Schwinn Meridian DLX trike clunking noise

[Jewel C Fonder]

Help please! I have tried many things to fix the loud clunking sound in my Meridian trike with no success. We even took the gear hub apart and reassembled it per the suggestion from Schwinn that it probably needed replacing.

Many others have suggested something in the rear axle tube is making the noise, but I don't understand the descriptions. Are there videos to watch on this matter? Or is there another common possibility I'm missing?

My son bought this trike from Amazon for my 65th birthday, and for a month or so there were no issues. I brought it to a bike repair shop and they were unable to fix it or to diagnose the problem. It's a three speed, and I can't even move the gear shifter now either.

[Debbie O]

Jewel,

Have you found out anything about the clunking in the Meridian no one has an answer for?

I’ve had my Meridian since the beginning of July. I’ve heard many different things like bearings, brakes, something in the rear tube, etc. I’ve had that same clunking and if you are on Facebook, there is a Meridian specific group where things have been mentioned, You Tube videos. I’ve just about had it with this trike.

My trike is a new 7 speed. I have removed the rear fenders (they are useless anyway), the basket, but put that back on. Issue not resolved. The guy that put the trike together loosened something in the back. He said if he loosened it anymore, I would not have any rear brakes. Since he did that, when I ride the trike, no clunking. When my husband goes to ride it, the clunking returns.

Now, not to be offensive, are you a heavier person? I know the trike has a 350# weight limit. My husband is about 275# and I’m 160#. Since the trike clunks when he rides it, I wonder if there’s a rider weight issue that factors in, but a rider that is under the max weight, should not be affecting the trike, there’s got to be an issue with the rear end. My husband did test a Sun Traditional style trike yesterday, no clunking or issues what so ever. Due to the bike shortage, it has been diificult to find a trike to demo and the Sun just arrived a couple of werks ago. I’ve ended up getting a recumbent delta trike with more gears and I love it! We even tried trading the Meridian for the Sun Taditional trike, but the shop owner would not even take the Meridian as a trade for part of the value of the trike. He said he would not be able to sell it. I could convert into an e-trike, but no one will convert it either.