[29 August 2006]

The first entry on this date is the matter of me ordering the guinea-pig bicycle, a 2006 RANS Fusion [Rans Bicycles website]. If you're too lazy to click the link, then the photo below is an image of the beast I stole off the Rans website.

Cost was about $900 + taxes, including a set of fenders.
The RANS Fusion is not hardly the lowest-priced bicycle to use, but it has a unique design that delivers better comfort than conventional uprights (the reason I moved to a recumbent and got rid of my uprights was that I couldn't stand to ride uncomfortable upright bikes any more). I could have bought a suitable MTB for much less (-only $250-$300-) but the RANS is a bike that I was planing on buying anyway (it was the only other bicycle as well as the only upright bicycle I had planned on buying, quite frankly).

I had to order the bike without a test-ride however. The only dealer around had a previous-year Cruz model on the floor and wasn't planning on getting any of the newer ones in until that one was sold. The previous-year models used a 20"/406mm front wheel and I wanted one with both wheels the same size to make carrying spare tubes easier.

...Because of the way the RANS seat extends rearwards, at least one of the engine brackets of the engine I am expecting to use will need to be modified or fabricated. I am not adding that into the "cost" of the engine because a conventional bicycle would not have that problem.

And then there was the wait.....
The nice lady at the bike shop called the factory while I was standing there and they said it's expected three to four weeks for delivery (-sigh-). I don't plan to order the engine until I have the bicycle. I will elaborate on the engine choice further when it arrives.
Until next time.

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