Volae Club vs. Corsa

[Helmut Neumann]

I wanted to get opinions on how the new Volae Club compares to the Bachetta Corsa. To my
inexperienced eye the two bikes seem comparable as far as design and component groups go. They
certainly look similar. Yet the Volae Club sells for almost $700.00 less. Am I missing some huge
shortcoming in the Club or is someone actually offering a lot of bang for the buck?

Helmut Neumann V2

 

[Jude T. McGloin]

You are missing something. Although the bikes seem similar there are big differences. First of all
there is very little user data on the Volae line, positive or negative. As far as differences? The
seat clamp system IMO on the Volae is inferior to the Bacchetta. There is also a big difference in
the components. The Club is more comparable to a Strada with a fiberglass M5 seat. Don't be fooled
the fork on the club is a painted aluminum version of the Kinesis Aero Carbon. I could buy all I
wanted of these forks for less than 15 bucks each last fall. Which somebody obviously did. Comparing
the Team with the Corsa is more in line. FSA Team Carbon vs Dura Ace Crankset. The Corsa sports an
American Classic BB vs what on the Team? You really need to look closer at the component spec. When
you do its a close finish Corsa vs. Team. Additionally, with the Bacchetta line you can use either
the Bacchetta recurve mesh or the M5 seat on all their models except the AERO. If your not an M5 fan
your outta luck with the Volae. Last but not LEAST your gonna have to go to Wisconsen to test ride
one of these. Or purchase on recommendation or blind faith. Most of you know I am a Bacchetta
dealer. What impact will these bents have on my Bacchetta sales? Very little if any. With the demise
of bike shops world wide I'm happy that Bacchetta knows where the real sales volume is and is
willing to stick with it.

Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc RANS, Bacchetta, EZ and more! 1-800-586-6645 "Helmut Neumann" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:isXva.861929$S_4.878847@rwcrnsc53...
> I wanted to get opinions on how the new Volae Club compares to the
Bachetta
> Corsa. To my inexperienced eye the two bikes seem comparable as far as design and component groups
> go. They certainly look similar. Yet the Volae Club sells for almost $700.00 less. Am I missing
> some huge shortcoming in the Club or is someone actually offering a lot of bang for the buck?
>
> Helmut Neumann V2

 

[Freewheeling]

Helmut:

Well, apparently they're nearly identical bikes that are really quite different.

On Tue, 13 May 2003 00:59:58 GMT, "Helmut Neumann" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I wanted to get opinions on how the new Volae Club compares to the Bachetta Corsa. To my
>inexperienced eye the two bikes seem comparable as far as design and component groups go. They
>certainly look similar. Yet the Volae Club sells for almost $700.00 less. Am I missing some huge
>shortcoming in the Club or is someone actually offering a lot of bang for the buck?
>
>Helmut Neumann V2
>

--Scott [email protected]

 

[Russ Price]

Jude T. McGloin <[email protected]> wrote:
> The Club is more comparable to a Strada with a fiberglass M5 seat. Don't be fooled the fork on the
> club is a painted aluminum version of the Kinesis Aero Carbon. I could buy all I wanted of these
> forks for less than 15 bucks each last fall. Which somebody obviously did.

That's a strong statement. I could have sworn that the Volae Club was indeed equipiped with a
Kinesis carbon fork. Hmmm... let's see:

http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/specs.cgi?Bike1=1050510690

According to the website, the Club's fork *IS* a Kinesis Carbon Airfoil, while the Team uses an
AlphaQ Carbon Pro fork.

> Comparing the Team with the Corsa is more in line. FSA Team Carbon vs Dura Ace Crankset. The
> Corsa sports an American Classic BB vs what on the Team? You really need to look closer at
> the component spec. When you do its a close finish Corsa vs. Team.

Strada: FSA Gossamer crank, FSA ISIS BB, Alex DA-16 wheelset

Corsa: FSA Carbon Pro crank, American Classic ISIS BB, Alex 300Tri wheelset

Club: Truvativ Elita crank, Truvativ ISIS BB, Velocity Spartacus wheelset

Team: Dura-Ace crank, Dura-Ace BB, Velocity Spartacus Pro wheelset

I'd put the Club close to the Corsa, and the Team between the Corsa and the Aero. Others might have
different opinions.

> Additionally, with the Bacchetta line you can use either the Bacchetta recurve mesh or the M5 seat
> on all their models except the AERO. If your not an M5 fan your outta luck with the Volae. Last
> but not LEAST your gonna have to go to Wisconsen to test ride one of these. Or purchase on
> recommendation or blind faith.

Points taken.

> Most of you know I am a Bacchetta dealer. What impact will these bents have on my Bacchetta
> sales? Very little if any. With the demise of bike shops world wide I'm happy that Bacchetta
> knows where the real sales volume is and is willing to stick with it.

At least you admit your bias.

No, I don't own a Volae. My Rocket was purchased from an LBS, and the WizWheelz trike was
bought used...

--
Russ Price * [email protected] * kill the wabbit to email 2001 RANS Rocket, WizWheelz
TerraTrike 3.0+ "And here you thought the worst thing you could do was pee on the third rail."
-Cecil Adams in "The Straight Dope"

 

[bentcruiser]

Originally posted by Helmut Neumann
Am I missing some huge
shortcoming in the Club or is someone actually offering a lot of bang for the buck?

Here's a comparison chart:

http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/specs.cgi?Bike1=1015285835&Bike2=1050510690

Derek

 

[Seth Jayson]

The seat clamp system IMO on
> the Volae is inferior to the Bacchetta. There is also a big difference in the components.

Gotta disagree here. Haven't ridden one much, but the design of the Volae seat clamp looks better
than anything I have seen on *any* bent. Easy to move, easy to keep the seat angle when moving, and
easy to lock down.

'course i ride a rocket, with perhaps the bent world's worst seat retainer (and the only real
negative on the machine, i think)

>painted aluminum carbon fork-lookalike? (paraphrase)

Careful there... Specs say its carbon.

Sj

NOTE: The Hostelshoppe is also a Bacchetta dealer. Why is it that *some* Bacchetta fans seem so darn
threatened by the Volae bikes?

 

[Rick Moll]

Helmut Neumann wrote:
> I wanted to get opinions on how the new Volae Club compares to the Bachetta Corsa. To my
> inexperienced eye the two bikes seem comparable as far as design and component groups go. They
> certainly look similar. Yet the Volae Club sells for almost $700.00 less. Am I missing some huge
> shortcoming in the Club or is someone actually offering a lot of bang for the buck?

I agree. Both the Club and the Team look like great bikes, and very nicely equipped for the price. I
gave Hostel Shoppe my credit card info a few weeks ago and am promised a Team from the first batch
of production frames. The only change in the components I'm making on the Team is to build my own
wheels, so I ordered the Team without the Spartacus Pros.

I probably would of purchased a Strada last year, but there weren't any dealers around here.
Actually I glad I waited, since the Team look like a nicer bike to me.

Training on my V-Rex, while waiting for my Team,

Rick Moll

 

[Stratrider]

Helmut, I agree with you. The Club looks like a real value! I don't see the donw side.

Jim Reilly Reading, PA

 

[Pj]

"Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> You are missing something. Although the bikes seem similar there are big differences. First of all
> there is very little user data on the Volae line, positive or negative. As far as differences? The
> seat clamp system IMO on the Volae is inferior to the Bacchetta. There is also a big difference in
> the components. The Club is more comparable to a Strada with a fiberglass M5 seat. Don't be fooled
> the fork on the club is a painted aluminum version of the Kinesis Aero Carbon. I could buy all I
> wanted of these forks for less than 15 bucks each last fall. Which somebody obviously did.
> Comparing the Team with the Corsa is more in line. FSA Team Carbon vs Dura Ace Crankset. The Corsa
> sports an American Classic BB vs what on the Team? You really need to look closer at the component
> spec. When you do its a close finish Corsa vs. Team. Additionally, with the Bacchetta line you can
> use either the Bacchetta recurve mesh or the M5 seat on all their models except the AERO. If your
> not an M5 fan your outta luck with the Volae. Last but not LEAST your gonna have to go to
> Wisconsen to test ride one of these. Or purchase on recommendation or blind faith. Most of you
> know I am a Bacchetta dealer. What impact will these bents have on my Bacchetta sales? Very little
> if any. With the demise of bike shops world wide I'm happy that Bacchetta knows where the real
> sales volume is and is willing to stick with it.
>
> Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and
> Sports, Inc RANS, Bacchetta, EZ and more! 1-800-586-6645 "Helmut Neumann" <[email protected]>
> wrote in message news:isXva.861929$S_4.878847@rwcrnsc53...
> > I wanted to get opinions on how the new Volae Club compares to the
> Bachetta
> > Corsa. To my inexperienced eye the two bikes seem comparable as far as design and component
> > groups go. They certainly look similar. Yet the Volae Club sells for almost $700.00 less. Am I
> > missing some huge shortcoming in the Club or is someone actually offering a lot of bang for
> > the buck?
> >
> > Helmut Neumann V2
> >

As a somewhat biased Strada owner, there are a couple of other differences in the bikes worth
noting. The Strada/Corsa have an ovalized/teardrop main tube while it appears that the Volae bikes
do not. If you are a very big rider this may translate into a stiffer frame for the Strada/Corsa.

The Strada/Corsa can also use 559 wheels and tires which gives you a much greater choice in tires
over the 650c. which provides a bit more versatility by changing out the tires which can translate
into a significant difference in how the bike handles and rides.

If I were in the market for a bike of this type, the biggest differnce for me would be not being
able to ride the bike prior to purchase. Frankly it really doesn't mean a whole lot to me whether
one or the other has a better bottom bracket, crankset or derailer asuming that they are of good or
better quality as they don't make a meaningful diffence in how the bikes perform.

But not being able to know exactly what you are getting before it arrives on your doorstep would be
the biggest downside for me in considering a Volae. If I were within driving distance that would be
another thing. I test rode the Strada at least five times before purchasing so there really weren't
any surprises. Every bike has different nuances that are only determined by riding the bike.

Pat McShane

 

[Rick Moll]

PJ wrote:
> ... But not being able to know exactly what you are getting before it arrives on your doorstep
> would be the biggest downside for me in considering a Volae. If I were within driving distance
> that would be another thing. I test rode the Strada at least five times before purchasing so there
> really weren't any surprises. Every bike has different nuances that are only determined by riding
> the bike.

That's certainly a valid point, and one that gets expressed here often. Except for me, it takes far
too many miles to discover how I'm going to adapt to a particular bike to evaluate it with a few
test rides. When I got my first recumbent I test rode a Vision with USS and OSS, and was convinced
that I wanted USS. It really wasn't until I had about 1000 miles on the bike that the USS really
wasn't clicking for
me. I sold it, and got a V-Rex. At first the OSS felt too cramped, but after I had a few 1000 miles
experience playing around with it, if just kept feeling better and better.

I'm hoping that the Team will be like my experience with the V-Rex, but I plan to give it at least a
few 1000 miles before I decide if it will be a keeper.

Rick Moll

 

[Tom Blum]

I'd like to congratulate all you Bacchetta owners out there.

When this thread started I said to myself "Look out!!! Here comes a fire storm!!"

But, you have behaved like normal, reasonable people, not like the rabid, partisan fanatics that
support rans or Easy Racers. <G> (for the humor impaired).

Good going.

--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum Winter Haven, Florida Homebuilts: SWB Tour Easy Clone Speed Machine Clone Coming Soon:
Bacchetta Clone (or maybe a Volae Clone. Only the Shadow knows..

www.gate.net/~teblum

 

[Seth Jayson]

> You are missing something.

We forgot to mention something else that's obviously missing from the Volae bikes: an extra hand in
the cookie jar.

That is, with the HS designing, producing, then selling these machines, there's one fewer (at least)
markups before you pay. Markups on bikes may be thin, (I have no idea what they actually are) but a
couple of hundred bucks here, a couple of hundred bucks there...

 

[Jude T. McGloin]

I stand corrected, it is a Kinesis Airfoil Carbon fork. However, I'll wait and see about how many of
these bikes they are able to spec. with it. I'll stand by my original comment about the seatclamp.
Since these bikes don't exist in any numbers as of yet. We will have to see about how they fair when
push comes to shove. Hostellshopis also a Bacchetta dealer. However, since Bacchetta is sticking to
their guns about no mail order. Hostellshop, which I estimate does about 70% of their bike sales
mail order was in a bind. So voila the Volae is their answer to the rising popularity of the
HighRacer. As far as the Bacchetta fans being threatened, how can one be threatened by a bike that
is not available and not widely user evaluated. I will say this, I own a Bacchetta AERO, I'm not
threatened. It is an awesome bent. If your really into performance its the way to go. There are
frequent contibutors to this NG and some lurkers that are really fast riders. How do I know they are
fassst. I've ridden with them. They owned some really tricked out bents and swore by them till they
rode an AERO then out came the plastic or the checkbook. Most have reciently taken delivery.

Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and
Sports, Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Seth Jayson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The seat clamp system IMO on
> > the Volae is inferior to the Bacchetta. There is also a big difference
in
> > the components.
>
> Gotta disagree here. Haven't ridden one much, but the design of the Volae seat clamp looks better
> than anything I have seen on *any* bent. Easy to move, easy to keep the seat angle when moving,
> and easy to lock down.
>
> 'course i ride a rocket, with perhaps the bent world's worst seat retainer (and the only real
> negative on the machine, i think)
>
> >painted aluminum carbon fork-lookalike? (paraphrase)
>
> Careful there... Specs say its carbon.
>
> Sj
>
> NOTE: The Hostelshoppe is also a Bacchetta dealer. Why is it that *some* Bacchetta fans seem so
> darn threatened by the Volae bikes?

 

[Victor Kan]

Jude T. McGloin wrote:
> As far as the Bacchetta fans being threatened, how can one be threatened by a bike that is not
> available and not widely user evaluated.

Easy--as vaporware, it can suppress sales of Bacchetta bikes as people put off their
purchases, waiting for those reviews and user evaluations. If Bacchetta sales decline enough,
they could go under.

Hopefully, that won't happen and we'll have more brands competing to make better bikes with more
value packed in them for us to choose from.

--
I do not accept unsolicted commercial e-mail. Remove NO_UCE for legitimate replies.

 

[M..Leuck]

"Victor Kan" <[email protected]_UCEloopdrive.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Jude T. McGloin wrote:
> > As far as the Bacchetta fans being threatened, how can one be threatened
by
> > a bike that is not available and not widely user evaluated.
>
> Easy--as vaporware, it can suppress sales of Bacchetta bikes as people put off their purchases,
> waiting for those reviews and user evaluations. If Bacchetta sales decline enough, they could
> go under.
>
> Hopefully, that won't happen and we'll have more brands competing to make better bikes with more
> value packed in them for us to choose from.
>

I don't see having too many brands of bents threatening anything

 

[Tom Sherman]

"Jude T. McGloin" wrote:
> ... I will say this, I own a Bacchetta AERO, I'm not threatened. It is an awesome bent. If your
> really into performance its the way to go. There are frequent contibutors to this NG and some
> lurkers that are really fast riders. How do I know they are fassst. I've ridden with them. They
> owned some really tricked out bents and swore by them till they rode an AERO then out came the
> plastic or the checkbook. Most have reciently taken delivery.

If I wanted to maximize my speed without riding a fully-faired bike, this would be my choice. <
http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/ariail/TF.jpg > The owner averaged over 29 mph (without
significant drafting help) [1] in the HPRA hour race at the Major Taylor Velodrome a few weeks ago
on the bike.

[1] To put this into perspective, Chris Boardman and Eddy Merckx were able to ride about 30.7 miles
in one hour on UCI legal uprights.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

[Tom Sherman]

Tom Blum wrote:
>
> I'd like to congratulate all you Bacchetta owners out there.
>
> When this thread started I said to myself "Look out!!! Here comes a fire storm!!"
>
> But, you have behaved like normal, reasonable people, not like the rabid, partisan fanatics that
> support rans or Easy Racers....

Or someone obnoxious to keep on mentioning extremely low production orphan lowracers that most
people interested in recumbents will never ride, much less own.

What is this "rans" company?

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

[Bentbiker]

since Volae is built by ATP, i wonder if it will accept a Vision seat, if so desired?

Jude T. McGloin wrote:
> I stand corrected, it is a Kinesis Airfoil Carbon fork. However, I'll wait and see about how many
> of these bikes they are able to spec. with it. I'll stand by my original comment about the
> seatclamp. Since these bikes don't exist in any numbers as of yet. We will have to see about how
> they fair when push comes to shove. Hostellshopis also a Bacchetta dealer. However, since
> Bacchetta is sticking to their guns about no mail order. Hostellshop, which I estimate does about
> 70% of their bike sales mail order was in a bind. So voila the Volae is their answer to the rising
> popularity of the HighRacer. As far as the Bacchetta fans being threatened, how can one be
> threatened by a bike that is not available and not widely user evaluated. I will say this, I own a
> Bacchetta AERO, I'm not threatened. It is an awesome bent. If your really into performance its the
> way to go. There are frequent contibutors to this NG and some lurkers that are really fast riders.
> How do I know they are fassst. I've ridden with them. They owned some really tricked out bents and
> swore by them till they rode an AERO then out came the plastic or the checkbook. Most have
> reciently taken delivery.
>
> Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and
> Sports, Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Seth Jayson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>The seat clamp system IMO on
>>
>>>the Volae is inferior to the Bacchetta. There is also a big difference
>>
> in
>
>>>the components.
>>
>>Gotta disagree here. Haven't ridden one much, but the design of the Volae seat clamp looks better
>>than anything I have seen on *any* bent. Easy to move, easy to keep the seat angle when moving,
>>and easy to lock down.
>>
>>'course i ride a rocket, with perhaps the bent world's worst seat retainer (and the only real
>>negative on the machine, i think)
>>
>>
>>>painted aluminum carbon fork-lookalike? (paraphrase)
>>
>>Careful there... Specs say its carbon.
>>
>>Sj
>>
>>NOTE: The Hostelshoppe is also a Bacchetta dealer. Why is it that *some* Bacchetta fans seem so
>> darn threatened by the Volae bikes?
>

 

[Freewheeling]

Phil:

I was disappointed to see that the Bachettas have gone up in price. The Aero went up over $1,000.
Now, what could I do with $1,000? Anyway, I doubt that I'd buy a high end bike like that sight
unseen (if that phrase makes sense). I may try doing some upgrades to the V-Rex. Maybe a new seat.
I'm trying some J&B Weld to repave the broken seat frame, and if that works I may just save my money
and see what comes up next year. The problem is that I have all these XTR and Ultegra components
sitting in a box with nothing to use them on. Maybe I'll put them on my cross-bike. I'll need a new
rear wheel and cassette though. Let us know how you like the bike.

--Scott

On Wed, 14 May 2003 17:51:55 -0500, Phil Wolfe <[email protected]> wrote:

>I too have a Volae on order, fortunately for me I am within driving distance of the Hostel Shop and
>am looking forward to picking mine up within the next week or two. I was very close to buying a
>Strada but my local shop refused to negotiate a fair price even though other shops were selling
>them for $300.00 less than he was asking for the exact model and year. Philip Wolfe West Allis, WI
>
>stratrider wrote:
>
>> Helmut, I agree with you. The Club looks like a real value! I don't see the donw side.
>>
>> Jim Reilly Reading, PA

 

[Phil Wolfe]

You can count on my feedback, still no word on when the Volae's will hit the streets. Phil Wolfe
West Allis, WI

Freewheeling wrote:

> Phil:
>
> I was disappointed to see that the Bachettas have gone up in price. The Aero went up over $1,000.
> Now, what could I do with $1,000? Anyway, I doubt that I'd buy a high end bike like that sight
> unseen (if that phrase makes sense). I may try doing some upgrades to the V-Rex. Maybe a new seat.
> I'm trying some J&B Weld to repave the broken seat frame, and if that works I may just save my
> money and see what comes up next year. The problem is that I have all these XTR and Ultegra
> components sitting in a box with nothing to use them on. Maybe I'll put them on my cross-bike.
> I'll need a new rear wheel and cassette though. Let us know how you like the bike.
>
> --Scott
>
> On Wed, 14 May 2003 17:51:55 -0500, Phil Wolfe <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I too have a Volae on order, fortunately for me I am within driving distance of the Hostel Shop
> >and am looking forward to picking mine up within the next week or two. I was very close to
> >buying a Strada but my local shop refused to negotiate a fair price even though other shops were
> >selling them for $300.00 less than he was asking for the exact model and year. Philip Wolfe West
> >Allis, WI
> >
> >stratrider wrote:
> >
> >> Helmut, I agree with you. The Club looks like a real value! I don't see the donw side.
> >>
> >> Jim Reilly Reading, PA