Ive been watching everyone of your video's for a couple of years. I used to love to bike but my balance isn't what it used to be. So I had to quit. One day I was down in Halifax NS Ca and I seen a trike going and right then I said that's what I need. So I like to learn about things before I buy them. The rest is history, I'm on my way to buying an Ice Trike. Thanks for all the great videos you do.
Thank you for your videos Mickey. I especially appreciated this one for your demonstration of how to get on. So many people I see are able to just step in and step over the frame to the other side. I have to back in the way you described, I'm short legged, 66, overweight, and just had knee replacement surgeries last year. This way works best for me!
Like ICE Trikes is fond of saying in their literature: "If you've got a cheap head, buy a cheap helmet!" I love that logic! When it comes to turns, I am not a racer, so I don't enter turns at speeds that require body English and leaning into the curve in order to remain upright. In my opinion, if I have to lean into a curve to prevent flipping over, I am going WAY too fast! I was a clipless pedal die-hard for over 13 years, but this past summer of 2022, I tried a pair of large full-foot support flat pedals with 18 traction pins on each side of each pedal (prevents foot slippage off pedal). That pedal experiment 8 months ago forever changed my outlook of the clipless versus flats debate. With these pedals, which support both my forefeet and my heels due to their longer length, I am far more powerful pedaling (as opposed to the typical push/pull technique on clipless), and going up hills is noticeably easier, not easy of course (no big hill ever is), but easier with less effort. And with these pedals, there is no foot pain or hotspots no matter how hard or how long I ride. No more clipless pedals for me!!!! From here on out, it is the Pedaling Innovations Catalyst pedals! Ya' gotta' try 'em to become a believer! Hey Mickey, I just got a new AirzoundXL horn for my trike. Do you think that this horn would be effective for stopping a couple of pit bulls charging at me while triking? Seems like these 115 dB horns might do the trick - man they are LOUD! steve
Good reminders, Mickey! I've recently added a TT Spyder to my stable-and what a lot of fun I've had testing her turning stability at speed! My GTS is also a lot of fun but because her center of gravity is higher I'm a little more cautious-but she's still a lot of fun and yes, great at speed. Having raced bicycles in the past, pushing myself and my rides is a riot! I'll be 70 in a few weeks, and by God's grace, I'm planning on enjoying cycling for many years to come.
Great tips! I have tipped over on my trike several (numerous) times. EVERY TIME, it was at low speed (slower than walking) and the path was sloped to the side and I didn't lean uphill. When riding off a curb, as when you ride from a sidewalk onto a road, ride briskly over the edge. If you go slowly, one front wheel will always drop before the other, pitching you to the side. You are also more likely to scrape the belly of the trike.
Good info. I'm transitioning from lifelong biker to triker as soon as money permits. I've owned my current bike for 35 years and it is still way better than a modern bike that costs more than mine is still worth. I got it in 1992 and it has disc brakes, thumb shifters, and 24 speeds. I miss riding it dearly. I hope the trike can get me the places my bike has hauled my sorry butt for 35 years. I know there are some places it wont, but I'm willing to try.
I purchased a CaTrike Expedition last October. It was going to be my go to when leaves were on the trails and it was wet or frosty. I am 65, had a S-1 to L-5/4 Spinal Fusion. I have a Felt Road Bike and a Trek Hybride. Our Fall got very cold quickly here in the upper Midwest and it sat in the garage. I normally ride my Hybrid around 25 miles and 50-65 on my road bike. Yesterday Spring weather finally arrived and I rolled the Cat out of the garage. Add some air, turned on my white strobe and red LED strobe in back and went on a trial ride. I did just under 9 miles in 45 minutes. But it was a learning experience. Getting used to shifting down on inclines, using my quads and core instead of hammies and gluts. and getting used to turning away from the turn and realizing just how much quicker it seems when your butt is just inches off the ground. But I am going out again today and looking to go out on a trail that has some sizeable hills and some with turns at the bottom. One thing I did notice is drivers give you much more space then when riding a 2 wheeler. So now I have a bike to ride with whatever group I am in. I am retiring in under 3 weeks and I plan to use the Summer for me and get a lot of mileage in.
I’d also recommend a chainring guard. I had ‘trike tattoos’ on my calf for a number of months. I wear a helmet, more for if I lose my balance getting off/on. If the inattentive F-250 driver hits you, the helmet won’t help all that much.
An additional reason to use snap-in pedals is that you save energy because you don't have to hold your legs up. This is particularly noticeable at stops but helps all the time.
To your point on helmets: I was doored twice in four months way back in the day. Both times my bike (upright two-wheeler) went out from under me. I hit the ground hard enough to shatter the foam lining in my helmet. Other than some bruising and minor abrasions, I was fine. If I hadn't been wearing a helmet it would have been my head bouncing on the asphalt. And that is not fun.
Leaning into the turn? Puts your weight towards tipping over. You want that other wheel to stay down so your weight should be on the opposite wheel. Like in a sailboat if the port side is low you need your weigh on starboard. Same thing when you hit the breaks hard you don’t want your weight forward just as you said. You need your weight in back to keep that wheel on the ground.
