giorgio

After trying a Trek Pure I think that a "crank forward" may be the only kind of bike that I can ride at my age. RANS makes a couple of road and trail bikes that look very good to me and I'd appreciate some feed back

Thanks.

rydabent

Check out the RANS site. They make 3 different levels of "seat tube" angles. Be aware that they say that with the lowest angle seat tube frame you cannot stand and ride. They make several different models, and are really fun to ride.

BlazingPedals

RANS really does make the highest-quality crank-forwards. All the others are just pale imitations of the real McCoy. Definitely do test-rides, though.

cplager

Hi Giorgio,

If you think that crank forward bikes work, you may want to also try recumbent bicycles. The seating position on long wheel base bicycles can be pretty close to that of a crank forward. It is very possible that you'll prefer crank forward, but I thought I'd plant the seed in your head...

Cheers,
Charles

p.s. Recumbent trikes can also work for a lot of people as well.

Manster

Hi,

I've commuted 17 miles round trip daily on my Rans Dynamik for the past 2.5 years, year round. The Dynamik is a great bike - I wouldn't trade it for any other bike.

-Manster

Doug5150

I have had a Fusion since 2006, and love it. It is the closest thing to an upright bike I'll probably have from now on. You can't really stand and pedal it though, which can take some time to get used to.

The RANS bikes have two big advantages over just about all the other 'comfort' bikes:
1--the RANS bikes have a better seat, that was made specifically for the riding position they offer. It is bigger than normal saddles, but doesn't interfere with pedaling. A lot of the cheaper comfort bikes still use a regular saddle, and seat pain is the basis of most complaints. You can try noseless saddles on those other bikes, but the RANS works great, right as it comes.
2--the RANS bikes come in a range of at least three different sizes (different models). Most-all other comfort bikes only offer one frame size that will not work efficiently for all people.

They are expensive, but the differences are ones that no other bikes have.
You also may need to get to a dealer to buy one. RANS was selling the crank-forwards by mail order for a while, but may have stopped that.
If you're on a budget, they also sell frame kits that you can build up by cannibalizing a normal bicycle.

giorgio

Thank you all for the helpful feedback.

After researching the geometry and the ability to stand and pedal I found that the Alterra models incorporate RANS' latest thinking. Note that their frames differ in the point where the top tube and the seat stays meet on the seattube.

The Alterra 700X is what I'm leaning toward, a combination of off-road and on-road and the 2013 model is a few pounds lighter than the 2012. Not inexpensive at near $2,000 + freight but we have to keep the good folks in Kansas working.

BTW I gave up on finding a dealer near me that had a demo and so I'm taking the plunge sight unseen.

JanMM

After riding a used RANS recumbent for a couple of years, I have since bought three RANS 'bents 'sight unseen'. Quite satisfied.

The RANS CF bikes do indeed have the reputation of best of breed.

giorgio

Buying one, even sight unseen, is proving to be quitedifficult.
Two dealers are reluctant to confirm the retail price shown in RANS' 2013catalog and want to charge extra for the freight and the assembly. They wantpre-payment in full, will not confirm delivery time and reserve the right toadjust the price up once they get the final invoice from RANS.
No representation of fitness or warranties, no free services and no returnsaccepted at any price.
"Give us a blank check and ask no questions".

BlazingPedals

Somebody here might be able to recommend a dealer if we knew where you lived.

edit: I understand the dealer's concern. Some 'bent owners abuse the LBS/customer relationship, order a bike for a test-ride, then buy elsewhere that's cheaper. LBS owner probably got burned in the past. Still, a blank check isn't going to fly. Better to buy from someone who already stocks them.

cplager

+1

JanMM

Bought two RANS bikes from an LBS; both times I asked them about pricing and availability; sold them to me for approx. website prices with no shipping charge. Actually, the V3 was discounted $150 because it was being discontinued - that was passed on to me. They put them together and have helped with one major warranty issue. This shop is not an official RANS dealer but does have a relationship with them. Seldom any RANS bikes in the store. Down payments were required.
Our RANS tandem came from on online dealer (Hostel Shoppe, who, of course, are an LBS in Wisconsin). Again, sight unseen and, again, happy with the bike.

If you can locate a dealer where you can see and test ride, that would, of course, be the best way to go.

ncbikers

We have found that "sight unseen" is about the only way to buy many bicycles. We have run into the same problem several times. We are working on a long trip to check out a bike we can't get around here and aren't sure we want to buy "sight unseen". Good luck!

giorgio

Thanks for the good suggestions. I live in Amelia Island, FL and RANS dealers in all of Florida don't stock any CFWDs. I called RANS and they will sell direct, for full retail plus freight, a disassembled bike that I would have to take somewhere to build and adjust.

Prior experience in life tells me that whenever something brings up so many obstacles it may well be a hint for revisiting one's options.

Sayre Kulp 

I picked up a used RANS Zenetik Pro in St. Petersburg, FL last summer and since put over 3000 miles on it. I LOVE IT! I won't ever ride a DF bike again. And while I also ride a Catrike Expedition (which I also love), if I need the convenience of only 2 wheels, it's the Zenetik or nothing. And since I'm looking to do some off-road riding, I'm probably going to be picking up an Alterra in the spring time.

If I may make a recommendation, I found the gent that I bought the Zenetik from on the RANS Message Board.

giorgio

Does the sitting position and the unique saddle help prevent saddle sores?

bicyclebill1

I bought a used RANS Tailwind in August on ebay, sight unseen. My first recumbent ever. Great quality. IMHO, you would be hard pressed to buy a "BAD" used RANS, unless they have been unusually and severely abused, which is unlikely.

As far a saddle sores, I don't know how you would get any on a RANS seat. I never did. By the way, I rode a DF for years, and gave it up because as I got older, it just was not comfortable, nor fun, anymore.

My recumbent has given my a new, exciting biking life at age 62.
I hope this helps.
Bill

giorgio

Thanks Bill. It helps a lot and I'll check ebay. Found nothing on craig's.

aviatrix58

Check out the classifieds on bentrideronline.com. We've bought and sold a couple of bikes on there with great success.

BTW, my husband and I both ride Rans recumbents. He has a V-rex and I have the Enduro Sport. We love them! We had to drive 3 hours to a dealer in the San Francisco area in order to test drive them but it was worth the drive. I thought I would be getting a V-Rex but found it to be too tall and I could barely touch the ground with my tippy toes. The Enduro sits 2 inches shorter so I am much more stable on it.

Sayre Kulp 

Sure does. I find I don't even need specialty bike shorts when on my RANS. I stopped using padded shorts, but I keep some spandex undershorts handy just in case I'm going pretty quick and the wind blows my shorts around. Trying to keep some modesty on the bike path as it were.

Sayre Kulp 

Once again, I suggest check out the RANS Forum I linked to above. There are usually at least a few models available all the time.

giorgio

OK, that does it, thanks Sayre.

I'm ordering a new 2013 Alterra 700 (nothing found in used) particularly after riding yesterday a "conventional" road bike and having major trouble with the soft tissues after only 2 miles.

BTW is the Recumbent forum the correct place to talk about Crank Forwards?

cplager

Here I think it is. At Bent Riders Online, they have their own Crank-forward forum.

Cheers,
Charles

Sayre Kulp 

Glad to help? LOL

And yeah, I think this is as good a place as any to discuss our funny machines.

giorgio

Thank you Charles.