I just wonder....it doesn't seem like we can put together two rides in a row without running into something.

The one advantage being that almost like clockwork the wife's trike is having the exact same failures as mine did, so I know what I am in for (so far).....I sure wish CT had used bearings with better durability than Play Doh.

I have had my Terratrike Cruiser since 2012. I have had no issues with it at all. In the winter, im in the snow belt, I do a complete clean and adjustment. So except for an occasional flat tire, it has been totally trouble free.

No issues at all with the wife's Greenspeed Magnum. Surprised you'd be getting mechanicals with a Catrike- it's a well respected brand.

Which bearings? One thing I learned at the recumbent rally in Xenia a couple weeks ago is that recumbent trikes are definitely more "fiddly" than DF bikes. If you're going repeatedly going through steering joint bearings, my guess is you have an unresolved underlying problem with alignment, toe in, or something like that.

That's not my experience with my 2013 Catrike 700. It has over 7K miles on it. I made some component changes to it when I bought it but never had a problem with excessive maintenance. I would rate it a little lower than the 2001 Greenspeed GTO which it replaced but far superior to my first trike which will remain nameless. That one never made it to 7K miles before I replaced it.

10 years now with a Sun EZ-3 Delta trike, have cleaned all the cables a couple of times, a flat or two.

It gets a pre-ride bolt check every ride. So no, never a problem so far, same with my Tour Easy LE, four years now.

Same with my mountain bike, I ride It hard, It has had a few things get loose but hey
I wear out chains and cassette's on this one, no biggie...

Nah, wheel bearings. I am going to actually TAKE the advice I was given this go round and replace with higher ABEC rating, aftermarket.

Most of it is just run of the mill items that need doing from time to time. Other parts are failures like the Tiagra FD's that break on the spring clip, the bad bearing (damned bearings) in the chain idler where it's well known to replace with the Terra idler...stuff like that. Being that I went though all of this with mine, and have the mileage to start to need things replaced/maintained and hers is just now getting broken in and starting to experience those first time common failures. Since both were purchased used I can't be 100% sure what happened to them in the previous life, just had to go on how they looked. Not upset at the brand choice at all.

Mostly just sobbing in my cereal.

Many years ago I bought a Rev-X wheel for my Baron. It's always had a teeny bit of play in the bearings, but on Thursday's ride, the wheel was so sloppy I was afraid to go over about 20 mph. Great, must be time to replace all the bearings... I go to take it off the bike and discover that the bolt-on skewer is finger-loose. That was a quick fix!

Other than an extra wheel, trikes have all the same stuff that 2-wheelers have. Considering how durable wheels tend to be, there shouldn't be much difference in maintenance and breakage rates.

+1 Blazing Pedals. I have owned two CT's, a Road for 8 years and an Expedition for 3. I replaced the stock idlers on the Road with the Terra Cycle upgrade and had no issues over the 8 years. The 2012 Expedition came with TC idlers, and after 6,000 km, they show no signs of wear. Smooth and quiet. As well, we did an upgrade on our Rans Screamer, 2003, and changed to TC idlers. Sweet, even after 20,000 km! Mike