New V20, New to Cruzbike

[AndyB]

So my new V20 frame came last week, busy with the build. I'm trying to keep the cost down using old parts, partial success. Thanks to the forum for great write-ups/pics, I can usually find on point discussion when I run into a problem. Recumbents are not new to me, first bent was a beat up Craigslist Rans F5 in 2014 to test the concept, I've comfortably ridden a Schlitter Encore for the past few years. Love the Encore, but it's a little far to the ground, thought I'd try something new. Hoping I'm not in over my head with the V20.

A few questions:

Fit/front triangle: Took a long time to adjust the fit, difficult to move the boom/slider. Seems like my front triangle has some unwanted tension, I've loosened/adjusted every moving point I could think of (headset, bottom bracket, skewer, slider bolt, boom bolt) still seems a little off?

Brakes: Rear 160 rotor rubs the chain stay (lower seat stay?). I'm uncertain about filing the seat stay, not clear to me what best practice is. Seems like some of the discussion here involves center lock mech, I don't have that problem, it's the edge of the rotor, 80mm up the seat stay from the dropout? I've ordered a 140mm mount and rotor to test the fit, but prefer 160mm, as that's what's on the front of the Encore, like to keep wheel swaps between the frames easy as possible. Any advice on filing the seat stay to fit the 160? Dremel? What sort of bit? Yikes!

Front derailleur/crankset: Surprised that the front derailleur bracket doesn't have enough adjustment to properly fit a 50 tooth chainring. I've got everything working ok, just wondering if there's something i'm missing? Like to lower the derailleur a couple more mm.

Headrest: Trying to be patient, adjusted back and forth a few times, can't seem to get it quite right. I'm supposed to stuff padding into this thing for adjustment? What are the advantages to the "accessory" headrests available from Cruzbike? I've got a pretty f-ed up neck, hoping to get best possible support without stuffing.

Looking forward to getting out for some practice towards the end of the week, very exciting new chapter in my bent experience. 2019 was a breakthrough year for me on the Encore, first full brevet series since 2009, fast flat rides. Hoping to build back to the hilly stuff with the Vendetta in 2020.

 

[cpml123]

Front derailleur/crankset: Surprised that the front derailleur bracket doesn't have enough adjustment to properly fit a 50 tooth chainring. I've got everything working ok, just wondering if there's something i'm missing? Like to lower the derailleur a couple more mm.

I have a S40 which has the same FD thing as the V20. I had 50/34 and just couldn't get it adjusted right. Chain dropped frequently when shifting to 50. I finally got tired of it after a year and switched to a 52 ring. It was like a miracle. No more chain drop. So now I have 52/34. A little clunky but no chain drop.

 

[velocio]

I'd like to eventually move to 46/30 chainrings on my S40, so have been considering solutions to the "FD too high" issue. I'm new to Cruzbike and have been generally very impressed with the S40, but gezzz ... How did that issue slip though to production?

The following products all appear to allow one to lower a brazed-on FD that's still mounted on a too high brazed-on tab. I have no experience with any of these, but hope some folks on the forum do and can report on how they worked out:
https://wickwerks.com/products/fit-link-adapter/
https://shop.orbitcycle.my/products/rotor-qxl-derailleur-shim-kit
https://specialites-ta.com/visserie...is-pour-plateaux-ovalution-3662458007375.html

Another approach, which is more elegant and seems not unreasonable to implement on future production frames, is to use a bolt-on FD tab and several options of mounting holes in the FD stalk depending on the chainrings to be cleared. I'm pondering if I could drill mounting holes completely through my S40's FD "stalk" and just bolt through the stalk, with Nyloc nuts on the back of the stalk, to hold the bolt-on tab in the proper location for a 46T big ring. Ugly, but if it gets me the gearing I want ... Here's an example of one such bolt-on FD tab:
https://www.amaincycling.com/giant-...MMBIq9u2u_4dZWE8MgC2hpktOASNWwsIaAkysEALw_wcB

Thoughts? Comments?

Cheers,

-Jack
Raleigh, NC

 

[chicorider]

I run 36/50 oval rings, with a Shimano Dura Ace derailleur and have never had shifting issues, once it is dialed in. But if I needed an adapter, the bit from wickwerks.com listed above looks like the most elegant solution and should do the trick, even down to a 46.

 

[AndyB]

Thanks for all the great FD info. A larger big ring is probably in my future, but the crankset is new, I want to get some use out of the new 50, and 50 is fine while I get used to the V20. Not sure Wickworks would work with 50, seems optimized for something smaller?

 

[KiwiGuy]

Hey Andy

Since you loved your Encore, I'm certain you'll love your Vendetta even more once you get a few weeks on the bike under your belt. I came from a steel-framed Volae and wouldn't go back to any form of stick bike.

Unless you're a really heavy guy, I don't believe you need to go to 160 discs. I weigh 80kg and run 140 discs front and back. Never under-braked and never lost power at any time in the past three years. I wouldn't even think of going larger. I'm fairly certain you'll struggle to get a 160 on the back. We had to file away welding material even to fit a 140 - seems to be a fault either with the Vendetta design or over-enthusiastic welders.

My son is a competent bike mechanic (among many other things) and did the build for me. The FD (with 50/34 rings), boom and neck-rest were all a bit fiddly but he managed to get them all set-up to my satisfaction. The sweet-spot for each might take a little while to find with each but it is achievable.

 

[velocio]

I run 36/50 oval rings, with a Shimano Dura Ace derailleur and have never had shifting issues, once it is dialed in.

Always good to have another data point, especially if it represents a success story. But, keep in mind that a 50T oval ring looks a couple teeth larger than a 50T round chainring to the FD, so this success is consistent with, say, a 52T+ ring working well and doesn't indicate much for use of a 50T round ring. Actually, two of the products I listed above are intended to solve the issue of the brazed on FD tab being too *low* for use with oval chainrings and extend the FD mounting tab upwards to allow the FD to clear the major axis of an elliptical ring. It appears though that they could be used upside down to achieve a result of more interest to me ...

Cheers,

-Jack
Raleigh, NC

 

[GetBent]

I'd like to eventually move to 46/30 chainrings on my S40, so have been considering solutions to the "FD too high" issue.

I have been running with 30/46 chain rings using the Wickwerks adapter on my V20. Works great. The only chain drop was when I accidently pushed both the FD and RD buttons at the same time.

 

[GetBent]

Not sure Wickworks would work with 50, seems optimized for something smaller?

Unless there has been a design change, from my experience with a V20, 46 is the largest usable chain ring with the Wickwerks adapter.

 

[3bs]

i run 53 34 wickwerks rings, with a sram force - no problems in front.

 

[AndyB]

Wickwerks is new to me. 53/34 is exactly what I want once I'm up to speed, have to look into the Wickwerks solution.

Bit the bullet, couple minutes with the dremel fixed the disc rub problem.

 

[Seth Cooper]

My problem with the FD was with the etap electronics not letting the derailleur bottom out on the slot. once I trimmed the FD tab with a dremel tool it was able to get all the way down and that was enough to get it into position

post with pics:
https://forum.cruzbike.com/threads/...t-mech-issues-thread.12284/page-3#post-147149

 

[velocio]

I'd like to eventually move to 46/30 chainrings on my S40, so have been considering solutions to the "FD too high" issue. I'm new to Cruzbike and have been generally very impressed with the S40, but gezzz ... How did that issue slip though to production?

The following products all appear to allow one to lower a brazed-on FD that's still mounted on a too high brazed-on tab. I have no experience with any of these, but hope some folks on the forum do and can report on how they worked out:
https://wickwerks.com/products/fit-link-adapter/
https://shop.orbitcycle.my/products/rotor-qxl-derailleur-shim-kit
https://specialites-ta.com/visserie...is-pour-plateaux-ovalution-3662458007375.html

<etc, etc, etc ...>

Cruzbike-folks,

I thought I'd update this post containing links to solutions for lowering a FD further than the standard brazed-on FD tab may allow, to facilitate use of a smaller large chainring. The Wickwerks Fit-Link above is easily available and has good reviews, but according to GetBent's experience with his V20 posted above it may not allow use of rings bigger than 46 teeth. I recently stumbled across a similar bobble from FSA that claims to be optimized for large rings of 48 or 50T. Examining the photos of both adapters it's obvious that the FSA is shorter and would lower the FD less than the Wickwerks. The FSA is also bargain priced compared to the Wickwerks, though that's a secondary concern to just being able to run the gearing you want. Link to FSA FD dropper thing here: https://shop.fullspeedahead.com/en/type/accessories/accessories//supercompact-adapter

Cheers,

-Jack
Raleigh, NC

 

[GetBent]

I made a bit of an "Oops" on my post about the Wickwerks adapter. I forgot to mention that I am using the Shimano Di2 system. That may or may not make a difference.

 

[jond]

Andyb with your headrest try an innertube inflated. Cut down an old one form an N shape or M and stuff it in. If that does not work it’s on to the accessory headrests.
Most new riders have neckrest in way too far. Let it out your head should be double triple chinning almost vertical. No looking up at the sky and down your nose . Of course if you have neck issues the seat fixed at 20 degrees and flat may prove somewhat problematic for your neckrest bend.. Thor seats solve that.

 

[Don1]

Hey Jon I just got a 10 in innertube for a kiddy wheel don't faff about cutting things up

 

[jond]

Hey Jon I just got a 10 in innertube for a kiddy wheel don't faff about cutting things up

I do love a good faff about and old innertube is free or landfill.

a great idea though don.

 

[bladderhead]

Such joy it is to faff about. All I ever do.

 

[Don1]

Pfft

 

[Sonnybea]

Andyb with your headrest try an innertube inflated. Cut down an old one form an N shape or M and stuff it in. If that does not work it’s on to the accessory headrests.
Most new riders have neckrest in way too far. Let it out your head should be double triple chinning almost vertical. No looking up at the sky and down your nose . Of course if you have neck issues the seat fixed at 20 degrees and flat may prove somewhat problematic for your neckrest bend..