Trike for a damaged back.

DIscuss anything relating to non-standard cycles and their equipment.
Edwards
Posts: 5982
Joined: 16 Mar 2007, 10:09pm
Location: Birmingham

Trike for a damaged back.

Post by Edwards »

I am thinking that we may need to purchase a trike for my wife as she has a fractured vertebra. I do not want to purchase on right now as I do not know when she will out of hospital even.

I would like to know what type give the best back support and I think than the seated position would need to be more upright. It must be a trike as a fall as not wanted in any way.

So if some from the dark side could give me some pointers and links, as to what to look at it would be a great help. We would like to keep the cost down and she is 5ft4in tall.

Thank you
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Well if you want a trip to sit on a couple, I'm just down the road - My wife is about that height so you could have a spin out on her trike.

I also have an upright. I'm suspecting that a Kett might be a good idea though - more upright seating position.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Edwards
Posts: 5982
Joined: 16 Mar 2007, 10:09pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by Edwards »

Thanks for the offer Bob, I think it may be many months yet before she will be able to test one. But we will remember this. What is a Kett?
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Edwards wrote:Thanks for the offer Bob, I think it may be many months yet before she will be able to test one. But we will remember this. What is a Kett?

hase kettweisel - a delta 'bent trike
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
byegad
Posts: 3232
Joined: 3 Sep 2007, 9:44am

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by byegad »

I'd say a more reclined seat would be the better. Of my three trikes the QNT is the most comfortable with support over almost all of my back. The Kettwiesel is more upright, has a shorter seat back and harsher ride. The only advantage is the 18" high seat, both the others are around 8" so a little more difficult to get into.
"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail
1951 engine
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Both of mine are the ICE mesh seat, so full support.

My reasoning on the kett was the more upright position, dependant on the type of injury of course...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Edwards
Posts: 5982
Joined: 16 Mar 2007, 10:09pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by Edwards »

Is having the 2 wheels at the front more stable than having them at the rear? I gather the rear setup is called Delta.

Does rear suspension make that much difference to jarring felt from the rear?
How much difference will digger wheels make to the jarring?

I am hoping we can put some of the cost to the insurance as a recovery aid so have been looking at the KMX due to cost, as we are likley to end up having to get with new. This cost is not from the claim for the bike but more medical recovery.

Thanks for any help.
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Edwards wrote:Is having the 2 wheels at the front more stable than having them at the rear? I gather the rear setup is called Delta.

Does rear suspension make that much difference to jarring felt from the rear?
How much difference will digger wheels make to the jarring?

I am hoping we can put some of the cost to the insurance as a recovery aid so have been looking at the KMX due to cost, as we are likley to end up having to get with new. This cost is not from the claim for the bike but more medical recovery.

Thanks for any help.


I'd not go for KMX in this case - they are not the softest of rides (as BMX's aren't in the upwrong world)

Rear suspension does significantly reduce road buzz - it's not going to take a pothole and make a billiard table out of it, but it helps.

Two wheels at the front is more stable through high speed corners, but I don't know of many Kett's who fall over...
I lean right out of mine - which I imagine won't be possible, so you'll want to take mini roundabouts at less than 30mph :mrgreen:
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Edwards
Posts: 5982
Joined: 16 Mar 2007, 10:09pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by Edwards »

Bob I have no fear of her going fast this is just to use on a cycle path to get her mobile.

Would it make that much difference with the smaller wheel if I were to change the tyres for the fattest possible or am I best to look for the biggest wheel?

I have not even begun to think about seat types but I suppose some sort of solid back with an anatomically shape might be best. To about curving the spine, but I do not know.
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Edwards wrote:Bob I have no fear of her going fast this is just to use on a cycle path to get her mobile.

Would it make that much difference with the smaller wheel if I were to change the tyres for the fattest possible or am I best to look for the biggest wheel?

I have not even begun to think about seat types but I suppose some sort of solid back with an anatomically shape might be best. To about curving the spine, but I do not know.


Tyres and wheels both have an effect. I find my 20" with suspension at the back much better than my 700c without - but I've also moved from a 23mm tyre at 100+psi to a 40mm tyre at 70.....

MrsBob's trike has a big joe on the back - very large tyre, lowish pressure - quite a soft ride. Various people use schwalbe big apples to have the same effect.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
byegad
Posts: 3232
Joined: 3 Sep 2007, 9:44am

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by byegad »

Edwards wrote:Is having the 2 wheels at the front more stable than having them at the rear? I gather the rear setup is called Delta.

Does rear suspension make that much difference to jarring felt from the rear?
How much difference will digger wheels make to the jarring?

I am hoping we can put some of the cost to the insurance as a recovery aid so have been looking at the KMX due to cost, as we are likley to end up having to get with new. This cost is not from the claim for the bike but more medical recovery.

Thanks for any help.

Big Apples soak up a lot or road vibration. I find the Kett' harsher than the QNT, both on BAs. I suspect this more due to the Kett seat being almost over the rear wheels, rather than the QNTs elastomer suspension on the rear. Also on rough roads, lumpy rather than potholed the kett seems to rock me from side to side, not good for a bad back. As to stability the Kettwiesel will corner as fast as either tadpole, the inward leaning rear wheels make it very safe to ride, but a friend tried an Anura after borrowing a Kettwiesel and was less sure about its cornering stability. I'd suggest a Hase Lepus with Delta arrangement and rear suspension, however I'd guess it too has a short seat compared to my tadpoles.

Frankly with a bad back and needing a higher seat I'd go for an ICE Adventure and if a lower seat is OK a Sprint. Cheaper and stiffer the Trail is a nice ride, but I'd fit Big Apples, mine runs on the original Marathon Racers and feels the road more than the plush QNT. The Trail seat is adjustable, mine is reclined one notch up from full back, there are five positions IIRC, on the full back setting my spine would tap the rear frame on bumps, but I'm short for my weight!

If the seat height of the Adventure is too low then you are looking at a Delta and I'd strongly advise a ride before you buy policy. I like my Kettwiesel, but on repaired roads where one rear wheel is running on level tarmac and the other on lumpy patches I get rocked from side to side quite violently. This is much more noticeable than the same stretch of road on either tadpole, perhaps due to the lower seat resulting in lass lateral movement for each lump, perhaps because I'm sat much closer to the pair of wheels! More likely a product of both.

I'd suggest you forget a big wheel. As only one wheel is big it makes little difference. Big Apple tyres are fast rolling, if fairly hard*, and soak up a lot of road 'noise'. If you really need a soft ride look at a FS trike , but prepared to pay for the FS feature.

*The 20x2" BAs will go to 70psi maximum. At 70 they roll better than Kojaks, I know because I've had both on my Kett'. At 60psi they are just as fast and really soak up the bumps. At 50psi they soak up more bumps and I feel that's as low as I want to go as below that cornering feels mushy, I tend to corner hard. I've read of people running them at much lower pressures with no ill effects and better ride quality.
"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail
1951 engine
pemsey
Posts: 1
Joined: 1 Jun 2012, 1:13pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by pemsey »

I think if you have to buy new and keep costs down you might be looking at something in the TW Bents range as I think they're about the cheapest "proper" trikes available at the moment. Reasonable component spec (Deore XT, Avid BB7s, Weinnmen rims etc) Might be a bit on the heavy side though - though difficult to tell really as the one I've got recently came with pedelec kit fitted - which might, depending on diagnosis/prognosis/healing be an option to consider as well? I've certainly found it has helped with my (very minor) back problems.

I have the TW Bents Artifice fitted with an EZEE conversion kit - all on it when I bought it and it seems to be a combination that works fairly well as the pedelec gives a bit of extra acceleration at junctions and helps to keep the pace up hills. However, new, the pedelec kit would add a fair bit to the cost of the trike - though that depends on where you get the kit from etc (cheap kits are available but I don't know what quality or support is like for them?).
Bill B-J
Posts: 17
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 8:11pm

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by Bill B-J »

I have a burst L5 #, wedge # T11 & 12; with a collection of broken ribs.
I could ride my QNT before I could walk more than a few yards.
A few weeks later, I had front suspension fitted ( by Kevin), which took the pain out of almost all the bumps, (better than big apples.)
Fully reclined does feel better than upright.
(And it is for sale.)
Edwards
Posts: 5982
Joined: 16 Mar 2007, 10:09pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by Edwards »

Bill B-J wrote:I have a burst L5 #, wedge # T11 & 12; with a collection of broken ribs.I could ride my QNT before I could walk more than a few yards.A few weeks later, I had front suspension fitted ( by Kevin), which took the pain out of almost all the bumps, (better than big apples.)Fully reclined does feel better than upright.(And it is for sale.)


I wish I could understand the L and T stuff.

Bill what sort of size are you as my wife is not tall and what sort of price?

I am working on the idea slowly and she is starting to come round to it.
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
User avatar
squeaker
Posts: 4112
Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 11:43pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Trike for a damaged back.

Post by squeaker »

Edwards wrote:I wish I could understand the L and T stuff.
Lumbar and Thoracic spine?
My lower back problems have been self inflicted (hockey :roll: combined with the invincibility of the young), but I'd be looking for at least rear suspension and a mesh seat. The former helps significantly, and the latter allows adjustment of the lumbar support, as well as keeping your back dry(er).
A rear suspended ICE 'T' would be a good starting point.
HTH
"42"
Post Reply