PeteHski

Yeah the events calendar looks choc full! I have no doubt they exist, but trikes are not “popular” here in the UK. Our narrow roads don’t even suit them very well. Bents are rare here too, although I do see a few of those on event rides. Trikes, never.

Iride01 

Please not something like that!

6 or 7 years ago I was on the MUP and saw something like that coming toward me in the distance. It careened from one side of the trail to the other side as it moved forward and I was wondering how to deal with the timing of going by it.

Though apparently the operator has control of that and as they got close they traveled straight for a time till passing me. Then again began careening from side to side of the MUP when clear. I only saw the very sweaty, almost naked except shorts, somewhat very fit 55 - 65 yo on that contraption that one time during that year. However I encountered him again the next year about the same time month. And the same thing... it kind of scares one to see it coming at you!

It was another couple years till I saw it again. A younger less fit person. And also just that one time that year. I've never seen it since and hope to not see it again.

peterws

I got mesel a small wheeled (20") trike end last summer and was debating on selling it soon. It's slow, like riding through treacle since the drive shaft has 4 bearings. But if I keep the tyres pumped up (40psi it's heaps better.
Anyway, I had cause to shift a load of rubble this afternoon as it happened. Just had time to go to the Council Tip next-door to my gym, so off I went.
It was a heavy, very stablising load, and I hardly felt it up or down hills. Thoroughly enjoyed my unexpected trip and have decided to keep the little b*gger after all.
If your good missus aquired one, (they're cheap as chips btw, £200 for an 8 speeder) she could well like it, and get used to the quirks and hazards of such 3 wheelers. I do find motorists and peds are far more kindly disposed to these, which are regarded by many, as disability vehicles. I enjoy such attention and folk smile at me as I pass lol!
And above all, it's marvellous not having to put your foot on the ground.
BTW, I have balancing issues and have had for at least 20 years. Pilates and Yoga just showed the world how bad my balancing was, and offered no solution. There are classes at the gym like "Body Balance" which, again, are useful to those attempting to retain their existing balance capability. I find dance classes much better and with great cardio thrown in, could be a confidence booster too.

rsbob 

Since you ride together, have you considered a used tandem?

70sSanO

That is a good suggestion. I have looked for a small Brompton type of trike, but everything I come across are 75lb Amazon quality trikes.

John

70sSanO

I’ve looked into recumbent tandem trikes. I’m not sure I have confidence to attempt an upright two wheel tandem.

John

70sSanO

An update...

Finished it today and my wife tried it out. The steering is funky as it reacts like an upright trike so on crowned roads she has to steer to the left to keep it straight. But so far so good. It will probably be a bit of a long road for her, but she was able to ride it. I swapped out the picture to show just the bike.




John

Calsun

Trikes are quite dangerous if used where there is any amount of incline or decline. Noted tendency to flip over and cause serious injuries for the rider. There is a retirement community in Apple Valley California where many of the elderly residents use tricycles with shopping baskets mounted over the rear of the bike and even on mostly flat terrain they have had many accidents with people making too sharp a turn and flipping the trike.

A step through frame is going to be more comforting if you wife knows that she can quickly stop and get off the bike. Hydraulic disc brakes and having combo brake and gear shifters also makes for less stress when riding. Lastly would be to provide a lower range of gears and a 1x11 setup where there is no front derailleur used. This is pretty much what one finds with the "hybrid" bikes being sold.

https://www.rei.com/product/189692/c...p-through-bike

Your wife can try out the hybrid bikes at local shops and see if they are going to work for her.

70sSanO

Thanks for the advice, but I don't think you realize what she is riding.

It is not a trike it is a Handsome She Devil steel mixte with spring side wheels added. You can see my revised pic in my previous post.

I'm sure that with the enough speed it will react similar to a trike, but the springs allow it to lean without pulling the center rear 700c wheel off the ground. The side wheels can be remove with QR's and ridden as a standard 2 wheel bike.

The She Devil build is every bit as good as the REI Co-op Cycles. It's running a 1x9 (12-36) to an XTR RD, the wheels are Mavic Open Pro with Tiagra hubs, Deore crank (30t for now) and Deore shifter. The She Devil "with the side wheels" weighs 38.2lbs. Alone it is probably sub 25lbs. I've set it up with the saddle back to keep it lower to help with reaching the ground and not be too close to the pedals.



John

70sSanO

I rode the bike briefly and I understand the steering issue... countersteering.

Since my wife has ridden bikes for 40 years, it is so subconscious to countersteer into a turn, or lean to straighten the direction the bike is going. When I first started off on her bike she said that I was leaning to the left but going right. It is so counter to everything I've done when I ride. I have to turn the handlebars for every adjustment. I think it is probably like a 3 wheel motorcycle.

John

Carbonfiberboy 

Reading this thread, a two wheel tandem seems to be the obvious solution. There is a way to find out. Either find a local tandem team (best) or visit a bike shop which sells tandems. What you want to do is:
1) You go out as stoker with an experienced tandem captain.
2) You go out as captain with an experienced stoker or captain, and for more than just a few minutes. .
3) You try it with your wife as stoker, first time in an almost empty parking lot.

The trick for the stoker is to not influence the balance of the bike, no anticipating a turn and leaning for instance. Stoker remains absolutely still, just sitting there. In my experience, the stoker should always be clipped in, either clipless shoes and pedals or toe clips. That way her feet can't come off the moving pedals and whang her ankles, guaranteed to give one a negative opinion of tandems. It doesn't matter so much what pedals the captain uses.

The trick for the captain is to learn the Proper Method (google) and just ride the bike. A tandem is much more stable than a single.
https://gtgtandems.com/tech/propmethod.html

We started tandem riding in 2007, when our team age was 117. We're still at it. My wife loves it.

MikeWMass

Somehow I missed this thread up until now.

I am wondering if you have considered an evaluation by a Physical Therapist or a Physical Medicine and Rehab physician (physiatrist) to see if there truly is a problem with her balance.
If there is, then that should be addressed, independent of her cycling or not.

70sSanO

The obvious solution for me is a recumbent tandem trike.

I have no interest in a two wheel tandem. Never have, and at my age I don't see that changing. I don't think Webster has invented the words to change my mind on that one.

Depending on how this works out, I might look into a recumbent tandem. So far I haven't found any carbon fiber tandems, much less any that can be easily transported. As the years go on I'm not keen on having to lift too much weight into our van.

John

Carbonfiberboy 

A tandem team with whom I've ridden have a 24 lb. Calfee Dragonfly.

70sSanO

I appreciate it. Beautiful bike. Just not something for me.

John

GeezyRider 

Yeah, transporting a recumbent tandem trike can be a challenge. Our Terratrike Rover Tandem weighed about 70lbs. but I was able to lift the rear wheel into the back of my Dodge Grand Caravan then pick up the front end of the trike and easily roll it all the way into the vehicle. With the rear wheel between the front seats, the trike fit into the van with about an inch to spare.

70sSanO

We have a Kia Sedona so it should fit. The weight is the issue. I’d love to find a carbon fiber tandem trike, but the market is so small I don’t anticipate it happening.

Getting it to sub 50, though sub 40 would be ideal; but that is probably more of a pipe dream.

John

oldbobcat

Excellent idea. I've recommended and sold these to riders with compromised balance and/or reflexes. The upright orientation enhances balance and vision and the low seating position allows you to get the landing gear down quickly on both sides. Here's a link to the originator and most popular brand, Electra Townie: https://electra.trekbikes.com/us/en_...ownie/c/EB300/

Calsun

My wife would not want to go out in the ocean and scuba dive with other divers as my boat was not stable enough or roomy enough for four divers. I got a Boston Whaler and then it became clear that she simply did not like having other divers on the boat and the complaints about the boat were an easy out. I foolishly took her at her word and did not read between the lines.

My wife had a bad hip and it made it more difficult to dismount from her road bike. She would stop by a curb to have a step of sorts when getting on and off the bike. She learned though that if she leaned the bike to the point where the handlebars were less than 2 feet above the pavement that she had a much easier time getting her leg over the seat and top tube of the bike.

Getting an e-bike also helped as where we ride there is often a 10-15 mph headwind which makes warming up more difficult. Going up a hill one gets to recover some of the energy expended on the other side but that does not apply to the wind.

marc_brumell

Seen similar options for folks with a busted knee!

Leisesturm

I'm guessing the training wheels didn't work out? Neither will a carbon fiber tandem trike. Standard carbon fiber tandem bicycles are made only by a small (two?) number of builders, and cost around $20K USD. I don't even want to speculate as to what a tandem trike would cost. You know, thanks to this thread (when it was fresh) I bought a set of adult training wheels for my recumbent high racer. I was not able to find a set of the springy ones for love or money. I would take yours off your hands if you got the cheap ones. I got a set only to allow me to get the recumbent to a park one mile away and then I remove the training wheels. The handling flat out sucks with the trainers and springing isn't going to change that much. And that is with the much, much lower center of gravity of a recumbent. I hope you won't take this the wrong way but both yourself and the missus appear to exhibit a markedly rigid point of view. Some flexibility on both your parts might allow for more enjoyment of what time is left. Just saying. There are loading ramps made expressly for recumbent trikes so you can get them into vans and such without lifting them. There are what are called Delta Recumbent Trikes that couple (and uncouple) to form a tandem pair. Two (used?) Greenspeed Anura or the Performer Delta (if still available) would be affordable and manageable.

Fredo76 

If this thread is still pertinent, then as you discovered by riding it yourself, the She-Devil with those training wheels is an anxiety-producing contraption, for an experienced cyclist at least. I doubt that it is a low-enough step-through on its own, either. I think the Townie suggestion would be an excellent last try for two-wheels, if you get the step-through version and set the seat low enough for flat-footed stops, or even lower at first.

Good luck.

Speedskater

Any thoughts on the trike mods used in the Paralympics?

oldbobcat

If she has any remaining inclination to try her balance, have her try an Electra Townie. Trek/Electra dealers are very accommodating with test rides. The upright seating posture and low, setback saddle position make easy balancing and a low center of gravity, and make it easy to get both feet on the ground quickly for stops and emergencies.

john m flores 

Two ideas:

1 - I met an older couple on the C&O Trail where the wife was using a Bike Friday New World Tourist for the first time. She got it for the low stepover height and seemed to like it well enough.
2 - I've never tried one, but these crank-forward bikes enable you to place your feet squarely on the ground when stopped while still having good leg extension when pedaling. The long wheelbase is likely pretty stable too.


Best of luck!