The Latest From the ShadeTree

A few Irons in the Fire

A lot has happened in the years since I first discovered recumbents. Multiple issues in my personal life have precluded spending much time on web activities or recumbents either for that matter.

A lot has happened in the recumbent scene as well. Recumbent trikes are still pretty rare in my neck of the woods. It appears quite a few independent builders have turned out some pretty good trikes at fairly good prices... check ebay.

It seems it will always be a pretty small market. Maybe if they start making them in China and selling them in Wal Mart perhaps they will become more common. The do have an electric bike at Wal Mart now less than $400.00 I think with a Currie drive system.

Lots of direct drive hub motors on you tube but finding good info on them is not so easy.

I think the geared hub motors with freewheel capability are the only ones that make sense. Otherwise you are not likely to do much pedaling.

In my catching up on the recumbent scene online I found the fully enclosed trikes with prices way up there.... I've bought quite a few cars and some very nice motorcycles for less money.

I've got the fever again tho and recently got a newer version of the ShadeTreeBent to the riding stage. Looking hard at doing an enclosure for it. Of course it will be a ShadeTree HandyMan version... meaning built with whatever seems easiest.
Latest Bent

latest bentI started this frame several years ago and it was sidetracked until recently. I let some friends ride my Catrike and they all enjoyed it so much that it motivated me to get this bent on the road. It does have 16 inch Velocity rims and disc brake hubs with Avid disc brakes. Also has a rear end supension from a mountian bike that ended up working better than expected.

I've found some pretty cool fully enclosed trikes online with prices in the stratosphere. I must confess I've already spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out an enclosure for it.

Summer is here now tho and I think that will have to wait for cooler weather. Too many summer time toys to be fooling with that right now.
Some fully enclosed trikes

go oneThis trike has a canopy similar to the ones on jet fighters and a price to go with it.
Blue Velo

blue veloThis trike is one of several from the folk at Blue Velo Most of these trikes are well above $5,000 and some above $10,000.