Considering a trike?

I've been lurking here in the background for awhile. I am a bike shop owner (30 years) and also a freelance writer. I converted to bents about 7 years ago. About a year ago I decided to go trike... What a blast! If you've never tried one, you should. Recently I wrote this article and thought I would share it...
Recumbent Trikes: The Fun is Back - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com


Admin: If you don't want me to post a biking article occassionally, just let me know.

 

Sounds quite different. Should look into it.

 

@Redticket: Knowing full well that your article was a commercial plug, I went ahead and read, 'cause I'm an open-minded guy.

You really need to say more about the specifics of your trike, and what it is about the trike that you find enjoyable: different (how?) center of gravity, turning radius, relative stability at speed? At a crawl? How does it do on crappy pavement? Why?
What kind of seats are available, what do they buy you in terms of comfort and security?

I switched to recumbent bicycles from diamond frame bikes about 12 years ago. In exchange for a substantial price penalty, I gained relief from nerve trauma in my hands and crotch, and relief from the perpetual stiff neck brought on by the drop bars on my DF triathlon bike.

I've ridden a number of different recumbent bike geometries: long wheel-base, short wheel-base single, and a short wheel-base tandem. They're all scary the first time you climb a hill on one, because they balance and steer differently from a diamond frame bike.

For someone making their first transition to a recumbent, a trike might be an ideal choice, because you can climb as slow as you need to, without fear of falling over into traffic.

A number of middle aged people I've met have tried recumbent bikes, and spoken highly of a final transition to a trike, despite the added weight and cost of the trikes, for comparable componentry.

The one frustrating experience I've seen a triker endure, was having to drag his "delta" trike up a wet hill, because there wasn't enough weight on the single driven wheel of the rear pair, to provide traction to climb the hill. A "tadpole" trike would probably have done fine.

You need to flesh out your article with specifics. A broad, unqualified statement that "it's fun", isn't likely to open wallets.
Good luck!

 

This was only meant to be a 400 word simple overview of the kinds of trikes on the market. I did describe what's out there. I also enjoy them. There are a ton of other articles getting into specifics. Such as this one on a Catrike Trail Review...
Catrike Trail: Recumbent Trike Review - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com
or this one on a TerraTrike Cruiser,,,
TerraTrike Cruiser: Value Packed, Feature Rich Recumbent Trike - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Whatever kind fits your needs, you should try one.

Commercial plug??? I don't make them. I ride them and write about them. They're fun!

 

Oh, I thought you are a dealer. Sorry if I misunderstood.

 

I sense a hint of sarcasm in your response. I am an independent bike shop owner. I have dealer agreements with the companies I stock to sell in my local area only. I couldn't sell you a trike if I wanted to. I am also a Realtor, hunter, fisherman FREELANCE WRITER and more. Just because I would write an article about the styles of houses available, doesn't mean I'm trying to sell you a house, I, along with many other writers just write about what we know. If I am reading you wrong, I apologize. As for me, this is the end of this story. Have a great day.

 

Please write some more. Please.

 

Good luck. I tried to get him to explain in more detail about what is so exciting to him, and he got mad and stopped posting.

I personally prefer the narrower track of a two wheeler, and tolerate a little instability to get it.

I think that the trikers can relax more because they're not afraid of falling over, or wobbling into traffic. Less stressful.

 

You are obvious an experienced biker and like me love a trike. They are slower, more expensive, havier, funny, complicated, a hassle often, but still you acnolidge that a trike is the ultimate ride. Yes there is nothing wrong with a mtb on goat paths or a fast DF uphill. But I wouldn't trade my ICE QNT for anything in the world. My trike is Freud. Everyone had a dream that he or she was floating on a matras through the world. It has to do with some sexual things I'm not going to explain but the fact your comfort chair brings you round the world is a spiritual thing most bikers fail to understand. It is goodbye to everything a bike should do. Going from A to B. Laying in the hammock seat without concentrating on balance and watch grass grow you get lasy as hell. They should ban trikes! Rambo will pick up violin lessons.

 

There's a solution for a single spinning rear drive wheel on a Delta trike...get a model that provides a differential for rear power delivery. Yes, more dollars, but less dragging the bike after you. I've spun the rear wheel on my Tadpole, simply because more of my weight is centered towards the front end (Catrike 700). Then again, perhaps a wider, lower pressure tire would help with the power hook up too, Delta or Tadpole.

 

Spin & Grin:
Great post. I didn't think about the weight distribution allowing the single driven wheel of a tadpole to spin. It makes sense, though: even a DF can spin the rear wheel on a slick or sandy surface, with enough applied torque.

I am not a fan of *anything* that (like a differential) decreases drive train efficiency or adds weight, unless theres a good reason for it. I struggle periodically with the continued presence of the drum brake, fenders, and Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires on our recumbent tandem bike.

If I actually found myself forced into a 4-season commute by human power, even with electric assist, I would want a trike-based velomobile, with some degree of suspension, enclosed shell, lights, disk brakes. I probably would NOT want a differential, but instead apply symmetric electric assist to the wheels that are NOT driven by the chain. More efficiency.

For fair weather fitness riding? I'll continue to balance on two wheels, until I can't.

 

I will agree that trikes are a LOT of fun. I would go a step further and offer up the opinion that trikes have a major role to play in the future of cycling.

 

I hope trikes will stay a rarity. The future? If 20kg trikes cost 500 euro and have a roof to keep you dry. In the Netherlands 6000 euro+ velomobiles sell like hot cakes but not everyone can afford one. Which is probably a good thing so we won't have traffic jams on bike trails. Meanwhile I'm happy to be more comfy then other cyclists. As soon everbody has one I start riding a DF again.

 

After almost 30 years of adult bike riding:

I sat on a trike and thot, "I could get used to this."

I rode one and said, " this is great."

I bought one and said, "I'll never go back."

I see my friends with the sore wrists and numb nuts and say, "why?"

I still have a few DF bikes that I keep because I like them as objects & machines, but, for touring, they don't make any more sense to me than a unicycle.

 

I will agree - a trike is awesome! If you take a read of my blog via my signature you will find lots of insight on trike riding - benefits/pros/cons.

(Really not many cons)

 

Considered, tested bought and happy! I have this mantis recumbent trike which folds too.

 

I test rode a tadpole trike a few years ago and it felt amazing! I was doing some big circles in a church parking lot and I was able to build up some pretty good speed. I wanted to see how fast I could corner and ended up going up on two wheels. It was a neat feeling but I didn't do it again because I was not ready to pay for a wrecked bike. Tadpole is a thumbs up in my book. Fast, fun, and stable ( when you're not fooling around on it in a church parking lot.)

 

I might suggest caution about sufficient traction with single rear wheel drive tadpole on a whetted incline. I do experience rear wheel slipping when the surface is wet or has lose coating,with sufficient incline (Catrike 700). I've been thinking about a Delta configuration with differential so both rear wheels drive.

 

I think the fact that the trike is used it is definitely useful. I think it is great that trike is a great fun. I have never tried one and would definitely like to try it soon.

 

I got my first bent in 1997. The thing with trike evengelists is, they're super-evangelists trying to convert everyone, including the regular evangelists. I know all about trikes but I'm not really interested. What I see is the TEs (Trike Evangelists) is, all the stuff about comfort that they attribute solely to trikes can also be said about bent bikes. A bent trike is just a bent bike with an extra wheel. The advantages I see for a trike versus a 2-wheeler are that they can be ridden very slowly, and they can't fall over. The flip side is that they ARE slower, and they're harder to transport and store.