Texas Time Trials Race Report 2019, 2020 and Bacchetta vs Cruzbike.

Robert Volk

Member
Rider: Robert Volk

This is kind of my own Bacchetta vs Cruzbike comparison after 11 months of riding the V20 which was preceded by riding Bacchettas for 7 years.

The 12 HOUR TT 2020 Texas Time Trials took place on September 19. Had beautiful weather. Started in the dark at 6am, with a temp of 55 degrees. Garmin showed a high of 86 and an average temp of 72 degrees, so really quite pleasant for this race.

In 2019 I cycled the 12-hour Time Trial on a 2017 Bacchetta CA 2.0 and finished with 185 miles. This year, 2020, I cycled the 12 HR TT on a new 2019 V20 and finished with 234 miles and 17,125 ft of climbing. This gave me 1st place in the recumbent division, 1st place in the men’s 50-59 division, and 2nd place overall. Also beat the 12 hour overall recumbent course record set in 2014 by Rich Putrich of 212 miles.

The hardest part was just the rough condition of the roads. Very Rough. The last 5 miles of the backend of the loop is great, but the rest of the course is Texas chip seal and tar patches thrown down. Even so, I really enjoyed all of the hills, something I used to be scared of and tried to avoid. Now I wish it was hilly where I lived! I used Inifint Nutrition custom blend for calories and water for the entire ride. Holland Racing really puts on a great event. There were 187 registrations and it was a lot of fun with so many participants in all of the divisions.

Got to say I am in love with this machine! Received a “God bless you man! God bless you and that recumbent!” from an upright rider on lap 8 in the pits right before heading out on lap #9. The V20 turns heads and surprises many. No one see you as a threat when you roll up to the line. I love how the V20 zooms on the downhills, and the flats. I even passed several people during the day on the more difficult hills!

upload_2020-9-23_8-1-43.png upload_2020-9-23_8-1-49.png
 

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
In 2019 I cycled the 12-hour Time Trial on a 2017 Bacchetta CA 2.0 and finished with 185 miles. This year, 2020, I cycled the 12 HR TT on a new 2019 V20 and finished with 234 miles and 17,125 ft of climbing. This gave me 1st place in the recumbent division, 1st place in the men’s 50-59 division, and 2nd place overall. Also beat the 12 hour overall recumbent course record set in 2014 by Rich Putrich of 212 miles.
Robert - Do you have power/speed data to compare the 185 miles in 2019 with the 234 miles in 2020?
 

Bill Wightman

Well-Known Member
Started in the dark at 6am, with a temp of 55 degrees. Garmin showed a high of 86 and an average temp of 72 degrees, so really quite pleasant for this race.
Congrats for pushing hard for so long and my apologies as a Texan for our nasty roads. I do not think that cyclist comfort ever weighs in to the cost per construction and maintenance mile calculations in this state. Along that thread of thought...on my bike I have added one inch thick (black) sticky-back memory foam to the carbon fiber seat and under the breathing seat cover and a 1.25" thick block of layers of tough bubble wrap on the head rest to eat up the road vibration. I got the bubble wrap from soft Amazon letter packs, cut them into 4"x 4" squares, stacked until they were 1.25" thick and then taped together. My headrest is composed of this "pneumatic" base with memory foam to shape to my head on top, and all covered with two big black stretchy wicking socks. It is perfect for me. No more head vibration going down the road. You have to wash the socks maybe twice per year or they get funky smelling. It gives the bike more of a damped carbon fiber frame feel instead of the more harsh welded aluminum road vibe transmission feel.
 
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Robert Volk

Member
... I do not think that cyclist comfort ever weighs in to the cost per construction and maintenance mile calculations in this state. ..l.
I guess not, still love Texas though!

Thank you for the response, sounds like a good way to soften up the road vibrations, I ended up with 2 bruises from the ventiseat, one for each shoulder blade After that ride. Good advice.
 

McWheels

Off the long run
Looks like you have up'd your engine too in 2020 - more power!
Aye lad, it does that! Is there also an element of the V20 allowing Monsieur Volk to access more power for longer? The MMB design? Comfort? Hip angle? Hard to say, but definitely and measurably faster.

I've come round to the idea of wide racing tyres being a very Good Thing[TM] for smoothing out the vibrations. Previously I ran fairly narrow touring tyres at high pressure, but the transition to S40 has introduced me to 1) A better bicycle, and 2) wide slicks. What can the V20 accept?
 

3bs

whereabouts unknown
Great ride. Now get rudy out there and you guys can paces line.

Schwalbe ones in 28 fit, g one speeds in 30 fit
The speeds are actually a little fast than the base ones.
 
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