First, let’s start at the basics.
What is a recumbent trike? You have probably seen a cyclist on the rail trails or roads on this super comfy looking, laid back, three-wheeled leg driven cycle. You guess it! That’s a recumbent trike. They can come in 2 different styles and some with the ability to customize to your liking and cater to your riding style. Oh and they’re sure to bring a smile to your face!
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Delta Trike Recumbents
This style of trike as one wheel out front and does the steering. Your pedals are in the out-front position and are usually driven by one of the rear wheels. Some other delta trikes do have both wheel drive train in some cases. Steering on most delta’s are (OSS) over seat steering. Certain manufacturers do have the option though to change this to a (USS) under-seat steering option.
There are some pros and cons to delta recumbents. One very popular selling point is the seating position. They usually have higher seats and easier to get in and out of, becoming a great option for those with back issues and older in age. One downside to them though is that seeing many come as a single wheel drive train they tend to pull to one side when accelerating and climbing but is something one could get used too and compromise with.
They are mainly less expensive than its counter recumbent style but have much larger frames and not foldable making transporting from home to trail a problem for those without a truck bed, or having to cough up some additional money for a hitched trike rack.
Some manufacturers to consider are Hase Bikes, Greenspeed, and Sun Trikes.
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Tadpole Recumbent Trikes
Tadpole recumbents are a different build than a delta trike. There are two wheels out front and a single wheel outback which is your drivetrain source. These tend to be a very popular option in 2019 due to the increased stabilization and on/off-road options from manufacturers.
These recumbents almost all have (USS) under-seat steering and have tons of customization options to them. Tadpole recumbents are mainly smaller, lighter very sporty, and hold the ability to fold up on some models from manufacturers.
Many cycling enthusiasts lean more towards this style because they are built for speed, are easy to transport, and build for long distant rides. They do come at a more expensive price tag compared to your average delta trike but for a reason. They can be customized in many different ways and engineered for a more aerodynamic, relaxing ride as shown below.
Some companies specializing in tadpole trikes are Catrike, ICE Trike, Greenspeed, HP Velotechnik, and TerraTrike just to name a few.
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Advantages to Recumbents
Recumbents hold a bunch of different advantages over a traditional bike. Their main attraction is the ability to distribute weight evenly and removing the pressure points on the wrists, shoulders and butt compared to a regular bike.
Advantage of speed. It is proven they can outperform a traditional bike by 3 to 8 mph due to the aerodynamic seating and positioning decreasing wind target compared to an upright seating position. Many people lean on these 2 factors solely who love to cycle and want to get the most out of their rides.
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How to choose a recumbent
Deciding on a new recumbent can hold many factors. Such as the following:
- Seating height
- Cycling style
- Aspects of Riding (off road/pavement)
- Ability to customize
- Frame style and comfort
When looking to purchase a new recumbent working with a recumbent specialist is one the best ways to go about it. They will give you all the details and options available for the trike that sparks your interest and guide you towards what is best for your style of riding and financing options we offer.
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Technology Moving Forward
With technology in a constant change in the biking industry, there are some awesome options for your recumbent out now! One huge outbreak has been the power assist Ebike add on. Excellent for increased speeds and assistance on those dreadful hill climbs. Shimano’s E-Steps option has been the biggest seller for pedal assisted technology. It offers some of the best cycling software all build into one.
Key Features are:
- Intelligent Drivestrain
- 50 Miles on a single charge
- (3) Power Assist Modes (Eco, Normal, High)
- Seemless Shifting
- All on display and at your fingertips
Other great advancements in the cycling community and has the ability to be added to your recumbent are drivetrain options. Electronic shifting has taken off with cyclists and just an overall awesome option that can be added. One of the best options to add is Shimano’s Di2. DI2 gives you instant, accurate, lightning-fast shifts the first and every time, at the push of a button.
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All Terrain Recumbents
There has been a growing trend we are seeing today with trail riding recumbents. Many of those who have been into mountain biking and purchase a recumbent love to add the oversized tires, cargo pack options, and soon get into bike packing on multi-day adventures. Many tadpole recumbents offer the options from the manufacturer to go with an offroad style recumbent. These are usually a whole dedicated model of the trike that is dedicated to trail riding and come out of the box with
- Larger Rims & Treaded Tires
- Different Suspension Options
- Larger Disc Brakes
- Upgraded Drivetrains
- Added Seating Comfort
- Ready mounts for packs
- Awesome Paint Finishes
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Recumbent Accessories
The awesome ability with recumbents is the addition to a lot of accessories that can be added to different components and areas of your recumbent. There is a wide selection of custom additions that can be added to your new recumbent. Many manufacturers design and fabricate specific packs to carry anything you need to bring on your ride. With these accessories, we have seen an emergence in multi-day bike packing. With the addition to rear cargo racks that can be easily added to your recumbent by any owner, photo and stories can be read around the internet of cyclist setting off on long trips by recumbent loaded down with tents, full gear packs and so much more all while being able to strap them down or stuff them in their panniers. One great article is “My New Love Affair With Three-Wheeled Bikes”. Check out this woman’s amazing story to give you a little more insight on “Trikepacking” on a recumbent. Very popular purchases are:
- Mirrors
- Flags
- Cell phone holders
- Additional water bottle Cages
- Electronic assistant motors
- Panniers
- Seat Cushions
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Why Bike-on for Your Recumbent
Bike-on is dedicated to fitting and gearing you towards a recumbent specialized just for you. We carry the top of the line selection of tadpole and delta recumbents in our showroom. Our recumbent specialist will walk you through the various options and size you up to a large selection of demo recumbents to test out. One that best suits you and is sure to bring a smile. We have been customizing builds on recumbent trikes for customers all over the globe and have grown to established leaders in the industry. Our warehouse stocks a vast selection of accessories to correspond with your trike.
We have been experts in recumbent trikes for 20 years strong and constantly up to date with the changing technology and trends in the recumbent community. We fully service local recumbents at our shop and can diagnose electronic pedal-assist issues if they ever become a problem. We work seamlessly with manufacturers to get products to our warehouse, into production, built, and out the door to you in an efficient time period.
If you have additional questions or would like to set up an appointment with our recumbent specialist Kyle, you can email him at kyle@bike-on.com or feel free to give us a call at 401-615-0339
We guarantee the lowest pricing or will match any of our competitors.
