Guide For Riding A Recumbent Tricycle

By Martha Murray


With the summer approaching it's important to get out and get some exercise in order to stay fit and healthy. Being able to ride a bicycle or tricycle is an excellent way to exercise without doing damage to your knees or spinal column. A popular way to exercise is by riding a recumbent tricycle or bicycle. Recumbent trikes are a new trend that has increased in popularity because of the way it rides for people who don't especially like riding bicycles while leaning over the front wheel.

Some may question why using a trike with three wheels. In the past, the tricycle actually came before bicycle. People had trouble balancing the bike and often reverted back to the more stable trike. It's an easy way to ride and be able to view the scenery without worrying about toppling over.

Another question is why user recumbent vehicle rather than the traditional bike or dirtbike. One of the advantages of riding on a recumbent vehicle is that you are able to sit back and lean back and you're not crunching all of your mid organs while leaning over the handlebars for an entire ride. Traveling several miles this way may also cause back pain.

The first thing to learn is how to enter and exit the trike. It can be intimidating but it doesn't have to be. Start with locking the brakes. This step is important so the trike doesn't roll away while you try to sit down. Then you straddle the bar and lean back into the seat. Exiting is just the opposite. Lock the brakes, lean forward, stand up and step out of the trike.

Pedaling can also be difficult at first. A serious recommendation is that you have pedals that have a strap or some way to clip your foot into the pedal. If your foot slips off it could hit the ground and get pulled under the bike which could cause a lot of pain. You don't have to worry about falling off the trike when you stop because there are three wheels.

There are two different types of steering configurations. The linkage steering is like power steering for a bike. This type uses a sway bar under the trike and can easily be controlled with one hand. The direct steer seems more like a sports car with two handles.

Changing gears is as simple as it would be on the two-wheel bike. The advantage here is that you don't need to know what gear you are in. You just simply change the gears as you feel the need to when you're climbing a hill or going downhill. The most popular type of gear is similar to a 10-speed bike where you have two gear settings that can be adjusted to maximize the torque.

Summer is a great time to get out and enjoy exercise, fitness, and riding bikes. Not everyone can ride the traditional 2 wheel bike so using a recumbent version is helpful. Being able to look up and watch the landscape as you ride enhances the experience. With options like a trike that leans back, everyone can easily get out and enjoy the summer.




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