Can I please get help with finding someone or somewhere I can turn to for help with getting a recumbent bike or trike?
I have muscualskeletal problems as well as kidney problems (still not got to the bottom of that problem).
I can't ride a two wheeler for much more than an hour.
I live in Fleetwood Lancashire. I would like to get hold of a recumbent but would like help about finances.
First you need to establish what format of trike will best suit your needs. You have several parameters to consider. The single most important consideration is seat height. Low trikes are easy enough to get into - but getting out of them might prove challenging or even impossible if you have physical problems. Low recumbent trikes *tend* to be tadpole format (two wheels at the front and one at the back). Trikes with higher seats *tend* to be delta format (one front wheel/ two rear). The perceived wisdom is that low / tadpole trikes are more stable and go around corners faster thanks to their lower centre of gravity. However, well designed delta trikes which place the rider's mass close to the rear axle, like HASE's Kettweisel, are pretty good. Your best option at this early stage of your quest is to try as many machines as you can, to get a feel for what's available, how they differ and start to build up a picture of the trike you need.
The market for second hand recumbent trikes is small. New ones sell in very small numbers in the UK. Demand for second hand units far outstrips supply, and so it's a sellers market. You'll be extremely lucky if you manage find a machine which meets your requirements at a decent price before someone else snaps it up. You could be waiting years.
New quality machines like the HASEs and ICE trikes are very expensive because they are low volume. There are a few entry-level options in the UK: KMX trikes are acceptable for the money but they are clanky and heavy. Mission Cycles in Kent import a range of delta trikes from Taiwan. They're not terrible. Many people buy these entry level trikes to 'prove the principle', it's a relatively low cost way to explore living with a recumbent before splashing out on a posh one. And, of course, the market being what it is, if you look after it, you'll get a decent pc of your investment back when/if you sell it on.
Finance. A bank loan, as has been mentioned, is an inexpensive way of borrowing money. But I'm no expert.
And then there's *funding*. The whole disability equipment industry is almost entirely dependent on charity or government funding. There are hundreds of charities which fund this sort of purchase. But be aware that they are very unlikely to fund a second hand trike.
Many moons ago, when I was looking at setting up my own disability bikes retail business I compiled a list of charities and other agencies which fund this sort of purchase. Plus a guide to fund seeking/ I shall see if I can dig it out.
