V2 Seat Hinge breakage pics

In article <[email hidden]>, Bill B says...

Quoted message said:

heads up to all V2 and Vrex owners[other RANS bikes??]. My V2 seat started feeling loose over a
period of time.On my last ride it really got bad. After taking the seat off this is what I saw and
took pictures of. I recommend taking the seat off every now and then to check for cracks. from the
looks of the hinge the next ride could of been a disaster. Check out the pics at
community.webshots.com92893132cZJOFrOpen ↗

Pretty impressive (or I guess I should say unimpressive). Any mitigating background? (You don't
weigh 300 lbs, do you?) Has this been a common problem with the newer style RANS seat?

Steve Christensen

This was fairly common with the first generation of these hinges. I would have thought most of them had broken and had been replaced by now. IIRC the time frame for this was early 2002.

I can't tell for sure from the pictures if this is one of those hinges. Early ones look formed. Later ones look thicker and machined.

john riley 1 at rogers dot com

Steve Christensen <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Pretty impressive (or I guess I should say unimpressive). Any mitigating background? (You don't
weigh 300 lbs, do you?) Has this been a common problem with the newer style RANS seat?

Steve Christensen

195lbs.is what I weigh. yes this has been a common problem. RANS has a fix and is sending me a new
hinge that is beefed up according to other vrex and v2 owners that have emailed me. Kudos to RANS
and the excellent service and customer support they have.

This also happened on my 2002 Rans Stratus. Rans supplied a new upgraded hinge through my dealer
which appears much stronger. I have had no further hinge problems.

WBK

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

Quoted message said:

heads up to all V2 and Vrex owners[other RANS bikes??]. My V2 seat started feeling loose over a
period of time.On my last ride it really got bad. After taking the seat off this is what I saw and
took pictures of. I recommend taking the seat off every now and then to check for cracks. from the
looks of the hinge the next ride could of been a disaster. Check out the pics at
community.webshots.com92893132cZJOFrOpen ↗

I need help here. I've purchased 4 RANS bikes since 2000...two V2's, one V-Rex, and One Tailwind.
None of the seats had a hinge on them. They are all one piece units. Since I am preparing to put new
mesh on the V2, I went home to inspect it just to see if I had missed a hinge...none!! When did (are
they still) make hinged seats? I'd love to have a hinged seat for my V-Rex because I custom built it
with S&S Couplers and put it in a suitcase for travel. A hinged seat would be a real space saver.
Thanks for any info. Steve

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Steven Mattern
I need help here. I've purchased 4 RANS bikes since 2000...two V2's, one V-Rex, and One Tailwind.
None of the seats had a hinge on them. They are all one piece units. Since I am preparing to put new
mesh on the V2, I went home to inspect it just to see if I had missed a hinge...none!! When did (are
they still) make hinged seats? I'd love to have a hinged seat for my V-Rex because I custom built it
with S&S Couplers and put it in a suitcase for travel. A hinged seat would be a real space saver.
Thanks for any info. Steve

The hinge is on the bikes with the Rad-Loc seat mount:

http://www.ransbikes.com/2002.htm

It might make seat removal easier, but it won't make the seat more compact. It is not a hinge between the base and the back. The hinge allows the whole seat to be tilted forward and back. The old prong style mount allowed this without needing a hinge.

johnriley 1 at rogers dot com

The hinged seat and RadLoc was introduced at InterBike in 2001 on the 2002 high end bikes including
the Screamer and for 2003 on the Screamer Sport. It is a much better system than the old mount. It
is easier to move and stays put when PROPERLY locked down. There was an issue with the early 2002
models which resulted in hinge breakage. The hinge was replace with a much beefer one and is now
standard on all models with the RadLoc. You can retrofit your Screamer with the RadLoc system I have
done one. It requires purchasing the RadLoc mechanism and slide rail, some drilling and filing.
However, its not an inexpensive undertaking and should be done by a dealer that has done it.
Additionally, if you disconnect the seat stays you can fold the seat rearward without disconnecting
the seat from the frame. However, releasing the RadLoc mechanism allows the seat to be simply lifted
off once the stays are disconnectes. All in all the RadLoc is far superior to the old system still
used on the Rocket and Tailwind. Many custom build RANS shops such as Hostelle Shoppe offer Rockets
with this system at an additional cost.

John Reilly...Will I see you at InterBike this year?
--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "John Riley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Steven Mattern said:

I need help here. I've purchased 4 RANS bikes since 2000...two V2's,

one

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

V-Rex, and One Tailwind. None of the seats had a hinge on them. They

are

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

all one piece units. Since I am preparing to put new mesh on the V2, I went home to inspect it
just to see if I had missed a hinge...none!! When did (are they still) make hinged seats? I'd
love to have a hinged seat for my V-Rex because I custom built it with S&S Couplers and put

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in a suitcase for travel. A hinged seat would be a real space saver. Thanks for any info.
Steve

The hinge is on the bikes with the Rad-Loc seat mount:

ransbikes.com2002.htmOpen ↗

It might make seat removal easier, but it won't make the seat more compact. It is not a hinge
between the base and the back. The hinge allows the whole seat to be tilted forward and back. The
old prong style mount allowed this without needing a hinge.

johnriley 1 at rogers dot com

--

Quoted message said:

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Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

Gentlemen, Thanks for the information. I appreciate the learning of new things on this site. All of
my bikes are pre-radlock...so that explains it. Steve

"Jude T. McGloin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Many custom build RANS shops such as Hostelle Shoppe offer Rockets with this system at an
additional cost.

John Reilly...Will I see you at InterBike this year?

The Rad-Loc is an extra cost ($100?) factory option on the Rocket.

Yes, I will be at interbike. Won't be long now.

John Riley1 at rogers dot com