How many are there?

I have two recumbents that I almost never see talked about. very little shows up in forums, very little on Youtube. I have no clue what's on Facebook or its derivatives because I'm not there...

The first is a Greenspeed Anura delta trike. I bought mine used, and it has been morphing to my desires ever since.

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More Anura pics in my OneDrive folder:
https://onedrive.live.com/?id=C52959B56673790E!49278&cid=C52959B56673790E

The second is a RANS Velocity V3-AL. Again, bought used. I have a real love/panic relationship with this bike, it's almost like a toxic relationship. This is the lightest, fastest recumbent I have ever owned! It moves almost effortlessly, and makes me feel like I'm floating over the pavement. The panic comes when I start and stop... I'm a short fella with just tippy-toes touching when I ride this thing. With a few rides I mastered it, but I always have to pay attention. I've strongly considered posting a WTT for a P-38.

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More V3-AL pics in my OneDrive folder:
https://onedrive.live.com/?id=C52959B56673790E!74073&cid=C52959B56673790E

Any idea how many of these 'bents have actually been made?

If you ride one...show yours!

 

A fellow club member bought a steel V3 for his wife and an aluminum one for himself. About a month in, his frame broke with a loud BANG while riding on a smooth road alongside me. RANS gave him a free downgrade to steel. RANS used to be gods of customer service, but apparently they'd lost the title by then. I don't know how uncommon broken frames were, but it might be a good idea to semi-regularly inspect the welds around the head tube and where the 'seat stays' meet the main tube. Aluminum tends to fail in areas that experience tension forces, and in the heat-affected zone just outside from a weld.

 

Rans had a known problem with the V3 Aluminum version. They increased the main tube size to 2" from, I think, 1 1/2". If yours is 2" then you should be OK.

You don't see many around. I don't know their production numbers, but Rans was rapidly evolving their designs at that time. You had a V2, which had a 20" front wheel, the V3 with equal wheel sizes (mostly 650c I think), then came the X-stream. Along the way there were steel, aluminum and titanium versions , plus a Formula 26 with 26" wheels. I think they were trying to make the fastest long wheelbase, to counter the rising tide of high racers. Given all the models, the production of each might have been low.

I had a V3 aluminum for a short time. It had early carbon cranks and a carbon seat. At 24.1 LBS with pedals, it was lighter than my Bacchetta Carbon Aero! But it was slower, didn't handle as well, and the 650c tires were hard to get even a few years ago. It felt so featherweight when you picked it up though that I had to get it. I found it at a pawn shop. It needed a lot off work, which I did. Still, it is a fine bike, and deserved to be brought back into good shape.

 

My V3 has the 2" main tube, so maybe my legendary power <sarcasm> won't break it.

I looked it over pretty well when I bought it and didn't see any cracks or issues. I had it stripped to the frame for a good cleaning, new cables and such.

 

The frame cracking issue was with the first-year version 1.5" main tube models. I once had an aluminum V3. Mine had the 2" frame and I had no issue with cracking. It was the last year that RANS made the V3 and by then RANS had went to 26" wheels and V-brakes on the V3 AL. Mine was fast but had squirrely handling and the headtube was right next to the Bottom Bracket and when making a sharp turn there was hard interference between crankarm and V-brake arm. I ended up installing short arm BMX V-brakes. Mark's model with the caliper brake probably did not have the interference issue.

I sold the V3 and got an Xstream. The Xstream had a lower seat height and the BB was further back from the headtube, so no brake arm interference. I found the Xstream to be faster than the V3. It would really cruise on wide open stretches of road, but a beast to handle in city riding. I ended up selling it and from time to time miss it and wished I would have kept it.

RANS considered making a 20" front wheel version of the V3. They had a prototype at one of their rallies, but decided not to go forward with the project.

 

Mine has the TT caliper brake in front and a dual pivot caliper brake in rear. I replaced the front one with a better model because the OEM brake was pretty underwhelming. As for front clearance, at just the right angle it is possible to make contact between front wheel and the crank. I agree that this 'bent would be a perfect application of short cranks, it wouldn't take much to relieve the overlap issue.
As for twitchy handling, I'm pretty happy with the handling on the move. Sitting still the front wheel wants to flop though.
As I ride it more I get more used to the tight turn and low speed handling. Like most 'bents, practice makes perfect.

 

Two nice rides!

 

Thanks! I rode the V3 on Sunday and the Anura this morning. Two enjoyable, but very different rides!!