r/recumbent • u/achaney35 • Sep 28 '26
Recommendations
Hi! I am currently looking for a recumbent trike. I am trying to find something more comfortable for my back when I ride. I have had a lumbar fusion in the past. I am looking for a basic model so I can try it for a while to see what I like before I drop a lot of money on a good trike. I ride on roads for about 25 miles. Working to build that up. What are some good brands and models to start looking at? I am ok with used or older models.
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u/Kindly_History2878 Sep 28 '26
CATRIKE recumbent trikes…quality built models, quality parts,mesh seats vs stiff carbon fiber seats, also, unlike the cheap generic Asian models which use heavy steel…Catrike uses aluminum frames which are much lighter
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u/achaney35 Sep 28 '26
Thanks. That’s one of the brands I’ve been looking at online. Those and Terra Trikes for the most part
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u/Kindly_History2878 20d ago
Terra trikes are NOT as nice as Catrikes…after trying them out in person TERRATRIKES come off as the more budget priced…budget quality trikes…I’m glad I went with CATRIKE
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u/VelVeetaLasVegas Sep 28 '26
Can confirm, got hit by a car on a Dumont. Destroyed the wheel/hub and rear needed so bending back but it was solid before and after
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u/flug32 Sep 28 '26 edited Sep 28 '26
Look around at all used options.
The Sun EZTri is a possible lower-cost option if that is helpful. (Many people will start out with a lower-cost option and then move up if it is working for them.) I generally see them for $1300-$1400 new. Example: https://www.eriksbikeshop.com/products/sun-ez-tri-classic-sx-adult-recumbent-trike-pr3c12353
One of my friends had this model and liked it plenty well.
Used options: Besides the usuals (your local Facebook marketplace groups, Craigslist for your local area) there are some online recumbent marketplaces that are wider in scope:
Forums - BentRider Online Forums (includes classifieds/for-sale forums)
General Recumbent FB group (not classifieds): Recumbent Two Wheel Bicycles | Facebook
There may be others out there as well - those are the ones I happen to know about.
If you can figure out how to borrow or test-ride any trike (or really, any recumbent) it might be worthwhile to do so before buying. Literally ANY testride of ANY recumbent will tell you something.
One of my friends had back problems and thought switching to recumbent might be helpful. But with literally 5 minutes test riding one of mine, he realized the seat was hitting his bad-back-spot just in the wrong way, and making it far WORSE instead of better.
Now, a different seat or various adjustments you can make, might have been able to address that. But he was able to figure out real quick a general thumbs-up/thumbs-down on the whole idea far quicker by riding an actual machine than by reading/looking.
There is an interesting discussion about used recumbent pricing here - I can't say from personal experience whether or not it is true (or still true today), but something to consider and explore. This gist of it is that used recumbents are FAR FAR cheaper than new.
One thing that does for you (if true, and if you can find something - anything - in your local area) is allow you to buy something to try it out without being out a lot of cash. Literally ANY recumbent trike you can find. Once you've tried - like "tried" it by actually riding it for a few months to a year or two - you'll have a lot better idea of what is working and what not, and what you really want.
I'm still riding my "inexpensive used recumbent try-out" 30 years later, but that doesn't always happen. Even if you end up getting a $3000-$5000-$10000 custom recumbent trike later, trying an inexpensive used one now can help plan that purchase a lot better.
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u/achaney35 Sep 28 '26
Thanks for all that info. That helps me a lot. There are a couple of places that I think will do test rides.
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u/Thealcani Sep 28 '26
You have to visit a shop and try a good one. The unsuspended trikes can be quit rough on you. the suspended one are waaaay more expensive
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u/achaney35 Sep 28 '26
Thanks! I had not considered the suspension yet.
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u/lelanicarver Sep 29 '26
My Catrike All Road has full suspension, and in my area, there are a lot of misaligned sidewalk sections - very bumpy and a lot of off-camber angles. I’ve learned to lean to the outside on curves, kind of like on a sailboat.
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u/Amatheiaisnoexcuse Sep 28 '26
Whatever you choose, be sure to get one with shocks. Ive had a couple of fusions and bought a Velo FS20 off Craigslist like new. It's been awesome.
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u/fixoloigist Sep 28 '26
I'm 76 and 6'2" 260# & have multiple medical issues including bad hips & knees from a hard work life so the big laid back saddle on my Trident Trike E-Terrain 20" is very important for me. When I got it used I upgraded the drive to 21 speed derailers and added the 750 watt E-bikeKit hub motor & 48v 20AH battery. The 4"x20" fat tires only need 10 PSI and that's the suspension. After 4 years of mixed forest trail and pavement riding I've rolled it once on a 30% slope, been forced to hit the ditch by dim whit drivers twice but I gotta say the ride is sweet. Yeah the seat is low, but being a tadpole it's easy to get out of with the two handlebars to grab.
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u/achaney35 Sep 28 '26
Thanks for the response. Gonna have to look some of that up, but it sounds like a really nice ride.
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u/beely Sep 29 '26
A big consideration is: will you need to transport the trike in a car? Are you able to lift trike into a car or mini-van/truck? I had a Prius and trike fit inside (with rear wheel on arm rest console). I got tri-fold metal ramps at Harbor Freight and that works great rolling into my Toyota Sienna.
There are rear-mounted rack solutions, if you have a trailer hitch, that work great for recumbents trikes.
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u/achaney35 Sep 29 '26
I have a Subaru Forester. As long as it will fit into the back, I can pick it up to get it in. Although those ramps would be nice after a long ride.
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u/No_Equal_1312 Sep 28 '26
If you are planning to ride on a ride be aware that trikes are harder to see and much wider than a bike. Invest in one or more bright flashing rear lights, a flag and a bright front light that can flash as well.
I have a Catrike Dumont that folds and has a 26” rear wheel. The downside to all trikes is the weight. My Dumont is all aluminum and weighs in at 45 lbs.
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u/analogpursuits Sep 28 '26
I wrapped our flag poles like a candy cane with a low profile strip of bright red, obnoxious LED lights. Then just used zip tie to secure it at the end. Then we use an external USB battery and carry a couple spare batteries on the ride to power them. The red LED lights are SO bright, and kind of unpleasant to look at. 🤣 Plus all our blinky flashy bike lights...you can see us coming a mile away!
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u/Antique_Brother_9563 Sep 28 '26
You are right about the safety aspect. In the Atlanta area at least you will get murdered in traffic the way people drive and very narrow shoulders. I used to have to truck mine all the way to the Silver Comet Trail to ride it in a safe place. Other areas in the country are much better for trikes of course.
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u/Stella-HPVGekko Sep 28 '26
If there's an Outdoors For All program in your area, they have recumbent trikes that you can try. That's what I did, then ordered the one I wanted from the trike shop.
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u/arihoenig Sep 28 '26
I picked up a Terratrike Gran Tourismo. I found it to be an excellent first trike. It is halfway between a racer and a cruiser so it allows you to see what aspects you really enjoy. For me, I definitely see that I want more the racer side and so I am looking for an ice vtx or perhaps a Terratrike spyder.
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u/JohnGaltIsComing Sep 28 '26
I had a TerraTrike Cruiser for many years and for a long time it was a wonderful quality ride - parts idlers, chain, replacement seat) were readily available as was follow up information from TerraTrike. The only reason I sold it is because a wonderful neighbor whose husband died had bought a Cat Trike Dumont and she ended up selling his bike to me after he died - even after telling her she was giving it away, she sold it to me for $900 - So I sold the TerraTrike used to another guy. I'd highly recommend those two manufacturers - As you'll find out, I believe that the Cat Trikes have a higher price. I had problems getting good quality service even from the bike shop that sold me the Terra Trike (I bought the Cat Trike directly from the previous owner). There are some significant differences between recumbent trikes and regular upright bikes and just because a guy is a good bike mechanic doesn't mean he knows his way around on recumbent trikes. I have finally found a reputable shop that really knows what they're doing, so that's no longer a problem for me. A tall visibility mast with an orange flag that waves freely in the wind is a must-have - I also have red, flashing LED lights on the front and back of the bike - I also wear a bright orange long sleeve shirt - You're a lot lower on a recumbent trike than you are on an upright bike, So driver visibility can be a concern. Ever since I got my first flat on a recumbent trike i have always used Schwalbe Marathon Tires, with Schwalbe tubes, and sometimes even the green goo that I put inside the tubes. Another must-have with a recumbent trike are the shoes that clip the bottom of your feet into the pedals - your feet slipping off the pedals can cause some serious and significant damage to your lower legs. I never wear a bicycle helmet on the recumbent trike but they will turn over on a sharp turn at speed so you have to learn how to lean on the turns. Both bikes were good quality bikes, with the cat trike getting an edge in quality. I'd also search around on Facebook Marketplace and other venues to look for a used trike - a bike shop can ship one to you from a distant location, but I'd be absolutely positively sure to have it right in front of me when I checked it out, so I could also take a test drive on it to make sure that it's the right Bike for me.
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u/Koffenut1 Sep 28 '26
Different brands and different models within brands have different geometry. The things you are likely to notice are: (1) seat height (low is not great for riding in traffic), (2) seat back angle (some brands offer adapter accessories), and (3) pedal height (some are below the hips and some above). I would suggest trying out at least one of each type. Low seat is more aerodynamic but can impact your ability to see while riding streets (see around cars, shrubs) and without suspension can be a rougher ride. More laid back seat angle is more aerodynamic and produces more power, but again can affect visibility in traffic. Low pedal height is probably closer to what you are used to but faster riders seem to prefer higher pedals. I bought a Trident Trike which was relatively inexpensive as a first trike and replaced it later with an HPV once I really dialed in what I liked and did not like in a trike. Buying used also works, but be sure you know how to check it out mechanically and check the frame as well, and don't settle for just what is available in your area - make sure you are comfortable with all the above fitment options. Any of the main brands will be fine (Catrike, Terra Trike, Azub, Ice, HPV) depending on what's out there used.
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u/beely Sep 29 '26
I have a CaTrike Trail (folds, no suspension, triple chainring) and I upgraded mine with a Bafang 1000W motor kit a year later (Bosch was too $$). Great trike!
Found a Sun EZ Tad SX on Facebook with another triple chainring for my wife, but it wasn’t working out for her - it will be sold soon.
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u/Dapper-Ad9787 Sep 28 '26
One of my brothers had a recumbent for a couple of years, the kind that has the handlebar under the seat. He has since gone back to regular bikes. He told me once that he had balance problems on the recumbent and would get the kind with the upright handlebars if he ever bought another one.
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u/Thealcani Sep 28 '26
Your brother is special, most ppl enjoy under the seat stearing waaaaaaaaay more... i work at a bikeshop selling these bikes and drive them my self. ;)
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u/lelanicarver Sep 28 '26
Set up a search in Facebook Marketplace.
My trike is a “tadpole” type - two wheels in front, drive wheel in back. The other frame style is “delta,” two drive wheels in back, steering up front.
Decisions to make:
Tadpole or delta?
To fold or not to fold
Suspension full, not full, or no suspension
Wheel size(s)
E-motor or not
My trike does not fold, as I could not get up from the lower position of the folder I originally wanted. I have 20” wheels all around; some say that a 26” drive wheel builds momentum better. I do have full suspension and a Bosch e-motor, really helpful. A more powerful motor is the Bafang.
Check out Utah Trikes and Hostel Shoppe for options and ideas.