No longer newbie - still struggling

[rdl03]

I've put about 600km on my S40, including several 100km rides, so I suppose I'm no longer a newbie. Though I certainly feel like one.
I'm still really struggling with the front end. Little "twitches" - pretty much always to the right, with a responding over correction to the left happen a lot.
I have lots of hand tension, especially the left hand. Letting go of the handlebars with either hand is slightly terrifying.
Based on yesterday's ride, my current theory is that there's a much more of a difference than I realize in strength between my legs. On a upright, it doesn't really impact the bike much. On the Cruzbike, it seems to affect steering and stability.
On yesterday's ride, I tried a couple time downshifting and increasing my cadence, which seemed to help, and, in my mind, supports my theory.

Wondering if others have dealt with similar issues, and how you finally "fixed it".

thanks!

 

[Frito Bandito]

Some have dual sided power meters which show an imbalance if you are really interested in finding out. If you do, pedal based meters have a lot going for them since you can swap them between bikes easily. Not only will those show an imbalance but will also let you know just how much power/speed difference there is between your bikes.

I have a left side 4iiii meter so I can't see if I have an imbalance. I just go with what pedal pressure feels comfortable. As for the "death grip", it'll slowly decrease as the kilometers add up and your brain continues to wire the balancing act. For each of us the timing to feeling comfortable letting the grip loosen will vary. When I used a drop bar with brifters I didnt really have much option except to grab on to the bars and pull on them. My grip got stronger and I didn't mind it so much since I was almost always putting in a pretty hard effort. However, now I use a Deda Tribar with Campagnolo bar end TT brake levers and SRAM AXS Wireless Blips. For higher power I can wrap my fingers around the front of the brakes and pull, Since my bar is pretty level there is little chance of yanking hard enough for it to twist upbut for cruzing my hands just rest on the tops. If I want to get my hands out of the airflow, I can just rest them closer to the stem so the majority of my forearms hides behind my thighs for part of the time.

 

[-don1]

Um. 600km ain't enough to get rid of all the twitches. Just relax and ride.

 

[Steve Heywood]

Um. 600km ain't enough to get rid of all the twitches. Just relax and ride.

Took me well over 1000 miles on the S40 but it will come

 

[Decher Kritzmire]

I would agree that 600km isn't enough miles to be discouraged. After a couple thousand miles I am still aware that I have two brains, the standard recumbent one and the Cruzbike brain, which takes a moment of adjustment to take over after switching bikes. It sounds like you are on the right track with lower gearing and spinning which creates less pedal force. For me it's about rhythm. There always seems to be a rhythmic timing counter force between the pedal stroke and handlebar pressure, either push or pull depending on which is more comfortable, but the intensity and sense of awareness of this pretty much disappears and becomes a minimal factor. I have actually come to enjoy it, a little like the standing handlebar pump on an upright. One exception to that is when muscling uphill when a more concerted counter effort is needed. Again, the lower the gearing the better for me.

 

[rdl03]

Knowing that it's taken others this long and longer is actually very useful information.

Thanks!

 

[chicorider]

Late to the conversation, but yeah, it took me about 1000 miles, or 1600km on the V20 before the twitchies were effectively gone. That's coming up on eight years ago, and I haven't looked back since.

You got this.

 

[veloc_h]

I have lots of hand tension, especially the left hand.

Another reason for that could be the position of the seat and as a consequence of your body: if the seat is twisted counter clockwise (by turning the T-tube...), there would be more weight-force to the left. I had the same phaenomen on a QX100. Have you got the CB seat? When I turned the (non-cruzbike) seat a bit clockwise, everything was ok. Another recumbent-driver, who drove behind me, confirmed that I ride the cruz now in a vertical seat position, the body upright. Would be interesting if another person could have a look from behind at your body position...

 

[rdl03]

Another reason for that could be the position of the seat and as a consequence of your body: if the seat is twisted counter clockwise (by turning the T-tube...), there would be more weight-force to the left. I had the same phaenomen on a QX100. Have you got the CB seat? When I turned the (non-cruzbike) seat a bit clockwise, everything was ok. Another recumbent-driver, who drove behind me, confirmed that I ride the cruz now in a vertical seat position, the body upright. Would be interesting if another person could have a look from behind at your body position...

Thanks. I looked pretty carefully, and, as far as I can tell, both the seat and Ventisit pad appear straight and centered.

 

[rdl03]

My next step. I found an inexpensive set of rollers for sale. I have a vague memory of learning how challenging rollers are, many years ago.
I figure that 1. the rollers pretty much demand smooth balanced riding, so they should help me move in that direction; 2. They may make it easier to make time for frequent 20 to 40 minute sessions, which might be more helpful that 100km rides.

 

[-don1]

If you can master rollers on a cruzbike we need a video.

 

[Steve Heywood]

If you can master rollers on a cruzbike we need a video.

Here’s an old video of a quest on rollers

 

[Beano]

When you say hand tension do you mean you are gripping the bar too tight?

If so this is what is leading to the bike twitching imo. Holding the bar too tight with your left hand, when pedaling with the right foot the bike will want to go to the right, but with your left hand being too tight the bike won't go and will twitch.

Relax some more and how is your position on the bike?

 

[rdl03]

Got back on the S40 after a couple weeks of an unintended break (bad weather, then injured back).
Did a short ride yesterday, mostly focused on little hills in the neighborhood - up to 9%.
I felt remarkably more comfortable. Maybe a couple weeks away helped, but I think that the most likely explanation is that I switched handlebars (again!).
moved up to a 46cm bar (from a 44), which came with a 15 degree flare (that wasn't mentioned on the web page).
Definitely the most stable and relaxed I've felt on the bike.
It's hard to imagine just 2 cm making that much of a difference, but maybe.
Looking forward to a couple rides this week (trying to avoid 90 degree weather.).

 

[Apollo]

If the new bars have a flare and the old bars didn't, then the additional width is actually more than 2cm. That was probably the effective width you needed to make the bike work for you. Glad you sorted that out and safe riding.

 

[chicorider]

About eight years ago, when I was still pretty new to the V20, I had such a death grip on the bars that I tore a ligament near my right elbow. That began what would become a seven-month, off-the-bike rehab. I had made it through the worst of the learning curve, and, with the exception of that death grip, I felt like was making progress. Seven months later, when it was time to try again, I was afraid that I would have to start the learning process over--that all that progress had somehow leaked out during the downtime. Instead, not only did I pick up right where I left off, but I felt even more steady on the bike. Yes, I had seven months to figure out that loosening my grip would force me to develop a smoother pedal stroke, which would then let my whole body relax (wow, what a difference!), but it seemed like the time away from the bike helped my brain finish making the connections it needed in order to pilot the damn thing. Smooth, and straight sailing ever since.

Your new bars probably do help, but your two week break most likely helped too.

Happy riding!

 

[billyk]

Joining the chorus ... It was something like 600km when I started to feel comfortable on - at that time - first-gen Quest. Double that before I felt like I "owned" the bike. Willing to mix it up in urban traffic. But once you get it, you got it. It'll be just like, I don't know, riding a bike.

 

[Mike Cassera]

I know my left leg is stronger than my right leg and I'm thinking of buying an S40. Will I be able to ride smoothly?

 

[Frito Bandito]

I think you will. Usually 1 leg is stronger than the other anyway, but if there is a big discrepancy in the power, time in the saddle should narrow the gap. You can also train the right leg to get up to speed with the left.

 

[HeyHealy]

I had a long recovery starting in summer 2018 after tearing the meniscus in my right knee, during which my right leg atrophied. There was a noticeable difference in the size of my left and right legs. There still is, in fact, although it's much less noticeable now.

Anyway, I started on a secondhand Q45 a few years ago, switched to a secondhand Carbon Aero 2.0, then bought a new S40 two summers ago. I've put about 1,300 miles on my S40.

In my experience, that "twitchiness" in the steering isn't from a strength imbalance in your legs. Rather, it's from not pulling as hard as you're pushing. When you're left leg is pushing, your right leg should be pulling equally. And vice versa. This keeps the steering straight w/ no twitches.

Something I've practiced is lessening my grip on the handlebars so I'm just lightly holding them, and then focusing on smooth push/pull pedal strokes that keep the handlebars from moving very much. I can now ride and pedal without holding the bars (although I don't do that frequently or anything, I only did it to see if I could do it).