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Recumbent Tadpole Trikes in Seattle?
Zyre
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So like many others, I've decided to go green and save bundles of cash from no longer commuting with my gas guzzling 2001 Ford Ranger and get some good exercise at the same time. Commuting costs weren't a problem when I worked in Seattle and I had a half hour commute because my truck gets good milage on the highway but city driving is another story. The recent surge in gas prices hasn't helped either.
Today I only have a 3.5 mile commute that is all city surface streets. I've decided I need to purchase a HPV and after doing some research, have settled on a Recumbent Tadpole Trike. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check this new york store out; http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/trikes/recumbent-trikes.htm - It's the third image down, the closeup shot with the yellow seat. Something like that. I would use this to commute to and from work and use it recreationally and for all my local needs, restricting my truck use for only when I need to leave the city limits.
I drove to and/or called every bike shop in the Everett and Lynnwood area and no one carries any kind of Recumbent bikes. I haven't called any Seattle shops yet, doing that tomorrow after work and sleep, but I figured I might ask the trusty H/A forum goers if anyone here knows of any shops in Seattle that sells Recumbents or has any personal experience in this area of shopping for or owning a Recumbent bike, I'd like to hear any advice you might have on the subject and what prices I might be looking at. Most of the ones I've seen on the internet range from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on features, I've even seen some in the $500-1k range (the range I'm looking for, but I might be willing to spend more). Also being able to test ride the bike would be a huge bonus.
Today I only have a 3.5 mile commute that is all city surface streets. I've decided I need to purchase a HPV and after doing some research, have settled on a Recumbent Tadpole Trike. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check this new york store out; http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/trikes/recumbent-trikes.htm - It's the third image down, the closeup shot with the yellow seat. Something like that. I would use this to commute to and from work and use it recreationally and for all my local needs, restricting my truck use for only when I need to leave the city limits.
I drove to and/or called every bike shop in the Everett and Lynnwood area and no one carries any kind of Recumbent bikes. I haven't called any Seattle shops yet, doing that tomorrow after work and sleep, but I figured I might ask the trusty H/A forum goers if anyone here knows of any shops in Seattle that sells Recumbents or has any personal experience in this area of shopping for or owning a Recumbent bike, I'd like to hear any advice you might have on the subject and what prices I might be looking at. Most of the ones I've seen on the internet range from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on features, I've even seen some in the $500-1k range (the range I'm looking for, but I might be willing to spend more). Also being able to test ride the bike would be a huge bonus.
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I'd be most apt to do business with Free Range Cycles, the staff there are really cool and helpful, and if they don't sell recumbents then they'd likely know a place that does. Like Velo or something.
Check with Recycled Cycles too, they'd probably have the best deal, if they do indeed have one of those things.
If you want one of these, you'll likely have to make it yourself if your budget is under $1000.
Occasionally bike lanes disappear or are non-existent. A bike that wide would be even closer to the cars that don't want to give you any room in the first place.
I don't think it would be as maneuverable. Could you jump a curb if you needed to? Could you jump off of it and pull it on the sidewalk if someone is about to hit you?
It looks really low. I could see some tool in an SUV (or maybe even a normal car, that looks low) talking on their cell phone while they make a right turn into you, running you over.
Those bikes look really cool and really fun to ride. However, if you're going to be using this as transportation, I think practicality is the most important thing.
i see those trikes alot, and they really are low. most people who ride them have flags or something on the back to increase visibility.
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It depends a lot on your route to work. For example, my route to work is relatively low on cars, and while I currently hop the curb to go on the sidewalk for 2 blocks because i'm going against a one-way, if I had a recumbent I would just change my route slightly and be good to go. I wouldn't be too worried because around here, I truly would stand out since traffic is slow enough for drivers to see me.
I've got a friend who has a recumbent and lives a few miles north of me, and he's ridden on city streets, and he does say that he doesn't feel unsafe because he's sure to make himself a part of traffic when necessary, and that he's on something that's "weird looking" so drivers slow down to gawk anyway.
But he's on a two wheel SWB recumbent, which has pretty good maneuverability compared to a tadpole trike.
Even with all that said, they're still expensive and hard to find.
My route to work has a lot of side walks so I could use those when needed and has very low pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic.
I haven't ridden a bike since I was a teenager and back then it was 100% residental use and all side walks. I didn't even know it was "illegal" to use HPV's on side walks until I was in high school but I've never seen it enforced by police.
After today though I think the price for one of these bikes is a little out there. The availability in Seattle is horrid and ordering online would cost well over $1000. I'm probably going to just suck it up and get a regular traditional road/mountain bike.
Thanks for the advice everyone. /thread
Two, once you're a little more used to riding a bicycle, and more familiar with a lower-price regular bicycle, you can totally make your own recumbent bicycle. Many recumbents are homemade anyway, either made by people with a little welding skill or just bolds & ties. A quick google search even shows people who have made them out of wood.
I bought a tadpole trike last year (an ICE-Q), and rode more or less the route outlined above. I rode in all types of traffic conditions from track to interstate (seriously), up to around 60mph (on the downhills
I was already an experienced cyclist at this point.
In my opinion, you do get seen at least as easily on a trike, mainly due to it's odd nature, especially if you have a flag. Motorists seem to develop a bike blindness, especially in towns. More importantly if you are hit then you're more likely to survive, as you're lower to the ground and it's almost impossible to fly off head first. Your body also has a little more protection as a car is more likely to hit it before it hits you, unlike on a bike. I feel much safer on one, both in and out of the city.
Another factor is that cars will be very hesitant to pass you in the same lane, they always give you more room than when on a regular bike. You can also brake much faster, the worse that can happen is you fuck up your front gear cage when it hits the pavement infront of you. You're also more manoeuvrable than a normal bike when you're pedalling, as you can't tip it or have it slide out from underneath you on cornering.
It's not a great commuter bike though;
Where Recumbent are less safe is your ability to see; you'll be lower than the hood of most cars, meaning you can ride in safety but only by sacrificing speed. They don't go up sidewalks because they have 20(ish) inch wheels and they're too wide to practically ride on them anyway. The width is the main problem in general. If you want to store it indoors you'll need a garage, and the biggest dealbreaker for city riding is it's often difficult to get to the front of a queue of traffic as they're too wide to sneak along the edge (although this is less applicable in the US where the roads are wider than the narrow ones where I live)
They're also a pain to lock up, you'll need an expensive bike lock to insure it.
A 3.5 mile commute shouldn't take more than 20 minutes on a normal bike, it's not worth buying a tadpole for.
As far as safety, you can get these antenna-like thing that has a bright orange flag on it and mount it to the bike. These make you very visible.
Also was going to comment how something like that really shouldnt be ridden on the sidewalks, as Jake! says, they are too wide, and its very likely you could get ticketed by a bored cop.
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