newbert

Budget aside, which tadpole recumbent (plus options) would be your ideal choice for a rider like me?


I'm 70 years old and need the daily exercise a 'bent trike provides. I currently ride a Catrike Villager with pedal e-assist, which is great for around town on smooth paved surfaces. However, I have a lot of unpaved (gravel and/or crushed stone) bike paths and rural roads in my area that I would also like to ride on, but the Villager just doesn't cut it on those (ie - too bumpy and rough a ride). My area is also hilly, so that needs to be factored in as well.


From my research, it looks like Azub, HP Velotechnic and ICE seem to the "big three" for high performance trikes. Expensive, but again, let's not consider that for now. If there are other, please consider them as well.)


In terms of optional features, my priorities would be in this order:


Comfort: Although I'm not interested in riding thru the woods on rough mountain bike trails, I do want to ride on gravel and crushed stone in addition to paved routes. So, good suspension would be needed to smooth out the ride.

Some kind of power-assist or extra-wide gearing range: To me, that would mean either e-assist (like the Bosch my Villager has) and/or a "Pinion" unit in front and/or an internal hub (like Rohloff) in back. Or perhaps there are other options?

Foldable: While it might be nice, it's not an absolute need since I already have an adjustable trike rack for my car.


I'd appreciate your thoughts on which make/model/options would be ideal for me. If more info on my needs is helpful, just ask away.


Thanks!

Bert