Tricycle
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered three-wheeled vehicle.
Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws and freight trikes, are used for commercial purposes, especially in the developing world, particularly Africa and Asia.
In the West, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily for recreation, shopping, and exercise. Tricycles are favoured by children, the disabled, and senior adults for their apparent stability versus a bicycle; however a conventional trike may exhibit poor dynamic lateral stability, and the rider should exercise appropriate operating caution when cornering and operating technique to avoid tipping the trike over. Designs such as recumbents or others which place the rider lower relative to the wheel axles have a lower centre of gravity, and/or designs with canted wheels may be more resistant to lifting inner wheels or tipping during fast sharp turns, but still require operator awareness and technique.
History
A three-wheeled wheelchair was built in 1655 or 1680 by a disabled German man, Stephan Farffler, who wanted to be able to maintain his mobility. A watch-maker, Farffler created a vehicle that was powered by hand cranks.In 1789, two French inventors developed a three-wheeled vehicle, powered by pedals; they called it the tricycle.
In 1818, British inventor Denis Johnson patented his approach to designing tricycles. In 1876, James Starley developed the Coventry Lever Tricycle, which used two small wheels on the right side and a large drive wheel on the left side; power was supplied by hand levers. In 1877, Starley developed a new vehicle he called the Coventry Rotary, which was "one of the first rotary chain drive tricycles." Starley's inventions started a tricycling craze in Britain; by 1879, there were "twenty types of tricycles and multi-wheel cycles... produced in Coventry, England, and by 1884, there were over 120 different models produced by 20 manufacturers." The first front steering tricycle was manufactured in 1881 by The Leicester Safety Tricycle Company of Leicester, England, which was brought to the market in 1882 costing £18. They also developed a folding tricycle at the same time.
Tricycles were used by riders who did not feel comfortable on the high wheelers, such as women who wore long, flowing dresses.
In September, 1903 Edmund Payne, the popular comedian, started an attempt to beat the twenty-four hours' unpaced Tricycle record. At 100 miles Payne was inside his schedule time, but shortly afterwards had to desist at Wisbech, having encountered five hours of incessant rain.
Associations
In the UK, upright tricycles are sometimes referred to as "barrows". Many trike enthusiasts in the UK belong to the Tricycle Association, formed in 1929. They participate in day rides, tours, time trials, and a criterium series.Wheel configurations
Delta
A delta tricycle has one front wheel and two rear wheels.Tadpole
A tadpole tricycle has two front wheels and one rear wheel. Rear-wheel steering is sometimes used, although this increases the turning circle and can affect handling.Other
Some early pedal tricycles from the late 19th century used two wheels in tandem on one side and a larger driving wheel on the other.An in-line three-wheeled vehicle has two steered wheels, one at the front and the other in the middle or at the rear.
Types
Upright
Upright trikes resemble a two-wheeled bicycle, traditionally diamond frame, or open frame, but with either two widely spaced wheels at the back or two wheels at the front. The rider straddles the frame in both delta and tadpole configurations. Steering is through a handlebar directly connected to the front wheel via a conventional bicycle fork in delta, or via a form of Ackermann steering geometry in the case of the upright tadpole.All non-tilting trikes have stability issues and great care must be used when riding a non-tilting upright trike. The center of gravity is quite high compared to recumbent trikes. Because of this, non-tilting trikes are more prone to tipping over in corners and on uneven or sloping terrain. Conversely, the rider enjoys better visibility than on a recumbent because their head is higher.
Recumbent
Recumbent trikes' advantages include stability and low aerodynamic drag. Disadvantages include greater cost, weight, and width. The very low seat may make entry difficult, and on the road they may be less visible to other traffic.Delta
A recumbent delta is similar to an upright, with two wheels at the back and one at the front, but has a recumbent layout in which the rider is seated in a chair-like seat. One or both rear wheels can be driven, while the front is used for steering. Steering is either through a linkage, with the handlebars under the seat or directly to the front wheel with a large handlebar. Some delta trikes can be stored upright by lifting the front wheel and resting the top of the seat on the ground.Delta trikes generally have higher seats and a tighter turning radius than tadpole trikes. The tight turning radius is useful if riding on trails with offset barriers, or navigating around closely placed obstacles. The higher seat makes mounting and dismounting easier. Even with the higher seat a delta trike can be quite stable provided most of the weight is shifted back towards the rear wheels. Many delta trikes place the seat too far forward and that takes weight off the two rear wheels and puts more weight onto the front wheel, making the trike more unstable. The Hase Kettwiesel delta trike has an seat that is placed to put most of the weight onto the cambered rear wheels, making it more stable.
Delta trikes are suitable to be used as manual scooters for mobility, rehabilitation and/or exercise. The Hase Lepus Comfort is an example of a rehabilitation delta trike designed mainly for comfort and ease of use. It has a lowered front boom and the seat can be adjusted to a height of, which aids in mounting and dismounting. It also has rear wheel suspension for comfort. The Lepus can be folded for easier storage and transportation.
The weight of a delta trike can be quite close to the weight of a tadpole trike if they are both of a similar quality and similar materials are used. The Hase Kettwiesel Allround delta trike has an aluminium frame and weighs 39.4 lbs. The Catrike Road tadpole trike has an aluminium frame and weighs 37.5 lbs.
Tadpole
The recumbent tadpole or reverse trike is a recumbent design with two steered wheels at the front and one driven wheel at the back, though one model has the front wheels driven while the rear wheel steers. Steering is either through a single handlebar linked with tie rods to the front wheels' stub axle assemblies or with two handlebars each bolted to a steerer tube, usually through a bicycle-type headset and connected to a stub axle assembly. A single tie rod connects the left and right axle assemblies.The tadpole trike is often used by middle-aged or retiree-age former bicyclists who are tired of the associated pains from normal upright bikes. With its extremely low center of gravity, aerodynamic layout and light weight, tadpoles are considered the highest-performance trikes.
Most velomobiles are built in a tadpole trike configuration since a wide front and narrow rear offer superior aerodynamics to a delta trike configuration.
Hand-crank
Hand-crank trikes use a hand-operated crank, either as a sole source of power or a double drive with footpower from pedals and hand-power from the hand crank. The hand-power-only trikes can be used by individuals who do not have the use of their legs due to a disability or an injury. They are made by companies including Greenspeed, Invacare, Quickie and Druzin.In case of paralysis of the legs, more speed and range of distance can be obtained by adding functional electrical stimulation to the legs. The large leg muscles are activated by electrical impulses synchronized with the hand cranking movement.
Tandem
Recumbent tandem trikes allow two people to ride in a recumbent position with an extra-strong backbone frame to hold the extra weight. Some allow the "captain" and "stoker" to pedal at different speeds. They are often made with couplers so the frames can be broken down into pieces for easier transport. Manufacturers of recumbent trikes include Greenspeed, WhizWheelz and Inspired Cycle Engineering.Rickshaw
Most cycle rickshaws, used for carrying passengers for hire, are tricycles with one steering wheel in the front and two wheels in the back supporting a seating area for one or two passengers. Cycle rickshaws often have a parasol or canopy to protect the passengers from sun and rain. These vehicles are widely used in South Asia and Southeast Asia, where rickshaw driving provides essential employment for recent immigrants from rural areas, generally impoverished men. In the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century, rickshaws became increasingly popular in big cities in Britain, Europe and the United States, where they provide urban transportation, novelty rides, and serve as advertising media.Spidertrike is a recumbent cycle rickshaw that is used in central London and operated by Eco Chariots. The trike pictured is called the SUV and is produced by the company Organic Engines, which operates in Florida in the United States. It is a front wheel drive tricycle, articulated behind the driver seat, and has hydraulic double disc brakes and internal hub gears. The passenger is protected from rain and sun with a canopy.
Freight
Urban delivery trikes are designed and constructed for transporting large loads. These trikes include a cargo area consisting of a steel tube carrier, an open or enclosed box, a flat platform, or a large, heavy-duty wire basket. These are usually mounted over one or both wheels, low behind the front wheel, or between parallel wheels at either the front or rear of the vehicle, to keep the center of gravity low. The frame and drivetrain must be constructed to handle loads several times that of an ordinary bicycle; as such, extra low gears may be added. Other specific design considerations include operator visibility and load suspension. Many, but not all, cycles used for the purpose of vending goods such as ice cream cart trikes or hot dog vending trikes are cargo bicycles.Many freight trikes are of the tadpole configuration, with the cargo box mounted between the front wheels. India and China are significant strongholds of the rear-loading "delta" carrier trike. Freight trikes are also designed for indoor use in large warehouses or industrial plants. The advantage of using freight trikes rather than a motor vehicle is that there is no exhaust, which means that the trike can be used inside warehouses. While another option is electric golf cart-style vehicles, freight trikes are human-powered, so they do not have the maintenance required to keep batteries on golf carts charged up.
Common uses include:
- Delivery services in dense urban environments
- Food vending in high foot traffic areas
- Transporting trade tools, including around large installations such as power stations and CERN
- Airport cargo handling
- Recycling collections
- Warehouse inventory transportation
- Food collection
- Child transport