wrote:
Age 50...... daily aches and pains

What's everyone think abt crank forward bikes like
these RANS models? Could you tour on one.... off road?

I dont know that model, but if you want to tour off road, then
i recently discovered a recumbent bike made for off roading.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uVpw2QYupQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekefr3xH3y8

They show it on off road tours here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV8jRkVyWAg

The bike is called Azub Hardcore

http://www.azub.cz/en/hardcore.php

But they are pretty expensive, prices from 2376 euro.



A much cheaper option might be to go the cruzbike kit
option and build it yourself. Find a viable y-frame
doner MTB with a good front suspension and put the
cruzbike kit on it. I have the stock cruzbike freerider,
and while it has front suspension, it is not made for
offroad tracks, but it might be sufficient for offroad
touring.

The kit costs $400, and then you need a doner bike, but
you can usually get them cheap. Try the cruzbike.com
forum or the yahoo forum if you want to see and talk to
other kit builders.



JonB