Recumbent - my first bent

I am buying a experienced rans rocket for my first bent. Have been riding my mtn bikes and looking for a bent deal. I hope I am doing right getting a swb but couldn't pass up a deal like this. I didn't find a whole lot of info on searching "rans rocket".
Anyone have any input they can give me.
AB

I am not as experienced as some of the folks on this forum, but I believe that the Rans Rocket is an model no longer in production. One fellow in Kansas City rides one on our monthly Critical Mass rides. He loves it and moves very well with the other riders. You might be able to get some information on Bentrider.com or check out Bicycle man's site:

http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/rans/rans_rocket.htm

I hope that helps.

Here's a review on bentrideronline.com.

http://www.bentrideronline.com/reviews/rocket.htm

They are still listed on the RANSBikes site under Older Bikes. Hasn't been very long since they announced no more Rocket production. Lots of folks love their Rockets.
Be patient on learning how to ride the thing. Keep telling yourself: I know I can, I know I can, etc.
I found starts uphill from a complete stop to be a challenge for a couple of months. (On a Tailwind CLWB)

I enjoy my Rocket and have done a 900km cycle tour and several races on mine. They are a nice little bike. It will probably take a while to get used to laying back and relaxing to get started and you will need to get your legs acclimatised to riding it. Once you are used to it they are a fun bike, I have done over 5,500km on mine.

What year Rocket is it? One thing to watch for, depending on your pedals and shoe size, is that you can suffer heel strike during low speed, tight turns. That is the heel of your foot slightly overlaps the front wheel.

I got it!!!!!!
Picked it up , brought it home and now if only mother nature would give me a break.
It is just too cold for me with extreme winds included. Near lake Michigan.
My first question is how can I straighten the seat mesh cover? It has the zip tie attachment down the center. Just clip them and replace with regular ole zip ties? Just need to align it straight.
It is a 99 model with 1 1/2 inch tubeing. Fine for my initial steps into the bent world.
AB

Congrats on your new Rocket. Mine has provided many hours and miles of pleasure.

Though you could replace the zip ties with lacing, I'd just clip and replace.

As Gnome suggests, there will be a bit of learning required. The relax and them just commit advice is excellent. A few minutes in a parking lot will help.

Especially at low speeds and in tight turns will almost certainly encounter some heel strike and the first few times a bit of possible panic, but you will soon learn both to avoid the problem and generally ignore it when it still happens.

One serious caution: The Rocket is not a great ice bike. It might be time to give the new bike a trip to the southlands. <G>

RANS or Hostel Shoppe would be glad to sell you a new seat back cover with straps and buckles.

I haven't had any mishaps with heel strike on my V-Rex, but it took a while to learn to always keep that in mind on slow sharp turns.

Well the ice and cold have finally subsided at least temporairily. After waiting for weeks, I finally got to ride it for the first time today. It is really different than my df mtb's.
The first few attempts were aborted takeoffs. When I finally got it going I was going across the corner of the lawn, down off the curb, and out into the street. Next ride was with much better control and after that it was down the street for a couple of blocks and back.
Tomorrow will be better as long as mother nature remains co operative. I know better than to go into public traffic areas until I gain better control.
I think I am going to really like this bent stuff.
recycled55

It is really different than my df mtb's.


That would be a true statement. :lol:

On the seat mesh. I like my mesh tight, so I double up the zip ties, using 2 heavy-duty ones at each point. I got it so tight that I pulled my last OEM mesh apart. So I had my sister make me a new mesh using the old one as a pattern. The new one is made from Pet-Pruf screening material, which is some sort of heavy duty poly. It's held up for two years without any frays at all. That's longer than any of the OEM meshes I have gone through. After two years it's still tight, and has zero fade.

If heal strike is a concern (it was for me when I was learning to ride my P-38) consider pedal extenders. I went on E bay and purchased them for $19 including shipping. They move your pedals outward about
1/4" to 5/8". This does wonders in preventing heal strike and is thought to help knee pain for some people.

My first bent had underseat steering, which was very, very different. So I restricted my first twenty hours of riding it to riding loops around a parking lot after all the employees had left for the day. I'm glad I did. I gradually acquired the muscle memory needed to react without thinking. Plus I got to see critters come out of the swamp next to the parking lot, right around sunset, when they thought the coast was clear. (frogs, ducks, geese, raccoon, opossum, etc.) Eventually I was comfortable riding on the streets.

I had a Rocket...it was a really fun SWB...:thumb:...great first bent as long as you have long enough legs to reach the ground.

Enjoy the new ride...:)

Its in my local shop as I type this for some minor work. I asked them to put some pedal extenders on it while it is there. It is deep snow and cold here so riding will wait a little bit. It is starting to feel better on it the last time I was able to ride. Still need some neighborhood time before I venture out.
Al

I should have seen this thread a month ago. Maybe I could have provided a bit of help. I bought that same model year Rocket almost ten years ago (1.5 in tubes). I still really like that bike and over the holidays rode a lot of miles in New Mexico on it. I have worn out almost all original bits and pieces but the bike is quite easy to work on and replace parts when you need to. I have 3 other 'bents that cost a lot more than the Rocket, but IMHO in terms of bang for the buck, the Rocket is a great bike.

I have been neglecting BF because down here in the SW, we are continuing to have riding weather. But tomorrow is my snowboarding day.:D