PROs & CONs - Top 4 Recumbent Trike Brands
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- There is plenty of debate on which trike brand is the best, so I'm breaking it down to the basics. EVERY trike brand has CONs... The question is, what are they? And is it a true CON for you?
Which recumbent trike manufacturer do you like the best?
TerraTrike, GreenSpeed, Catrike, or ICE? Let me know in the comments👇
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Chapters:
00:00 TerraTrike
02:10 GreenSpeed
05:05 Catrike
07:58 ICE - Спорт
Just purchased an ICE Sprint X tour, Love It!!!! Converted from mountain biking, these bones can’t take any more abuse!! Highly recommend a trike for people with old and current injuries!!
You did an excellent job of distinguishing the differences between the major brands. Keep it up.
Thanks Bill!
I love my Greenspeed Magnum XL, and my wife likes her Terratrike Rambler both from Laid Back Cycles.
My Terratrike Cruiser is vintage, but so awesome.
Bought a catrike villager 13 years ago, the first year they came out. Was a 9 speed, upgraded to triple crank. Doesn’t fold, I have a trike rack from hitch rider, no suspension, I like fewer moving parts. I added electric assist a couple years ago from Electric Bike Outfitters. I love my cat, will keep riding it forever!
Glad to hear your Catrike is still giving you the Freedom to Ride. Keep it up!
As someone who has a very old recumbent trike (a Flevo Trike about 25 years old), I am quite amazed how far the development has come with time.
In the same way, I'll list the pros and cons of my very old Flevo Trike.
Pro:
- Easy construction. You can even get building plans and build your own. I am modding my trike from time to time. Easy retrofit to a recumbent bike and back. I own a matching single-wheel back end.
- Full suspension.
- Large loading area. I am using my trike to go grocery shopping. With the large loading area, I can also haul 12-packs of bottles and similarly bulky stuff.
- not much longer than a normal bike, thus loading it into a car is possible in many cases.
Con:
- No longer available. Flevobike has stopped production two decades ago.
- Articulated steering. To steer you have to tilt the front end with your legs. It takes some time to get used to it.
- Front wheel drive. As most of the load is on the back axle, the front wheel has not much grip, limiting the steepness of roads you can go.
- No brakes on the back end. I am still wondering how to retrofit some. The single-wheel back end has brakes though.
I would never go back to mountain bike style handle bars, I bought my Catrike Dumont unseen and wasn't sure if I bought a good Trike but after watching how they were constructed I knew I picked the correct Trike, besides I wasted some money on 2 other brands without any knowledge, but had to get a Trike because of health reasons. From lower back problems ( 2 pins, 6 screws in L-3, L-4, L-5 ) also right ankle is pinned and fused. Neck injury from getting rear-ended, have had to have surgery on my wrist so I needed the best and Catrike Dumont is the greatest.
So the suspension on the Catrike Dumont is outstanding for people with bad backs.
Another Pro for Catrike is you don't need to remove the seat when you fold it, also the wrist supports are wonderful. It has both front and rear suspension.
I'm with you. As one that has back issues, I love the Dumont :)
Good summary, but you forgot a Greenspeed pro: It has a height adjustable seat. Higher for easier entry/exit & better visibility. Lower for improved aerodynamics & faster cornering. The other brands don't have that.
That's a great feature. The seat adjustment give you allot of versatility.
Good job! Happy trails!
Great comparison video Mickey! Thank you!
I bought a Terratike 5 years ago. Love the Bosch system. Bad back so I upgraded to ICE Adventure. Suspension is great. Having trouble adjusting to Shimano system and Enviolo. Like torque based pedaling better.
I wish Ice had Bosch. I'm surprised they don't. Doesn't it seem like Bosch and Ice would naturally go together?
Great video. Lots of information
Nice review. I would have added to the Greenspeed PROs. Adjustability in the seat height for aero vs operator flexibility, the seat back is also adjustable for back angle comfort and more or less aerodynamic seating. It has a small turning radius and while it has a wide seat the trike wheel to wheel width is excellent..esp compared to my wife's ICE Adventure HD.
I test rode a lot of the Catrike models, which was what I was wanting to buy. But I found it harder for me to get out of, which is a con. But of course not everyone would have that trouble, and I did love the ride of them.
Did you try getting in and out with the grab handles installed? Also did you try the Villager or MAX which are both higher?
I've had a Terra Trike Rambler for 5-6 years with the Bosch Electrical Kit and the Nuvinci 380 hub. I went with a recumbent trike because of chronic sciatica issues. It is so comfortable I can ride it everyday with no discomfort. With the 20 inch tires, it is a bit slow, but that is the only con. Also, the #1 cause of bike injuries is falling off - something you don't need to worry about on a recumbent trike!
I’ve owned two ICE Sprint X (one got totaled by a pickup truck one fateful day) and now a second with 700c wheel, full suspension, carbon seat, and tubeless tires. It is supremely comfortable and relatively fast for a suspended trike. Maintenance has been near zero for 7K miles. For anyone who would like a tubeless tire option this is a “pro” of ICE trikes. I also get positive comments from DF riders on the sporty design.
I'm also loving my Sprint X. The seat is super comfy and the trike handles very well.
Thank you so much
For the record: you forgot to mention 2 other models from ICE: the VTX and the Full FAT.
The two award winning models. First risen to the South Pole and fastest production trike! Pretty massive accomplishments.
Both are wonderful models but more unique to a specific riding style. The Adventure and Sprint are what 99% of our customers choose from ICE.
I love my ice, adventurer, HD
Interesting selection however I'm surprised you didn't mention other top quality brands like Azub & HP velotechnik
Feel free to check our video: Why we don’t sell AZUB or HP Velotechnik…
@@LaidBackCyclesyes indeed, I'd love to see that video going fro
I love my TerraTrike All Terrain for winter, and my Catrike Expedition for summer. I just wish I had more time to ride them.
That is cool that you have a winter and summer trike... Woohoo!
Been riding my Greenspeed GT20 all spring/summer and find the standard seat is very comfortable. I do not have suspension and tend to ride on sidewalks as much as paved trails. I have a foam pad but yet to install it under the mesh seating; not sure I will.
Thanks for sharing!
The green speed... That seat might be adjustable as to where that back fits by adding a seat pad. It looks too high for me so it should be very easy to add a seat cushion and bring it to the right height
How does the bar to the pedal for a Sidewinder recumbent bike tighten? Do the shocks or tightening lever wear out?
I haven't seen a Sidewinder in years.
Thank you so much for this video, you did a great job! You helped me to choose the right trike: ICE with no doubt! Also probably it will be a little bit cheaper for me, because in a few months I'm moving to UK from Mexico City, in order to do my PhD in physics over there, so an ICE will be my right choice! (and a cool way to ride to the university! 😂😂😂) Cheers!
Thanks Garbriel! Glad we could help out.
Is there a way to adjust when the auto shift on the ICE actually shifts? Mine doesn’t shift into the gears I would select.
Take it to your local shop that works on Shimano.
I think 1 additional con to the Catrike is their weight limit of 275lbs.
Yep, that can be one. But have you seen there New Catrike MAX?
Trisled Gizmo 👍
You should do a revue of Performer Trikes.
That's a great idea Franklin. I'll see if they want to send one in for review.
@@LaidBackCycles Go for the JC 700 if you can. This is the one I purchased. I love this trike.
Biggest con I found at rallies are the TerraTrike's crossbars are weak, and fracture over time. Had a fracture lead to a serious crack, throwing the toeing out 3/4 of an inch and ruined two new tires. None of the other manufacturer's were mention about crossbar outrigger bar failures.
On some of the older models where they did not have the gusset that could happen. I haven't seen any since. Good news is they are the only ones with a life time warranty which is nice.
Was wondering if there's a reason you didn't do or don't carry AZUB brand trikes?
AZUB makes great trikes. Many brands have similar features and we chose brands that were very popular in the US. I'd gladly do a review on other manufacturers if they sent one to ride :)
Interesting enough I kind of expected to see HP Velotechnik Azub and maybe even Steintrikes here, are these not up to the level or you just had to squeeze as many as you could in the time you had?
All those are great trikes as well. This is more about the ones that sell the most and their pros and cons.
The ones that sell the most - in America! Or rather, at his shop.
Also, from where I'm looking, "Made in the USA" goes in the Con column.
You are looking very healthy and trim. Keep it up!
Thanks! I just got back from vacation and its time to hit the trail again after a week of fun and throwing caution to the wind :)
Terratrike added a folding bike recently!
They have had a folding model for awhile but changed it from a tri-fold to a single fold. Its a fun cruiser trike with a single up from. I'd add a motor to get the most out of it.
ICE trikes have the best suspension. Super simple & reliable. Super pro. (Former Greenspeed mesh seat rider)
They do make a great trike. I'm currently riding a ICE Sprint X, it's a sweet ride!
I have a magnum big wheel- only upgrades they should do is a rear suspension option like the gt20rs and centre the back wheel.( they made it offset i think to compensate for road camber in the USA- but I'm in Australia with opposite road camber!)
Besides quality and styling, Ice has indirect steering which is all I will own. I don't like direct steer trikes.
Triking is all about personal preference -- so glad you love your ICE :)
Thats a big reason I got a Greenspeed. I bought the Magnum Big Wheel for a better top speed without messing with the gears. The mesh seat is excellent and no juicy sweat sponge like those padded ones.( I ride in up to 30 deg C.)
Maaaaan why not start wit a bigwheel frame, road thins on back n a smaller 2 speed fwd on the stem
Catrike Suspension?
All the models shown didn't have any.
ICE have three basic models,
The Adventure, higher seating and ground clearance for touring/leisure,
The Sprint slightly lower and more aero for fast touring/daily use,
and the VTX for all out speed.
But in each model there is a lot of choice for personalization/customization i.e. seating, braking, gearing/drive chain, suspension and the components that they're made from, eg. Shimano, Sram, etc.
I'm a little biased as I live in the UK and ride an ICE Trice Qnt trike 2006 that I can still get parts for direct from ICE!
That's a 17yr old trike, now that's what I call customer service & faith in your brand/product.
I ride it most days and do the maintenance/service myself, Also modified it with dynamo hub (built the wheel myself) and lights.
ICE makes great trikes. I'm riding the Sprint Tour X this year and love it. Catrike makes the Dumont with suspension.
What about HP Velotechnik Trikes?
They make great trikes too. Check out ua-cam.com/video/9QrcZYK-MFM/v-deo.html
So I have $1900.00 saved up and in August I should have $3500,00 I have never owned a recumbent bike in my life! I have 2 e-bikes that I ride everyday! I don’t own a car! I don’t want folding! I will be contacting you in August. All I want is the terra trike GTS fog! That’s my forever bike.
i have a 2022 terra gran tourismo. i have over 20 bikes ,road tandems,MTB's beach cruisers: this Terratrike is by far the most enjoyable fun i have had on a bicycle. i even took it on raw forest trails and it was still enjoyable. the GTS you are getting has a great component package with the shimano 105 package
I have a Terra Trike GTS in Molten orange I've nicknamed "Sparky" for her flaming color and the spark of joy I get riding her! It's a great Trike, fun to ride and it's no slug with it's aluminum frame and Shimano 105 and SLX drivetrain. I also have the base Spyder that is equally fun to ride with it's nimble responses and fast ride!
👍👍
Really sad that you spoke about the 3 low end trike brands ... yet while including ICE ignoring HPV and mover over AZUB. Idont think I would even consider any of these as they have no innovation in the past 10 years.
This was about most units sold overall. Toyota sell far more cars than Ferrari or Porsche, but they are all good in their own way.Thanks for giving a shout out to other great brands :)
@@LaidBackCycles When you put it in trike brand the top 4... so what make is the TOP 4 of the 9.. yes 9 trike brands... but is this based on the low end the high end ... maybe consider this is what you have sold.
$1500 is not cheap. To me it sounded like you where making e xcurses for price because there was no real pro or con to these. Design is subjective. Price should be based in quality and features.
Cheap is relative. Feel free to watch our "Why are trikes so expensive?" video to learn more about the economics of the trike industry.
no HP?
HP is a great brand. This is going over the top 4 selling brands of all time and HP comes in at number 5.
There All Flipping tadpole trikes sad.
There are some cool Delta trikes out there, but when we carried them 99 people out of 100 wanted the tadpole style.
Simple, delta trikes are not stable, flip easily backwards and when you try to ride full speed between two obstacles with a delta you will crash, you cannot look at the two back wheels at the same time.
Cons: Trike
Pro: Bicycle
Why are you here?
@@jhendrix2159 because of the big bang
Interesting. Having ridden and raced upright bicycles and now riding a quality Trike with my husband, an avid cyclist who had a debilitating stroke 12 years ago, we're still enjoying and getting the benefits of CYCLING on our trikes. Our tadpole trikes remove the balance issues for him, and left-handed controls allow him to manage gearing and brakes-because he has no use at all of his right hand or arm. After his stroke, tadpole trikes gave our lives a bit of normalcy back. I have a beautiful Santana Chronos tandem bike for sale if anyone you know might be interested. My husband and I made a great team on that bike. We can't enjoy it any more, so maybe you know someone who can. We're happy to have found the world of recumbent triking.
@@PhyllisBoone-sn8oi ok boomer
@@pillepolle3122 You should get some help.