Recumbent trikes

[Dumsterdave]

Im beginning to get interested in recumbent trikes or more specifically Electric recumbent trikes.
Ive never rode a recumbent before, but i think i might want to bite the bullet and just go for it. Does anyone have any experience with these bikes?
I think id like to get a trike and electrify it myself. The simplest option seems like it would be to buy a recumbent and then just put a hub motor on it. Ive seen a few with mid drives, but depending on frame size and shape, it could require a bit of hacking and welding and i think i just want something easy. Not sure, but my ultimate goal might be to make this thing a velomobile.

What do you guys/girls recommend? 2 wheels in the rear, 2 in the front, 2 in both the rear and front? Any idea where a good place to buy these are? I live in Denmark and have seen a few on ebay, but nothing that really catches my eye... Also, ive seen they sell some on alibaba, but are they shite recumbents? Heres one i just found https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Custom-Color-ZZMERCK-Electric-Folding-Recumbent_60592773346.html at that price im sure the electric kit is really bad, but its just to show you that they are out there.

 

[icerider]

I have an older Terratrike Cruiser with a Bionx system that I found used for a good price. I have ridden it for ~2000 miles and simply LOVE it. It is a tadpole with two wheels up and one back.

It is fast and stable and a joy to ride. I REALLY like the Bionx torque-sensitive assist and find that I pretty much never use the throttle -- I tend to forget it is there and have to look down to find it whenever I actually need the throttle.

I would suggest you find a bike shop that has several different recumbent trikes to try out -- they all seem to have different personalities.

If you ride near traffic be aware that most recumbents are pretty low and are probably harder to see than upright two wheelers. I don't often ride near traffic but in my area I have the advantage that most folks have not seen very many recumbent trikes so they slow down to look and don't run over me.

 

[Dumsterdave]

I would suggest you find a bike shop that has several different recumbent trikes to try out -- they all seem to have different personalities.

There is a bike shop about 15 minutes from where i live that sells electric recumbents. Ill probably head out there next week to check them out

If you ride near traffic be aware that most recumbents are pretty low and are probably harder to see than upright two wheelers. I don't often ride near traffic but in my area I have the advantage that most folks have not seen very many recumbent trikes so they slow down to look and don't run over me.

I live in Denmark and nearly every street has raised bike lanes so i will rarely ever need to ride on a street. Also, cars are always on the look out for bikes since there are more bikes in copenhagen than cars.

 

[Jost]

A lot of folks with trikes in traffic will use a short pole with flag and blinking light. The right flag and small light will add some drag but easily dialed out with the e assist.

Unless you test drive and find you like the way deltas handle, you'll probably want the tadpole. I'll be looking at one of these in heavier tires down the road for up the trail road when my balance is not as good.......

Good luck!

Jim

 

[LewTwo]

I live in Denmark and nearly every street has raised bike lanes so i will rarely ever need to ride on a street. Also, cars are always on the look out for bikes since there are more bikes in copenhagen than cars.

That is indeed fortunate. In the US (at least in Houston) bike lanes consist of a white line that delineates the rain gutter on the right side of the road. It can be very unnerving to have a Tractor Trailer rig buzz past you at 45 MPH 6 inches from the end of you handle bars.

 

[WoodlandHills]

Here in LA, there is a recent law that says a car or truck cannot pass closer than 3ft to a bicycle. The next step is to get it enforced here in the hit and run capital of the country. I suspect that the law abiding never got that close anyway and the rest won't care what the law requires.....

 

[Rassy]

Always partial to fellow Danes. Dad immigrated from Denmark in the late 1920s and we visited in the mid 1950s. The style of trike is quite personal, I've had two deltas and three tadpoles, prefer the tadpoles. Probably won't get too much info on four wheel "bikes" since they often can not be classified as bikes like the three wheelers can.

Any propulsion system should work fine for the Copenhagen area. a geared rear hub that lets you pedal normally when not wanting to use any assist would probably be a good choice on a tadpole. I prefer mid-drives and particularly the Bafang crank drives or equivalent, but I want to be able to climb up to 20% grades without straining myself or the trike.

Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

 

[docnjoj]

Tadpoles rule. Been riding my Steintrike for near 10 years now. The motor is a Cute 100H. Works fine up to 5%grade. For steeper you need more than 36 volts.
otherDoc

 

[kriskros]

I have been running electric tadpole trikes for about 6 years.. love them for long trail riding ,but I use a two wheel in the city.. was running atw bents performance arrow ..good trike... if you are looking for electric try Cyclone motors Taiwan.. they have electric mid drive models with FULL SUSPENSION for about $2000.00usd.. I have used their mid motors and they have been very reliable

 

[Triketech]

I ride an HPV Scorpion FS26 with a MAC 10T. Helps offset a bum knee.

Did some testing on various drives to see which was best for me. There are tradeoffs with any options.

After spending a small fortune on an array of drives I posted a series of Power Assist article on one of my websites. I don't sell anything FWIW.

http://www.triketech.com/Drivetrain/PowerAssist/PowerAssist.html

 

[barnaby81]

i took the plunge last year about bought myself a fullsus tadpole and a mid drive motor and loved it ever since. i think you'll have to choose your trike carefully as you won't want to upgrade later: handling and suspension = price. i continually get asked how expensive it is and generally always cheaper than their car. yes i have a fairing too

 

[amberwolf]

What do you guys/girls recommend? 2 wheels in the rear, 2 in the front, 2 in both the rear and front? Any idea where a good place to buy these are?

You'd have to build it from the ground up, but the SB Cruiser handles pretty well, and despite being delta can make turns on the street at nearly full speed (limited to <20MPH max by law in AZ) without tipping over.

See my signature for link to the thread; I'd start at the most recent pages first, and go back, to get the most current configuration info.

Note that it is not "recumbent", but is a seat/chair not a saddle, and is a lot more comfortable on a long ride. (I'd rather use a sling seat, but I haven't had the time/stuff to build it from yet)

 

[Pat Eaton]

I have been riding a home built recumbent delta trike for the last 4 years. I commute to work mostly on country roads. This design would not work well in a busy city.
I use a front hub motor and can cruise at 40km an hour.

The frame is an Atomic Zombie model. The fairing is custom skin on frame dacron.

I love it.

 

[Recumbent Bicycle Source]

Tadpole.

Easiest to convert to hub motor with more powerful options than front hubs, and IMHO easier to handle. A bit low to the ground in Traffic. Might not be a good run to the Grocery Store Option however. Lots and lots... and well lots of manufacturers and models to choose from. Suspension runs cost up rapidly... so if your goal is comfort consider how "fat" a tire you can run on the rear by design. A nice fat 2.35 Schwalbe Big Apple would be pretty cush with a hub motor.

Take a look at Utah Trikes for ideas. They have some FAT TIRE Trikes as well.

You really have to try them out to know for sure... many options like Hard vs Mesh seats are personal preferences you can't really know until you ride.

Options to purchase really kind of matter... by region of country you are located. I've been to Rose City Recumbents in Portland Or... good guys, nice shop. I've been to Utah Trikes.. also good guys and nice shop. I don't know much about the Dealers (Personally) on the East Coast. Cost to import can get spendy.

I don't sell them.. but I do track most of the USA Dealers. I have no monetary relationship with these companies, nor do I recommend one over the other. http://www.recumbentbicyclesource.com/recumbent-bicycle-dealers.html