makeinu

G forces are fun, but from a utilitarian perspective its safer not to have them. Apart from that the only advantage trikes seem to have are that they can be ridden really slowly, but so can a bike with training wheels.

That being said, would any trike riders here like to explain what makes a trike better than simply adding training wheels to a bike (apart from the shame and insecurity)?

Sirrus Rider

You should really check out some of the old trike threads which would answer this handily. From my standpoint, trikes are natural short distance grocery getters. You don't have to prop them up to load panniers you can carry a cooler without using a trailer. An xtracycle can be used for groceries with almost equal results; however, it's almost impossible to load one up with 4 or more bags of groceries and a standard 28 can cooler without a trailer..

gerald_g 

Ever see a kid with a training wheel on each side of a rut, with the rear wheel in the air, spinning away and doing no good at all ? Three wheels are good due to the tripod always having each wheel making solid contact with the ground. Four creates the possibility of having one wheel in the air.

StephenH

Training wheels like you normally see are made for little kids, and are not intended to hold an adult's weight. The tires are not pneumatic, either.

A bigger issue is that if you put three wheels on an axle, and only the center one gets power, you're going to be stuck on occasion. And if you put the training wheels higher up, then it lets the bike rock from one side to the other.

My perception is that a lot of the trikes sold for adult use are used by people who either would have problems handling a regular bicycle, or who think they would have problems handling a regular bicycle. If that gets somebody out riding that wouldn't otherwise, that's a great thing.

Trikes can be easier to load. With my Worksman reverse-trike, it actually handles better with more load than when empty, unlike a bike. It's easier to start and stop and get on and off. Theoretically, they can handle more weight due to the extra wheel.

What it all boils down to, though, is using whatever seems best to you. If everyone thought trikes were better, there wouldn't be any bicycles, and vice-versa.

makeinu

Would you care to point out which threads are the good ones (the creation of the utility cylcing forum has made some of the older utility threads difficult to locate).

It's interesting that you mention a trailer though...if you think about it a two wheeled trailer is actually very similar to training wheels except the wheels are further back. Maybe a good implementation of the "suspended training wheels" I describe below would simply be a "trailer" placed as far forward as possible. In other words, simply turn the xtracycle's rear into a trailer with a center drive wheel. Of course there would need to be a mechanism to allow the sidewheels to twist, but a regular trailer needs that too except this would be less demanding because the centerwheel would keep the load off the sidewheels at speed.

Both of you have good points. However, from a design perspective why not have training wheels designed to be like "landing gear"?

Two wheels are lighter, more maneuverable, and more efficient. Although the Xtracycle obviously proves that two wheels are plenty at speed, the achilles heel of two wheels seems to be keeping the bike upright when stopped or moving at a snail's pace (both of which are exacerbated by loads which may be too heavy too keep from tipping while stopped and may be too heavy to move any faster than a snail's pace).

Since the Varna Diablo velomobile (fastest bike in the world at 82mph) recognizes and addresses this issue with landing gear I was thinking, why not have the same on a utility bike?

To get the best of both worlds it seems the wheels wouldn't necessarily even have to be completely retractable; Just having them suspended or spring loaded so that a rut could push them out of the way to maintain the contact of the drive wheel while still preventing the bike from tipping over too far would be enough.

Just some food for thought.

mickey85

Honestly, I'd love to have a trike - my trip to the grocer's has a hill on the way back to the house. Just try standing up on a bicycle that's loaded down with 20 lbs of dog food, a 24 pack of beer and a sack of potatoes.

Nightshade

As the proud owner of a Worksman PAV trike I find it to be the "pickup truck" of my 7 cycle fleet.
Funny thing is now that I'm retired I spend most of my time on the PAV trike it's sooooo comfortable
and easy to ride.

oh yes, "(apart from the shame and insecurity)"this statment is way rude!

Sci-Fi

Nothing wrong with trikes. Some people do not have or lost their sense of balance. My retired neighbor added an electrical motor to their trike, so they can go to and haul back a ton of groceries without worrying about over exerting themselves or having to carpool with somebody.

Here's an incomplete design trike concept that has electric motors on each wheel, but doesn't show a pedal or brake system yet.

makeinu

Well they are heavier, less efficient, more complex, bigger/more-difficult-to-store...

Nightshade

Your point?

Sirrus Rider

My Schwinn Town & Country is not any more complex than an equivalent cruiser. It may be a pound or two heavier, but like I mentioned it more than makes up for it in cargo capacity..

Juggler2

And just where would you have Bailey ride?

bicyclridr4life

I love my Miami Sun trike! Can carry my tackle boxes in the basket (or mail ... or ten 2 liters of Dew or ...) and if I hook up the Home Depot "garden tractor" cart (1,000 pound load capacity) I can carry 2 weeks worth of groceries plus, or load u for a weeks camping & fishing (or hunting) trip.

StephenH

"Well they are heavier, less efficient, more complex, bigger/more-difficult-to-store..."

Yeah, but you say that like it's a bad thing. I'm heavier, less efficient, more complex, bigger/more-difficult-to-store....

Actually, to take these one at a time:
Heavier- yes, simply because there's more of it. A unicycle is lighter than a bicycle, but that doesn't make it somehow better. If you need three wheels, you deal with the weight, if you just need one, you reap the benefits.

Less efficient- I doubt there's a good way to compare directly. I think my Worksman Trike is about as efficient as any 100 lb bicycle would be with similar gearing, if that helps.

More complex- depends on the model. On my Worksman front-loader, it has a swivel joint that replaces the headtube. The back half is a coaster-brake bicycle, which is about as simple as you can get. It probably has a good many fewer moving parts than a road bike (no derailleur, brake cables, etc., for example). Complexity by itself is not a good or a bad thing, though. Shoes are simple, cars are complex, which do most people prefer?

Bigger- that's the point of it. If you want small, I've got a clown bike that is VERY compact. Or get yourself an A-bike. Most people want the right size, not the small size.

More-difficult-to-store- I just keep the Worksman trike in the garage, open the door and drive it in. No sweat. If you live on the third floor of an apartment, things are a lot different, but in that case, a lot of cargo bikes are too awkward, as well as trailers.

Chicagoan

I almost bot trikes on several occations. But give me a bike with a front and rear rack+trailer any day.

Sirrus Rider

Well, friend that's your choice..

Dr.Deltron

Why a trike?


Cuz I can take the 3 little ones camping!

(and they all like "riding" Papi's Ferrari)

Nightshade