# Trident recumbents....any good?



## Ashtrayhead (22 Jan 2010)

I've just seen these advertised and was impressed by the price for a new one, but I'm hoping for a bit of advice as I've never owned or ridden a recumbent and don't know the good from bad. I'm hoping to make a visit to bikefix soon to have a good look and try-out of theirs as they also have more well known makes. I've read a lot of the threads on here and have finally persuaded myself that a trike would be a good investment, and I would appreciate any feedback! 

Thanks!

http://www.buybuybicycles.com/trident_recumbent_bicycle.html


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## n-ick (23 Jan 2010)

Try before you buy. 
You pay for what you get, I've never seen a review of these bottom of the market ones. 
For a good dose of sense and 2nd hand trikes try DTek, he usually has loads in stock.


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## Auntie Helen (23 Jan 2010)

Looking at it, I wonder if it's fairly heavy - the rear wheel is held on by a fairly narrow bit of tubing. Also seems to have direct link from handlebar to wheels rather than the Trice-type system.


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## Ashtrayhead (23 Jan 2010)

Thanks for the help and advice. I think I'll take a trip up town to bikefix to have a good look round first. (Then I've got the small matter of selling 2 road bikes to go towards funding the trike!)


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## ufkacbln (23 Jan 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> Also seems to have direct link from handlebar to wheels rather than the Trice-type system.



Don't knock it.... My Catrike has a very similar system and the direct drive is a lot more responsive, intuitive and fun than the damped Trice steering!


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## 3tyretrackterry (23 Jan 2010)

these are made by tw bents they have a fairly good rep in USA very similar to the performer JC70 i believe. try looking on the bentrider website for some more details.
Hope this helps See another thread further down by feargal penge


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## Auntie Helen (23 Jan 2010)

I stand/sit/recumberate corrected!


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## ufkacbln (23 Jan 2010)

Auntie Helen said:


> I stand/sit/recumberate corrected!



So long as you are comfortable!

It is actually a big difference. When I updated from my Trice I tried a few options and the steering on the Catrike was simply stunning.


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## windmiller (24 Jan 2010)

I used to own an Ice T, last of the unsuspended models. Great fun, but for practicle reasons trikes are not for me at the present. The only thing I could fault it for was that in my opinion the seat mesh was rubbish. In the future it is likely that I will own another trike. Such contraptions are not cheap, even the bargain basement trikes are pricey when compared to conventional bikes. On that basis my choice would be very strongly influenced by customer service and spares availability. In that department Ice are the ne plus ultra.


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## ufkacbln (24 Jan 2010)

windmiller said:


> I used to own an Ice T, last of the unsuspended models. Great fun, but for practicle reasons trikes are not for me at the present. The only thing I could fault it for was that in my opinion the seat mesh was rubbish. In the future it is likely that I will own another trike. Such contraptions are not cheap, even the bargain basement trikes are pricey when compared to conventional bikes. On that basis my choice would be very strongly influenced by customer service and spares availability. In that department Ice are the ne plus ultra.



Ian and Catrike are no sluggards either.


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## Ashtrayhead (24 Jan 2010)

Thanks again for all the input. I've decided against the 'mail-order' cheap model because there's no option to try before you buy and, as previously alluded to, no sign of any after sales service. So now I'm comparing and contrasting the Ice and Catrike ranges. They're roughly comparable, price wise and now I'm going back through a lot of old threads to get as much info as possible and tomorrow I'll be on the phone to try and makesome viewing appointments. I'll also get in touch with DTek as they're not too far from me.


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## 3tyretrackterry (24 Jan 2010)

Wise move Kevin at D Tek will sort you out i got my trike from there


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## ufkacbln (24 Jan 2010)

Ian the Catrike importer is just down the road from you as well.


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## xpc316e (3 Feb 2010)

I bought a TW 'bents trike from a dealer in Scotland. It was bought unseen, and had been a demo bike. It had only done a few laps of a car park, and was a 'Buy it now' sale on ebay at £800. I had never ridden a trike, but already owning a recumbent meant that I knew that they agreed with me. 

Quite frankly this trike has been superb value for money. It is well-built and I have carried out only a couple of upgrades (not through any necessity - I just change things to suit my personal taste). I knew that I would have no back-up - but let's be honest here, it's a bike not a lunar module. Bikes are not complicated things to fix in general. I'd still be quids in if I had to pay a cycle mechanic to fix any problems.

I love my TW 'bents trike and would recommend one to anyone. The steering is not twitchy, despite being direct. There is no brake steer, and it is a well-designed and thoroughly engineered. Its low price will allow for components to be easily upgraded when circumstances permit. I am a large guy and no lightweight; the trike coped admirably with 45 mph down a French hill last summer. I reckon that I would have exceeded 50 mph, but the bumpy road had me leaving the seat, and the trike flying over the undulations, so I had to brake a little. I'd happily ride it anywhere.


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## n-ick (4 Feb 2010)

That really is good. I've been trying to get Velovision to test one of these. It would be a good start for someone getting into " the real world".


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## fergal penge (18 Mar 2010)

xpc316e said:


> I bought a TW 'bents trike from a dealer in Scotland. It was bought unseen, and had been a demo bike. It had only done a few laps of a car park, and was a 'Buy it now' sale on ebay at £800. I had never ridden a trike, but already owning a recumbent meant that I knew that they agreed with me.
> 
> Quite frankly this trike has been superb value for money. It is well-built and I have carried out only a couple of upgrades (not through any necessity - I just change things to suit my personal taste). I knew that I would have no back-up - but let's be honest here, it's a bike not a lunar module. Bikes are not complicated things to fix in general. I'd still be quids in if I had to pay a cycle mechanic to fix any problems.
> 
> I love my TW 'bents trike and would recommend one to anyone. The steering is not twitchy, despite being direct. There is no brake steer, and it is a well-designed and thoroughly engineered. Its low price will allow for components to be easily upgraded when circumstances permit. I am a large guy and no lightweight; the trike coped admirably with 45 mph down a French hill last summer. I reckon that I would have exceeded 50 mph, but the bumpy road had me leaving the seat, and the trike flying over the undulations, so I had to brake a little. I'd happily ride it anywhere.


Thanks x p c for that write up, not many of us T W trikers about I'd never ridden a "bent" before and i bought my trident mail order. I've been using it since Christmas and so far so good, except for a puncture, bargain basement it maybe but it's fun and what i could afford.
Lets hear some more from T W trike riders.


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## squeaker (19 Mar 2010)

Link to the manufacturer's description. They do produce a vast range!
I have no experience of TWBents' products but, anecdotally, they come out heavier than claimed....
Regarding the Trident, do you need the fold?


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## fergal penge (22 Mar 2010)

squeaker said:


> Link to the manufacturer's description. They do produce a vast range!
> I have no experience of TWBents' products but, anecdotally, they come out heavier than claimed....
> Regarding the Trident, do you need the fold?



Hi squeaker, i'm not sure what you mean about the fold, personally i don't bother folding it as transporting my Trident is not an issue.
Regarding weight, this my first trike so i don't know any different.


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## squeaker (23 Mar 2010)

*Folding trike?*



fergal penge said:


> Hi squeaker, i'm not sure what you mean about the fold


Only pointing out that if you don't need to fold the trike, then other TWBents models mighter be better in that, unless the fold uses the rear suspension pivot (e.g. pre-2010 Trice) the folding mechanism will add weight / complexity: that's all.


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## twdesigns (17 May 2010)

Actually the Trident bike from TW Bents (UK distributor is Buy Buy Bicycles) are not by any means bottom of the market. They have high spec components (SRAM) and are extremely light becuase of the cr-moly frames. Depends what you are looking for I guess but they seem like a good deal to me.


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