V20 gearing options

[Charles.Plager]

After many years with various cruzbikes, last year I finally got my hands on a V20. Fabulous.

I'm not entirely in love with the seat but that's pretty standard for cruz bikes and I'll come back to this later. What I really notice is it's just not geared anywhere near low enough. And then high end is also not quite high enough.

This is the standard v20 build out with a 50/30 front crank and an 11 to 34 I'm guessing rear cassette.

So my thought is to replace the front crank with a mountain bike front crank. That gets me something closer to 24-48 or 22-48 double.

On the standard cranks, bike wheel, has anyone experienced or experimented with getting, instead of an 11-to-whatever cassette, a 10-to-whatever cassette? How much surgery would be required for that?

I would like to keep the S-RAM rival brifters working for this.

Cheers, Charles

 

[Henri]

On the standard cranks, bike wheel, has anyone experienced or experimented with getting, instead of an 11-to-whatever cassette, a 10-to-whatever cassette?

As far as I know, classic HG freehub only allows for 11t smallest cog. Newer ones allow 10t (and even 9t, at least as aftermarket on some. I've got an e*thirteen 9-45 for SRAM XD/XDR. On the V20c I have 1x with 10-52 and if I needed some more I'd go with 9-50 or 9-52.)

 

[Frito Bandito]

As far as I know, classic HG freehub only allows for 11t smallest cog. Newer ones allow 10t (and even 9t, at least as aftermarket on some. I've got an e*thirteen 9-45 for SRAM XD/XDR. On the V20c I have 1x with 10-52 and if I needed some more I'd go with 9-50 or 9-52.)

Yes, the HG's limit is 11t. It will work with 11 and 12 speed cassettes, but getting a 10t or even a 9t is either a SRAM driver or Microshift AFAIK. Thank you for the e*thirteen recommendation. I just found that they have a 7-speed 9-24t cassette.

 

[cpml123]

After many years with various cruzbikes, last year I finally got my hands on a V20. Fabulous.

I'm not entirely in love with the seat but that's pretty standard for cruz bikes and I'll come back to this later. What I really notice is it's just not geared anywhere near low enough. And then high end is also not quite high enough.

This is the standard v20 build out with a 50/30 front crank and an 11 to 34 I'm guessing rear cassette.

So my thought is to replace the front crank with a mountain bike front crank. That gets me something closer to 24-48 or 22-48 double.

On the standard cranks, bike wheel, has anyone experienced or experimented with getting, instead of an 11-to-whatever cassette, a 10-to-whatever cassette? How much surgery would be required for that?

I would like to keep the S-RAM rival brifters working for this.

Cheers, Charleson

I have 2018 V20 with Sram 2x10 gearing. Front is 52x34. Back is 40x11. It's low enough to get me up to 12% slope while still retaining great top speed.

 

[Henri]

I just found that they have a 7-speed 9-24t cassette.

(But read the text: Only compatible with special wheels/hubs.)

 

[3bs]

old news from me but relevant. for many years now i have been running sram force and/or rival 2x10 11-36 rear wickworks 53/34 on a 165 sram crank. answers both of your issues. i have ran as big as 40, so its 34-40, but the chain take up is an issue that doesnt exist on the 36, and i can run fun range on both chainrings. i have same setup on both s40 and v20. i haven not run a triple on a v but my sofrider is set up with a shimano mb triple 3x9. its is unstoppable..

 

[Boreen bimbler]

Theres always the "road link" option. I only ever used them Everesting so not sure how they are for daily use on a cruzbike but an easy way to extend gear range.

 

[Randyc3]

Hi, just went from a 2x11 to a 1x12. Had to compromise a little with slightly less range, but the chain will not be falling off. Optimistic this gearing will be fine. Enjoying SRAM AXS since it provides a lot of data and shifts flawlessly. Running a Stone 50T oval in front and E-thirteen 9-52 cassette.

 

[3bs]

@Randyc3 wild. technically you have tons of range just bigger jumps. your bottom end is about the same but your top end smokes me as i think you spin out about 40 and mine 35. i have not had good luck with finding my sweet spots on 1x. i have one s40 set up with that as is my t50

 

[Randyc3]

@3bs,
Yeah was a bit hesitant going to the 1x, but hopeful. It will take some getting use to. Seeing the AXS gear usage data is helping convince me too. On my 2x I had 165 gear inches so I could leisurely pedals down hills.With my 1x I have 150 gear inches so more spinning. Started thinking maybe it ok that I’m only going 35-40mph and do I really need to go 50mph. My recent accident has tempered my speed obsession. Cheers & safe riding.

 

[Henri]

Yeah, it's only important to pedal up as well as possible. That's where you spend a lot of time and thereby can save time. Downhill the bike rolls by itself. The steeper it is and the faster you go, the higher are the power gained from rolling downhill and the power of the wind resistance holding you back. Your pedaling power becomes somewhat irrelevant to your speed. Also you already cover a lot of road very quickly. There's not much time to be saver there.
In my velomibile I'd like to get the 9-50 or 9-52, but in my non-mountainous area I can get by with 11-52 even. (But it's a more stable / easily controlleable cycle. I can shortly spin up to a high cadence to accalerelerate to 70kph at the start of a decent and coast from there. On my cruzbike I might not want to spinnthat that fast.)