Has anyone here tried recumbent trike?
 

If you had a recumbent trike, I would like your verdict on it before I go ahead and spend a fortune on it. Thanks.

I ride a recumbent bike at the fitness center. I honestly think anyone who rides a recumbent bike in the street or the MMP, even with the tall flag flying in the back, has a death wish.

Many thanks. That was what I was wondering about. We plan to ride ours only on trail paths around here (Minneapolis). No motorized vehicles are allowed on these trail paths.

:agree:

A close friend bought one of those bikes. He has to have the best of everything so it was the mac daddy of recumbent bikes, $8k.

He road it twice and scared himself half to death with traffic. He tried to sell it for half what he paid, no luck. After collecting dust in his garage for several years, he gave it away.

In my, not so humble, opinion – a recumbent bike becomes as expensive coat rack.

:pray:

A most dangerous machine. Buy a proper bicycle, you have at least a half chance of being seen in time.
Personally I would not ride any type of bicycle in TV even if paid to do so.

Death trap,especially in TV--lots of elderly , bad reflexes, bad vision ( we had a person who still drives despite the fact she stated she is legally blind on this forum), new Villages residents who are learning the lay of the land and finally texting-golf cart drivers who are more interesting in talking with each other than looking ahead

Dangerous in car, very dangerous in golf cart--deadly in a recumbent bike

It's all relative. Death Trap. Drinking and driving is dangerous and foolish. Eating steak all of the time isn't good for you, even if you pay big bucks for it.

Anything to excess is dangerous;however, keeping the odds in your favor is smart

The two wheel versions are additionally dangerous. In the event of an unplanned tipping, one's natural reaction is to put out arm or leg or both....extreme exposure for broken leg/arm, hip or shoulder.
Neighbor of ours broke her hip the first time out on her new recumbent two wheeler....leg out to stop from tipping.

Wow so many opinions from people who do not actually own one. Those opinions are simply worthless, it's like me telling you about skydiving

We own two. Not a deathtrap on paths. Very relaxing, you look forward naturally vice downward like on a bike. Slower than a two wheeler going uphill but faster going downhill. Florida is the ideal place for these as it is so flat. Easy on the knees, you can ride all day long.

Some add an electric assist for climbing the hills after a tunnel.

I can't even think of one that costs 8,000. I have seen reviews of multi thousand mile trips and those bikes don't cost 8K.

Now don't get me wrong I won't ride cross country on them but we are going to a meet in Tennessee next month for a weekend of riding. There should be a few hundred of us on these "deathtraps".

Spot-on.

My goodness.

Thanks for your encouragement. I thought they would be ok on trail paths. While my husband was trying his out for the first time, he fell right on our driveway when tipping. We are taking ours to a vacant parking lot for practice.

See Trikes, Recumbent Bike Gains Popularity With Older Riders - AARP B...

I bought my recumbent trike (Catrike) 13 years ago specifically to ride here in the Villages. At first, I tried the MMs but tired of breathing cart exhaust. I would never ride it on the streets or in the squares for obvious reasons. I get more than enough exercise riding my regular circuit through my neighborhood and rarely come in contact with traffic. The worst scenario would be a car door opening or one backing out of a driveway. I can no longer ride a conventional bike due to the condition of my cervical and lumber spine. I highly recommend the recumbent trike for its stability and excellent aerobic and cardiovascular workout.

I know for certain that more than a dozen people have been killed in golf cart accidents in The Villages in the last ten years. But I still enjoy my golf cart and try to ride carefully.


I can't think of hearing of anyone killed riding a low bike here in The Villages.. We have avid bikers in our village who also ride low bikes occasionally. I laud their excellent health. I believe them to be in their eighties. I rarely see a low bike in the street with cars. I believe that to be dangerous.

I don't bike. I wish I could.

My view
 

I drive a car, drive a golf cart and ride a bike so see all of it from the seat of each.

I read somewhere that people simply do not recognize a bike as a vehicle. That is a polite view. Sadly far too many people do not care about anyone but themselves and seem to think they build themselves to ALMOST HUMAN STATUS by abusing others. There are sooooo many threads where people debate who is right in situations. SADLY, the odds of someone KNOWING the rights of a bike rider following the law is at best very slight. For that matter the same is true of bike riders.

As to a recumbent bike. If, we agree that people do not see as their head, their reflexes are looking for other cars, golf carts walkers, pets and combinations of them. What is your chance of being seen on a recumbent bike. The OP asked about a recumbent three wheeler. Having three wheels just compounds the problems as it has a wider footprint.

I ride my road bike every day when I am in TV. I have never felt safer. Have no idea what you are talking about. Never road a recumbent, I will leave the comments to those who have one.
I find with the multimodal paths and golf cart lanes, it is one of the safest places I have ridden, and I ride a LOT of miles.

Ed

I admit to thinking of recumbent bikes as the three wheel version. I see that low bikes can be two wheelers too.

All be careful.

recumbent bike - Bing images

Suum Cuiqye.

:BigApplause:

I have a Catrike Villager and love it. Have had it for about 5 years and ride on the Withlacoochee trail out of Inverness. I do not ride around The Villages streets or golf cart paths as I don't want to interact with cars or golf carts. I understand that Santos now has a paved bike trail - I'm going to check it out. My trike is well worth the investment. I also participate in a bike ride twice a year at the Withlacoochee- nice events.

I have a T-Trike, three wheel recumbent with motor assist which was offered as a freebie when I ordered it at the Outdoor show a few years ago. Though I hardly use it, mainly when the weather changes and I have to get home quick.

I ride around the Village and only problem is when major landscaping is being done.

Three wheel safer, though not as fast. Good exercise, outdoors not inside a gym. Very calming time.

Recomend to all.

We have two Catrike Villager recumbent bikes and are very happy with them. They are very comfortable and we can spend hours riding with no tailbone discomfort. We primarily ride on neighborhood streets, and have encountered no problems with other vehicles. We have strobe lights on the front and rear of both bikes. We avoid riding when the sun is low in the sky making it difficult for drivers to see people or bike riders when driving into the sun. You just need to use common sence when riding any kind of bike, and be aware of what is going on around you at all times.

Another former bike rider but now a satisfied Catrike Villager owner here...

I ride mostly on neighborhood streets and MM trails because I just feel safer than on our roads with golf cart lanes.

I can understand why folks who are really serious bike riders would prefer bikes, but for my needs, the Catrike was a perfect choice. Comfortable ride and yet can provide as much of a workout as I want.