dunwguv

So I might be going to the darkside.. As of now I have a road bike that is set up as a for just fast training rides/ fitness, but my back can no longer handle it, nor do i race after about 30 miles I feel like my lower back is going to split in two. i've been to the doc and surgery might be the only way to go(old military injury and i'm only 26), not yet though! I'm still trying to work it out. The other day on my ride i came across a very nice fellow on a tadpole trike, this https://www.actionbent.com/t1x.html He willingly let me take his trike for a spin after we finished a pleasant ride together. I did about 10 extra miles on the trike after my 30 miles on my roadbike and wow I was having the most fun ever! Now before I go and jumb off the "bent" cliff, I have a few questions. I was planning on picking up a touring bike before this experience for some trips and camping but now...

-Will this bike be able to handle panniers/ortlieb dry sac with tent/camping gear? better yet, can I tour with this trike?
-I commute by bike now, or did until last week(sold the fixed gear cause back was not able to take it), will this trike be good to commute on busy roads with?
-locking it up? how do you do this? or is it safe to leave such a perculiar/awesome looking machine up outside a hospital(my school) a store(walmart/meijers where I shop).

Basically I would just like to know if I do go ahead and buy this thing will I be able to fulfill the duties that i'm already doing on a bike. I can't afford to get a touring bike + trike + keep my road bike, it's either touring bike or the trike! oh yeah, wife plays the biggest part in the decision over how many bikes i have

Dchiefransom

The best advice is always "DO NOT SIT ON THE TRIKE!!!!", but I see it's too late.

You could tour with that trike. Any pannier that would fit on a MTB should fit with that 26" rear wheel. You won't have to worry about heel strike on the pannier. Just remember not to get too comfy and fall asleep while riding.

Locking it is a bit tougher. I'll let the trike riders help you with that one.

Get a flag, or two flags for commuting. Forget those little orange ones. Get a bright one that flaps around a lot.

yangmusa

I've never used a flag, and feel I get much more room on the recumbent than on my uprights. I think it's because the bent is unusual it jolts drivers out of their coma Sheldon Brown started riding a trike in his later years, and after the flag snapped he never bothered to replace it because he didn't experience any difference on the road.

Anyway - your mileage may vary. Flags are cheap, and if it makes you feel comfortable then by all means use one.

I was initially reluctant to leave my 'bent locked up, but the Mrs pointed out that it's a 2 wheel, underseat steering bike, which your average thief might find hard to ride. So far, so good! Unfortunately, that argument doesn't work for a trike!

I have seen trikes locked up here in San Francisco - generally just by one front wheel to a bike rack. I can't imagine that would be good for more than a brief errand. Maybe you can inquire if your school has somewhere secure indoors where you can park?

Good luck! (I wish I had room for a trike too...)

JanMM

You're focusing on a trike, not a bike. Have you looked into recumbent bikes? Can be just as comfy.

BlazingPedals

Trikes may be fun to ride, but if I were planning on touring, one of my first missions would be to find a TourEasy to test-ride. Then follow it up with test rides on as many different styles of recumbent as possible.

cranky old dude

I'ld say you're leaving the dark side and coming to the light...

As a Tour Easy owner I second that emotion.

Happy hunting!!!

Trsnrtr

I rolled up to a restraunt the other day and a guy says to me, "You really need to get a flag. I see you guys out there all of the time and somebody is going to run over you.

I guess he was tryng to tell me that he has super vision but a lesser individual wouldn't.

BlazingPedals

Similar story, I was riding my V-Rex in the country. The V-Rex had a big yellow fairing. Up comes a little old lady who was wearing coke-bottle glasses; you know, the kind that magnifies her eyes to look twice as big. She pulls alongside me at a stop sign and says something to the effect that I was hard to see. I asked how far back she'd noticed me, and the answer was, "oh, about a mile."

So a little old lady who was probably functionally blind without her 2-inch-thick glasses saw me from a mile away, but I was 'invisible.'

papawizo

I have severe shoulder arthritis and have ridden for close to ...well, a long time and my merckx ti bike has over 50k miles. I ride long distance brevets but my shoulder would be screaming. I bought a carbent sea dragon recumbent. It weighed less than 18 pounds and am now faster than on my df bikes. The guys in my lbs were definately not bent people but see the difference. I felt the "dark side" feeling after years of riding. The carbent is definitely not a bike that is easy to start out on but I've gotten through some hill climbing and am near 1000 miles. My goal is long distance riding and weight is a concern. However, now, I ride with no pain...Yahoo and love the feeling of cruising at 18 to 20+ mph with the sun in my face. Check out the array of bents. Take a look at team RANS on the x stream winning the RAAM 4 person race. A beauty of a bike and fast. If its just touring you want there are numerous options. Check out bentrideronline.com

Pockets

The key is to test ride and test ride and then test ride. You get the picture. I currently ride an Rans V2 and a Catrike Expediton. I will say the Expedition gets a lot more miles than the V2. But if I haven't mentioned it before TEST RIDE. You won't pick the bent-it will pick you.

trekker pete

Can ya grow a decent beard?

dunwguv

No, I'm in the military still, no beard for me! but i think i'm gonna order the actionbent suspended trike, I'm on a limited budget and I really think this one looks awesome! https://actionbent.com/t1x.html since this is the only one I've been on I cant compare ride quality to other ones, but I've searched online for others at this price and I still come back to this page and like this trike better.

BlazingPedals

Maybe you'll have to transfer to the Navy.

dunwguv

hahaha, i like girls and I hate painting, navy is def out! (I'm kidding)

Dchiefransom

The Navy changed it's rule on beards?

Pockets

You might want to look at the Actionbent Artifice over the T1x. Better components. That is unless you want the suspension. I almost bought the Artifice but at the time it was not known when they would arrive so I got my Catrike-NO REGETS. Enjoy what ever you end up with.

trekker pete

Yes, the navy changed it's rule on beards back around 1984, not long after I got out of bootcamp. All those old movies you see of sailors with beards are atleast 25 years old.

They used the excuse that you couldn't properly wear a MK5 gas mask. I think it was probably just some ahole admiral that couldn't grow a decent one anyway.

So, for the OP, you can get a military waiver on the recumbent beard law.

You really ought to buy a fake one though. Never know when you might be out on a ride and are spotted by other 'benters who will assume you just stole your bent and attack you.

trekker pete

Hey!!! Some of us squids like girls. You're thinking of submariners.

dunwguv

I know, I'm friend with some squids, they party harder than most!

Dchiefransom

Oh, I thought the poster meant that they allowed them now. I was not only in the Navy, but on the firefighting team and in a Repair Locker when they made everyone go clean shaven. Too many failing to get a good seal on not only the Mk5, but the OBA as well. They tried making people trim them for a fit first, but inspection teams would still find people that couldn't get a proper seal.