V-REX vs R200

Spring is here. It's the law in this county that I
have to get a new bent. Actually I'm wondering
if anyone out there has both a V-rex and an R200 ?
I have an R200. I don't ride a lot but have
certainly enjoyed the bike. I'm thinking about
getting a V-rex (or Giro). Is it different enough
that I would feel like a had a new bike ? My
riding is all smooth roads so the suspension
isn't really an issue.

thanks

wrote in message
oups.com...
Spring is here. It's the law in this county that I
have to get a new bent. Actually I'm wondering
if anyone out there has both a V-rex and an R200 ?
I have an R200. I don't ride a lot but have
certainly enjoyed the bike. I'm thinking about
getting a V-rex (or Giro). Is it different enough
that I would feel like a had a new bike ? My
riding is all smooth roads so the suspension
isn't really an issue.

thanks

From what I've seen with the R200 yes the Rans V-rex or Giro would be a step
up

Mark:

I have a V-Rex and of the two I'd probably go for the Giro. They aren't
different enough that I'd get rid of my Rex to get a Giro, but I have
invested in making it as close to a Giro as I can (mainly with the
handlebar/riser setup). I think the Giro is one of the sweetest handling
bikes around.

--Scott
"Mark Leuck" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Spring is here. It's the law in this county that I
have to get a new bent. Actually I'm wondering
if anyone out there has both a V-rex and an R200 ?
I have an R200. I don't ride a lot but have
certainly enjoyed the bike. I'm thinking about
getting a V-rex (or Giro). Is it different enough
that I would feel like a had a new bike ? My
riding is all smooth roads so the suspension
isn't really an issue.

thanks

From what I've seen with the R200 yes the Rans V-rex or Giro would be a
step
up

Where do you live? Any good engineering jobs nearby? I want to move.
Here in Erie, PA smooth roads are what they managed to rebuild this summer
once the repeated frost heaves make the joke of calling them "roads" not
even funny anymore.
Those new roads become crummy over the next winter, where some madman
decides which "roads" are the worst and need to get rebuilt over the summer.

As they say, in Erie, there are four seasons:
almost winter
winter
still winter
and construction.

TrailBarge

SNIP
My
riding is all smooth roads so the suspension
isn't really an issue.

thanks

I did have both of them for a couple of years, but sold the R200 last
summer. The V-Rex was decidedly my favorite of the two, even though I had
to outfit it with low-pressure 1.75" tires (56psi Continental Top Touring
2000s) because I ride on various kinds of trails and sidewalks, etc., that
aren't so smooth, and the ride was a bit jolting. But even with the
low-pressure tires the V-Rex was faster than the R200, and with hi-pressure
skinnies it completely blows it away.

Not that speed necessarily matters so much (unless you're trying to keep up
with a group that's faster than you). But I simply enjoyed riding the V-Rex
much more. Seemed like the Bontrager hubs on the R200 were noisy and higher
resistance. On the V-Rex you can backpedal to get your feet set properly
for starts. You can tilt the seat back farther to get even less wind
resistance (and for my tastes, greater comfort). It takes a kickstand and a
rear rack much more gracefully. It just felt better. The R200 has a
beautiful frame that looks like it would withstand ramming a Volvo, but the
V-Rex was a better ride. Plus I didn't like having to mess with the
pressure in the air shock. Maybe that wouldn't have been a issue if I'd been
riding it all the time, but it seemed like every time I got around to riding
it I had to pump up the air shock in addition to the tires. Who needs it -
just give me a spring!

In fairness, I never got motivated to really work on the R200 to overcome
it's little problems and get it outfitted just right. I had already done
that with the V-Rex, and the R200 didn't hold out enough of a promise of
something better to get me off my rear. I don't doubt that those who *have*
invested that time in their R200s have made something better out of them
than I did out of mine.

Greg D

wrote in message
oups.com...
Spring is here. It's the law in this county that I
have to get a new bent. Actually I'm wondering
if anyone out there has both a V-rex and an R200 ?
I have an R200. I don't ride a lot but have
certainly enjoyed the bike. I'm thinking about
getting a V-rex (or Giro). Is it different enough
that I would feel like a had a new bike ? My
riding is all smooth roads so the suspension
isn't really an issue.

thanks