Is 3-Speed Option for 3-Wheelers worth it?

[Saxon Violence]

Friends,
I'm 60 years old. I haven't ridden a bike in over 40 years. I really need to get into shape. My balance isn't good enough to ride a 2-wheeler. I'm too heavy (380-pounds) for commercial bikes so I'm considering a Husky Heavy-Duty 3-wheeled Industrial bike.
They offer a 3-Speed option for $89.
Is this worth the expense and added mechanical complexity?
Something else—well, a couple of something else's—I'm like really poor. I want to get as much as I can with a one-time purchase.
Solid rubber tires—are they a good value or will they have to be replaced every year or two?
Light—I don't think that I'll ride the bike at night very often, but I looked into head and tail-lights.
Woo-Wee! They start out with 5-LED lights for around $30, to 2500 Lumen Lithium Ion rechargeable for $380.
That $380 scared me too much to read any further. My last bike had twin flashlight bulbs powered by 2-D Cell batteries each and that was good enough until it quit working when it was about 3-weeks old—nope, wouldn't work even with new batteries…
Turn me on to what is a reasonable modern light in terms of price and illumination.
EE…I'm going to ride the bike a few minutes daily at first, with hopes to work up to an hour or 2 eventually.
I hope to lose weight as I go along too.
{Relavent to how long solid rubber wheels will generally last for…}
Thank You!

Saxon Violence

 

[mjr]

http://www.huskybicycles.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=hb&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=T-326

I've a couple of bikes with 3 speed hubs and they're worth $85 more on a new bike. If that's the SG-3C41 hub (I think that's the right number), then it adds a gear 25% easier than whatever you've fitted and one 33% harder... if you set it so the 33% harder gear is for cruising along on the flat, it gives you a lower gear for climbing false flats and gentle stuff, plus another for climbing moderate hills and starting off.

 

[mjr]

As for mechanical complexity... it's all tucked away in the hub and as long as it's serviced for the warranty period, it'll be fine. (After that, I disagree with the recommended servicing regime but ask again in a few years.) Externally, the only difference from a single speed is the gear cable and connector. It's not a load of extra exposed mechanicals like a derailleur bike.

The Sturmey Archer hubs seem more robust and more repairable, but that Shimano hub gear is still mostly fine.

 

[TheDoctor]

A singlespeed trike is going to be less than fun - I'd go for the three speed every time.
And while fixing flats on a trike is easier, at least for the two rear wheels, I'd probably go for the solid tyres in your position. If you're looking to get fitter, then make it as easy on yourself as you can.
Lights. Rear LED lights are dirt cheap, and front lights that are plenty powerful enough are not expensive either. A set like this from Amazon will be fine, and you could almost certainly find cheaper.
And well done! Lots of people would just give up.

 

[voyager]

go for a minimum of 3 speed , it is also a good resale point,

lights , if you aren't going to use them often, a cheaper set of battery or rechargeable lamps is all you need

visibility is the key factor , when you return to cycling , be seen , be heard and take care .

 

[raleighnut]

Trikes are great fun, as for gears it depends on how flat/level the area is. Mine has 6 gears but even they aren't enough to cope with hills due to my weakened leg.

 

[Saxon Violence]

Thanks everyone.
I'm enlightened and I was touched that so many took the time to reply.
Saxon Violence

 

[Tigerbiten]

On my tadpole recumbent trike I normally get about 20,000 miles out of a set of front tyres and half that for the back. The back tyre can slip going up steep-wet slopes so I wear it out quicker than the front two. So I think it's more how easy you could repair a puncture or not if solid tyres are any use to you. If you cannot repair a puncture easily then solids or something like a Schwalbe Marathon Plus (which is an almost puncture proof tyre) is a good option.

As for gears, my thinking is the more the better. The more gears you have, the easier it is to cycle -> The easier it is to cycle, the more you enjoy it -> The more you enjoy it, the more often you get out cycling -> The more you get, the fitter you get -> The fitter you get, the easier it gets to cycle -> go back 4 steps ......

 

[mjr]

As for gears, my thinking is the more the better. The more gears you have, the easier it is to cycle

The marketing people must love you! More gears can mean lower gears (easier uphill) or it can mean smaller steps between them (so you're more likely to be able to get close to your maximum sustainable speed), but it can also mean more higher gears that you rarely use and are just more metal that you buy every time you wear out some sprockets now that it's mostly cassettes. It probably depends where and how you ride.

 

[Tigerbiten]

The marketing people must love you! .

Yes and no.
No, because after over 40 years cycling I know exactly what I want and I think that most beginners bikes are horribly overgeared.
Yes, because I'm willing to pay to get what I want, hence paying over £2k for the gears on my recumbent trike, Schlumpf HSD and a Rohloff.