he'p! he'p! significant other who weighs 450lbs wants a trike
 

is there anything available to handle this weight? i was going to recommend a surly instigator with 48 spoke tandem hubs... but they want a trike..... is this a good idea?

I have been researching trikes lately. Most of them have a weight limit less than that. Google worksman trike, they have a heavy duty model. A phone call may be the best thing in case they could do something special for you.


Edit post: I found this Capacity 550 Pounds


Worksman Personal Activity Vehicle PAV3
$729.00
Personal Activity Vehicle with 1 speed coaster (foot) brake, and front drum brake. The Ultimate Comfort Trike built "Worksman Tough".
PAV Trikes shown with optional armrests, fenders and mirrors. PAV Factoids: Height from ground of seat 24.25". Key seat Dimensions 18.5" Wide 13.5" High Weight Capacity 550 Pounds

Here's a source for that Workman! http://www.supersizedcycles.com/

Joan'll take good care of ya! Tell her I sent ya!

The recumbent on that page looks EXACTLY what I'm looking for except two things I see being problem...

1.) the bike comes with a 3 speed hub. That MAY be enough range. I have to think about it. But I wish a 5 speed or 8 speed were an option.

2.) I'm not crazy about a rear coaster brake and a front drum. For something that is supposed to support 450+ lbs you would think they would put disc brakes on everything. Maybe I am paranoid?

Unfortunately, as I found at peak weight of 581 pounds, there isn't much selection! I'm just happy Joan did the legwork to get this site up and running to get more Uberclyde and UberAthena rated bikes. The only other option I guess would be custom. A Three speed hub should give enough range if you live in fairly flat country, and has the advantage of being able to shift at a dead stop. In all likelyhood, your wife will start out riding low range anyway til she develops a bit of stamina and leg strength. I really can't think of another option right now though, unless you want a Sun EZ-3. It technically has an upper limit of 350 pounds, but the mechanical design of the frame sure looks engineered for a lot more than that! I suspect that it's probably stressed for a lot more than the 350!

I olny found one brand of upright tirke that has a 6 speed derailleur, it has a weight rating below 300 lbs.
The best the others have is a three speed. The brakes are just what you get on a trike, they normally don't go to fast anyway. Yes the brakes are lousy. But OK on a flat surface
I agree, better brakes of any kind would be good. But they only have one rear wheel braking anyway. Not great to slam on just one rear wheel. You just need to be carefull.
They don't corner fast either one learns to not hot rod around. Just be super carefull on hills, avoid big downhills.

My old trike with the dog in it is about 100 lbs. plus me 175 lbs. My front caliper brake and one wheel rear coaster brake are just barely OK on a very steep hill I have to keep my speed way down.

The one I posted is rated for 550 lbs. (Worksman Personal Activity Vehicle PAV3)

How did your brakes work for you? Did you go down any hills? Did you put a lot of miles on your trike?

This topic I know well......
I own a Worksman PAV3 (3speed) finding it to be ideal for my weight (370 down from 400).
The PAV3 is both very robust and easy to ride so any concern about quality of build or gearing
is misplaced.

Why? Worksman is first and foremost an INDUSTRIAL cycle company that has built all sorts of
cycles for industry that MUST last under very harsh day to day work conditons doing so for over
100 yrs. I rode Worksman for 40 yrs in the factory where I retired from seeing their trikes haul
unbelievable loads of parts or factory components.

If you choose the Worksman PAV3 (DON'T GET THE SINGLE SPEED!) it's much better to order Factory
Direct as I did by either calling the factory or using their web site which list all option for the PAV.
One thing is certain....The PAV will support and allow steady , if slow, excrcise that is required for
health living with little possiblity for break downs. I'm not one bit sorry I bought my yellow (like the
PAV in the picture) to use around town for ALL my errands and pleasure rides.

When you order from factory they will ship to your door a trike ready to ride. One suggestion that
Worksman offered me to hold frieght down was to have a business address to drop the trike off to
which lowered the freight bill $200! A local car dealer offered to accept delivery then called me to
pick up the trike which made my cost $ 167 instead of $367 (the trike must ship by truck)

http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_s...html/pav3.html

P.S. If you have any special needs call Worksman as they do great work for the handicapped or special
needs community.

I agree with every single word

This is worth repeating .....don't get the single speed

I didn't ride hills initially! I rode flat ground exclusively and the brakes did well enough for that +! As I dropped weight I transitioned to a mountainbike, then a roadie. Too bad you didn't need the trike a year ago! We could have worked out a nice deal.....I donated it to a Nursing Home for residents use, where it gets many happy senior miles now! I still maintain it for them, by the way.

A word about Worksman pricing......

Since Worksman doesn't use hi tech expensive steel tubing or aluminum as most
trike makers instead using more robust thicker walled tubes and the company is a small
50+ person factory ,in New York, N.Y., they can hold cost to very reasonable
levels and still employ very highly skilled long term people who know how to
do it right.....the first time. Worksman has to offer only compnents that are
both easy to use but also are very durable due to the industrial nature of
their main business. Not so any other trike maker.

All that said, For what your dollar buys you one can buy a full dress (all the
goodies) PAV for a fraction of the cost of other trikes no matter who makes
the trike. As an example.....My PAV3 cost me a shade over $1000 where
any other trike of similar design would cost upwards of $2500 or more.
This also means that the robustness offered by Worksman makes their
products a screaming bargain on a cost plus value basis. :D :D

That's a pretty nice thing to do for the nursing home. :)

Why not! I got my use out of it and the seniors can use it as well! I got a tax break as well, more $$ than I'd have gotten selling it!http://nic-nac-project.de/~killerdj/...3dbiggrin3.gif