Recumbent - RANS recumbents?

I was dead set on a Raleigh SC200DX comfort bike. Mostly because that is all I was able to test ride. I may still be. Comfort for my aching spine (spinal stenosos) is of top concern.

However, I had a question on the RANS bikes, particularly the Dynamik and Fusion style models. Are these recumbents or are they not considered so? Is something like that so different than the other RANS recumbents that there are major differences?

The price difference between the Raleigh comfort bike and something like a RANS is big - so to ditch my Raleigh plans and go a different route means save, save, save for a while for me.

I am waffling a bit now because I have read the forums more and discovered that there are SO many types of bikes I have never seen before! My local shop is very very small, however I really want to be able to order through him. I will have to ask what he can get his hands on I guess other than what he has in the shop.

The more I read the more different types of bikes I realize it would be fun to own!!

Arrgh!!

I don't consider the Fusion lineup to be recumbents. They don't have a seatback, and the geometry is such that it wouldn't be functional if they did. What they are is high-end cruisers. By contrast, most of their competition is based on heavy steel frames with one-piece cranks. The two biggest differences between the RANS flat-footers and the competition are weight and the huge RANS seat base.

Have you considered a trike? Perhaps, this one? (http://www.actionbent.com/TWTRIKE.html) It comes disassembled, so if you wanted to support your local bike shop then you could have him assemble it for you. It's a very inexpensive trike compared to other companies (I don't know what your price range is), but it got quite a positive review on BentRiderOnline. Plus, it looks REALLY COOL.

The two biggest differences between the RANS flat-footers and the competition are weight and the huge RANS seat base.
While I agree that the Fusion line shouldn't be considered true recumbents, I can't agree with this statement.

The crank on the Raleigh comfort bikes isn't nearly as far forward as the Fusion; it might make a slight difference, but it really just seemed like a plain old upright with trivial modifcations. (plus, the really high handlebars on the Raleigh just made me feel like a goob...)

By contrast, when you first jump on a Fusion, it's immediately apparent that it isn't just a tweaked DF. The crank is so far forward that finding the pedals takes a moment of effort. No, they're not nearly as far forward as a true 'bent, but it's closer to that than a traditional upright.

In terms of performance, no - you won't scream on a Fusion like you would on a real 'bent. At the same time, it's far better than a sluggish comfort bike, and it's not just the weight and the gearing. There wasn't a computer on the one I tried, I was certainly going as fast or faster than I do on my Rockhopper with 1.5" slicks, with much less effort.

I'm not comparing the Fusion-based bikes with bikes like a Raleigh comfort bike. I'm comparing them to cruisers. Look them up. Most cruisers are into customization without regard to weight, i.e. 72-spoke radially laced wheels, lot of chrome, etc, and often use banana seats; but the geometry is undeniably similar.

Ah - my misunderstanding.

But now that I've looked up some cruisers, I still don't agree - the crank is right below the seat. How is that similar? Again, I'm not trying to make the Fusion into something it isn't, but I don't see the similarity.

(not that it really matters that much - I don't mean to be picking a fight or anything... I'm enjoying the forum, and don't want to be causing trouble right off the bat!)

My fault for not being very clear. What I was comparing to was something like the Lead Sled (http://www.feltracing.com/05_cruiser/2005_lead_sled.html) by Felt Bicycles. I guess it's pretty common for the term, 'cruiser' to also apply to retro 50s geometry bikes, which have the traditional seatpost, albeit at a shallower angle. Maybe what I'm talking about is more a cross between a cruiser and a lowrider?

Aha - thanks for the link.

The Fusion is a crank forward or flat footed bike. The riding position is semi-recumbent, but as others have stated there is no back rest (IMHO: nor is one needed). There are several of these bikes available, the best seller is the Electra Townie. There is a huge thread on these over in the family cycling section of Bike Forums. Giant has one as well, called the Suede and Sun has the Drifter. My wife rides a Townie 8, which replaced here Giant Cypress comfort bike. She is far more comfortable on the Townie than on the Cypress. I publish a small magazine on recumbent bicycles and we have several articles on these new bikes coming out in an upcoming issue (RCN 091).
Bob Bryant
http://www.recumbentcyclistnews.com

The Townie looks pretty close to the Raleigh I tried - the crank is not nearly as far forward, and the handlebars are really high.

The RANS Company will have a new recumbent out in mid-December 2005. It has rather fat 26 inch tires. You should look at it on the website. I own a RANS Rocket, the one with the little tires. I'd like to get my hands on the new one though.