Recumbent - FWD Russian Trike

I'm thinking about replacing my Stein Alien with something easier to get into in this year. I'm waiting for hip replacement surgery and it was getting harder to get down that low anyway. Well I probably shouldn't say replace it, it's an old friend, I'm pretty sure nobody has one in the USA and I put a lot of my time in it to make it right.

These guys and A.S. Engineering have been around since I started riding trikes. It was never a problem with the machine as I remember it was getting the thing, especially from A.S.

If you look over the pictures of the parts the thing IMHO is well designed and looks very well built. The FWD design is one of those, "now why didn't I think of that" things.

The price for frameset which only needs standard cycle components to be finished is under $1500 shipped here. They responded to my e-mail in record time, overnight.

I'm just pulling the pin and throwing it out here to get some thoughts on it. They make a rear drive too, but that looks clunky as heck to me:-)

http://www.berkut-trikes.com/

It's good to see thay have a decent website now. A year ago, there was precious little information on these.

I'm thinking about replacing my Stein Alien with something easier to get into in this year. I'm waiting for hip replacement surgery and it was getting harder to get down that low anyway. Well I probably shouldn't say replace it, it's an old friend, I'm pretty sure nobody has one in the USA and I put a lot of my time in it to make it right.

These guys and A.S. Engineering have been around since I started riding trikes. It was never a problem with the machine as I remember it was getting the thing, especially from A.S.

If you look over the pictures of the parts the thing IMHO is well designed and looks very well built. The FWD design is one of those, "now why didn't I think of that" things.

The price for frameset which only needs standard cycle components to be finished is under $1500 shipped here. They responded to my e-mail in record time, overnight.

I'm just pulling the pin and throwing it out here to get some thoughts on it. They make a rear drive too, but that looks clunky as heck to me:-)

http://www.berkut-trikes.com/
I have always loved the concept, but the availablity and support have been suspect at best. Wouldn't it be terrific if you would get one and report back to the rest of us how it really is?! Of course, I would like you to pick up a WW, ICE, and maybe a Catrike so that we'll get a really great comparison report.

The front wheel drive should be great UNLESS it doesn't turn sharply or well, or if it eats up too much power and results in a substantially slower machine.

Thanks for bringing this machine back into the light--it's been a while.

Chip

I have always loved the concept, but the availability and support have been suspect at best. Wouldn't it be terrific if you would get one and report back to the rest of us how it really is?! Of course, I would like you to pick up a WW, ICE, and maybe a Catrike so that we'll get a really great comparison report.

The front wheel drive should be great UNLESS it doesn't turn sharply or well, or if it eats up too much power and results in a substantially slower machine.

Thanks for bringing this machine back into the light--it's been a while.

Chip

Agreed. I know A.S. had/has a terrible reputation. There were posts on the HPV list of people paying for and never receiving their machines.
Couldn't find anything like that about Berkut though. If it does happen I would do a report back.

Yeah I'm sure the "Big Boss" would really go for that one.

If this looks to suspicious I will probably go with either a Trimuter Big Wheel frame or Tom Teesdale frame. I'm an old "roadie" and I still prefer building my own the way I want it.

If you looked at the video it seemed to get around pretty good. Yes and I'm pretty sure looking over the FWD design and parts there would be some friction loss there for sure. But I wonder if the fact that it has only one chain, no idlers or chain tubes if wouldn't balance out. Maybe?

I did send a reply back to Berkut asking about delivery time, method of payment and asked if they had a list of owners I could contact. Haven't got back to me on that one yet (2 days) :rolleyes:

jim