(04-23-2025, 03:47 AM)momoviribus Wrote: The great thing about a trike is the stability! Newbies can just get on it and start riding, whether you will before or not, it's stable enough not to roll over (on a smooth road!) Another great thing is that you can carry a lot of stuff, although two-wheelers also have baskets, tricycles can carry several times their capacity!
Note: you can carry a large capacity on an upright trike, but not as much on a recumbent trike; and a 2 wheel bike can have more capacity than a recumbent because of visibility and the significant difference at the height where the average rider's head would be (~3'). There is no way that the packs I have seen on many stock touring bikes that would fit on a standard recumbent trike without modifying the riders position to achieve adequate visibility front or back (no mirrors!) around your gear. On upright riding machines with two or more wheels you can pretty much pack from the lowest pedal position up to neck height and still have 360° visibility plus being able to wear a backpack for more capacity; plus you can stand up for better visibility on a standard bike or trike. That same amount of gear would not be feasible on a recumbent unless you have a very long neck even if you could mount it and control it while riding at high speeds and maneuvering (have not seen any recumbent, 2 or 3 wheels, outhandle a 2 wheel bike even without packs mounted).
I like recumbents (though I would never ride one due to their limitations and what I can do on a road bike), but let us be honest about the reality between uprights and recumbents that cannot be overlooked.
Another thing about head height is all the crud getting in your face when riding bike where your head is considerably lower than when riding upright bikes (and you get to breath in more or that crap too!!). Debris flying up from your own tires, the wind, trucks/cars (got to love the small pebbles shooting at your legs on an upright but at your eyes on a recumbent), etc. is much more prevalent below the saddle of an upright bike; and right where your head is on a recumbent. If I had to clean the as much grit and dirt off of my face as I do my legs after a 2 to 3 hr ride I would just stop riding. If riding off-road on my road bike I am getting my legs and hands hit by surrounding flora; on a recumbent you are slapped in the face (if you could even go where I go on a recumbent which of course is another limitation: restricted riding adventure).
(9 hours ago)rydabent Wrote: Trikes have 3 great things going for them, comfort, view, and ease of use.
Better view on an upright unless you can see over a 5 foot wall while sitting in your bike's chair. I could not when I sat on one which is the big limitation unless you are particularly tall or like to look at walls and not over them. Immediately I knew without turning a pedal that what I would normally see while riding an upright would be greatly hindered by riding on a recumbent; aside from handling limitations. You also have farther visibility on an upright just due to curvature of the Earth and by the fact that having your eyes in a higher position than is possible on a recumbent vehicle puts you at an advantage.
Still recumbents are great if you are fine with losing the advantages of riding an upright bike/trike over gaining the advantages of riding a recumbent bike/trike.
Another fun note about trikes in general is that they are 1.5 times as likely to get a flat as opposed to a 2 wheeler regardless of upright or recumbent trike design and that cannot be refuted by anyone who understands mathematics.
It is also more difficult to avoid road hazards with 3 wheels, and with recumbent trikes with single rear wheel you cannot see it easily to maneuver clear in a tight bind. On an upright I can hop, skip, and maneuver at a higher speed around and above debris with either front or rear wheel thus avoiding flats (any of you recumbent folks ever do a rear wheel lift or side shift?). I doubt that "bent" riders going over 15 mph (or at any speed really) could avoid debris any easier as I can on an upright even though claiming to be able to see road debris easier. Not sure where that comes from since I can clearly see and avoid tiny debris, glass, metal bits, etc. while cruising at 17-20 mph. It is about seeing it early and with my head being at a higher level I will see debris and obstacles earlier the other side of a rise before a recumbent rider unless they are using a periscope. Is my logic wrong, or are recumbent chairs mounted as high as upright bike/trike saddles?
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