Suggestions for trikes that would fit through a standard door please.

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

A chap I know in his late 70s wants a trike as he can no longer balance on a bicycle.

The big issue is that a lack of a garage means that the trike needs to fit through the front/back door of a normal house.

We’ve looked around and found numerous narrow recumbents and smaller wheeled trikes but are looking for something that someone who can remember riding long and fast will enjoy.

We are not quite sure what long and fast will mean nowadays but it is not 5 miles around the block with wicker baskets. :-)

A recumbent is not necessarily out, they just have the issue of being a new idea to us and the common concern of being so low.

It may be our lack of knowledge on the subject but we just can’t find a racy trike that narrow. What we do find seems to have 24 inch wheels, which on a bike would generally be regarded as a bit small and aimed at local relaxed rides.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Ian

 

[Punkawallah]

Seriously, they manufacture stabilisers for adult bikes, now. Might fulfil his needs? These were the first ones on Google:
https://missioncycles.co.uk/product...YLANJ9xqnj-Yy4a1PIEy37vfB0qzQ9deSr9IGLDZ7MxUA

 

[steveindenmark]

There are a couple of folding trikes.

 

[Sharky]

Would a tricycle conversion kit fit?
Some can be custom made.
Won't be cheap.
Try longstaffe cycles?

 

[Mike Ayling]

Good morning,

A chap I know in his late 70s wants a trike as he can no longer balance on a bicycle.

The big issue is that a lack of a garage means that the trike needs to fit through the front/back door of a normal house.

We’ve looked around and found numerous narrow recumbents and smaller wheeled trikes but are looking for something that someone who can remember riding long and fast will enjoy.

We are not quite sure what long and fast will mean nowadays but it is not 5 miles around the block with wicker baskets. :-)

A recumbent is not necessarily out, they just have the issue of being a new idea to us and the common concern of being so low.

It may be our lack of knowledge on the subject but we just can’t find a racy trike that narrow. What we do find seems to have 24 inch wheels, which on a bike would generally be regarded as a bit small and aimed at local relaxed rides.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Ian

"'24 inch wheels a bit small. "
So are 20 inch but choice of chain ring sizes will give as high a gear as you need.

 

[Red17]

Is there a wheels for all centre local to him,? Might be able to check out / test a few options

https://wheelsforall.org.uk/locations

 

[a.twiddler]

It's obviousy more complicated than just sticking an extra wheel on your favourite, comfortable 700C bike. Being an experienced rider of a standard bike can even be a handicap when learning to ride an equivalently specced "barrow", as you have to overcome your instinctive reactions learnt over many years to make this trike go where you want it to. Just because it looks like your familiar bike doesn't mean that it will behave like it while riding.

I do wonder though, whether narrowing the track to comfortably get through a standard doorway of 30" (realistically a few inches narrower for clearance) might affect stability adversely on such a relatively tall trike.

If you are determined enough no doubt you can learn to ride one but you may take a few knocks in the process. Getting the chance to try one is probably the key thing here. If it is to be used as a replacement for a road bike for club runs etc it might be the way to go, and being able to continue doing that might be sufficient motivation in itself. It might take some time to make the pschological changeover.

Hopefully someone with more specific experience will be along in due course. Even though these trikes are rare, they're probably a bit more "mainstream" than recumbent trikes. Whenever I go to a nearby town I keep an eye out for a guy who is often out and about on one. How often do I see a recumbent trike? Very rarely, though I did have one myself for a while.

For the sheer utility of keeping yourself mobile and independent a recumbent trike has advantages if you can wean yourself off the idea that only diamond frame bikes and their derivatives are the way to go. Almost anyone can ride one straight away, unlike a "barrow". They can be fast, usually with two wheels in front, one behind. They corner well and are hard to fall off. Seats can be of various heights, depending on how flexible the rider is. Can carry luggage if necessary. Various wheel sizes. Available in wide track or narrow track formats, or 2 wheels at the rear, one in front, or vice versa. Can even have partial or full suspension.

Not that I'm trying to convert anyone. And they all have the same disadvantage, upright or reclined, of finding one to try, unless someone in your area is selling one on ebay or elsewhere.

 

[Sharky]

There is a certain technique, when cornering with a tricycle ...

But does become natural after a while.
My experience is with a tandem trike.

 

[Ian H]

Most solo barrows are designed to fit through doorways.

 

[Ian H]

There is a certain technique, when cornering with a tricycle ...

View attachment 783446

But does become natural after a while.
My experience is with a tandem trike.

The Boot on a barrow!

 

[raleighnut]

Most solo barrows are designed to fit through doorways.

Yep mine does but is is hefty,hence the electric front wheel conversion kit. Not ideal for going 'fast' on either unless you have a certain degree of mobility to hang off on corners. They do take a bit of 'unlearning' of cycling

 

[a.twiddler]

Most solo barrows are designed to fit through doorways.

For the OP the $64,000 question is ...which ones?

 

[chris667]

How about one of those kits that replaces the front wheel of a bike with two small wheels? A different company "invents" them every so often. I remember the Noomad, but it's been done since.

https://wiredplanet.net/noomad-cargo-bike-kit/

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning

Thanks for these ideas.

I will feed them on and see what happens.

Stabalisers may be a bit of a hard sell, and interestingly those linked to say not for ebikes, wonder why, not that e.. was part of the plan anyway.

Conversion might be interesting as he has a bought from new curly Hetchins.

Wheel size is probably a hangover from 24" being a childs bike.

There a couple of the Wheels For All that are within a reasonable distance.

A recumbent trike does seem well worth exploring but it is a real mind set change.

As for width a lot of normal "unfun" ones all seemed to just fit through a door it may be we just found a few that didn't.

Interesting idea those front wheel conversion kits, should I be worried about the leverage the other wheel will be applying to the forks when one of the wheels is off the ground?

Thanks again.

Bye

Ian

 

[chris667]

Interesting idea those front wheel conversion kits, should I be worried about the leverage the other wheel will be applying to the forks when one of the wheels is off the ground?

The idea is that one wheel won't be off the ground. The wheels pivot as you turn, like 3 wheeled mopeds.

I think the problem with them is if one wheel gets stuck, you find the handlebars jerking away from you. I am sure it's manageable.

I bet you could do a brilliant stoppie on one!