As a 70 year old, who has had his HIP out of socket, 4 knee surgeries & 2 surgeons for 2 hour's & 45 mins inside my left shoulder rebuilding it & was told I would NEVER walk unaided again, I turned in my alum alloy 7 speed FAT TIRES beach cruiser for my new trike so I can still go for my weather permitting 30 mile rides instead of sitting at home w/ my cane all day typing on the NET, like right now.
I am 57 years old. I ride a recumbent trike. There are multiple reasons why: I have severe arthritis, I have had multiple back injuries, I have neuropathy in my feet and hands from these back injuries, I have balance difficulties as a result of arthritis, low blood pressure, and chronic anemia, I have a mild heart condition. I also use a walker/rollator and tow this behind me. Hill climbing? On a trike I am able to tackle hills without being concerned about maintaining enough speed to stay upright. I can stop, take a break, drink some water, whatever and then keep going without any additional exertion. Don't even have to dismount. I am not a fast rider but I am consistent. I no longer own a motor vehicle and commute soley with pedal power. I ride 20-30+ miles 4-5 days a week.TRIKES RULE!
Karen, you the man! I am about to build my first recumbent trike - I have spent years not owning a bike and when finally i got one my health was a problem especially living in the North of England - Pennine hills; It's all hills here so I though well, you've gotta make some mod's to to deal with that. I may have to add power but I'm hoping to keep things hpv. I have a thing for the open countryside and walk a fair bit, I like to camp, back permitting. So trike it is, very well suspended and with a mono cock shell for winter as up in these hills it gets pretty chilly during wet winters. The adventure begins!
I am getting my trike tomorrow. I am an old lady, and I really know my way around sewing and embroidery machines. But I have no desire to make a trike, nor does my husband. I scraped up the money, and ordered one. Cannot wait to get on the road tomorrow! It was a bit above my budget, but you only live once, and you spend your money on what makes you happy. My sons and husband buy guns, 4 wheelers, campers, deer stands, trucks, kayaks, etc. I am buying a trike! I raised 4 kids and was always broke. Now I can get a trike!! Wahoo!! Loved this video.
To feel young again. Over 5 years of feeling too old to exercise due to severe arthritis and ankle and feet problems. Since I got my trike I have to hit the trail 4-5 times a week...just can't get enough. My trike brightens my day and lifts my spirits.
I've got heart failure and muscular dystrophy and can't walk without a stick most of the time. I thought my active days were over and then I was able to borrow a trike and I can do it It was great to read how it's the best part of your day. Almost brought tears to my eyes reading your comment because it liberated me when I was stuck at home. Do you go on the road?
With many stroke victims, there is still plenty of hope by means of upright trident trikes or recumbent ones. You might require some help getting off and on, but you can still get out there and ride in many instances. Stationary rollers makes it possible to ride trikes indoors during bad weather or if you need to stay close to a rest room. Keep studying recumbent trikes especially and find a dealer where test models are available to test ride. The HP Velotechnik FS is a great model. So are the ICE Adventure, the Catrike Dumont, and the AZUB Ti-Fly. These all fold easily to transport them to safe riding trails. The Greenspeed Magnum and Magnum XL trikes hold riders up to 400 or 450 lbs. Hope for heavy riders. Stay safe out there.
From Denmark: Thx for sharing. Summer 2022, aged 79, I shifted from a bicycle to a trike, I ride long tours lasting months from May to October,, biking and camping. I was a little hesitant at the start, not knowing exactly how the Trike + Trailer will perform when climbing gradients, I found out, that not only.the trike outperform my Koga bike when climbing, it is way more safe and comfortable, although it is about 30 % slower, I guess because it has 20 " wheels, compared with my Koga´s 28" wheels. Another advantage is that cars and trucks gives me a wider berth when passing by. 🚲⛵ now triking 🙏
I have four recumbent bikes, I would never go back to upright bikes! Last summer I participated to the Sun Trip Tour in Europe for solar bikes with one of my recumbents. Great experience but I really suffered for the lack of stability, it has been really tough up and down in the Alps... So now I am building a 'tilting trike' from a Raptobike: for me this is going to be the best of all worlds!
I have a recumbent trike , an ICE SPrint X Tour. It is alot more comfortable , but sluggish compared to my bicycles. I ride the trike in bad weather or when I want a relaxing comfortable ride; the Endurance bicycle for a sporty light fun ride.
I have a trike and a recumbent bike. They're great on the flat or down hill. Going up hill is another story. Still, comfortable and... you can lock the brakes and take a nap!
The reason is simple . Older people ride them because we want comfort ,speed ,better traction,and most of all they are fun as a bike can get .Never knock what you haven't tried we were told as kids . Thank God
I would say that the main reason I ride a recumbent is for the comfort vs the pain I have when riding an upright bike. Nope you don't have to buy an expensive trike or bent just buy used as the first bent is not gonna be your last bent. I rode a diamond frame for many years and I was used to moving my hands constantly to relieve pressure , standing ,to give my butt a break from that fine Brooks saddle, and holding my head up to see where I was going. Now I just ride in comfort without pain except for muscles getting tired. So Speed and Comfort is what I enjoy.
You don't have to be old. I bought one when I turned 31. I love biking but don't have the stamina or balance to ride a two wheeler for long distances. I have a condition called CMT which causes muscle degeneration with weakness in the legs and hands. I do agree with the cost side of things, I don't have kids so it wasn't as big a deal for me to slap the $$$$ down. My sister has to wear leg braces and can't ride a bike. She loves my trike and decided to buy one for herself! Would be nice if more people could get into them, they give you so much freedom and keep you healthy!
TRIOT Trikes are a fantastic American manufacturer that builds super high quality recumbents. They have outstanding suspension and comfortable seats, The seat height and angle are geared more to the senior market too. Check them out. They are just now taking orders and arranging locations to test ride them. I can't wait to test ride one myself. Seniors take note!
You can smoke, drink and eat your pizza while riding a trike and still pass the roadies. I'm going to mount an iPad so I can watch movies too.. Heck, I'm going to set a a portable grill and bbq so by the time I get to the destination my meal is ready.
It's not just old people that ride trikes. I've had fractured femur, broken ball joint, and a knee replacement. I used to ride recumbent bicycle before the surgeries since I have hemophilia. But, due to the surgeries I now deal with a balance issues, so I am switching to a recumbent trike very soon.
Broke my hip too and thinking about getting a recumbent bike. I am still recovering. I plan to keep doing my road and cycle cross bikes but will use the recumbent while I continue to recover. I typically ride 1000 - 800 miles a month and average about 17.5 to 18.1 MPH with ~4000 feet of climbing for 90-100 miles. Best speed was 20 MPH average for 65 miles. I am curious what I can get with a terra trike speedster. PS wet wood bridges on the greenway are brute if you lean to hard. :(
Nice riding guys! This is a great example of how people can generally never be counted on to do what's good for them. Otherwise there would be dozens of recumbents at this event, and just two upright bikes!
Former motorcycle road-racer who had to have my leg re-sectioned ( not due to racing) and then later extremely braced when I broke top rod through femur. Thought a Catrike 700 wouldn't be a boring way to help rehab. Love it! 67 m.p.h. top speed so far and sliding around corners ain't too bad. Except to get off for a quick piss, over 4 hour rides are a piece of cake. Can't wait for it to warm up again and I'll be out there.
Continued from below and further below - "after the first 5 or 10 minutes I just realized I did not have to worry about anything, I could just lean back relax and enjoy the view." This to me represents the feeling of the ability offered by the trikes. No worrying about anything just relax and enjoy the view, the wonderful part of crusing along, whether slow or fast, enjoying being outside...
@@StellarFella what a Good Little Minion, you have spammed every YT trike video I've seen this week. If you think that makes me want to look them up, you're wrong. Go pay for advertising like everyone else...
Your presumptions are both incorrect and pathetic. I need ZERO advertising because I am selling nothing. But I have researched recumbent trikes for over 20 years now and I am not going anywhere. I haven't posted about recumbent trikes for over a number of months, but you just inspired me to post much more. Thanks for the extra motivation.
Folding recumbent trikes are the best if you can fold them, load them into a vehicle, and then unload them once you arrive at a safe trail. I have a Greenspeed Magnum XL trike built for heavier riders up to 475 lbs. But if you weigh much less, the HP Velotechnik FS is a great one. So is the Catrike Dumont, the ICE Adventure, and the AZUB Ti-Fly.
I was at the bike shop in North Vancouver today looking at a 12 speed carbon mountain bike for 13,600.00 and yest it was getting more bling added to it. So some people have disposable income and want what they can get . However tell people that your recumbent bike is 3500.00 and they are quick to point out how expensive that is. Riding downhill on a trike or a recumbent is always nice but I think my touring bent will make it up the hill a bit faster than a trike as I have one less wheel to consider.
@@StellarFella Only if there is a weight penalty but the recumbent power and aero advantage can compensate for that. comparing them to a standing cyclist is another matter but its somewhat unfair as its another mode entirely [comparing oranges and apples] that only desperate to win or week cyclists resort to. if a cyclist pedals normally up hills, [like these ones probably would] recumbents climb just as well. on balance the recumbent disadvantage to over zealous standing cyclists is a minor and rarely encountered penalty. but their advantage everywhere else is huge
Some people, like me, aren’t very mobile at my age, so I use an ebike which helps a lot to do yard work around my house. Somehow I overlooked a two wheeler, but it’s hard to balance, hence the only alternative is a four wheeler which is cumbersome and overkill. The bonus is joy riding kind of like you. I’d rather be active than watch TV. It works, I’m happy, and nobody gets in my way. If I have to I’ll share the roads with everyone😊. If my battery dies I can still do the big boy thing and peddle.
Research to find where you can make an appointment to test ride a number of different models. Once you get the chance to get the feel of one, you're hooked. The best recumbent trikes are folding ones because you can easily transport them to safe trails. The HP Velotechnik FS is super. So is the ICE Adventure, the Catrike Dumont, and the AZUB Ti-Fly.
Yeah! I ride a Terra Trike Rambler 24 speed and I have been as fast as 35 mph. on the down hill and average 12 to 14 mph on the flats with no headwind but a good incline can slow you down to 2 to 6 mph depending on your fitness level. More fit trikers could probably do better than me but I have yet to out climb a Roadie.
@@taufikabidin412 A 100% hill would most certainly not be found anywhere on a paved surface. And I don't think there are any bicycle tires out there that can give a friction coefficient of 1.0 offroad. 30% would be plenty steep for an extreme comparison. In that case, the upright bike has a clear advantage due to the weight savings, provided that the rider is skilled enough to maintain good balance and a straight course. That being said, 30% slopes are quite rare, unless you happen to live in San Francisco.
As you age people can’t handle injuries as well as younger people can. A fall, off of a two wheeler bike, could mean and as documented, be health detrimental. At some point in life, bike riders must come to grips with the fact that if they wish to continue to bike ride they need help with stability. However, lets not forget as the body ages after 50 more health problems become the norm for most people. Furthermore, recumbent bikes are expensive compared to its two wheel counterpart. Older bikers not only feel more comfortable on a recumbent because of the sitting position but can afford them as well.
At 75 I slipped and fell on a pool deck, and shatter-fractured my left elbow 3 months ago. Can't ride my road bike because hardware and spurs around joint severely limit range of motion (lots of other limitations, too). Recumbent trike is possible with the physical limitation, so looking forward to buying. Can't wait to get back on the road again!
continued from below - muscles together in one unit really helps to generate more force than just your weight and the pull down on the bars on a diamond frame bike. Another thing i'll never forget that I thinks really relates the essence of Recumbent trike riding, was after a friend rode mine for the first time and upon his return, after about an hour, he really sumonded it up for me when he said, "after the first 5 or 10 minutes I just realized I did not have to worry about anything, -
I was pushed off of a standard bike in late 1998 when I was young; my elbow was crushed. I was one-armed for almost a year. I was scared to ride after that horrible experience. I am getting a Trike this year! "Call me anything you want/I will never deny it" Old people also like Bob Dylan lyrics like that one. 😉
+Robin Markowitz GOOD...get back on. You are going to love it! Stick with bike lanes for awhile and I always run a bright orange flag for visibility...no accidents on my recumbent in 32 years. I would love a trike but...my Stratus is working well.
I am a 77yr old, had a mild stroke and have poor balance so need the stability of a 3-wheel Chinese scooter. 30 mph is good for local trips on city streets.
HEY!! When I built my trike (homebuilt variation of an HPE Corsa) I was only 24 years old. Of course, that was 22 years ago, I always get a kick out of passing those roadies on their uprights. This video was amazing and soo fun to watch. Now that I am 46, I ride my trike mostly around the neighborhood. Uprights hurt my back too much.
Why do old people ride trikes? 1: to stay in best shape as possible. 2: It's easier on the body, whether they have had surgeries or not. 3: It allows for the older individuals to feel young at heart again. Age wise I am young. But, I have had broken ball joint, fractured femur and knee replacement. And the recumbent trike has brought mobility back.
I being 72, wish I had my Catrike Dumont 40 years ago or more. I loved biking but the problems it caused was and is B S. Let me start my list. Neck pain, and always looking at the ground to be comfortable not really able to look around, shoulder pains, than wrist pains and corporaltunnel problems later on. Back pains from leaning over all the time which helped in having 2 pins and 6 screws in lower back. Also balancing issues and if you do stop to smell the roses you have to put both feet on the ground. I have spun out a few times on my 2 wheeler and gotten many a road rash, the most important thing is I have a stack of seats but none of them any good. Now this is important for 2 wheel bikers, after a long ride and about 2 to 4 hours after your done, drop your Drawers and take a mirror and look between your legs. Look at the bruising which can and might cause health problems. I am a Diabetic and a blood clott can kill. My Dumont is a wonderful way to enjoy life. No more looking at just the ground, so no more neck pain and headaches from being bent all over. No more shoulder pain, no more back pain. When you stop you don't need to put your feet down. If you need a break you can stay in the seat and on the pedals and even relax more. You can set your Trike up to to your liking and enjoy life, oh, by being smarter no more dumping and getting road rash. There is probably a half dozen other things that put a Trike out in front of a 2 wheel bicycle.
As someone in their 20's I have an important question. Why don't more of us ride them? More cargo space, less worry about balance (especially when loaded), and in some ways better on hills since you don't need to be moving before you start.
I suspected this is what was going on but I didn't have the proof till now or the knowledge to find out how to find out. Great video! In answer to the question. The reason why we are so old is because when you get old the phrase "Use it or lose it." takes on a an entirely new dimension. By then all of us have bad backs and who knows what, so running all over town on a bicycle isn't a good idea if you want to live without pain. Recumbent pedaling is about the last physical thing we can do that doesn't produce additional pain. While everything else does. I know quite a few disabled people who remain on disability and ride a trike. But I don't know anybody that rides a bicycle that does. There may be something to to that as well. Besides I'm 63. My balance isn't always good and a fall could be deadly. Still I'm sick of being in the house alone all the time. That's why we do it.
Most people don’t like change and the bicycle has remained unchanged for a relatively long time. It is the ride of choice because people are familiar with it not because it’s better. Recumbent tricycles on the other hand are scary to those who would choose the familiar over the different. But make no mistake different does not mean less. Recumbent tricycles are definitely not less. They are better. Those who choose them do so because they are secure, progressive and definitely prefer better.
Looks like more fun, your body is lower, more relaxed to take in the view, can stop and go without messing around, can carry some gear, seems ideal for young and old alike.
SO - this summer I bought a used Trident Spike recumbent trike in poor condition and set about fixing it up. I'm still weak and average 5 mph most of the time, but no chance of falling over, And now and then I put on a speed spurt and hit 10 - 15, which is good for me (250 lbs., bad heart problems) but is nowhere near as fast as my trike can safely go.
I rode a recumbent bike yesterday and discovered that their cornering in not as intuitive as what you experience on a regular upright bike. With upright bikes, you can stand on the pedals and use your body as a counterweight for sharp cornering. With a trike, cornering doesn't have that element of fun, but you're very unlikely to tip or fall.
I'm not sure what 'bent you rode, but cornering is more fun than on an upright bike. You don't have to stop pedalling either, as there will be no pedal strike on the tarmac, unlike on an upright. Personally I'm very slow on my 'bent trike and all my normal bikes, but I know which is most comfortable... no sore backside or stiff neck and shoulders on the 'bent, but I do get really cold feet in winter and going up hills is harder.
I own a recumbent. 2 wheel is the way to go for town use. A 3rd wheel increases drag, felt slower when I test rode a 3 wheeler. I have a BikeE recumbent bike. Fast and comfortable, except for 1 thing: the handlebars are too far away, a design flaw of the BikeE stock bars. Uphill - a recumbent position is just not as efficient for high power outputs. You will crawl uphill.
Fun video, this old geezer with health issues will need to try a trike sometime. But I think the thrill of riding my AWD at 35 mph would be hard to beat ; )
Well because they can afford one (My Trikes:#1 $4,500 (off the shelf ICE Sprint), #2 $7500(custom ICE Sprint RS trike after #1 was stolen on tour in Germany) , #3 $13,000(custom built Azub Ti-Fly 20 for off road))
Not every trike is going to pass a roadie on the flats. In fact, most won't. But if you get a good rider on a very fast trike, like a Cattrike 700, it will happen. I ride a lowracer bent, and I pass most roadies. But, there are some out there that are just beasts. And, I'd hate to see them on a fast bent.
Excuse me, number nine is a mountain biker on the road, still a mountain biker. Unlike a roadie in that he has no middle ground (known as cyclocross).. C'mon guys 😉
Great fun, great video, thanks for taking the time and effort to make it.. I designed and built my trike. And I really dont think people in general have really seen and have been exposed enough to them to realize its a whole other world of bike riding. All the bad stuff has been left behind. Pains in the butt, cramps in the wrists and forearms, etc. as far as climbing hills I think the ability to press and lock your butt muscles against the seat and lock your entire hip thigh and leg muscles-
Better aerodynamics and pros when riding downhills. And with electric motor even better I believe it is perfect for long traveling, on the normal bike your butt will hurt after 30 min.
I needed a recumbent when I developed irritated prostrate. My next bike was a trike so that when I got to old to hold bike up climbing a hill, I could still ride. My performance experience is somewhat different than this video, though. I don't expect to win anything for this one, but I recommend staying away from hi-brids for all day rides. Stick with your touring bike unless you can afford a top quality trike.
I ride my catrike about 100 miles a week. I ride it because it's a hell of a lot of fun and a lot more comfortable than putting your butt-tocks on a skinny torture device. There are somethings humans simply are not designed to do and one of them is sitting on a bicycle seat.
Yep! Most of our body weight is in our torso. If you are overweight, that amount of weight is even worse. Check out TRIOT Trikes. They have the most comfortable seats, probably the best suspension, and have a seat height and angle far more convenient than most. I dare you to test ride one!
wesley ooms I was thinking exactly the same thing this afternoon when I was looking up recumbent shops in my area online. I could buy several upright bikes for the same price.
Big Dan I think that's a little unfair.Metal work isn't everyone's cup of tea. Even my father, who built several tables and wall cabinets for our home, all the fencing around our property and swimming pool, laid all the lawn, did all the landscaping (excpet when he recruited my brother and I to pitch in); never considered metalwork, and as you can see, he was quite a do it yourself kind of guy. But you bring up another good point. I've seen videos on TH-cam of guys who built their own recumbents for USD$100 in materials/parts. Even if the brand names use "qulaity parts", there seems like a heck of a mark up.
It was in jest. There are plenty of kids right here on youtube that far surpass the abilities I've gained with years of experience. When I was a kid we moved to the sticks and all we had to work on anything were a handful of tools mainly a crappy hammer, channel locks, a crescent wrench, and a few screw drivers. I soon realized just how fun it was to have to fix everything yourself or go without. Didn't have google back then, and had to rely on making friends who knew a thing or two. It's crazy now to be able to ask any question and have the schematics at your fingertips. For example; replacing the radiator fan relay on a 2004 jeep grand cherokee is a several hour job because the idiots who built the car put it in the most obscure location possible. Normally you would have to remove the bumper to get to it, and it's not just 4 bolts like my old and trusty pickup no! However, a quick search on youtube showed a neat little trick all you have to do is pull the headlight bucket and cut a hole in the plastic and the relay is right there! So I ran outside and pulled the headlight bucket only to find out there is already a hole cut in the bumper! The best part about this story is it's my Sisters vehicle. She has had it since it was new. I remember the last time she had fan issues and she had it fixed at a shop. She is certain she paid hundreds for them to fix it, and I bet you it took them 15 minutes. Motto of this story = Learn to do everything yourself. Everyone else is out to screw you.
As soon as I get settled into the new home I'll put a video together of my tadpole recumbent trike. The only reason there is to not build your own out of cheap to free yardsale bikes is yourself personally. The skills can be learned. While I don't suggest it, people put together weld-free bikes all the time. Saving up and buying your own tools only benefit you. (so long as none of those tools are from harbor freight)
I don't know...I've seen videos where bents and trikes beat uprights going uphill as well...or at least kept up with them...and them blew them away on the downhill. It boils down to aerodynamics and wind resistance...add a fairing on these trikes and bents and now way can uprights keep up. That's why all the human powered land speed records are set by bents with fairings...
Blimey, a lot of cyclists in Florida! Trikes have the edge. At the end a 2 wheeler tries to keep up, but the camera trike was just slowing down to let the other trike catch up! Amazing.
Balance issues and not having to throw your leg up and over to get on. Hip replacement might has something to do with reason too. Trikes are just coll and star a lot of conversations.
At 2:04 was it more important to pass the two bikes with Areo wheels and put your self in danger by going over the double yellow line, than to slow and safely let the BIG SUV oncoming not have to move onto the grass in order to not hit you? We all do some things that are risky I know I have, I'm just asking if in Hind-site you feel that was a good move?
Yes I am old but seizures from a head injury brought me to Trident and I had one seizure on the trail with my trike with no problem but confusion for a short time as to where I was. I got rid of my bike after many years of biking.
no it should read,why do smart people ride trikes,less wind resistance,90 percent of your power on a bike is wasted on overcoming air resistance,your comfortable,sitting on a real seat instead of a banana
I hope those traditional male bike riders realize one day that riding hunched over on a saddle seat for long periods of time has an adverse affect on their crotches. Like smoking, it's eventually going to get to them.
I am going on 62, weigh about 170, ride an HP Velotechnik Scorpion fx trike(orange). Why do I ride one? No need to balance or unclip, smoother ride, easy to change gears, great on hills (though a bit scary on downhills.
Its most better because the balance of an elder man is not so well as in former days. Also is the half lying position better for turning the pedals because more muscles are working up from feet till hip. Last not least the seatposition is most comfortable !
I havnt had my catrike 700 long and hardly ridden it yet, but it is slowly starting to impress. It felt pretty slow at first, but there was so many things to adjust to. either it really is alot slower, which is hard to imagine, or my perception of speed is, contrary to expectation , lower on the trike. I think this is the case because i was expecting it to feel really fast. Hopefully my cycle computer doesnt lie. yesterday i really went for it in turbo mode and hit just under 30mph on a relatively short flat section of road with a hardly noticable down incline, ie you would never call it a hill. I was impressed because on the road bike i would be hard pressed to reach much more than 25mph on this section for the same effort. general cruising speeds, percieved effort and climbing speeds seem to be either very similar or better than on my mtn and road bikes. Although acceleration might be quicker, I think you simply hit a wall of air resistance at a lower speed on a road bike and even lower on a mtn bike. Another thing that i started to notice is that extra momentum gained on a flat or incline before a hill can help propel you a bit higher up the hill that what im used to on my normal bikes. The trike seems to roll for longer upwards on momentum, probably due to combo of higher weight and lower air resistance. By the end of my ride yesterday i was starting to actually feel pretty quick on it. I am a 50 yo in good shape and a averagely good cyclist already and hope to enjoy my trike for a long time. and increase my speed on it significantly to fulfil its demonic speed potential lol.
Pretty cool. I'd love to have one. Gotta back up some of the other posters though. No way you are passing me like that uphill. Pretty sure I could make you work for it downhill too. Great to see you out and pedalling though. Great stuff.
Actually, we get trikes if we have balance problems. I'm trying a set of adult training wheels on my beloved aluminum Schwinn beach cruiser. If that doesn't work.... trikeville, here I come. :(
Exactly balance. I would prefer 2 wheels but it's just not safe for me anymore. I do OK with a crank forward, you may want to give one a test ride. Being able to start and stop with both feet on the ground helps. But I don't feel comfortable with even that on the open road. I miss the hell out of my road bikes. Never had an issue.
skypilot18 Most crank forward bikes are costly, the Firmstrong ( www.bikebuyers.com/FS-CHIEF-7SP-lady.htm ) being just about the only exception. But I already had the Schwinn and a banana seat for it, so I added the training wheels -- more politely called "stabilizer wheels" when they're on an adult bike -- to see if that would work. Why the banana seat? Crank forward is good, but "ass back" is the same thing as far as geometry, plus having a seat mounted at three points is better than a regular bike saddle for an old fat person (250 lbs.) like me..
Robin Miller And recumbents? Insanely overpriced. When they drop to $400 or less for a new 7-speed one -- semi-recumbent would be okay -- I'll look at them. But at current prices ? No. I'm an old guy on Social Security with a small side income from freelance writing and video editing, not a richie. :)
Robin Miller Agreed you're probably talking RANS. I got a Sun Ruskin Sport 700c about 6 years ago. Wasn't too bad then, bit over $300 and got it right from a local shop. About $429 now. But if you only want single speed and coaster brake around $369. Trikes are very very expensive, but companies like Trident are bringing the cost down, but still best part of $1000:-( You could look around for a used one, or build your own, lots of plans around. A friend from Holland built one with no welding all bolted together. Came out very nice. If you want I'll put you in contact with him. He has a channel here on TH-cam with instructions. He has built 3 or 4 for others too. Proven design, cheap to build. Used bike parts and square aluminum tubing.
People often say to me 'it doesn't look very comfortable' as I sail past on my recumbent... My response: 'your joking, I'm relaxing on essentially a little deckchair - while regular cyclists sit on a bricks...'
The thing that I noticed was a cyclist not following the rules of the road. There were no less than 3 times where I saw the camera trike cross a double yellow line. We all need to ride responsibly, and that just doesn't cut it.
This is my favorite trike video! I'm in the starting stages of building an atomic zombie warrior trike, but with a few changes to steering and tensioner pulleys. Anyways your vid looks so fun.
Old guys like trikes because of .. bloop ......bloop ... bloop ............bloop . bloop..bloop ..........bloop..............bloop . bloop ..... bloop. That was funny man . I loved when you could see some of the people start peddling their butts off trying to catch up .
netkev92 We were laughing at the same thing the other day. I'm teaching my son how to ride his upright and getting off his trike while I'm building my trike and giving up my upright.
True or not this old trikers passed These byciclers, it seems to me that this video is funny and come On guys share the road to the old Folks because we're going to end Up like them, ha ha ha....!
The answer is the same as why magicians throw cards by their leading edge instead of flat side. (wind resistance). when the wind dragged area doubles, it take 4 times the horse power to keep speed up, And (2) if you desire to double your speed; Thus doubling the wind speed,....., It takes 8 times the horsepower. So in short,..... If you are standing up like a sheet of plywood, instead of sailing flat edge to the wind,.. AND you wish to double your speed, it will take 32 times the horsepower to achieve it standing up. But laying down it will only take 8 times the power to double your speed. Just ask any old fart wind turbine prop carver like me. :) XD. NUFF SAID LOL. MUDDy 53%machine efficiency * (wind swept area squared) * (wind speed in meters/second cubed) ect ect ect. I should win the whole bike for that one. TEE HEE. I promise to gloat with class. Thanks for the fun question.
Catrike is really an innovative American company. But check out another American made trike. TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb. I dare you to test ride one.
im not old and i love my trike it flys and i can ride for miles and miles soooo much more comfortable than a bike but i still do downhill mountain biking as well
![🎤 จับฉลากร้องเพลง x P’ #XXSIVK [EP.1] (2/2) เพื่อนจับได้คำไหน..ต้องร้องคำนั้น เริ่ม! 💓🎶 #MXFRUIT](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1bJvMJXmeS4/mqdefault.jpg)
As a 70 year old, who has had his HIP out of socket, 4 knee surgeries & 2 surgeons for 2 hour's & 45 mins inside my left shoulder rebuilding it & was told I would NEVER walk unaided again, I turned in my alum alloy 7 speed FAT TIRES beach cruiser for my new trike so I can still go for my weather permitting 30 mile rides instead of sitting at home w/ my cane all day typing on the NET, like right now.
you are the man, i wanna be like at 70.
m1ntana b l l no
Good for you. I am 71, I am looking to get a trike. I can walk. I cant ride a bike
Check out TRIOT Trikes, They are designed with us seniors in mind.
amazing person
I am 57 years old. I ride a recumbent trike. There are multiple reasons why: I have severe arthritis, I have had multiple back injuries, I have neuropathy in my feet and hands from these back injuries, I have balance difficulties as a result of arthritis, low blood pressure, and chronic anemia, I have a mild heart condition. I also use a walker/rollator and tow this behind me. Hill climbing? On a trike I am able to tackle hills without being concerned about maintaining enough speed to stay upright. I can stop, take a break, drink some water, whatever and then keep going without any additional exertion. Don't even have to dismount. I am not a fast rider but I am consistent. I no longer own a motor vehicle and commute soley with pedal power. I ride 20-30+ miles 4-5 days a week.TRIKES RULE!
Karen, you the man! I am about to build my first recumbent trike - I have spent years not owning a bike and when finally i got one my health was a problem especially living in the North of England - Pennine hills; It's all hills here so I though well, you've gotta make some mod's to to deal with that. I may have to add power but I'm hoping to keep things hpv. I have a thing for the open countryside and walk a fair bit, I like to camp, back permitting. So trike it is, very well suspended and with a mono cock shell for winter as up in these hills it gets pretty chilly during wet winters. The adventure begins!
YOU rule, Karen Davis!
Karen Davis hello, you took the words right out of my mouth. Totally agree with you.
Check out TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb and design their trikes with seniors in mind.
I am getting my trike tomorrow. I am an old lady, and I really know my way around sewing and embroidery machines. But I have no desire to make a trike, nor does my husband. I scraped up the money, and ordered one. Cannot wait to get on the road tomorrow! It was a bit above my budget, but you only live once, and you spend your money on what makes you happy. My sons and husband buy guns, 4 wheelers, campers, deer stands, trucks, kayaks, etc. I am buying a trike! I raised 4 kids and was always broke. Now I can get a trike!! Wahoo!! Loved this video.
you will have a lot of fun! i still am!
OMG! I am loving it!! So fun and comfortable!!
You are absolutely right! So now that it has been a year can you please let me know how you like your trike?
Check out TRIOT Trikes. They make outstanding trikes and with seniors especially in mind.
To feel young again. Over 5 years of feeling too old to exercise due to severe arthritis and ankle and feet problems. Since I got my trike I have to hit the trail 4-5 times a week...just can't get enough. My trike brightens my day and lifts my spirits.
fdnman p
I've got heart failure and muscular dystrophy and can't walk without a stick most of the time. I thought my active days were over and then I was able to borrow a trike and I can do it
It was great to read how it's the best part of your day. Almost brought tears to my eyes reading your comment because it liberated me when I was stuck at home. Do you go on the road?
With many stroke victims, there is still plenty of hope by means of upright trident trikes or recumbent ones. You might require some help getting off and on, but you can still get out there and ride in many instances. Stationary rollers makes it possible to ride trikes indoors during bad weather or if you need to stay close to a rest room. Keep studying recumbent trikes especially and find a dealer where test models are available to test ride. The HP Velotechnik FS is a great model. So are the ICE Adventure, the Catrike Dumont, and the AZUB Ti-Fly. These all fold easily to transport them to safe riding trails. The Greenspeed Magnum and Magnum XL trikes hold riders up to 400 or 450 lbs. Hope for heavy riders. Stay safe out there.
From Denmark: Thx for sharing. Summer 2022, aged 79, I shifted from a bicycle to a trike, I ride long tours lasting months from May to October,, biking and camping. I was a little hesitant at the start, not knowing exactly how the Trike + Trailer will perform when climbing gradients, I found out, that not only.the trike outperform my Koga bike when climbing, it is way more safe and comfortable, although it is about 30 % slower, I guess because it has 20 " wheels, compared with my Koga´s 28" wheels. Another advantage is that cars and trucks gives me a wider berth when passing by. 🚲⛵ now triking 🙏
I have four recumbent bikes, I would never go back to upright bikes!
Last summer I participated to the Sun Trip Tour in Europe for solar bikes with one of my recumbents.
Great experience but I really suffered for the lack of stability, it has been really tough up and down in the Alps...
So now I am building a 'tilting trike' from a Raptobike: for me this is going to be the best of all worlds!
Check out TRIOT Trikes.
I have a recumbent trike , an ICE SPrint X Tour. It is alot more comfortable , but sluggish compared to my bicycles. I ride the trike in bad weather or when I want a relaxing comfortable ride; the Endurance bicycle for a sporty light fun ride.
I have a trike and a recumbent bike.
They're great on the flat or down hill. Going up hill is another story.
Still, comfortable and... you can lock the brakes and take a nap!
They might be slower but they still make it to the top without having to get off and walk like some roadies do.
The reason is simple . Older people ride them because we want comfort ,speed ,better traction,and most of all they are fun as a bike can get .Never knock what you haven't tried we were told as kids . Thank God
I would say that the main reason I ride a recumbent is for the comfort vs the pain I have when riding an upright bike. Nope you don't have to buy an expensive trike or bent just buy used as the first bent is not gonna be your last bent.
I rode a diamond frame for many years and I was used to moving my hands constantly to relieve pressure , standing ,to give my butt a break from that fine Brooks saddle, and holding my head up to see where I was going. Now I just ride in comfort without pain except for muscles getting tired. So Speed and Comfort is what I enjoy.
You don't have to be old. I bought one when I turned 31. I love biking but don't have the stamina or balance to ride a two wheeler for long distances. I have a condition called CMT which causes muscle degeneration with weakness in the legs and hands. I do agree with the cost side of things, I don't have kids so it wasn't as big a deal for me to slap the $$$$ down. My sister has to wear leg braces and can't ride a bike. She loves my trike and decided to buy one for herself! Would be nice if more people could get into them, they give you so much freedom and keep you healthy!
Well said. Check out TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb.
TRIOT Trikes are a fantastic American manufacturer that builds super high quality recumbents. They have outstanding suspension and comfortable seats, The seat height and angle are geared more to the senior market too. Check them out. They are just now taking orders and arranging locations to test ride them. I can't wait to test ride one myself. Seniors take note!
You can smoke, drink and eat your pizza while riding a trike and still pass the roadies. I'm going to mount an iPad so I can watch movies too.. Heck, I'm going to set a a portable grill and bbq so by the time I get to the destination my meal is ready.
It's not just old people that ride trikes. I've had fractured femur, broken ball joint, and a knee replacement. I used to ride recumbent bicycle before the surgeries since I have hemophilia. But, due to the surgeries I now deal with a balance issues, so I am switching to a recumbent trike very soon.
I've always loved this video.
Broke my hip too and thinking about getting a recumbent bike. I am still recovering. I plan to keep doing my road and cycle cross bikes but will use the recumbent while I continue to recover. I typically ride 1000 - 800 miles a month and average about 17.5 to 18.1 MPH with ~4000 feet of climbing for 90-100 miles. Best speed was 20 MPH average for 65 miles. I am curious what I can get with a terra trike speedster.
PS wet wood bridges on the greenway are brute if you lean to hard. :(
I'm with you Zach. In a few years, or sooner, I may start looking at joining the trik world.
Good for you! Check out TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb.
Nice riding guys! This is a great example of how people can generally never be counted on to do what's good for them. Otherwise there would be dozens of recumbents at this event, and just two upright bikes!
Some young biker like recumbent trikes too....
...like me...
Former motorcycle road-racer who had to have my leg re-sectioned ( not due to racing) and then later extremely braced when I broke top rod through femur. Thought a Catrike 700 wouldn't be a boring way to help rehab. Love it! 67 m.p.h. top speed so far and sliding around corners ain't too bad. Except to get off for a quick piss, over 4 hour rides are a piece of cake. Can't wait for it to warm up again and I'll be out there.
Because the trike is a cross between a bike and a wheel chair. Perfect for an old guy like me!
The most nearly perfect answer to the question, hope you won a tee!! I like my wheel tricycle chair!!!
more efficient,fast,why sit on a door knob,when instead you can sit on a real seat,because were wiser.
I like my Greenspeed Magnum XL Trike. Made for heavier riders up to 450 lbs. Maybe 475 lbs.
Continued from below and further below - "after the first 5 or 10 minutes I just realized I did not have to worry about anything, I could just lean back relax and enjoy the view." This to me represents the feeling of the ability offered by the trikes. No worrying about anything just relax and enjoy the view, the wonderful part of crusing along, whether slow or fast, enjoying being outside...
I had a stroke. Loved my bike but lost my sense of balance and couldn't keep one upright. With one of those I could still do what I loved to do.
Yes! Way to go! Check out TRIOT Trikes. Perfect for seniors.
Triot
@@StellarFella what a Good Little Minion, you have spammed every YT trike video I've seen this week. If you think that makes me want to look them up, you're wrong. Go pay for advertising like everyone else...
Your presumptions are both incorrect and pathetic.
I need ZERO advertising because I am selling nothing. But I have researched recumbent trikes for over 20 years now and I am not going anywhere.
I haven't posted about recumbent trikes for over a number of months, but you just inspired me to post much more. Thanks for the extra motivation.
Folding recumbent trikes are the best if you can fold them, load them into a vehicle, and then unload them once you arrive at a safe trail. I have a Greenspeed Magnum XL trike built for heavier riders up to 475 lbs. But if you weigh much less, the HP Velotechnik FS is a great one. So is the Catrike Dumont, the ICE Adventure, and the AZUB Ti-Fly.
I was at the bike shop in North Vancouver today looking at a 12 speed carbon mountain bike for 13,600.00 and yest it was getting more bling added to it. So some people have disposable income and want what they can get . However tell people that your recumbent bike is 3500.00 and they are quick to point out how expensive that is. Riding downhill on a trike or a recumbent is always nice but I think my touring bent will make it up the hill a bit faster than a trike as I have one less wheel to consider.
Yes. Two wheelers are faster uphill. For those of your friends who can't ride a two wheeler, have them check out TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb!
@@StellarFella Only if there is a weight penalty but the recumbent power and aero advantage can compensate for that. comparing them to a standing cyclist is another matter but its somewhat unfair as its another mode entirely [comparing oranges and apples] that only desperate to win or week cyclists resort to. if a cyclist pedals normally up hills, [like these ones probably would] recumbents climb just as well. on balance the recumbent disadvantage to over zealous standing cyclists is a minor and rarely encountered penalty. but their advantage everywhere else is huge
Some people, like me, aren’t very mobile at my age, so I use an ebike which helps a lot to do yard work around my house. Somehow I overlooked a two wheeler, but it’s hard to balance, hence the only alternative is a four wheeler which is cumbersome and overkill. The bonus is joy riding kind of like you. I’d rather be active than watch TV. It works, I’m happy, and nobody gets in my way. If I have to I’ll share the roads with everyone😊. If my battery dies I can still do the big boy thing and peddle.
Research to find where you can make an appointment to test ride a number of different models.
Once you get the chance to get the feel of one, you're hooked.
The best recumbent trikes are folding ones because you can easily transport them to safe trails.
The HP Velotechnik FS is super. So is the ICE Adventure, the Catrike Dumont, and the AZUB Ti-Fly.
Love this video, riding downhill on a trike is insane fast "but" I want to see the uphill section??
Add a motor assist and the uphills are cake. A motor assist doesn't add nearly as much weight to the bike either when compared to even 10 years ago.
Cool idea, but the motor assist costs as much as most trikes. Ouch!
Yeah! I ride a Terra Trike Rambler 24 speed and I have been as fast as 35 mph. on the down hill and average 12 to 14 mph on the flats with no headwind but a good incline can slow you down to 2 to 6 mph depending on your fitness level. More fit trikers could probably do better than me but I have yet to out climb a Roadie.
Ok, lets use a 100% hill
@@taufikabidin412 A 100% hill would most certainly not be found anywhere on a paved surface. And I don't think there are any bicycle tires out there that can give a friction coefficient of 1.0 offroad. 30% would be plenty steep for an extreme comparison. In that case, the upright bike has a clear advantage due to the weight savings, provided that the rider is skilled enough to maintain good balance and a straight course. That being said, 30% slopes are quite rare, unless you happen to live in San Francisco.
That may have been the most fun trike video I've ever watched.
Recumbent bike is the only way to ride. Haven't found a Rodie I couldn't beat...........and beat bad, just shameful .LOL
As you age people can’t handle injuries as well as younger people can. A fall, off of a two wheeler bike, could mean and as documented, be health detrimental. At some point in life, bike riders must come to grips with the fact that if they wish to continue to bike ride they need help with stability. However, lets not forget as the body ages after 50 more health problems become the norm for most people.
Furthermore, recumbent bikes are expensive compared to its two wheel counterpart. Older bikers not only feel more comfortable on a recumbent because of the sitting position but can afford them as well.
Because, old or not, they don't like to feel as if they are ... TWO TIRED.
Nice pun
mist27here l MO
that's gold Jerry
At 75 I slipped and fell on a pool deck, and shatter-fractured my left elbow 3 months ago. Can't ride my road bike because hardware and spurs around joint severely limit range of motion (lots of other limitations, too). Recumbent trike is possible with the physical limitation, so looking forward to buying. Can't wait to get back on the road again!
LOL @ 2:07, "look at those aero wheels, not the fact that I just forced an SUV off the road like a tard!"
How can a 30kg bike force a 2500kg car off the road ?
continued from below - muscles together in one unit really helps to generate more force than just your weight and the pull down on the bars on a diamond frame bike.
Another thing i'll never forget that I thinks really relates the essence of Recumbent trike riding, was after a friend rode mine for the first time and upon his return, after about an hour, he really sumonded it up for me when he said, "after the first 5 or 10 minutes I just realized I did not have to worry about anything, -
I was pushed off of a standard bike in late 1998 when I was young; my elbow was crushed. I was one-armed for almost a year.
I was scared to ride after that horrible experience.
I am getting a Trike this year!
"Call me anything you want/I will never deny it"
Old people also like Bob Dylan lyrics like that one. 😉
+Robin Markowitz GOOD...get back on. You are going to love it! Stick with bike lanes for awhile and I always run a bright orange flag for visibility...no accidents on my recumbent in 32 years. I would love a trike but...my Stratus is working well.
+G “Jerry” Henrickson Thank you. 😊🚵
I am a 77yr old, had a mild stroke and have poor balance so need the stability of a 3-wheel Chinese scooter. 30 mph is good for local trips on city streets.
HEY!! When I built my trike (homebuilt variation of an HPE Corsa) I was only 24 years old. Of course, that was 22 years ago, I always get a kick out of passing those roadies on their uprights. This video was amazing and soo fun to watch. Now that I am 46, I ride my trike mostly around the neighborhood. Uprights hurt my back too much.
Why do old people ride trikes? 1: to stay in best shape as possible. 2: It's easier on the body, whether they have had surgeries or not. 3: It allows for the older individuals to feel young at heart again. Age wise I am young. But, I have had broken ball joint, fractured femur and knee replacement. And the recumbent trike has brought mobility back.
OH my word! Love this! I could watch a whole series dedicated to riding around and passing up rodies. Hahah I can't get a trike soon enough.
I being 72, wish I had my Catrike Dumont 40 years ago or more. I loved biking but the problems it caused was and is B S. Let me start my list.
Neck pain, and always looking at the ground to be comfortable not really able to look around, shoulder pains, than wrist pains and corporaltunnel problems later on. Back pains from leaning over all the time which helped in having 2 pins and 6 screws in lower back. Also balancing issues and if you do stop to smell the roses you have to put both feet on the ground. I have spun out a few times on my 2 wheeler and gotten many a road rash, the most important thing is I have a stack of seats but none of them any good. Now this is important for 2 wheel bikers, after a long ride and about 2 to 4 hours after your done, drop your Drawers and take a mirror and look between your legs. Look at the bruising which can and might cause health problems. I am a Diabetic and a blood clott can kill.
My Dumont is a wonderful way to enjoy life. No more looking at just the ground, so no more neck pain and headaches from being bent all over. No more shoulder pain, no more back pain. When you stop you don't need to put your feet down. If you need a break you can stay in the seat and on the pedals and even relax more.
You can set your Trike up to to your liking and enjoy life, oh, by being smarter no more dumping and getting road rash. There is probably a half dozen other things that put a Trike out in front of a 2 wheel bicycle.
As someone in their 20's I have an important question. Why don't more of us ride them? More cargo space, less worry about balance (especially when loaded), and in some ways better on hills since you don't need to be moving before you start.
I suspected this is what was going on but I didn't have the proof till now or the knowledge to find out how to find out. Great video! In answer to the question. The reason why we are so old is because when you get old the phrase "Use it or lose it." takes on a an entirely new dimension. By then all of us have bad backs and who knows what, so running all over town on a bicycle isn't a good idea if you want to live without pain. Recumbent pedaling is about the last physical thing we can do that doesn't produce additional pain. While everything else does. I know quite a few disabled people who remain on disability and ride a trike. But I don't know anybody that rides a bicycle that does. There may be something to to that as well. Besides I'm 63. My balance isn't always good and a fall could be deadly. Still I'm sick of being in the house alone all the time. That's why we do it.
I am 65 and put on 17,000 last year. 7 centuries for 2020 (jan 20) love to ride!
Most people don’t like change and the bicycle has remained unchanged for a relatively long time. It is the ride of choice because people are familiar with it not because it’s better. Recumbent tricycles on the other hand are scary to those who would choose the familiar over the different. But make no mistake different does not mean less. Recumbent tricycles are definitely not less. They are better. Those who choose them do so because they are secure, progressive and definitely prefer better.
Looks like more fun, your body is lower, more relaxed to take in the view, can stop and go without messing around, can carry some gear, seems ideal for young and old alike.
SO - this summer I bought a used Trident Spike recumbent trike in poor condition and set about fixing it up. I'm still weak and average 5 mph most of the time, but no chance of falling over, And now and then I put on a speed spurt and hit 10 - 15, which is good for me (250 lbs., bad heart problems) but is nowhere near as fast as my trike can safely go.
I rode a recumbent bike yesterday and discovered that their cornering in not as intuitive as what you experience on a regular upright bike. With upright bikes, you can stand on the pedals and use your body as a counterweight for sharp cornering. With a trike, cornering doesn't have that element of fun, but you're very unlikely to tip or fall.
cellovid Tip or fall over - no. Be thrown out of the seat - yes. But that only happened the very first time I took a sharp corner. 8^D
I'm not sure what 'bent you rode, but cornering is more fun than on an upright bike. You don't have to stop pedalling either, as there will be no pedal strike on the tarmac, unlike on an upright. Personally I'm very slow on my 'bent trike and all my normal bikes, but I know which is most comfortable... no sore backside or stiff neck and shoulders on the 'bent, but I do get really cold feet in winter and going up hills is harder.
I own a recumbent. 2 wheel is the way to go for town use. A 3rd wheel increases drag, felt slower when I test rode a 3 wheeler. I have a BikeE recumbent bike. Fast and comfortable, except for 1 thing: the handlebars are too far away, a design flaw of the BikeE stock bars. Uphill - a recumbent position is just not as efficient for high power outputs. You will crawl uphill.
People ride recumbent trikes because on a hot day it makes you feel like you are part of the Jamaican bobsled team.
I loved this. it really made me laugh. It's also my revenge to the fency shmency spandex guys who never smile at me while I'm on my trike!!
Old people are much smarter gained from experience. So they know which is best
Fun video, this old geezer with health issues will need to try a trike sometime. But I think the thrill of riding my AWD at 35 mph would be hard to beat ; )
Well because they can afford one (My Trikes:#1 $4,500 (off the shelf ICE Sprint), #2 $7500(custom ICE Sprint RS trike after #1 was stolen on tour in Germany) , #3 $13,000(custom built Azub Ti-Fly 20 for off road))
Nothing better than sitting in you're favourite arm chair for a workout ..
Because we have the money!
Best reply
Not every trike is going to pass a roadie on the flats. In fact, most won't. But if you get a good rider on a very fast trike, like a Cattrike 700, it will happen. I ride a lowracer bent, and I pass most roadies. But, there are some out there that are just beasts. And, I'd hate to see them on a fast bent.
Excuse me, number nine is a mountain biker on the road, still a mountain biker. Unlike a roadie in that he has no middle ground (known as cyclocross).. C'mon guys 😉
because you don't have to stand up to fart!
Great fun, great video, thanks for taking the time and effort to make it.. I designed and built my trike. And I really dont think people in general have really seen and have been exposed enough to them to realize its a whole other world of bike riding. All the bad stuff has been left behind. Pains in the butt, cramps in the wrists and forearms, etc. as far as climbing hills I think the ability to press and lock your butt muscles against the seat and lock your entire hip thigh and leg muscles-
Better aerodynamics and pros when riding downhills. And with electric motor even better I believe it is perfect for long traveling, on the normal bike your butt will hurt after 30 min.
I needed a recumbent when I developed irritated prostrate. My next bike was a trike so that when I got to old to hold bike up climbing a hill, I could still ride. My performance experience is somewhat different than this video, though. I don't expect to win anything for this one, but I recommend staying away from hi-brids for all day rides. Stick with your touring bike unless you can afford a top quality trike.
I ride my catrike about 100 miles a week. I ride it because it's a hell of a lot of fun and a lot more comfortable than putting your butt-tocks on a skinny torture device. There are somethings humans simply are not designed to do and one of them is sitting on a bicycle seat.
Green Deane 9
Green Deane I agree with you. I have an expedition and enjoy it more than my mountain and road bikes
I agree. I'm currently in the process of selling my road bike for a terratrike gran tourismo. I'm super pumped!
Yep! Most of our body weight is in our torso. If you are overweight, that amount of weight is even worse. Check out TRIOT Trikes. They have the most comfortable seats, probably the best suspension, and have a seat height and angle far more convenient than most. I dare you to test ride one!
The reason is simple: Younger people cannot afford such an expensive bike.
wesley ooms I was thinking exactly the same thing this afternoon when I was looking up recumbent shops in my area online. I could buy several upright bikes for the same price.
+GICking Young people don't have the tools or brains to build their own. =P
Big Dan I think that's a little unfair.Metal work isn't everyone's cup of tea. Even my father, who built several tables and wall cabinets for our home, all the fencing around our property and swimming pool, laid all the lawn, did all the landscaping (excpet when he recruited my brother and I to pitch in); never considered metalwork, and as you can see, he was quite a do it yourself kind of guy.
But you bring up another good point. I've seen videos on TH-cam of guys who built their own recumbents for USD$100 in materials/parts. Even if the brand names use "qulaity parts", there seems like a heck of a mark up.
It was in jest. There are plenty of kids right here on youtube that far surpass the abilities I've gained with years of experience. When I was a kid we moved to the sticks and all we had to work on anything were a handful of tools mainly a crappy hammer, channel locks, a crescent wrench, and a few screw drivers. I soon realized just how fun it was to have to fix everything yourself or go without. Didn't have google back then, and had to rely on making friends who knew a thing or two. It's crazy now to be able to ask any question and have the schematics at your fingertips. For example; replacing the radiator fan relay on a 2004 jeep grand cherokee is a several hour job because the idiots who built the car put it in the most obscure location possible. Normally you would have to remove the bumper to get to it, and it's not just 4 bolts like my old and trusty pickup no! However, a quick search on youtube showed a neat little trick all you have to do is pull the headlight bucket and cut a hole in the plastic and the relay is right there! So I ran outside and pulled the headlight bucket only to find out there is already a hole cut in the bumper! The best part about this story is it's my Sisters vehicle. She has had it since it was new. I remember the last time she had fan issues and she had it fixed at a shop. She is certain she paid hundreds for them to fix it, and I bet you it took them 15 minutes. Motto of this story = Learn to do everything yourself. Everyone else is out to screw you.
As soon as I get settled into the new home I'll put a video together of my tadpole recumbent trike. The only reason there is to not build your own out of cheap to free yardsale bikes is yourself personally. The skills can be learned. While I don't suggest it, people put together weld-free bikes all the time. Saving up and buying your own tools only benefit you. (so long as none of those tools are from harbor freight)
overtaking on a double yellow?
I don't know...I've seen videos where bents and trikes beat uprights going uphill as well...or at least kept up with them...and them blew them away on the downhill. It boils down to aerodynamics and wind resistance...add a fairing on these trikes and bents and now way can uprights keep up. That's why all the human powered land speed records are set by bents with fairings...
Us old geezers ride trikes cause we fall over on two wheelers!!
Blimey, a lot of cyclists in Florida! Trikes have the edge. At the end a 2 wheeler tries to keep up, but the camera trike was just slowing down to let the other trike catch up! Amazing.
Balance issues and not having to throw your leg up and over to get on. Hip replacement might has something to do with reason too. Trikes are just coll and star a lot of conversations.
Just enjoying life, is all...!
At 2:04 was it more important to pass the two bikes with Areo wheels and put your self in danger by going over the double yellow line, than to slow and safely let the BIG SUV oncoming not have to move onto the grass in order to not hit you? We all do some things that are risky I know I have, I'm just asking if in Hind-site you feel that was a good move?
Yes I am old but seizures from a head injury brought me to Trident and I had one seizure on the trail with my trike with no problem but confusion for a short time as to where I was. I got rid of my bike after many years of biking.
I think things would be different if any hills were in the ride .... In California, the hills are wee bit larger!
same reason younger people ride trikes. They are great!
no it should read,why do smart people ride trikes,less wind resistance,90 percent of your power on a bike is wasted on overcoming air resistance,your comfortable,sitting on a real seat instead of a banana
You mean instead of a ball crusher.
I hope those traditional male bike riders realize one day that riding hunched over on a saddle seat for long periods of time has an adverse affect on their crotches. Like smoking, it's eventually going to get to them.
I am going on 62, weigh about 170, ride an HP Velotechnik Scorpion fx trike(orange). Why do I ride one? No need to balance or unclip, smoother ride, easy to change gears, great on hills (though a bit scary on downhills.
Its most better because the balance of an elder man is not so well as in former days. Also is the half lying position better for turning the pedals because more muscles are working up from feet till hip. Last not least the seatposition is most comfortable !
Did you cross the center line and run the SUV into the ditch at 2:05?
Descending the entire time on a machine more aero, stable, and heavy. I don't think you will get the same footage going uphill against a road bike.
Vegan Jiu-Jitsu
Gary Alan Filzen At 62 with triple bypass, Five stints, and a brain tumor, Who cares about speed. I'm looking for a trike to save my life.
Gary Alan Filzen I agree, but in this video you two in trikes were passing everyone. I just made a comment stating that it won't happen going uphill.
I'm not sure they knew they were racing.
I havnt had my catrike 700 long and hardly ridden it yet, but it is slowly starting to impress. It felt pretty slow at first, but there was so many things to adjust to. either it really is alot slower, which is hard to imagine, or my perception of speed is, contrary to expectation , lower on the trike. I think this is the case because i was expecting it to feel really fast. Hopefully my cycle computer doesnt lie. yesterday i really went for it in turbo mode and hit just under 30mph on a relatively short flat section of road with a hardly noticable down incline, ie you would never call it a hill. I was impressed because on the road bike i would be hard pressed to reach much more than 25mph on this section for the same effort. general cruising speeds, percieved effort and climbing speeds seem to be either very similar or better than on my mtn and road bikes. Although acceleration might be quicker, I think you simply hit a wall of air resistance at a lower speed on a road bike and even lower on a mtn bike. Another thing that i started to notice is that extra momentum gained on a flat or incline before a hill can help propel you a bit higher up the hill that what im used to on my normal bikes. The trike seems to roll for longer upwards on momentum, probably due to combo of higher weight and lower air resistance. By the end of my ride yesterday i was starting to actually feel pretty quick on it. I am a 50 yo in good shape and a averagely good cyclist already and hope to enjoy my trike for a long time. and increase my speed on it significantly to fulfil its demonic speed potential lol.
adjust the brakes while you are sitting on it. so to get them not to drag
Pretty cool. I'd love to have one. Gotta back up some of the other posters though. No way you are passing me like that uphill. Pretty sure I could make you work for it downhill too. Great to see you out and pedalling though. Great stuff.
Love my E-Bike! On a up right I can only push the peddles with 220 Lbs. that's my weight. On my E-Bike I can push up to 600 Lbs.
You can pull up on the bars to add force on an upright too, you know....
Actually, we get trikes if we have balance problems. I'm trying a set of adult training wheels on my beloved aluminum Schwinn beach cruiser. If that doesn't work.... trikeville, here I come. :(
Exactly balance. I would prefer 2 wheels but it's just not safe for me anymore. I do OK with a crank forward, you may want to give one a test ride. Being able to start and stop with both feet on the ground helps. But I don't feel comfortable with even that on the open road. I miss the hell out of my road bikes. Never had an issue.
skypilot18 Most crank forward bikes are costly, the Firmstrong ( www.bikebuyers.com/FS-CHIEF-7SP-lady.htm ) being just about the only exception. But I already had the Schwinn and a banana seat for it, so I added the training wheels -- more politely called "stabilizer wheels" when they're on an adult bike -- to see if that would work. Why the banana seat? Crank forward is good, but "ass back" is the same thing as far as geometry, plus having a seat mounted at three points is better than a regular bike saddle for an old fat person (250 lbs.) like me..
Robin Miller And recumbents? Insanely overpriced. When they drop to $400 or less for a new 7-speed one -- semi-recumbent would be okay -- I'll look at them. But at current prices ? No. I'm an old guy on Social Security with a small side income from freelance writing and video editing, not a richie. :)
Robin Miller Agreed you're probably talking RANS. I got a Sun Ruskin Sport 700c about 6 years ago. Wasn't too bad then, bit over $300 and got it right from a local shop. About $429 now. But if you only want single speed and coaster brake around $369. Trikes are very very expensive, but companies like Trident are bringing the cost down, but still best part of $1000:-( You could look around for a used one, or build your own, lots of plans around. A friend from Holland built one with no welding all bolted together. Came out very nice. If you want I'll put you in contact with him. He has a channel here on TH-cam with instructions. He has built 3 or 4 for others too. Proven design, cheap to build. Used bike parts and square aluminum tubing.
skypilot18 Can you put the youtube links here of the Dutch bolted trike. Thanks in advance
People often say to me 'it doesn't look very comfortable' as I sail past on my recumbent... My response: 'your joking, I'm relaxing on essentially a little deckchair - while regular cyclists sit on a bricks...'
The thing that I noticed was a cyclist not following the rules of the road. There were no less than 3 times where I saw the camera trike cross a double yellow line. We all need to ride responsibly, and that just doesn't cut it.
+Not me... actually it is the Horrible 100 which is a ride, not a race. Safety and respect are everyone's responsibility.
We're too smart to ride on two wheels like young people do and then they crash and wind up on America's Most Funniest...
Yep. Check out TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb.
I’m the coolest bike/trike on the trail with my Catrike 700...
This is my favorite trike video! I'm in the starting stages of building an atomic zombie warrior trike, but with a few changes to steering and tensioner pulleys. Anyways your vid looks so fun.
Old guys like trikes because of .. bloop ......bloop ... bloop ............bloop . bloop..bloop ..........bloop..............bloop . bloop ..... bloop.
That was funny man . I loved when you could see some of the people start peddling their butts off trying to catch up .
My boys are moving up to balance bikes, and I keep thinking about getting low on a trike.
netkev92 We were laughing at the same thing the other day. I'm teaching my son how to ride his upright and getting off his trike while I'm building my trike and giving up my upright.
Old people ride trikes because their necks are shot from riding road bikes.
You can mount a consol and watch a movie, play some computer games while you ride? Nah, they look like the most fun as they are.
Keeep up the triking. Good vid Liked it. Thanks
damn those things are fast
True or not this old trikers passed
These byciclers, it seems to me that this video is funny and come
On guys share the road to the old
Folks because we're going to end
Up like them, ha ha ha....!
Lovely video. Just one flaw. Turn this into an uphill race and watch the statics swap around.
It's not only old men. I'm 28 and a triker :-)
The answer is the same as why magicians throw cards by their leading edge instead of flat side. (wind resistance). when the wind dragged area doubles, it take 4 times the horse power to keep speed up, And (2) if you desire to double your speed; Thus doubling the wind speed,....., It takes 8 times the horsepower. So in short,..... If you are standing up like a sheet of plywood, instead of sailing flat edge to the wind,.. AND you wish to double your speed, it will take 32 times the horsepower to achieve it standing up.
But laying down it will only take 8 times the power to double your speed.
Just ask any old fart wind turbine prop carver like me. :) XD.
NUFF SAID LOL.
MUDDy
53%machine efficiency * (wind swept area squared) * (wind speed in meters/second cubed) ect ect ect.
I should win the whole bike for that one. TEE HEE. I promise to gloat with class.
Thanks for the fun question.
recumbent bikes, are awesome.
Because we are wiser and ....well...just cool like that! ;)
We ride them because we are smart - knowledge comes with age.
They ride them for the same reason dogs lick their privates...because they can.
Now give me my damn t-shirt. Signed, a new trike owner (Catrike Trail)
Catrike is really an innovative American company. But check out another American made trike. TRIOT Trikes. They are the bomb. I dare you to test ride one.
Delightful! I want more.....!
im not old and i love my trike it flys and i can ride for miles and miles soooo much more comfortable than a bike but i still do downhill mountain biking as well