General Cycling Discussion - Wife's wanting a trike...

I don't know of all of the manufacturers. We are talking the cruiser type, not recumbent. I know about Sun and KHS/Manhattan. Who else?

I would do the leg work myself on this, but I signed up for a Cultural Anthropology class (internet based) through my community college and don't have near the free time as I thought I would.

I don't know of all of the manufacturers. We are talking the cruiser type, not recumbent. I know about Sun and KHS/Manhattan. Who else?

I would do the leg work myself on this, but I signed up for a Cultural Anthropology class (internet based) through my community college and don't have near the free time as I thought I would.

Just wanted to add that she's a 5'2" Athena who hates non motorized transportation in general, and bicycles in particular. But she's willing to give riding a shot, so long as it is on 3 wheels. Nothing fancy, just something that can get her to the Salvation Army pool where she can take a water aerobics class.

I've got to tell you my experience with those things, while quite limited, has been uniformly bad. I think that the issue is mis-alignment of the rear axle which results in eating bearings.

Then again, it could be that the failure rate is only about 1% but that 1% is the only ones that the bike shop mechanics ever see. They're also rare enough that we never get good at fixing them.

My trike experience is limited to the garage sale special, an old Schwinn Town & Country, pictured below. No-one in my family likes the bike except me, and I only take it out occasionally. It tends to list to port a bit and seems rather un-balanced. I assume that if I really wanted to delve into it, I could adjust the rear axle to make the bike feel more balanced as it just appears to bolt into a set of big dropouts.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/schwinntrike.jpg

Be sure your wife test rides what ever you decide to buy before you seal the deal in case she decides she's not comfortable up on top of a big trike. She may end up liking a recumbent trike for it's comfort and seemingly better stability.

Very few tricycles have any caster in the rear wheels, so the rider ALWAYS has to counter steer against the crown in the road. That's why you feel that "listing to port" ignorance cranky old dude.

Worksman makes trikes.
http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/pav3.html

She's the one that's pushing the trike idea. But I'll attempt to get her to try a Townie or even a Day6. Actually, I just had an idea... go tandem. I need to do some research on this...

You can also buy a trike conversion kit (http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/740/Trike-Kit---Heavy-Duty-BLACK/) for a standard bike.

Trek makes a single speed and a 3 speed trike.

Trek makes a single speed and a 2 speed trike.

Really? I didn't see it on their website.

Not all trikes are utilitarian, heavy or low-performance. How about something a little more sporty (http://www.tricycleassociation.org.uk/Galleries.html?PHPSESSID=1a03893850c32e0dc5c0da7cba3c3a0a).

Longstaff (http://www.longstaffcycles.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=9&chapter=7) is on of the best known performance trike builders.

Might I suggest..........a Sun EZ3SX?

My wife. :D

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/TinWhistle004-1.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/TinWhistle006-1.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/TinWhistle003-2.jpg

They are even usable to tour. She calls it her Lazyboy on wheels.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Memoral%20Day%202009/MemorialdayWeekend001.jpg


You can even take a wee nap if you get tired. ;)

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Memoral%20Day%202009/MemorialdayWeekend014.jpg

Really? I didn't see it on their website.



Look at the trek Pure's it's their line of pedal forward desin bikes. Thats where the trikes are.

my father-in-law just bought a scwinn from walmart for bout $250~. decent bike I guess, not too heavy, but then again I've never had anything lighter than a steel frame. I dont like riding it, but thats me. I like my 2 wheels. If I wanted anything more than 2 wheels, I'll drive a car.

You can even take a wee nap if you get tired. ;)



If you were my DH, I would be beating you senseless for posting that picture :lol:

I don't know of all of the manufacturers. We are talking the cruiser type, not recumbent. I know about Sun and KHS/Manhattan. Who else?

I would do the leg work myself on this, but I signed up for a Cultural Anthropology class (internet based) through my community college and don't have near the free time as I thought I would.
About the only advantage the "granny" trikes have is that they're cheap.
They're heavy, the height makes the handling lousy and they're unfit for anything but level ground (-the only way you can get one with more than three speeds is to use a $1500 Rohloff hub-).

For $1200 or so, the Sun EZ-3 is more comfortable, handles better, and has real gears.
~

Very few tricycles have any caster in the rear wheels, so the rider ALWAYS has to counter steer against the crown in the road. That's why you feel that "listing to port" ignorance cranky old dude.

Ya think? :notamused:

The bike lists a bit in my garage.
It even leans a little on my driveway.
It tilts off center on the sidewalk.
So we don't take it on the road.

The important point to the OP is to have his wife test ride what-ever she decides to ride.

Ya think? :notamused:

The bike lists a bit in my garage.
It even leans a little on my driveway.
It tilts off center on the sidewalk.
So we don't take it on the road.

The important point to the OP is to have his wife test ride what-ever she decides to ride.

Then you have a bent frame or axle, or even both. Consider trashing it. Still, most upright trikes don't have caster. The one Tom showed does, as do most recumbent trikes.

Then you have a bent frame or axle, or even both. Consider trashing it. Still, most upright trikes don't have caster. The one Tom showed does, as do most recumbent trikes.

Thank you for your insight. Silly me thinking I could adjust the angle of the rear by loosening the nuts on those big dropouts and trying to realign it. Not having as much experience with these things it never even occured to me that the frame or the axle was bent. I guess it just goes to show how little I know of these things. I'll be sure to follow your advise and will canabalize the bike for parts.

Your wife should take a serious look at the newer Recumbent Trikes. I got one for my wife and she loves to ride now. She didn't like two wheelers. I even traded my 2 wheel recumbent for a HP Velotechnik Scorpian FX trike and wouldn't ever go back. Fast and stable.