I didn't even need to use the 29 in back despite starting from a full stop at the bottom of the ascent. The best thing is that if I am doing at least 25kph at the bottom of any of those small ascents while on the 52 front ring I don't have to drop to the 36 to get to the top.
Top speed on the 36 front ring is about 37kph.
Top speed on the 52 front ring is about 68kph.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Just got the call that my left side 4iiii power meter is at the shop waiting to be picked up. Since it is raining I can't ride anyway so it is time to make some small upgrades and do some bike tweaks.

 

[super slim]

Wanting to make my V20 a better climber I removed the 11/23 cassette and Frankensteined a Campagnolo 12/29 cassette. The teeth were 12-13-14-15-16(1 tooth jump), 17-19-21(2 tooth jump), 23-26-29(3 tooth jump). I took off the 12 (end cap piece) and the 16. Then, I put the 12 from my 11/23, and also the 11 (end cap piece) from my 11/23.
Now my cassette is 11-12-13-14-15(1 tooth jump), 17-19-21(2 tooth jump) and 23-26-29(3 tooth jump). Today I took the V20 up the steepest slopes in my area to give it a try and I like it. On the 36 front ring I didn't even need to use the 29 in back despite starting from a full stop at the bottom of the ascent. The best thing is that if I am doing at least 25kph at the bottom of any of those small ascents while on the 52 front ring I don't have to drop to the 36 to get to the top.
Top speed on the 36 front ring is about 37kph.
Top speed on the 52 front ring is about 68kph.

That is a good gear selection as 7 gears between 20 and 30 kph in low range at 92 cadence, and 31" to 118" gear inches total range.

 

[Frito Bandito]

That is a good gear selection as 7 gears between 20 and 30 kph in low range at 92 cadence, and 31" to 118" gear inches total range.

I think it'll work for anything I'll ever ride. Once I get below 6kph I wouldn't bet on me being able to keep the bike upright anyway so I might as well push it hahaha.

With that said, Summer Santa paid me a visit. It's been raining for 3 days, and will continue for about another 3 days so I am stuck in the house. But I braved the rain to pick up my power meter and eat at Taco Bell, either of which would have been enough reason in itself to get soaked.

 

[Frito Bandito]

4iii power meter installed, so gonna give it a go on an easy ride.

 

[jond]

Head rest padding. I needed some curvature instead of a flat backing so I bought some rain gutter material and cut it to size, drilled 2 holes in a sheet of rubber, then added 2 layers of sticky-backed foam padding. Works like a charm.
View attachment 11703View attachment 11704

now imagine sandwiching an air bladder between the bottom and second layer removing the third top layer. Much much much better compliance. Nil road chatter and big hits .....your floating on air. Cover with an arm warmer. Like socks you end up with a spare......

 

[Don1]

You must have a thousand arm warmers, jond

 

[jond]

You must have a thousand arm warmers, jond

It’s that insatiable washing machine mate.