recumbent trike

[Natasha]

I am considering getting a recumbent trike. Something like a Catrike Pocket or a Greenspeed GT3. I wondered if anybody here rides a recumbent trike and what your experiences and impressions are. I have test ridden a few different ones and loved it, but only on bike trails. What is it like riding in traffic?

[Melalvai]

I'm looking forward to the answers.
About how much does a recumbent trike cost? I'd love to point one out to my mother-in-law but I'm sure she'll think the cost is too high. It probably costs as much as at least two car repairs on her unreliable vehicle!

[oxysback]

I am considering getting a recumbent trike. Something like a Catrike Pocket or a Greenspeed GT3. I wondered if anybody here rides a recumbent trike and what your experiences and impressions are. I have test ridden a few different ones and loved it, but only on bike trails. What is it like riding in traffic?

My hubby rides a Trice Micro. He got it in 2001 and loves it. He recently got it re-powdercoated and upgraded a lot of components. I worry about him in traffic, but he holds his own pretty well and is a very aware of cars.

For Melalvai: Yep...ones like that are pretty pricey. We get the Hostel Recumbent catalog and prices there range from $1000 and up.

Edited to post a link to DH's blog...he has some nice before and after pics of his Trike. www.tagworld.com/dougfoot

[sbctwin]

We got my DH a Greenspeed GT3 for Christmas. As yet, it is still sitting in the living room, waiting for some decent weather for the 'maiden' ride. He ended up with a trike because of health and balance issues. He really likes riding a bike, but falling off the two wheel version left him not wanting to ride at all. I test rode the trike and I LOVED it. Unfortunately, I can't ride his because I am too short. If we set it up for me to be able to ride it, it would put DH knees in his chest. Oh well. Maybe if I stick a lot of pillows behind me, I can ride it around the block occassionally. The bike was about $2600. It was pricey for us, but after test riding several, this was the one that felt most comfortable to him.

[Bad JuJu]

My riding buddy's DH has both a Bacchetta Corsa recumbent and a Cat trike recumbent. He mostly rides the Bacchetta on paved road rides, rides the trike on shorter rides on dirt roads. But he does roll out the trike for a Saturday morning club ride occasionally. I think his main beef is that he's a bit slower on the trike (but he's usually riding at the front of the group anyway, so "slower" is relative) and the lower (in both senses) visibility of the trike on the road. He's done several things with flags and flappy streamers and bright colors, so that helps.

His DW has ridden his trike, as have I, with cushions behind our backs so we could reach the pedals. It really is the most fun I've had on an adult bike--so responsive, so comfortable. But as others have mentioned, pricey. I think he got his by timing it to coincide with an income tax refund.

[7rider]

I am considering getting a recumbent trike. Something like a Catrike Pocket or a Greenspeed GT3. I wondered if anybody here rides a recumbent trike and what your experiences and impressions are. I have test ridden a few different ones and loved it, but only on bike trails. What is it like riding in traffic?

No personal experience, but last fall I was out on a road ride with my DH and came across a couple on a tandem recumbent trike. They were doing fine on the road - had a flag for increased visibility. The bike SMOKED the downhills , but struggled on the uphills.

[Blueberry]

I've test ridden a greenspeed and LOVED it! Felt like a little go cart. I didn't feel I was invisible to cars, but you do breathe a lot more exhaust. It was geared really low to compensate for the difficulty on hills.

There's a journal on Crazyguyonabike.com written by Heidi D. She rode hers from NC to Alaska and back. Lots of feedback on the bike. She then rode it on the Great Divide trail. Pretty cool stuff

[sundial]

I have a Sun EZ 3 USX trike and I chose this over the other bent bikes because I can get in and out of it easier than the other bikes. Also, traffic slows down when I ride it because from behind, it looks like a motorized wheelchair.

[evangundy]

There are getting to be more riders on trikes joining in our local rides here in Portland. And the local recumbent shop http://www.coventrycycle.com/ is having trouble keeping trikes on the floor. Sherman says they sell as fast as he can put them together. I have loved every one that I have test ridden (about a dozen). If I had a place to store a trike, I would have one to go along with my Bachetta Giro and my Easy Racer Ti-Rush. But they keep my DH's Gold Rush company in the dining room already, and there's no room for another one.

One of the ladies from our bike club www.ohpv.org is on a tour right now, on her trike. I think it is a Greenspeed. I'll have to look next time I read her blog. She is keeping a journal on crazy guy called "Myrtle the Turtle Trike Tour". http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=2126&v=JK She rode from here to Vancouver Island, then headed South down the coast and is currently in Mexico. She's been gone since last July and has had very few issues with being on the trike.

On another forum I frequent, there is a whole section dedictated to trikes: www.benrideronline.com in the forums. Nice group of people there. And could keep you reading for days On that forum, I share the login name with my DH - vangundy.

Sorry I didn't give you any specific advice, but I hope you get a chance to check out the links. There's good info there if you have the time for some reading. And I hope you find a trike you like. They are a blast!!!!
Edna

[Bentkat]

I ride a Greenspeed GTS and my buddy who is touring in Mexico rides a Greenspeed GTO. Another popular trike is ICE and is made in the UK. Cattrikes are made in Florida and WizWHeelz trikes are made in Michigan.

I have ridden my trike on all kinds of roads and in various traffic situations. I always feel safe. I toured the OR coast on my trike this last summer. You do have to be defensive at intersections, especially if cars can turn in front of you, but then that is true on any bike.

One of the nice things about riding a trike in traffic is that you do not have to unclip at red traffic lights or stop signs.

Hill climbing can be slow but easy on the engine. You can go as slow as you want and not have to worry about balance.

Look for a used trike to save money.

[Natasha]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am currently actively looking for a used trike.
I agree with others that its like riding a go-car. Lots of fun.

Thanks for the links. The story of the woman who is touring on her trike was great. Makes me want to head out today.

[Graybutyoung]

I would like more feedback on your experiences with recumbent trikes. How do you transport them in or on your car?

The idea of a folding ICE sounds great. Any problems with it beside price?

[TsPoet]

I have a Greenspeed X3. It folds. The Greenspeeds and the some of the Trice trikes fold. My Greenspeed fits in the back of my MINI. Takes about 1 min to fold and 1-5 to unfold (There's a screw that needs replaced on the seat, sometimes that hits and it's easy, sometimes I have to fight with it).
Others transport trikes on top of cars - I've seen a trike on top of a Prius, it looked like it was just strapped through the windows. Others use Sportsrig trailers.
I feel safer in traffic on my trike than on my bikes. I have a big 'ole flag on it and people give me a wide birth on it. Trike riders over on BROL (bentrider online) have surmised that drivers might think you are handicapped and therefore give you a little respect. I don't know if that's right or not. The other option is that you are below their passenger window, so they have to go around wide to keep seeing you. Either way, I've had less trouble on the trike than on my bikes.
You may consider checking out BROL's classifieds. I got my Greenspeed used through BROL and saved ~1/3 the cost. The previous owner also upgraded and set everything up.
Also on BROL is a long thread about the "potato state trikes tour photos", or something like that - you might check that out for all of the pictures of all of the trikes posted by everyone.
I've put most of my miles in this year on my trike. It's slower than my bikes, but I love to watch birds and just see things while riding and nothing gives you an opportunity to do that like a trike.