Recumbent - Who has a Tandem 'Bent?

I seek opinions on tandem recumbents. Anybody?

I would like to have a RANS Screamer. And I'm sticking to that opinion. Never ridden one or any other 'bent tandem.

I had a double Vision about 10 years ago. Never really cottoned to the 2 wheeled tandem 'bent idea, so I got a Greenspeed tandem TRIKE! :D

There are pictures & posts of it in this forum.

Including how it fits my 91 Honda Accord using a Hollywood folding trunk rack. ;)

Lately, my 7 yr old has been Captaining, while I supply power from the back seat.

(can't do THAT with only 2 wheels) :p

we have a Screamer(recumbent) and a softride burley. My stoker says the view is better on the burley, but the ride is more comforable on the screamer, I agree. we can carry the burley in our Honda civic wagon, but the screamer has to go on the rack. would love to get S&S couplers put on it.

I've ridden an ez tandem and a screamer. My stoker and I just killed the fast paced club ride and dominated 'em. So I say rans all the way!

I have a semi-recumbent tandem..



The overall length of the semi-recumbent tandem is shortter than a regular tandem, since the stoker's boomtube bottom bracket is adjustable, so is the overall length of the tandem itself.

My wife and I have had a Rans Screamer for the past 4 seasons. It's a wonderful bike in every way; nicely finished, great components, strong, forgiving, steady at high speed and with proper gearing, it can climb, although slowly. Pulls a B.O.B. easily and handles big panniers securely. Best feature is its extremely comfortable for both of us! At the recent Canadian Tandem Rally in Owen Sound, Ontario, of 35 or so tandem teams, ten teams were riding Screamers! That speaks volumes!

/Users/mikechellew/Pictures/iPhoto Library/2006/09/14/IMG_0963.JPG

Mike and Pam

...ten teams were riding Screamers! That $peak$ volume$!

Volumes about the way it's hard for "real" cyclists to revert back to riding TRICYCLES! :roflmao:

Recumbent trikes are the new car. ;)

Recumbent trikes are the new car. ;)

So why not have my Ferrari valeted? :rolleyes:

And our SUV. :D

My wife and I ride a Rans Screamer. We got it last year for $3000 and that was $1000 off the listed price. Scott at TTR in Greenville, SC said that there was an overstock of black RANS. We enjoy riding tandems and our middle aged bodies couldn't take the DF tandems anymore. We never ride more than 20 miles at a time and enjoy the comfort, closeness, teamwork, and attention that we get. We may be the only screamer in our city.

We travel using a draftmaster that wasn't cheap at $500.

The one thing that I don't like is the H handlebar. I have a bacchetta giro 20 that has tweener bars that are really comfortable. The H bar on the rans makes my hands numb and I have to keep flexing them or they make steering hard.

If you have the money, look at the Rans seavo, also.

I've ridden an ez tandem and a screamer. My stoker and I just killed the fast paced club ride and dominated 'em. So I say rans all the way!

How was the EZ Tandem? I'm sure the RANS is awfully nice, but the cost of the Easyracer is so much better I'd be willing to accept a compromise or two in design.

Where is the compromise between EZ and RANS? I'm looking into a used EZ Tandem.

Dr. D, I did revert back. My single is a Catrike Road!

Mike

Where is the compromise between EZ and RANS? I'm looking into a used EZ Tandem.

Well, that's a good question. I guess I just assume because there is such a difference in price, there must be some quality difference.

Will a Screamer fit inside a minivan? Or, on a Thule (or similar) tandem roof rack?

JanMM. Yes to both of your questions, however, inside a minivan it will occupy much more space than a DF tandem. The wheel base is listed at 72" I believe, but the overall length of the bike is closer to 8'. The bike's seats are large, remember, and the two chains are monstrous which makes it a lot easier to mess up the inside of the van. We use a Draftmaster, either on the little Subaru, or on the Roadtrek motorhome. The Screamer is almost 50 lbs and we're too old to wrestle it up on the roof. I have also trailered the bike, for a short while, on a snowmobile trailer, but the bike got bounced around something awful. The Draftmaster was expensive, but IMO worth every penny. Peace of mind to carry something as expensive as a Screamer on a good rack.

Mike

How was the EZ Tandem? I'm sure the RANS is awfully nice, but the cost of the Easyracer is so much better I'd be willing to accept a compromise or two in design.


HATED it. One person has to be a dwarf for both persons to be able to fit comfortably without the stoker banging their knees on the seat. Slow and heavy. It's fine if you're only planning to do bike path or < 20 mile rides.

The wife and I have a Rans Screamer and a Longbikes Gulfstream. We have also had a Organic Engines Trioka but sold that after our first 500 mile tour. We have ridden just about every bent two fer that has been offered.

The Screamer has about 40,000 miles of mostly loaded touring, the Gulfstream about 10,000 miles. Both have been good bikes. But we did have some issues with the Gulfstream on last years trip.

HATED it. One person has to be a dwarf for both persons to be able to fit comfortably without the stoker banging their knees on the seat. Slow and heavy. It's fine if you're only planning to do bike path or < 20 mile rides.

Which one did you hate? The EZ or the RANS?