The Baron is a good bike that is both versatile and easy to handle (particularly at low speed) I definitely recommend it as a first recumbent even if Low-Racers are generally seen as twitchy and too extreme. Even being not particularly light (28 pounds) the Baron is a more than decent climber and of course is quite fast on flat lands. His main downsides, asides of its weight, is that it is not so easy in the cornering at high speed and its frame tends to saturate when you try to overpower it. The choice of and adjustable seat obliged the designer to put the rear seat post relatively forward which results in too much flex in the upper part of the seat. Also the long rear chain-stays and the lack of reinforcement in the middle of the frame allows the frame to flex too much, especially when you do the "bridge". But despite of this, the good over whole performance together with the comfort and easy handling makes it a good package for the buck. But I think Optima should make more effort to reduce the weight of their bike and also improve the drive train, I also think that they should give up this adjustable seat angle option that is not very useful in practice and have a more rigid seat attachment on the frame instead. Low Racer are mean to be reclined bikes.
After One year and half on the Baron I decided that I wanted something lighter and stiffer because I wanted to engage in more challenging rides with monster climbs like the Century of Auburn (Auburn Century) with its 140 miles and 18000 feet of climbing. I hesitated for quite some time between a light High-Racer and the VK2, but it happens that I just like to be low, also the Bay area and Santa Cruz mountains sea side are quite windy areas and where there is wind a low bike is definitively an edge.
But asides of objective or biased comparative advantages I was (and still is) just enamored with the look of the VK2, its sensual (almost erotic) lines and organic shape. Doesn't it look like some wild animal ready to jump or an impatient horse pulling on his leash ? I am pretty sure that 200 years from now this bike will be displayed in museums and seen as a monument of creative bike design of the beginning of the 21th century. More than bike design it is just art.
OK, but from a technical point of view the VK2 is also a marvel of technology, light (20 pounds) and stiff (I can do the bridge on it without detecting any flex in the middle of the frame). The VK2 integrates a very unique feature that is the molding of the seat with the frame that makes the rear part of the bike extremely stiff and free of creak. Also the seat is narrower than on any other bent, and that is a nice feature because you sweat much less. Most of recumbent have too wide seat that keep you back too warm and sweaty. Another interesting feature is that the sensual S shape of the head of the fork allows some flex (that you can feel when you block the front break and push the bike forward) this small flex together with the elastic behavior of CF allows he bike to swallow the roughness of the road. I can clearly feel that the bike rolls better on rough roads than the Baron despites the same small front 406 wheel. In fact on the VK2, you completly forget the small front wheel when used with a Ventisit seat pad that provides some suspension, the bike just keeps rolling. The VK2 is a bike that really accelerate when you pour the juice you can really sprint on it. It really responds with nervosity and that is a very pleasant feeling. It also climbs very well (on average I am about 7 to 10% faster on long uphill on the VK2 than on the Baron), usually low racers are not seen as being as good climbers as high-racers, but the VK2 is exception and others have noticed it too ( VK2 agaisnt Ti Aero). I did the Auburn century last year and DFs around couldn't believe how well that bike was climbing. But all this doesn't mean that the VK2 doesn't have its own down sides, the main one being the dropped chain that derails so easily when the front wheel touch it. Also in tight switch back the front wheel comes in contact with the chain, not a huge problem but not ideal. The other not so nice thing is the design of the handle bar which ergonomic could be improved, ideally the bars should be oriented forward for your wrists and forearms to be perfectly relaxed. The last thing is that the VK2 is designed with more trail than the Baron so it responds quite quickly when you play with the tiller, it is a nice feature because it makes the bike more agile and responsive and it can also corner more agressively. The down side of this is that it makes the bike more technical and quick at low speed so the VK2 is more a bike for experienced bent riders than for beginners. My VK2 is set with 50/34 Qring chain rings and 11/36 10 speed SRAMXX cassette. I use standard 175mm cranks.
