Recumbent tricycles are a convenient way to ease back into biking, especially if you have balance issues or don't like the idea of trying to stay upright on two lined-up wheels. Choose your trike by applying both regular bike criteria and specific recumbent tricycle issues. Cost, comfort and the weight of the bike are big considerations for recumbent trikes, as they would be for regular bicycles and upright tricycles. When looking at recumbent trikes, take into account the position of the third wheel and the number of gears as well.
Step 1
Evaluate how much hill riding you plan on doing. John Andersen of the website Bicycling Life writes that recumbent tricycles are well-suited for steep hills, and some models can have up to 72 gears. A higher number of gears allows you to handle steeper hills.
Step 2
Sit in several bikes to test out seats. Mike Librik of Easy Street Recumbents writes that seats for recumbent trikes are usually customized to the specific bike, instead of the bike using a generic, mass-produced seat like you might find on regular two-wheeled bicycles. Sit in both types of trikes: those that have the wheels positioned with two in front, and those with two in back.
Step 3
Sit back in the trikes whose seats you found most comfortable. Place your feet on the pedals and hands on the handlebars. See what handlebar position makes you feel more comfortable and in control of the trike.
Step 4
Look in front of you as if you were riding the trike, and see how the incline of the seat and the trike affects your ability to see the road and oncoming landmarks. Place your feet down and try to get out of the trike seat. Librik notes that the shorter the wheelbase, the higher up and more reclined the seat tends to be, which can be a disadvantage for shorter riders.
Step 5
Evaluate how curvy your travel route will be. This helps determine whether the trike you choose has two wheels in front or in back. Warren Beauchamp of Recumbents.com notes on their website that "tadpole" trikes, which have two wheels in front and one in back, are better at handling corners than "delta" trikes, or those with two wheels in back and one in front. Delta trikes, however, have better stability at higher speeds.
Step 6
Test-ride the trike and practice stopping, starting and putting your feet down once it's safe to do so.
Step 7
Repeat Step 6, but this time, add any cargo you plan to carry or tow, if you've brought it with you. Ensure the trike is still simple to handle, start and stop with the added weight, and verify that the trike can handle the amount of cargo you have in mind.
Things You'll Need
- Cargo you plan to tow or carry when traveling on the trike (optional)
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