Edward Dolan wrote:
"Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic" wrote in message
oups.com...
...
I have only met Shean Bjoralt once, but I gained a rather different
impression that what Ed Dolan reputes. Other's have stated both
privately and public ally that they were saddened by the business
failure of Earth Cycles.

That man had no business sense at all. He over priced his bikes and would
not make himself available to his customers. But mostly, I do not like small
manufacturers no matter how precious they think themselves to be....

I wonder if Ed Dolan has ever closely examined a Sunset or Dragonflyer?
Both are fairly "complex" in terms of number of operations to make the
frames, including numerous braze-ons, mandrel bent tubing, and inserts
for the sliding boom (and frame on the Sunset). They included custom
welded racks and drive train parts. Some of the parts used were not
exactly inexpensive [1]. The seats probably took more time than the
frame to fabricate. I am not surprised that Earth Cycles did not make
much, if any profit at the prices they charged. One could argue that
the designs should have been simpler, but then they would lose much,
like the wide range gearing and excellent shifting of the Sunset or the
"pogo" free suspension of the Dragonflyer, both due to the use of the
mid-drive gearing step-up jackshaft.

RANS was the best thing that ever happened to the recumbent world....

If you want a well designed and well made recumbent bicycle that is an
excellent value for the money, you will not go wrong with anything that
RANS sells. However, they are not special in the way the Sunset and
Dragonflyer are. The Sunset is unique in many ways, and there was
neither a comparable predecessor nor has there been a successor.

I strongly recommend owning more than one Sunset, so one always has one
in reserve.

[1] The two custom Phil Wood hubs on the Dragonflyer or the front
custom Phil Wood and standard rear Phil Wood hub on a Sunset were
likely more than $500 wholesale.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley