Over the last year I’ve done trips of varying lengths to The racks take standard pannier fittings. Another accessory that you have to buy from the manufacturer as you need to a rack specifically designed for your trike. The front mudguards on the Gekko are very easy to remove – only one bolt to remove, so I take them off on trips where I hope there will be dry weather, as you have to be more careful folding the trike with mudguards. An expensive accessory on most trikes but well worth it as you’re in the spray line of all 3 wheels. I have a high viz flag with streamers and daytime lights which definitely helps visibility. But on smaller roads and lanes almost without exception I find that I’m given more space, even from delivery van drivers and tractors, than I used to get on a bike. One of the most frequently asked question I get is “don’t you feel vulnerable riding a trike?” Riding on fast main roads sometimes is not a good experience but then it isn’t on a bike either. This has the advantage of only needing a single chain ring at the front so there’s no exposed front mech. My trike has the standard HPV Gekko set up of a 8 speed SRAM derailleur with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer rear hub gear. There are many different configurations of gearing available on trikes – ranging from the usual double/triple front and 8/9 speed rear derailleur to Rohlhoff hubs. Top end gearing is less of an issue as trikes build up speed very quickly even on gentle descents. Some trike tourers even go as low as 10 inches. In retrospect I probably should have gone for a lowest gear of about 15 inches as it would give a super low gear for long hills when loaded. But because of the stable riding position you can ride at very slow speeds in low gears. Recumbent are heavier: 3-4kg more than a touring bike and have more road resistance (three wheels instead of two), so take more effort to get up hills. One of the most important things to get right. But the derailleur is close to the ground so I just have to be careful when dropping off kerbs or on uneven ground. The big plus of the 20” wheel for me is that it is less bulky when the trike is folded. However, in practice I find the 20” wheel with 2” high volume tyres (Schwalbe Big Apples) provides as much shock absorption as the 26” did with a 1.75” ordinary road tyre. The 26” wheel should absorb bumps better and has more clearance for the rear derailleur than the 20”. I rode a Gekko demo trike with a 26” rear wheel for 6 weeks whilst waiting for my 20” wheeled one so I had a chance to compare. Both ICE and HPV trikes have the option of a 20” or 26” rear wheel. You then move the trike onto the trolley wheels which are built in to the design. I decided on the Gekko because of its very neat and quick fold – simply fold the seat onto the frame, pivot the back wheel between the front wheels and a clip automatically holds everything in place. I tried both the ICE Adventure and the HP Velotechnik Gekko fx – both are excellent trikes, superbly engineered, with precise steering and braking and folded well.įolding. The general recommendations from talking to some trike dealers was that the 2 front wheel type would probably suit me better for what I wanted. With recumbent trikes there are essentially two designs – one wheel at the front, 2 at the rear such as Hase trikes or 2 wheels at the front and one at the rear such as ICE and HP Velotechnik. I fairly quickly dismissed the idea of a road bike type trike with 700c wheels and the 20” wheel shopping bike style – neither are particularly stable and don’t fold very well. As well as having something that was enjoyable to ride, I wanted a trike that was easy to fold and compact so I could take it on trains and planes and also would be able to carry my usual cycle touring kit. So, here are a few of the things which I have learnt One thing you have to accept is that they are slow on hills …. They offer a different experience of cycling in the same way that riding a carbon road bike is a totally different experience from riding a mountain bike – not better or worse, just different. The first thing to say is that recumbent trikes are really enjoyable and fun to ride – very stable, comfortable, corner like go karts and very quick on the downhills. This post is not a comprehensive review of trikes – just a reflection on my experience of finding the right machine, some of the touring I’ve done by trike and things I’ve learnt along the way. About a year ago I started developing balance problems which made riding an ordinary bike fairly hazardous, so I started to look at three wheeled alternatives. That was until I discovered recumbent trikes…. Three wheeled transport generally gets a bad press – think Reliant Robins and 1960s bubble cars – so when I started investigating three wheeled cycling it was without a great deal of enthusiasm.
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