Has anyone ridden any of the (3 or 5 ?) new adult KMX models http://www.tandems-recumbents.com/kmx.html
New KMX Trikes ?
- Thread starter sheddy
- Start date
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tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
Sadly not.
Wouldn't mind a go tho, do we have to go to Ohio for a test spin?
Wouldn't mind a go tho, do we have to go to Ohio for a test spin?
I have watched these develop over the years as the company is local.
They are excellent trikes for their price and that is I think the problem.
At just under £1800, the Venom is more expensive than the majority of the Catrike range - with the Pocket, Trail, Road, Speed, and Expedition all coming in at less.
You can also buy a Trice at £1600 which is considerably cheaper.
The lower priced ones have little competition (apart from the Catrike Trail)
This is the niche, reliable, bombproof fun bikes, but........
The KMX lack the refinement, aesthetics and polish of these bikes, and whilst the original sub £1000 price bracket this is accepted, I think it will be a problem when the prices rises above this mark.
There is also the drawback of versatility where there is no rack fitting or luggage carriage possible.
If I sound "snobbish" it is not meant that way, just an honest personal assessment.
They are excellent trikes for their price and that is I think the problem.
At just under £1800, the Venom is more expensive than the majority of the Catrike range - with the Pocket, Trail, Road, Speed, and Expedition all coming in at less.
You can also buy a Trice at £1600 which is considerably cheaper.
The lower priced ones have little competition (apart from the Catrike Trail)
This is the niche, reliable, bombproof fun bikes, but........
The KMX lack the refinement, aesthetics and polish of these bikes, and whilst the original sub £1000 price bracket this is accepted, I think it will be a problem when the prices rises above this mark.
There is also the drawback of versatility where there is no rack fitting or luggage carriage possible.
If I sound "snobbish" it is not meant that way, just an honest personal assessment.
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
KMX do have their own rack, saving pennies I've cobbled my own out of bits!
I too think that if they're going for higher price, the box section frame starts to look less attractive compared to other trikes on the market.
Nice seats tho.
I too think that if they're going for higher price, the box section frame starts to look less attractive compared to other trikes on the market.
Nice seats tho.
Andy in Sig
Vice President in Exile
- Location
- Sigmaringen, Germany
Cunobelin said:
I find it quite difficult to get an overview of the trike market. I get the impression that KMX specialise in fun off-roaders. Is that right?
If I were forced, on the basis of my limited knowledge to recommend a tourer it would be the HPV Scorpion. Does anybody believe there are better tourers?
And what would be the recommmendation for a fast, light trike for zipping around at the weekend?
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
Andy in Sig said:
The KMX started out as an off road 'fun' trike but are obviously out to expand their market.
The KMX-X and XT were reasonably priced and I bought my 'X' second hand for £300 as there was no way I could afford to 'try out' anything more expensive.
(I have a knee injury that was giving me problems on my upright and all suggestions pointed me toward getting a 'bent or 'bent trike.)
The KMX is a lot of fun but it has needed upgrading from the original spec in order for it to be used as a road bike. Gears and tyres being the major changes.
With every respect to KMX, they are a family business with a good product, but now I know that a tadpole trike with underseat steering is the beast for me, I can now start saving for something a little bit more 'up market'.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
They need the R&D of a big bike firm behind them. With a range from £600 to £1000 and a 'sorted' design they would sell them by the thousand if it had a 'name' on the boom. With 21 speed Megarange gears for the cheap one and up to 27 Deore at the top end they would sell to returning riders who found their new cheap MTB/Hybrid too uncomfortable after an hour in the saddle.
The Trike market is massively varied... The Scorpion by HPVelotechnik is a good machine, but no better / worse than the Trice series, the Greenspeed bikes or the Catrikes.
My personal choice was the Catrike Expedition - but that was after some 14 years on a Trice. I have ridden (with the exception of the Scorpion) all the UK available brands at some point, and it will be a personal choice. The difference between steering attached to the headset (direct) to steering via handlebars attached via rods is subtle but may be enough to influence the choice.
Prices also vary...
As I said this is not "snobbery", simply look at the Catrike Expedition finish, quality and then compare withteh KMX
Now look at the Trice which is some £400 cheaper!
Finally compare a trike at some £700 less!
This is where the problem lies for me...
My personal choice was the Catrike Expedition - but that was after some 14 years on a Trice. I have ridden (with the exception of the Scorpion) all the UK available brands at some point, and it will be a personal choice. The difference between steering attached to the headset (direct) to steering via handlebars attached via rods is subtle but may be enough to influence the choice.
Prices also vary...
As I said this is not "snobbery", simply look at the Catrike Expedition finish, quality and then compare withteh KMX
Now look at the Trice which is some £400 cheaper!
Finally compare a trike at some £700 less!
This is where the problem lies for me...
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!
I wish I had the dosh........
I wish I had the dosh........
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
Cunobelin is right to point out the differences in price and finish available.
I'm old enough to remember the car market of the 1960s. There were some really bad cars on sale in Britain, I drove and owned some! Some of them were so BAD (as in lethal) that the USA banned their import. A fact that was treated as Secret by the UK goverment.
Nowadays there are NO cars that bad, yes, some are better than others but none are anywhere near as dangerous as some 60s models.
As I say, GB motorists were mostly in the dark as to what was good and what was dangerous. So we drove what they could afford. Fortunately all that is in the past for cars.
Back to trikes.
In my opinion we are slowly moving out of the phase of dangerous vehicles in the trike market. Some still on sale are a bit short on safety margins in vital systems, others are better, some are much better. However we are not, in my opinion, YET at the point where there are no bad trikes on the market, BUT we are getting near to it and soon we will be able to say there are no bad trikes out there, only satisfactory and better ones.
Which trike is best? You pay your money and take your chance. But maybe for not too much longer!
I'm old enough to remember the car market of the 1960s. There were some really bad cars on sale in Britain, I drove and owned some! Some of them were so BAD (as in lethal) that the USA banned their import. A fact that was treated as Secret by the UK goverment.
Nowadays there are NO cars that bad, yes, some are better than others but none are anywhere near as dangerous as some 60s models.
As I say, GB motorists were mostly in the dark as to what was good and what was dangerous. So we drove what they could afford. Fortunately all that is in the past for cars.
Back to trikes.
In my opinion we are slowly moving out of the phase of dangerous vehicles in the trike market. Some still on sale are a bit short on safety margins in vital systems, others are better, some are much better. However we are not, in my opinion, YET at the point where there are no bad trikes on the market, BUT we are getting near to it and soon we will be able to say there are no bad trikes out there, only satisfactory and better ones.
Which trike is best? You pay your money and take your chance. But maybe for not too much longer!
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
byegad said:
Just to settle my mind byegad, do you view the KMX as a potentially dangerous trike?
I only ask as I have v.limited experience and my secondhand KMX-X was simply the cheapest way to get started. It is robust enough for me to use on London roads, albeit a tad heavy. It has also eased a problem I had with an aggrivated knee injury that made my upright deeply uncomfortable to ride and was why I was recommended I tried a trike.
I already know the limitations and weaknesses of this trike and I'm keen to move up to a 'bigger, better' brand just as soon as funds and Mrs. tdr1nka permit.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
I'm not sure why trikes would be considered dangerous!! My boy has a KMX, and it's absolutely brilliant for the money.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
Absolutely not! tdr1nka. The KMX carts seem fine for their design aim of a fun thing, well able to stand up to abuse. They do seem to lack the design finesse of other trikes, but that is very much a subjective assessment! Also I am not sure about any tadpole which has a rear brake designed to be used on the move. I imagine locking the rear wheel, swapping ends and then letting the brake off. You are almost guaranteed to wrench a knee. I avoided the parking brake option of a rear disc on my tadpole precisely to avoid the temptation of a 180! My old knees appreciate me looking after them.
However there are some other trikes which in the recent past have had reported problems on American sites. I guess that given the size of some US riders they are pushing designs beyond the limit. I also know of a couple of now out of production trikes and one still in production which seem to suffer from particular faults. In a public forum it would be unfair of me to pass on heresay about particular models. Suffice to say I own a Trice QNT which is great and will soon take delivery of a Kettwiesel AL.
However there are some other trikes which in the recent past have had reported problems on American sites. I guess that given the size of some US riders they are pushing designs beyond the limit. I also know of a couple of now out of production trikes and one still in production which seem to suffer from particular faults. In a public forum it would be unfair of me to pass on heresay about particular models. Suffice to say I own a Trice QNT which is great and will soon take delivery of a Kettwiesel AL.
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
Phew! Thanks byegad.
I understand the tadpole rear breaking problems as I did a couple of spectacular 'doughnuts' in the first weeks of owning the KMX.
The best was when I spun out and nearly tore my chainset along the side of an impatiently overtaking car when I had braked hard at temporary lights.
The park brake is useful to stand the trike up, but to be strong enough to stand the trike the brakes then either grab or rub when on the move.
Should I just dispense with a back brake altogether?
I understand the tadpole rear breaking problems as I did a couple of spectacular 'doughnuts' in the first weeks of owning the KMX.
The best was when I spun out and nearly tore my chainset along the side of an impatiently overtaking car when I had braked hard at temporary lights.
The park brake is useful to stand the trike up, but to be strong enough to stand the trike the brakes then either grab or rub when on the move.
Should I just dispense with a back brake altogether?
