Volae Reports Anyone?

bentup <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Looking for new reports on the Volae, good or bad. Haven't seen anything new for several months
and was looking at purchasing one this winter (Club LX or Team). Now that some of the owners have
had several months of riding in, what's your opinion of the bike?

Looking for comments (for everyone) on :
- What other bike(s) are you comparing it to.
- Average speed improvement?
- Hill climbing improvement, or not, or in general.
- Your component setup, and suggested upgrades.
- Problems or concerns.

And if you still have time, I would be interested in comments regarding the following
?hypothetical person? which could soon be purchasing a Volae. (No, this is not me, really?.
really):

Age: fast approaching 50 (in 6 months). Height/weight: 5?6?, 10-15 pounds more than it should be.
Typical yearly distance: 1500-2000 miles (would be more but wife/kids/house/yard/etc. come into
play). 10-20 miles weekdays, 3 days per week and 30-60 miles per day on weekends, time/weather
permitting. Terrain: hilly back roads, ¼ to ¾ mile hills, sometimes steep, kettle moraine area.

This ?hypothetical person? is looking for comments regarding:
- Experience switching from a TE (present bike) to a Volae.
- Suggested gearing.
- Suggested crank arm length for this ?not so tall? person (inseam 31?).
- Any other comments you may have for this ?hypothetical person?.
- Front tire selection issues. (seen eariler posts regarding problems fitting different
tires into fork)

Thanks in advance for any comments. Sorry for the length of this post, much longer than I first
thought it would be.

I thought about getting a volae but ended up buying a Bacchetta.here are a few things to think
about. If Visions [ATP makes the Volae frames]future is in question I would be think twice about
buying the Volae. Since Volae is a Hostelshoppe only bike you won't have the dealer base that
Bacchetta does. I like the oval frame tube better than the round tube that The Volae has. I sure
others will add to my 2cents.

Vision no longer makes the frames. Hostel Shoppe's owner told me he is in the process of moving
frame production to a high-quality frame manufacturing facility in the Midwest, nearer to Hostel
Shoppe. The manufacturing facility was part of the original Schwinn company and is run by a
Schwinn heir.

Also, Volae uses higher quality components than Bachetta or Vision at the same price points.

Finally, you can order a Volae from Hostel Shoppe, ride it for two weeks then return it and you
total cost is a 5% restocking fee plus shipping both ways (and any setup costs you may have paid
your LBS).

Personally speaking, I think that is a very fair deal. A LOT of recumbents are sitting unused in
garages because their owners discovered after a couple of weeks of riding that their new bikes were
not quite "right" for them.

Gatorized Bob Siegel in Gainesville FL "Bill B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

bentup <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Looking for new reports on the Volae, good or bad. Haven't seen anything new for several months
and was looking at purchasing one this winter (Club LX or Team). Now that some of the owners
have had several months of riding in, what's your opinion of the bike?

Looking for comments (for everyone) on :
- What other bike(s) are you comparing it to.
- Average speed improvement?
- Hill climbing improvement, or not, or in general.
- Your component setup, and suggested upgrades.
- Problems or concerns.

And if you still have time, I would be interested in comments regarding the following
?hypothetical person? which could soon be purchasing a Volae. (No, this is not me, really?.
really):

Age: fast approaching 50 (in 6 months). Height/weight: 5?6?, 10-15 pounds more than it should
be. Typical yearly distance: 1500-2000 miles (would be more but wife/kids/house/yard/etc. come
into play). 10-20 miles weekdays, 3 days per week and 30-60 miles per day on weekends,
time/weather permitting. Terrain: hilly back roads, ¼ to ¾ mile hills, sometimes steep, kettle
moraine area.

This ?hypothetical person? is looking for comments regarding:
- Experience switching from a TE (present bike) to a Volae.
- Suggested gearing.
- Suggested crank arm length for this ?not so tall? person (inseam 31?).
- Any other comments you may have for this ?hypothetical person?.
- Front tire selection issues. (seen eariler posts regarding problems fitting different
tires into fork)

Thanks in advance for any comments. Sorry for the length of this post, much longer than I first
thought it would be.

I thought about getting a volae but ended up buying a Bacchetta.here are a few things to think
about. If Visions [ATP makes the Volae frames]future is in question I would be think twice about
buying the Volae. Since Volae is a Hostelshoppe only bike you won't have the dealer base that
Bacchetta does. I like the oval frame tube better than the round tube that The Volae has. I sure
others will add to my 2cents.

In article <[email hidden]>, Robert Siegel
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Finally, you can order a Volae from Hostel Shoppe, ride it for two weeks then return it and you
total cost is a 5% restocking fee plus shipping both ways (and any setup costs you may have paid
your LBS).

Personally speaking, I think that is a very fair deal. A LOT of recumbents are sitting unused in
garages because their owners discovered after a couple of weeks of riding that their new bikes
were not quite "right" for them.

[...] hostel shoppe ships also to italy? ;-) matteo

You need to ask Hostel Shoppe.

--
Gatorized Bob Siegel in Gainesville FL "tzenobite" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Robert Siegel
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Finally, you can order a Volae from Hostel Shoppe, ride it for two weeks then return it and you
total cost is a 5% restocking fee plus shipping

both

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ways (and any setup costs you may have paid your LBS).

Personally speaking, I think that is a very fair deal. A LOT of

recumbents

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are sitting unused in garages because their owners discovered after a

couple

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of weeks of riding that their new bikes were not quite "right" for them.

[...] hostel shoppe ships also to italy? ;-) matteo

I visited HS yesterday...Was told Waterford Precision Cycles in Waterford, WI is the new frame
builder. No changes planned in geometry, but look for a new wider tire/fender capable dual 26 next
season. Also, Rolf is designing a new seat to offer as an option to the hardshell type, for those so
inclined... That's all I was able to learn...

Doc Musekamp

"Robert Siegel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Vision no longer makes the frames. Hostel Shoppe's owner told me he is in the process of moving
frame production to a high-quality frame

manufacturing

Quoted message said:

facility in the Midwest, nearer to Hostel Shoppe. The manufacturing facility was part of the
original Schwinn company and is run by a Schwinn heir.

Also, Volae uses higher quality components than Bachetta or Vision at the same price points.

Finally, you can order a Volae from Hostel Shoppe, ride it for two weeks then return it and you
total cost is a 5% restocking fee plus shipping

both

Quoted message said:

ways (and any setup costs you may have paid your LBS).

Personally speaking, I think that is a very fair deal. A LOT of

recumbents

Quoted message said:

are sitting unused in garages because their owners discovered after a

couple

Quoted message said:

of weeks of riding that their new bikes were not quite "right" for them.

Gatorized Bob Siegel in Gainesville FL "Bill B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

bentup <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Looking for new reports on the Volae, good or bad. Haven't seen

anything

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

new for several months and was looking at purchasing one this winter (Club LX or Team). Now
that some of the owners have had several months of riding in, what's your opinion of the bike?

Looking for comments (for everyone) on :
- What other bike(s) are you comparing it to.
- Average speed improvement?
- Hill climbing improvement, or not, or in general.
- Your component setup, and suggested upgrades.
- Problems or concerns.

And if you still have time, I would be interested in comments

regarding

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the following ?hypothetical person? which could soon be purchasing a Volae. (No, this is not
me, really?. really):

Age: fast approaching 50 (in 6 months). Height/weight: 5?6?, 10-15 pounds more than it should
be. Typical yearly distance: 1500-2000

miles

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(would be more but wife/kids/house/yard/etc. come into play). 10-20 miles weekdays, 3 days per
week and 30-60 miles per day on weekends, time/weather permitting. Terrain: hilly back roads,
¼ to ¾ mile hills, sometimes steep, kettle moraine area.

This ?hypothetical person? is looking for comments regarding:
- Experience switching from a TE (present bike) to a Volae.
- Suggested gearing.
- Suggested crank arm length for this ?not so tall? person (inseam 31?).
- Any other comments you may have for this ?hypothetical

person?.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

- Front tire selection issues. (seen eariler posts regarding
problems fitting different tires into fork)

Thanks in advance for any comments. Sorry for the length of this post, much longer than I
first thought it would be.

I thought about getting a volae but ended up buying a Bacchetta.here are a few things to think
about. If Visions [ATP makes the Volae frames]future is in question I would be think twice about
buying the Volae. Since Volae is a Hostelshoppe only bike you won't have the dealer base that
Bacchetta does. I like the oval frame tube better than the round tube that The Volae has. I sure
others will add to my 2cents.

"Robert Siegel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Vision no longer makes the frames. Hostel Shoppe's owner told me he is in the process of moving
frame production to a high-quality frame manufacturing facility in the Midwest, nearer to Hostel
Shoppe. The manufacturing facility was part of the original Schwinn company and is run by a
Schwinn heir.

Waterford's gonna be making 'bents? Oh happy day!

I wonder if Richard Schwinn remembers anything about the "Schwinn" full-faired trike that was raced
in the early-'80's IHPVA events. I think Chris Jordan owns the frame now... I dunno where the body
shell went.

Jeff

tzenobite <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Robert Siegel
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Finally, you can order a Volae from Hostel Shoppe, ride it for two weeks then return it and you
total cost is a 5% restocking fee plus shipping both ways (and any setup costs you may have paid
your LBS).

Personally speaking, I think that is a very fair deal. A LOT of recumbents are sitting unused in
garages because their owners discovered after a couple of weeks of riding that their new bikes
were not quite "right" for them.

[...] hostel shoppe ships also to italy? ;-) matteo

I bought my Volae team in July, over 1500 miles ago. I also have a optima lynx (33 lbs.) I love my
Team average speed is up about 2mph. At 5'8 I ordered 165mm cranks , my knees are doing better with
the shorter cranks. The supersonic tires that came with the bike are not very good road tires,3
flats the first 100 miles. I put on some vredestein fortezza tires, much better I run about 120 psi
in them. Hills are faster now although I did replace the stock 12/27 cassette with a XT 11/32.Hostle
shoppe was great to work with hope their new frame builder works out. John

I bought a Volae Club LX in late September. Only previous recumbent experience was a few hundred
miles 10 years ago with a Counterpoint Presto, which I didn't like. I'm 50, 5'9", 150 pounds, and
live in NH on the VT border, lots of hills. I'm running Conti Ultra Gatorskins and have 265 miles on
the bike with no problems. I swapped the Truvativ crankset for an Ultegra 170mm and set that up
52-39-24 for a lower gear, using a DA BB. Using a 12-27 cassette and run out of top gear on a
downhill. I bought an 11T whihc i may put on the cassette to see if I should switch.

It is clear that riding this bike uses some different muscles than my upright. My upright is very
non-aero (31 yr old custom Bob Jackson with MTB bars to ease neck troubles) and it is clear that I
was slightly faster on the Volae than the BJ right off the bat. The Volae climbs much better than
the Presto and is much faster. I expect that I will ultimately be noticeably faster on the Volae
than the BJ.

Steering is a bit twitchy but I'm getting better every ride. Build quality seems fine. I find the
carbon M5 seat very comfortable, HS has been experimenting with two layers of different density
foam. I rode 60 miles (my longest ride on the Volae - wanting to "break-in" my new muscles without
injury) with a short stop in the middle and it was very easy on my body. I actually bonked close to
home because I had forgotten to stop and have something to eat!

I have fooled with seat angle a lot and am a bit more upright now than before, because it feels
better climbing and my low speed balance is better.

I had to choose which bike to buy from a distance without test riding. I considered both the
bacchetta and the volae and without real data chose the Club LX because I liked the seat attachment
and idler designs better than the Bacchetta, and because the Club LX price point seemed better than
a comparable Bacchetta. Although I have heard a lot on the Bacchetta list about the non-round tubing
and its superiority, I don't think I'm strong enough to care - it certainly doesn't feel soft when I
pedal hard. Interestingly enough, the flagship bacchetta, the Aero, is made from round tubing.

I feel very well treated by the HS folks and appreciated their "you can return it" policy.

It's already too darn cold here for me to enjoy riding so I'm mostly waiting for next season. I'm
trying to figure out if I should get a trainer for the winter to continue to build my "bent legs."

Marc Rosenbaum Meriden, NH

bentup <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Looking for new reports on the Volae, good or bad. Haven't seen anything new for several months
and was looking at purchasing one this winter (Club LX or Team). Now that some of the owners have
had several months of riding in, what's your opinion of the bike?

Looking for comments (for everyone) on :
- What other bike(s) are you comparing it to.
- Average speed improvement?
- Hill climbing improvement, or not, or in general.
- Your component setup, and suggested upgrades.
- Problems or concerns.

And if you still have time, I would be interested in comments regarding the following
?hypothetical person? which could soon be purchasing a Volae. (No, this is not me, really?.
really):

Age: fast approaching 50 (in 6 months). Height/weight: 5?6?, 10-15 pounds more than it should be.
Typical yearly distance: 1500-2000 miles (would be more but wife/kids/house/yard/etc. come into
play). 10-20 miles weekdays, 3 days per week and 30-60 miles per day on weekends, time/weather
permitting. Terrain: hilly back roads, ¼ to ¾ mile hills, sometimes steep, kettle moraine area.

This ?hypothetical person? is looking for comments regarding:
- Experience switching from a TE (present bike) to a Volae.
- Suggested gearing.
- Suggested crank arm length for this ?not so tall? person (inseam 31?).
- Any other comments you may have for this ?hypothetical person?.
- Front tire selection issues. (seen eariler posts regarding problems fitting different
tires into fork)

Thanks in advance for any comments. Sorry for the length of this post, much longer than I first
thought it would be.

I got one of the very first Club Volaes in early July of this year and now have about 3,000 miles on
it. I'm a little over 60, a little under 6 foot and around 170 lbs. After 30 years of riding DF
bikes, my back, neck and wrist problems were telling me it was time to quit biking. I never really
liked the idea of a recumbent and had never ridden one before this July - but desperation makes
strange bedfellows.

I'd met Rolf a few times before on tandem bike rides and found him to be very well respected in
the recumbent cycling world. So we drove a couple hundred miles to Stevens Point and spent most of
the day trying out both single and tandem recumbents. IMHO, the Hostel Shop is a great place to
buy a bike.

OK, the bike - I found it very difficult to learn to ride this critter and it took about 1,000 miles
before I felt mildly secure. After 2,000 miles I felt 98% as secure as I did on my old DF - heavy
city traffic is still a little more challenging than with a DF. I think my age and lack of any
recumbent experience was the reason for the long learning curve - younger folk would probably be
good-to-go in 50 miles.

After one month, I rode the MS 150 mile (in 2 days) Best Dam Bike Tour in Wisconsin. I simply could
not have made the ride on my old DF. The Volae was really great - although I was slow going up the
hills, down hills were an absolute thrill. My average speed was almost 15 mph - nothing to write
home about, but excellent for me. BTW, I seem to be slowly improving on hills as new muscles get
conditioned.

My back, neck and wrist problems all vanished - I really love that M5 seat. The Volae is actually
therapy for when my back gets sore from doing too much nonsense like household chores. I had foot
numbness on my DF and it is worse on the Volae but I'm working with a foot doc and hope to correct
this issue also.

The bike has been remarkably reliable and (knock on wood) I've had zero mechanical problems. After
3,000 miles I see very little wear on the 23c Gator Skin tires and (again, knock on wood) I've never
had a flat or needed to adjust a spoke.

I believe my average speed has increased about 2 mph even with if a bit slower on the steep hills -
we have lots of steep hills in the Wisconsin Kettle Moraine area. Moderate hills are no problem at
all. More importantly, I can ride 50 - 70 miles without pain!! The Volae reminds me of why I started
biking 30 years ago.

Now for a few issues - the 23c tire width has been very good and the Gator Skin tires have been
excellent; however, I prefer a 25c and cannot find a quality tire in that width for 650c (yes, Terry
makes a 28c tire that I don't want). If Gator Skin comes out with a 25c I'll buy it instantly just
to get a little more security on the occasional gravel road. Next is carrying capacity. I mounted 2
water bottle cages on the sides of the M5 seat and this is working pretty well. The basic seat bag
is excellent for club rides and day trips but not very good for any longer trips or foul weather
gear. Rolf helped me mount a Blackburn rear rack and that seems to be OK - a bit of a kluge bending
the arms. I plan to tour in Ireland with the bike next spring, so we'll see how well the rack works
out. I never used fenders on a DF and see even less of a need on the Volae with the M5 seat. I'm
also going to try some different chain rings. The 30/42/52 is OK but I'm going to try 24/38/48 as
I'd like to spin more on the steep hills and I almost never use the 52. I need to be going 26 or 28
mph to benefit from the 52 - I just don't peddle that much over 30 mph. BTW, I have a policy of not
going over 40 mph on any bike, but the Volae was rock solid at 45 when I did violate my rule one day
on a long down hill.

Basically, the component set has worked flawlessly.

I just learned on this thread about Waterford potentially building the frames - wow, that is
good news as these guys are really excellent frame builders with a solid business (at least as
far as I know).

I may not be the best judge of recumbents as this is my first bent, but I truly love the bike and
would not hesitate recommending it to anyone who is serious about biking (i.e. there may be a
learning curve for newbies). Hostel Shop is a great bike store, and the Volae is a really quality
bike. We also bought a Double Vision recumbent tandem. I like the bike, but would not give it the
same level of praise as the Volae - I just feel the Volae, for me, is one of those unique finds in
life. BTW, it is really interesting how many non bikers comment about my Volae - it seems to
represent some type of technical elegance that impresses a variety of people.

"bentup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Looking for new reports on the Volae, good or bad. Haven't seen anything new for several months
and was looking at purchasing one this winter (Club LX or Team). Now that some of the owners have
had several months of riding in, what's your opinion of the bike?

Looking for comments (for everyone) on :
- What other bike(s) are you comparing it to.
- Average speed improvement?
- Hill climbing improvement, or not, or in general.
- Your component setup, and suggested upgrades.
- Problems or concerns.

And if you still have time, I would be interested in comments regarding the following
"hypothetical person" which could soon be purchasing a Volae. (No, this is not me, really..
really):

Age: fast approaching 50 (in 6 months). Height/weight: 5'6", 10-15 pounds more than it should be.
Typical yearly distance: 1500-2000 miles (would be more but wife/kids/house/yard/etc. come into
play). 10-20 miles weekdays, 3 days per week and 30-60 miles per day on weekends, time/weather
permitting. Terrain: hilly back roads, ¼ to ¾ mile hills, sometimes steep, kettle moraine area.

This "hypothetical person" is looking for comments regarding:
- Experience switching from a TE (present bike) to a Volae.
- Suggested gearing.
- Suggested crank arm length for this "not so tall" person (inseam 31"😉.
- Any other comments you may have for this "hypothetical person".
- Front tire selection issues. (seen eariler posts regarding problems fitting different
tires into fork)

Thanks in advance for any comments. Sorry for the length of this post, much longer than I first
thought it would be.

--

Quoted message said:

--------------------------<

Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

"Robert Siegel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Vision no longer makes the frames. Hostel Shoppe's owner told me he is in the process of moving
frame production to a high-quality frame

manufacturing

Quoted message said:

facility in the Midwest, nearer to Hostel Shoppe. The manufacturing facility was part of the
original Schwinn company and is run by a Schwinn heir.

Could it be Waterford? That's very close to Hostel Shoppe, and was part of the Schwinn company (they
made the Paramount frames).

Anybody wanna make a bet with me?

Quoted message said:

Also, Volae uses higher quality components than Bachetta or Vision at the same price points.

They cut out the middle man to get better margins.

Quoted message said:

Finally, you can order a Volae from Hostel Shoppe, ride it for two weeks then return it and you
total cost is a 5% restocking fee plus shipping

both

Quoted message said:

ways (and any setup costs you may have paid your LBS).

What have they got to lose? Great idea, IMO. It would be very hard to pack up your new Volae and
send it back.

Quoted message said:

Personally speaking, I think that is a very fair deal. A LOT of

recumbents

Quoted message said:

are sitting unused in garages because their owners discovered after a

couple

Quoted message said:

of weeks of riding that their new bikes were not quite "right" for them.

Gotta agree with ya. Sounds like Hostel Shoppe has it all figured out.

-Barry

"Doc Musekamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I visited HS yesterday...Was told Waterford Precision Cycles in Waterford, WI is the new frame
builder.

I knew it! Wow, that's a very reputable builder. Quite a pedigree.

-Barry

"Marc Rosenbaum" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Although I have heard a lot on the Bacchetta list about the non-round tubing and its superiority,
I don't think I'm strong enough to care - it certainly doesn't feel soft when I pedal hard.
Interestingly enough, the flagship bacchetta, the Aero, is made from round tubing.

If you work on your bike and you use a repair stand it sure is a lot easier to clamp a round tube
that it is the upside down teardrop tube.

John

My 2 cents.

two of the first Volaes made hang in my garage. No wait, one's on the trainer in the living room
now. (stupid darkness) My wife Jen's been on a club since before the production run, when Rolf
loaned her the prototype for a month. (How many bike shops have just up and loaned you a bike
for a month?)

She rides what is now a club LX. She came from a wedgie and took to the 'bent immediately. On her
first ride on the prototype, up in Pointy Steve, she was ditching the local club's roadies (while
I fought off food poisoning back in the park.)Two days into the loan she told me to sell her
Klein Quantum.

Don't believe any of the BS theories (always spouted by folks who haven't been on the bike)about
this bike being wiggly because the tube is round. The boom is short and it's solid.

I ride a team that Rolf's loaned me, and I've used it for fast club rides, a lot of wedgie-whooping
on RAGBRAI (wasn't even a fair contest) and also for commuting on realy crappy chicago streets. It
has proved to be more durable and more comfortable than my trusty RANS rocket, even on broken
pavement, glass, whatever. It is also very very fast and climbs uphill like crazy.

The Club and the Team were the objects of much lust on RAGBRAI. Wedgies were constantly asking if
they could try them out. I'm very sad that the arrival of winter has me back on uprights shuttling
to and from the commuter train. I miss commuting on the team.

On steering, I don't quite understand the 'squirrely' remarks above. By comparison to any other bent
I've ridden, accept for the old Vision R40 I fixed up for my mother-in-law, the bike is docile, even
at low speed. It's a lot friendlier than a Rans rocket, that's for sure.

The only thing I don't like about it is that that wonderful Alpha Q pro fork has such tight wheel
clearance that if you're on a tour and you must go through mud, you need to carry the bike, because
otherwise the build-up will be sanding away your carbon fiber...

Another thing to note is that the steering set-up is more customizable than on comparable bikes.
Rolf will cut the stem for you, or you can cut your own after you get your seat angle worked out,
and you can get bars of varying widths and stems of different lengths.

Do make sure you get the right size M5 seat, though. I love riding it. But when I had to pedal on a
medium (I take a large) my back went into spasm after 15 miles or so. Had I not known better, I
would have just blamed the seat and/or bike, and probably been quite irked.

Matteo, sicuro che sara difficile mandare un Volae in Italia. Ma sera anche possibile che io ci vado
fra un mezzo anno, e sei serio che vorresti un volae, possiamo parlare. Dove abiti tu? Io abito
vicino al Hostel Shoppe e conosco bene Rolf e gli altri.

[email hidden] (Seth Jayson) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My 2 cents.

Quoted message said:

Don't believe any of the BS theories (always spouted by folks who

haven't been on the bike)about this bike being wiggly because the tube is round. The boom is short
and it's solid.

I ride a team that Rolf's loaned me, and I've used it for fast club rides, a lot of
wedgie-whooping on RAGBRAI (wasn't even a fair contest) and also for commuting on realy crappy
chicago streets. It has proved to be more durable and more comfortable than my trusty RANS rocket,
even on broken pavement, glass, whatever. It is also very very fast and climbs uphill like crazy.

On steering, I don't quite understand the 'squirrely' remarks above. By comparison to any other
bent I've ridden, accept for the old Vision R40 I fixed up for my mother-in-law, the bike is
docile, even at low speed. It's a lot friendlier than a Rans rocket, that's for sure.

Another thing to note is that the steering set-up is more customizable than on comparable bikes.
Rolf will cut the stem for you, or you can cut your own after you get your seat angle worked out,
and you can get bars of varying widths and stems of different lengths.

Seth: From your comments I am reminded that I met you and your wife after the "Bike the Drive" ride
this year. We talked, primarily with her (nothing personal but I think any male would prefer talking
to her), about the bike and how much she liked it. This was in the park after the ride. I think your
comments about the handling of the bike and its steering set-up versatility is spot on. I also liked
the ability to remove the seat without destroying the settings. Just pull it off, put it back on,
voila, same position. I didn't get one because I am just not comfortable with the 'tweener bar
superman set up, although Rolf did offer to work with me on adapting the set up to my liking. I
didn't take him up on that because first, I really like my Barcroft Virginia and second, I didn't
feel comfortable having the bike steering set up changed to the degree I would require. But, even
though the fit wasn't for me, that didn't mean it wasn't a fine bike.

Hope to see you guys again on this year's Bike the Drive as you tear past me.

Mike S. St. Louis, Mo

Barcroft Virginia Barcroft Columbia RANS Rocket

[email hidden] (Seth Jayson) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My 2 cents.

two of the first Volaes made hang in my garage. No wait, one's on the trainer in the living room
now. (stupid darkness) My wife Jen's been on a club since before the production run, when Rolf
loaned her the prototype for a month. (How many bike shops have just up and loaned you a bike for
a month?)

She rides what is now a club LX. She came from a wedgie and took to the 'bent immediately. On her
first ride on the prototype, up in Pointy Steve, she was ditching the local club's roadies (while
I fought off food poisoning back in the park.)Two days into the loan she told me to sell her Klein
Quantum.

Don't believe any of the BS theories (always spouted by folks who haven't been on the bike)about
this bike being wiggly because the tube is round. The boom is short and it's solid.

I ride a team that Rolf's loaned me, and I've used it for fast club rides, a lot of
wedgie-whooping on RAGBRAI (wasn't even a fair contest) and also for commuting on realy crappy
chicago streets. It has proved to be more durable and more comfortable than my trusty RANS rocket,
even on broken pavement, glass, whatever. It is also very very fast and climbs uphill like crazy.

The Club and the Team were the objects of much lust on RAGBRAI. Wedgies were constantly asking if
they could try them out. I'm very sad that the arrival of winter has me back on uprights shuttling
to and from the commuter train. I miss commuting on the team.

On steering, I don't quite understand the 'squirrely' remarks above. By comparison to any other
bent I've ridden, accept for the old Vision R40 I fixed up for my mother-in-law, the bike is
docile, even at low speed. It's a lot friendlier than a Rans rocket, that's for sure.

The only thing I don't like about it is that that wonderful Alpha Q pro fork has such tight wheel
clearance that if you're on a tour and you must go through mud, you need to carry the bike,
because otherwise the build-up will be sanding away your carbon fiber...

Another thing to note is that the steering set-up is more customizable than on comparable bikes.
Rolf will cut the stem for you, or you can cut your own after you get your seat angle worked out,
and you can get bars of varying widths and stems of different lengths.

Do make sure you get the right size M5 seat, though. I love riding it. But when I had to pedal on
a medium (I take a large) my back went into spasm after 15 miles or so. Had I not known better, I
would have just blamed the seat and/or bike, and probably been quite irked.

Matteo, sicuro che sara difficile mandare un Volae in Italia. Ma sera anche possibile che io ci
vado fra un mezzo anno, e sei serio che vorresti un volae, possiamo parlare. Dove abiti tu? Io
abito vicino al Hostel Shoppe e conosco bene Rolf e gli altri.

Boy Seth,

You must be on the payroll dude! I beg to differ with you but a strong rider will make that bike
"wiggle". I guess you don't know what that would be about though. And, I do believe you live in
Chi-town? We will have to go for a ride sometime? The Wisconsin Brevet schedual should be out soon I
will post it. Hope to see you and your Volae there. Sharon is real close to you. Looking forward to
seeing you next season.

Quoted message said:

Boy Seth,

You must be on the payroll dude! I beg to differ with you but a strong rider will make that bike
"wiggle". I guess you don't know what that would be about though. And, I do believe you live in
Chi-town? We will have to go for a ride sometime? The Wisconsin Brevet schedual should be out soon
I will post it. Hope to see you and your Volae there. Sharon is real close to you. Looking forward
to seeing you next season.

No pay, Kev, but I do get to ride a loaned Team for free. We bought the one my wife rides. (I've
purchased Bacchettas too... I got enough love for everyone...)

As for wiggling, anything will do that if you crank on it hard enough, I suppose. My point is that
there are a lot of people speculating who have never ridden the Volae. It is not a noodle.

I'm pretty sure it wiggles less than an Aero, (others have said the same thing) but on the other
hand, the Team does weigh a couple pounds more since it's not Ti.

Post that Brevet schedule. I'd like to get out and ride some longer distances, although that may be
a ways off. I got creamed this weekend by Gary Toy out in Barrington. I'm outta shape big time.

See you at the Chitown party.

Quoted message said:

The only thing I don't like about it is that that wonderful Alpha Q pro fork has such tight wheel
clearance that if you're on a tour and you must go through mud, you need to carry the bike,
because otherwise the build-up will be sanding away your carbon fiber...

Update here. Apparently, my bike had a version of the Alpha Q pro which had REALLY tight clearance,
The guys at the Hostel Shoppe contacted me about this, and I checked against my wife's bike, and
sure enough, her Alpha Q Pro fork (as well as all the new ones) has a bit more than 1/4 inch of
clearance, more than enough for dirt to get through. Still not enough for a fender, though 😉

sj

FWIW, I think the volae is much nicer looking than the Bachetta's, and seem like a better dollar
value. That Brass color on the club is great looking.

Seth Jayson said:

Quoted message said:

The only thing I don't like about it is that that wonderful Alpha Q pro fork has such tight wheel
clearance that if you're on a tour and you must go through mud, you need to carry the bike,
because otherwise the build-up will be sanding away your carbon fiber...

Update here. Apparently, my bike had a version of the Alpha Q pro which had REALLY tight
clearance, The guys at the Hostel Shoppe contacted me about this, and I checked against my wife's
bike, and sure enough, her Alpha Q Pro fork (as well as all the new ones) has a bit more than 1/4
inch of clearance, more than enough for dirt to get through. Still not enough for a fender,
though 😉

sj

My Volae Team is only in its second day. But IMHO, Hostel Shoppe has done a magnificent job of
designing and building this extremely competitive two-650c-wheel, state-of-the-art recumbent. AND
WOW, IS IT FAST!

Plus I find it very light, responsive, comfortable and easy to ride. I am very impressed and
frankly, surprised at how much I like it and how quickly I seem to be adapting to it from my ride of
the last two years, a LWB, low bottom bracket, Ti Rush. The Rush is a magnificent recumbent ... but
at circa-35 pounds, it is 10 pounds heavier and a bit longer than the Volae Team. Although I love
the Rush's comfort and feel, it does not have the incredible lightness and quickness of the Volae
Team. It's just possible I'll keep both. There are some laid back, touring type rides on which the
Rush could prove a little less demanding of the rider's attention and possibly prove to be more
comfortable over many hours. And the Rush is an unmatched sight-seeing platform.

As of this early report, I think the Volae Team is a keeper ... unless I start to see personal "fit"
problems, such as the outside possibility the laid-back M5 seat might cause my 75-year-old back and
neck some discomfort. My first two days of rides have been under 10 miles each so they have not been
a real test but still, I am optimistically hopeful that back/neck symptoms will not surface. So far,
so good, anyhow.

Bob Siegel currently in Key Colony Beach FL

"bentbiker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I think the volae is much nicer looking than the Bachetta's, and seem like a better dollar
value. That Brass color on the club is great looking.

Seth Jayson said:

Quoted message said:

The only thing I don't like about it is that that wonderful Alpha Q pro fork has such tight
wheel clearance that if you're on a tour and you must go through mud, you need to carry the
bike, because otherwise the build-up will be sanding away your carbon fiber...

Update here. Apparently, my bike had a version of the Alpha Q pro which had REALLY tight
clearance, The guys at the Hostel Shoppe contacted me about this, and I checked against my
wife's bike, and sure enough, her Alpha Q Pro fork (as well as all the new ones) has a bit more
than 1/4 inch of clearance, more than enough for dirt to get through. Still not enough for a
fender, though 😉

sj