What's next after a VREX?

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

Quoted message said:

I've had a VREX for 3+ years. ...So lately I've been thinking about two wheels again. Would a Giro
feel too much like the VREX?

Very close but IMO an improvement. I believe both are Mark Colliton designed bikes. I like to think
that the Giro is an improved V-Rex. Next up the food chain would be the Corsa/Strada. I expect
almost any of the 'stick bikes' would be a move in the right direction.

Another direction would be the Dutch/Euro bents. Or as John Foltz has said in another thread "How
low do you go?"

--

Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

[email hidden] (RANS396) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've had a VREX for 3+ years. I still like it, some days I fly like the wind on it. I had been
thinking about a trike TT 3.4. It sounds like I would be slower on a TT 3.4. True? So lately I've
been thinking about two wheels again. Would a Giro feel too much like the VREX? The Giro has a
longer wheelbase, besides a smoother ride what else does the longer WB do? I don't want to go over
$2000.00. I'll be keeping the VREX. Would I have problems going back and forth between a high BB
and a lower BB?

The Bacchetta bikes and the Barcrofts are pretty popular moves from a V-Rex, which remains a great
bike on its own. I was in the same situation last year and went to a Strada which I very much
enjoy. While you can go to a Giro, if you are going to keep your Rex, the jump to a
Strada/Corsa/Aero provides you with a bike that isnt as close to the personality of the Rex as a
Giro or a Barcroft Dakota.

The Barcrofts provide more of a custom experience than Bacchettas. The Barcroft Virginia GT will
provide you with a different enough of a bike to make the change worthwhile, but it is getting a bit
beyond your budget.

Both the Bacchettas and Barcrofts have the same Mark Colliton pedigree just like the Rex.

[email hidden] (RANS396) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've had a VREX for 3+ years. I still like it, some days I fly like the wind on it. I had been
thinking about a trike TT 3.4. It sounds like I would be slower on a TT 3.4. True? So lately I've
been thinking about two wheels again. Would a Giro feel too much like the VREX? The Giro has a
longer wheelbase, besides a smoother ride what else does the longer WB do? I don't want to go over
$2000.00. I'll be keeping the VREX. Would I have problems going back and forth between a high BB
and a lower BB?

If you can go slightly north of $2000 then I heartily recommend a Barcroft Virginia. I had a 'Rex
for 2 years and 3600 miles. I then started looking at alternatives as I wanted more performance. I
tried a lot of different recumbents and decided that there just wasn't anything out there that was
worth giving up my Rex for (for me). As an afterthought I rode the Virginia. Its handling was
similar to the V-Rex which I liked, but it was longer, lower, more stable, faster, climbed better
and gave me more performance. It isn't the all around bike the V-Rex is (only handles narrow
tires, doesn't use fenders, doesn't carry as much) but since I wanted more performance in a
package that I felt comfortable with, this was the bike. For more versatility I would look at the
Barcroft Dakota. Has more all around attributes and slightly less performance. I rode the Giro but
thought it to be the same as the V-Rex. The V-Rex is a stable bike. The longer wheelbase of the
Barcrofts (or the Giro) gives them slightly more stability at speed. It may rob them of a little
slow speed turning performance (a u-turn would be a little wider) but other than that no ill
effects. I now have 2700 miles on my Virginia and for the first time in a long time am not
considering another bike. It is a great machine. And with Barcroft you can pick and choose colors,
components, etc. Good luck on your search.

Mike S. St. Louis, Mo.

Barcroft Virginia Barcroft Columbia RANS Rocket

I too have both a Vrex and a Giro. I've got 3600 on the Giro and over 7,000 on the Rex,( I've had
the Rex longer). I prefer the Giro, but the bikes are very similar. The Giro is a refinement of the
Vrex. When I first tried the Giro, I knew I wanted one. The longer wheelbase and monotube give a
softer ride, but not a whippy one if you know what I mean. I'm a big guy and most Cromolly bike
frames flex quite a bit for me. The chainhandling is much improved a much cleaner look with the
Giro. I personally like the Handlebars better too. It took a couple hours to get used to, but I
really prefer them over the hamsters. The BB is a bit higher than the rex, but not much really. All
that being said I do find myself starting to lust for a dual 26, just for the difference. If that
does happen, I probably will move my Vrex along to another home. The Giro Stays. Will you notice
the difference, yes abosolutely. Would it satisfy your lust, dunno. Denny in Sayre, Pa "Bent but
not Broken"

what's next after V REX? Seems like a faired long wheel base would be a logical choice to me. A
different animal altogether, completely different strengths and "weaknesses". You could easily
justify owning both, where as another SWB would be just another SWB, (just my 2 cents), Mark
C.(1CLWB, 1 LWB, and 2 SWB's).

RANS396 said:

I've had a VREX for 3+ years. I still like it, some days I fly like the wind on it. I had been
thinking about a trike TT 3.4. It sounds like I would be slower on a TT 3.4. True? So lately I've
been thinking about two wheels again. Would a Giro feel too much like the VREX? The Giro has a
longer wheelbase, besides a smoother ride what else does the longer WB do? I don't want to go over
$2000.00. I'll be keeping the VREX. Would I have problems going back and forth between a high BB
and a lower BB?

I personally believe that the RANS Rocket is the better bike in some ways (excluding components,
which is reflected in the differing prices) compared to the V-Rex. It is certainly a different
experience from the V-Rex and an inexpensive (relatively speaking) one at that.

Of course if you are extremely intelligent, discerning and have impeccable moral character, you will
settle for nothing less than an Earth Cycles Sunset Lowracer. 😉 🙂 (: (; (: (; 🙂 😉

Tom Sherman - Sunset No. 3

keep the V-rex, it's one of the best all time, all around bikes, and you won't be significantly
faster on a Bachetta. Get better wheels for the rec, some velocity.

RANS396 said:

I've had a VREX for 3+ years. I still like it, some days I fly like the wind on it. I had been
thinking about a trike TT 3.4. It sounds like I would be slower on a TT 3.4. True? So lately I've
been thinking about two wheels again. Would a Giro feel too much like the VREX? The Giro has a
longer wheelbase, besides a smoother ride what else does the longer WB do? I don't want to go over
$2000.00. I'll be keeping the VREX. Would I have problems going back and forth between a high BB
and a lower BB?

I think a V-rex frame, being fully triangulated, is superior to any of the Stick frames, and when a
'rex has dual 26" wheels, as fast or faster.

Cletus Lee said:

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

Quoted message said:

I've had a VREX for 3+ years. ...So lately I've been thinking about two wheels again. Would a Giro
feel too much like the VREX?

Very close but IMO an improvement. I believe both are Mark Colliton designed bikes. I like to
think that the Giro is an improved V-Rex. Next up the food chain would be the Corsa/Strada. I
expect almost any of the 'stick bikes' would be a move in the right direction.

Another direction would be the Dutch/Euro bents. Or as John Foltz has said in another thread "How
low do you go?"

(Shwackman) said:

what's next after V REX? Seems like a faired long wheel base would be a logical choice to me. A
different animal altogether, completely different strengths and "weaknesses". You could easily
justify owning both, where as another SWB would be just another SWB, (just my 2 cents), Mark
C.(1CLWB, 1 LWB, and 2 SWB's).

I agree about getting something very different, if you're sure you want to keep the V-Rex. Besides a
LWB, other directions you could go are:

= Lowracer Thys Rowingbike Bike Friday SatRDay (if you fly a lot) Catrike Speed

Not all of these are available for $2000 new, but there are used bikes out there.

Ken Kobayashi [email hidden] solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jppersonalOpen ↗