Useful And Essential Facts About Recumbent Trikes

By Michelle Hughes


A three-wheeled, gravity- or human-powered vehicle is normally referred to as a tricycle. In many cases, the abbreviation trike is used. There are numerous types of tricycles which include cycle rickshaws and freight. Tricycles are used for many purposes such as exercise, transportation, recreational and shopping just to mention a few. In developing countries in Africa and Asia, the use of tricycles as a means of transportation is common. This is worth knowing about recumbent trikes.

Tricycles have a long history that dates back to either 1655 or 1680 according to history. History also indicates that the invention was made by a German man who was disabled. The name of the man was Stephan Farffler and his main intention was to be able to maintain his mobility. The tricycle that Farffler created was powered by hand cranks, a concept that Farffler borrowed from his watch-making career.

As years passed, different kinds of tricycles were made by different people from different parts of the world. Most popular tricycles came from Britain and France. The original design of making tricycles was patented by a British inventor known as Dennis Johnson. A common feature across the inventions is that they were either powered using hands or legs.

Trikes are usually commonly used by kids and the aged in the West. They are preferred by these groups of individuals since they offer more stability as compared to bicycles. However, despite tricycles being more stable when they move in a straight line, their dynamic lateral stability is poor. This implies that the person riding should be very careful when negotiation corners to avoid toppling over.

There are various associations in countries where people love tricycles like the UK where one can register. Activities such as day rides, tours and time trials are usually organized by these associations. Regulations in the tricycle industry and safety standards for consumers are usually set by the associations. Other responsibilities of the associations are to maintain statistics about tricycles and so on.

There are several different types of tricycles with different wheel configurations. Some of the commonest wheel configurations include delta and tadpole. In delta wheel configuration, the vehicle has one wheel at the front and two wheel at the back. On the other hand, in a tadpole configuration, there are two front wheels and a single wheel at the back. There are other wheel configurations that have existed over the years, but are no longer in existence.

Trikes that are used currently are also of different kinds with recumbent and upright tricycles being the most common. Upright tricycles have an open or a diamond-shaped frame just like a bicycle. They can either have tadpole or delta wheel configuration and are steered using a handlebar. One should be very careful when riding non-tilting upright tricycles since they are less stable.

Recumbent is the other type of trike in use today. This model offers more stability because of low center of gravity. There is also less aerodynamic drag. However, they cost more, are heavier, and they are wider. Given that the seat is usually very low, they may be less visible to other traffic.




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