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[velocio]

That's a tasty velocipede, my compliments to the chef!

I'm very jealous of the fit of your Bacchetta Brain Box (BBB) on your M5 seat. I always found the BBB on my Bacchetta Giro to be very functional, just about the perfect size and as a plus the bike is more aero with it installed. Sadly the BBB doesn't play at all well with the stock S40 seat, mostly due to the extended "lip" around the perimeter of the seat. "Hack the brain box" is on my to-do list, but pretty far down the list. My most wished for addition to the official Cruzbike accessories retail webpage is a Cruzbike-specific version of the BBB. Or better yet, the smaller version of the Bentup Cycles seatbag (https://bentupcycles.com/product/buc-seat-bag/).

-Jack
Raleigh, NC

 

[benphyr]

@TalleyHo that is a gorgeous bike! Nice work.

 

[ak-tux]

I've risen the seat up to right at 23 1/2 degrees which is pushing it for me as I loose control of balance as I go back. The S2.0 has been modified to about 31 degrees the past few years. But, and this is interesting, the lower BB I'm currently at mitigates my balance issue and I believe I'm going to be good at this level of recline and still also be able to produce good power.

Beautiful build! The red and white really pops!
That seat looks so good, almost like it came with the frame! The recline angle does not look extreme. Looks very balance and symmetrical.

Congratulations.

 

[velocio]

@velocio
Agreed, those of us slimmer and shorter could use a seat pan that is either further forward or shorter or both. On my Q the front of the seat digs in to the back of my thighs. Not badly-I can ride for over an hour.

However, as @3bs indicated, stiffer foam preferably secured well would make good spacer without sapping too much energy. I used a piece of a foam garage or nursery 24” x 24” squares.

3bs & Benphyr,

Thanks for the replies on the extra thick Ventisit seat cushion idea. The suggested home hacked "stiff foam" insert seems to make a lot more sense for my case, since I want to sit more forward, but *not* higher. I actually have a few of the interlocking gym/garage floor foam squares on hand, so it's a cheap and easy thing to try. Adding some pad to the lower part of the seatback, tapering to no pad higher on the seat, I can also achieve my dream of having the S40's seat slightly more reclined. Very slightly ...

Off to the batcave to chop up some interlocking garage flooring!

-Jack
Raleigh, NC

 

[ReklinedRider]

I'm a solid green but still struggle with neck comfort balanced with avoidance of CTE (from the constant head-bashing when riding on rough pavement) and good sight lines.
Haven't given up. Still working on it.

 

[Black Hawk Down]

I'm 5'8" and currently 250 lbs which puts me not only in Red but off the chart. I have 5000 miles on my Vendetta and around 1000 on my S40 and couldn't be more happy with them both. I plan to lose about 70-80 lbs by retiring with intensive touring (s40) over the next couple of years and go on a world tour in 2021. I'm sure my happiness will increase as my weight declines.

 

[Black Hawk Down]

Not sure why weight has anything to do with whether a Cruzbike is right for you, unless you are over the 250 lb weight limit of the frame. Body dimensions should be the only consideration here.

 

[benphyr]

Not sure why weight has anything to do with whether a Cruzbike is right for you, unless you are over the 250 lb weight limit of the frame. Body dimensions should be the only consideration here.

In general I agree-dimensions should be the main consideration. But further thought made me think that maybe weight gives changes to body dimensions that are not linked solely to height such as thigh diameter and belly weight would impact possible handlebar locations, bum weight would impact possible handlebar and xseam by pushing the hip up and forward. Maybe height and weight are an over simplification but they are information that most people are likely to know.

 

[benphyr]

Thinking:
Body measurements and preferences that would give better initial fit could include:

X-seam (and crank length) (and chain stay size) : determine seat pan to bottom bracket extension and hip angle = boom extension

Hip/shoulder distance, Seat angle (model), and shoulder/palm distance (curved slider) (handlebar choice) : determine handlebar location - slider extension

maybe better metrics but few know them off the top of their heads.

 

[benphyr]

Maybe one of our expert CAD people can do this up in a side view for the visual learners and one of the mathematical geniuses can make a calculator that we could enter info into to spit out suggested initial fitting numbers.

Major Human variables:
X-seam
hip/shoulder distance
arm/palm distance

Major Bike variables:
Crank Length
Chain Stay length (would need numbers for what is standard length and what options are available from Cruzbike)
Seat angle (T50, Q models)

Seat mount position (T50 and Q45, QX100 with flexibility for tinkerers) Maybe lowest seat height and shortest seat back to head tube distance would be easiest.
Wheel size

Minor Bike variables:
handlebar drop
curved slider
spacers on head tube


Output:
boom extension from head tube to bottom bracket (min-max values with/without cutting needed from Cruzbike)
slider extension from head tube to handlebar (min-max values with/without cutting needed from Cruzbike)

Ok, enough thoughts for now. Maybe I'll get more time later.

 

[Black Hawk Down]

In general I agree-dimensions should be the main consideration. But further thought made me think that maybe weight gives changes to body dimensions that are not linked solely to height such as thigh diameter and belly weight would impact possible handlebar locations, bum weight would impact possible handlebar and xseam by pushing the hip up and forward. Maybe height and weight are an over simplification but they are information that most people are likely to know.

I did have to purchase the curved slider for both bikes to make room for my fat gut, but that worked well. I also confess that the S40 causes 'recumbutt' if I go longer than 30 miles or so. I don't see that with the V20. In fact, over a 3 year period, I've lost and gained 50 lbs while consistently riding the V20 with no impact except for difficulty climbing hills. The comfort of the bike didn't change. I plan to switch back to the V20 until I get my weight down enough to allow me to go longer distances on the S40, which I need for touring. So, I'm at least one data point that says weight should not be a consideration for the V20, but could be for the S40.

 

[benphyr]

... S40 [...] 'recumbutt' if I go longer than 30 miles or so.... So, I'm at least one data point that says weight should not be a consideration for the V20, but could be for the S40.

Information is power.. Thank you @Black Hawk Down for giving us a few more Watts!

 

[Tinker]

Thanks, good post.
I'm short short, but there's still room to be shorter in that green area.
Now waiting for V20c frames in EU

 

[chicorider]

@Tinker I am "short short" too, at 5'5" (165cm), and I fit my V20 because of the curved slider and short chainstay (the bike comes stock with a medium chainstay). I have heard that for the new V20c the curved slider will be available, but the short chainstay will not be offered because the low demand does not justify the expense to make it in carbon, which makes sense from a business point of view. My homework is to contact two or three carbon manufacturers before the V20c release date to see if this part can be reliably shortened, perhaps with an external lug or an internal sleeve. Just putting this possible snag out there early for us short people to consider.

 

[Tinker]

168cm here. Not having that option wouldn't be nice. That's not a standard part i can just buy from a regular bike component shop
how much interest would justify a run of short chainstays?

 

[chicorider]

Carbon molds are expensive. According to Robert H., who would certainly know, the demand for the current aluminum short chainstay has remained low and does not justify the expense. But Cruzbikers have always found ways to make things work. The wee-bit of research that I've done so far suggests to me that there should be a way to make this work too.

 

[jond]

168cm here. Not having that option wouldn't be nice. That's not a standard part i can just buy from a regular bike component shop
how much interest would justify a run of short chainstays?

you could always use some dynamic lifter coupled with platform cycling shoes to be a total hipster. Remember short is fast fast fast. Thumbs up. Seriously I hear you but wow are we so lucky cruzbike exist . Once upon a time I think I seem to remember a total of five chainstay sizes then reduced to three now maybe two ??? We shall see soon enough. Patience right

 

[chicorider]

@jond This is my 35th year of cycling, and my 6th year on a V20 (what is really a V 2.0). I often catch myself wishing that I had a V back in my 20s, 30s and early 40s, but then I remember that CB didn't exist back then, and that the V 2.0 is pretty early in the V's evolution. So I guess I'm fortunate that I found CB back when I did.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Chico, I am 5'10 and have the long chain stays on my 2018. I am currently running it at the #3 hashmark on the bar and could make it shorter, but I'd probably have to chop some of the smaller diameter boom pipe. It may not be the best solution, and having my feet so high up may not be the most aero, but you might be okay with the medium sized stays if you order the new V20c.

 

[chicorider]

Yeah, I'm planning to order one. I'll figure out how to make it fit, just like I did with the v.2.