Rans
 

In my internet browsing for a recumbent (dream) bike, I have been eyeing the Rans Rocket. Any opinions? About $1000.

There is a current thread on the message board at http://www.bentrideronline.com
Scroll down to the subject title "2001 RANS Rocket tire question" (9/18/01). Responses have characterized the Rocket as a "best value in SWB," although it apparently has average-to-low-end components. RANS has a good reputation and large following, however. I have no experience with RANS bents at all but the Rocket sounds like a good introduction to SWB bents considering its modest price.

I ride a rans wave and i love it! The rans seat is so comfortable you will not believe it. If i were to buy a swb i would get the rocket, based on its price and experience with my bike. Rans is a good solid company and they are known for their quality.

Thanks, guys!

i own a rocket and it is a very good bike, the hostel shoppe runs sales on some bikes thats where i bought mine. for 750.00 so check around , also look on ebay i just won a bid on a rans wave for 570 , a new bike, the msp is 850, if you can wait you will find a great deal. just dont wait too long, i saw that i was saving 250 off list and that was good enough for me...your call on what you need to save....

hey guys i want to comment on low end componets on my rocket...imho..this is one area that is way over rated, if it shifts good and it pedals good then ride the cottin pickin' thang. put the money in wheels.. where it will be felt. the differance in the campy crank set and an off brand is all in our minds, sorta like 170 vs 175 crank arm lengths...it dont matter. rode a local ride one time and was worried about a 7 mile hill so i put on some 175 crank arms so i would have a lever advantage (df) rode it best i ever did , later i was cleaning the bike ( week later) and i had put a 175 on the right and 165 on the left...so much for the advantage....now when your stuff wears out buy good componets. too many times i see guys taking perfectly good stuff off just to put ever so sightly better on, when if they would train a little more they would see better performace, i rode the assualt on mt mitchell and started dead last. having gotten my bent two days before, i passed bikes cosing 3 times as much, and yes some were bents to....thanks for lettingg me vent..as you were.....

Jammer, You are so right! When I got my Velocity Squared I was dismayed at how slow I was on it, so I was already to change the rear wheel to a larger 700c. Then I read on the net about some guy who was trashing the SRAM shifters, and so I got all worked up about changing them. Well, in the meantime, I have been riding (got about 600 miles on it) and I am getting faster ( my avg on the upright is about 14-15 mph, and the bent is getting me about 15-16 mph)on the original 26" wheel. And I have cleaned my mind out about the inadequacy of the SRAM's. They work just fine. Funny story about the crank arms. But who knows. Everyone has one leg longer than the other, and maybe you have hit upon something? Gosh, now I will be obsessing over my need to experiment with a variety of crank lengths!!

i read an article about crank arm lenghts. this was done with a safty bike , best i can remember there were three or four riders, each rode 175, then 170, and finaly 165, but did not know what they were on at the time,these riders were racers of different levels of ability, a watt meter was used to record out put, some of the riders were tall some short, a good mix anyhow the 170's showed up as being the best . even for the tt rider, makes one wonder about the hype...doesnt it?

What's a safety bike?

patrick me lad where you be livin'? a safty bike is a df, they were call safty be cause before they came a long the penny farthing was the only bike around . the penny farthing had the large front wheel and small back, when you hit something of size you would do an endo... from about ten feet in the air..ouch....one fellow rode across the us on one ...back then rodes were poor at best.. bike riders are the reason we have good roads now....:)

So if a df is a safety bike, then I suppose a bent would be like a super safety bike? When I ride my wedgie to work on a Monday morning after a weekend of benting I feel like I am sky high, and the thought of doing an endo is on my mind. PS I rode my bent for the first time this weekend with my Sunday morning riding buddy (He thinks I am a little crazy for getting bent). We did about 55 miles and he got a good workout, but I didn't even get warmed up. Love my Bent! I am seriously considering selling the road bike.

pat i suggest you keep the df. ride once a month it will remind you why you ride a bent. i just went on short ride today (23) and felt as you did. i keep a record of how far i ride and average speed. it is on a calendar near my bathroom, so far i have ridden 2000 miles on my bent , my speed is getting better but i think it will a couple of years before i am where i was when i rode a df. i actualy want to ride before i "trained" big difference in attitude, i think. for me just wanting to ride is the key. i still have my mtb and ride it off rode . but if i can figure out how to ride a off road bent i will. :thumbup:

I gotta agree with you about keeping the df. As long as I have room in the garage for all my bikes and bike stuff. I too keep a journal, of miles on which bike ( I have 3) avg speed, wind conditions and terrain (Austin is a wonderful area for biking: flat to the East and hilly to the West). I also keep track of my weight and miles ran on the treadmill. Reviewing the numbers really helps me see the progress I am making, or sometimes it gives me a clue as to why I am bonking (usually things like not enuff rest days, or slacking off on the running, which I really don't enjoy but it sure makes my lungs feel stronger when on the bike.) BikeE has a FX model that they say is good for gravel roads and trails, and I think I saw an ad picture of it doing some mtb type thingie. I'm sure it was trick photography!