recumbent trike

[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