Just bought a used Vision R45...need some advice

[Jay Adair]

Well, I've been watching EBay, scouring classifieds on-line, searching thru websites, and just
generally trying to figure out how best to enter the recumbent world. Hostel Shoppe had a used 2000
Vision R45 for sale at what seemed to be a reasonable price so I ordered it today. This could well
be construed to be a remarkable leap of faith or a large dose of knuckleheadedness since I've never
even ridden a recumbent yet, but there you are.

So...while I await its arrival, I was wondering if there were any major improvements since the 2000
model year that I should have availed myself of. I just basically got tired of waiting and searching
while the wonderful autumn weather slipped away.

And...should I reassemble it myself, or have my local bike shop do it. I'm fairly mechanically
inclined and have enough tools to cover the driveway.

And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding only at
night for awhile so no one could see me wobbling down the street....;-)

Thanks for any and all advice.

Jay (Yes, I know, I should have ridden a bunch of models first....)

P.S. - If the previous owner of this bike is reading, please tell me what you liked and didn't like.

 

[Mark Leuck]

"Jay Adair" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well, I've been watching EBay, scouring classifieds on-line, searching
thru
> websites, and just generally trying to figure out how best to enter the recumbent world. Hostel
> Shoppe had a used 2000 Vision R45 for sale at
what
> seemed to be a reasonable price so I ordered it today. This could well be construed to be a
> remarkable leap of faith or a large dose of knuckleheadedness since I've never even ridden a
> recumbent yet, but there you are.
>
> So...while I await its arrival, I was wondering if there were any major improvements since the
> 2000 model year that I should have availed myself
of.
> I just basically got tired of waiting and searching while the wonderful autumn weather
> slipped away.

I think the only change was an adjustable set of pullys added to allow adjusting the chain if
the boom is moved in or out. I have a 2000 R50 and have to shorten or lengthen the chain if I
move the boom

> And...should I reassemble it myself, or have my local bike shop do it.
I'm
> fairly mechanically inclined and have enough tools to cover the driveway.
>
> And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding only
> at night for awhile so no one could see me
wobbling
> down the street....;-)

Thats what I did

It doesn't take very long to get used to it tho and after a while will feel very natural

 

[B. Sanders]

"Jay Adair" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well, I've been watching EBay, scouring classifieds on-line, searching
thru
> websites, and just generally trying to figure out how best to enter the recumbent world. Hostel
> Shoppe had a used 2000 Vision R45 for sale at
what
> seemed to be a reasonable price so I ordered it today. This could well be construed to be a
> remarkable leap of faith or a large dose of knuckleheadedness since I've never even ridden a
> recumbent yet, but there you are.

Vision bikes are popular for a reason: They're good bikes. I very nearly bought a Vision R40 as my
first 'bent. You made a good choice, IMO. You can still test ride other 'bents to see if there's
something out there that you like better. No law against changing your mind and selling the Vision,
is there? But while you have it, really wring it out and see what you like and dislike. First
impressions can be deceiving, especially with recumbents.

> And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up?

Let your arms relax. Don't "clutch" the bars. Try to get a feel for using your upper body and
steering input to keep the bike balanced. It may take quite a few short test rides to feel
comfortable, but just relax - that's the hard part. Try to keep the bike going at better than a
walking pace, because recumbents are easier to balance at higher speeds. You don't need to steer
very much - just lean into the turns. The bike will respond. You can't quite ride with no hands; but
you will see that very little input is required.

> I was thinking of riding only at night for awhile so no one could see me
wobbling
> down the street....;-)

Find a wide-open deserted parking lot, or a wide, paved, secluded street (perhaps in an outlying
area). Try riding straight, then add some shallow, wide turns, then graduate to large figure-8's as
you get more confident. Try taking off by coasting down a shallow grade to get used to steering and
balancing at first, then add pedal input. As you pedal through a sharp turn, you will likely
experience some heel strike on the front wheel. You will learn to swivel your heels a bit to avoid
that - it comes fairly naturally as you gain experience. Avoid sand or gravel until you become very
confident riding your 'bent.

You'll be grinning from ear to ear.

-=B=-

 

[James]

Vision came up with Airlight frame around that time. May have been 2001. Frame is larger, stronger.
Big improvement. Would not recommend Vision with smaller tubing. I've had several Vision. Airlight
frame is way to go.

Good luck.


"Jay Adair" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Well, I've been watching EBay, scouring classifieds on-line, searching thru websites, and just
> generally trying to figure out how best to enter the recumbent world. Hostel Shoppe had a used
> 2000 Vision R45 for sale at what seemed to be a reasonable price so I ordered it today. This could
> well be construed to be a remarkable leap of faith or a large dose of knuckleheadedness since I've
> never even ridden a recumbent yet, but there you are.
>
> So...while I await its arrival, I was wondering if there were any major improvements since the
> 2000 model year that I should have availed myself of. I just basically got tired of waiting and
> searching while the wonderful autumn weather slipped away.
>
> And...should I reassemble it myself, or have my local bike shop do it. I'm fairly mechanically
> inclined and have enough tools to cover the driveway.
>
> And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding only
> at night for awhile so no one could see me wobbling down the street....;-)
>
> Thanks for any and all advice.
>
> Jay (Yes, I know, I should have ridden a bunch of models first....)
>
>
> P.S. - If the previous owner of this bike is reading, please tell me what you liked and didn't
> like.

 

[Risto Varanka]

Jay Adair <[email protected]> wrote:

: And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding only
: at night for awhile so no one could see me wobbling down the street....;-)

Be very careful the first day

I'd think it's best to start slowly, trying to get more or less comfortable just rolling at low
speeds. So you get kind of an idea how the bike feels, balance-wise. Sure it's easier to balance if
you're pedalling at a moderate pace, but would you like to rather fall at that speed than to let
your foot down at a very low speed... I never fell when learning to ride the old R-40. Once you get
started you can also practice turns etc. at low speeds...

If you ride clipless, prepare to stop - on either foot

Have fun

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Ian]

[email protected] must be edykated coz e writed:

> Jay Adair <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> : And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding
> : only at night for awhile so no one could see me wobbling down the street....;-)
>
> Be very careful the first day
>
> I'd think it's best to start slowly, trying to get more or less comfortable just rolling at low
> speeds. So you get kind of an idea how the bike feels, balance-wise. Sure it's easier to balance
> if you're pedalling at a moderate pace, but would you like to rather fall at that speed than to
> let your foot down at a very low speed... I never fell when learning to ride the old R-40. Once
> you get started you can also practice turns etc. at low speeds...
>
> If you ride clipless, prepare to stop - on either foot
>
> Have fun
Go to a big empty car park and ride around for an hour, after that you will have mastered it.

--
Ian

http://www.catrike.co.uk

 

[Bentbiker]

the bike you bought is really nice, and is a first class bent as a newbie. I just received a 2003
R40, and I am really pleased with the improvements vision has made since 01 models. There new
straight boom bike, the quick release sliding boom is awesome, should be standard on every moving
boom bike. The seat mesh is much nicer and more adjustable. Their fit and finish, in particular the
paint, is much much nicer than before, and it wasn't bad before. The new straight boom also allows
the chain to run under the stays, which much nicer also. All and all, i'm very impressed, and Vision
isn't getting much publicity on them as far as I see.

Jay Adair wrote:
> Well, I've been watching EBay, scouring classifieds on-line, searching thru websites, and just
> generally trying to figure out how best to enter the recumbent world. Hostel Shoppe had a used
> 2000 Vision R45 for sale at what seemed to be a reasonable price so I ordered it today. This could
> well be construed to be a remarkable leap of faith or a large dose of knuckleheadedness since I've
> never even ridden a recumbent yet, but there you are.
>
> So...while I await its arrival, I was wondering if there were any major improvements since the
> 2000 model year that I should have availed myself of. I just basically got tired of waiting and
> searching while the wonderful autumn weather slipped away.
>
> And...should I reassemble it myself, or have my local bike shop do it. I'm fairly mechanically
> inclined and have enough tools to cover the driveway.
>
> And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding only
> at night for awhile so no one could see me wobbling down the street....;-)
>
> Thanks for any and all advice.
>
> Jay (Yes, I know, I should have ridden a bunch of models first....)
>
>
> P.S. - If the previous owner of this bike is reading, please tell me what you liked and didn't
> like.

 

[Rorschandt]

"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in news:4jldb.600174$Ho3.117195@sccrnsc03:

<SNIP>>
> Find a wide-open deserted parking lot, or a wide, paved, secluded street (perhaps in an outlying
> area). Try riding straight, then add some shallow, wide turns, then graduate to large figure-8's
> as you get more confident. Try taking off by coasting down a shallow grade to get used to steering
> and balancing at first, then add pedal input. As you pedal through a sharp turn, you will likely
> experience some heel strike on the front wheel. You will learn to swivel your heels a bit to avoid
> that - it comes fairly naturally as you gain experience. Avoid sand or gravel until you become
> very confident riding your 'bent.
>
> You'll be grinning from ear to ear.
>
> -=B=-
>
>

Some bike shops that have little or no recumbent experience will make a mess of your bike.
For some reason, ordinary mechanical knowledge often breaks down when it comes to
recumbents. Very odd, considering most of the parts come from sources identical to other
bikes. I would only add that you plant your back firmly against the seat back,start in a
"medium" gear and at first hold the handlebars with your fingertips. It will soon become
evident that a very light touch is all that is necessary. If leaning back is too
uncomfortable, try the seat at a more upright seat angle, and then tilt it back more when
ready. If you lean forward, it will magnify your every movement, and make the steering feel
twitchy. Just remember that your arms no longer have to support your body weight in any
fashion. Congrats on your purchase!

-- rorschandt May all beings be happy. May they be joyous and live in safety. All living beings,
whether weak or strong, in high or middle or low realms of existence, small or great, visible or
invisible, near or far, born or to be born, Let no one deceive another, nor despise any being in
any state; Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another. Even as a mother at the risk of her
life watches over and protects her only child, so with a boundless mind should one cherish all
living things,

--
May all beings be happy. May they be joyous and live in safety. All living beings, whether weak or
strong, in high or middle or low realms of existence, small or great, visible or invisible, near or
far, born or to be born, Let no one deceive another, nor despise any being in any state; Let none by
anger or hatred wish harm to another. Even as a mother at the risk of her life watches over and
protects her only child, so with a boundless mind should one cherish all living things,

 

[Devon]

Congratulations on getting a REALLY nice first bent at a bargain price! (I have owned 5 Visions,
still have not moved "up" to a 45, although my current 2002 R44 has a few of the 45 upgrades.)

My main "issues" on my first Vision were:
1) "squirrelly" handling on downhills ... not talking high speed here (approx 25 mph). Overcoming
this was a matter of experience, relaxing the grip, and gaining confidence in the bike. It was
a matter of months before I began to feel comfortable at "high" speeds. Now I am fine up to
about 45 mph.

2) Staying upright on slow U-turns. Others have mentioned the heel strike issue. One thing that
helped me was learning to "stutter-pedal" on tight turns so the vulnerable heel was never at the
bottom of the stroke. The other issue I had with USS is that when doing a slow U-ie, you often
have the handle bars turned to their max. Then when you start to fall into the turn, you
instinctively attempt to correct with the steering. I fell 3 of my 1st 5 U-turns. I learned to
correct by accelerating slightly to regain balance and it is no longer an issue. If attempting a
tight (6' radius) U-ie I still unclip my inside shoe.

I would not be afraid to set it up myself, if I were you. Not many tools are required (metric hex
wrenches of course)and there are lots of photos available in Vision's on-line library for stuff like
cable routing, seat fabric installation, etc.

If you do not use a helmet mirror now you may want to consider it. A mirror is a MUST on a bent as
you have difficulty turning shoulders to look behind. USS is tough for mirror placement but not
impossible.

Also computer mounting takes some imagination. I finally settled on locating mine on top of the
headset. It's easily visible (as long as I'm not wearing heavy winter pants) and well within reach.
It also allows use of standard length cable to front wheel.

Like others here, I find the Vision bikes are greatly underrated. Once you develop your recumbent
legs, the 45 will become an excellent climber (provided you are a bit careful about adding
weighty options).

On a recent tour, while at a SAG stop early in the ride, a DF cyclist commented that he had trouble
keeping up with me. DF'er #2 told him he would have no problem passing me on the hilly part of the
ride. I just smiled. At the end of the ride, after I had passed DF#2 during a climb, he commented
that my bike was the best advertisement for recumbents he had seen (he obviously has not ridden with
the Sabre/Volae/Bachetta or the low-racer crowd).

Compared to others on this NG, especially the big wheelers and low-racers, my bike and I are not
particularly fast. My best rolling average for a 100K is 18.05 on a relatively flat ride. But for a
VERY comfortable, USS, "sport-touring" bike, it does pretty well.

I'm sure you will enjoy your new bent, but if you decide to get rid of
it ... I could always go for Vision #6
>
> Jay Adair wrote:
> > Well, I've been watching EBay, scouring classifieds on-line, searching thru websites, and just
> > generally trying to figure out how best to enter the recumbent world. Hostel Shoppe had a used
> > 2000 Vision R45 for sale at what seemed to be a reasonable price so I ordered it today. This
> > could well be construed to be a remarkable leap of faith or a large dose of knuckleheadedness
> > since I've never even ridden a recumbent yet, but there you are.
> >
> > So...while I await its arrival, I was wondering if there were any major improvements since the
> > 2000 model year that I should have availed myself of. I just basically got tired of waiting and
> > searching while the wonderful autumn weather slipped away.
> >
> > And...should I reassemble it myself, or have my local bike shop do it. I'm fairly mechanically
> > inclined and have enough tools to cover the driveway.
> >
> > And lastly...any tricks to learning the under-seat steering set-up? I was thinking of riding
> > only at night for awhile so no one could see me wobbling down the street....;-)
> >
> > Thanks for any and all advice.
> >
> > Jay (Yes, I know, I should have ridden a bunch of models first....)
> >
> >
> > P.S. - If the previous owner of this bike is reading, please tell me what you liked and didn't
> > like.
> >

 

[Gary]

You may want to check out the Yahoo group for Vision owners:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vision-bent-owners/