Chalo Colina said:Tom Sherman said:Chalo Colina said:
Most folks
who have never tried one assume that trikes are easier and safer than
bikes. But the best way to determine that two-wheelers are generally
safer and more pleasant to ride than three-wheelers is to ride a three-
wheeler. It doesn't really matter what kind.Utter nonsense. The real problem with good tadpole recumbent trikes is
the damage they will do to one's checking account balance.You are right, inasmuch as butt-dragging-on-the-ground bikes are worse
than butt-dragging-on-the-ground trikes. But I was generalizing about
regular bikes and trikes, not Rhoades Cars, mechanic's creepers, Big
Wheels, Green Machines, KMX Karts, street luges, Windcheetahs, or
other such toys.
While upright bicycles outsell upright recumbents by about 99 to 1 in
the quality bicycle market, I suspect the ratio is much smaller in the
quality trike market. Quality upright trikes are quite rare - I have
seen many more recumbent trikes in real life than upright adult trikes.
The Windcheetah [1] is not a toy in the way the other mentioned items
are, but a trike that can be used for distance riding, HPV racing and
commuting. Until recently (when sold off), the manufacturer's main
business was working quads [2]. The Windcheetah even holds the speed
record for the Land's End to John o'Groats ride [3].
Quoted message said:Any cycle that high-centers when rolling off an ordinary curb can't be
considered roadworthy, to my way of thinking anyway.
I can ride all my recumbents off normal (less than 15 cm high) curbs.
However, I prefer to practice vehicular cycling, so curb hopping is not
much of a concern. (For me, going up curbs is not an issue, since I
generally crash when trying to do so on an upright bicycle.)
[1] <http://www.windcheetah.co.uk/>.
[2] <http://www.work-bikes.de/avd/index2.htm>.
[3] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land's_End_to_John_o'_Groats>.
--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter