Introduction To Trikes
A trike is a motorized three wheeled vehicle, often with an appearance closer to a motorcycle than to a car. These machines have increased in popularity in recent years, being seen as an excellent alternative to motorbikes. There are strict definitions of what most owners think of a trike as being. A motorcycle with a sidecar is not, for instance, seen as being one, despite the fact that it has three wheels.
There’s a whole culture that goes with riding these machines too. That culture places trike owners in the same bracket as motorcycle owners, distinct from those of us who drive cars and other four wheeled vehicles.
Human-powered trikes are usually powered by pedals, although some models have hand cranks. Motorized trikes can be powered with a variety of methods, including motorcycle engines, smaller automatic transmission scooter motors, and electric motors. The term “tricycle” may or may not include motorized Three Wheeled Cars, depending on local lanscape.
Children’s trikes are made of steel frames or plastic. One disadvantage of plastic frames is that they be more likely to tip over than a steel frame if a heavier child is riding. On the plus side, plastic frames will not rust like steel frames if the trike is left out in the rain. A good quality trike’s wheels will have treads, which provide better traction.
Adults may find upright tricycles difficult to ride because of familiarity with the counter-steering required to balance a bicycle, in which the weight of the body is used during turns. The variation in the camber of the road is the principal difficulty to be overcome once basic tricycle handling is mastered. Recumbent trikes are less affected by camber and, depending on track width and riding position, capable of very fast cornering. A few trikes are designed to tilt into the corners much as a bicycle does, and this also renders them more comfortable on cambered roads. They are referred to as tilting three wheelers (TTW’s).
Trikes’ strongest suits are cornering, stability, comfort, rider stamina and terminal velocity. Trikes can be used by adults who have problems riding bicyles. As well, trikes are a good choice for elderly riders who are worried about falls. Trikes can ride and climb at very low speed and a kickstand is never needed.
An often-noted problem with recumbent trikes, much debated by trikers and recumbent riders of all kinds, is their poor climbing ability: the rider cannot get out of the saddle and stand up on the pedals to climb hills. Trikers argue that they make up the time lost going up hills by going much faster on the downhill side because of the low, aerodynamic riding position.
Most cycle rickshaws, used for carrying passengers for hire, are tricycles with one steering wheel in the front and two wheels in the back supporting a seating area for one or two passengers. Cycle rickshaws often have a parasol or canopy to protect the passengers from sun and rain. These vehicles are widely used in South Asia and Southeast Asia, where rickshaw driving provides essential employment for recent immigrants from rural areas, generally impoverished men. In the 1990s and 2000s, rickshaws have become increasingly popular in big cities in the UK, Europe and US, where they provide urban transportation, novelty rides, and serve as an advertising tool.
Makers of upright trikes include George Longstaff, Higgins, and Pashley Cycles in the UK. Italian company Di Blasi make a folding upright trike, which folds to a compact 68 x 28 x 62.5 cm. There are also many inexpensive, mass-produced upright trikes available through mass-market retailers. They are generally heavy and of uneven quality, but are suitable for occasional, low-demand riding, especially by those with mobility problems.
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