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General Category >> rbent Lobby >> What's on the sales floor thread
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Message started by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 1^st, 2009, 9:05am

Title: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 1^st, 2009, 9:05am

Don't know how well this might work as a thread concept, but it might be useful to have a place to post occasional informational informal surveys of what recumbents are on the sales floor of local area shops, or perhaps new models that show up...

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 1^st, 2009, 9:10am

Seen during visit to RBM Richardson, 2/28 --

* Several Dahon and other folding bikes;
* The Sun Tomahawk is still sitting there, over a year later (I think), as well as a couple other Sun models;
* An XPR Blaze;
* A couple of Lightning Phantoms;
* Several RANS CFs -- Fusion, Zenetik, Cruz
* Just three or four CT or WW trikes, and a Sun

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by aikigreg on Mar 1^st, 2009, 12:01pm

Bike's Inc, Arlington:

Cycles genius LWB models
Sun trikes and others
one Rans F5.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by freakflyer9999 on Mar 1^st, 2009, 12:53pm

City Cyclist

Several Sun's including a Delta Trike.
Trice T
Trice Q 26 waiting to be built in the back

Mike told me that they are also looking into becoming a Rans dealer in the near future.

Debbie has been corresponding with Reverse Gear about carrying their recumbent specific apparel.

Fort Worth Cycling.

Terra Trike Zoomer Elite, Cruiser and Path

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by evblazer on Mar 1^st, 2009, 2:02pm

Bluebonnet (North of Valley Ridge on the 35E Service Road)

Sun. A few trikes and an older two wheeler. One of the trikes is a EZ-3 USX

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 11^th, 2009, 2:11pm

Stopped up at PCF on March 10... on the floor were:

* StratusXP AL (with chain tube scratch), mounted on hitch rack demonstration
* EZ3-SX tadpole, EZ3 USX and OSS trikes;
* Several Bacchetta Corsas, Strada, Giro, and Cafe
* RANS V3 Al

Rick said that they had an XStream on order, but not everything they have in stock is necessarily on the floor, and to please call in and ask...

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by Bud_Bent on Mar 13^th, 2009, 8:02pm

Paul, that rack at Plano Cycling with the Stratus XP on it is probably a Long Bike Tote (http://www.longbiketote.com/) rack. These racks are made by Tom and Lucia Howorth, who live near Aledo. They aren't recumbent riders, but rather tandem riders, and built this rack to let their tandem fit well behind a small car. But it's also a good rack for a long wheelbase recumbent. Rick put me in touch with them, and I have been working with them and using a prototype rack, to help adapt it better for recumbents. I'll be posting a review of it soon.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 13^th, 2009, 10:25pm

You are correct, Sir! Rick was describing this to me -- it had apparently been there for a couple of years, but tucked underneath all the hanging bikes, unnoticed by most...

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by richardr on Mar 14^th, 2009, 10:13am

Bud_Bent wrote:

Bud,
Speaking of bike racks. I followed your advise, 8-) installed a hitch on my Mazda5 and bought an X-port rack at Performance when they were on sale. The Rans Stratus just barely fits when the wheel holders are turned up-side-down. So now we can transport both bents easily and Vicky can load the Stratus herself, once I put the bike rack on the car.

Due to the weather these past few days, we haven't taken the bikes anywhere on it. My main concern is the care I will have to take driving because the Stratus sticks out about a foot on either side of the car.

Richard

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 14^th, 2009, 12:30pm

Do you take the front wheel off, Rich? Helps a bit....

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by irodguy on Mar 14^th, 2009, 1:13pm

I know what you man about the bike sticking out. The goldrush does the same, and I am driving it to Florida for delivery. I have driving it all around town without an issue though. It just take remembering that you are driving a truck or about the same width an any rate.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by Bud_Bent on Mar 14^th, 2009, 7:30pm

richardr wrote:

Glad it worked out for you, Richard. Yes, the long wheelbase bikes get awfully long when you carry them sideways on a hitch rack. The Stratus or Rose's Xstream (which is over 3 inches shorter than a production Xstream) are just about the maximum length bike I want to carry sideways with the wheels on. That's one of the cool things about the new Long Bike Tote. It will let you remove either the front, or both wheels, which shortens things up a lot.

Of course, it's a lot easier with a rack that doesn't make you take the wheels off, and I've gotten spoiled by my quick loading Sportworks rack, but some bikes just get too long for that.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by Bud_Bent on Mar 14^th, 2009, 7:32pm

FlyingLaZBoy wrote:

Do you take the front wheel off, Rich? Helps a bit....

You can't take wheels off with an Xport rack (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=22745&subcategory_ID=4411).

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by irodguy on Mar 14^th, 2009, 9:54pm

Richard,

You can simply order the long wheel base conversion kit from Hollywood. http://www.hollywoodracks.com/parts-accessories/parts-accessories.htm the xport is made by Hollywood and basically the same as the Hollywood sportrider. The only downside is the $70 price tag.

richardr wrote:

[quote author=Bud_Bent link=1235919926/0#6 date=1236992564]Paul, that rack at Plano Cycling with the Stratus XP on it is probably a Long Bike Tote (http://www.longbiketote.com/) rack. These racks are made by Tom and Lucia Howorth, who live near Aledo. They aren't recumbent riders, but rather tandem riders, and built this rack to let their tandem fit well behind a small car. But it's also a good rack for a long wheelbase recumbent. Rick put me in touch with them, and I have been working with them and using a prototype rack, to help adapt it better for recumbents. I'll be posting a review of it soon.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by aikigreg on Mar 14^th, 2009, 11:39pm

you sureit's the same rack? It's a lot cheaper from performance bike, and that doesn't compute.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by Bud_Bent on Mar 15^th, 2009, 12:23am

aikigreg wrote:

you sureit's the same rack? It's a lot cheaper from performance bike, and that doesn't compute.

The Hollywood Sport Rider is the same rack. Performance puts the Xport brand on it. It's not a lot cheaper; you're only looking at accessories on that page. The complete two bike rack (http://www.hollywoodracks.com/hitch-racks/sportrider-hitch-rack.htm) is $229. That's not including the long bike kit.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by richardr on Mar 15^th, 2009, 9:11am

irodguy wrote:

Although I didn't measure the hole spacing, it looks like the conversion kit works with my rack. It took me a few minutes to figure out, but I see it replaces the square tubing the wheel holders clamp to with longer ones, extending the length of bike that fits on the rack. However it doesn't allow the bike to be mounted without the front wheel, so the bike sticks out just as far on either side. A person would have to drive very carefully if they were to carry a bike longer than a Stratus across the back of their vehicle.

Richard

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 28^th, 2009, 8:02pm

Stopped up at Plano Cycling today, and they've got an XStream on the sales floor.... I took the opportunity to drop the seat to a "normal" reclined position (for the Hoagie style), and suggested to Kyle that he rotate the brake grips upwards about 45 degrees... I also took the opportunity to look over the frame, and there is definitely extra room between the stays for a much wider tire on the back wheel... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by kingjason on Mar 28^th, 2009, 8:57pm

LOL Yeah I had talked to Rans two weeks ago and they told me one was headed to Plano. I called and the woman said she had one and would have it built by 2p. I never made it by today but may try on monday. Somebody please go buy it Monday early so I dont. I kinda want to buy the frame kit and put 160mm cranks and a set of aeroheat/chris kings 36 holes on it.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by irodguy on Mar 28^th, 2009, 11:23pm

That sounds like what Mark @ PowerOn is planning for my wheels. I just have to decide on the cassette gearing. My Xstream frame set just got there on Friday. Of course mine will be setup is more of a fast touring platform than anything else. He is going with the Bachetta headset instead of the Rans. He told me that the Bachetta is simply better at staying tight.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 30^th, 2009, 4:35pm

irodguy wrote:

.... I just have to decide on the cassette gearing.

Rodney, just as a reference, the only time I used the 30T "Granny" on the Proto in 7 months was by accident, inadvertently overshifting... So the "stock" 30//39/52 will probably be good for you... Unless you're considering 42/56 for the larger gears, that is...

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by jcsadowski on May 24^th, 2009, 5:20pm

I see a used R200 on the floor at RMB for $999.00
Wonder why someone dosen't snap it up?????

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by aikigreg on May 25^th, 2009, 10:21pm

Dropped by city cyclist today. Mike had been test riding the v-rex, and decided the original seat was too big and swapped it for thehoagie that came on the F5. He's been commuting with it and rode it 30 miles or so on a tour this past weekend and is just loving the bike. Apparently he's keeping it for himself!

Can't say I blame him. It's absolutely gorgeous with the two tone silver and yellow paint job, and the hoagie seat looks like a natural fit. Looks fast just sitting there.

Title: Re: What's on the sales floor thread
Post by FrankB on May 26^th, 2009, 8:13pm

Hey, I was in College Station Memorial Day weekend. Stopped in Aggieland Cycling since I needed some help for our daughter-in law's Schwinn (Target). Anyway, they had a Sun LWB bike sitting outside for sale. The guy said they were a dealer and tried to keep one on hand. There are 3 shops in BCS and they were the only shop doing any business on Monday. Pretty busy with repairs and sales, 3 employees.
FrankB