C y c l i s t Recumbent - Steve Briggs

Recumbent
Cyclist News
“A newsletter by and for recumbent bicycle
enthusiasts, since 1990.”
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© 2004 by Planet PT, Inc. in Port Townsend, WA.
Contents may not be reproduced in whole or
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2 Recumbent Cyclist News
Editorial License: The Trike
Sub-Culture
by Bob Bryant, Publisher
bob@recumbentcyclistnews.com
There are several sub-culture in the world
of recumbency. One rather quiet subcult
is that of the recumbent tricyclist.
These are unique riders who have opted for a
third wheel on their supine machines.
Most recumbent tricyclists ride rather low
tadpole trikes from the likes of WizWheelz,
Catrike, Greenspeed, ICE and others. They are
all great brands, each having their own unique
enthusiast design features and loyal followings.
I like them all for various reasons. I’ve
just finished testing four trikes, and have three
more on the way. I guess you could say I’ve
become addicted and I am now part of the three
wheeler sub-culture.
Last year, at age 44, I decided that needed
to ramp up my riding to something I could live
with on a daily basis, year-around. So I started
riding 20-25 miles per day, six days a week. I
incorporate rides to the post office, to have
coffee with friends and to run errands, and I
incorporate fitness rides into the mix. This got
me into relatively good shape and I felt somewhat
invincible. I then had an unexpected injury
that kept me off the bike for a week and
made cycling very uncomfortable for six
weeks. (That’s a story for another time; it has
to do with ripping around town on a singlespeed
racer and an injury in my nether region).
As I was rehabilitating and thinking very
fondly about riding recumbents, our
WizWheelz Edge test trike arrived. The Edge
was here for a few weeks, just long enough to
get me hooked. Shortly after it left, a 2005
WizWheelz TerraTrike arrived here for testing.
I’ve been riding it as my daily commuter
for two months.
While there are many fine trikes available,
the TT 3.6 really grabbed hold of me. This trike
offers a very smooth ride (over our rough
roads), a roomy cockpit, a large comfy seat
(with adjustable recline) and moderate bottom
bracket height. Trikes also offer great utility if
set up right.
I have a WizWheelz TTR (aluminum) is on
my radar; I’ve ordered a tricked-out
Greenspeed GT-3 (with a Rohloff and 140mm
cranks!); and I’m excited about experiencing
a 29-pound Catrike Speed test trike for hotrodding
around town.
Riding a trike is a unique experience, and
requires a somewhat different attitude than a
two-wheeler. I am enjoying my rides more, I
get a better workout on the same courses (trikes
require more effort to propel, or so it seems to
me), I relax, gear down and spin up the steepest
hills in town (and enjoy it), I don’t have to
balance, or unclip at stops and I get more respect
on the road from motorists. The trike also
seems easier on my body. I’m enjoying this
new-found passion that reminds me of the first
time I rode a recumbent back in 1986.
I’m thinking that there are a lot of twowheeled
recumbenteurs out there who are, like
me, just itching to get into their first trike. I
think it is actually the hottest growth segment
in enthusiast recumbency at this time. It’s not
about ultimate performance, and it just might
be the friendliest recumbent fraternity around.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence watching
the trikes go by, the time has never been
better to get into triking. There have never been
as many excellent entry-level trikes available
to us. ◆
The smart way to
drive your bike
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