1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

[UpWrong]

On the subject of visibility, I don't use a flag or DLR but I do wear a hi-viz helmet. I noticed on a charity ride many years ago that a couple with recumbent trikes stood out from the crowd by a country mile because of their hi-viz helmets. i didn't notice their flags.

[Psamathe]

On the subject of visibility, I don't use a flag or DLR but I do wear a hi-viz helmet. I noticed on a charity ride many years ago that a couple with recumbent trikes stood out from the crowd by a country mile because of their hi-viz helmets. i didn't notice their flags.

Useful to know as (with balance issues) I should probably start wearing a helmet and my current one must be 7 years old (but not worn for a bit)!

Ian

[pjclinch]

On the subject of visibility, I don't use a flag or DLR but I do wear a hi-viz helmet. I noticed on a charity ride many years ago that a couple with recumbent trikes stood out from the crowd by a country mile because of their hi-viz helmets. i didn't notice their flags.

Useful to know as (with balance issues) I should probably start wearing a helmet and my current one must be 7 years old (but not worn for a bit)!

4 or 5 years is the generally quoted "shelf-life" so yes, a new one would be in order.

The hi-viz thing in standing out at long distances was what originally sold me on hi-viz jackets, but over time I became less concerned with could I be seen easily from half a mile away and was I visible enough from 50m away. Having subsequently ditched hi-viz and selecting a jacket for the weather only, I haven't noticed any changes in how other road users interact with me, including using my black one and the NATO green one...

Pete.

[Psamathe]

On the subject of visibility, I don't use a flag or DLR but I do wear a hi-viz helmet. I noticed on a charity ride many years ago that a couple with recumbent trikes stood out from the crowd by a country mile because of their hi-viz helmets. i didn't notice their flags.

Useful to know as (with balance issues) I should probably start wearing a helmet and my current one must be 7 years old (but not worn for a bit)!

4 or 5 years is the generally quoted "shelf-life" so yes, a new one would be in order.

The hi-viz thing in standing out at long distances was what originally sold me on hi-viz jackets, but over time I became less concerned with could I be seen easily from half a mile away and was I visible enough from 50m away. Having subsequently ditched hi-viz and selecting a jacket for the weather only, I haven't noticed any changes in how other road users interact with me, including using my black one and the NATO green one...

Pete.

Interesting (and without wanting to move to a helmets/Hi-Viz debate) as visibility on a recumbent is a concern from my family, not something discouraging me. My Hi-Viz choices are limited as my local area has loads of Oil-seed Rape fields and the Hi-Viz yellow becomes a perfect camouflage with their flowering background. So any Hi-viz has to be orange (or black!). I've seen the yellow helmets on web sites but never an orange one (from memory and I was not actually looking).

Ian

[UpWrong]

I had an orange helmet from HardNutZ, though it did fade over time. I currently have a neon green Kask helmet which is keeping its colour. Without wanting to enter the helmet debate, if you are wearing one then using a hi-vis one is an easy win since it won't cost you time or aerodynamics.

[pjclinch]

There's always the option of a hi-viz cover, and there are orange ones out there. You could get two, one for winter left as is, and one for summer where you cut out the vent holes...

Also, there's the stickers option which is probably cheaper and less faff.

IME (in)visibility of 'bents in general is very much a cultural assumption. The same people making it don't have any problems about knee-high sports cars, often driven because they're considered to be eye catching...

Pete.

[belgiangoth]

From a cost POV if you have the money to spend then I wouldn't worry - worst case scenario you decide to sell it in 5 years' time at 50-75% of the price, which is a decent value for the hire cost.
My bike has a hardshell seat and the trike doesn't. I think I might prefer the mesh seat but time will tell. If you were buying a DF bike you would consider a new saddle or changing saddle occasionally in the pursuit of comfort, so I think it's legit to get something you like the look of/think will be best and experiment from there. In three years' time you will have enough questions to be able to make good use out of a visit to DTek.

I don't believe that helmets have a use-by date, but they do become lighter and have things like MIPs these days. More importantly your head will be against the seat/neck rest, so you may need a different fitting helmet. The main use I have for a helmet on the bent is that it secures my cap to my head (otherwise it's the right angle to be blown off at high speeds or in windy conditions) and I should add that because of the different angle I use something more baseball than cycling cap on the laidbacks. (Also, helmets are the best place for helmet lights, which save you the faff of finding a point to mount them on your bike, point where you want to see and are more visible than having them on the bike).
I have a flag for my trike so I use that (it has a rainbow theme so fitting for the times) and none on the bike. Apparently I am not invisible on either of them.

[Jdsk]

I like having a flag on the Windcheetah, especially in slow traffic. I never felt the need on the KingCycle.

Jonathan

[pjclinch]

More importantly your head will be against the seat/neck rest, so you may need a different fitting helmet.

With an additional add-on rest, very probably, with a typical seat IME no. I've ridden a few 'bents in my time, including back when I always wore a lid, and I've always found the back of the lid to be well clear of the seat.

Pete.

[belgiangoth]

I was thinking specifically the case of my catrike where the top bar is about level with my head - non standard I expect.

[[XAP]Bob]

Useful to know as (with balance issues) I should probably start wearing a helmet and my current one must be 7 years old (but not worn for a bit)!

4 or 5 years is the generally quoted "shelf-life" so yes, a new one would be in order.

The hi-viz thing in standing out at long distances was what originally sold me on hi-viz jackets, but over time I became less concerned with could I be seen easily from half a mile away and was I visible enough from 50m away. Having subsequently ditched hi-viz and selecting a jacket for the weather only, I haven't noticed any changes in how other road users interact with me, including using my black one and the NATO green one...

Pete.

Interesting (and without wanting to move to a helmets/Hi-Viz debate) as visibility on a recumbent is a concern from my family, not something discouraging me. My Hi-Viz choices are limited as my local area has loads of Oil-seed Rape fields and the Hi-Viz yellow becomes a perfect camouflage with their flowering background. So any Hi-viz has to be orange (or black!). I've seen the yellow helmets on web sites but never an orange one (from memory and I was not actually looking).

Ian

There are a couple of key considerations...

From a balance perspective I don't come anywhere near falling off my trike - and I have zero vestibular function - however I do have a decade of experience riding 'bent trikes from when I *did* have a working vestibular system.
I have recently added a cheetah to the stable, and that handles very differently, I've lifted a front wheel a couple of times, and am more conservative in corners as a result, but it's not something I am concerned about any more (it's easier to do when turning left due to the offset rear wheel, but it's just not something that I do any more).

Visibility is interesting - I commuted for a decade primarily on a trike and found that it really didn't matter what I did, apart from running lights.

- Flags are visible from the side, which isn't really the most important direction in most cases
- Flappy streamers are better
- Assuming you haven't been seen (or parsed) is more reliable

- Lights are my go-to. I put a Son Dynamo on the trike, and with good B&M front and rear (both rack and offside mudguard) lights I tended to be given a little more space, and there were very few incidents where I felt I hadn't been seen.

I also have spoke reflectors - ones that clip along each spoke - on the outside spokes of the front wheels. I found them extremely "identifying" when a pre-teen walked across the road I was about to turn into and they were the only reflectives I saw (dark, no street lights, the spoke reflectors were the only thing I saw using the 'spill' of my lights - and they *shouted* bike).

The one exception to this is rolling roads, with hidden dips. At that point a tall mast (fishing whip or similar) with a light and streamer at the top *will* be visible when you aren't... The motion may also attract the eye quite well (beware people assuming it's in a field though - but if you are a regular on a route then people will soon learn).

[[XAP]Bob]

More importantly your head will be against the seat/neck rest, so you may need a different fitting helmet.

The ICE rest is specifically a neck rest, not a headrest... It supports just below where the buckle of a "normal" helmet does up.

[climo]

We've both got trikes with got 2x rear lights, a dynamo front light on 1 trike and the other tikes headlight is wired into the hub drive motor, spoke reflectors and a flag. We've just trying out Brightside side facing amber flashers, Overkill maybe but I don't care, if it gives me 1% less chance of being hit then it's worth it.
A police driver friend thought that the main danger to cyclists was behind hit from the side on a roundabout and that the sidelights were a good idea.

[nigelnightmare]

When last I checked ICE were doing the Sturmey Archer 90mm drum dynamo. Approx £145.

You may have to phone them to make sure they still do though.

HTH