[NotGolfer]

Before moving here I rode my bike---a lot! Brought it down but never used it as even 15 yrs ago the traffic would give us pause. NOW, it's worse and with recombants (I've never had one) it looks like a "death wish" to me....especially those low to the road ones. I don't know how the rider can see, especially over bushes etc. Even with the flags these folks sometimes aren't that visable----but that's just me. I'm with one other person's post---rent one and see before buying. Then good luck!!!

[ChicagoNative]

Question for the old timers here: were the MMP in the mid and northern areas always MMP, or were they “retrofitted”?

I see recumbent bikes, e-bikes, hikers, dog walkers, and the occasional baby stroller frequently. I’m actually surprised there aren’t more accidents.

Separating the carts from the cyclists and walkers, as they seem to have done south of 44 is one of the best thing about all the new villages.

[JerryLBell]

Originally Posted by Erider

It's doable but semi dangerous. You have 1000 lb carts driven by half blind 80 year olds, not to mention speed demons doing 30 mph and swinging into your lane on corners. Best to ride during slower periods and on less busy mmps, and drive defensively.

This is equally true for standard bicycles, roller skates, skate boards, mobility scooters and even walking. And it's worse on the roads where those same half-blind 80-year-olds are driving multi-ton cars and SUVs.

Don't let that stop you from enjoying bicycling though. Just be aware that there are risks involved and you have to ride (or walk) defensively.

[airstreamingypsy]

Originally Posted by bobeaston

Only once did some lady (probably from NYC) impatiently honk her horn, and it was likely because she was 2 carts behind and didn't know we were there.

Seriously? It gets tiresome hearing all the hate for New Yorkers. 335 million people in the USA, and someone beeps at you so they must be from NYC? Cut it out.

[Ptmcbriz]

Yes, my husband has a recumbent e-trike and rides 3-4 times a week about 20 miles each time. Never a problem on the multi-modal paths. He really loves it.

[kendi]

Originally Posted by Triker

Yes, moved here and brought two Catrikes along. We were used to riding on extremely flat ground so ours were not e-trikes. We rode around our village and ventured out to other areas but for the most part avoided tunnels and bridges. On the MMP it was not uncommon to have golf carts whizzing around you with less than an inch of clearance. Or oncoming carts passing other carts, pedestrians etc. and whipping back over 5 feet in front of you. The worst was on a curved street in our village when we were both almost taken out by a speeding contractors van trying to short cut the curve completely on our side of the street. Thought long and hard about it but decided to sell the trikes and they are now in another state. Good luck!

Wow! Smart move but too bad you had to do that. I am always concerned when I see a recumbent bike because they’re not always easy to see. Seems especially dangerous when a regular bike is riding with the recumbent. Drivers are not expecting the low rider to be there. I’ve seen them suddenly appear from behind a parked car when following the regular bike. Not easy to see and more likely to be run over.

[kendi]

Originally Posted by airstreamingypsy

Seriously? It gets tiresome hearing all the hate for New Yorkers. 335 million people in the USA, and someone beeps at you so they must be from NYC? Cut it out.

Totally agree, not cool.

It is kinda humorous though to hear all the horns blowing in the city. So much so that it doesn’t take long to ignore them and simply think of it as background noise.

[kendi]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Before moving here I rode my bike---a lot! Brought it down but never used it as even 15 yrs ago the traffic would give us pause. NOW, it's worse and with recombants (I've never had one) it looks like a "death wish" to me....especially those low to the road ones. I don't know how the rider can see, especially over bushes etc. Even with the flags these folks sometimes aren't that visable----but that's just me. I'm with one other person's post---rent one and see before buying. Then good luck!!!

Good points. I’ll just add one more thought. They look to me like a neck killer when having to hold the head up the entire ride up to see.

[LeRoySmith]

Originally Posted by kendi

Good points. I’ll just add one more thought. They look to me like a neck killer when having to hold the head up the entire ride up to see.

As I posted earlier we recently bought a pair of recumbent bikes, prior to trying one I was a skeptic as well. They are very comfortable to ride and you find yourself putting in many more miles than on a standard bicycle. No neck pain, no knee pain, no wrist pain, they are a treat to ride.

[Switter]

Originally Posted by bobeaston

My wife and I have been riding recumbent trikes in The Villages practically every day since we moved here 3 years ago. We ride on the MMP trails, on streets within villages, over the bridges and through the tunnels. We've been far and wide within The Villages and have NO hesitancy about riding anywhere. Even though legal, we do not ride on busy streets such as Morse, Buena Vista, the 466s, etc. Only occasionally do we ride on busy streets which have cart lanes are next to regular traffic lanes, such as Hillsborough Trial.

The warnings above about constant threats from thoughtless cart drivers are overblown and likely from people who don't actually ride trikes on the MMP paths. Yes, there are times when an impatient cart driver passes too close for comfort, but those are extremely rare. Even slowly crawling up a bridge on our non-electric trikes, cart drivers have been courteous and patient. Only once did some lady (probably from NYC) impatiently honk her horn, and it was likely because she was 2 carts behind and didn't know we were there.

Some tips for safety:
- Basic safety: make sure you have a good mirror on your trike and watch it constantly. Your awareness of your surroundings is paramount.
- Basic safety: mount flashing lights on your trike, both front and rear, and use them.
- Basic safety: make you trike more visible with a flag or two. Most trikes are low enough that they need the flag to be more easily seen.
- Basic safety: AVOID blocking your hearing with streaming music, headphones, earbuds or whatever. You need to be able to hear those things around you ... and carts are getting quieter every day.

After all the basics, common COURTESY solves most other problems. You can almost always cooperate with cart drivers, other bicyclists and pedestrians to avoid conflict.
- Courtesy: as always, stay to the right. On the wider MMPs, there's plenty of room for other traffic to pass you. Delays for oncoming traffic are very rare and everyone is safe and happy.
- Courtesy: handle narrower MMP paths on one of 2 ways:
--- on those narrower paths with no curbing, you can often drop one wheel off the path onto the grass and thereby offer a following cart enough room to pass. Do it early (watch that mirror) and the following cart driver will see it as a courtesy. We often hear "Thank You" from those drivers. The long narrower paths through Chitty Chatty are an example of where this works well. We drop one wheel off onto the grass and the cart drivers drop one wheel off on their side as they pass. Everyone is safe and happy.
--- on the narrower paths that have curbs (i.e. short stretches along the Morse and Buena Vista MMP paths) AND are not wide enough for the trike and a cart, move to the middle of the path to avoid tempting a cart driver to pass in too narrow a space. These situations are very rare and we've found cart drivers very courteous because we give them as much room as possible when the path widens. Do NOT hog the path on wider paths or when not justified. That only frustrates the people behind you. Be courteous. This technique also applies to where the paths make a chicane near village entrance gates. Everyone is safe and happy.
- Courtesy, when approaching pedestrians, either call out "on your left" or use a bell. When 7 people are walking side by side, I'd like to use a truck's air horn, but use the bell instead. Everyone is safe and happy.
- Courtesy: when approaching crossings and intersections EYE CONTACT is your best safety measure. After eye contact, often comes a nod about agreement on right of way. Everyone is safe and happy.
- Courtesy: when you see another cyclist approaching (remember that mirror) wave acknowledgement before they're close enough to announce their presence. Everyone is safe and happy.

Lastly, be aware of what traffic might be like when you go out for a ride. There's a magic hour right before the morning's first tee times where cart drivers are in a hurry. We can't make em get up and get their coffee early enough for a calm ride to the tee, but we can be aware that they'll be coming fast and furious. Late afternoons offer a larger number of cart drivers who have already had their happy hour. WATCH for them. Saturday mornings, especially the Strawberry Festival day can be busier than usual around the squares, and climbing the snakelike curvy and steeper than normal path up the Brownwood bridge isn't good on a festival day.

With nearly a thousand days experience, we really enjoy our trikes in The Villages. Be smart and careful and you will too.

Excellent post and thank you so much! I am going to go look at one this week and pull the plug.

[Switter]

Originally Posted by LeRoySmith

As I posted earlier we recently bought a pair of recumbent bikes, prior to trying one I was a skeptic as well. They are very comfortable to ride and you find yourself putting in many more miles than on a standard bicycle. No neck pain, no knee pain, no wrist pain, they are a treat to ride.

That is the main reason I'm looking at the recumbent trike. I'm 58 and still in pretty good shape but I think decades of keyboarding (I am a software developer) have done damage to my wrists and the pressure on them when riding a two wheeler causes me to avoid riding all together.

I am also a pretty defensive bike rider and will take the necessary safety precautions when riding a recumbent.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by djbabler

My 99 year old Father in Law rides his 10 miles 3 days per week mostly on MMP between Sumter Senior Living and Turtle Mound starter shack and he says all traffic is very courteous. Perhaps they are envious and give him a wave. What a great place to live for him😀

I hope wears helmet elbow and knee pads. Very fragile at that age.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Switter

I am considering buying a recumbent trike. I was wondering if anybody has experience riding around in The villages on them, particularly the multi modal paths.

I ride a bike, drive a golf cart and drive a car. A recumbent trike? I do wonder WHY. Far as a bike there is no shortage of people around you that do not know the proper way to drive. There are some that get far too close and others that will decide to pass you without realizing there is a truck parked on the other side of the street that others will drive around without realizing what will happen NEXT.

iT IS BAD ENOUGH ON A BIKE, A trike takes up more room on the road is lower and people have less experience with them.

It also takes more room in your garage.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Switter

That is the main reason I'm looking at the recumbent trike. I'm 58 and still in pretty good shape but I think decades of keyboarding (I am a software developer) have done damage to my wrists and the pressure on them when riding a two wheeler causes me to avoid riding all together.

I am also a pretty defensive bike rider and will take the necessary safety precautions when riding a recumbent.

You might try a suspension front fork. It can be added to most any bicycle frame.
You can run lower pressure, to a point, in the front tire. You can change the handle bars. At 58 most of us can call you sonny.

[Switter]

Originally Posted by DAVES

I ride a bike, drive a golf cart and drive a car. A recumbent trike? I do wonder WHY. Far as a bike there is no shortage of people around you that do not know the proper way to drive. There are some that get far too close and others that will decide to pass you without realizing there is a truck parked on the other side of the street that others will drive around without realizing what will happen NEXT.

iT IS BAD ENOUGH ON A BIKE, A trike takes up more room on the road is lower and people have less experience with them.

It also takes more room in your garage.

The "why" has to do with my wrists. I can't ride more than a couple miles without pain so I avoid riding altogether. Exercise and diet are the two most important things for maintaining quality of life as you age. If a recumbent bike will negate the wrist pain, then I will go back to riding regularly.