Trike access to canals etc

[upandover]

Hello,

I finally sold my upright bike, and I'm now eagerly shopping for a recumbent so I can cycle again!

I'm leaning toward a 2 wheeler, as my sense is it gives greater access, for example though parks, down canals, through anti-motorbike gates and on shared bike lanes etc. I've no practical experience though, and so aren't sure of how true this is - or if I'm talking nonsense? (I'm also impatient to ride again, and at my budget, trikes are more readily available.)

I'd appreciate any words of experience. Trikes obviously have some brilliant benefits. How much are you limited on yours in terms of access, please

Thanks
James

 

[Squirrel Chaser]

Get an ice recumbent trike. Brilliant machines

 

[scragend]

I can see how having a trike may sometimes give you the hump.

 

[upandover]

Get an ice recumbent trike. Brilliant machines

They look it. I'm following several on eBay, and itching to press the button. My non commuting group rides take in all of the above though, and I'd be gutted not to be able to join in.

 

[Venod]

I am not a trike owner, but ride a lot of canals, greenaways etc, I could not ride the same routes with a trike, which is a shame, some of the barriers to progress are sometimes a pain in the neck on two wheels and proberly impossible with a trike

 

[Squirrel Chaser]

I have a trike and never have any issues,don't use it very often but it's nice to have.
Go most places with it but it's on slicks and 700c rear so only for dry fast road work.
It does fit through most vehicle deterrent gates but not ideal.
I just plain my route according to this.
It's fast so you might find riding with others tedious.
If Iam Triking then it's with others as average speed is up in the early 20s...
It's light to carry through kissing gates and over fields but not really that sort of thing

 

[grldtnr]

Be wary, most tadpole trikes are a standard size over the front axle/ beam, which is roughly 700mm , ( a Dutch standard for cycle paths, so that 2 opposing trikers can safely pass, I believe.)
British standard door width is around the same, so be sure you can have access, to anywhere you might want to roam.
I keep mine at home in a large front hall ,bags of room , but it is a squeeze to get through the front door, I have to pick It up and carry it in sideways, I knew that.
Same applies to any barriers on cycleways I've come across, not all of them, but most, the builders / designers of such pathways ,do not take consideration of such things, ,barriers are designed to keep 'out of gauge' , motorized traffic off them, it also happens to do the same with wheelchairs, prams , wheelbarrows......
Canal towpaths were built with a horse in mind, so access you would have thought would be OK, untill barriers are installed.
What I'm saying is if you have regular towpath or cycle routes, scout them out to see if access is easy, if not find out if there are alternatives access for you & trike, or be prepared to dismount and manhandle. Fortunately for myself, I don't use such routes regularly, there is one , but I can detour round it,by road, but I can negotiate by portage,.

 

[fossyant]

You need to have a look at the infrastructure neat where you live/are riding. South Manchester, for example, would be a nightmare on a trike, the canal's aren't very accessible, and the TPT has a load of kissing gates, stiles etc. I've two sodding stiles I have to haul my heavy commuter over on my way to work, and two tight kissing gates. Fallowfield Loop had been improved some years ago, and it's further being made more accessible as we speak.

 

[Squirrel Chaser]

Be wary, most tadpole trikes are a standard size over the front axle/ beam, which is roughly 700mm , ( a Dutch standard for cycle paths, so that 2 opposing trikers can safely pass, I believe.)

Good point.
I allow 820mm for my trike with mudguards on .
Might be a bit more than that but I don't really have any problems.
I do have a wide access (disabled ) front door so it fits in the hallway.
When I'm out on it which is rarely it's only on dry days and sunny ones at that.
Lovely to ride and comfy over 70 miles no problems. I think I would certainly do a wip round a route I wanted if unknown and just check access in advance tho.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Has anyone mentioned yet that taking a trike down a canal will get it very wet???


If I were you I would stick to the towpath

Hope this helps!


(sorry - someone had to say it!)

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

On a more helpful note

I ride a lot of the canal towpaths around here and they vary a lot
Some are specifically set up as cyclepaths and have nice wide flat paths and plenty of space
e.g. the Runcorn spur of the Bridgewater canal
I suspect they are set up so wheelchairs and pushchairs can use them easily
These would be fine with a trike as long as the wheelbase was not too wide

Once I get off these bits then the paths get much narrower and a trike would have a problem
More importantly the bridges have very narrow paths under them and even a normal bike only just fits given the low headroom caused by the shape of the bridge
I think these would be the main problem for trikes

One thing I have noticed is that a lot of the A-frame "gates" on the cycle paths have been taken away and replaced by wider gaps in the fence - This was, I think, done to help wheelchair and mobility scooter access but will be great for trikes

As said before - it varies and you need to check how it works on the places around you - but some are great and some are improving (e.g. the Trans Pennine Trail)

 

[bobcolover]

I prefer camels to canals! re trike v 2 wheeler; i would go for 2 wheel recumbent; just so much more user friendly on all counts; and can still be pretty fast...i can give you a lot more info re 2 wheelers ; let me know ; bob

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

One good point is the variation in the concept of trikes
I have seen recumbent trikes where the 2 wheels at the back are pretty close together so the overall width is quite narrow
On the other hand I have seem some where the rear axle is quite wide and would have problems on some of the canal bridges I ride past
Also - a recumbent is quite low and so the headroom under canal bridges low down gives plenty of width due to the curve
whereas an upright trike with a wide axle would struggle to get under

 

[iluvmybike]

My local canal (Leeds-Liverpool) is off limits with my recumbent trike. Parts are a bit narrow but the main issue is the access - there are lots of different ones along the length I'd like to ride- they are simply not wide enough and a lot have crazy a-frame type barriers on them (even a wide bar mtb has tp be manhandled) or steps or the pathway is too narrow Some would be impassable for wheelchair users too. Our local country park, however, has changed all of its access points from really narrow ones/kissing gate type to sensible gaps and I can pass easily as can wheelchair, tramper of push chair users. I have thanked them for their enlightened approach

 

[Tigerbiten]

Ice sprint rider here.
I've done many a mile down a canal bank both in the UK and on the continent.
Most canals that are set up as bridle paths are fine to use as long as you can get on them.
But the going can vary from good macadam to a single track mud rut.
It can get a bit iffy if the bank has collapsed, but that's rare.
Bridges tend to narrow but passable at a sensible speed, just don't meet somebody coming the other way under one.
Footpaths tend to be so overgrown that they are no go even if allowed.

As for anti-cycling barriers.
A frames tend to be ok. They are narrow at waist/handle bar height, but wide enough down at knee height where I am.
A waist height bar across the track, I can normally fit under. But I am very reclined so lower than most.
What tends to stop me is if I haven't got a straight run through the barrier.
Some barrier where I need a 1 meter turning circle to get through will stop me every time.
It's then a question of if it's worth it to get off and man-handle the trike through or try another way.

Luck .......