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The adult trike: practical, comfortable and eco-friendly option
We all know that bikes are the future of urban transportation thanks to its health, environmental and economic benefits. But have you ever heard of three-wheeled bikes called tricycles? Tricycles aren’t only for children; the adult trike exists as well!
Why would I choose an adult trike over a bike you may ask?
First because of its stability, safety, and comfort but also because many different options exist so you can choose one that fits to your liking.
If you want to know more about all these benefits, keep reading!
Why is an adult trike a great option for moving around daily?
As mentioned above, there are many reasons to choose an adult tricycle, also known as an adult trike, to move around daily.
Stability
The first reason is stability. If you ride a normal bicycle, you must have good balance. But, with a trike, as it has three wheels, you don’t have to. The third wheel on the adult trike makes it more stable than a bicycle. This means you can maintain your balance much better. Thanks to the two wheels at the back (or sometimes at the front), you can simply and steadily cross a wet street, ride on gravel surface or poorly maintained road, etc. You can even get on and off it easily without worrying about falling!
Comfort
An adult trike also has a comfortable seat, much more than a bicycle saddle. The seat distributes your weight equally. Which helps stability, reduces pain, pressure and discomfort that can happen while riding a bike. Not only can you enjoy the scenery, you can also get to your destination without being as tired!
Easy to ride
Perhaps you are not used to cycling or you are still a beginner? If so, you are not necessarily concerned with performance, but with the pleasure of cycling. However, riding in the city, confronting other road users or other factors can cause anxiety and discourage you from cycling. An adult trike is a good solution for you!
When riding up a steep hill on a normal bike, because of the lack of balance, you must increase your speed. This can lead to over-straining or discomfort. Thanks to the third wheel on the tricycle and the balance that it allows, you can ride up a hill as slowly as you need without worrying about tipping over.
In a nutshell, an adult trike is great for beginners. People who are out of shape or people who just want to have fun and enjoy cycling without thinking about their performance!
Different adult trike types to choose and where to find them
If you are looking at buying an adult trike or interested in seeing what they are, you may want to understand and know what types exist and what each of their perks are!
Zoom on several adult trikes: which one to choose?
Many different adult tricycles exist including a few that you have probably never heard about!
Here is a list of the different types:
Two rear wheels:
The first one is a tricycle with two rear wheels, this is the one you probably know. This type offers all the qualities listed above: stability, safety, comfort… If you are looking for stability this is the type to choose! These kinds of tricycles often have seats which are much more comfortable than saddles and you are generally closer to the ground.
Two front wheels:
Another alternative is a tricycle with two front wheels. You won’t have the same comfort than on trikes with two rear wheels because it generally has a saddle. But it has other technical advantages that you probably don’t know about! When both wheels are at the front it is easier to take turns because you have a better overview of the total width of the tricycle. This kind of tricycle also has, most of the time, a higher saddle which ensures an upright position. In this case, it makes sense to combine the two front wheels tricycle with carrying loads. For example to carry children or your dog. We’ll tell you in a moment what that might look like!
Folding trike:
This is a great option for people who live in apartments, who don’t have enough room to store their bike or adult tricycle, or those who just don’t want their tricycle to get stolen. A folding tricycle has a folding frame that makes it smaller and easier to store. It is also very practical for people who like to travel a lot and want to bring their tricycle with them on their adventure!
Recumbent tricycle:
The recumbent tricycle is a three-wheeled bicycle that allows you to ride in a semi-reclined position with your legs in front. This way, your body weight is distributed over a larger area. It is very comfortable and reduces fatigue and over-straining.
The recumbent has a more aerodynamic profile than an upright bike so it can go very fast. It actually holds the world speed record for a bike: 89.59 miles per hour (144 km/h)!
But be careful! It is also important to pay special attention to traffic and traffic rules in an urban environment. As the recumbent tricycle is much lower than a normal tricycle, you have less visibility on what is going on around you.
Electric drive:
We know more and more people choose electric mobility as an alternative to cars. This is why we are including an electric solution that can be applied to any tricycle listed above. As its name suggests, the electric tricycle or e-trike, has a motor and a rechargeable battery to store energy and helps you go further.
This electric drive that allows you to reach a speed of 15.5mph or 25 km/h (according to the EU regulations on e-bikes) brings a lot of perks:
- It is much easier to ride on bumpy or damaged roads,
- You start much easier and faster than on a normal bike,
- It’s much less tiring so everyone can have fun on the tricycle.
The electric drive solution is suitable for everyone, and this makes riding a breeze!
However, you still need to take into account that an e-trike is more expensive. So, you will have to consider the travelled distance and the type of roads you will be riding on before making your choice between an electric bike and a muscular bike.
Let’s discover a few brands that offer these adult tricycles
Now that you know the different types, let’s take a look at a few adult trike brands to help guide you in your thinking and your purchase.
MissionCycles:
A family run business from the UK since 1984. All their products are designed and assembled at their own warehouse. They have spent years perfecting their range and only use excellent quality parts. This British supplier offers ready built trikes and two-wheelers, but we would like to highlight their “Mission E-Mission Electric Adult Tricycle” which has a low step over frame!
Damius:
100% Made in France Tricycles! The French supplier Damius offers a range of tricycles and two-wheelers, with low entry and even electric drive for adults, young people or senior citizens. Damius bikes are not too wide, which makes them quite suitable for everyday use, for easy parking and storage. They ship their 100% assembled and ready-to-use tricycles directly to you everywhere in Europe. In terms of tricycles for adults, we want to highlight two products: the “Evasion” tricycle, which is available in eight beautiful colours.
Tomcat:
Tomcat was set up in 1998, in the UK, to enable people with learning, physical or sensory impairments to cycle. This supplier has created and engineered solutions to help children and adults safely explore the world outside, no matter what their challenges. They offer child, teen, and adult trikes that all adapt to your needs, such as supervision, propulsion, trailers, easy access…
Jorvik Tricycles:
One of the leading adult trike providers supplying customers and cycle shops globally. They supply reliable and aesthetically pleasing tricycles, with colours, payment options, and specifications to suit all. Their products range from mountain tricycles to electric tricycles and even to electric folding tricycles! One of their best-selling products is the “Jorvik Electric Mountain Trike JMT3”, an all-terrain adult trike with an electric motor.
Another option: simply turn your own bike into an adult tricycle
If you already have a bike and want to switch to a cargo adult tricycle, without investing in a full-on tricycle. And/or don’t have much room to store it at home, we have the solution!
Remove your bike’s front wheel and replace it with the AddBike+ frame: you now have a cargo tricycle, it’s that simple! This reversible system can be adapted to almost any bike on the market, including electric bikes (if the motor is not on the front wheel!)
Cool, isn’t it?
Plus, there are three modules that fit onto the AddBike+ system to transport a child, a dog or loads, it adapts to everyone’s needs.
Here they are:
The Kid Kit
This module is a bicycle accessory made for transporting children (from 2 to 6 years old and up to a height of 3.30 ft/1,20m or a weight of 77 lbs/35 kg). It is designed to carry out daily rides in urban areas with your child in complete safety and comfort. Practical for parents looking for a solution for everyday journeys with a child.
With a rear child seat, you can even travel with two children at the same time.
The Dog Kit
Never travel without your dog again! Daily comfortable walks are now possible with your four-legged friend!
The module is suitable for 3.30 ft/1,20m and 77 lbs/35 kg dogs and offers full protection thanks to its metal frame, side reflectors and other great features!
Treat yourself and your dog to unique experiences together!
The Box Kit
This bicycle module was created for transporting all kinds of loads: large, bulky loads with a volume of up to 77 lbs/110 litres, for private or professional reasons thanks to its metal structure and its textile envelope.
Now it’s up to you! Discover and choose the adult trike that better suits your needs!