Learning To Ride 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.

The big question is why to have three wheels instead of two. The history of the tricycle is something that goes back beyond the bicycle. In the early days, people had trouble balancing the bicycle and this is a trend that still continues. Having a tricycle is a better way of being able to ride the vehicle without having to balance or lean over the front wheel.

Others ask what the advantages of the recumbent type have over the traditional bike. The biggest advantage is that you do not have to lean forward over the handlebars. You can see the scenery and not be in an awkward position. Sitting back in a relaxing pose also lets you go farther distances without tiring while traveling.

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.

There's no reason to avoid getting out in the sun and having fun in the summertime. Being able to ride a bike is not something that everyone can do so using something like recumbent trikes helps those who may have difficulty bending over the handlebars of a regular 10-speed bike. With these options, anyone can ride by choosing the type of trike or bike that will best fit their needs.




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