Do you ride faster on your trike

[megaman]

Seriously considering getting a trike. Everywhere I've read it seems that trike riders are almost always slower than they were on their other bikes. I'm curious about if you specifically rode a bent just how much slower are you? I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?

[BK Xray]

I have an EZ Sport and a Catrike Road. I got rid of my EZ Speedster (SWB) when I bought the trike. I was significantly faster on the Speedster (3-4mph). Riding the Sport, I am 1-2 mph faster, but it doesn't seem like I am working as hard. I was pretty displeased with those results. I have decided to get rid of the trike and go back to a SWB bent.

[geebee]

I am faster than MTB over a given route and slower than a road bike.

[megaman]

I have an EZ Sport and a Catrike Road. I got rid of my EZ Speedster (SWB) when I bought the trike. I was significantly faster on the Speedster (3-4mph). Riding the Sport, I am 1-2 mph faster, but it doesn't seem like I am working as hard. I was pretty displeased with those results. I have decided to get rid of the trike and go back to a SWB bent.

Thanks for the reply. How many miles did you ride on your trike?

[CATIN STEVE]

I have a 04 Catrike Road. I am going to be 59 next month. I have ridden it 1200 miles since I purchased it in Feb. I have make several mod trying to get it as fast as I can. I can average 14 - 16 on level ground. I have seen a marked improvement on my engine this year. BUT I cannot stay with some friends that ride high racers. I need 2 bikes. I want to keep the Road but I long for a high racer just to ride with my friends and not get droped.

[jeff-o]

Yep, not quite as fast, sorry. But, since you'll be closer to the ground, it'll feel like you're going faster. Just don't use a bike computer... ;)

[lowracer1]

Seriously considering getting a trike. Everywhere I've read it seems that trike riders are almost always slower than they were on their other bikes. I'm curious about if you specifically rode a bent just how much slower are you? I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?


nope.......... slower on the trike. I think my mountain bike may be faster than the trike, but don't quote me on that.

[Ric]

Seriously considering getting a trike. Everywhere I've read it seems that trike riders are almost always slower than they were on their other bikes. I'm curious about if you specifically rode a bent just how much slower are you? I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?

I disagree with most of the post here when people say trikes are slow. Too answer your question, Trikes are as fast as you can make them go. It depends on the trike and the guy riding the trike. You say, I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?
Well if you buy a 40 plus lb trike, I'd say yes you would probley be slower but if you buy a lighter trike say 29lbs, I dare say you would be as fast if not faster than your EZ sport considering the engine (you) would be equal.

[mtessmer]

Well, I've had allot of experience with trikes, over six years. I've got two wheelers also. Ric pretty much said it, the "motor" makes a big difference. For me it might be a hair slower on a trike but I don't notice it. I've left allot of two wheelers in my dust.

[megaman]

Yep, not quite as fast, sorry. But, since you'll be closer to the ground, it'll feel like you're going faster. Just don't use a bike computer... ;)

Actually, I don't pay much attention to speed on my computer anyway. I'm more interested in miles. That also says something about my conditioning. Sometimes it's pretty good, but early in the season it leaves a little;) to be desired.

[lowracer1]

I disagree with most of the post here when people say trikes are slow. Too answer your question, Trikes are as fast as you can make them go. It depends on the trike and the guy riding the trike. You say, I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?
Well if you buy a 40 plus lb trike, I'd say yes you would probley be slower but if you buy a lighter trike say 29lbs, I dare say you would be as fast if not faster than your EZ sport considering the engine (you) would be equal.


I have a catrike speed with a rotor crank on it and it is still way slower than my baron, or vk2. Heck, I think it is even slower than my homebuilt 20/20 underseat steer. The catrike is less than 29 lbs.........try 26 lbs. It doesn't matter. I've played with the toe in, toe out, tried perfectly straight and yes saw improvements when the steeriing was finally dialed in correctly so no wheel scrub was present except in turning. Maybe its because all I have to compare to is a couple of lowracers. I've tried to keep up with the wednesday night club ride while on the trike and get dropped like a bad habit. Hop on the lowracer and the pack chases me for 30 miles. Maybe the catrike is faster than an easy sport, but it can't keep up to an equal athlete on a road bike or faster 2 wheel recumbent. Maybe the 2 wheel uprights you people have passed on your trikes didn't have much of an engine.

I finally gave up on trying to get any more speed out of the trike and instead turned it into an offroad machine( dirt roads, wide trails) with knobby tires. I took it out on the mountain bike trail and it was a complete riot. I actually kept up with a guy on a mountain bike and he couldn't drop me. He was pretty impressed once we got back to the trail head lot and we talked quite a while and I let him try the bike out. He thought it was pretty cool and we discussed ideas of trying to add suspension to the trike and maybe a skid plate under the frame.

Speed with the trike on the road is a no go. Those of you who think the trikes are fast just maybe have not been on a faster 2 wheel recumbent.

On certain century courses such as the "assenmacher 100" I've done 4 hour 20 minutes on the lowracer solo total time including short stops. On the trike I would be lucky to do it in 5:45. There is that much difference in speed.

[Ric]

Again I disagree, I don't believe it is possible to compare a trike to a lowracer. I have ridden trikes the past 6 or 7 years and in all that time have only seen one lowracer on the road and it was a Zox. You can't compare a racing machine to a recreational machine. Another thing, you had better check your spec,s the pocket is 26 the Road 30 and the speed is 29lbs.
Speed depends on the trike and the guy on it. I ride organized on weekends and have no problem keeping up with people on my Speed, I just don't chase those twenty year old kids that like to think they are a badass and have to run 30 mph and be out in front too prove it.

[dougfoot]

Trikes are a different animal all together. I have a Trice Micro and love the machine. I am able to ride distances that I would otherwise not do and I am faster than I would other wise be.

Comparing myself to others in my group of fellow riders, I ride as fast or faster than our slowest member. It all depends on the terrain we are riding and what our stated goals are for the ride (sometimes its "lets catch the trike" or "lets meet the trike at the next rest stop").

On the flats, I maintain a good pace of 18+mph, going down hills, I'll push to 30+ before spinning out, and going up hill is when we catch up to each other and at times I'll get passed.

Recumbents are a niche in the cycling community, and trikes are in an even smaller group, for the sake of "racing", multitrack cycles should race with multitrack cycles. If I wanted "real" competition, I would race riding a road bike...

[BlazingPedals]

... If I wanted "real" competition, I would race riding a road bike...

Somehow discussions about speed always come down to competition and racing, as if speed shouldn't be a worry unless it's in a race. Racing is beside the point here. The very valid concern is riding with buddies - given that, tuneups aside, most of us are stuck with the engine we've got, then is a trike slower than (x) platform? "Will I be able to keep up on the new platform?" Obviously that depends on which trike as much as which platform it's being compared to. From what I've seen secondhand (there's about a dozen trikes in my club,) the best of the fast trikes is the Windcheetah. One rider here went from a P-38 to a Windcheetah Club and was still able to keep up with the relatively fast (but sub-racing) group. Just for reference, the group will average 18 or so in the spring and 20+ by midsummer, in flattish terrain. Now he rides a Catrike Speed and doesn't even try to keep up.

Maybe rather than worrying about labeling trikes as 'slow' we should figure out which 2-wheeled models are speed-equivalent to various trikes. i.e. is a Speed about the same speed potential as an EZ-1, or maybe an EZ-Sport?

[dougfoot]

I'm merely stating the obvious, that if I wanted "real" competition I would race riding a road bike.

English is such an intersting language is it not?

Most if not all recumbet riders I know of, are not into the cycling culture (as seen on the recent Tour de France) and ride for the sheer joy of it - as I do.

In doing so, I ride my own pace.

The group I ride with is a mixture of skill and fitness levels from tri-atheletes to the average joe trying to loose weight. At times we ride together, other times we meet up during the ride. The point being we all enjoy the ride at what ever level we find ourselves in and encourage each other along the way.

Our group has a common goal - being able to complete a one day Seattle to Portland - I've completed four of these rides, others in my group have completed more, a couple have done 2 or less.

[lowracer1]

Again I disagree, I don't believe it is possible to compare a trike to a lowracer. I have ridden trikes the past 6 or 7 years and in all that time have only seen one lowracer on the road and it was a Zox. You can't compare a racing machine to a recreational machine. Another thing, you had better check your spec,s the pocket is 26 the Road 30 and the speed is 29lbs.
Speed depends on the trike and the guy on it. I ride organized on weekends and have no problem keeping up with people on my Speed, I just don't chase those twenty year old kids that like to think they are a badass and have to run 30 mph and be out in front too prove it.

I don't need to check my specs. All I have to do is throw the bike on the bench scale. It is a 2003 model that went on a diet. lighter rear wheel, derailleur, cables, chain is pc89r hollowpin, the interior boom has been cut way down.............. IT IS 26lbs.

[Ric]

You can reduce the weight of most any bike/trike if you want to spend the extra money on light weight parts and such but the factory spec,s on the pocket are 26lbs the Road 30lbs and the Speed is 29lbs at time of purchase,(Hostel Shoppe) I think that's the weight people are looking at, not after you rebuild it.

[megaman]

Maybe rather than worrying about labeling trikes as 'slow' we should figure out which 2-wheeled models are speed-equivalent to various trikes. i.e. is a Speed about the same speed potential as an EZ-1, or maybe an EZ-Sport?

That's an interesting idea. First we'd have to determine which bents are the fastest on down to the slowest. I think my EZ Sport is slow. However, I played "tag" with an EZ-1 this last summer, and found him saying he couldn't keep up with me and that I should slow down. Heck I was barely doing 12 mph. Yeah, I know that's not fast but my point is to determine which bent is the fastest you need to eliminate the "engine" factor.

[lowracer1]

check the published factory weight on the 03 speed. Its not the same as the 05 or 06 speed. The 03 was lighter before any mods also, not that it will do anybody else any good since the present offerings for a speed are 30 lbs.

Regardless, trikes weren't built to go fast........they were built with fun in mind.

[BigAlMN]

When I started my search for a trike I wanted to stay with my boys on their aggressive Road bikes; I learned that was out of the question very quickly. I accepted that and began to accustom myself to enjoying the ride. As I trained the engine; I found that I was keeping up with the slower part of the pack. With continued work on the 'engine'; the trike started doing quite well in the pack; not at the front of the pack; but you give me a tailwind and flat land and I will do awfully well with a good group.

So my lesson was learn to enjoy what we have - the riding is the adventure -not the speed that we maintain during the ride. And I did find that my boys do take their time on occasion to ride at my pace and they enjoy that almost as much as I do. I am now very comfortable in the average pace of 13-14 mph; on the flat lands; city commutes I do a pretty [stongly aggressive for me at this time] pace of about 18 -20 mph. I even had a working commuter, fellow employee try to dust me on his DF - we were maintaining a pace of > 20 mph. Sure was glad when we finished that route. :)

So take some time to smell the roses. We live too much on the expressways and think that our trike adventures will be similar. Work the engine into shape and then the roses will take on another value.

[dougfoot]

Amen...

My experience with my trike has been similar - trying to keep up with my group was difficult at first, but as I continued to ride, and ride often, I found that I was not only keeping up, but out in front.

It is important to note that there is a learning curve for riding a trike, (for that matter 'bents in general) that once your body has become accustomed to the new riding position, and muscles become stronger, you will be able to keep up.

I have found that with the group I ride with, we generally keep up with each other, at least to the point of knowing if we are in the need of assistance (ie: flats and such).

[Magilla Gorilla]

I have a catrike speed with a rotor crank on it and it is still way slower than my baron, or vk2. Heck, I think it is even slower than my homebuilt 20/20 underseat steer. The catrike is less than 29 lbs.........try 26 lbs. It doesn't matter. I've played with the toe in, toe out, tried perfectly straight and yes saw improvements when the steeriing was finally dialed in correctly so no wheel scrub was present except in turning. Maybe its because all I have to compare to is a couple of lowracers. I've tried to keep up with the wednesday night club ride while on the trike and get dropped like a bad habit. Hop on the lowracer and the pack chases me for 30 miles. Maybe the catrike is faster than an easy sport, but it can't keep up to an equal athlete on a road bike or faster 2 wheel recumbent. Maybe the 2 wheel uprights you people have passed on your trikes didn't have much of an engine.

I finally gave up on trying to get any more speed out of the trike and instead turned it into an offroad machine( dirt roads, wide trails) with knobby tires. I took it out on the mountain bike trail and it was a complete riot. I actually kept up with a guy on a mountain bike and he couldn't drop me. He was pretty impressed once we got back to the trail head lot and we talked quite a while and I let him try the bike out. He thought it was pretty cool and we discussed ideas of trying to add suspension to the trike and maybe a skid plate under the frame.

Speed with the trike on the road is a no go. Those of you who think the trikes are fast just maybe have not been on a faster 2 wheel recumbent.

On certain century courses such as the "assenmacher 100" I've done 4 hour 20 minutes on the lowracer solo total time including short stops. On the trike I would be lucky to do it in 5:45. There is that much difference in speed.


Hmm,,

Trikes and speed.
I had an experience a short while back where a guy showed up at one of our Midwest Brevets to take on me on my Bacchetta Aero. I was on the team at the time and was doing sub 10 hour double centuries at that time. I was the fitest I ever was in my life at the time on a Bicycle. I was late to the start of the ride and helped a friend at the start of the ride and was over a half hour behind the lead riders. I caught them at about the 60 mile point and that poor super star trike rider was absolutely suffering in our hills. This Brevet was supper hilly. I never did catch the super fit rider on the Seven DF bike with an Aerobar. Our times were dead even after a chat but I never beat him. He was 30 And I was 47 at the time.
Trikes are really cool machines but I think that for performance a two wheeled performance recumbent is the ticket.
I also believe that dual big wheeled recumbents are far better suited for long Ultra cycling rides.
This trike guy was going like 2mph up some of these hills here in Wisconsin.
Now does this mean trikes are bad? Not in any way shape or form. I would love to own one and could think of a few places and times where riding one would be a blast. It's just a bike and for some people a trike will make the difference between riding a bike or not ridding a bike.
Speed is not the only concern out there in Bicycle land. But if you are talking performance a Trike might not be the best choice.
Just a personal opinion.

MG

[megaman]

So take some time to smell the roses. We live too much on the expressways and think that our trike adventures will be similar. Work the engine into shape and then the roses will take on another value.

Well said.
It looks like what everyone is saying, is that unless I train alot I'll be somewhat slower. But who really cares if you are enjoying yourself. Cycling seems to be a singles sport anyway. Even on "group" rides.

[sbhikes]

I have just gotten a trike. I have no idea if I'm slower or not (no computer attached), but my guess is I'm probably slower. I do feel the trike has much faster pick-up than both my other bikes, which is important in city riding. I have been able to take it up hills that have defeated me on my other bikes, and I'm a person good at hills. These are very steep. Going up hill is actually the only time I've caught up and passed anybody yet (anybody worthy of being passed and bragging about it later) on my trike, and what fun that was because I told the guy to wake me when we got to the top.

A trike is a totally different machine. A direct comparison to a two-wheeled bike isn't fair. I don't think it is wise to buy a trike for speed. Certainly buy the fastest one you can if speed is important to you, but don't expect it to be the fasted human-powered machine you can get.

Buy a trike because of what a trike is. Tremendous fun. I have never had so much fun. Low speed fun, too. Don't forget about how much fun you can have at low speeds swooping around curves, getting it up on two wheels, doing donuts in the parking lot. Stuff you can't do on a bike very well.

[nakota]

Whatever you ride, it ought to be fun.
It seems to me that with all the variables from machine to machine, it's apples to oranges.
Just to satify curiousity (and science, of course :) ), I would like to see a direct comparison between two machines; one two-wheeled, one three-wheeled. Same gearing, same front/rear tire sizes, similar weight, same unbiased engine giving his all.

I just bought a trike with 26" rear wheel, I'm anxious to see how it compares to similarly geared/tired road bikes.

[bentcruiser]

Seriously considering getting a trike. Everywhere I've read it seems that trike riders are almost always slower than they were on their other bikes. I'm curious about if you specifically rode a bent just how much slower are you? I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?

You know most people have said they may have been slower. But they do not seem to care due to the trike's fun factor. Myself, I long for a tricycle for that very reason.

[lisitsa]

I just finished a 24 hour trike competition for schools we have here in Melbourne, Australia. Our bike was slow averaging around 20km/hr over 24 hours, but the top teams were averaging 37-38km/hr (albeit with a fairing). Lowracers are probably faster, but I tried a greenspeed GTX and boy was that the most FUN and AGILE and QUICK trike i have ever seen. Pity about the price.

[trailwarrior]

Seriously considering getting a trike. Everywhere I've read it seems that trike riders are almost always slower than they were on their other bikes. I'm curious about if you specifically rode a bent just how much slower are you? I ride an EZ Sport which isn't the fastest thing on wheels anyway, so I was wondering if I would be even slower?
Don't under estimate the importance that gearing plays in the speeds obtainable on different cycles. Trikes are normaly geared lower to accomodate the slower speeds in climbing hills.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears


Here's the speeds obtainable on a few cycles including a couple mentioned on this thread...

2005 EZ-Sport w/ 27speed chaindrive:
4.4-21.9mph @ 60rpm

2005 Trek 5000 w/ 700x25c tires and 18speed chaindrive:
6.8-20.8mph @ 60rpm

2004 Catrike Road w/ 27speed chaindrive:
3.3-16.9mph @ 60rpm


Here's the speeds obtainable with the gearing on my cycles...

2003 Invacare Top End XLT-Gold w/ titanium fork and 27speed chaindrive:
4.1-20.3mph @ 60rpm

2006 HP Velotechnik Scorpion w/ 14speed ROHLOFF SpeedHub and 60/16 chaindrive:
3.7-19.6mph @ 60rpm

1979 Schwinn LaTour IV Sport w/ 10speed chaindrive:
6.7-17.9mph @ 60rpm

1996 Specialized Globe w/ 7speed Shimano NEXUS internal gear hub and 34/16 chaindrive:
6.2-15.2mph @ 60rpm

[jeff-o]

60rpm? Can you push your bikes at 90rpm? Could I just add another 50% in speed and get true figures? ;)

[megaman]

60rpm? Can you push your bikes at 90rpm? Could I just add another 50% in speed and get true figures? ;)

I have no idea at what cadence I pedal. I suspect it's about 75 rpm. But trailwarrior's numbers are interesting.