Buying a Used Recumbent Trike [Complete Guide] 

I bought my used sprint x tour used. I went with a knowledgeable trike friend. This was a basically new trike in excellent condition. I got a heck of a deal👏 and full suspension. I had a full fit and tune up yesterday. I've added a few light mounts, flag, front light and upgraded my headrest. After 3 years of research and test riding I finally pulled the trigger and got lucky to find one locally

I own an HP Scorpion Enduro with a Bafang BBS02, 52 volt battery, Nuvinci 380 CVT,, and lots of options that I built and installed. The trike is 2 1/2 years old and in excellent condition, routine service performed as specified by the manufacturer. In 2019 when I purchased the trike it came in at $8,990.00. Checking the manufacturer website, the trike today configured exactly as mine runs approx. $12,899.00, with all of the options I installed (4 channel stereo w/subwoofer, stand assist bars, roof canopy, lights, and mirrors) the trike is worth around $15,000.00. That being said it would behoove me to keep up with the servicing intervals, replace parts as necessary, and continue to enjoy riding my trike, because truth be told if I ever thought about selling my trike, I would be taken to the cleaners, and that's no joke!

Actually had my CaTrike Expedition since last October. Never had leg suck. But watching your videos, I decided not to poke the bear and put SPD pedals on and got new cycle shoes.

For people that are mechanically incline, and are smart shoppers, buying 2nd hand is a great option. I’ve purchased 5 so far and have never lost money on any of them. On a well maintained reputable manufactured trike, the main frame usually last forever and most all the parts are replaceable. Newer is always better, but am not deterred by older models if it can be had at a substantial discount. I currently own 3 e-assist trikes that are enjoyed by my family and friends. I always look for upgrades like IGH, e-assist, lights, racks, etc when purchasing. For me personally, 2nd hand is the best option. It also aligns with my belief in recycling and repurposing.

I bought a used Catrike Dumont for a truly good price, $2500 when they were still $4800 new. It was just what the guy selling said, it was about 3 years old, was all original equipment and had been ridden something less than 500 miles. The mechanic I had go over the trike said he didn’t think it’s been ridden much over 300 miles, definitely less than 400. The chain, a little dirty, that was about the worst thing about it and the front tires were worn enough that changing them was a good idea, the alignment was a little off. But otherwise it was a good buy. That said, I see on places like eBay, with old very old trikes being sold for nearly new prices. Don’t ever buy a trike sight unseen, photographs lie. And if a seller is reluctant to let you inspect or at least ride the trike, keep walking. One thing I’ve learned and Catrike, they have not changed the frame designs so getting replacement parts is pretty easy. Also, with Catrike at least, if the boom is color matched it’s older than 2015. All Catrikes 2015 and newer have mat black booms. And buying an e-trike, there’s where it gets sticky. You’ll have no way to know how old the batteries are, or if they are shot. Or if the motor is about to fail. And a lot of bike shops do not know how to test the electronics. So I would shy away from buying a used battery powered bike or trike, because you really don’t know what you’re getting, not unless you know the seller and their riding habits. Considering a new Bosch motor and battery can cost over $3,000, I wouldn’t be running out buying an e-trike unless I knew for certain that the battery and motor are in pristine condition. But you’re looking at one that’s 4, 5 over 6 years old, wouldn’t buy it. Hope this helps someone thinking about buying used.

Excellent. Excellent. Great tips in here Thanks!

Great points Mickey! My first trike was a 2007 ICE Qnt, one owner, few total miles. It was in great shape, which was confirmed by a bike mechanic friend of mine. Four months of riding it around confirmed nothing was wrong, so i took it on my first cross country ride, nearly 1000 miles, and it did just fine. Two years later, I did the ride a second time, still no issues. But on a third trip, along the Pacific Ocean, the chain finally broke ... it was questionable when I left, but I figured it would be good for one more trip. Well, it wasn't, and I spend about an hour on a rural farm road fixing it, and then had to baby it the rest of the trip. I made it, but I learned a lesson about keeping the chain in top-notch condition. steve

Used trikes can also be great finds for tinkerers, who like to upgrade, or fix them. Heck, new trikes are also great for tinkerers too. Sometimes, riding becomes secondary.

Very informative video. As always, it’s buyer beware. If one is going to be a very active rider he/she is really better off going to a licensed dealer , test riding trikes and buying the one best suited to their body and in their budget. Spend a few extra bucks and do it right. It makes the riding experience much more enjoyable.

Excellent vid.😉

Totally agree about the Ebike Batteries only lasting 4-5yrs BUT they will only last that long IF well maintained and kept charged. If you leave them flat/uncharged, they're basically trashed in very short order (weeks to a couple of months at most)! What I hate is how much they cost $$$ and good luck getting one for a system over 5-6yrs old as they're propriety/built for that specific system with regards to capacity, voltage, connections and mounting.

I have had many recumbents, only one that was purchased new. With just about any used bike assume you need to replace tires and tubes, chain, cassette, brake pads, and cables and housing.

Mickey, could you do a video on washing and cleaning trikes?

Hey Mickey - what I really want to know is how to ship my trike. I bought an ICE Sprint X Tour thinking, "It folds! Great. I'll be able to put it on Amtrak, train out to the West Coast and ride home or whatever." I was wrong. I can't find a box for it, anywhere, folded or unfolded. Some people say, "Hey, just get a box from your bike shop where you bought it." Great idea, except when ICE ships it they ship it disassembled in two boxes. I'm not sure that disassembling and reassembling my trike every time I want to do a big tour is feasible, but maybe it is my only option. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic of trike transport.

Wish I could find some info or video that showed the differences in the Rover model throughout its years, was there a certain year it came with the bigger 26 inch rear wheel or was that always only a after-market option?

A question to tadpole recumbent trike riders. Is cross-chaining bad on a tadpole recumbent trike? Recumbents have a much longer chainline than upright bikes, so it's interesting to know how it works out.

Is there one use both hand and legs crank? Maybe head for direction?

Any videos on buying used 2 wheeled recumbents?

I am looking for hand crank trike. any recommendations

Do you have any experience with a quad electric fat tire?

Does anyone know if a regular adult tricycle can be modified with the recumbent seat I want for back support. Trying to save money. Would also need to change the handle bars but I would think that us definitively doable I don’t know much about bikes obviously