Vision
R80 Recumbents
We have Vision Parts & compatible parts for R-40, R-42, R-45, R-50 and
R-80 + R-82 For Sale Online.
Vision went out of business in November of 2003. Their last phone line was
disconnected in January 2004, their jigs and tooling were sold on Ebay
about a year later. If you are considering one of their US tandems
remember, some parts will be unavailable i.e.: handlebars, seats, seat
upholstery.
You might consider one of the
Longbikes USS recumbent tandems recumbents
instead.
Click here for the
Vision R82 & R85 Tandem Recumbent Bicycle Owner's Manual (pdf)

Vision R82 Tandem
Click
Here for Recumbent Tandem Specials
The Vision R-82 and
R-85 tandem recumbent is a great bike made by Advanced Transportation
Products (ATP) in Washington State. Their stoker (rear) seat
adjusts to fit 10-year-old kids or 6-foot moms and dads! It is the most
economical quality recumbent tandem available with Under Seat Steering
(USS.) It is very comfortable and rides well. It is available with OSS or
USS. USS is Visions best seller because it doesn’t have to compete with
the RANS Screamer with OSS. Vision's Independent Pedaling system (IPS) is
available on their tandem recumbents as a no cost option. IPS allows
either rider to coast while other pedals. While pedaling both riders still
pedal at the same speed. We love IPS; it means I don't need to interrupt
my workout on descents while my wife or daughters can take a breather. On
other tandem brands it is either not available (Longbikes) or adds six to
nine hundred to the price.
The R-82’s long mono
tube frame flexes enough to take the edge off road bumps making this bike
even more comfortable. This flex is a bit disconcerting on high speed
(20mph+) bumpy corners, where it can be downright scary. The rear seat
will adjust to fit riders under 4'8" to 6"+. It is also low enough that my
daughter could easily ride on the back when she was 10 years old. She
loved this bike above all others (it was the only recumbent tandem she
would fit on.) It has a pretty long wheelbase (even longer than the RANS
Screamer) making it awkward to store and transport. Executing a "U" turn
is a feat requiring all my concentration, but I’m proud to say I can do it
(thank you, thank you…) I’ve met R-82 owners who have enjoyed their bike
for thousands of miles and never tried a “U” turn. The riders are fairly
far apart on the R-82, the space between them allows a Vision seat bag on
the back of the front seat, that's good because I find the Vision bottle
cage placement awkward while riding. On the RNS Screamer many couples do
not have room for a seat bag on the front seat. The R-82 frame can be
disassembled to pack in 2 smaller boxes for shipping and airline
transport. This is similar to the $500 “TR” option on the RANS Screamer.
When doing a "U" turn on a Vision tandem with USS the stoker's toes can
hit the handlebar, this can be a real “thrill” for the captain! IPS helps
this, the rear stoker can coast while the captain pedals through the turn.
When we have this bike in stock it is with IPS. The R-85 is the deluxe
Vision tandem and has the same seats, frame and handlebars. The price
difference is due to the higher-grade components. It rides and weighs
about the same but shifts a bit better and requires a bit less
maintenance.
These are very
comfortable bikes, I like them a lot. In my opinion their frame flex makes
them less than ideal for folks who are looking forward to high-speed
descents. Certainly not High speed descents on winding or bumpy roads.
Vision went out of
business in November of 2003. Their last phone line was disconnected in
January 2004, their jigs and tooling were sold on Ebay about a year
later. If you are considering one of their US tandems remember, some
parts will be unavailable i.e.: handlebars, seats, seat upholstery.
You might consider one of the
Longbikes USS recumbent tandems recumbents
instead.
We have Vision Parts & compatible parts for R-40, R-42, R-45, R-50 and
R-80 + R-82 For Sale Online.
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