Recumbent - Sociable recumbent trike

Is there much interest in sociable recumbent trikes? I'm currently researching to build one for myself, but I was also curious to see if there would be any interest out there for potential buyers. I have the capability to produce them in good numbers.

What exactly do you mean by "sociable" recumbent trike. I have 4 bikes; never knew they had to be sociable. Heck, I just park em all in the basement together. Is that where all those little kidde bikes, the ones with the 12" wheels, come from.

What exactly do you mean by "sociable" recumbent trike.



I daresay demand would be small, but good luck. Build one and drive it around for a while. Trust me, if anyone is interested in one when they see it, they'll let you know.

There are some currently being produced. The fact that they are seldom seen is probably pretty good evidence that they're not that convenient.

Main drawback I see is the width. On a bike path, it's too wide; you'd have to drop a wheel into the grass to meet anyone. On a road, you're going to be using a lane all the time pretty much. If you had just the right place to use one, it would be okay.

A while back, there were several Worksman models that showed up in Austin. I'm not sure, but they may have been using those for special-needs persons. But they went on Craigslist I believe.

Like the pic Allister showed. A Sociable places the riders side-by-side as opposed to a tandem, which places them one in front of the other.

Yeah they are kinda wide just got plans for a kyoto crusier looks like the one in the pic above.
The width being 48" is going to be a problem on most bike paths.
Wish i had the facility to build even one. Need a machine shop for some parts.
I have plans for the kyoto cruiser, deltawolf"which looks like a great design for a homebuilt delta",and the streetfighter 4 wheeler. The plans are not cad drawings if you were going to mass produce them,you would want some i would think. Dont know where you are from but i live in indiana and i cant seem to find anyone who may want to work together to build some of these. I aint got a job due to bad back, Also reason i wanted a trike instead of a bike. Most of these plans i have can be built using some salvaged parts.
But i would just manufature all the parts and buy new stuff for a commercial venture.
And looks like most of the designs would range in the 500 to 600 dollar range if you used new parts.
And we ain't talking quality parts but entry level cheap parts.
Trying to find a decent used recumbent trike for a 330 pound man is a bit of a struggle for me seeing how the only one that will hold my weight is a magnum xl can't remember who made it. But at a cost of 3300 bucks i wont be buying one. So if you want some help building one and live close to ft. wayne In. I would be more than happy to come visit you and bring all my plans lol

Lightfoot is the company that makes the Magnum XL. A Sun EZ-Tad SX should work for you, even though you're slightly over the rated limit of 300. I got one in February and it's held up fine so far; my LBS assured me that the trike itself is more than strong enough to hold me (440+ lbs in the beginning, maybe slightly less than 150 miles later); the part they weren't sure about were the wheels. They did tell me that if the wheels turned out to be a problem, they could build stronger wheels for it. So far, though, it feels fine; I've had it up to 24 mph without feeling like anything other than my legs were going to give out.
- Bob

I have thought of a bent bike/trike tandem with the front and back offset by just six or eight inches. Only a thought but the back rider could see farther ahead this way.

Steven

Two of the Worksmans on Ebay right now and one in Craigslist:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Worksman-Cycles-Team-Dual-Trike-side-by-side_W0QQitemZ250239467331QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Worksman-bicycle_W0QQitemZ160232609565QQcmdZViewItem
http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/625636870.html

Saw this pointed out elsewhere:
http://miami.craigslist.org/bik/666149204.html

I have just joined this site and read your post from last year regarding your interest in building a sociable.

I want to do the same so I've been researching information on the web. Utah trikes,trikes@utahtrikes.com, have a conversion for their tadpole that converts it into a quad.(not a sociable). However, talking to Ashley, very helpful, he said that they have had so much request for a sociable quad that they would have one avaible in a few weeks. I'm anxious to see. They don't intend to sell plans at this time.

The best plans for a recumbent tadpole trike are by Rickey Horwitz, trikesrcool@yahoo.com or the address might be trikescool@yahoo.com, can't read my writing. I'm thinking on ordering his plans on CD and working out what will be necessary to modify for a socialble quad.

I am trying to locate a 3-wheeler that is a 3-speed to cut up for the rear section. The width will need to streched for an outside of wheel to wheel to 34-36 inches as that will be the total width of the seats. I do agree they are wide however, to be sociable something has to give.

I would like to hear from you and hope you're remaining in good health.

It would interest me if it was more like velomobile, that could be taken safely on the road. I'm thinking weather protection (shell), visibility, some electrical support for speed, and carrying capacity (at least a good load of groceries). Otherwise, I just don't have that many friends and family that would socialize with me on a double-'bent. Come to think of it, I ride alone. :rolleyes:

When my wife and I ride our 2 mbs it is like riding alone too. We just take turns looking at each others back. That is reason for the sociable recumbent.

Well i have built 2 delta wolf recumbent trikes now and I am working on a tadpole trike for the wife.

Can see some photos here.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GettingBent/

The delta trike pictures indicate a job well done!

For my sociable recumbent quad project, that is still in the design stage to reduce the width of the front wheel tread, I've taken the design from Utah Trikes Quad for the differential and Nexus-7 gear box and sections of Rickey Horwitz's Thunderbolt 20/26 frame and tiller steering design, up to the the front crossmember. This is where I need to redesign in order to reduce the wheel tread width. The rear wheel tread is 34.00 inches which keeps the wheels just behind the seat backs. I need the front to be the same or sightly less. I'm considering using (2) 20" mtb forks mounted similiar to yours to solve the problem.

Rickcycle is another version of a sociable. Just met a guy on a ride here in Dallas that had one, and I think I remember seeing one on Ebay right now.

I have the plans for that kyoto-cruiser pictured up top.
Never built it though.



Also got plans from there for the streetfighter 4 wheeler.
Never built it either.
Hard for me to find 20" wheels with 14mm axles, that I can afford(no job LOL).
So I try and find bikes at police auction's finally found a bmx bike that had some used them on wifes tadpole.

Anyways good luck on your build.

Nelson

I've seen the Ricksycle and like it. However, it has to much ground clearence whereas a tadpole recumbent trike has 3 to 6 inches. At least the is what the different manufacutures state.

Thanks for the information.

Nelson built some nice deltas, and the tadpole for his wife is real nice too. (It's finished) I had no need for a tandem trike, but the Kyoto Cruiser looked like it would be a nice trike to build as a single. I started it, then put it aside, and worked on a tadpole. The the plans for a new trike came out, The Delta Runner. It looked just like the frame I built from the Kyoto Cruiser plans, but it had 26" wheels. I liked it, and built mine before the designer finished his. It's getting a motor soon, and I decided to go with 20" wheels because I'm too heavy and made the trike too narrow with such a high center of gravity. Being only 3" lower makes quite a difference in the stability.

I've built the kyoto cruiser, it fits on the paved multi-use paths in the forest preserves around here pretty good, and the unpaved gravel trails are even wider. I ride it in the street too, so I painted it bright yellow, threw a flag on it, and mounted plenty of reflectors and lights. It's held up to plenty of drunken abuse with two 220+ pound riders. I would love to make and sell them, but now I'm too busy building other atomic zombie projects: streetfox, handcycle, deltarunner.

Gbbwolf: I got my 48spoke 20inch 14mm axle wheels from niagara cycleworks for 20 or 25 bucks.
http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=13656

There are or were also sociable two-wheelers. I've never seen one in the flesh, but I've seen pictures. I'm told that the song "Daisy" was originally about a sociable, rather than a tandem.

My grandmother had a "Daisy's" answer:

"Michael, Michael
Here is your answer true:
'I'm not crazy
All for the love of you!
If you cannot afford a carriage
There won't be any marriage;
For I'll be switched
If I'll get hitched
On a Bicycle Built for Two!'

(I've also heard it as "but I'll be damned/if I'll be crammed", but my grandmother was too much of a lady to say 'damned.')