Ride Reports
...share your own by sending pics and a write up
...share your own by sending pics and a write up
06.10/11.06
"Duo Touro Fantastico"
Saturday, I dropped by
Demo Sport in San Rafael
and introduced Steve and
Chris to the bennie's of
CF cycling. Great guys, and if you to
ski on anything check them out.
Sunday, I did a ride with my sister
in-law Amy, an ultra fitness savage that has only spent time
on a bike commuting to school, and never any longer rides.
The virgin RANS Dynamik Duo worked like a champ, and I believe has earned the title of "my favorite bike," which
customers always ask, but I never had a firm answer for. Tandems offer the most unique, and enjoyable cycling
experiences ever yet had. There is far less to worry about, and you can really feel the power of the Team as you
begin to acquire, hunt, and humiliate "targets."
Amy and I were rolling at 7am, and did the China camp loop in reverse, cut through San Rafael, up the backside
to San Quetin (sp) prison, a quick coffee stop in Corte Madera, and then out through Kentfield. We stopped at
College of Marin, and shot a couple pics in front of the library corner window, where I met my lady 13 years ago
(her parents meet inside the library eh, true :) We ventured through the homes and pretty people in the lush
valley heading out to San Anselmo, and finished our ride with a stop at the Italian street painting display in the
heart of San Rafael. Stat's,2.20hr, 39.8mi, 12.0 ave. Next time Golden Gate is the goal.
06.04.06 - 2005 Cruz "part duex"
Got a nice loop in today with some
local friends. We met up with a
Crank Foward Super Hero, who dressed
the part and rode on a single speed Nirve
CF. He had the most perfectly matched
fingernail motif...wish I had another
picture to share.
06.03.06 - 2005 Cruz "Grapes of Draft"
Woke up early in anticipation of the Napa
group ride. I had to decide between
riding the Zenetik Pro demo or the Cruz
demo, and since my winter coat is still on
and I usually carry a load of stuff, the rear
rack and panniers on the Cruz became
the obvious choice. Having only
commuted on the Cruz a couple times
I was anxious to see if she could work
well as a weekend touring rig, and still
be frisky enough to be fun. A recent
customer, Howard, organized the ride
and invite me to come out and explore some of the beautiful Napa vineyards, and meet some more bent folks
(thanks eh!!!)
We meet up at a downtown coffee shop and chatted for a bit while the usual suspects gathered together. Doug
rolled up on a workhorse Stratus Classic, with a full blown mtb tire on the rear. John was riding a Formula,
John (#2) on an GRR or TE, and Jim on a TE, most of them equipped with front fairings, so I wasn't sure if the
upright wind sucking ergo's would keep the Cruz and I riding sweep position. The ride was the ride was the
perfect pace for my out of shape engine. Using the upper body core muscles for brief sprints reminded me of
dropping a couple gears in the old Miata to get a quick burst of speed. In the early going, Jim has a tire blow out
(sounded like a hunting rifle) and we put the breaks on, and joined up to tackle the problem. Fortunately, it was
on straight and level road, and there was no lasting memories as a result. The replacement tubes were giving
us fits, as the narrow front rim on Jim's TE made avoiding pinch flats a bit tricky. Howard made a quick trip up
the road to a LBS to get a couple extra tubes, and was surprised that we screwed up another tube on our second
attempt. 3rd try worked like a charm, and while we were resting I offered the Cruz to Jim and John to loop about
in the parking lot. I was also fooling around with the Cruz and was able to make extremely tighten circles, while
dragging the rear brake, probably within 8' in diameter. This reminded me of when I got my motorcycle license
years back, and this skill was part of the riding test.
Shortly after we were back on the road, after we held a quick route discussion to see how far we wanted to go
with the available time. Opting for the shorter more scenic route, we heading out towards the Carnares (sp)
region of the Napa valley and we quickly amidst beautiful vista's and rows and rows of select vineyards. Here I
got the opportunity to muscle the Cruz up some short rollers, and was able to maintain a decent pace, although I
did get thoroughly winded. Howard suggested to Jim that they try a roll down test on the roller coast mounds
ahead, and I did my best roadie impersonation and tried to draft them through the vineyard hills. Howard and
Jim did pull out a bit, and I sat back up straight to relieve my neck, dropped her into high gear and reeled them
in. Howard took us on some amazing roads, and added a couple steep mini-climbs to remind some of us that
our winter riding funk was now over.
Coasting back into downtown, we grouped up three abreast and discussed our culinary options. Middle-Eastern
won the day, and Howard navigated us towards our chosen destination. One particular street was lined with
100' tall redwoods, a most memorable site that surely deserves a future Kodak moment. Pulled in front of the
Small World restaurant and lined up our trust mounts along the curb and sidewalk. I'd highly recommend the
smoothies which instantly quenched with their tasty whole fruit ingredients, and were a telling sign of the grub to
come. There are a lot of beautiful people and fancy cars in hip downtown Napa, and several fine eateries. After
sharing stories, jokes and some falafel consumption, we saddled up and headed for our waiting spouses. It
was a great way to get out and see some new roads and make some new friends. The Cruz was a snappy
mount, and although the Zenetik Pro might have been faster, the attitude, cargo capacity, and more raked ergo's
of the Cruz made for a perfect match for this fairly flat excursion. Thanks again Howard for spoiling us in the
beautiful Napa backroads.
04.02.06 - 2006 RANS Formula 26
What a treat!!! Got the Formula 26 out for a quick loop. Ready to roll with stainless Egg-beaters pedals she
weighs 30.5 lbs. Impressive for low spec. parts, kickstand, discs and stock seat. I really like the riding position. It
reminds me very much of my first bent the Bacchetta Giro...higher then the Stratus XP, and much more relaxed
then the Force 5XP. It didn't feel like I had to hold my head up, or hold arms out ala superman. The riding
position seems more versitile, both for mixing it up with traffic, frequent stops, and just enjoying the view. Since
it's more upright I think shorter riders will have flat foot confidence on a dual big for the 2nd time (1st being S-XP).
The Formula 26 rolls along as quickly if not a tad faster then the Stratus XP, mostly likely due to the higher
bottom bracket and the resulting improved aerodynamics. U-turns are a snap, and low speed handling is very
stable. For some reason I just feel like it is easier to relax and take in the view on all LWB's, versus the Force 5
which seems to demand more of your attention.
Climbing should be better for me on the longer grades with the Formula 26 then the F5XP because of the more
closed riding position. Then again it's been many months since I've done any riding on the F5. The Formula 26
has the all the tech bits (disc's), the great brushed aluminum look, chopper bar bag option, and will even a
hardshell seat, and more tire options then 650s eh. I think my personal recumbent search is over, and am glad
Randy Schlitter had the idea to convert the Formula to this new format.
12.11.05 – 2006 RANS Zenetik Pro
Not sure what the temperature was when I crawled out of bed this Sunday morning, but it certainly wasn’t
enough to hold me back from trying out the new Zenetik. Having only spent a small amount of seat time on this
bike at Interbike back in September, and more recently on the rest of the Crank Forwards, the allure of the CF
flagship was strong. I’ve been spending the last couple weekends tooling around on the Stratus XP, so I was
curious as to what new muscles I might feel by switching formats. Randy Schlitter was kind enough to let me
wrangle away one of his Interbike demo bikes for an early preview of what’s coming this February.
The local club heads out at 9am, and I was out the door by about 8:35am with plenty of time to make any seat
adjustment before arriving. The seat seemed plenty comfortable at the almost level position, with maybe a slight
5 degrees of nose drop. Finding a position that worked wasn’t too hard, and the wide thinly padded carbon seat
lets you move around a bit to find the ideal position. The ride is smooth and dead silent, with no idler wheels to
disturb the peace. Ergonomically is seems to work, even though I had a few doubts being so spoiled with
recumbent comforts over the miles. My body position was fairly up right with a slight forward lean, and very light
pressure on my wrists and shoulders. I arrived early at the usual coffee shop start point and parked the Zenetik,
and walked away waiting for the first club riders to show up and see their initial response. The first couple rode
up and sort of did a double take, and the gentleman dismounted his Rivendell Ramboulliet and said, “I didn’t
know RANS made bikes like that.” After we went through the typical questions with regards to materials, price
and weight, he recommended I show it to Grant Petersen of Rivendell, whose design methodology is form,
function, durability and comfort. Tom and he wife Veronica were both on Ramboulliets and seemed to appreciate
the Zenetik design. Tom asked what exactly the target market was, and I replied that it’s the perfect bike for the
guys that can’t go further then a metric century without pain, or the curious recumbent rider looking to mix up their
fleet with something completely different. The high end parts had several people taking a closer look and asking
questions, while others admired the acres and acres of saddle surface area. The hammerheads stared but
remained silent on their carbon Orbeas. Some people didn’t recognize me at first, because I wasn’t on a
recumbent this time.
The group headed out along the usual route, and being way out of shape I wasn’t going to push too hard, and
rather just enjoy the experience. Keeping pace wasn’t much of an issue with the regular riders, and since I had
not mounted a computer yet I asked Veronica fast we were going…and was happy to hear we were comfortably
cruising along the flats at 18-19mph. Four of us left a few minutes ahead of the rest of the group, and they caught
up after the first 3-4 miles. Waiting at a busy intersection I admired the fact that I was stopped flat footed and
ready to go, while everyone else was side saddled with their privates on the top tube. One hammerhead pulled
out before the light changed with a clear gap in traffic, and waited ahead on the road for the rest of us. Once the
light changed I took the opportunity to open her up do a quick sprint. Getting into the power is a simple matter,
just start out in the right gear and muscle ahead while staying seated, and use your forearms to pull into the
pedal stroke. I quickly motored out and put a gap between the pack, reeling in the lone rider. We maintained a
nice pace for a couple miles, but I got winded and had to back down. The few rollers ahead on our route were
not much of a challenge even with the Ritchey double crank, but my out of shape motor kept me from keeping up.
Then again I was happy just to be out in early December, on a cool light weight bike, and took a few deep
breaths of the crisp morning air to savor the moment.
As the ride continued I did notice some cramping in my right upper hamstring, and stood up on the pedals for 10-
15 seconds on a slight downgrade to get the circulation going again. It wasn’t the butt bone pain I used
experience while mountain biking, but more of a muscle cramp from the new riding position, similar to
recumbent butt. Randy said that it would take a couple weeks to get acclimated to the new ergo’s. Over the next
couple weeks I plan to use the Zenetik on my 10 mile one-way commute, where it should be right at home. The
upright angle allows for quick and easy over the shoulder looks, instead of mostly relying on a Take-A-Look
mirror mounted to my sunglasses.
At the half way point of the ride there is a steep climb up to the parking lot of the Los Vaqueros reservoir visitor’s
center, and I was able to pump up the 8-10% grade with moderate effort. A triple crank would probably be better
suited on longer climbs, but I can appreciate the efforts taken to keep this sleek machine nice and light.
Returning to the coffee shop at the end of the ride, I realized my legs were still plenty fresh, and there was no
pain in the ass to speak of. Can some of the comforts of a recumbent be blended with the pure functionality of a
traditional upright? After this quick 30 mile jaunt, I’d have to say…you bet! Will my parts be as happy after a metric
or full century? Well we’ll find out as the new riding season approaches. As Randy Schlitter said, “this has to be
one of the most comfortable aluminum road bikes on the market,” and in my opinion should satisfy all but the
hardcore hammerheads. The RANS Zenetik is a lean multi-funtional work horse, and with rack and disc tabs on
the rear dropouts I wonder what other variations Randy might have up his sleeve.
10.30.05 - 2005 RANS Stratus XP
Just returned from the maiden voyage/inspection test run on our first dual 26" Stratus XP. After staying up past
mid-night and jamming around in the wee hour darkness, I was very anxious to get out for a real ride and wring
out the new XP. Our local club www.deltaped.org does a weekly 30 miler over flat and rolling terrain.
Right from the get go, it was instantly clear that this blue beauty was built to go. I really had to try and mellow out
my pace in order to be able to casually chat with my riding buddies. On the RANS Stratus Classic (26"/20"
format) I always feel like the slow steady grades along our loop drag me down, but not on the new Stratus. The
stiffer frame, dual 26" wheels, and one less idler wheel, helped me cruise along with energy to spare. Mashing
on the pedals is rewarded with a surge of acceleration, which is further aided by the new bottom bracket height
that was raised by 2" over the Classic. The Avid Arch Rival brakes with their parallelogram pad motion, haul the
rig down with minimal effort. I wonder how the Tektro disc brakes would work on this bike, and since the XP is
shipped with disc hubs standard, and an available disc upgrade package, we will soon find out. The 3-Way
Chopper bars were great, and finding the right position only required a couple of minor tweaks. The Chopper bar
Fairing Bag swallowed all my essentials, even the pump, spare tube, Gatorade bottle, and camera, without the
need for the tail pack I normally use. There is even a space below the main compartment I plan to use to store
the route sheet on future organized rides. The Stratus XP takes the best qualities of the Classic, and elevates
them to another level of performance and refinement. Considering the Classic has been in continuous
production since 1979, the newly evolved XP is a fitting encore, and in raises the Long Wheel Base recumbent
bar, almost literally with its two big wheels eh.
I hope to get in another double century in the remainder of 05', and the RANS Stratus XP will certainly be the
weapon of choice!!!
"Duo Touro Fantastico"
Saturday, I dropped by
Demo Sport in San Rafael
and introduced Steve and
Chris to the bennie's of
CF cycling. Great guys, and if you to
ski on anything check them out.
Sunday, I did a ride with my sister
in-law Amy, an ultra fitness savage that has only spent time
on a bike commuting to school, and never any longer rides.
The virgin RANS Dynamik Duo worked like a champ, and I believe has earned the title of "my favorite bike," which
customers always ask, but I never had a firm answer for. Tandems offer the most unique, and enjoyable cycling
experiences ever yet had. There is far less to worry about, and you can really feel the power of the Team as you
begin to acquire, hunt, and humiliate "targets."
Amy and I were rolling at 7am, and did the China camp loop in reverse, cut through San Rafael, up the backside
to San Quetin (sp) prison, a quick coffee stop in Corte Madera, and then out through Kentfield. We stopped at
College of Marin, and shot a couple pics in front of the library corner window, where I met my lady 13 years ago
(her parents meet inside the library eh, true :) We ventured through the homes and pretty people in the lush
valley heading out to San Anselmo, and finished our ride with a stop at the Italian street painting display in the
heart of San Rafael. Stat's,2.20hr, 39.8mi, 12.0 ave. Next time Golden Gate is the goal.
06.04.06 - 2005 Cruz "part duex"
Got a nice loop in today with some
local friends. We met up with a
Crank Foward Super Hero, who dressed
the part and rode on a single speed Nirve
CF. He had the most perfectly matched
fingernail motif...wish I had another
picture to share.
06.03.06 - 2005 Cruz "Grapes of Draft"
Woke up early in anticipation of the Napa
group ride. I had to decide between
riding the Zenetik Pro demo or the Cruz
demo, and since my winter coat is still on
and I usually carry a load of stuff, the rear
rack and panniers on the Cruz became
the obvious choice. Having only
commuted on the Cruz a couple times
I was anxious to see if she could work
well as a weekend touring rig, and still
be frisky enough to be fun. A recent
customer, Howard, organized the ride
and invite me to come out and explore some of the beautiful Napa vineyards, and meet some more bent folks
(thanks eh!!!)
We meet up at a downtown coffee shop and chatted for a bit while the usual suspects gathered together. Doug
rolled up on a workhorse Stratus Classic, with a full blown mtb tire on the rear. John was riding a Formula,
John (#2) on an GRR or TE, and Jim on a TE, most of them equipped with front fairings, so I wasn't sure if the
upright wind sucking ergo's would keep the Cruz and I riding sweep position. The ride was the ride was the
perfect pace for my out of shape engine. Using the upper body core muscles for brief sprints reminded me of
dropping a couple gears in the old Miata to get a quick burst of speed. In the early going, Jim has a tire blow out
(sounded like a hunting rifle) and we put the breaks on, and joined up to tackle the problem. Fortunately, it was
on straight and level road, and there was no lasting memories as a result. The replacement tubes were giving
us fits, as the narrow front rim on Jim's TE made avoiding pinch flats a bit tricky. Howard made a quick trip up
the road to a LBS to get a couple extra tubes, and was surprised that we screwed up another tube on our second
attempt. 3rd try worked like a charm, and while we were resting I offered the Cruz to Jim and John to loop about
in the parking lot. I was also fooling around with the Cruz and was able to make extremely tighten circles, while
dragging the rear brake, probably within 8' in diameter. This reminded me of when I got my motorcycle license
years back, and this skill was part of the riding test.
Shortly after we were back on the road, after we held a quick route discussion to see how far we wanted to go
with the available time. Opting for the shorter more scenic route, we heading out towards the Carnares (sp)
region of the Napa valley and we quickly amidst beautiful vista's and rows and rows of select vineyards. Here I
got the opportunity to muscle the Cruz up some short rollers, and was able to maintain a decent pace, although I
did get thoroughly winded. Howard suggested to Jim that they try a roll down test on the roller coast mounds
ahead, and I did my best roadie impersonation and tried to draft them through the vineyard hills. Howard and
Jim did pull out a bit, and I sat back up straight to relieve my neck, dropped her into high gear and reeled them
in. Howard took us on some amazing roads, and added a couple steep mini-climbs to remind some of us that
our winter riding funk was now over.
Coasting back into downtown, we grouped up three abreast and discussed our culinary options. Middle-Eastern
won the day, and Howard navigated us towards our chosen destination. One particular street was lined with
100' tall redwoods, a most memorable site that surely deserves a future Kodak moment. Pulled in front of the
Small World restaurant and lined up our trust mounts along the curb and sidewalk. I'd highly recommend the
smoothies which instantly quenched with their tasty whole fruit ingredients, and were a telling sign of the grub to
come. There are a lot of beautiful people and fancy cars in hip downtown Napa, and several fine eateries. After
sharing stories, jokes and some falafel consumption, we saddled up and headed for our waiting spouses. It
was a great way to get out and see some new roads and make some new friends. The Cruz was a snappy
mount, and although the Zenetik Pro might have been faster, the attitude, cargo capacity, and more raked ergo's
of the Cruz made for a perfect match for this fairly flat excursion. Thanks again Howard for spoiling us in the
beautiful Napa backroads.
04.02.06 - 2006 RANS Formula 26
What a treat!!! Got the Formula 26 out for a quick loop. Ready to roll with stainless Egg-beaters pedals she
weighs 30.5 lbs. Impressive for low spec. parts, kickstand, discs and stock seat. I really like the riding position. It
reminds me very much of my first bent the Bacchetta Giro...higher then the Stratus XP, and much more relaxed
then the Force 5XP. It didn't feel like I had to hold my head up, or hold arms out ala superman. The riding
position seems more versitile, both for mixing it up with traffic, frequent stops, and just enjoying the view. Since
it's more upright I think shorter riders will have flat foot confidence on a dual big for the 2nd time (1st being S-XP).
The Formula 26 rolls along as quickly if not a tad faster then the Stratus XP, mostly likely due to the higher
bottom bracket and the resulting improved aerodynamics. U-turns are a snap, and low speed handling is very
stable. For some reason I just feel like it is easier to relax and take in the view on all LWB's, versus the Force 5
which seems to demand more of your attention.
Climbing should be better for me on the longer grades with the Formula 26 then the F5XP because of the more
closed riding position. Then again it's been many months since I've done any riding on the F5. The Formula 26
has the all the tech bits (disc's), the great brushed aluminum look, chopper bar bag option, and will even a
hardshell seat, and more tire options then 650s eh. I think my personal recumbent search is over, and am glad
Randy Schlitter had the idea to convert the Formula to this new format.
12.11.05 – 2006 RANS Zenetik Pro
Not sure what the temperature was when I crawled out of bed this Sunday morning, but it certainly wasn’t
enough to hold me back from trying out the new Zenetik. Having only spent a small amount of seat time on this
bike at Interbike back in September, and more recently on the rest of the Crank Forwards, the allure of the CF
flagship was strong. I’ve been spending the last couple weekends tooling around on the Stratus XP, so I was
curious as to what new muscles I might feel by switching formats. Randy Schlitter was kind enough to let me
wrangle away one of his Interbike demo bikes for an early preview of what’s coming this February.
The local club heads out at 9am, and I was out the door by about 8:35am with plenty of time to make any seat
adjustment before arriving. The seat seemed plenty comfortable at the almost level position, with maybe a slight
5 degrees of nose drop. Finding a position that worked wasn’t too hard, and the wide thinly padded carbon seat
lets you move around a bit to find the ideal position. The ride is smooth and dead silent, with no idler wheels to
disturb the peace. Ergonomically is seems to work, even though I had a few doubts being so spoiled with
recumbent comforts over the miles. My body position was fairly up right with a slight forward lean, and very light
pressure on my wrists and shoulders. I arrived early at the usual coffee shop start point and parked the Zenetik,
and walked away waiting for the first club riders to show up and see their initial response. The first couple rode
up and sort of did a double take, and the gentleman dismounted his Rivendell Ramboulliet and said, “I didn’t
know RANS made bikes like that.” After we went through the typical questions with regards to materials, price
and weight, he recommended I show it to Grant Petersen of Rivendell, whose design methodology is form,
function, durability and comfort. Tom and he wife Veronica were both on Ramboulliets and seemed to appreciate
the Zenetik design. Tom asked what exactly the target market was, and I replied that it’s the perfect bike for the
guys that can’t go further then a metric century without pain, or the curious recumbent rider looking to mix up their
fleet with something completely different. The high end parts had several people taking a closer look and asking
questions, while others admired the acres and acres of saddle surface area. The hammerheads stared but
remained silent on their carbon Orbeas. Some people didn’t recognize me at first, because I wasn’t on a
recumbent this time.
The group headed out along the usual route, and being way out of shape I wasn’t going to push too hard, and
rather just enjoy the experience. Keeping pace wasn’t much of an issue with the regular riders, and since I had
not mounted a computer yet I asked Veronica fast we were going…and was happy to hear we were comfortably
cruising along the flats at 18-19mph. Four of us left a few minutes ahead of the rest of the group, and they caught
up after the first 3-4 miles. Waiting at a busy intersection I admired the fact that I was stopped flat footed and
ready to go, while everyone else was side saddled with their privates on the top tube. One hammerhead pulled
out before the light changed with a clear gap in traffic, and waited ahead on the road for the rest of us. Once the
light changed I took the opportunity to open her up do a quick sprint. Getting into the power is a simple matter,
just start out in the right gear and muscle ahead while staying seated, and use your forearms to pull into the
pedal stroke. I quickly motored out and put a gap between the pack, reeling in the lone rider. We maintained a
nice pace for a couple miles, but I got winded and had to back down. The few rollers ahead on our route were
not much of a challenge even with the Ritchey double crank, but my out of shape motor kept me from keeping up.
Then again I was happy just to be out in early December, on a cool light weight bike, and took a few deep
breaths of the crisp morning air to savor the moment.
As the ride continued I did notice some cramping in my right upper hamstring, and stood up on the pedals for 10-
15 seconds on a slight downgrade to get the circulation going again. It wasn’t the butt bone pain I used
experience while mountain biking, but more of a muscle cramp from the new riding position, similar to
recumbent butt. Randy said that it would take a couple weeks to get acclimated to the new ergo’s. Over the next
couple weeks I plan to use the Zenetik on my 10 mile one-way commute, where it should be right at home. The
upright angle allows for quick and easy over the shoulder looks, instead of mostly relying on a Take-A-Look
mirror mounted to my sunglasses.
At the half way point of the ride there is a steep climb up to the parking lot of the Los Vaqueros reservoir visitor’s
center, and I was able to pump up the 8-10% grade with moderate effort. A triple crank would probably be better
suited on longer climbs, but I can appreciate the efforts taken to keep this sleek machine nice and light.
Returning to the coffee shop at the end of the ride, I realized my legs were still plenty fresh, and there was no
pain in the ass to speak of. Can some of the comforts of a recumbent be blended with the pure functionality of a
traditional upright? After this quick 30 mile jaunt, I’d have to say…you bet! Will my parts be as happy after a metric
or full century? Well we’ll find out as the new riding season approaches. As Randy Schlitter said, “this has to be
one of the most comfortable aluminum road bikes on the market,” and in my opinion should satisfy all but the
hardcore hammerheads. The RANS Zenetik is a lean multi-funtional work horse, and with rack and disc tabs on
the rear dropouts I wonder what other variations Randy might have up his sleeve.
10.30.05 - 2005 RANS Stratus XP
Just returned from the maiden voyage/inspection test run on our first dual 26" Stratus XP. After staying up past
mid-night and jamming around in the wee hour darkness, I was very anxious to get out for a real ride and wring
out the new XP. Our local club www.deltaped.org does a weekly 30 miler over flat and rolling terrain.
Right from the get go, it was instantly clear that this blue beauty was built to go. I really had to try and mellow out
my pace in order to be able to casually chat with my riding buddies. On the RANS Stratus Classic (26"/20"
format) I always feel like the slow steady grades along our loop drag me down, but not on the new Stratus. The
stiffer frame, dual 26" wheels, and one less idler wheel, helped me cruise along with energy to spare. Mashing
on the pedals is rewarded with a surge of acceleration, which is further aided by the new bottom bracket height
that was raised by 2" over the Classic. The Avid Arch Rival brakes with their parallelogram pad motion, haul the
rig down with minimal effort. I wonder how the Tektro disc brakes would work on this bike, and since the XP is
shipped with disc hubs standard, and an available disc upgrade package, we will soon find out. The 3-Way
Chopper bars were great, and finding the right position only required a couple of minor tweaks. The Chopper bar
Fairing Bag swallowed all my essentials, even the pump, spare tube, Gatorade bottle, and camera, without the
need for the tail pack I normally use. There is even a space below the main compartment I plan to use to store
the route sheet on future organized rides. The Stratus XP takes the best qualities of the Classic, and elevates
them to another level of performance and refinement. Considering the Classic has been in continuous
production since 1979, the newly evolved XP is a fitting encore, and in raises the Long Wheel Base recumbent
bar, almost literally with its two big wheels eh.
I hope to get in another double century in the remainder of 05', and the RANS Stratus XP will certainly be the
weapon of choice!!!
01.01.07 - Mt Diablo
Got out on Monday with the local In Shape Gym spin class folks
for a ride up the biggest hill in the area, Mt. Diablo, to put our
resolutions into action eh. Lots of people brought kids and
spouses out, some for their first ever Diablo assault.
It was a mighty fine day to ride, and the temps were in the low 40's
and climbing as the ride went on. Most stopped at the Ranger
Stations about half way up, and several strong souls also made
the run to the top. The 3 unicyclist looked like they didn't have too
much trouble making the climb, just wonder how they descend.
Got out on Monday with the local In Shape Gym spin class folks
for a ride up the biggest hill in the area, Mt. Diablo, to put our
resolutions into action eh. Lots of people brought kids and
spouses out, some for their first ever Diablo assault.
It was a mighty fine day to ride, and the temps were in the low 40's
and climbing as the ride went on. Most stopped at the Ranger
Stations about half way up, and several strong souls also made
the run to the top. The 3 unicyclist looked like they didn't have too
much trouble making the climb, just wonder how they descend.
01.07.07 - Sunday Club ride with the Delta Pedalers
Another perfect day to ride, cool, crisp and clear. This year one of
my goal is to try and right more, since last year my longest rides
was all of 45 miles with Geoff from Fairfield More pics from that
ride can be found about half way down on the Mindbank photo
page. Since I brought the camera along as usually I took the
opportunity to snap pics of most of the riders as they rolled up to
the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Interpretive Center On the return trip
John, Margot and I made a quick pitstop at the Wolfe Ranch fruit
stand to collect some of the delicious clementine mandarin
oranges which are in season. Then it was back to our start point
at Panama Bay Coffee to warm up and relax with friends.
Another perfect day to ride, cool, crisp and clear. This year one of
my goal is to try and right more, since last year my longest rides
was all of 45 miles with Geoff from Fairfield More pics from that
ride can be found about half way down on the Mindbank photo
page. Since I brought the camera along as usually I took the
opportunity to snap pics of most of the riders as they rolled up to
the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Interpretive Center On the return trip
John, Margot and I made a quick pitstop at the Wolfe Ranch fruit
stand to collect some of the delicious clementine mandarin
oranges which are in season. Then it was back to our start point
at Panama Bay Coffee to warm up and relax with friends.
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