a.twiddler
Veteran
13/3/26
A Year with a Rans Stratus XP
I started last year with the expectation of selling the Grasshopper and the Revolution, and didn’t miss them so much once they’d gone, though the Revolution was a very good bike of its type, and I had some excellent rides on it until I discovered the increased comfort and range (for me) of recumbents. The Grasshopper came, was evaluated and found wanting, then sold in the course of 4½ months. I never had that feeling of attachment to it, though it was a nicely finished, well made bike, and I gave it every chance.
I hadn’t considered another LWB bike as I’d previously been so focused on something more compact. The unexpected chance to buy this Rans Stratus XP, after some internal resetting of aims, was too good to miss. The Linear was my main bike at this time.
I acquired this lengthiest of lengthy bikes last March. I still had the Linear then so it’s been a rare chance to compare two quite different LWB recumbent bikes side by side. It took a while to get it the way I wanted it so I carried on riding the Linear and Spirit in rotation with it.
Linears are apparently well known among the recumbent community, but the Rans Stratus XP is is a rarity even in the rareified world of recumbent bikes, at least in the UK.
If you google “Rans” you are more likely to come across a manufacturer of light aircraft which is the parent company of the Rans recumbent brand. It is the brand name of the Schlitter brothers, notably Randy Schlitter hence the name RanS. The Rans recumbent name is now owned by Phoenix bikes, though they may be in limited production now.
It’s definitely different. The two 559 wheels refuse to be ignored, particularly the front one thrust out ahead by the raked out forks. They make their presence felt by the way they roll easily over most road irregularities, and by the way the front one demands attention at very low speed to keep it going in the desired direction. It’s not a problem as such, but you know it’s there.
I fitted a Terracycle underseat rack sourced from Kevin at Dtek. I fitted an adaptable rear rack which was designed with alternative fittings which matched the non standard rear triangle of the Rans.
It took some experimentation to get the fit right as moving the seat affected the reach to the pedals: altering the recline changed the reach to the bars: moving the bars to suit affected the tiller effect and clearance for the knees when pedalling into a tight corner. Everything affects everything else. Getting everything to fit involves compromise. Reducing the tiller effect by moving the bars forward makes it tricky to keep both hands on the bars in those tight manoevres when the bars hang out on the opposite side to the direction of turn. It’s the nature of the beast.
The enormous bars give you plenty of space for mirrors, bells, bike computer without them feeling cramped. There’s plenty of room for lights but the way the cables loop ahead of the bars causes shadows wherever you mount them. I took an accessory bar off my Revolution Country Explorer which clamps round the head tube and allows the lights to be mounted above the front mudguard. This keeps them away from the cables and also keeps them fixed in line with the frame which I like, having experienced the frame mounted Supernova on the Spirit.
Recently, having had an old Blackburn low rider front rack hanging about in the garage which I’d bought with a view to bodging an underseat rack for the Linear (another project which didn’t get done due to its unanticipatedly quick departure), I thought I’d see if I could find a way of fitting it to the Rans. I set out with the idea that I’d have to make some extra brackets to level it up but surprisingly, though it looked a bit odd with just the bare rack, once the panniers had migrated from the back to the front, they seemed to flow with the lines of the bike. A few local shopping trips have shown that even loaded, they don’t have much effect on the steering, and might even improve the weight distribution. So the rack bag lives on the rear rack platform behind the seat for cycle related odds and sods, the lowriders are useful for small shopping loads on the front, and if I’ve got anything bigger to carry the Arkel underseat panniers clip on or off quite easily. At least that’s the plan.
I made various adaptations, a clip on front mudguard bracket to bring the front mudguard forward, a trouser deflector to keep it off the chain. I even acquired a turnip -like bell (a homage to the remote bell which I bodged for the Linear) for the handlebar since there’s so much spare real estate on those extravagant bars. I experimented with various mirrors, but having seen a T-Cycle adaptor for a Mirrycle I realised that I could use a stubby bar end to do the same job. Since they come in pairs, why not two mirrors? There’s loads of room. Then I thought, what about the Spirit? I didn’t use bar-ends, but it has now sprouted two mirrors, too.
I rode it all over the place. As it came, it was set up for road use. Despite riding it over the mild off road routes I’d got used to on the Linear, it never complained. It coped well, in fact, though did collect more dirt due to the fairly low slung frame while the Linear’s higher frame rose above it all.
Where it excelled was on longer rides, the first of which was around 90 miles, and I’d hoped to get more in before the nights drew in last year. As it happened, I didn’t exceed 90 miles on the Rans, but I did manage a 100 miler on the Linear.
The Linear went to a new owner last September, so perhaps that says it all really. It’s never as simple as that though, is it?
Unlike the other two which I sold last year, I still have a sort of seller’s remorse after all the new experiences I’d had on it over the years, and still have a pang when I see a picture of it. It was a well loved bike and if the Rans hadn’t come along, there was still scope for updates that I could have done to it. New seat mesh, experimenting with faster tyres perhaps. I still miss the underseat steering. Further rides I could have done. Still, life moves on, and no doubt that’ll fade as I do more rides on the Rans. Six months post -Linear, its shadow still lingers.
How does the Rans actually go?
While the Linear was like a cosy pair of slippers and all day comfortable, the Rans is a bit more edgy. You could trundle along nonchalantly up hill and down dale on the Linear with its underseat bars, with effortless low speed manoevreing to a standstill and since I’d put the frame stiffeners in, in the right circumstances it would go very well. The Rans gives the impression that despite being equally comfortable, if you put the effort in, it is capable of sustaining a bit more speed. Overall, it does manage a couple more mph average for a similar effort compared to the Linear but is equally as able to pootle along. It climbs as well as the Linear.
Much has been made of the “chopper flop” of the large Rans front wheel in reviews, an apparent tendency to wander at low speed or when climbing, but even compared to the neutral steering of the Linear, it’s not been a problem. I suppose if you’re going to have OSS, you might as well make it OTT with the super large bars that it’s got to have anyway.
It came with a 28mm Continental on the front but a Marathon Greenguard 40-559 has now been fitted. It doesn’t make a lot of difference to the feel of the bike, though it damps down road buzz through the bars and adds to the striking appearance of the front end. I might have gone for a slightly narrower one though, as off tarmac there isn’t much clearance between tyre and mudguard, and mud and grit can accumulate. Next size down in Greenguard seems to be a 32 which doesn’t seem a big step up from the 28C Continental that it came with. I rationalise that if I do take the plunge, the 40 can be kept as a spare for the rear. There’s already a Panaracer Pasela in 40C on the back and there’s plenty of clearance there.
The Linear was pretty much unique due to its aluminium beam construction but the Rans could be described as conventional. It has a rear triangle, a main frame composed of several other triangles, and is made of tubular steel. Those raked forks are aluminium, which seems a bit topsy turvy as every aluminium bike I’ve previously owned, including the Linear, had steel forks. Whatever the logic, it all works. This bike was also available in aluminium or titanium. The finish is very good, an understated silver grey, which really sparkles in a bit of sunlight.
The transmission is an instantly recognisable 3 X 9 set up so holds no surprises and works well with 26” wheels front and rear. It has a range of 20 -109” which is similar to the Linear. The clickety clackety grip shifter takes some getting used to after the zizz of the Sun Tour Barcon on the Linear but the Spirit has grip shifters too so it’s not a totally alien thing to me. The Linear had 42 gears which meant plenty of overlap and easy access to a suitable gear whichever chainring you were on.
Some smaller wheeled recumbents benefit from having hybrid hub/derailleur gears, and the Linear was an outlier having both a large rear wheel and hybrid gears. Whatever the advantages of that system, a simple derailleur rear wheel is easier to get on and off at the roadside in case of problems, at the cost of losing the ability to change gear at a standstill.
The Rans is easy to mount and dismount, an important consideration if, like me, your diminutive legs stiffen up a bit after an hour or two on the road. The Linear could be a bit of a challenge unless you found a handy wall or bench to lean on when getting off. Obviously not unmanageable, as I did have it for five years. The Rans is a bit lower to step over, and it makes a difference.
After twelve months the Rans still has a “wow” factor. You can’t see it when you’re riding it, but the stretched out nature of the beast never fails to impress when you stop for a break.
Recently I came across a Cateye computer in the garage which I’d bought for the Spirit. Unfortunately with the long stem and small front wheel the lead didn’t reach the bars and with buying the Etrex I’d put it to one side. It actually reaches on the Rans so I decided to set it up and trial it alongside the Etrex. So, we shall see.
For some time I’ve wondered about the accuracy of the Garmin Etrex compared with a conventional bike computer, particularly at low speeds, on an undulating route, on a winding route, and if there’s a lot of tree cover. A wheel magnet driven wired computer ought to give a consistent reading once the wheel circumference is input, particularly for an instantaneous max speed reading. The GPS system joins the dots and might work in a less consistent manner particularly for a slow moving vehicle like a bicycle. It’s still useful for changing between bicycles without worrying about wheel size, and more general functions. My average speed was higher in my earlier days with the Linear, lower since I’ve been using the Etrex. Maybe my old computers weren’t set up accurately? Maybe I’ve just become older and slower? We shall see.
One drawback of having the Rans, one of the shiniest bikes I’ve had, is that I’m reluctant to take it into some of the more messy off road places that I’d have charged into with the weatherbeaten old Linear without concern. Somehow the Linear never showed the dirt until it was pretty mucky, while the Rans shows every drip and splatter. Perhaps I’m just being precious, but it’s true that I’m a rider not a polisher, and I don’t get the peculiar pleasure that some do from spending hours cleaning me bike when I could be riding it. There’s a lot of frame tubing to clean, too.
I think the Grasshopper has cured me of my yearnings for a SWB bike that might do it all. Someone will doubtless say, “I’ve got an XXX and it does everything I want” but I bet they won’t have 28” legs and an allergy to well reclined seats. The Spirit is the nearest thing to that for me
but the Rans is such an easy mile muncher which, come to think of it, has been ridden more than the Spirit even for trips to town in the limited amount of cycling I’ve done this year. I’m well behind my total for this time last year both in number of rides and distance. I can only hope that when the weather improves, I can make use of the XP’s strengths to catch up or even get ahead.
A Year with a Rans Stratus XP
I started last year with the expectation of selling the Grasshopper and the Revolution, and didn’t miss them so much once they’d gone, though the Revolution was a very good bike of its type, and I had some excellent rides on it until I discovered the increased comfort and range (for me) of recumbents. The Grasshopper came, was evaluated and found wanting, then sold in the course of 4½ months. I never had that feeling of attachment to it, though it was a nicely finished, well made bike, and I gave it every chance.
I hadn’t considered another LWB bike as I’d previously been so focused on something more compact. The unexpected chance to buy this Rans Stratus XP, after some internal resetting of aims, was too good to miss. The Linear was my main bike at this time.
I acquired this lengthiest of lengthy bikes last March. I still had the Linear then so it’s been a rare chance to compare two quite different LWB recumbent bikes side by side. It took a while to get it the way I wanted it so I carried on riding the Linear and Spirit in rotation with it.
Linears are apparently well known among the recumbent community, but the Rans Stratus XP is is a rarity even in the rareified world of recumbent bikes, at least in the UK.
If you google “Rans” you are more likely to come across a manufacturer of light aircraft which is the parent company of the Rans recumbent brand. It is the brand name of the Schlitter brothers, notably Randy Schlitter hence the name RanS. The Rans recumbent name is now owned by Phoenix bikes, though they may be in limited production now.
It’s definitely different. The two 559 wheels refuse to be ignored, particularly the front one thrust out ahead by the raked out forks. They make their presence felt by the way they roll easily over most road irregularities, and by the way the front one demands attention at very low speed to keep it going in the desired direction. It’s not a problem as such, but you know it’s there.
I fitted a Terracycle underseat rack sourced from Kevin at Dtek. I fitted an adaptable rear rack which was designed with alternative fittings which matched the non standard rear triangle of the Rans.
It took some experimentation to get the fit right as moving the seat affected the reach to the pedals: altering the recline changed the reach to the bars: moving the bars to suit affected the tiller effect and clearance for the knees when pedalling into a tight corner. Everything affects everything else. Getting everything to fit involves compromise. Reducing the tiller effect by moving the bars forward makes it tricky to keep both hands on the bars in those tight manoevres when the bars hang out on the opposite side to the direction of turn. It’s the nature of the beast.
The enormous bars give you plenty of space for mirrors, bells, bike computer without them feeling cramped. There’s plenty of room for lights but the way the cables loop ahead of the bars causes shadows wherever you mount them. I took an accessory bar off my Revolution Country Explorer which clamps round the head tube and allows the lights to be mounted above the front mudguard. This keeps them away from the cables and also keeps them fixed in line with the frame which I like, having experienced the frame mounted Supernova on the Spirit.
Recently, having had an old Blackburn low rider front rack hanging about in the garage which I’d bought with a view to bodging an underseat rack for the Linear (another project which didn’t get done due to its unanticipatedly quick departure), I thought I’d see if I could find a way of fitting it to the Rans. I set out with the idea that I’d have to make some extra brackets to level it up but surprisingly, though it looked a bit odd with just the bare rack, once the panniers had migrated from the back to the front, they seemed to flow with the lines of the bike. A few local shopping trips have shown that even loaded, they don’t have much effect on the steering, and might even improve the weight distribution. So the rack bag lives on the rear rack platform behind the seat for cycle related odds and sods, the lowriders are useful for small shopping loads on the front, and if I’ve got anything bigger to carry the Arkel underseat panniers clip on or off quite easily. At least that’s the plan.
I made various adaptations, a clip on front mudguard bracket to bring the front mudguard forward, a trouser deflector to keep it off the chain. I even acquired a turnip -like bell (a homage to the remote bell which I bodged for the Linear) for the handlebar since there’s so much spare real estate on those extravagant bars. I experimented with various mirrors, but having seen a T-Cycle adaptor for a Mirrycle I realised that I could use a stubby bar end to do the same job. Since they come in pairs, why not two mirrors? There’s loads of room. Then I thought, what about the Spirit? I didn’t use bar-ends, but it has now sprouted two mirrors, too.
I rode it all over the place. As it came, it was set up for road use. Despite riding it over the mild off road routes I’d got used to on the Linear, it never complained. It coped well, in fact, though did collect more dirt due to the fairly low slung frame while the Linear’s higher frame rose above it all.
Where it excelled was on longer rides, the first of which was around 90 miles, and I’d hoped to get more in before the nights drew in last year. As it happened, I didn’t exceed 90 miles on the Rans, but I did manage a 100 miler on the Linear.
The Linear went to a new owner last September, so perhaps that says it all really. It’s never as simple as that though, is it?
Unlike the other two which I sold last year, I still have a sort of seller’s remorse after all the new experiences I’d had on it over the years, and still have a pang when I see a picture of it. It was a well loved bike and if the Rans hadn’t come along, there was still scope for updates that I could have done to it. New seat mesh, experimenting with faster tyres perhaps. I still miss the underseat steering. Further rides I could have done. Still, life moves on, and no doubt that’ll fade as I do more rides on the Rans. Six months post -Linear, its shadow still lingers.
How does the Rans actually go?
While the Linear was like a cosy pair of slippers and all day comfortable, the Rans is a bit more edgy. You could trundle along nonchalantly up hill and down dale on the Linear with its underseat bars, with effortless low speed manoevreing to a standstill and since I’d put the frame stiffeners in, in the right circumstances it would go very well. The Rans gives the impression that despite being equally comfortable, if you put the effort in, it is capable of sustaining a bit more speed. Overall, it does manage a couple more mph average for a similar effort compared to the Linear but is equally as able to pootle along. It climbs as well as the Linear.
Much has been made of the “chopper flop” of the large Rans front wheel in reviews, an apparent tendency to wander at low speed or when climbing, but even compared to the neutral steering of the Linear, it’s not been a problem. I suppose if you’re going to have OSS, you might as well make it OTT with the super large bars that it’s got to have anyway.
It came with a 28mm Continental on the front but a Marathon Greenguard 40-559 has now been fitted. It doesn’t make a lot of difference to the feel of the bike, though it damps down road buzz through the bars and adds to the striking appearance of the front end. I might have gone for a slightly narrower one though, as off tarmac there isn’t much clearance between tyre and mudguard, and mud and grit can accumulate. Next size down in Greenguard seems to be a 32 which doesn’t seem a big step up from the 28C Continental that it came with. I rationalise that if I do take the plunge, the 40 can be kept as a spare for the rear. There’s already a Panaracer Pasela in 40C on the back and there’s plenty of clearance there.
The Linear was pretty much unique due to its aluminium beam construction but the Rans could be described as conventional. It has a rear triangle, a main frame composed of several other triangles, and is made of tubular steel. Those raked forks are aluminium, which seems a bit topsy turvy as every aluminium bike I’ve previously owned, including the Linear, had steel forks. Whatever the logic, it all works. This bike was also available in aluminium or titanium. The finish is very good, an understated silver grey, which really sparkles in a bit of sunlight.
The transmission is an instantly recognisable 3 X 9 set up so holds no surprises and works well with 26” wheels front and rear. It has a range of 20 -109” which is similar to the Linear. The clickety clackety grip shifter takes some getting used to after the zizz of the Sun Tour Barcon on the Linear but the Spirit has grip shifters too so it’s not a totally alien thing to me. The Linear had 42 gears which meant plenty of overlap and easy access to a suitable gear whichever chainring you were on.
Some smaller wheeled recumbents benefit from having hybrid hub/derailleur gears, and the Linear was an outlier having both a large rear wheel and hybrid gears. Whatever the advantages of that system, a simple derailleur rear wheel is easier to get on and off at the roadside in case of problems, at the cost of losing the ability to change gear at a standstill.
The Rans is easy to mount and dismount, an important consideration if, like me, your diminutive legs stiffen up a bit after an hour or two on the road. The Linear could be a bit of a challenge unless you found a handy wall or bench to lean on when getting off. Obviously not unmanageable, as I did have it for five years. The Rans is a bit lower to step over, and it makes a difference.
After twelve months the Rans still has a “wow” factor. You can’t see it when you’re riding it, but the stretched out nature of the beast never fails to impress when you stop for a break.
Recently I came across a Cateye computer in the garage which I’d bought for the Spirit. Unfortunately with the long stem and small front wheel the lead didn’t reach the bars and with buying the Etrex I’d put it to one side. It actually reaches on the Rans so I decided to set it up and trial it alongside the Etrex. So, we shall see.
For some time I’ve wondered about the accuracy of the Garmin Etrex compared with a conventional bike computer, particularly at low speeds, on an undulating route, on a winding route, and if there’s a lot of tree cover. A wheel magnet driven wired computer ought to give a consistent reading once the wheel circumference is input, particularly for an instantaneous max speed reading. The GPS system joins the dots and might work in a less consistent manner particularly for a slow moving vehicle like a bicycle. It’s still useful for changing between bicycles without worrying about wheel size, and more general functions. My average speed was higher in my earlier days with the Linear, lower since I’ve been using the Etrex. Maybe my old computers weren’t set up accurately? Maybe I’ve just become older and slower? We shall see.
One drawback of having the Rans, one of the shiniest bikes I’ve had, is that I’m reluctant to take it into some of the more messy off road places that I’d have charged into with the weatherbeaten old Linear without concern. Somehow the Linear never showed the dirt until it was pretty mucky, while the Rans shows every drip and splatter. Perhaps I’m just being precious, but it’s true that I’m a rider not a polisher, and I don’t get the peculiar pleasure that some do from spending hours cleaning me bike when I could be riding it. There’s a lot of frame tubing to clean, too.
I think the Grasshopper has cured me of my yearnings for a SWB bike that might do it all. Someone will doubtless say, “I’ve got an XXX and it does everything I want” but I bet they won’t have 28” legs and an allergy to well reclined seats. The Spirit is the nearest thing to that for me
but the Rans is such an easy mile muncher which, come to think of it, has been ridden more than the Spirit even for trips to town in the limited amount of cycling I’ve done this year. I’m well behind my total for this time last year both in number of rides and distance. I can only hope that when the weather improves, I can make use of the XP’s strengths to catch up or even get ahead.
Last edited:
