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1 vote
1 answer
107 views

Is it possible to use a disc front brake and a regenerative rear brake system for electric Catrike recumbent?

I have a Catrike Villager tadpole recumbent with a single lever to operate the two disc brakes on the front wheels. I want to put a direct-drive hub motor on the rear and utilize regenerative braking. ...
David P's user avatar
  • 11
10 votes
5 answers
5k views

What are the (dis)advantages of a tadpole vs. a delta trike?

On a recumbent trike, what are the advantages (and disadvantages) of two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back (a "tadpole" in recumbent terminology), vs. two wheels in the back and ...
gerrit's user avatar
  • 3,987
1 vote
1 answer
228 views

Are there special heavy-duty front derailleurs for recumbent trikes or recumbent bicycles?

I have a "normal" short wheelbase highracer recumbent bicycle (Radius Hornet I) for about 20 years now, so I'm generally used to recumbent-specific things. But since recently I also own an ...
Axel Beckert's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
4k views

What can I do to pedals to help kids or smaller riders use the bike

We recently bought a recumbent tricycle second-hand for our special needs daughter (catrike pocket). The bikes pedals are a little bit out of reach for her (~4 inches). These bikes are expesive and we ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 275
4 votes
1 answer
526 views

Tire selection for winter trike riding?

I'm thinking of trying out some winter riding on a recumbent tadpole trike. (ie the single drive wheel is in the rear). With regular tires it slips all over the place; of course you can't really wipe ...
StayOnTarget's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
171 views

Should I rotate the tires on a (grown-up) trike?

I have a recumbent tadpole trike (though maybe this would apply to any style). Its two front wheels have a few degrees of inwards lean. The rear is of course perfectly vertical. I've read in another ...
StayOnTarget's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
218 views

Tadpole Recumbent Bike Correct Fairing Position

What is the correct fairing position for a tadpole recumbent trike? I have a HP Gekko 26 with a Streamer fairing. Should the fairing be as far forward or as close to my pedal range as possible? ...
EnigMan's user avatar
  • 83
2 votes
2 answers
975 views

"Right" way to store energy from 2 dynamo hubs

I just bought a recumbent trike, and plan to do a fair amount of long-distance traveling on it, to the point that a dynamo hub seems like a really good idea. I was going to put a dynamo hub on one ...
Jeremy Holovacs's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
960 views

Ackermann compensation for tadpole trikes- how to work Peter Eland's spreadsheets

I am building tadpoles trike with "dual crossed drag link" type steering, and having been using the spreadsheets below to get the Ackermann compensation right. I am however not really sure how to get ...
Trass Vasston's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

On recumbent trikes, vs road bikes which is safer down hill?

Tadpole, vs delta have different tipping modes. Does the three wheel configuration give a false sense of stability? Are rocks on the road more or less of a risk on a Tadpole vs Delta vs Road/Mountain ...
Rcarey's user avatar
  • 31
4 votes
1 answer
686 views

How to determine what kind of front derailleur can be used on my recumbent trike?

I need to replace the front derailleur on my tadpole trike. Unfortunately, I cannot find a brand name or other numbers anywhere on the derailleur, so I cannot just replace it with an identical product....
Village's user avatar
  • 433
2 votes
0 answers
203 views

What handling differences should I expect when moving from a bike to a Recumbent Trike? [closed]

I have been riding a normal bicycle, I just purchased a used Sun EZ-3 SX Delta Trike. I only have about a dozen miles on it on a few short trips. There is an answer here indicating some of the ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Towing with a Recumbent Trike, Tadpole or Delta?

I have some experience towing with an upright bike I am considering getting a recumbent trike, as my back side does not last as long as my legs. With an upright bike I automatically move my weight ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
10 votes
4 answers
5k views

How can a recumbent tadpole trike brake three wheels with only two levers?

So this is probably a terrible idea, but I was looking at recumbent tadpoles recently and it just clicked. I would have two brake levers but three wheels. I would need to have to... 1.) Calibrate the ...
Sidney's user avatar
  • 347
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

Laws applying to Homemade Tricycles

I am a freshman in high school who is planning to build his own recumbent tricycle. However, I would be very disappointed if my creation was illegal to ride on bike paths and sidewalks. I have ...
fr00ty_l00ps's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Are upright conventional bicycle more comfortable than a recumbent trike over forest trails? [closed]

This question was prompted out of a short discussion from this question when it was proposed that a upright conventional bicycle is more comfortable than a recumbent trike when riding over forest ...
tehnyit's user avatar
  • 853
10 votes
3 answers
7k views

Do your legs get tired faster when riding a recumbent trike compared to a upright bike?

In my quest for getting as much information as I can before configuring my recumbent trike, I was thinking if my legs would be get more tired as they are in a horizontal position? In an upright bike,...
tehnyit's user avatar
  • 853
27 votes
23 answers
42k views

Is a recumbent trike faster than a non-recumbent bicycle?

I am seriously considering getting a recumbent trike, probably one in a tadpole configuration, and was weighting up how much time I would save during my commute when compared to my normal bike. ...
tehnyit's user avatar
  • 853
14 votes
6 answers
5k views

What should I consider when looking at a recumbent trike for commuting and winter riding?

AS part of my investigation on my bike replacement, I'm starting to look at a trike. I like the idea of a trike as it looks to be much more comfortable, much faster, but also much more expensive (in ...
tehnyit's user avatar
  • 853
9 votes
3 answers
3k views

Where (UK) can we rent an adult tricycle or recumbent tricycle

There are a lot of cycle tracks (mostly old railway lines) in the UK that have bike rental, however very few of them have adult tricycle or recumbent tricycle. Does anyone have the list of where you ...
16 votes
5 answers
7k views

Are there any recumbent tricycles that can be transported with a normal car?

My wife would like a 3 wheeled recumbent, but I can’t see how we can transport one with a normal car. I can put my bike on a rack or the roof, but all the recumbent I have seen are too large to ...
Ian's user avatar
  • 6,153