# Problems riding a trike helppppppppppppp



## rebelpeter (9 Dec 2013)

Can anyone tell me why when riding a adult trike a Pasley that it pulls into the curb so i am forced to ride
in the centre of the road which is dangerous to me, and so i am unable to use this new trike.Is there some
thing special about how to ride a trike if so please helppppppppppppppppppppp.


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## glasgowcyclist (9 Dec 2013)

Is there a pronounced camber on the road you're riding?

GC


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## ufkacbln (9 Dec 2013)

Yep - trikes are very subject to camber, the slope of the road

Where a two wheel macine stays upright, the three point contact of a trike tips the weight ofthe rider and trike into a turn in that direction.

It is a case of forgetting all the riding skills thatyou know atthe moment and learning a new way of riding.

It does come with time.


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## Rickshaw Phil (9 Dec 2013)

It doesn't help that on most upright trikes the drive only goes to one wheel. On a two wheel drive trike I had no problems with camber.


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## rebelpeter (9 Dec 2013)

glasgowcyclist said:


> Is there a pronounced camber on the road you're riding?
> 
> GC


 well it happens on most of my country lanes here
i have to hold the bars right or ride in the centre of the road with my right hand wheel
almost on the white line.. it is very hard it pulls me to the curb


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## rebelpeter (9 Dec 2013)

Cunobelin said:


> Yep - trikes are very subject to camber, the slope of the road
> 
> Where a two wheel macine stays upright, the three point contact of a trike tips the weight ofthe rider and trike into a turn in that direction.
> 
> ...



Ahhh so it is just not me then i thought i must be going a bit crazy
as when i got on my 2 wheeler after a ride on the trike i could not ride
at all i was wobbling like id never riden a bike before, then it got better
and i was ok but it scared me in case i had forgotten to ride a normal 2 wheeler.

is it possible then for it not to pull meinto the curb,when im used to it, im fine on a straight flat road
but some round here have a camber, will i be able to ride the camber without
being pulled into the curb with practice, you say it comes with time this is
good news as i have this nice Pashley in great order and with the big 28 inch
wheels, lovely trike and i want to ride it now and then im mostly into racers
but this trike being big unlike the small 20 inch wheel ones i though would
give me some extra exercise but i cant ride it without my handlebars being in the centre
of my half of the road but that puts my right wheel right over almost and at times
on the white line, as these are country roads round here andnot too wide at all.

to stop it pulling me right to the curb i have to hold the bars hard right
it is very hard riding and im no spring chicken . . . . . lol . . .


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## rebelpeter (9 Dec 2013)

Rickshaw Phil said:


> It doesn't help that on most upright trikes the drive only goes to one wheel. On a two wheel drive trike I had no problems with camber.




Hello Phil I will look and see if both wheels drive i only got it Saturday so just
went for a ride not looked at the drive wheels, so if it has both wheels driven
it should be better i see, i will have a look at it and see what wheel or wheels
drive, it is a Pashley straight handlebars 12 gear about 7 years old the chap
said who gave it to me.

Do you think the 28 inch wheels make it harder to ride than the smaller 20 inch
ones.


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## Rickshaw Phil (9 Dec 2013)

rebelpeter said:


> Hello Phil I will look and see if both wheels drive i only got it Saturday so just
> went for a ride not looked at the drive wheels, so if it has both wheels driven
> it should be better i see, i will have a look at it and see what wheel or wheels
> drive, it is a Pashley straight handlebars 12 gear about 7 years old the chap
> said who gave it to me.


I believe Pashley use 1 wheel drive as standard, which does tend to make the steering want to pull to one side.



rebelpeter said:


> Do you think the 28 inch wheels make it harder to ride than the smaller 20 inch
> ones.


This I don't know about. My experience is limited to the Cycles Maximus trike I had, which was on a BMX 20" front wheel and 23" (moped size) rear wheels.

There is a trike racing scene out there: link They all use the larger wheels. Make of that what you will.


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## TheDoctor (9 Dec 2013)

You will get used to it. Took me about 30 miles IIRC.
Trikes need a very different technique to bikes - you're almost better off not having learned how to ride a bike, IMHO.


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## thegravestoneman (9 Dec 2013)

You will get used to it with time, Just wait til the snow is on the ground and your rear wheels try to over take, you left side first. I rode a trike for a long while and I am looking at getting another once finance allows. It is well worth the effort and it all becomes natural soon enough, you will not forget how to ride a bike either just watch out for the burns on your leg when cornering. It was always fun when attending a reliability run and offering the trike to experienced riders and watching them teeter and wobble before giving up after about ten yards. Stick with it and enjoy.

Don't forget there is the tricycle association to help you too.


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## rebelpeter (10 Dec 2013)

Rickshaw Phil said:


> I believe Pashley use 1 wheel drive as standard, which does tend to make the steering want to pull to one side.
> 
> This I don't know about. My experience is limited to the Cycles Maximus trike I had, which was on a BMX 20" front wheel and 23" (moped size) rear wheels.
> 
> There is a trike racing scene out there: link They all use the larger wheels. Make of that what you will.


 
*Hello Phil i just looked and the pedals only drive the left side wheel,
i will look at the link you sene me, what gets me is there are a lot
of older people who ride adult trikes and they surely all can not have
the trouble i am having, when theres a road camber it just pulls me to the curb,
i have to tug it over to the right even then it veers left.*


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## rebelpeter (10 Dec 2013)

thegravestoneman said:


> You will get used to it with time, Just wait til the snow is on the ground and your rear wheels try to over take, you left side first. I rode a trike for a long while and I am looking at getting another once finance allows. It is well worth the effort and it all becomes natural soon enough, you will not forget how to ride a bike either just watch out for the burns on your leg when cornering. It was always fun when attending a reliability run and offering the trike to experienced riders and watching them teeter and wobble before giving up after about ten yards. Stick with it and enjoy.
> 
> Don't forget there is the tricycle association to help you too.


 
*Hello Gravestone man so you say i will be able to do it withough being pulled over to the kerb
as im unable to dare ride it i finish up in the gutter and nearly hot the left curb.
Are you saying then i wil be able to ride with a camber road and not be pulled
over to the c urb all the time, it is sooooo hard trying to force the handlebars
to keep to the right away from the curb.*

* Can you give me a link to get me to the tricycle association maybe this may
help me understand how to ride it.*

* You say stick with it so seems i will do it once i get used to it, and you say
that offering a trike to an experienced 2 wheel rider they wobble and give up.
So are trikes hard to ride or is it just me do other unexperienced trike riders have
problems riding a trike i just thought it was me doing it wrong.*


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## Globalti (10 Dec 2013)

Wait until you've got used to the trike and you go back to the two-wheeler. You'll get off and walk away from it then hear a crash behind you as it falls over.


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## User33236 (10 Dec 2013)

Globalti said:


> Wait until you've got used to the trike and you go back to the two-wheeler. You'll get off and walk away from it then hear a crash behind you as it falls over.



Genuine LOL at this


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## Rickshaw Phil (10 Dec 2013)

I think it is going to be down to technique which will come with use. Perhaps take the trike somewhere quiet to practice if you are able to.

I was fortunate in that I was able to just get on a trike and ride it (apart from a bit of embarrassment misjudging the width and crashing the Maximus van prototype into a hedge ). It does however mean it's difficult to offer advice because I haven't personally experienced the problem many people have steering trikes.

Like @thegravestoneman I let a few people have a go on my trike. Some got it pretty quickly while others wobbled around in terror and couldn't wait to get off. I think in the latter case it's because they are making a conscious effort to balance when it's not needed, but that's just my theory.



Globalti said:


> Wait until you've got used to the trike and you go back to the two-wheeler. You'll get off and walk away from it then hear a crash behind you as it falls over.


  Haven't done this but I'm sure others have.


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## thegravestoneman (10 Dec 2013)

rebelpeter said:


> *Hello Gravestone man so you say i will be able to do it withough being pulled over to the kerb
> as im unable to dare ride it i finish up in the gutter and nearly hot the left curb.
> Are you saying then i wil be able to ride with a camber road and not be pulled
> over to the c urb all the time, it is sooooo hard trying to force the handlebars
> ...


It took me a fair while to master cambers but in the end it did come to me. I started with just a loop round the block and I think what was a 5 minute bike ride took me over an hour and a lot of swearing and I could have given up there and then. Car parks are a reasonable place to start just to get used to its characteristics and move on from there, when I first thought I was used to it Deep cambered (old Victorian) roads did catch me out but I did get there to the point where my bike stayed at home all the time. I guess the pull is always there but in the end I did not notice it, I don't know if wider bars might give you more leverage and help or make matters worse? but they might be worth a try. It is I think a case of re-adjusting your balance to the right whilst leaving the trike to do its own thing.

Trikes are indeed (imho) more difficult to ride then bikes once you have mastered a bike as you have to ignore all the balance skills you have acquired and honed over the years. I did offer a few bike riders ownership of my handbuilt Bob Jackson Racing trike which was worth about £800 upwards at the time in the mid eighties if they could ride it round the car park in a reasonable time at the beginning of rides and most were still trying to set off never mind get to a point where they might change gear or reach the first corner before they gave up and wheeled it back. 

Once you have mastered it they are great machines and can get a tad addictive I think I ended up with four including a tandem trike and a box-trike. That is me on the back keeping it grounded.

Good luck and all the best Gaz

http://www.tricycleassociation.org.uk


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## thegravestoneman (10 Dec 2013)

Another advantage used to be turning up at the city centre races that were very popular at the time and putting the half a brake block from my pocket into the brake lever so I had my own grandstand to watch the action on. They do roll away if you leave them to their own devices for just a second.


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## rebelpeter (10 Dec 2013)

thegravestoneman said:


> It took me a fair while to master cambers but in the end it did come to me. I started with just a loop round the block and I think what was a 5 minute bike ride took me over an hour and a lot of swearing and I could have given up there and then. Car parks are a reasonable place to start just to get used to its characteristics and move on from there, when I first thought I was used to it Deep cambered (old Victorian) roads did catch me out but I did get there to the point where my bike stayed at home all the time. I guess the pull is always there but in the end I did not notice it, I don't know if wider bars might give you more leverage and help or make matters worse? but they might be worth a try. It is I think a case of re-adjusting your balance to the right whilst leaving the trike to do its own thing.
> 
> Trikes are indeed (imho) more difficult to ride then bikes once you have mastered a bike as you have to ignore all the balance skills you have acquired and honed over the years. I did offer a few bike riders ownership of my handbuilt Bob Jackson Racing trike which was worth about £800 upwards at the time in the mid eighties if they could ride it round the car park in a reasonable time at the beginning of rides and most were still trying to set off never mind get to a point where they might change gear or reach the first corner before they gave up and wheeled it back.
> 
> ...


 
Wow that is some trike you have there it seems then they are not easy to ride
and i need to practice i was tempted to giveup and sell it but the way your talkking
everyone struggles at first so im gonna keep the trike and persevere as i like the big wheels
ihave a 20 inch wheeler but no where are good at the 28 inch.
so can i say then it is not just me that finds it hard to ride a trike, as if so im gonna
keep on trying, i guess these rods round here are old types i live in a rural area all farms
so no modern roads they just re do the roads here with gravel kinds thingy,
wider bars are a good idea think i ought to try them do you.

you say trikes are imho ere well donno what that means can you enlarge on that please.

I have never seen a tandem, trike that must be very rare, a racing trike sounds great
but i guess i would struggle with them more so than my upright.

well im gonna keep on and not give up as i was going to do before i read this site
it seems im not the only one who struggles to ride trikes though i donno why they
are so hard to ride once you can ride a 2 wheeler but seems that dont help you ride
a trike.

many thanks for the photo the trike looks great im hoping one day someone local to me maybe
able to give me some lessons as it seems trikes are a lot more popular than i imagined,
i though they were just for older people who have a job to balance and get on a 2 wheeler,
but seems as in the photo young people use them too this is a great surprise to me thought
you needed to hit 70 yrs old to use a trike, well ive done that part of it now i need to get to ride
a trike, one thing id like to ask the right side wheel does not run free as a normal bike it seems
to turn part of the axle is this normal or should it run free like a 2 wheeler bike does, it turns ok
but its not free running like a normal bike is this ok and right , ,

Many thanks . . .


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## rebelpeter (10 Dec 2013)

TheDoctor said:


> You will get used to it. Took me about 30 miles IIRC.
> Trikes need a very different technique to bikes - you're almost better off not having learned how to ride a bike, IMHO.


*hello i am pleased to hear ill get used to it sounds like i am trying to ride
like a normal bike and balance it i see, can you tell me what IIRC and IMHO mean please.*


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## rebelpeter (10 Dec 2013)

Globalti said:


> Wait until you've got used to the trike and you go back to the two-wheeler. You'll get off and walk away from it then hear a crash behind you as it falls over.


 
this is very funny and i can see what you mean, im getting so much help on
here i am overwhelmed and would like to say a big thank you to everyone
that is helping me on here, i was before this thinking of giving up on the trike
as i though it was me that was the problem. many thanks to you all and keep the replies
comong please as it is a great help to me.


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## Rickshaw Phil (10 Dec 2013)

rebelpeter said:


> *hello i am pleased to hear ill get used to it sounds like i am trying to ride
> like a normal bike and balance it i see, can you tell me what IIRC and IMHO mean please.*


 IIRC means If I Recall Correctly and IHMO means In My Honest Opinion (or humble opinion).


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## rebelpeter (10 Dec 2013)

Rickshaw Phil said:


> IIRC means If I Recall Correctly and IHMO means In My Honest Opinion (or humble opinion).


 


Rickshaw Phil said:


> IIRC means If I Recall Correctly and IHMO means In My Honest Opinion (or humble opinion).


 

ok thanks for the info on this i would never have guessed that.

Thanks Phil . . .


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## Smurfy (11 Dec 2013)

I've heard that right wheel drive in the UK is a constant battle to keep the trike from steering into the gutter. Take it to the continent though, and right hand drive is exactly what you want as it will lift you out of the gutter.


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## Gravity Aided (11 Dec 2013)

Camber just tosses you right back there. Dual drive is better, I think.


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## rebelpeter (11 Dec 2013)

YellowTim said:


> I've heard that right wheel drive in the UK is a constant battle to keep the trike from steering into the gutter. Take it to the continent though, and right hand drive is exactly what you want as it will lift you out of the gutter.


 

mmmm my trike is left hand drive is th at good . . . .


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## rebelpeter (11 Dec 2013)

Gravity Aided said:


> Camber just tosses you right back there. Dual drive is better, I think.


 
yes i guess dual drive is good i donno if this makes sense but my trike is left wheel drive
when i lift the right wheel it does not run free as a normal 2 wheel but then it seems to
turn part of the axle so i guess it would not run completely free,

is this right do you think it should it turn part of the right axle with the right side wheel . ..


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## Gravity Aided (11 Dec 2013)

I have to test some of these theories, later on as it is about 11f right now. I do use the trike more in the winter, it is right side drive and 3 speeds through a very complex but popular arrangement common in the States.


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## rebelpeter (12 Dec 2013)

Gravity Aided said:


> I have to test some of these theories, later on as it is about 11f right now. I do use the trike more in the winter, it is right side drive and 3 speeds through a very complex but popular arrangement common in the States.


 

hello i have a 20 inch wheel trike as well and thats a lot easier to ride.
when you ride a trike and it oulls to the curb do you lean the other way
as i seem to be and which side should your weight be on when it pulls left


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## Gravity Aided (12 Dec 2013)

On camber, mine pulls right and I lean a bit right, steering a bit left. Somewhat counter intuitive, but tricycles are like that . Keep you thinking.


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## rebelpeter (12 Dec 2013)

Gravity Aided said:


> On camber, mine pulls right and I lean a bit right, steering a bit left. Somewhat counter intuitive, but tricycles are like that . Keep you thinking.


 

*so does this mean when mine pulls left to the curb i need lean and put weight on the left drive side thats pulling to the left.*

*Trikes sure are confusing things what sort of trike do you have and what wheel size
mine is a 28 inch wheel with 12 gears, do you have one of those lovely drop handlebars
racing trikes.*


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## Gravity Aided (13 Dec 2013)

Not at all, some old Sears Free Spirit 24 inch Trike with 3 speeds, very basic and simple. Useful but could be lighter, and easier. But for what it does, mainly taking things out for a subdivision work day or stream cleaning or bike trail clean up day, as well as bringing in apples from some trees planted around our subdivision, it does a good job. Oh, and snow, good for packed snow, works like nothing else.


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## rebelpeter (13 Dec 2013)

Gravity Aided said:


> Not at all, some old Sears Free Spirit 24 inch Trike with 3 speeds, very basic and simple. Useful but could be lighter, and easier. But for what it does, mainly taking things out for a subdivision work day or stream cleaning or bike trail clean up day, as well as bringing in apples from some trees planted around our subdivision, it does a good job. Oh, and snow, good for packed snow, works like nothing else.


 
*i see you have a 24 wheel thats pretty good i have a 20 inch wheeler but heavy though.*

*Snow does it snow in Illinois i thought usa was hot and sunny daily
so when my lottery number comes up id better move to Florida where
its always warm iv'e always wanted to live in USA away from this wet cold
country. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr raining again now . . .*


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## Gravity Aided (13 Dec 2013)

Snow here, 7 inches more to come tonight, was 0 f yesterday a.m.. Any place along the Gulf Coast has nice weather in the winter, but also the chance of hurricanes. The nice thing about the Middle West is that snow seems to come in installments, an inch this week, a couple more next, until it builds up quite deep. Then you can always have a blizzard drop 2 feet of snow at one go as well.


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## rebelpeter (13 Dec 2013)

Gravity Aided said:


> Snow here, 7 inches more to come tonight, was 0 f yesterday a.m.. Any place along the Gulf Coast has nice weather in the winter, but also the chance of hurricanes. The nice thing about the Middle West is that snow seems to come in installments, an inch this week, a couple more next, until it builds up quite deep. Then you can always have a blizzard drop 2 feet of snow at one go as well.


 
Wow im soooooo surprised , and i do understand what you mean about
places like Florida as them hurricans must be terrifying so i guess you
are in a good place.

Rain here today not that cold though so maybe im more fortunate as i
thought by living in the shivering UK.

I just had a letter from Pashley and they said my right free wheel should
offer no resistance when turned by hand, as it does i can lift that side and
turn the free wheel by hand but it is certainly not as free as a normal 2 wheeler
cycle, i dont think i mentioned this to you but do you agree that the free wheel
on the right side should turn by hand with no resistence and be as free as
any cycle wheel.

Im wondering as it is not free could this be working against me and why i
am having riding problems as said i have a 20 inch and that right side
wheel turns free as a normal cycle wheel.

i have a bike shop about 15 miles away and i wil ask him if he can have
a look at it and im just hoping he knows something about trikes though i
guess he would be able to check and free it even if his not an expert on
trikes, ill let you know how i get on when i ask him tomorrow and i am now
hoping that if the wheels is freed it will help me a lot more in steering it.

Enjoy your snow and always good for a game of snowballs but i have to
say i hate snow but then there are worst things like you say hurricans.

Peter . . .


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## thegravestoneman (13 Dec 2013)

Your wheel should almost certainly turn freely, I do not think your local bike shop will have too many problems as Pashleys are not terribly complicated. This almost certainly will affect the way your trike rides.


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## rebelpeter (13 Dec 2013)

thegravestoneman said:


> Your wheel should almost certainly turn freely, I do not think your local bike shop will have too many problems as Pashleys are not terribly complicated. This almost certainly will affect the way your trike rides.




Hello there thank you for letting me know for sure it has to run freely,
it turns part of the axle but I guess that may need something doing to it.

i just thought as it turns part of the axle it would not run as free as a
normal bike wheel, but like you have told me it has suppose to run free
I will find out tomorrow if he will have ago at it , then i can pop it to him
in the trailer i have got, good to hear that Pashley are not that complicated,
and good to hear it not running freely will effect the way it rides so hope
fully when it is done i will find it easier to ride.

Thank you for the kind reply . . .


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