v20 vs v20c, Front end feel.

cruzKurt

Well-Known Member
For those who made the leap from v20 to v20c, what are your thoughts and was there a considerable difference in the ride/etc. I am still considering a second v20 and a v20c is one of the options. I was out riding my v20 this morning and noticed how "heavy" the front end felt. I have been riding my M5 a bit the last few weeks and it has a completely different feel (obviously). Curious if the front end of the v20c adds some "lightness" to the way the front end feels.
 

DavidCH

In thought; expanding the paradigm of traversity
For those who made the leap from v20 to v20c, what are your thoughts and was there a considerable difference in the ride/etc. I am still considering a second v20 and a v20c is one of the options. I was out riding my v20 this morning and noticed how "heavy" the front end felt. I have been riding my M5 a bit the last few weeks and it has a completely different feel (obviously). Curious if the front end of the v20c adds some "lightness" to the way the front end feels.
I couldn't say but technically it can have the thicker tyres and the axle thru bolts gives the v20c strength. I expect over the next couple of years more and more records will be broken. However, I got emotional over my v20. We have had a lot of experiences together. I don't think we will be parting
 

Beano

Well-Known Member
I couldn't say but technically it can have the thicker tyres and the axle thru bolts gives the v20c strength. I expect over the next couple of years more and more records will be broken. However, I got emotional over my v20. We have had a lot of experiences together. I don't think we will be parting
Dunno about that, research has shown that a QR lever provides more in terms of the tension that binds the front end and wheel. Thru axle bolts are marketing hype along with most other things imo that have made modern bikes generic and difficult to tell apart. It's the way that cycling is going unfortunately, the last roll of the dice before ebikes slowly take over.
 

chicorider

Zen MBB Master
I went from a V20 to a V20c. No regrets, but...

* The V20c is not much lighter, and that includes the front end. The carbon pieces are cool, more aero and modern looking. But these parts are also pretty beefy, which I imagine is a demand of the frameset design itself. I remember an older thread where people were asking when CB was going to release a full carbon V, and Robert finally came on and said that the design would require so much carbon to support the forces it receives that the bike would gain weight over the aluminum version. In brief, don't let the minimal weight savings be the only reason to upgrade to the V20c.

However...

* The V20c does feel a bit more planted and connected to the road. It has a smoother ride and it carves corners well. Not that it rides all that much different than the V20, but there is a more solid and polished quality to the V20c's ride, probably having to do with the carbon front end, and maybe the thru-axles.

* The V20c is routinely about 1 mph faster than the V20. I cannot decide if that difference sounds like a lot, or very little, but sure, I'll take it. I had the shortest chainstay on the V20, but the V20c does not offer a shorter chainstay than what comes standard, so my feet ended up being three inches higher, which has fortunately worked out fine. That three inch lift alone could account for much of that small speed boost.

* the V20c's carbon bits do look pretty damn sexy.

My V20 was actually a 2015 V.2 that eventually took on the V20 boom and chainstay, effectively making it a V20. Still, the bike was eight years old, with many miles on it, and when the V20c was coming, I figured it was time. If I had a two or three year old V20, it would have been a harder decision. I love my V20c, but knowing what I know now, the older V20 is still a damn good bike. The V20c does not outshine it by much.
 

xtalbike

Member
I totally agree with @chicorider about the feel of the V20c. Really solid and smooth. I have not experienced the 1 mph faster part though. Last year I was faster on the V20 alternating frequently. I swapped out the microshift drivetrain for SRAM axs force and got new wheels that are actually less deep than what I was using (replace possibly fake bontrager 54 mm with Reserve 35) and now the V20 and V20c are equivalent speed (confirmed by similar my windsock numbers). I now ride V20C more often because of the nice feel and comfy adjustable CF seat.
 
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