Re: Why Do People Fall Down?

<frkrygow@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote

> On Oct 27, 5:17 pm, Tom Sherman <sunsetss0...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> Prisoner at War wrote:
>> > There was a guy with a hand-cranked trike...I was happy to see him.
>>
>> > But I don't know what the big deal with trikes is...'bent bikes are
>> > already safe enough.  Why a trike, exactly?  What real advantage does
>> > it offer?  So you needn't worry as much about balance (except on
>> > turns, I guess!)...so what?
>>

Significant fun factor and very different riding experience.  Going up
steep 
hills has some advantages too. Pain factor is an issue on long rides 
compared to other types of bikes (perhaps I should say the lack of pain).

>> Ride a well designed tadpole trike for an extended distance. You will
>> either get it, or you are a lost cause. ;)
>
> Perhaps the one hanging in my garage isn't well designed... but the
> original owner rode it on only a few occasions before giving it up for
> his normal bike.
>
> The next owner took only a couple test rides and stored it in his
> basement.
>

I'd venture a guess that neither of these people really gave it a 
chance....either feeling too isolated since most riders are on uprights 
(lots of people just feel uncomfortable being "the only one")...or really 
not so much into riding to begin with. It seems strange to me that someone

would really drop dime on an expensive trike and then not ride it. That 
seems like someone not committed to exercise or cycling to me.  Afterall, 
how often does that happen with regular bikes?

> The guy he gave it to passed it on to me.

Perhaps you'll pass it on to me, since you're obviously not a fan. I'd
love 
to have a free trike! :)

>
> My wife, a couple friends, and I each took our turns at test rides.
> For all of us, it failed the test.
>

These other people cycle a lot I take it?

> The low-racer configuration seems good only for "toy" use.  The
> turning circle is inconveniently large (you can't do a U-turn on a 20'
> road)

Toy use?  I've ridden several centuries and I never needed to do a U-turn.

And if I did, I could just stop and turn the bike around 180degs.  On my 
'bent I can just put my foot down quickly to easily get turned around.
Those 
who ride "low-racers" mainly use them for riding fast and don't focus on 
distance, from my observation (the two-wheel lowracer isn't my style, 
though). But, I have to ask you -- what's wrong with that?

> and getting in and out of the trike is an extreme yoga
> exercise.

That's curious.  I was at my local bike shop on Saturday and saw two total

noob riders get in and out of a trike with no difficulty whatsoever.  The 
guy was very slender so that didn't surprise me too much.  The lady was 
shorter, not fat by many means but not very slender either.  I was
impressed 
at how effortless it was for her to get up.  She did have to think about
it, 
though. But that's true on most road bikes too since the pedals/saddle 
height prevents the both feet from touching the ground at the same time.

> The need for three tracks through the potholes, plus it's
> low visibility, seems risky for the roads, and the extra width makes
> it inconvenient on MUPs.

the extra width isn't that much extra and the low visibility is really
just 
your opinion from not really riding one, I think.
IMO, cycling of any kind is inconvenient on MUPs. Trikes would have an 
advantage there as they can stop on a dime which is problematic at best on

two wheels of any type.  The trikes I have ridden do u-turns on a dime,
too, 
much better than any other bike I've tried.

>  And of course, you'd better have a pickup
> truck to take it anywhere.
>

Hmm...some trikes fold into the trunk, and there are racks for them. I
have 
a rack for my upright and my bent and wouldn't consider trans****t any
other 
way.

> It's interesting as a design exercise.  But that's its only virtue,
> from what I can tell.

Your view is very limited, Frank. I'm rather disappointed in you.  Bike 
prejudice  is what you're displaying here. It's kinda sad, if you ask me. 
I 
have an upright, a long-wheel base bent and probably will have a trike
soon. 
I enjoy all of them for the different experiences they offer. Each one has

it's own set of pros/cons. I know one fellow (not personally, from afar)
who 
commutes to work on this trike. No flags either. I think this is
especially 
interesting as he does his in a college town on a college campus, with
lots 
of students flying around in cars.

>
> So I suppose the whole crew of us are lost causes!
>

I would tend to agree, yes. It's not hard to understand, though, as we as 
humans all seem to have our own biases built up from pre-conceived
notions. 
These notions can be very very hard for us to overcome.  For some reason, 
though, I expect more from you! :)