The Typical Questions

When I ride my trike, I get a lot of attention.  Children wave and adults scratch their heads.  I usually get questions: what is it?  How much does it cost? Where do you buy one? Is it hard to ride?  Isn’t it hard to see in traffic?  So I thought I would answer these questions (some of this information comes from Wikipedia):

What is it?

It’s a recumbent trike – a type of recumbent bike.   A recumbent bike is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. I chose this type of bike for comfort and stability.  My weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks. On a traditional upright bicycle, the body weight rests entirely on a small portion of the butt, the feet, and the hands.

Most recumbent models also have an aerodynamic advantage; the reclined, legs-forward position of the rider’s body presents a smaller frontal profile. A recumbent holds the world speed record for a bicycle, and they were banned from international racing in 1934.^[1]

Delta Style Trike

A variant with three wheels is a recumbent tricycle. Recumbent trikes are closely related to recumbent bicycles, but have three wheels instead of two. Trikes come in two varieties, the delta, and the tadpole.

Tadpole Style Trike

The popularity of trikes has grown significantly over the years as aging baby boomers discover the benefit of continued riding without the issues of balance and pain mostly associated with traditional upright bikes

How Much Does it Cost?

How much do you want to spend? 
Just like a diamond bike, prices vary.  Here is a partial list of trike manufactures and the list price for their lowest priced trike:

Catrike $1500: Greenspeed $1900: Hase $3100: HP Velotechnik $2600: Sun $1200: ICE $2500: TerraTrike $1500

Where Do You Buy One?

Look for a recumbent bike shop in your area (search the Internet or Yelp.com).  I can recommend Bend Up Cyclist in Van Nuys, People Movers in Orange (they have lots of used bikes) and Richards Bikes in Garden Grove. 

Is It Hard to Ride?

No.  You just sit down, clip in and ride.  But you MUST use clipless pedals or, if your foot slips off the pedals you are in for a major hurting.  Here’s what Wikipedia says:

Safety. Although recumbent bicycles are generally considered safer than upright bicycles (as noted above), they do have some specific safety issues. A type of injury characteristic of recumbents called "leg suck" occurs when a foot touches the ground and the bike runs forward over the contact point, causing ligament damage and, in some cases, ankle fractures. The use of clipless pedals reduces this possibility by preventing the foot from slipping off the pedal. But with clipless pedals, remaining clipped in during a front tire or wheel failure at high speeds can result in the recumbent rolling over the rider and taking a clipped in leg or legs with it. This scenario, although very rare, can create severe spiral fractures of the femur rarely seen with upright bicycles.

Is it Hard to See in Traffic?

Yes and No.  It does sit much lower to the ground so drivers cannot see a trike.  But, because it looks so odd, drivers do see you.  I also wear very bright clothes.