In article
<
[email protected]>, Edward
Dolan says...
>
>
[email protected] (Norman) wrote in message
>news:<
[email protected]>...
>
>> In the market for a recumbent, I have a Tour Easy and a
>> Tailwind, love them both. the Velocity 2 looks like a
>> great bike,
>
>The most critical configuration on a recumbent is the
>relation of the seat height to BB. The RANS V2 is similar
>to the Tailwind, but not to the Tour Easy. The V2 has a
>higher BB than the Tailwind and is roughly similar to most
>SWB (like the V-Rex). The ideal relationship of seat height
>to BB is actually the Tailwind where the seat is about 4
>inches higher than the BB. But I find that the V2 BB is not
>too high. But the higher the BB, the greater the handling
>difficulty (and the possibility of foot numbness). That is
>why low BB recumbents like the Tour Easy are so great. They
>handle superbly. The only downside to a low BB is that you
>cannot get the kind of comfort you get with a higher BB
>which is normally only found on SWB. That is why the V2 (a
>LWB) is fairly unique.
>
>Ed Dolan - Minnesota
I hate to agree with Ed on anything, but this time (except
for his grammer) he is spot on. What distinguishes the V2 is
the height of the BB. If like me you want and/or need a high
BB, then the V2 is one of the few LWB bikes out there to
consider. If you don't want a higher BB, then keep looking.
I've ridden both the older version, and the new less
expensive model with lower level components. The new model
is a really great buy, but doesn't really bring out the
potential of the bike. But the good news is that you can
readily upgrade the components and wheels when you want to,
and convert your budget LWB to a great bent.
By the way, if interested in a new V2 you should contact
Mark at Power On Cycling for a quote on a custom V2 with
upgraded components and wheels. For about $700 more you will
get a hell of a lot more bike.
Steve Christensen Midland, MI