Seeking advice for new V20c rider
- Thread starter Rfon
- Start date
ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
We got you covered. Start here:
https://forum.cruzbike.com/threads/spring-time-learning-to-ride-time.10889/
Run through the protocol and read the thread. Come with questions when you are done.
Also, you are learning on the hardest bike, so Go Slow; the videoes make it look fast and easy; that's because of the bike in question. In your case, it will be SLOW and easy. Leave your ego at home, too you don't want to get it all dirty and bruised. And yes, we've all gone "what have I done" over and over on the first ride.
https://forum.cruzbike.com/threads/spring-time-learning-to-ride-time.10889/
Run through the protocol and read the thread. Come with questions when you are done.
Also, you are learning on the hardest bike, so Go Slow; the videoes make it look fast and easy; that's because of the bike in question. In your case, it will be SLOW and easy. Leave your ego at home, too you don't want to get it all dirty and bruised. And yes, we've all gone "what have I done" over and over on the first ride.
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
As Ratz pointed out, you are starting on the hardest bike. I you can find anyone around you with a T50, or Q45 learning on those first will let you barin adjust to the MBB-FWD setup, then when you transidition to the V20C - the only thing you are dealing with is a lower center of gravity.
But if you go slow and follow the steps you can still learn on the V20C - just be patient with the process
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
My first bent is a V20 and It took me about 2-3 days of sitting up on my V20 and trying to lean all the way back and then finally get my feet on the pedals while coasting down a 1-2% grade street. Once I could do that it took me another 10-12 days of slowly pedaling around my neighborhood before I was confident enough to take it out onto my usual bike path without crashing into someone at speeds the bike comes into its own at. From what I gather everyone picked it up faster than I did, so be patient.
chicorider
Zen MBB Master
Ditto. I also started on the V20, and it took me about 1000 miles before I didn't have to think (much) about what I was doing. I did spend some time wondering if I'd made an expensive mistake, but brute stubbornness got me through those first couple months. "I can do this, dammit!"
That was eight years ago. Since then the V20, now V20c, has been the best road bike I've ever owned. Fighting through the learning curve was definitely worth it, and even offers its own satisfaction on the other side. "I did it, dammit!"
Hang in there, and (try to) enjoy the process.
That was eight years ago. Since then the V20, now V20c, has been the best road bike I've ever owned. Fighting through the learning curve was definitely worth it, and even offers its own satisfaction on the other side. "I did it, dammit!"
Hang in there, and (try to) enjoy the process.
The V20 is the easiest of the bikes to "Fred Flintstone" around on, because the seat angle is so reclined you can sit nearly upright halfway up the seat.
Do that and just lift your legs a bit off the ground and get a feel for now the bike rolls around and get used it. After a while do this and get a bit of good roll going and slide down into the seat - BUT - leave your legs down. Coast around. Be gentile. This is much easier to do if you have the Ventisit pad of course.
Then when ready do the above but then lift both legs up and engage the pedals with a smooth cadence. Before long you will have a good percentage of control over the front end with your feet alone.
Then you can work towards dead-starts laying back in the seat. But I will say - even I do not dead start like that 90% of the time. I do the "roll and slide" method.
Do that and just lift your legs a bit off the ground and get a feel for now the bike rolls around and get used it. After a while do this and get a bit of good roll going and slide down into the seat - BUT - leave your legs down. Coast around. Be gentile. This is much easier to do if you have the Ventisit pad of course.
Then when ready do the above but then lift both legs up and engage the pedals with a smooth cadence. Before long you will have a good percentage of control over the front end with your feet alone.
Then you can work towards dead-starts laying back in the seat. But I will say - even I do not dead start like that 90% of the time. I do the "roll and slide" method.
RAR2
Member
Be sure to use flat pedals and sneakers, do not clip in!
ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
I think I'm 98%, 1 step 2 step sliddddddddde and clip. Hard on the cleats but worth it for the looks of WTF you get.
Rfon
Member
Thank you
Rfon
Member
Thank you, I am now pedaling slowly on the flats. Total of 3 miles practice over 3 days at 1-2 hours each day.
Rfon
Member
Anyone in Chicago riding on the lakefront trail?
Rfon
Member
Thank you
Rfon
Member
Best way to handle intersections?
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
I do the butt slide. Straddle the bike, take a few steps to build up momentum and then sit/slide into your riding position and get your feet onto the pedals. I can start from a dead stop while fully seated, but my ego is too fragile to do that when there are witnesses. Besides, I'm trying to turn more people on to Cruzbikes, not scare them away
Tuloose
Guru
I would recommend clip in pedals as soon as you feel comfortable with the bike. I find I can handle many tricky, low speed situations much better when clipped in. Many times I will pedal with my dominate leg and out rigger with my other leg while slowly guiding the bike around. This works well when starting off with a large group.
I always sit up at intersections when on my V.
Another impressive trick you can do with the V is come to a complete stop, stand up gripping the bars and lifting the bike by the bars swing it in the direction you want to go.
chicorider
Zen MBB Master
Once you get over the initial heebee-geebees, I'd recommend going clipless. Since the feet are part of the steering, having the feet connected directly helps to make handling the bike more consistent and predictable. If your feet aren't connected, they can shift or slip off, and any such changes can negatively impact how the bike handles. The nuances of riding clipless will come with practice and miles.
For intersections, I stay seated and laid back most of the time, putting my dominant foot down to stop. The trick is being in the best gear for starting before coming to a stop. If I see a yellow or red light ahead, I shift from my 52t chainring to my 36t, and from whatever cog I'm in, up to the second largest 27t on my 11-30 cassette. I get to the 27 by shifting all the way up the 30, and then back down one. It sounds like a lot to do, but after a while the fingers just do it quickly by themselves. If it's a slight uphill, I'll stay in the 30; if it's a slight downhill, I might drop down two, to the 24 and let the hill help. For surprise or fast stops, where I'm in the wrong gear...that's when I break out the Fred Flintstone push and the butt slide. That doesn't happen too often though.
The best gear for starting will vary from rider to rider. Try laid back starts on flat roads in the easiest cog/gear first, then work your way down the cogs at successive starts until you find the cog that is just a little too hard to start easily. One cog up from that should be your best starting gear.
Gregory Carlsen
Member
I started learning to ride my first recumbent, a v20c June of 2022. I spent the first 2 1/2 weeks in parking lots getting comfortable enough to attempt a road ride. Then the next 5 weeks I rode residentials roads close to home. At about 8 weeks in I ventured on to a few main roads and the bike trail in my area. This was the first route that was of the distance and location that I might have done on my diamond frame. I kept building up the distance and finally rode a double century in September of 2022. Control was still a bit shaky and climbing on roads with traffic was nerve wracking. About this time I also started riding with small groups. Group riding presented its own challenges such as starting and stopping more and pacing with the group.
Fast forward to now I have 5,000 miles on my V20. I'm comfortable on busy roads and with groups. With groups I'm typically off the front or back because those DF riders don't want to draft off of me. I typically stop and start from the fully reclined position using one foot on the ground when stopped. I'm still fine tuning skills and building bent climbing muscles but I'm faster now than my DF and much much more comfortable on the very long rides - I have completed 4 more double centuries.
The things I'm working on now are maneuvering at slow speed in tight spaces. Such as entrances to bike paths with tight turns and poles. I'm also working on climbing and trying to clean up the reclined start a bit more.
I switched from the flat pedals to the clipless somewhere around 8 weeks. It was a bit scary but it make the bike easier to ride and control.
Most importantly I'm having a blast!
Keep at it, it may take some time but it is well worth the work.
One other thought - I rode a diamond frame for 40+ years and just started riding a recumbent last year. That sounds like excellent progress to me!
Greg
Fast forward to now I have 5,000 miles on my V20. I'm comfortable on busy roads and with groups. With groups I'm typically off the front or back because those DF riders don't want to draft off of me
. I typically stop and start from the fully reclined position using one foot on the ground when stopped. I'm still fine tuning skills and building bent climbing muscles but I'm faster now than my DF and much much more comfortable on the very long rides - I have completed 4 more double centuries.The things I'm working on now are maneuvering at slow speed in tight spaces. Such as entrances to bike paths with tight turns and poles. I'm also working on climbing and trying to clean up the reclined start a bit more.
I switched from the flat pedals to the clipless somewhere around 8 weeks. It was a bit scary but it make the bike easier to ride and control.
Most importantly I'm having a blast!
Keep at it, it may take some time but it is well worth the work.
One other thought - I rode a diamond frame for 40+ years and just started riding a recumbent last year. That sounds like excellent progress to me!
Greg
I just hopped on the cruzbike train a few months ago. I started on an S40, now have a V20c. I learned in the parking garage of my apartment building, it was raining my first day learning and the parking garage is almost always empty. I spent hours over those first few days taking it for laps, until I worked up to taking it on a road closed to cars for the weekend in a park (still a favorite place to ride). I would say start easy and do what feels right to you.
Rfon
Member
10 miles of practice, completed some figure 8's. Noticed that if I pull hard with both hands while pedaling front end stays straight.
Mathew Fy
GRU
I recommend a looser grip, like holding ripe bananas. Let the bike wander a bit, you’ll get better balance with time. Eventually being able to go no handed. Save the hard pull for intense efforts. Otherwise, you’ll get sore arms and shoulders.
