|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
Looking for opinions here.
Having owned older variations of both of these LWB recumbents in the past, they both had issues that made me try other recumbents over the years. The Tour Easy was my 1st LWB recumbent. It was very fast on the flats and downhill. I could eat up the miles with ease. Of course, I was in pretty good shape back then. I did not like the Cobra seat, I liked the better back support the mesh seat gave me. At the time, there was no other seat available. The only narrow 451 tire available was the IRC, which did not hold up well. Biggest issue for me was the size of a LWB. I was not used to hauling such as large bike around - especially with a small car. After going through a number of SWB recumbents, I returned to a LWB Stratus that I picked up used at a good price. Having owned a couple of SWB RANS bikes, I had come to love the RANS seat. The Stratus' seat was just as wonderful. I outfitted the Stratus for speed with lighter wheels and narrow tires. Even with the narrow tires, the Stratus rode like a dream - very plush. It was however a handfull at slow speeds and up steep hills in the lower gears. Most of this I now belive was due to the long T-bar and all the "tiller effect" it generated. It did not have the wonderful steering the Tour Easy had. It was however more ergonomic for my bad wrist. Well, I developed Bacchetta fever and ended up with my last SWB, a Giro. Within a few months I realized my mistake, an eventually sold the Giro. This brings me to where I am right now. Bentless and in search of a new LWB. I am trying to decide between a 2004 Tour Easy and 2004 Stratus. Both have thier virtues and shortcomings. The big draws of the TE are the speed, durability, and steering. They also have the reputation and following. Most people I ask tell me to get the TE., even though it is almost $400 more. It does come in a number of sizes. I'm on the border of a small and small/med size (not quite sure which one to get). The Stratus has seen much improvement for 2004. the improved seat, new seat clamp, bars and riser look to have resolved most of the issues I had. I like the design of the Stratus - how the seat moves lower as it is adjusted forward to the cranks. A great design for short riders. This gives me less of a difference between seat and BB height than the TE. I'm not sure the Stratus is as fast as the TE. (I like to go fast). It is difficult for me to guage the two bikes. It has been a number of years between the time I owned both bikes. I was older and in worse shape when I owwned the Stratus. I have yet to find a shop with both bikes for a back-to-back test ride. So, any thing I am overlooking or have not considered? Comments welcome. |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
How about a Rotator?? Recent review in BROL was favorable. The machine has a
reputation for fast, and recent changes claim to have fixed slow speed handling. It's a monotube, like the Bacchetta, but longer. Miles of Smiles, Tom "rocketman58" wrote in message om... Looking for opinions here. Having owned older variations of both of these LWB recumbents in the past, they both had issues that made me try other recumbents over the years. The Tour Easy was my 1st LWB recumbent. It was very fast on the flats and downhill. I could eat up the miles with ease. Of course, I was in pretty good shape back then. I did not like the Cobra seat, I liked the better back support the mesh seat gave me. At the time, there was no other seat available. The only narrow 451 tire available was the IRC, which did not hold up well. Biggest issue for me was the size of a LWB. I was not used to hauling such as large bike around - especially with a small car. After going through a number of SWB recumbents, I returned to a LWB Stratus that I picked up used at a good price. Having owned a couple of SWB RANS bikes, I had come to love the RANS seat. The Stratus' seat was just as wonderful. I outfitted the Stratus for speed with lighter wheels and narrow tires. Even with the narrow tires, the Stratus rode like a dream - very plush. It was however a handfull at slow speeds and up steep hills in the lower gears. Most of this I now belive was due to the long T-bar and all the "tiller effect" it generated. It did not have the wonderful steering the Tour Easy had. It was however more ergonomic for my bad wrist. Well, I developed Bacchetta fever and ended up with my last SWB, a Giro. Within a few months I realized my mistake, an eventually sold the Giro. This brings me to where I am right now. Bentless and in search of a new LWB. I am trying to decide between a 2004 Tour Easy and 2004 Stratus. Both have thier virtues and shortcomings. The big draws of the TE are the speed, durability, and steering. They also have the reputation and following. Most people I ask tell me to get the TE., even though it is almost $400 more. It does come in a number of sizes. I'm on the border of a small and small/med size (not quite sure which one to get). The Stratus has seen much improvement for 2004. the improved seat, new seat clamp, bars and riser look to have resolved most of the issues I had. I like the design of the Stratus - how the seat moves lower as it is adjusted forward to the cranks. A great design for short riders. This gives me less of a difference between seat and BB height than the TE. I'm not sure the Stratus is as fast as the TE. (I like to go fast). It is difficult for me to guage the two bikes. It has been a number of years between the time I owned both bikes. I was older and in worse shape when I owwned the Stratus. I have yet to find a shop with both bikes for a back-to-back test ride. So, any thing I am overlooking or have not considered? Comments welcome. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
I don't think there's any question. Buy the TE. Or save your allowance
a few more months and get the Gold Rush. Neither of those bikes would ever end up feeling like a mistake unless you've really got your heart set on the Ti or the Calfee carbon. If I was a Rans Stratus owner, I'd be saying, "There's no question, buy the Rans." But if I was still shopping for a long touring machine, I'd compare the TE with the Velocity , not the Stratus. david boise ID |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
"rocketman58" wrote
new LWB. I am trying to decide between a 2004 Tour Easy and 2004 Stratus. With a "handle" like rocketman58, I can see why you might be attracted to fast bikes! %^) Is the 58 a reference to chronology? For allegedly faster LWB, maybe Rotator or TiRush or Calfree/Markham's Stiletto, budget permitting on the later two! %^) Or maybe you'd consider a body socked TE/GRR. I have only LWB experience with TE, not the Stratus, so I can't offer any direct comparison. I bought my TE sight unseen and seat unridden (no dealers within 300 miles) and have been very happy with it, though it's not perfect for all situations (no bike is). You're in a much better position to compare. I presume you're comparing both bikes with front fairings and that you've test ridden both on the sort of routes and distances you ordinarily ride and that there are no show stoppers. Assuming you ride regularly, rationalizing $400 difference is trivial. But thinking of cost as a weighting factor may help clarify your preference. If the Stratus were $1000 less than the TE (or vice versa), would the decision be a "no brainer"? What if they were the same prices? If in the end the decision is very close, then the "theory of good enough" comes into play. Bike design and buying decisions are always compromises. Buy the one that comes in your favo[u]rite colo[u]r and ride, ride, ride! %^) A recumbent, even Ti or carbon, is cheaper than bypass surgery... Jon Meinecke |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
In article , rocketman58
says... Looking for opinions here. Having owned older variations of both of these LWB recumbents in the past, they both had issues that made me try other recumbents over the years. I would first ask what BB height you are comfortable with. I really don't like low BBs, as on the TE or Stratus, and when I went looking for a LWB I wanted a higher BB. If you want a high BB LWB, consider the RANS V2, Rotator Pursuit, or perhaps the Longbikes Slipstream. If you want a low BB LWB, the TE, Gold Rush, or Stratus are the obvious choices. If you're on the small size, the Stratus is nice, in that it does lower the seat as it slides forward. But if you like to go fast, how about a GRR? These are all great bikes, so you can't really go wrong. Steve Christensen |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
|
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
Reads like you already know what you want: Stratus. Go for it!
Steve (2002 TE owner - got it for touring) rocketman58 wrote: Looking for opinions here. Having owned older variations of both of these LWB recumbents in the past, they both had issues that made me try other recumbents over the years. The Tour Easy was my 1st LWB recumbent. It was very fast on the flats and downhill. I could eat up the miles with ease. Of course, I was in pretty good shape back then. I did not like the Cobra seat, I liked the better back support the mesh seat gave me. At the time, there was no other seat available. The only narrow 451 tire available was the IRC, which did not hold up well. Biggest issue for me was the size of a LWB. I was not used to hauling such as large bike around - especially with a small car. After going through a number of SWB recumbents, I returned to a LWB Stratus that I picked up used at a good price. Having owned a couple of SWB RANS bikes, I had come to love the RANS seat. The Stratus' seat was just as wonderful. I outfitted the Stratus for speed with lighter wheels and narrow tires. Even with the narrow tires, the Stratus rode like a dream - very plush. It was however a handfull at slow speeds and up steep hills in the lower gears. Most of this I now belive was due to the long T-bar and all the "tiller effect" it generated. It did not have the wonderful steering the Tour Easy had. It was however more ergonomic for my bad wrist. Well, I developed Bacchetta fever and ended up with my last SWB, a Giro. Within a few months I realized my mistake, an eventually sold the Giro. This brings me to where I am right now. Bentless and in search of a new LWB. I am trying to decide between a 2004 Tour Easy and 2004 Stratus. Both have thier virtues and shortcomings. The big draws of the TE are the speed, durability, and steering. They also have the reputation and following. Most people I ask tell me to get the TE., even though it is almost $400 more. It does come in a number of sizes. I'm on the border of a small and small/med size (not quite sure which one to get). The Stratus has seen much improvement for 2004. the improved seat, new seat clamp, bars and riser look to have resolved most of the issues I had. I like the design of the Stratus - how the seat moves lower as it is adjusted forward to the cranks. A great design for short riders. This gives me less of a difference between seat and BB height than the TE. I'm not sure the Stratus is as fast as the TE. (I like to go fast). It is difficult for me to guage the two bikes. It has been a number of years between the time I owned both bikes. I was older and in worse shape when I owwned the Stratus. I have yet to find a shop with both bikes for a back-to-back test ride. So, any thing I am overlooking or have not considered? Comments welcome. -- Steve Fox McKinleyville, CA http://SoTier2003.crazyguyonabike.com O \ _____,%) (*)-'------------(*) |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
|
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Opinion: Tour Easy vs Stratus
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
The Graciousness Of A Champion | hold my beer and watch this... | Racing | 41 | September 4th 03 08:14 PM |