a.twiddler
Veteran
22/9/25
Six Months With the Rans Stratus XP.
The One that upset the Equilibrium
After several years of trying to find a short bike that would have the comfort and all round ability of the Linear, leading to my acquisition of a HPV Grasshopper last year,
I had to call it quits after it failed to live up to expectations. I already had a solution in the form of the HPV Spirit
which is versatile and shorter than my old Revolution tourer.
It didn’t have the absolute long range ability of the Linear,
but for a train friendly compact LWB it’s pretty good, nice to ride, and touring capable. So I accepted that the two bikes would cover my needs, and I had the Brompton
for extreme portability situations.
I started this 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.
I hadn’t thought about another LWB bike as I’d previously been so focused on smaller bikes. The unexpected chance to buy this Rans Stratus XP was too good to miss, so I bought it with a view to evaluating it alongside the Linear. 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. The Phoenix 700 certainly looks a lot like the Stratus XP (though maybe with 700 wheels?) There are also Schlitter recumbent bikes, which seems to be a separate entity. Of course the recumbent world is constantly changing, and this info may now be out of date.
I doubt that the original Linear Manufacturing Co is still going, making aluminium extrusions, despite the recumbent name still being current and based in New York.
I knew that long term, there wasn’t space for two LWB bikes in my garage, and something would have to go eventually. If I had the space I’d have kept the Linear too, or even acquired more bikes. There was a Cresswell Rapide on ebay a few months ago, very Linear -like, but with a pressed steel frame and rear suspension, made in Birmingham. If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up with a museum of LWB recumbent bikes! All for riding, of course.
I gave the Rans Stratus XP a good old go, fitting underseat pannier frames and a rear rack. I made various adaptations, a clip on front mudguard bracket to bring the front mudguard forward, a trouser deflector. I even acquired a turnip -like bell for the handlebar since there’s so much spare real estate on those extravagant bars. 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 hope to get more in before the nights draw in.
The Linear went to a new owner two weeks ago, so perhaps that says it all really. It’s never as simple as that though, is it?
Unlike the other two which I sold earlier this 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. Still, life moves on, and no doubt that’ll fade as I do more rides on the Rans.
Much has been made of the “chopper flop” of the large 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’ve still got the original Continental on the front at the moment but a Marathon Greenguard waits in the wings once the winter sets in. I’ll see if it makes any difference to the feel of the bike.
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.
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 get on and off, an important consideration if, like me, your 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 six months the Rans definitely 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.
The max speed I’ve recorded on the Rans so far in six months is 35 mph which doesn’t sound much but is 1 mph faster than the Linear’s fastest in 5 years, and 2mph faster than the Spirit in 2 years 4 months. It’s early days yet, and it feels as if it’s got more to give. Its main strength seems that it can manage a couple of mph more in average speed than the others, which makes a difference when you’re out all day, and it’s something that I’ve been looking out for.
It has been good to compare two completely different LWB bikes side by side, and in a different world I’d still have them both, but when it came to the crunch the Rans is newer, and has a little more potential for expanding my range in the time left to me as an active cyclist.
Six Months With the Rans Stratus XP.
The One that upset the Equilibrium
After several years of trying to find a short bike that would have the comfort and all round ability of the Linear, leading to my acquisition of a HPV Grasshopper last year,
I had to call it quits after it failed to live up to expectations. I already had a solution in the form of the HPV Spirit
which is versatile and shorter than my old Revolution tourer.
It didn’t have the absolute long range ability of the Linear,
but for a train friendly compact LWB it’s pretty good, nice to ride, and touring capable. So I accepted that the two bikes would cover my needs, and I had the Brompton
for extreme portability situations.
I started this 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.
I hadn’t thought about another LWB bike as I’d previously been so focused on smaller bikes. The unexpected chance to buy this Rans Stratus XP was too good to miss, so I bought it with a view to evaluating it alongside the Linear. 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. The Phoenix 700 certainly looks a lot like the Stratus XP (though maybe with 700 wheels?) There are also Schlitter recumbent bikes, which seems to be a separate entity. Of course the recumbent world is constantly changing, and this info may now be out of date.
I doubt that the original Linear Manufacturing Co is still going, making aluminium extrusions, despite the recumbent name still being current and based in New York.
I knew that long term, there wasn’t space for two LWB bikes in my garage, and something would have to go eventually. If I had the space I’d have kept the Linear too, or even acquired more bikes. There was a Cresswell Rapide on ebay a few months ago, very Linear -like, but with a pressed steel frame and rear suspension, made in Birmingham. If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up with a museum of LWB recumbent bikes! All for riding, of course.
I gave the Rans Stratus XP a good old go, fitting underseat pannier frames and a rear rack. I made various adaptations, a clip on front mudguard bracket to bring the front mudguard forward, a trouser deflector. I even acquired a turnip -like bell for the handlebar since there’s so much spare real estate on those extravagant bars. 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 hope to get more in before the nights draw in.
The Linear went to a new owner two weeks ago, so perhaps that says it all really. It’s never as simple as that though, is it?
Unlike the other two which I sold earlier this 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. Still, life moves on, and no doubt that’ll fade as I do more rides on the Rans.
Much has been made of the “chopper flop” of the large 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’ve still got the original Continental on the front at the moment but a Marathon Greenguard waits in the wings once the winter sets in. I’ll see if it makes any difference to the feel of the bike.
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.
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 get on and off, an important consideration if, like me, your 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 six months the Rans definitely 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.
The max speed I’ve recorded on the Rans so far in six months is 35 mph which doesn’t sound much but is 1 mph faster than the Linear’s fastest in 5 years, and 2mph faster than the Spirit in 2 years 4 months. It’s early days yet, and it feels as if it’s got more to give. Its main strength seems that it can manage a couple of mph more in average speed than the others, which makes a difference when you’re out all day, and it’s something that I’ve been looking out for.
It has been good to compare two completely different LWB bikes side by side, and in a different world I’d still have them both, but when it came to the crunch the Rans is newer, and has a little more potential for expanding my range in the time left to me as an active cyclist.
