Catrike Hires Bill Watkins

[biker72]

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2014/03/12/catrike-hires-bill-watkins-consultant#.UyMBS_ldX2G

[LegendRider]

With all due respect, who buys these? I presume there is a market sizable enough to support the company, but I just don't know anything about it.

[biker72]

We have a monthly recumbent ride out of our store. The last ride we had about 30 participants.

[LegendRider]

We have a monthly recumbent ride out of our store. The last ride we had about 30 participants.

How many are trikes?

[rwsaunders]

At first I thought it was Catlike...the helmet company. I will say that a tour of their (www.Catrike.com) website is interesting.

[biker72]

How many are trikes?

30 trikes.

[eddief]

I owned a non-motorized one a few years back. But can imagine with coming agedness, this could be in my/our future:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMD0Ir2FAOU

[dave thompson]

That looks perfect for you Eddie. The trike I mean.

[oldpotatoe]

I owned a non-motorized one a few years back. But can imagine with coming agedness, this could be in my/our future:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMD0Ir2FAOU

'Smokin' hot as in she was smoking in the first scene, glad she put it out before getting on the thing, I didn't see an ashtray.

[Ralph]

They are all over the trails around here. There is even a local club. Very popular.

[eddief]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjnPqGGLXW4

"The climb used 30% of the total battery capacity. Even more incredibly - after riding the trike back down to the start the amount of power used for the total 10 mile trip up and back down the mountain was equivalent to having ridden 10 miles on flat terrain."

[EPOJoe]

It's common knowledge within the recumbent community that interest and sales of trikes have dramatically surpassed those of regular two wheel recumbents. Lots of 'em on the trails around here.

Here's a link to the very busy trike discussion page over at Bentrider:

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/forumdisplay.php?f=13&order=desc

[dekindy]

The tadpoles are not only comfortable, but a blast to ride. We have delta style because they are the only one with factory coupling capability so we can hook them together and ride with our handicapped Son.

[EPOJoe]

A little something I shot a few years back when I purchased my trike...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ylt2-3OG5U

And although I do find trikes to be a bit slower overall than two wheel 'bents and my road bikes, with the right engine, I've known some folks who can kick you-know-what on their three wheelers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWQhugLNh3I

[john903]

My wife has balance problems on a regular bike since she was in a car wreck several years ago and now rides a Terratrike the tadpole style and she loves it and I must say she looks really cool in her tie dyed jersey cruising the 12mi of bike trail we have here.

[wasfast]

Interesting to see another slice of the market. I will say those guys must have made 80/20 smile after they placed their order for fixture tubing!

[Saxon]

Interesting. Paulo has been a star in the trike world for years. A really nice, made in the USA product (which is rare as most trike manufactures are building in Taiwan). Not sure what somebody not familiar with the recumbent market can bring to the table. It's pretty insular and quirky. I've got a Greenspeed trike, which is a great addition to the fleet. Lots of fun to ride.

[JAGI410]

When I'm old and bald enough, I'd rock one.

[WickedWheels]

Congrats, Bill. These are very fun. The only cool recumbent I've come across, and I used to rep Sun Bicycles. It's a little funny but the first time I rode one was when I managed Brian Case's shop in Enfield... well, perhaps it's not funny.

[oldpotatoe]

When I'm old and bald enough, I'd rock one.

don't forget the beard......

[JAGI410]

don't forget the beard......

Already have that! I don't have any cut off jeans or day glo yellow though.

Tadpole recumbents are comfortable and a lot of fun, I certainly see the appeal.

[dustyrider]

Due to internal health concerns my dad was looking at trikes. They're not all created equally especially for a big man like him 6'2 250ish; the rear wheel flex on some of these are scary, not to mention sharp turns. I had issues with the handle bars contacting my legs and cranks smashing into the ground. I know body English could correct some of the issues, but it certainly was not my cup of tea. In the end the safety of the rider's position is what deterred my dad from purchasing. You're basically invisible sitting below every car driver's line of sight; the extensive parking lot tests were conformation of just how invisible you are on one of these.

[Saxon]

Due to internal health concerns my dad was looking at trikes. They're not all created equally especially for a big man like him 6'2 250ish; the rear wheel flex on some of these are scary, not to mention sharp turns. I had issues with the handle bars contacting my legs and cranks smashing into the ground. I know body English could correct some of the issues, but it certainly was not my cup of tea. In the end the safety of the rider's position is what deterred my dad from purchasing. You're basically invisible sitting below every car driver's line of sight; the extensive parking lot tests were conformation of just how invisible you are on one of these.

Hmm.. The only trike I know of that has been accused of rear wheel flex is the Catrike 700 because of the larger than normal (for a trike) rear wheel. Never heard this complaint about any other trike. The handle bars are a simple adjustment, you just move them further out from your body. I think the only way a crank can smash into the ground would be by lifting the back of the trike up in the air (is this what you're referring to?). They certainly are not the best for driving around parking lots or roads with heavy traffic, but that's why most folks use colorful flags that sit high above the trike seat (style points or no depending on your opinion). I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for the elderly hitting the open road, but many folks have toured the country and the world on them (usually pulling a trailer). My dad rides one, but we mostly stay on the bike trail or low traffic streets. I ride one everywhere, but it is unnerving to be waiting at a light and have a semi-truck pull up next to you when you're basically a few inches off the ground looking up at a very large tire.

[victoryfactory]

I guess Bill was looking for a more "relaxed" position.

VF

[dustyrider]

Hmm.. The only trike I know of that has been accused of rear wheel flex is the Catrike 700 because of the larger than normal (for a trike) rear wheel. Never heard this complaint about any other trike. The handle bars are a simple adjustment, you just move them further out from your body. I think the only way a crank can smash into the ground would be by lifting the back of the trike up in the air (is this what you're referring to?). They certainly are not the best for driving around parking lots or roads with heavy traffic, but that's why most folks use colorful flags that sit high above the trike seat (style points or no depending on your opinion). I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for the elderly hitting the open road, but many folks have toured the country and the world on them (usually pulling a trailer). My dad rides one, but we mostly stay on the bike trail or low traffic streets. I ride one everywhere, but it is unnerving to be waiting at a light and have a semi-truck pull up next to you when you're basically a few inches off the ground looking up at a very large tire.

The trike dealer we went to had a few different manufacturers, the catrike was the only one that didn't have extreme rear wheel deflection under heavy pedaling or tight turns. The handle bar/cockpit seemed like a fitment issue that could be resolved with more tinkering, but the boom striking the ground under heavy breaking was awkward and scary to say the least. Every trike we rode around the parking lot/town had a colored flag, your description of being next to a semi- is how every car felt on the road!

For some I'm sure the trike is certainly an enjoyable experience when everything is taken into consideration and expectations are understood; it just wasn't for me.