To V20c as a lifelong DF roadie

gaspi101

gaspi101

Well-Known Member
First actual ride today. 22 miles, learned a ton, like how to ride one handed to drink water from a bottle an put it back behind headrest… got a little too comfortable at 20mph, lost control in a turn and crashed, crushing the boom. On my first ride! ayayayayay…..Left a message for cruzbike for a replacement…any ideas on how to get one ASAP, like maybe overnighted? i was having such fun!23A6F001-B0F6-4321-95FE-C04A4741232F.jpeg
 
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gaspi101

gaspi101

Well-Known Member
So apparently there is no way to get a boom within the next 48 hours and I refuse to not ride, so until I source a new boom, this will have to do. It’s not heavily load-bearing so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will work. Will wait a few hours and then give a little test. Will advise if developments!D8E92722-41B6-4F5E-B0AE-E92924D273CA.jpegDD41EC07-33DF-4C76-9FD9-0C996350F100.jpegB5ED2660-E0F9-4DC8-86F1-8E2A5D06670A.jpeg
 
Don1

Don1

Guru
Maybe a bit of fibreglass mat like a repair kit wrapping in electrical tape to cure might have been better but that might work. Now take it easy. The v20 has a different weight distribution than a road bike (50:50 , road bike 50:60)
 
gaspi101

gaspi101

Well-Known Member
T
Don1 said:
Maybe a bit of fibreglass mat like a repair kit wrapping in electrical tape to cure might have been better but that might work. Now take it easy. The v20 has a different weight distribution than a road bike (50:50 , road bike 50:60)
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Yeah I was looking for that in Home Depot but they didn’t have…They said this would hold very strong…will see! Final product is not too pretty but I hope it holds for a week or so of light use. A213889C-76F6-429E-BFC9-D35BEFAC63FE.jpeg
 
C

cpml123

Zen MBB Master
gaspi101 said:
First actual ride today. 22 miles, learned a ton, like how to ride one handed to drink water from a bottle an put it back behind headrest… got a little too comfortable at 20mph, lost control in a turn and crashed, crushing the boom. On my first ride! ayayayayay…..Left a message for cruzbike for a replacement…any ideas on how to get one ASAP, like maybe overnighted? i was having such fun!View attachment 13921
Click to expand...
Wow you already got it to >20mph! Fast learning! Hope you didn't get scraped too badly. I think it's sort of a "safety" feature of recumbent bike that it's very difficult to get an "OTH over the handlebar" crash/concussion. However, we do get scrapped on the arms/legs/etc. broken body parts. :-(
 
gaspi101

gaspi101

Well-Known Member
cpml123 said:
Wow you already got it to >20mph! Fast learning! Hope you didn't get scraped too badly. I think it's sort of a "safety" feature of recumbent bike that it's very difficult to get an "OTH over the handlebar" crash/concussion. However, we do get scrapped on the arms/legs/etc. broken body parts. :-(
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Thanks, buddy, no, all good physically. But the momentum forced the handlebars to twist and that twisted the carbon boom to shreds…So upset right now…wish I could trade scrapes for a solid boom…
 
gaspi101

gaspi101

Well-Known Member
Just went for a ride around the block, boom seems super stiff and sturdy! Did not put much pressure on it, though, but did a light sprint to 18 or so to see if I heard or could feel any flex…nope, all seems to be good! Grateful for a temporary patch while I find a replacement boom. Jeez…what an adventure this thing has been already…
 
Andreas

Andreas

Active Member
Hi Gaspi,

I hope you donˋt mind if I highjack your tread for my introduction to this forum. This is my first post but I started my learning curve just a weak ago and I'm excited to see how you do in the next weeks and months.
I was a little shoked when I saw the second photo of your new bike and I think I know how you felt.

To myself:
I live in the south of Germany at the Lake Constance with a nice view to the swiss alps.
Due to a disc prolapse I switched to a ICE VTX recumbent trike in 2013. The VTX is still a joy to ride and it is pretty quick, though I think I reached my limits with it.
Two months ago once again the VTX was out of order due to a crack in the boom. Being frustrated that such things happen always in times of best cycling weather and such spare parts always take some weeks to arrive, I thought having an other recumbend would not be the badest idea.

The Vendetta has been on my mind ever since I saw a really nice video of an other PBP participant who seemed to master his journey a lot more relaxed than me.
And with the concept of a FWD I would get rid of some well known issues like a flexing and weak boom, inefficient long chain etc.
After reading what felt like half of the forum, the euphoria was greater than the awe of the learning curve so the decision was: if I try something else, then this is the way I have to go.

In current times of a weak Euro, a new Vendetta becomes really expensive when it arrives in Germany (shipping + all kind of taxes).
So I started to search for a used one but quickly realized that winning the lottery was more likely than finding a used Vendetta in Europe.

I think I was lucky that a French dealer had a leftover 2021 frameset at half the price of what I would have to pay for a self-imported V20c frameset.
I asked about the frame color, he opened the box and sent a photo, I felt in love immediately, order done.
A few days later you started this thread and I can say, this is the best reading one can have while waiting for such a kind of package, so I nearly forgot to order all the other parts.

I don't know about you, but building the bike was so much fun I was almost sad that I finished so soon.

The first day I did 30km on a parking lot (never thought this would be possible) and I felt really good so I did 6km more on the way home. Due to the rainy weather, I've only manged 20 more since then, on some small roads after work. But I already had my first flat in front so my current reading is about tubes vs. tubeless ;-)

I have to say that this forum is the reason why I embarked on this adventure. It's good to know that you can get so much support from such a great community.

See you soon
Andreas

20221002_224031.jpg
 
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gaspi101

gaspi101

Well-Known Member
Andreas said:
Hi Gaspi,

I hope you donˋt mind if I highhack your tread for my introduction to this forum. This is my first post but I started my learning curve just a weak ago and I'm excited to see how you do in the next weeks and months.
I was a little shoked when I saw the second photo of your new bike and I think I know how you felt.

To myself:
I live in the south of Germany at the Lake Constance with a nice view to the swiss alps.
Due to a disc prolapse I switched to a ICE VTX recumbent trike in 2013. The VTX is still a joy to ride and it is pretty quick, though I think I reached my limits with it.
Two months ago once again the VTX was out of order due to a crack in the boom. Being frustrated that such things happen always in times of best cycling weather and such spare parts always take some weeks to arrive, I thought having an other recumbend would not be the badest idea.

The Vendetta has been on my mind ever since I saw a really nice video of an other PBP participant who seemed to master his journey a lot more relaxed than me.
And with the concept of a FWD I would get rid of some well known issues like a flexing and weak boom, inefficient long chain etc.
After reading what felt like half of the forum, the euphoria was greater than the awe of the learning curve so the decision was: if I try something else, then is the way I have to go.

In current times of a weak Euro, a new Vendetta becomes really expensive when it arrives in Germany (shipping + all kind of taxes).
So I started to search for a used one but quickly realized that winning the lottery was more likely than finding a used Vendetta in Europe.

I think I was lucky that a French dealer had a leftover 2021 frameset at half the price of what I would have to pay for a self-imported V20c frameset.
I asked about the frame color, he opened the box and sent a photo, I felt in love immediately, order done.
A few days later you started this thread and I can say, this is the best reading one can have while waiting for such a kind of package, so I nearly forgot to order all the other parts.

I don't know about you, but building the bike was so much fun I was almost sad that I finished so soon.

The first day I did 30km on a parking lot (never thought this would be possible) and I felt really good so I did 6km more on the way home. Due to the rainy weather, I've only manged 20 more since then, on some small roads after work. But I already had my first flat in front so my current reading is about tubes vs. tubeless ;-)

I have to say that this forum is the reason why I embarked on this adventure. It's good to know that you can get so much support from such a great community.

See you soon
Andreas

View attachment 13936
Click to expand...
Andreas, first congratulations on your beautiful Vendetta! We have the same color! I am glad you are enjoying the first-time Cruzbike experience too…I am having a blast! I did not put it together myself, I had a local bike shop do it, since I needed to have a Sram groupset installed…easier and faster to have them do it…I work long days so, I can’t spend to much time building it…and I was scared of breaking something (lol). it’s awesome you did it, and the bike looks awesome!

It seems you put on some decent kilometers immediately, same as I…I did 22 miles yesterday, and 23 miles today…stopped only because I had to work (which I’m avoiding by being on this forum!). I learned three very important things between yesterday and today, which perhaps are not on this thread, and perhaps they are of some use to you or someone else.

First, buy some pedals with clips like SPD immediately, and loosen the screws so that they are easy to get in and out. Double-sided pedals are good. I unfortunately listened too much to people that don‘t ride Cruzbikes (like my bike shop), who told me that I should not ride with cleats until I was comfortable riding the bike. I can’t express enough how wrong this advice was. Yesterday I rode 22 miles on platform pedals like you have in the picture. I’m pretty certain I would not have crashed yesterday if I had been clipped in. This is why: Unlike any other bike, your ability to keep the front wheel straight comes from your ability to counter-torque the wheel when you pedal. With the platform pedals, I found that I was pulling up on the handlebar‘s side when pedaling. At every right-pedal stroke, I had to pull up on the right hood/brifter in order to counter the wheel turning left as a result of the force being exerted on the pedal. I started to get the hang of it, but it was clearly not stable. Making a turn at about 20kpm was difficult to perform with only the handle bars, and I lost control snd crashed. This morning, I put SPD pedals and my old road shoes…HOLY MOLY what a difference. The result was immediate stability. It turns out, while you push on the right pedal, you unconsciously also PULL with the left pedal…this counteracts the torque-steer…on top of that, you can use your feet to actively assist with the steering of the front wheel. Once you start pushing-pulling in a smooth motion, it’s like a totally different bike. If you can ride half a kilometer already, trust me, get cleats and shoes like SPD, speedplay, or egg beaters…anything that you can clip in quickly, double sided, and then walk in later. It will absolutely transform your learning experience.

Second: Raising your neck and shoulders 5cm from the neck rest while pedaling will immediately increase stability. Just lifting your neck up a few cm, that’s it…It’s not a huge center of gravity difference but it is a huge difference to our two-legged monkey brains that are used to balancing while vertical and not horizontal. While taking turns, any turn, sit up a fair amount. Huge increase in maneuverability and stability.

And Third, from my crash, practice making turns at speed a lot. Not too fast, but at like 24kph, no more…sit up, lean the bike in, and be ready to hit the REAR brake, and never the front brake. If you ever raced a front-wheel drive car, it’s for the same reason: understeer. hitting the front brakes will make it harder to accurately control the front wheel in a turn.

Hope you’re enjoying brother and that you stay safe!

I have to also add that while my decision to buy a Cruzbike was heavily influenced by the community ad camaraderie in this forum, I am blown away by Cruzbike customer service and support. Morgan from Cruzbike fixed several order errors (all mine) immediately, and when I crushed the slider (not boom) in my accident, he responded in the same day (On a Saturday evening), invoiced me for a replacement, and it’s be on the way. I’m sorry, this is virtually unheard-of in this day and age. Such personal attention and care to customers seems like a lost art in these internet times. I know things may be a bit different for shipping since you are in Germany, but I’m willing to bet the folks at Cruzbike would find a way to make it work just the same. A great product gets you s customer. Great customer relations keeps them for life.

Anyway, here is me and my new friend John on today’s ride, both of us on our Vendettas.

37E0C9F0-B1AA-4861-BDD6-32A5C56F8389.jpeg
 
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G

Gary123

Zen MBB Master
Andreas said:
Hi Gaspi,

I hope you donˋt mind if I highhack your tread for my introduction to this forum. This is my first post but I started my learning curve just a weak ago and I'm excited to see how you do in the next weeks and months.
I was a little shoked when I saw the second photo of your new bike and I think I know how you felt.

To myself:
I live in the south of Germany at the Lake Constance with a nice view to the swiss alps.
Due to a disc prolapse I switched to a ICE VTX recumbent trike in 2013. The VTX is still a joy to ride and it is pretty quick, though I think I reached my limits with it.
Two months ago once again the VTX was out of order due to a crack in the boom. Being frustrated that such things happen always in times of best cycling weather and such spare parts always take some weeks to arrive, I thought having an other recumbend would not be the badest idea.

The Vendetta has been on my mind ever since I saw a really nice video of an other PBP participant who seemed to master his journey a lot more relaxed than me.
And with the concept of a FWD I would get rid of some well known issues like a flexing and weak boom, inefficient long chain etc.
After reading what felt like half of the forum, the euphoria was greater than the awe of the learning curve so the decision was: if I try something else, then is the way I have to go.

In current times of a weak Euro, a new Vendetta becomes really expensive when it arrives in Germany (shipping + all kind of taxes).
So I started to search for a used one but quickly realized that winning the lottery was more likely than finding a used Vendetta in Europe.

I think I was lucky that a French dealer had a leftover 2021 frameset at half the price of what I would have to pay for a self-imported V20c frameset.
I asked about the frame color, he opened the box and sent a photo, I felt in love immediately, order done.
A few days later you started this thread and I can say, this is the best reading one can have while waiting for such a kind of package, so I nearly forgot to order all the other parts.

I don't know about you, but building the bike was so much fun I was almost sad that I finished so soon.

The first day I did 30km on a parking lot (never thought this would be possible) and I felt really good so I did 6km more on the way home. Due to the rainy weather, I've only manged 20 more since then, on some small roads after work. But I already had my first flat in front so my current reading is about tubes vs. tubeless ;-)

I have to say that this forum is the reason why I embarked on this adventure. It's good to know that you can get so much support from such a great community.

See you soon
Andreas

View attachment 13936
Click to expand...
Tubeless!!!!
 
C

cpml123

Zen MBB Master
gaspi101 said:
Second: Raising your neck and shoulders 5cm from the neck rest while pedaling will immediately increase stability. Just lifting your neck up a few cm, that’s it…It’s not a huge center of gravity difference but it is a huge difference to our two-legged monkey brains that are used to balancing while vertical and not horizontal. While taking turns, any turn, sit up a fair amount. Huge increase in maneuverability and stability.
Click to expand...
Definitely! I do that for both S40 and V20.
 
TransAm

TransAm

Well-Known Member
gaspi101 said:
So apparently there is no way to get a boom within the next 48 hours and I refuse to not ride, so until I source a new boom, this will have to do. It’s not heavily load-bearing so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will work. Will wait a few hours and then give a little test. Will advise if developments!View attachment 13922View attachment 13923View attachment 13924
Click to expand...
Please don't ride with this makeshift "repair". I have worked on repairing carbon fiber aircraft with a licensed mechanic. To repair a tubular structure like this you need to make a scarf joint. That requires sanding down each side on a sharp angle to expose the fibers, then adding a new section between them with the same carbon fiber fabric layup and the same or a compatible epoxy resin. It also requires a jig to get it back in alignment. It's not worth the effort for such a small part like this.

You didn't do any surface prep, and you didn't replace the broken fibers. The epoxy alone has little breaking strength. If it brakes you will lose control and crash again. So you are putting yourself and others at risk.
 
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