RANS V2 Formula

"Rick Steele" wrote in message ...
"Steve Christensen" wrote

[snip}

A couple of questions. First, how would you characterize the ride? I'd
be
worried about the aluminum frame feeling a bit harsh.

I was very surprised by the ride quality despite the fact that I'm riding on
the CF seat base with thin foam covering, and narrow section Stelvio tires.
Rides very smooth with my 6'2" / 185lb body.

And second, any chance of getting a true weigth on your bike?

I just weighed my Formula XL with standard Velocity wheels at 28 lbs, no
pedals, cages, etc.. Also, I swapped the medium riser 0032 with the longer
0033 for improved reach. I'm sure the weight given by RANS is for the
standard frame. Swapping for the new RANS Zephyr seat should drop some more
weight.


zephyrever teachout doesn't like talk about her weight.



Haven't yet weighed the stock Formula seat yet..

Regards
Rick Steele

Gold Country Cyclery
3081 Alhambra Dr. Suite 103
Cameron Park, CA 95682
Ph: (530) 676-3305
Fax: (530) 672-0501
Email:
Website: http://www.tandems-recumbents.com

(Kelly) wrote in message . com...
"Jack Davis" wrote in message igy.com...
Rick,

Thanks for the info. I was wondering about that narrow gear range too.


Lower gearing for the V2 will perhaps require some mods to the idler
pulley set up. We had a standard frame V2 Formula in our shop for a
very short period of time and thus I did not have time to evaluate
just what will be necessary to gear it lower but it will require
something besides a lower small ring and lower range cassette. When a
26 tooth small ring is placed on the crank set the chain rubs the
bottom of the brake arm. The new owner was in a hurry to take
delivery so my research was cut short. If you look closely at the V2
chain line over the idler pulley you will note the return chain line
is on the bottom of the idler pulley and on the Formula the chain line
is on top. Might be as simple as reversing the location of the idler
pulley to the bottom hole and the chain keeper to the top. I don't
know because I ran out of time while setting the bike up with the new
owner dancing around in the showroom. Kelly

Just curious what you did about the seat track mounting issue. The day
before the standard size V2 Formula I had on order for a customer
arrived RANS called me and told me that had discovered that it
appeared the entire first batch of standard size V2 Formulas had their
seat tracks mounted out of alignment with the top tube so the seat
would be tilted slightly to one side. As soon as I opened the box and
confirmed this frame also had that issue they arranged to have the
bike picked up. They are sending all these defective frames back to
the manufacturer in Taiwan and having another batch done. The XL
frames didn't have this alignment issue but all the standard size
frames they checked were affected. My customer didn't want to wait an
uncertain amount of time for a replacement so ordered a Fold-Rush
instead which he just picked up today.

Zach Kaplan

PaPa wrote in message ver.com...
John Riley wrote:
PaPa wrote in message
er.com...
Yeah, but note that he is a lot bigger than Randy Schlitter and that he
is on an XL.



Speaking aluminum - If the rider's weight falls within the "average"
designed rider weight (say +/- 30 pounds), then ride quality will NOT
noticeably change. Why?.... because the designer's knowledge of
aluminum's fatigue weakness won't permit significant flexing in a
properly designed ALUMINUM frame.

I'd hazard a guess that the Formula V2 frame would remain unpleasantly
rigid somewhat beyond its designed static load. Why?... because the
liability risks demand it.

With all due respect John, "Rides very smooth" is clearly a misleading
Formula V2 description.

Not necessarily. The steel V2 seems to be designed to be stiff,
perhaps to the point of being overbuilt. Obviously the wall
thicknesses on the alu frame will be a lot thicker, but the tube
diameters seem to be about the same; certainly not the large
differences you see between steel and alu road bike frames. I know alu
can't be allowed to flex as much as steel, but in this case, the steel
bike was not designed to allow much flex. So it seems possible that
the alu bike might even feel "smooth" with a larger rider on an XL
frame.

In any case, he was obviously just giving impressions based on
acutally riding the bike, like the rest of us here, and to suggest
that he was trying to intentionally mislead seems uncalled for.

Average designed rider weight...Hmmm... that's a tricky one with
recumbents! ;-)

In article , Kelly says...

Lower gearing for the V2 will perhaps require some mods to the idler
pulley set up. We had a standard frame V2 Formula in our shop for a
very short period of time and thus I did not have time to evaluate
just what will be necessary to gear it lower but it will require
something besides a lower small ring and lower range cassette. When a
26 tooth small ring is placed on the crank set the chain rubs the
bottom of the brake arm. The new owner was in a hurry to take
delivery so my research was cut short. If you look closely at the V2
chain line over the idler pulley you will note the return chain line
is on the bottom of the idler pulley and on the Formula the chain line
is on top. Might be as simple as reversing the location of the idler
pulley to the bottom hole and the chain keeper to the top.


That's curious. My recent steel V2 came with the same idler pulley set up that
is shown on the RANS web site for the Formula, the one mentioned above that has
the chain above the lower pulley. My wife's 2001 V2 has the same pulley system
as shown on the current steel V2, the one with the chain below the lower pulley.
Both of our bikes have long cage SRAM rear DRs, 12-32 cogs, and 52/42/30
chainwheels. We did experience a bit of rubbing on my bike on the bottom of the
rear brake arm, but I was able to fix it by just removing one link.

Steve Christensen

Steve,

With all the problems I might end up with a V2 in steel.....How do you and
your wife like yours? Do you think it a big improvement over a Tailwind?

TIA....
Jack


"Steve Christensen" wrote in message
...
In article , Kelly
says...

Lower gearing for the V2 will perhaps require some mods to the idler
pulley set up. We had a standard frame V2 Formula in our shop for a
very short period of time and thus I did not have time to evaluate
just what will be necessary to gear it lower but it will require
something besides a lower small ring and lower range cassette. When a
26 tooth small ring is placed on the crank set the chain rubs the
bottom of the brake arm. The new owner was in a hurry to take
delivery so my research was cut short. If you look closely at the V2
chain line over the idler pulley you will note the return chain line
is on the bottom of the idler pulley and on the Formula the chain line
is on top. Might be as simple as reversing the location of the idler
pulley to the bottom hole and the chain keeper to the top.


That's curious. My recent steel V2 came with the same idler pulley set up
that
is shown on the RANS web site for the Formula, the one mentioned above
that has
the chain above the lower pulley. My wife's 2001 V2 has the same pulley
system
as shown on the current steel V2, the one with the chain below the lower
pulley.
Both of our bikes have long cage SRAM rear DRs, 12-32 cogs, and 52/42/30
chainwheels. We did experience a bit of rubbing on my bike on the bottom
of the
rear brake arm, but I was able to fix it by just removing one link.

Steve Christensen

In article om, Jack Davis
says...

Steve,

With all the problems I might end up with a V2 in steel.....How do you and
your wife like yours? Do you think it a big improvement over a Tailwind?

TIA....
Jack


We are very pleased with ours. My biggest gripe has been that RANS changed the
location of the seat pan when they went to the RAD loc system, and I had to add
a lumbar cushion to keep from having my tailbone bottom out on the seat rim.
That, and the fact that I didn't like their new "open cockpit" handlebar set up,
as with it I couldn't recline the seat very much and still reach the bars. So
on my 2003 I fitted the old style bars, which allows me to fully recline the
seat to avoid recumbent butt.

BUT, as I've mentioned before in posts on V2s, ours are not stock. We both ride
custom V2s from Power On Cycling. The frames are steel, but the components have
been upgraded to Ultegra level, and the wheels are Velocity Thracians. Having
ridden both the stock 2003 V2s and these I can say there is quite a difference
in performance. The price was about $1800 each. The only difference between
these and the Formulas is the frame material, and the older, heavier, and
thicker seat pads and pans.

As for the Tailwind, I woulnd't think that a stock V2 would feel like that much
of un upgrade from a Tailwind. The BBs are almost the same height, the
components aren't that different, the wheelbases are only 4" apart, with the one
great and obvious difference being the rear wheel.

Steve Christensen

"Steve Christensen" wrote:

[snip]

We are very pleased with ours. My biggest gripe has been that RANS
changed the
location of the seat pan when they went to the RAD loc system, and I had
to add
a lumbar cushion to keep from having my tailbone bottom out on the seat
rim.
That, and the fact that I didn't like their new "open cockpit" handlebar
set up,
as with it I couldn't recline the seat very much and still reach the bars.
So
on my 2003 I fitted the old style bars, which allows me to fully recline
the
seat to avoid recumbent butt.
[snip]

I was dissapointed that the 2003 V2's were coming in with the new 0036
handle bar instead of the double bend wide 0037 that's stock on the Formula.
Most of the V2's we sell leave our shop with the wider more extended bar
(0037) that improves reach. It allows most folks to fully recline where as
the supplied bar doesn't! I've pushed on RANS to supply 04 V2's with the
0037 bar, but I don't think it's going to happen. The 04 Stratus models are
coming in with the 0037 bar..

Regards
Rick Steele
Gold Country Cyclery
Cameron Park, CA

In article , Rick Steele says...


"Steve Christensen" wrote:

[snip]

We are very pleased with ours. My biggest gripe has been that RANS
changed the
location of the seat pan when they went to the RAD loc system, and I had
to add
a lumbar cushion to keep from having my tailbone bottom out on the seat
rim.
That, and the fact that I didn't like their new "open cockpit" handlebar
set up,
as with it I couldn't recline the seat very much and still reach the bars.
So
on my 2003 I fitted the old style bars, which allows me to fully recline
the
seat to avoid recumbent butt.
[snip]

I was dissapointed that the 2003 V2's were coming in with the new 0036
handle bar instead of the double bend wide 0037 that's stock on the Formula.
Most of the V2's we sell leave our shop with the wider more extended bar
(0037) that improves reach. It allows most folks to fully recline where as
the supplied bar doesn't! I've pushed on RANS to supply 04 V2's with the
0037 bar, but I don't think it's going to happen. The 04 Stratus models are
coming in with the 0037 bar..

Regards
Rick Steele
Gold Country Cyclery
Cameron Park, CA


That's a great point. The double wide double bend 37 is the bar I went with
myself. That bar, mounted on the older 2002 riser and top loaded stem, is a
really great combination on the V2. It's not an open cockpit, but it allows
full recline, and offers a very relaxed and natural hand position.

Steve Christensen

Steve, Rick, and all...

Thanks for all the good information.....sometimes the learning is almost as
much fun as the buying.

Jack


"Steve Christensen" wrote in message
...
In article , Rick Steele says...


"Steve Christensen" wrote:

[snip]

We are very pleased with ours. My biggest gripe has been that RANS
changed the
location of the seat pan when they went to the RAD loc system, and I
had
to add
a lumbar cushion to keep from having my tailbone bottom out on the seat
rim.
That, and the fact that I didn't like their new "open cockpit"
handlebar
set up,
as with it I couldn't recline the seat very much and still reach the
bars.
So
on my 2003 I fitted the old style bars, which allows me to fully
recline
the
seat to avoid recumbent butt.
[snip]

I was dissapointed that the 2003 V2's were coming in with the new 0036
handle bar instead of the double bend wide 0037 that's stock on the
Formula.
Most of the V2's we sell leave our shop with the wider more extended bar
(0037) that improves reach. It allows most folks to fully recline where
as
the supplied bar doesn't! I've pushed on RANS to supply 04 V2's with the
0037 bar, but I don't think it's going to happen. The 04 Stratus models
are
coming in with the 0037 bar..

Regards
Rick Steele
Gold Country Cyclery
Cameron Park, CA


That's a great point. The double wide double bend 37 is the bar I went
with
myself. That bar, mounted on the older 2002 riser and top loaded stem, is
a
really great combination on the V2. It's not an open cockpit, but it
allows
full recline, and offers a very relaxed and natural hand position.

Steve Christensen

PaPa wrote:
...
With all due respect John, "Rides very smooth" is clearly a misleading
Formula V2 description.

Yes, it uses an adjective where there should be an adverb.

Tom Sherman - 41 N, 90 W