Hase Kettwiesel for touring?
 

I often see tadpole trikes for touring; but I wonder if someone has used a Hase Kettwiesel for long trips. Do they have some shortcomings that precludes their utility for those trips? Any owners out there who can share their experiences?

I don't own one but have ridden with a husband and wife who own a pair of Ketts. They love them and ride regularly but don't know if they ever toured on them. One problem I see from just looking at the trike is how to carry gear. I've owned three tadpole trikes, one a Greenspeed GTO, specifically designed for touring. You need a sturdy rack and a good set of panniers to carry stuff. With the seat so far back on the Hase trike and the two rear wheels, I wonder how you can carry equipment.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...598183c266.jpg

I found out Hase sells some carrying gear for the Kettwiesel. For the fully suspended models like the one you've posted, there is a 100 liter bag that even has an option to add a wheeled cart. And for non-suspended models, there is a 42-liter Ortlieb bag that slings on the seat, plus a front wheel lowrider rack. With this setup it is possible to carry 62 liters of luggage, very close to the 65 liters of a classic set of four Ortlieb roller bags. Could it be that Kett users are not aware of these options?https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c8f54d0424.jpg

100-liters bag for Kettwiesel fith full suspension.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a921b5cce6.jpg

Ortlieb set for Kettwiesel: twin lowriders in the front plus another on the seat.

I posted this question in a video review about the Kettwiesel, and the owner wrote this:

"First, I have had a difficult time finding the variety of accessories for the Kett that I could easily find for my Greenspeed and ICE. I don't think it lends itself very well to being packed for touring.

Second, it is less stable than a tadpole. I never flipped a tadpole but didn't take me long to roll the Kett. Definitely my fault but it isn't as playful as a tadpole.

Third, if you are climbing a steep incline, say goodbye to a simple right turn. If the incline is really steep the drive system will cause the nose to drift to the left unless you plan way ahead to accommodate this tendency. Keep in mind that mine was a single wheel drive. This problem would not exist with dual wheel drive.

I would never consider the Kett for touring but I would take it over a tadpole any time for just plain fun in and around down. It can turn in its own length and weave traffic and obstacles in ways that a tadpole never will. It's a gentleman's (or person's) trike. It is far easier to mount and dismount and can pull a trailer or carry a ton of groceries. The Kett wins the fun factor for around town. The tadpole wins for touring. Hope that helps."

The very detailed video is here:

The simple fact is anyone can tour on pretty much any good condition bike or trike.

One great and useful fact about touring on a trike is they stay upright when stopped. Fully loaded bikes needs to be leaned against something, because even if they have a kick stand, all the weight often causes it to sink and the bike falls over.

I think that right turn on an incline thing is probably a differential related thing. Ketts are almost two different trikes depending on whether or not you have a diff.

For carrying capacity, I'd think a Kett with that big Ortleib bag would seriously exceed any tadpole.

Any delta with a single driven axle would have the same problem. That's probably one reason why tadpole trikes are so popular. Delta designs present you with a choice of either a heavy differential system or to drive one off-center wheel. Is this where we start talking about leaning FWD deltas? I don't think they'd be very good for touring.

I do agree. The Ortlieb Kettwiesel bag holds 42 litres, while a set of their recumbent bags for tadpoles carries 54 litres. However, the Kett bag is a big cube instead of two bananas, which might be more useful on a daily basis. And the possibility of adding two lowriders on the front wheel helps to balance the trike during ascents.

BTW, I just found this picture where the rider has the front lowriders with the Ortlieb bag AND a Rack-Pack attached to it! That's about 98 litres of luggage! I'd just add the differential and a Rohloff to make it a serious touring trike, which is exactly the setup this one has.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a2916efccc.jpg

recumbent touring?
 

Only issue .. shipping it ahead? .. hiring an LBS rebuild? send as much helpful information for the mechanic,
doing the work as possible to help them out..

may be the only one ever seen so far .. help them out ...



as an old guy I managed when offered sparse information.. in those situations,..

Oh yeah!

Recumbent trikes are just enough different from conventional bicycles that some shops don't want to take the time necessary to learn or to work on them. That's reality. On recumbent trikes, whether tadpole or delta design, paired wheel toe in is a critical dimension and it can vary depending on the load involved. If you are paying somebody to reassemble a shipped trike for you, I'd want it to be somebody who has done it before. Pressuring somebody into something they are not comfortable doing is never a good idea.

Hase Kettwiesel for touring?
 

I don’t own one but have ridden one over a long four day weekend that my buddy owns and tours on. I have to say it makes a fabulous trike to tour on. I personally own a two year old ICE Adventure trike.