Recumbent - Tadpole vs. wedge bike

I'm looking to add a tadpole trike to my stable but since none of my lbs carries it, I'm a bit skeptical. How does a tadpole compare to an upright bicycle in terms of acceleration and hill climbing ability? Will I be able to keep up with my buddies on their 700c hyrids? I'm looking at the Actionbent with a 700c rear wheel. Thanks!

You will be at a 15-20# weight disadvantage, so unless your basic power output
is at least 100W more than your DF buddies, you will be hopelessly off the back
on any but the most minor hills in group rides tha average above 12-15mph Now if the groups idea of a good ride is 15 miles down the bike path at 10-12mph, you will fit right in.
It is an unusual bent rider that can swap bikes from DF to bent and maintain the
same average speed. Some do, but it is unusual. Trikes add an additional handicap of more weight.

I'm looking to add a tadpole trike to my stable but since none of my lbs carries it, I'm a bit skeptical. How does a tadpole compare to an upright bicycle in terms of acceleration and hill climbing ability? Will I be able to keep up with my buddies on their 700c hyrids? I'm looking at the Actionbent with a 700c rear wheel. Thanks!



The Ab trike you're talking about weighs in at 42lbs, that's a lot of weight. I'd do some shopping around if I were you because there are a lot of different trikes on the market in the 29 to 33lb weight class that you can pick up used and are a lot better trike than an AB. Check on the Catrike board http://catrike.yuku.com/ or do some research on Bentrider online http://www.bentrideronline.com/ and you can find a better trike than an Actionbent IMO.
As far as a weight if your buddies are riding hybrids, they typically weigh more than a road bike so the weight disadvantage would be minimal so I don't think you'll have any problems keeping up. To compare a trike to an upright bicycle in terms of acceleration and hill climbing ability, I think that comes down to you the engine, the more you ride the better and faster rider you become. As far as hill climbing ability, I've been riding trikes since 1998 and do a lot of organized rides with DF riders and to this day I can never remember anyone pushing a trike up a hill ?:D

...and to this day I can never remember anyone pushing a trike up a hill ?:D

:roflmao:

While out with the kids recently, we were passed on a small hill by...


A little old lady, pushing her little shopping cart/walker!! :eek:
(we were going .8 miles per hour)

:roflmao::beer:

The tandem has a 15" low gear, btw.
Loaded...weighs a bit more than a quarter TON! :p

Oh, my vote? GREENSPEED trikes! :)

But if you want to dust your hybrid riding buddies, this Spyder would be just the ticket! ;)

More pictures of the Spyder, please! Whoo, that looks nice...

More pictures of the Spyder, please! Whoo, that looks nice...

Thanks! :D

It's a Baron that a good friend built. The "wood" is woodgrained shelfpaper over carbon fiber.

Sadly, he eBayed it a few months ago. :(

It's my all time favorite rat-rod bent! :)

There is a bike shop in Vienna VA that carries a number of different recumbent brands, tadpole, delta and two wheel. http://www.bikesatvienna.com/

While not around the corner from you, not too much of a drive really.

I stopped in there last year while visiting family last Thanksgiving. Seemed like nice folks and we were able to try a number of different brands and styles of bikes. Haven't pulled the trigger on a trike yet, but doing the test rides really helped figure out which one(s) were the right and wrong style.

... The "wood" is woodgrained shelfpaper over carbon fiber.


Cover up carbon with shelf paper? Sacrilege!

I've seen that pic before, and wondered at the time why he would use an offset stem like that - my stock bars were too high and in the off-season I've put a Glide-Flex on mine to get the bars lower. Deliberately mounting the bars higher would introduce vision problems.

Cover up carbon with shelf paper? Sacrilege!

May be, but...it looks soooo cool! :D

At Rivendell, they say it's good to add wood to your bike. ;)


Deliberately mounting the bars higher would introduce vision problems.
The stem pivots up & down at the steer tube, and may go lower than in the picture.
I must say that nothing Andy does is half as**d. So I don't think it was ever an issue.
I have the same pivoting stem on my Hurricane.
A little disconcerting at first, but great once you get used to it.

The best way to make up for an equipment weight disadvantage is to shed a few pounds off the "engine". It isn't always possible tho... :D

For that last pound there is Dulcolax!

I'm looking to add a tadpole trike to my stable but since none of my lbs carries it, I'm a bit skeptical. How does a tadpole compare to an upright bicycle in terms of acceleration and hill climbing ability? Will I be able to keep up with my buddies on their 700c hyrids? I'm looking at the Actionbent with a 700c rear wheel. Thanks!

I think Ric gave great advise. I have DFs and a Catrike 700. It is a 700cc rear wheeled trike in the 29 33 lb range and will certainly be faster than a 700cc hybrid. Again assuming a good "engine"

You will never get a trike up a hill as fast as a DF rider of equal fittness and ability. Keeping up on the flats and downhill is another story. My 31 lb trike will roll with the fastest of my road group in those circumstances. Even a very slight downhill gives you a tremendous advantage. As far as keeping the engine fit, different muscle group entirely. If you stay off of the trike for a while your legs will let you know it the first time you push hard on an uphill. Same feeling if you stay off the DF for awhile.

Simple solution is enjoy both rides, they bring different pleasures into your life.

You will never get a trike up a hill as fast as a DF rider of equal fittness and ability...
-On the other hand with a trike you can keep pedaling at almost zero speed or even stop without falling over!:D

With a trike by pulling against the handle bars and pushing against the seat as well as pulling on the clips you can apply much greater torque on the crank than a DF rider can. A DF rider can only use his weight and pulling on the clips.

-On the other hand with a trike you can keep pedaling at almost zero speed or even stop without falling over!:D



Being able to take a hill at 0.1 mph is not an advantage if all your buddies on DFs are taking it at 6 mph.

But when they have to get off and push, you can still ride.

But when they have to get off and push, you can still ride.

You mean you can sit there and wait for the movie to start. You'll be stopped resting and the uprights will be long gone.

If there is a good movie I will watch it from a comfy seat without falling over. Otherwise it depends more on the "engine" than a few pounds of bike. With a trike you will pass your share of DF riders prostrate in the ditch beside their "horizontals".

You mean you can sit there and wait for the movie to start.

That is what "drive-ins" are for! :D

countersTrike