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Carbontrikes Makes Us Want to Race Recumbents

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Despite this video, we still want to get on board a Carbontrike.

Why? Because it’s a full carbon fiber monocoque recumbent tricycle that looks amazing and comes in at about 2/3 the weight of some racing handcycles we’ve seen, and they’ve got half or less of that heavy chain to worry about.

The seat and boom are adjustable to accommodate different height and size riders. Under the lower back support is a hatch that opens to the “trunk” inside the seat back that’ll hold your essentials for a day long ride. Complete bike weights are claimed at 10.5kg (23.15lb) with a respectable build kit. Ready to drool? Click through…

carbontrikes monocoque carbon fiber recumbent tricycle

The Carbontrike is designed to handle equally well with 16″ or 20″ front wheels. Rear is a standard road bike wheel.

carbontrikes monocoque carbon fiber recumbent tricycle

Do you still call it a frame? Or a hull?

Steering arms use an aero profile and the boom is ovalized rather than round like most alloy trikes. They say the ability to tune the layup gives them the same advantages found in carbon bikes in that they can make it efficient without beating up the rider.

Introductory pricing is $4,080 for a frameset (which includes the front wheels and full steering apparatus) and $5,100 for a complete build with hydraulic disc brakes up front.

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25 Comments
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Dan
Dan
12 years ago

I think I saw that green thing at IKEA last week.

Androo
Androo
12 years ago

I think it’s super cool, and impressive engineering, and I imagine it’s crazy fast…but why do companies insist on toeing the “comfort” factor? That frame is a massive, stiff monocoque (in the true structural engineering sense of the word, not the way it’s used in most bike literature) – there’s no way that that isn’t going to beat up a rider, unless it’s the specific biomechanics of the way the trike is laid out.

Mr. P
12 years ago

@Androo: “but why do companies insist on toeing the “comfort” factor?”

Because a lot of riders want race bikes… but then don’t race them. They do their training rides on them.

P

Mindless
Mindless
12 years ago

Drivers do not see us on regular bike. Heck no, I am not riding roads in this.

Velorider
Velorider
12 years ago

Uhhh…..is it so comfortable that a helmet is no longer required?

ripinitup
ripinitup
12 years ago

I agree with Velo… Nice helmet, must be one of those low profile flesh tone expensive models.

silverlining
silverlining
12 years ago

Helmet not required. Brown paper bag on the other hand………

Gerald
Gerald
12 years ago

Why is that even on this forum….”bike” rumor not “trike” rumor…..lame.

Tommy Nickels
Tommy Nickels
12 years ago

I’d like to try one out for kicks. I bet it’s crazy fast.

Rich
Rich
12 years ago

I like how it’s got an aero wheel behind the rider.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
12 years ago

How long does it take to oil that chain?

norm
norm
12 years ago

1) I want to see the blooper reel from that video; and, 2) can you imagine racing in the cat4 field with 75 of those rigs on the the road? I can make fun of the cat4s because I am a cat4.

Jack
Jack
12 years ago

Velorider – Not all states have a mandated bicycle helmet law. This isn’t a debate on whether people should wear a helmet or not. I like the fact that people have the CHOICE to wear one or not. Are you one fo those people that wear a helmet while taking out the garbage?

Brian
Brian
12 years ago

I’d pedal the crap out of that. Of course, I just added a RowBike to my stable, so…

professore
professore
12 years ago

The only thing worse than that thing would be a tandem version.

Chris
Chris
12 years ago

@Brian

A rowbike in your stable? Sorry, anything with a rowbike in it cannot be a stable. More of a circus freakshow 🙂

carl
carl
12 years ago

After seeing this I’m investing in chain and chain lube companies. Probably fun though. I had a friend who bought a recumbent to ride while re-habbing from being hit by a car on his road bike. Regarding comfort, his take was “You just trade one set of problems for another”.

Denny
Denny
12 years ago

Wow. Super turd.

EricNM
EricNM
12 years ago

Absolutely nerd-tastic! ; )

Androo
Androo
12 years ago

All the haters are just jealous because they know that thing would leave any normal carbon roadbike in the dust…

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
12 years ago

Androo, it’d certainly do that on descents.

Frank
Frank
12 years ago

It hasn’t got one of those fluorescent flags that most recumbents seem to have …

PeddlersTrikes
11 years ago

The ovalized boom is a great feature! No twisting under torque…

Jimm
10 years ago

@Androo – agreed.
@Psi Squared – and on the flats, unless the wedgie riders all ganged up in a peloton/school-of-fish tactic. And possibly uphill too, if the rider has a good spin technique. People forget that ‘bent riders can sometimes press into the back of the seat to get a bit more leverage. While it is true that *most* bent riders do not climb well, it’s a falacy to say that all ‘bent riders can’t climb hills.

That said, ‘bents are not necessarily designed with hill-climbing in mind. Out of climbs, flats, and descents, most ‘bent riders are happy being faster in 2 out of 3 areas. 🙂

I ride a ‘bent trike locally, in Copenhagen, and the *only* people passing me uphill on a bridge crossing (which I cross on a daily basis) are other ‘bents, velomobiles, one guy on a racing Brompton, and a bike messenger half my age. You can climb on ‘bents if you know how, and if you want to.

ruko
ruko
9 years ago

Not wearing a bicycling helmet is a personal decision. It usually has nothing to do with “laws”. It has however, a lot to do with intelligence and, in the case of not wearing one, lack of it.

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