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Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the One (Jesus) Who created them?
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
Complexity added yes, but a tilting trike sure would be nice to ride. The increase in handling would be great. You can readily see in this short video how much better this tilting trike handles than the non tilting trike as they race each other around the track.
I have written about tilting trikes previously. HERE is one article and HERE is another one.
KEEP ON TRIKIN’
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Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the One (Jesus) Who created them?
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
Utah Trikes impresses me with all that they do and offer to their customers. They remind me of Israel … they take a product and make it better … especially fighter jets in the case of Israel. Here is a video they titled “The Best DUMONT Money Can Buy”. And at nearly $12,000 you will need a lot of money to buy one.
KEEP ON TRIKIN’
You are invited to come join the Tadpole Rider Facebook Group. Please note that in order to join you must first answer the three membership vetting questions.
Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the One (Jesus) Who created them?
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
Carbon fiber trikes have been around for awhile but mostly they have come and gone. They just never seem to catch on. Performer, manufacturer of lower cost trikes offers a carbon fiber model called Cantus. Ordering one results in receiving a box full of parts which must be assembled. Here is a video showing just that …
KEEP ON TRIKIN’
You are invited to come join the Tadpole Rider Facebook Group. Please note that in order to join you must first answer the three membership vetting questions.
Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the One (Jesus) Who created them?
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
I have written about this subject previously … “HISTORY OR RECUMBENTS” and “NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN”. Many people are under the impression that tadpole (or REVERSE) trikes are relatively new on the scene but they are very mistaken. I would love to post a picture of the first known tadpole trike but I dare not for fear of being sued. The best I can do is provide a LINK to a webpage where you can see a picture of it. It says it was patented in England prior to 1876. Definitely it does not resemble anything like the tadpole trikes we have today, but by definition it is a tadpole trike with two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back.
HERE is a webpage where you can see some tadpole trikes from 1949.
One thing that needs to be made clear – – – there is a difference between the term recumbent and tadpole. A tadpole may or may not be a recumbent. A recumbent may or may not be a tadpole. Clear as mud, right? A tadpole trike or reverse trike simply means two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back. The word recumbent literally means laying down in the prone position.
By the true definition there are very few trikes that qualify as being recumbent. Yet people say trikes are recumbent when they really are not. I reckon that is just something we all have to deal with as it has become quite accepted.
That is about as prone position as you can get. Delta trikes (one wheel in front and two wheels in back) can be recumbent too although one does not see as many of them as they do tadpoles.
Only a few tadpole trikes are very reclined … 25 degrees or so. And many people don’t like leaning back very much so those trikes are not of interest to them. Some people want to sit very upright. They have various reasons for this. They may have physical issues where leaning back too far bothers them. They may want to see better while riding their trike. Some people just feel uncomfortable or unsafe leaning back. Of course, there are pros and cons to both. Leaning back makes for great aerodynamics. Such riders can truly say “what wind?”
Leaning back very far usually requires a neck/head rest for most riders. Some riders have neck issues which require using a neck/head rest. I am one of them.
I have always had a trike with a 45 degree seat back angle. I have always wanted to lean back more but could not with the trikes I have had. That is soon to change however. The Greenspeed Magnum SD has a seat back adjustment ranging from 30 degrees to 48 degrees so I will be able to recline more and see if I like it or not. I won’t be able to match the Catrike 700, ICE Vortex or Greenspeed Aero but I can come close. I will be reporting on it and many other things as time goes along.
Nope, tadpole trikes and recumbents are not a recent invention. Even the Japanese Mesa racers appeared back in the 1970s.
So don’t be ignorant about this matter. Afterall, there is nothing new under the sun. That is more than just an old saying.
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
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Hey, I really like this. I am not in need of it but if I were I sure am glad that it is being offered. It is called Velochair. It is an upstart company which I would think will be successful as surely there are lots of folks who could put this to good use in everyday life. They call it a recumbent wheelchair hybrid. At first glance I assumed it was electric motor assist. I was wrong. It is strictly pedal powered.
“The Velochair was developed by founder Kenneth Simons after he was diagnosed with Ossification Posterior Longitudinal Ligament, or OPLL, in his early 50s.
A lifelong runner and downhill skier, Simons could no longer bear weight on his legs for an extended period of time .
He found that most current mobility devices did not promote his activity, which prompted him to create the Velochair and restore his sense of independence.
This innovative solution can be operated by people with a variety of mobility challenges, providing indoor and outdoor flexibility to those who struggle with balance, strength, or walking.
The Velochair is a fun and safe way to exercise muscular, cardiovascular, and neuro systems.”
It looks to be well engineered which impresses me.
No doubt there will be many who will “cheat” using this when they don’t really need to.
The Velochair can be operated by only one hand.
As you can see the rear wheels do the turning/steering.
A word of caution … with a short wheelbase and rear end steering … definitely do not try to turn sharp at too fast of a speed as you will likely tip over.
Built for the Future
Designed and Manufactured in the U.S, the Velochair is built out of custom handmade printed carbon fibre components. Weighing around 42 pounds, the Velochair can be folded for easy transport and is light enough to be lifted into the back of a standard SUV or hatchback for transportation. The chair is also entirely customizable and adjustable to each user’s specific needs.
It’s All In The Details
1 – Steering
Steering tillers are what guide the Velochair directionally left and right. Tillers control the rear wheel steering allowing for tight turns increasing maneuverability. The Velochair can be steered with one or both tillers allowing for left or right hand operation. There is a quick release to remove either tiller to provide side transfer, if desired.
2 – Pedals
The Velochair comes with comfortable platform pedals that can be modified with the addition of different straps and leg supports as needed.
3 – Boom
The Velochair boom is adjustable in length and angle to provide the user with the optimum pedaling position.
4 – Seatback
The Velochair seatback folds for transport and locks in place during use. The seatback is adjustable to help the user find the optimal angle for their comfort.
5 – Brakes
The brake levers are located on the steering tillers. Either side lever will control the brake. Brake levers lock to park the Velochair in place and are also used to control speed while going downhill.
6 – Seat
The Velochair comes with ergonomically designed seat cushions that provide comfortable support.
This innovative product can be operated by people with a variety of mobility challenges, providing indoor and outdoor flexibility to those who struggle with balance, strength, or walking. The Velochair is a fun and safe way to exercise muscular, cardiovascular, and neurological systems.
$5,499 price includes shipping costs to lower 48 states.
Right now their Velochair is constructed of carbon fiber and titanium … both are expensive materials. They are looking/wanting to migrate to aluminum which should lessen the production cost.I hope they can bring the price down as $5500 is quite a lot for a wheelchair.I think this would sell but it would sell even better at a lower cost. That would be good for them and for the customer. BTW, they are looking for a Designer and a Fabricator.
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You may be asking … “is a recumbent trike for me”? Keep in mind that one does not have to be old or disabled to ride a tadpole trike. But if you happen to be old or disabled recumbent trikes are likely your answer. They are highly modifiable and can be equipped to meet the needs of nearly everybody. From a basic tadpole trike to a FAT trike to a sophisticated velomobile there are lots to choose from. When it comes to riding on thru the winter most definitely 3 (or 4) wheels are far better and safer than only 2.
That is how I got started with tadpole trikes. Winter was fast approaching and I wanted to keep riding … riding safely. I knew 2 wheels were unsafe as a bicycle goes down readily on slippery surfaces. I had already experienced that more than once. Fortunately I never received any serious injury, but I was well aware it can happen. So I built me first tadpole trike and rode it thru the winter. I fell in love with riding a tadpole trike. It is so much more fun than riding a bicycle and it is much much safer. When Spring time finally came around I tried switching back to a 2 wheel recumbent bike, but quickly discovered that I much preferred riding the trike so I sold my bike which I didn’t care to ride anymore. That was in the winter of 2007-2008. So for 16 years now I have had the infamous “recumbent smile” on my face and never a moment’s regret. Recumbent tadpole trikes are difinitely for me. I bought a 2009 Catrike Trail and sold my homemade tadpole trike. I now ride a 2013 Catrike Trail.
Recumbent trikes come in two completely different design builds … a Delta with one wheel in the front and two wheels in the back …. and a Tadpole (originally called a Reverse trike) with two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back.
Although my personal preference is a Tadpole design you may find you prefer (need) a Delta design. A Tadpole is like driving a sports car (Corvette) while a Delta is like driving a family sedan (Rambler). Not everybody is able to get in and out of the low seat of a Tadpole trike so for them the Delta is the only way to go. In all fairness there are some Delta trikes which are made low to the ground and built for speed and cornering.
These videos address these subjects:
As shown in the video above there is a lot of difference between a Delta recumbent trike and a Tadpole recumbent trike. I fully agree with the thumbs down for the Delta and the thumbs up for the Tadpole.
One last comment … I have found that riding a tadpole trike brings a whole lot more respect from motorists than one gets riding a bicycle. That, of course, adds greatly to the safety factor.
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Made by a Dutch company, Flevobike, this compact outfit one could almost live in or out of. It does not have a shower or a toilet but it does have a small refrigerator. HERE is an article with several pictures of it. The entire unit pulls out of the trailer so that the trailer can be used seperately. It has a 250 watt e-motor and solar panels on top of the roof to keep the battery charged up. The range is said to be 50 kilometers or 31 miles per day on a full charge.
I wonder if there is room enough for a German Shepherd or Rotweiler dog inside. Smith & Wessen is fine but I would want that for extra protection and security. One thing lacking that sure would be nice is some sort of canopy/enclosure to keep the sun at bay and stay dry in rain and warm in cooler weather. I wonder if it locks up both from the outside and the inside. I see it does have a privacy curtain on the window. The small fairing upfront would help keep one’s feet a bit more comfortable from the wind and perhaps somewhat from the rain. Riding in strong winds would be a concern. I would probably be Florida bound if I had one of these … saying goodbye to northern winters. GoLo has a WEBSITE as well as a FACEBOOK page. Oh, BTW, this camper is not yet in production. They only have this prototype thus far.
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Sooner or later it had to happen. Somebody would make a reverse trike with no pedals … just a motor … and not an e-motor. What we have here is a 3 wheel motorcycle. It is powered by a relatively small 1981 Yamaha SR 185 four stroke engine. This would definitely require registering it as a motorcycle and having a licence plate on it to operate it on the road. Eventually he plans on making this into a velomobile. He is not that far along yet in this video. He only has a cheap small engine muffler on it which is way too loud. I noticed that he is wearing earplugs while riding it.
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This would indeed be a unique sight to be seen riding along on. I rather doubt if it would be allowed on most trails however. I have not yet heard or read anything about the fuel economy … how far one can go on a full tank of water. I would guess that it varies according to how hard and fast you run the steam engine. And since it does not go all that fast to begin with my gurss would be that one would most likely be running it pretty near full throttle most of the time. From what I have seen watching several different videos on dare not go very fast with one of these steam powered machines as they would self destruct shaking themselves to pieces.
If you want one you can’t just put your order in. These are all home custom built machines.. After all, it is not like there is a huge market for steam powered anything nowadays.
Even in the Navy steam has come and gone. I worked with and on it all the time in my younger days as I was a certified unlimited high pressure plate and pipe weldor (all positions with space restrictions). Steam can be very dangerous. It is invisible so one needs to be extremely careful around it. You can hear it but you can’t see it. It can quite literally cut your fingers off if you run them over a high pressure steam leak. You might be asking … if steam is invisible what is I see we call steam. Actually it is “spent steam” … steam that is cooling down and becomes water droplets. The Navy had both 600 psi and 1200 psi steam systems. The ships I served on were all 600 psi systems. I can’t make out what the gauge is showing on this trike but it is a very low pressure steam system. (I think the gauge shows 75 psi.) The builder of this trike said that it only takes 20 seconds to get steam up to get underway. A Navy destroyer would require about 2 hours to get “steam up” if starting from cold boilers. I am sure most all of us have seen movies, especially western movies, where they show steam locomotives which burned wood and/or coal to heat the water to make steam. There is no wood needed on this rig. The boiler has a spark plug to ignite liquid fuel to heat the water. I have a hard time understanding British people when they speak. I wish they would use English. (That is a joke, son.) Anyway, if this man said what the fuel is I missed it. I really do have a hard time understanding most British people. They sure know how to slaughter their language so that most of the rest of the world can’t understand them.
There is another video below which explains how a steam engine works. There is nothing practical about this setup. Its top speed isn’t impressive. It is just something unique. And wearing the clothes and looking like this man does adds greatly to it all. I have to admit … I would love to see this man and this trike out cruising around. If I had one I would be out there … at least on some occasions. I already have the horn and a spark plug laying around not being used. Hey, it is a start.
Hey, speaking of wood fired steam engines … This Brazilian man has experimented with several different designs. He has several different videos. I chose this one below to show here.
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Carbon fiber trikes have come and gone … mostly gone as for one reason or another they just don’t seem to be popular. Terra Trike tried making and marketing one for awhile but it disappeared. There are still a few around but we just don’t hear much about them. Performer offers a carbon fiber model they call CANTUS. I personally consider a trike made of carbon fiber to be a high risk as if they break most likely they will be in the junk pile. The main attraction to carbon fiber is weight. Strangely that is the one thing I can’t find on Performer’s Cantus webpage. They don’t state how much the trike weighs. I looked it up online and found it is 27.5 pounds so it isn’t all that much lighter than some aluminum models. The CANTUS is 22 speed and has high end components. The cost begins at about $3700. For that price you get standard aluminum wheels which I would prefer over carbon fiber. I don’t think carbon fiber wheels would last very long for me.
Carbon fiber wheels are available for an additional cost ($4325).
It is a really nice looking trike but I would be most concerned about the carbon fiber breaking and becoming a piece of junk. I will stick to my aluminum frame. It has held up great over the years and believe me it has endured some nasty bumps and shock treatment. Besides I have no need of shedding a few pounds of weight off of my trike. I have great need of shedding it off of me however. That’s another story and I don’t want to talk about it.
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It is not recumbent and it is not human powered, but it is a tadpole and it is rather old. 1911 and lookin’ good. It is said to have a 10 HP engine and two forward speeds and a reverse. It has chain drive to the rear wheel. All that is missing is the pedals.
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Here is a video about steering on recumbent trikes. It explains the typical commonly found steering and the AR-3 lean steering.
Here is the video description found on YouTube:
“AR-3 Recumbent Tadpole Trike, all wheel tilting mechanism explanation. In depth description and details of standard tadpole recumbent steering, and why the AR-3 all wheel tilting steering is revolutionary.
The Patented steering design is like no other and follows the natural feel of a bicycle because of its center axis steering system cleverly angled forward, which emulates the feeling of a bicycle while banking into turns with all three wheels. KAZEbikes.com for the latest development and video.”
It sounds great to me as in I would like to have it. There is one thing I noticed that bothers me … the seat appears to be placed very far back behind the crossmember of the frame. My guess is that the weight distribution is much different on this design than it is on a regular non leaning design. I definitely don’t like the look of the seat. The part where one’s butt sits looks extremely small. Speaking of the seat there is a video about it …
$5995 for motorized pedal assist version. Pedal assist with 350 Watt Bafang rear hub motor and 36 Volt lithium E-bike battery.
$1595 for the AR-3 frame kit (use your own wheels and various components)
I would think that the frame kit is in high demand. I see that the website shows Out of Stock while that is not the case for the complete trike models. Only a 26 inch rear wheel can be used on this design. It will be interesting to see a leaning trike out there. Tire wear should be improved since this pretty much eliminates tire scrub from hard fast cornering. Pushing forward on one handlebar while pulling back on the other handlebar is how steering is accomplished.
Specifications AR-3E (motorized version):
The E-bike version is all we have fully assembled.
Approximate Total weight: 48 pounds riding weight. (very light for a trike with motor and battery)
Steering Radius: 8.5’
The frame was FEA static tested to Rider weight of 480 pounds but we recommend 250 pounds for best riding results. I would keep the cargo balanced for a more pleasurable ride.
Width: 36”
Length: 84” (That’s a long trike.)
Height: 26” with backrest retracted. 3“ additional with backrest fully extended.
Ground clearance: 4.5”
How the AR-3 works:
Being prone also gives a great aerodynamic advantage lending itself to going further and faster with the less effort than a conventional bicycle. Obviously many of us don’t wish to or can no longer perch on a standard bicycle seat. The seat on the AR-3 is comparable to a high performance sports car bucket seat.
Articulating all wheel tilting steering for recumbent tricycle and other vehicles providing stability and controlled lean of all three wheels simultaneously.
Consisting of a single front steering yoke that rotates or steers, on a pivoting axis neck, with a negative castor angle and bearing on the stationary frame which forces the rear wheel and frame to actively tilt into the direction of the turn.
The active front wheel leaning linkage consists of, the front steering yolk with horizontal bushings on the outer ends, which only allows the front wheels axles and control arm assemblies to lean in toward the turn producing a camber to both front wheels.
Tie rods, connected to the front wheel’s spindle assembly and anchored to the frame, forward of the pivot axis, actively linking handlebars, front wheel and frame tilt together thus causing all wheels to lean together when directional force is applied.
“All the Benefits of 3 wheel recumbents, but with all the virtues of a bicycle.” (their words not mine)
If only I would have known about this e-motor sooner it is what I would have bought instead of the much lower powered Tongsheng unit. This Bafang is twice as powerful (twice the torque) .
It was the photo below that influenced me when I built my first recembent bike. I considered using this steering setup on it, but went with a different type instead.
Here is what I built. I used two steering heads and connected them together with an adjustable connecting rod …
I just discovered this tadpole rider, Paul Fogarty, and his Facebook page he is using as his blog. He is a disabled person who doesn’t let that stop him from riding. He is indeed an inspiration to others. With no arms and only one leg he rides a highly modified tadpole trike adapted to his needs. He is new to triking and his trike is a work in progress to get it all set up for him to effectively serve his needs. I am impressed with his accomplishments. Check out his FB blog page and perhaps give him a shout out to encourage him. And may he be able to continue on trikin’ and …
ENJOYING THE RIDE!
BTW, Paul has an ICE Adventure tadpole trike on order.
Paul also has a personal FB page for those interested in checking it out.
I came across this video of the building of a wooden recumbent tadpole trike. I myself have no interest in a trike made out of wood but I am sure there are those who do. Never the less I do have to admire the effort and skill of the accomplishment.
I have written about one or more of the trikes/quads offered by this company before but as time goes by they keep coming out with more offerings. They always look interesting. I won’t elaborate on them as I really don’t know much about them as far as their quality and customer service.
Chinese made trikes have, of course, been around for awhile. And they are known for low cost. Again, I have written about them previously. And HERE is another past posting on them.
TrikExplor is a Chinese company which is something which personally bothers me as I don’t believe we as Americans should be buying all the products we do from China. In doing so we build them up while greatly damaging our own country. Besides that they are a Communist country and I think it is morally wrong for us to do business with them. Please understand I have nothing against the people of China. It is the Chinese government I have an issue with. Furthermore the Chinese are well known for totally ignoring the law and manufacturing copies of well known products selling them at a much lower price.
I truly wish we had such products being offered right here in our own country … made in the U.S.A. … and at a competitive price. I suppose however that the market is lacking for that to happen. Even some of these Chinese offerings are quite expensive … over $7000.
Right now as far as I know such products are not being offered here in the U.S. with the exception of certain offerings from Utah Trikes. I guess only time will tell as to whether or not these somewhat special trikes and quads will catch on and be sold in sufficient numbers for other manufacturers to offer them.
I just discovered this tadpole rider, Paul Fogarty, and his 
Tadpole Rider 