I have got my VTX as my retirement gift from my wife 2018. I am loving it since . I like it the most is the speed which I could go faster as I wish . Very good work out machine VTX trike .
That is zipping along! Great machines.I currently have a Catrike 559 and an older Trail and have an order in for a new custom 700….. which will probably not arrive until late fall as supply chain dynamics are killing production for many bikes/trikes. I get the 559 up to 22-23mph for stretches on the flat. The Trail is 3-4 mph slower with the same effort. I assume the 700 will rival the Ice for speed.that’s the most you’re going to get out of a guy who is 69 pushing 70 on next birthday.
Oh, yeah, Mark. You'll be faster on the 700. The guy I mentioned in the video, David Cameron over on Bentrider Online, sold his VTX and just picked up a Catrike 700. He says that so far the 700 is just a hair slower than the VTX but he thinks that's due to the slower tires now on the 700. He'll report back when he gets some faster tires on there, and I'm sure it'll be in the same speed ballpark as the VTX (and maybe even faster). When you get that 700, you'll just be a speeding blur. :) "What was that?!"
The 700 is coming with just the basics and the thinner quicker tires(obviously will wear faster). Not going to be tricked up with the accessory bags and all the stuff I carry in the others. Just a spare tube, levers and a CO2 inflator. Going to ride it strictly for sprints and long rides on my well paved trails on the Cape and south Florida in the winter. I really hope that I can even get it before then as production is at a snail’s pace now. I am too much of a wuss to be doing that 35 mph downhill stuff at my age. Don’t want to die young(not young anymore) and leave a rich widow.
@@markfeldman6509 Yep, I had a couple of close calls on my road bike descending at high speeds. That slowed me down fast. :) My imagination is getting too good as I get older! I resisted putting all the "extras" on the VTX, trying to keep it as light as possible because, like you, I was just planning on using it as a "go fast" trike and not for touring.
@@bikestrikesrazors .. a little update. I got my 700 last October with Schwalbe Durano(standard tires ) and have put over 5000 miles on it already. I split my riding between the 700 and 559. It is fast as hell. I cruise quite comfortably on a level trail at 18-22 mph for extended periods. I have had it as high as 32 mph for short bursts and can go a few miles at 25mph +-. I don’t feel safe on descents at wild speed as I’m an old guy. The Durano hires are a very hard riding tire and I got roughly 2500 miles per set. I just replaced them with Schwalbe marathon plus as my third set as they are slightly wider and give a more comfortable ride. They are 1-2 mph slower but the additional comfort is worth it. It’s a good tradeoff . The 700 is plenty fast. The 559 is a lot more comfortable for the long rides. I did 10,026 miles in 2021 and doing 1000 miles per month this year!
@@markfeldman6509 Sounds like you've got things dialed in there, Mark! I just put Duranos on my VTX and boy, did it lower the front end compared to the Shreddas I had on there. Now I'm getting heal hits on bumps. Don't think they're any faster, but I guess they're more aero. But you're right, they seem to be hard riding tires.
I think we all get asked that speed question, and I always answer, “It depends on how fast you can make your legs go round.”. I only have a distance meter on my trike/two-wheel recumbent to remind me when to get off the trainer when it’s ear-losingly cold out - Iowa isn’t very friendly at this time of year, and the lumpy frozen snow in the streets makes it even less so.
Great video and thanks for the info. Cool Webcor kit as well. Now in LA and missing riding the American River/Jed Trail from my home in the Pocket. I'm looking to transfer over to recumbent and have been looking at ICE trikes for riding the paved concrete river trails they have here. Also got to see where you put your computer. I notice you don't carry a flag. Is there a place for one?
Hi CM! I'm sure we've passed each other a few times on the ARBT. Yes, there's not much real estate on the VTX for computers, but you can find a spot. The seats come with a flag holder on the back. The bags I have on the trike right now block the flag holder, so I usually go with a blinkie instead of a flag if I'm on the trail or sparsely populated roads. Still need to use the flag in busy traffic areas.
20+ ish mph is a good average speed imo mate , i wish i could attain it :) , on a good day on my heavy duty diamond frame 29 er mountain bike (because i`m a big old dude) that i do a bit of a combo run , of about 5 % dirt trail , and about 60 % suburban roads , and the other 35 % on paved bike track , i probably average 13 or 14 mph on a really good day when i`m feeling charged up , and i`m usually pretty happy with that given my oldness :) . I`d love to have a go on a recumbent trike , diamond frames kill me in my old age , done a lot of heavy labouring in my working life , and the old bones remind me of that fact constantly . Love your video`s mate , all the best to you .
Thanks very much for the kind words, Mikldude! 14 mph is a great average speed for a diamond frame mountain bike, especially considering you're riding some dirt trail in there! I've been riding since I was in my twenties and through most of my life I rode at somewhere between 12-13mph. Something happened to me when I hit 50 (seven years ago), and I was born again hard. I started training for a double century (which I never did) and the combination of longer distances, regular 60 mile rides, and grinding for hours in the big chain ring, upped my cruising speeds to where they are now. I guess trying to prove you're not getting old is good motivation. Nearing 60 so I should be slowing down any day now. )
Whats the reclining angle on the VTX ? I'm riding an old catrike road prior to 2010 no suspension. It's a great trike, recline angle is 39 degrees. I've found when facing a stiff headwind , I can scoot down on my seat and reduce my recline angle . Km not as fast as I am on the road bike , Im averaging about 16 MPH over a 20 mile ride , I use to be active in the bike road race community so have some background in being fit and going fast . Always enjoy your videos. Keep them coming
Thanks, Jason! The seat on the VTX is adjustable, and right now I have it on the second to lowest setting, which I think is somewhere around 23 degrees. The real go-fast guys I mentioned in the video, John Greed and James Coxon, have both devised ways of getting their seats even more recIined than the normal settings allow. I also have a Greenspeed GTO with a very upright seat, and when I try to get it up to faster speeds, I do the same thing and scrunch down in the seat to get out of the wind. Once you get up to speed, that wind resistance really starts making a big difference. Still, I'm not sure if it's the wind resistance alone that's making the difference with the VTX. I've owned lots of trikes, including a Catrike Pocket, Greenspeed GTO, Greenspeed GT3, ICE T and ICE Q-26, and none of them wanted to travel at road bike speeds. The Q-26 surprised me the most, because it looks so much like the VTX, I really can't tell why the VTX is so much faster. Out of all those trikes, the VTX is the only one I've ridden that feels to me like it has your standard amount of what I would call "road bike pedaling resistance". And I have no idea why!
I just bought a CT Expedition. Where I live there is nowhere to ride that's not hills. A "small hill" ride near home is 550 feet of climbing on 8-mile circuit-so divide by 2 for up side. I am about 1/2 the speed on hills as my Fuji road bike. I can do the hills at 7-13 MPH on road bike and can only manage 4-6 on trike so far after a half dozen rides. I am faster than bike down, but there are really no flat sections to see what that would be. It doesn't help that I am 69, have one bionic hip, a long achilles from tearing it after the hip 2 years ago, and the other hip is due to be replaced end of the year. I will get faster on the trike as I learn it and get legs stronger. I love how it is aerobic riding now and I don't go anaerobic like road and mountain bike. That means I can ride twice as long as road bike, come home and go about my day without being blown up and stiff from road bike. The issue for me is that I was a racer in the 80s and early 90s, so I hate not being able to keep up with road bikes at least some of the time. Oh well, the trike is a lot of fun and it's nice to ride and not have to crash the rest of the day.
Give it some time, J. It took me around 1200 miles of riding a trike before I built up the specific muscles that allowed me to ride at road bike speeds. They’re making E bikes and E trikes so it shouldn’t be too long until they come out with E hips. I could use a couple of those! :)
Hello Sir love your channel. I’m just getting into recumbent trikes after a mild stroke. Couple of questions about this video, what computer do you use on your trike? What bike shorts and shoes do you wear when riding? Thank you
Hey, TV Man! For years I've been using a Garmin Edge 200, which is about as basic as it gets for a GPS computer. I resisted going to a Garmin/GPS based computer for a long time, just sticking with the standard Cateye style, but it's so much easier just having one computer that I can switch between bikes, recharge on the computer and use to record and upload rides to Strava. The Edge 200 has been discontinued, but if it busted (or the battery stopped taking a charge) I'd just look for the cheapest computer Garmin sold. This one doesn't have much in the way of advanced features, and it doesn't accept a heart strap, but it's worked pretty reliably for me. For shorts, I just use my regular Lycra cycling shorts. You'd think that the chamois might be a problem on a trike, but I don't notice it while riding. Of course, you can just wear regular shorts or pants, but I'd caution against shorts that flap around open at the bottom, as bees can fly up there (don't ask me how I know). As long as the pants are loose enough to move freely and are non-restrictive, there shouldn't be a problem. I use clip-in SPD style (mountain bike) pedals, so for shoes I'm using Shimano bike shoes. You should be able to turn up some SPD compatible bike shoes at a reasonable cost (and many at an unreasonable cost). Welcome to the club! You'll find that even though you've been led into triking because of a medical issue, riding a trike has a lot of advantages, especially in the pure fun department, over a road bike.
@@bikestrikesrazors thank you sir. I understand bees my father raised them when I was a boy. I really enjoyed your Mt. Diablo ride as I lived in the Bay Area for fifteen years and spent lot of time up there. I especially loved your American River ride. I grew up in Fair Oaks and my father and I use to take our Honda motorcycles out to Folsom for repairs when it was just a hole in the wall (yes I’m old and proud of it. Much simpler time back then). Since this my first trike I went middle of the road with a new Performer JC-26x folding trike in yellow. Can’t wait to hit the trails. Cheers 🍻
Hey, Sid! Steve at Bay Trail Trikes is an ICE dealer but I don’t know if he has one on hand to demo (he’s in Berkeley). It’s a long drive for you but Hugh at Alphabent up here in Sacramento has a demo VTX. If you do drive up and have something else to ride, you can check out the American River Trail. Even better, I know that Hugh has organized rides through his store so maybe you could arrange to go on one of those with his demo VTX. Both my brother and I picked up our VTX’s used at about half price. The first one showed up at a used bike shop down in San Jose and I found mine at Hostel Shoppe. Someone had traded it in toward a full suspension model and they made me a good deal on it. You might want to keep an eye on the Bentrider Online classifieds as they turn up there every so often. If you get one used, on the cheap, and find that you don’t like it, you can always sell it for what you paid. :)
Have you rode the Sprint X? I cannot find the speed difference tests between the two… also, what was your experience in testing the front and/or rear suspension on the VTX or Sprint X (not the the Tour)….
I have not had a chance to try a Sprint X yet. From reports, it is slower than a VTX, but I know a few VTX buyers that found the VTX too "extreme" for them and they went to a Sprint X because it's easier to get out of. I've never had a trike with suspension, so I can't comment. If speed is your top priority, the VTX is the trike.
The VTX is surprisingly comfortable and vibration free on good roads. Depending on the trike design, a suspension model can theoretically be a smoother ride. I don't ride on any bad roads or chip seal around here (luckily) so it hasn't been an issue. The ground clearance on the VTX is on the low side, so it wouldn't be great for gravel riding. It's pretty much designed to be a stripped down, light weight speedy trike.
Sure, I think when we filmed that we were running Schwalbe Pro One's on the rear, but now I'm trying out the Conti 5000's to see if they'll wear a little better. The Pro Ones wore down pretty quickly on the back of the trikes. The front tires are Schwalbe Shredda's. I've almost worn mine out and I'll be switching over to some Durano's that I got on sale. :) I don't really notice much difference as far as speed is concerned between the tires I've had on the VTX so far (but they're all supposed to be "fast" tires).
Thank you, i recieved my 700 today very please took 3 weeks to get it, instead of 22 weeks. I run conti on my road bike. I notice the my tires run lower psi 113
@@pitmastertoby2598 Hurrah! Glad I could help with that rear derailleur suggestion! Hopefully they'll be able to open their supply lines again soon. As far as I know, the two fastest tires available now for trikes are the Continental Contact Speeds and the Schwalbe Pro Ones. Yep, I usually run Conti's on my road bikes as well (I like those little wear indicators).
It's great that you all are into speed, I am into just enjoying the ride and surroundings. I can see that helmets are needed at your speed but does one need it going about 8 mph?
Hey, SFC! While it's unlikely that you'd tip over at slow speeds and hit your head, I have seen it happen. Also, if you're on a bike path, you have no control over what the other riders may be doing, and I've had some road bike riders almost run right over me in their quest for a new personal record. Then there's always the possibility of being hit by a car while you're on a road. All these reasons, plus the fact that "anything can happen when you least expect it" are all good reasons to wear a helmet. Modern helmets are so light these days, I forget that I even have one on. Rich and I did a whole video on just this subject: czcams.com/video/wbHiTTNE9gg/video.html
@@bikestrikesrazors My engineer friend worked on airbags and crash testing at an automotive company, he was also a bike rider. He said you can injure your brain by just falling over on a road bike even if it is not moving. Wear the helmet. My neighbors four year old boy fell off his bike. A pickup truck front wheel ran into his head. The wheel pushed the helmet out of the way with his head in it. The police said he would have been killed without the helmet because the wheel would have gone over his head. The larger diameter of the helmet prevented it from going under the wheel.
@@clearsailing7993 Yikes! That sounds like it could've been tragic! My helmet story happened in the late 90's. A car turned right in front of me and my head hit the door at speed. The helmet got dented, but my noggin was spared. The rest of me didn't fair so well, but at least I survived!
I ride slowly too but all of my tipovers have been at low speed. It usually has involved me dropping one tire off the trail and correcting poorly. My fluorescent green helmet makes me more visible.
This is out on the American River Bike Trail, which would also be a great trail to check out by scooter! I always see lots of scooter riders out there!
Thank you. What other trails have you ridden on that you would highly recommend besides this trail in this video? Would like to ride on a trail is not too short because my scooter can do about 70 miles on a single charge.
Really enjoyed the comments and 2nd the request for a Aero comparison. My question is what tires are you both running? Don’t look like the stock “Ones”. Looking into tires to try amd go a bit faster for my 700. Thanks for your videos. Really enjoy them all.
Thanks very much, and we’re still trying to get our hands (legs?) on an Aero so we can check it out. We have Pro One’s on the rear but up front we have Schwalbe Shreddas, which were purported to be fast but which are no longer manufactured. Public opinion is saying that the current fastest trike tires are the Pro Ones and the Continental Contact Speed. Let me know if you try them and it makes a difference for you!
@@bikestrikesrazors Ah, thank you very much, I was going crazy trying to figure out what tire that was! I am running Kojak on the front right now. Had to get another set because it’s all that I can find. But as soon as I can my hands on Pro Ones I’m gonna try them. I’m thinking about putting a GP 5000 TL tubeless on the back (Vision A23 OC). I can’t decide if Tubeless is worth it to be honest.
@@moneyclubpartners6339 My brother just changed out his rear Pro One for a Conti 5000. I think the harder compound on the Conti tires might last longer on the back of a trike. He doesn't notice any speed difference so far. I purchased a number of Durano's on the cheap on-line, so I'll be giving those a try when the Shreddas wear out. I haven't tried tubeless yet, but some folks love them.
Might be worth making a day trip out of it, Farrell, if the shop owner will let you ride a bunch of different bikes/trikes to see what they're like. Of course, I'd wait 'till the gas prices drop a little lower. :)
I've been riding since chilhood in Philly & N.Y. I'm presently 72. I raced road bikes in the 70's. & 80's. I still ride a minimum of 75 miles per week. The emergence of trail systems in the U.S. has made bicycle riding signifigently safer and more fun. But if I want to do a fast road ride. I do it on the streets or roads so as not to intimidate and endanger pedestrians, animals and children. One of my pet peeves are riders, esp. old farts, and Lance wannabes who because of inexperience and lack of cognitive skills careen around trails patently out of control thus creating a hazard to other trail users. If you're going to set the world on fire with your apparent speed take it to the roads and leave the trails for commuters.
I hear ya, Nick. We're very lucky here in that our bike trail (American River bike trail or Jedediah Smith trail) has huge sections of trail that are usually deserted on weekdays, where you'll only spot a few other cyclists, even on a 60 mile ride. The weekend, however, is a different story, and on our Saturday rides we stay on the roads. The commuters on the trail here are monsters, and when 5:30pm rolls around and you start seeing the commuters with their backpacks, they're usually good for a draft, as they regularly exceed 20mph. Thanks for watching!
Any chance of a multi brand fast trike comparison? It's one thing i haven't seen anyone do. Like 4 or 5 different brands. The big wheels vs the little wheels especially. Put a GS Aero up against your trikes, don't get to see much on them.
That's a great idea, Ross, and if I ever get access to an Aero, we'll certainly do a head-to-head. I can tell you from a report by David Cameron over on Bentrider Online, who recently sold his VTX and picked up a Catrike 700, that the VTX and 700 are likely very similar in speed capabilities. David carefully measures his wattage and speed performance, and so far his speeds on the VTX were just a hair faster than what he was getting on the 700 for the same wattage, but he thinks it's because he has slower tires on the 700. Unfortunately, he's going to wait until those tires wear out before installing something faster, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I've never seen a head-to-head with the Aero, but my guess is that the Aero would be faster than both the VTX and 700. I have seen an Aero in person, and it's a very radical trike, with the rider laying almost completely flat, very low to the ground, with their neck craned by the head rest. It's more like a pure racing trike than the VTX or 700. Now you have me curious! I'll have to see if I can somehow find one around here for testing. : )
@@bikestrikesrazors I expect you're more connected than most, so hopefully you might get a collaboration happening with other trike tubers on friendly competitions/comparisons. We all like to see our favourite brands do well! My GT3 has awful steering at speed compared to my Magnum big wheel but they both tail wag too much under fast hard pedalling for my liking. I'm planning a multi tube frame trike for rigidity to eliminate that, but in the meantime will make some clamp on braces to eliminate flex on my Greenies. It may be a worthy quick fix.
@@rossbrumby1957 I know of one person in the area here that has an Aero, but he purchased one of the prototypes made of steel, so it's not exactly like a production model. That multi tube frame sounds like an interesting idea.
Hi Alex and thanks for your comment! Joe and I both bought our VTXs used in the 2K range, so they can be had in very good shape on the used market with a little hunting and patience.
Yes, unfortunately it’s hard to avoid those problems with a road bike. Lots of long rides can help condition your body so it’s not that bad, but it’s always there if you ride long enough. :)
I’m sure that’s one of the reasons why trikes start with a speed disadvantage, but it would seem that it may be possible to overcome that disadvantage through making the rest of the trike extremely aerodynamic. Interesting stuff!
This is nonsense about comparing standard bicycle and a recumbent saying the speed accomplished is the same . One of the biggest factors in speed other than your legs is air drag , wind resistance. The recumbent with its lower profile reduces air drag considerably thus speeds are increased with less wattage
Hey, Keith! In some cases this is correct, such as you see with the racing trike in this video. Still, while this trike has road bikes beat in the aerodynamics department, and on flats seems to be faster given a specific wattage, the trike does climb significantly slower than a road bike. I had originally attributed this to weight, but I recently lost a good deal of weight on my body, 30 pounds, which is almost the entire weight of the trike, and I still notice a significant amount of increased resistance on the trike while climbing when compared to a road bike. Then you also have to consider that there are many recumbent bikes and trikes that really aren't that aerodynamic at all and are simply slower than road bikes (I own several of these). It's a complicated issue! Thanks for watching!
skor jezdza tak samo szybko co konwencjonalne rowery to po co sie męczyć z tymi kolubrynami - klasyczny rower jest leciutki i zajmuje o wiel mniej miejsca w domu i samochodzie
Przede wszystkim ze względu na wygodę. Niektórzy ludzie mają problemy z równowagą, ramionami, szyją i tyłkami na zwykłym rowerze pionowym. Poza tym rowery trójkołowe zapewniają zupełnie inne wrażenia niż rower dwukołowy. Bardziej przypomina jazdę na wózku napędzanym pedałami, co jest świetną zabawą. Zajmują więcej miejsca niż rower.
Again, it depends on the 'bent or trike. We have a U2 Lightning lowracer and a Reynolds T-Bone that are clearly faster than most road bikes. And the ICE VTX trike is just as fast as a road bike on the flats, slower uphill and faster downhill. I ride them all, and that's my experience, for what it's worth.
Were you on an ICE VTX, Jasper? Trikes vary widely in their performance. Additionally, it takes a good amount of time to build up the muscle groups specific to trikes.
i worked at crystal engineering well i i hel;ped out for fun there were no ice then iot was peter ross then chris parker buy the buisiness with niel selwood i helped out for a bit until health and safety investigated and said no voluteers i had a ross trike and a xlnt ice trice sorry i no about bents and wedgies@@bikestrikesrazors
I have got my VTX as my retirement gift from my wife 2018.
I am loving it since .
I like it the most is the speed which I could go faster as I wish .
Very good work out machine VTX trike .
Thanks for watching Woonpark, and enjoy your VTX!
*Yes! Lots of fun.*
My VTX is so fast that when I come back home from a ride everyone seems older.
I thought it was just me, David. :)
That is zipping along! Great machines.I currently have a Catrike 559 and an older Trail and have an order in for a new custom 700….. which will probably not arrive until late fall as supply chain dynamics are killing production for many bikes/trikes. I get the 559 up to 22-23mph for stretches on the flat. The Trail is 3-4 mph slower with the same effort. I assume the 700 will rival the Ice for speed.that’s the most you’re going to get out of a guy who is 69 pushing 70 on next birthday.
Oh, yeah, Mark. You'll be faster on the 700. The guy I mentioned in the video, David Cameron over on Bentrider Online, sold his VTX and just picked up a Catrike 700. He says that so far the 700 is just a hair slower than the VTX but he thinks that's due to the slower tires now on the 700. He'll report back when he gets some faster tires on there, and I'm sure it'll be in the same speed ballpark as the VTX (and maybe even faster). When you get that 700, you'll just be a speeding blur. :) "What was that?!"
The 700 is coming with just the basics and the thinner quicker tires(obviously will wear faster). Not going to be tricked up with the accessory bags and all the stuff I carry in the others. Just a spare tube, levers and a CO2 inflator. Going to ride it strictly for sprints and long rides on my well paved trails on the Cape and south Florida in the winter. I really hope that I can even get it before then as production is at a snail’s pace now. I am too much of a wuss to be doing that 35 mph downhill stuff at my age. Don’t want to die young(not young anymore) and leave a rich widow.
@@markfeldman6509 Yep, I had a couple of close calls on my road bike descending at high speeds. That slowed me down fast. :) My imagination is getting too good as I get older!
I resisted putting all the "extras" on the VTX, trying to keep it as light as possible because, like you, I was just planning on using it as a "go fast" trike and not for touring.
@@bikestrikesrazors .. a little update. I got my 700 last October with Schwalbe Durano(standard tires ) and have put over 5000 miles on it already. I split my riding between the 700 and 559. It is fast as hell. I cruise quite comfortably on a level trail at 18-22 mph for extended periods. I have had it as high as 32 mph for short bursts and can go a few miles at 25mph +-. I don’t feel safe on descents at wild speed as I’m an old guy. The Durano hires are a very hard riding tire and I got roughly 2500 miles per set. I just replaced them with Schwalbe marathon plus as my third set as they are slightly wider and give a more comfortable ride. They are 1-2 mph slower but the additional comfort is worth it. It’s a good tradeoff . The 700 is plenty fast. The 559 is a lot more comfortable for the long rides. I did 10,026 miles in 2021 and doing 1000 miles per month this year!
@@markfeldman6509 Sounds like you've got things dialed in there, Mark! I just put Duranos on my VTX and boy, did it lower the front end compared to the Shreddas I had on there. Now I'm getting heal hits on bumps. Don't think they're any faster, but I guess they're more aero. But you're right, they seem to be hard riding tires.
I think we all get asked that speed question, and I always answer, “It depends on how fast you can make your legs go round.”. I only have a distance meter on my trike/two-wheel recumbent to remind me when to get off the trainer when it’s ear-losingly cold out - Iowa isn’t very friendly at this time of year, and the lumpy frozen snow in the streets makes it even less so.
Over here in California, I think it’s cold when it drops down into the 50’s. Doesn’t take much to keep me indoors on the trainer. :)
Genial...
Nice trike!
Thanks! ICE did a great job on the design and execution of the VTX.
Great video and thanks for the info. Cool Webcor kit as well. Now in LA and missing riding the American River/Jed Trail from my home in the Pocket. I'm looking to transfer over to recumbent and have been looking at ICE trikes for riding the paved concrete river trails they have here. Also got to see where you put your computer. I notice you don't carry a flag. Is there a place for one?
Hi CM! I'm sure we've passed each other a few times on the ARBT. Yes, there's not much real estate on the VTX for computers, but you can find a spot. The seats come with a flag holder on the back. The bags I have on the trike right now block the flag holder, so I usually go with a blinkie instead of a flag if I'm on the trail or sparsely populated roads. Still need to use the flag in busy traffic areas.
Hey, I recognize that bike trail! I've been living less than a quarter mile from its mid point for 51 years. I love that trail.
Lucky you! I wish I lived closer to the trail! :)
20+ ish mph is a good average speed imo mate , i wish i could attain it :) , on a good day on my heavy duty diamond frame 29 er mountain bike (because i`m a big old dude) that i do a bit of a combo run , of about 5 % dirt trail , and about 60 % suburban roads , and the other 35 % on paved bike track , i probably average 13 or 14 mph on a really good day when i`m feeling charged up , and i`m usually pretty happy with that given my oldness :) .
I`d love to have a go on a recumbent trike , diamond frames kill me in my old age , done a lot of heavy labouring in my working life , and the old bones remind me of that fact constantly .
Love your video`s mate , all the best to you .
Thanks very much for the kind words, Mikldude! 14 mph is a great average speed for a diamond frame mountain bike, especially considering you're riding some dirt trail in there! I've been riding since I was in my twenties and through most of my life I rode at somewhere between 12-13mph. Something happened to me when I hit 50 (seven years ago), and I was born again hard. I started training for a double century (which I never did) and the combination of longer distances, regular 60 mile rides, and grinding for hours in the big chain ring, upped my cruising speeds to where they are now. I guess trying to prove you're not getting old is good motivation. Nearing 60 so I should be slowing down any day now. )
@@bikestrikesrazors If your speed is due to your training, how is your brother just as fast, did he train with you?
@@DemiGod.. Yep, he's usually there on the same rides I do. :)
Whats the reclining angle on the VTX ?
I'm riding an old catrike road prior to 2010 no suspension. It's a great trike, recline angle is 39 degrees.
I've found when facing a stiff headwind , I can scoot down on my seat and reduce my recline angle . Km not as fast as I am on the road bike , Im averaging about 16 MPH over a 20 mile ride , I use to be active in the bike road race community so have some background in being fit and going fast . Always enjoy your videos. Keep them coming
Thanks, Jason! The seat on the VTX is adjustable, and right now I have it on the second to lowest setting, which I think is somewhere around 23 degrees. The real go-fast guys I mentioned in the video, John Greed and James Coxon, have both devised ways of getting their seats even more recIined than the normal settings allow. I also have a Greenspeed GTO with a very upright seat, and when I try to get it up to faster speeds, I do the same thing and scrunch down in the seat to get out of the wind. Once you get up to speed, that wind resistance really starts making a big difference. Still, I'm not sure if it's the wind resistance alone that's making the difference with the VTX. I've owned lots of trikes, including a Catrike Pocket, Greenspeed GTO, Greenspeed GT3, ICE T and ICE Q-26, and none of them wanted to travel at road bike speeds. The Q-26 surprised me the most, because it looks so much like the VTX, I really can't tell why the VTX is so much faster. Out of all those trikes, the VTX is the only one I've ridden that feels to me like it has your standard amount of what I would call "road bike pedaling resistance". And I have no idea why!
I just bought a CT Expedition. Where I live there is nowhere to ride that's not hills. A "small hill" ride near home is 550 feet of climbing on 8-mile circuit-so divide by 2 for up side. I am about 1/2 the speed on hills as my Fuji road bike. I can do the hills at 7-13 MPH on road bike and can only manage 4-6 on trike so far after a half dozen rides. I am faster than bike down, but there are really no flat sections to see what that would be. It doesn't help that I am 69, have one bionic hip, a long achilles from tearing it after the hip 2 years ago, and the other hip is due to be replaced end of the year. I will get faster on the trike as I learn it and get legs stronger. I love how it is aerobic riding now and I don't go anaerobic like road and mountain bike. That means I can ride twice as long as road bike, come home and go about my day without being blown up and stiff from road bike. The issue for me is that I was a racer in the 80s and early 90s, so I hate not being able to keep up with road bikes at least some of the time. Oh well, the trike is a lot of fun and it's nice to ride and not have to crash the rest of the day.
Give it some time, J. It took me around 1200 miles of riding a trike before I built up the specific muscles that allowed me to ride at road bike speeds. They’re making E bikes and E trikes so it shouldn’t be too long until they come out with E hips. I could use a couple of those! :)
Hello Sir love your channel. I’m just getting into recumbent trikes after a mild stroke. Couple of questions about this video, what computer do you use on your trike? What bike shorts and shoes do you wear when riding? Thank you
Hey, TV Man! For years I've been using a Garmin Edge 200, which is about as basic as it gets for a GPS computer. I resisted going to a Garmin/GPS based computer for a long time, just sticking with the standard Cateye style, but it's so much easier just having one computer that I can switch between bikes, recharge on the computer and use to record and upload rides to Strava. The Edge 200 has been discontinued, but if it busted (or the battery stopped taking a charge) I'd just look for the cheapest computer Garmin sold. This one doesn't have much in the way of advanced features, and it doesn't accept a heart strap, but it's worked pretty reliably for me. For shorts, I just use my regular Lycra cycling shorts. You'd think that the chamois might be a problem on a trike, but I don't notice it while riding. Of course, you can just wear regular shorts or pants, but I'd caution against shorts that flap around open at the bottom, as bees can fly up there (don't ask me how I know). As long as the pants are loose enough to move freely and are non-restrictive, there shouldn't be a problem. I use clip-in SPD style (mountain bike) pedals, so for shoes I'm using Shimano bike shoes. You should be able to turn up some SPD compatible bike shoes at a reasonable cost (and many at an unreasonable cost). Welcome to the club! You'll find that even though you've been led into triking because of a medical issue, riding a trike has a lot of advantages, especially in the pure fun department, over a road bike.
@@bikestrikesrazors thank you sir. I understand bees my father raised them when I was a boy. I really enjoyed your Mt. Diablo ride as I lived in the Bay Area for fifteen years and spent lot of time up there. I especially loved your American River ride. I grew up in Fair Oaks and my father and I use to take our Honda motorcycles out to Folsom for repairs when it was just a hole in the wall (yes I’m old and proud of it. Much simpler time back then). Since this my first trike I went middle of the road with a new Performer JC-26x folding trike in yellow. Can’t wait to hit the trails. Cheers 🍻
Where did you buy your VTX? I live in the SF Bay Area and haven't found a dealer that can demo it.
Hey, Sid! Steve at Bay Trail Trikes is an ICE dealer but I don’t know if he has one on hand to demo (he’s in Berkeley). It’s a long drive for you but Hugh at Alphabent up here in Sacramento has a demo VTX. If you do drive up and have something else to ride, you can check out the American River Trail. Even better, I know that Hugh has organized rides through his store so maybe you could arrange to go on one of those with his demo VTX. Both my brother and I picked up our VTX’s used at about half price. The first one showed up at a used bike shop down in San Jose and I found mine at Hostel Shoppe. Someone had traded it in toward a full suspension model and they made me a good deal on it. You might want to keep an eye on the Bentrider Online classifieds as they turn up there every so often. If you get one used, on the cheap, and find that you don’t like it, you can always sell it for what you paid. :)
Have you rode the Sprint X? I cannot find the speed difference tests between the two… also, what was your experience in testing the front and/or rear suspension on the VTX or Sprint X (not the the Tour)….
I have not had a chance to try a Sprint X yet. From reports, it is slower than a VTX, but I know a few VTX buyers that found the VTX too "extreme" for them and they went to a Sprint X because it's easier to get out of. I've never had a trike with suspension, so I can't comment. If speed is your top priority, the VTX is the trike.
Have you considered an aero rear wheel or do you think they have an advantage on a recumbent trike?
A disc wheel on the back (and on the front) will definitely lessen drag and make the trike faster.
What about comfort and road vibrations on the VTX? Do miss not having suspension? I assume you couldn't ride gravel on the VTX.
The VTX is surprisingly comfortable and vibration free on good roads. Depending on the trike design, a suspension model can theoretically be a smoother ride. I don't ride on any bad roads or chip seal around here (luckily) so it hasn't been an issue. The ground clearance on the VTX is on the low side, so it wouldn't be great for gravel riding. It's pretty much designed to be a stripped down, light weight speedy trike.
Enjoying the vid, can you tell me what kind of tires you are running. Thanks
Sure, I think when we filmed that we were running Schwalbe Pro One's on the rear, but now I'm trying out the Conti 5000's to see if they'll wear a little better. The Pro Ones wore down pretty quickly on the back of the trikes. The front tires are Schwalbe Shredda's. I've almost worn mine out and I'll be switching over to some Durano's that I got on sale. :) I don't really notice much difference as far as speed is concerned between the tires I've had on the VTX so far (but they're all supposed to be "fast" tires).
Thank you, i recieved my 700 today very please took 3 weeks to get it, instead of 22 weeks. I run conti on my road bike. I notice the my tires run lower psi 113
@@pitmastertoby2598 Hurrah! Glad I could help with that rear derailleur suggestion! Hopefully they'll be able to open their supply lines again soon. As far as I know, the two fastest tires available now for trikes are the Continental Contact Speeds and the Schwalbe Pro Ones. Yep, I usually run Conti's on my road bikes as well (I like those little wear indicators).
It's great that you all are into speed, I am into just enjoying the ride and surroundings. I can see that helmets are needed at your speed but does one need it going about 8 mph?
Hey, SFC! While it's unlikely that you'd tip over at slow speeds and hit your head, I have seen it happen. Also, if you're on a bike path, you have no control over what the other riders may be doing, and I've had some road bike riders almost run right over me in their quest for a new personal record. Then there's always the possibility of being hit by a car while you're on a road. All these reasons, plus the fact that "anything can happen when you least expect it" are all good reasons to wear a helmet. Modern helmets are so light these days, I forget that I even have one on. Rich and I did a whole video on just this subject:
czcams.com/video/wbHiTTNE9gg/video.html
@@bikestrikesrazors My engineer friend worked on airbags and crash testing at an automotive company, he was also a bike rider. He said you can injure your brain by just falling over on a road bike even if it is not moving. Wear the helmet. My neighbors four year old boy fell off his bike. A pickup truck front wheel ran into his head. The wheel pushed the helmet out of the way with his head in it. The police said he would have been killed without the helmet because the wheel would have gone over his head. The larger diameter of the helmet prevented it from going under the wheel.
@@clearsailing7993 Yikes! That sounds like it could've been tragic! My helmet story happened in the late 90's. A car turned right in front of me and my head hit the door at speed. The helmet got dented, but my noggin was spared. The rest of me didn't fair so well, but at least I survived!
I ride slowly too but all of my tipovers have been at low speed. It usually has involved me dropping one tire off the trail and correcting poorly. My fluorescent green helmet makes me more visible.
@@bobt2522 It's surprising how easy it can be to tip over when everything conspires in just the right way, Bob!
Just curious, what trail were you riding on? Looks like an amazing trail to ride on.
This is out on the American River Bike Trail, which would also be a great trail to check out by scooter! I always see lots of scooter riders out there!
Thank you. What other trails have you ridden on that you would highly recommend besides this trail in this video? Would like to ride on a trail is not too short because my scooter can do about 70 miles on a single charge.
Really enjoyed the comments and 2nd the request for a Aero comparison.
My question is what tires are you both running? Don’t look like the stock “Ones”. Looking into tires to try amd go a bit faster for my 700. Thanks for your videos. Really enjoy them all.
Thanks very much, and we’re still trying to get our hands (legs?) on an Aero so we can check it out. We have Pro One’s on the rear but up front we have Schwalbe Shreddas, which were purported to be fast but which are no longer manufactured. Public opinion is saying that the current fastest trike tires are the Pro Ones and the Continental Contact Speed. Let me know if you try them and it makes a difference for you!
@@bikestrikesrazors Ah, thank you very much, I was going crazy trying to figure out what tire that was! I am running Kojak on the front right now. Had to get another set because it’s all that I can find. But as soon as I can my hands on Pro Ones I’m gonna try them. I’m thinking about putting a GP 5000 TL tubeless on the back (Vision A23 OC). I can’t decide if Tubeless is worth it to be honest.
@@moneyclubpartners6339 My brother just changed out his rear Pro One for a Conti 5000. I think the harder compound on the Conti tires might last longer on the back of a trike. He doesn't notice any speed difference so far. I purchased a number of Durano's on the cheap on-line, so I'll be giving those a try when the Shreddas wear out. I haven't tried tubeless yet, but some folks love them.
I live in Mobile, Alabama we don't have a recumbent shop, the closest one is 3 hours away.
Might be worth making a day trip out of it, Farrell, if the shop owner will let you ride a bunch of different bikes/trikes to see what they're like. Of course, I'd wait 'till the gas prices drop a little lower. :)
I've been riding since chilhood in Philly & N.Y. I'm presently 72. I raced road bikes in the 70's. & 80's. I still ride a minimum
of 75 miles per week. The emergence of trail systems in the U.S. has made bicycle riding signifigently safer and more fun. But if I want to do a fast road ride. I do it on the streets or roads so as not to intimidate and endanger pedestrians, animals and children. One of my pet peeves are riders, esp. old farts, and Lance wannabes who because of inexperience and lack of cognitive skills careen around trails patently out of control thus creating a hazard to other trail users.
If you're going to set the world on fire with your apparent speed take it to the roads and leave the trails for commuters.
I hear ya, Nick. We're very lucky here in that our bike trail (American River bike trail or Jedediah Smith trail) has huge sections of trail that are usually deserted on weekdays, where you'll only spot a few other cyclists, even on a 60 mile ride. The weekend, however, is a different story, and on our Saturday rides we stay on the roads. The commuters on the trail here are monsters, and when 5:30pm rolls around and you start seeing the commuters with their backpacks, they're usually good for a draft, as they regularly exceed 20mph. Thanks for watching!
Any chance of a multi brand fast trike comparison? It's one thing i haven't seen anyone do. Like 4 or 5 different brands. The big wheels vs the little wheels especially. Put a GS Aero up against your trikes, don't get to see much on them.
That's a great idea, Ross, and if I ever get access to an Aero, we'll certainly do a head-to-head. I can tell you from a report by David Cameron over on Bentrider Online, who recently sold his VTX and picked up a Catrike 700, that the VTX and 700 are likely very similar in speed capabilities. David carefully measures his wattage and speed performance, and so far his speeds on the VTX were just a hair faster than what he was getting on the 700 for the same wattage, but he thinks it's because he has slower tires on the 700. Unfortunately, he's going to wait until those tires wear out before installing something faster, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I've never seen a head-to-head with the Aero, but my guess is that the Aero would be faster than both the VTX and 700. I have seen an Aero in person, and it's a very radical trike, with the rider laying almost completely flat, very low to the ground, with their neck craned by the head rest. It's more like a pure racing trike than the VTX or 700. Now you have me curious! I'll have to see if I can somehow find one around here for testing. : )
@@bikestrikesrazors I expect you're more connected than most, so hopefully you might get a collaboration happening with other trike tubers on friendly competitions/comparisons. We all like to see our favourite brands do well! My GT3 has awful steering at speed compared to my Magnum big wheel but they both tail wag too much under fast hard pedalling for my liking. I'm planning a multi tube frame trike for rigidity to eliminate that, but in the meantime will make some clamp on braces to eliminate flex on my Greenies. It may be a worthy quick fix.
@@rossbrumby1957 I know of one person in the area here that has an Aero, but he purchased one of the prototypes made of steel, so it's not exactly like a production model. That multi tube frame sounds like an interesting idea.
Do you and your brother have the 170 or 150 mm cranks?
Greetings! We both have the 170's.
@@bikestrikesrazors thanks so much! May I ask your inseam? I am 32 inches for pants.
The VTX is a $6k bike… is there anything worth getting in the $2k range that still has some speed and comfort?
Hi Alex and thanks for your comment! Joe and I both bought our VTXs used in the 2K range, so they can be had in very good shape on the used market with a little hunting and patience.
What do you weigh? Cycling always comes down to strength/weight.
Hey, Jerry! I’m currently 180 pounds (about 20 pounds overweight). :)
@@bikestrikesrazors Strong!
Have found on a rd bike, hands, shoulders, back and bum hurt on long distance
Yes, unfortunately it’s hard to avoid those problems with a road bike. Lots of long rides can help condition your body so it’s not that bad, but it’s always there if you ride long enough. :)
⚔️💪😎🏴👌(stroke)
I'm slower on my tadpole because there are three contact points and that does slow us down some
I’m sure that’s one of the reasons why trikes start with a speed disadvantage, but it would seem that it may be possible to overcome that disadvantage through making the rest of the trike extremely aerodynamic. Interesting stuff!
@@bikestrikesrazors Absolutely interesting. Triking has given me 40 years of revenge on aging
This is nonsense about comparing standard bicycle and a recumbent saying the speed accomplished is the same . One of the biggest factors in speed other than your legs is air drag , wind resistance. The recumbent with its lower profile reduces air drag considerably thus speeds are increased with less wattage
Hey, Keith! In some cases this is correct, such as you see with the racing trike in this video. Still, while this trike has road bikes beat in the aerodynamics department, and on flats seems to be faster given a specific wattage, the trike does climb significantly slower than a road bike. I had originally attributed this to weight, but I recently lost a good deal of weight on my body, 30 pounds, which is almost the entire weight of the trike, and I still notice a significant amount of increased resistance on the trike while climbing when compared to a road bike. Then you also have to consider that there are many recumbent bikes and trikes that really aren't that aerodynamic at all and are simply slower than road bikes (I own several of these). It's a complicated issue! Thanks for watching!
i have a trice 2003 ill swap for fillet brazed racing bike
Try posting that on a local trike forum or on Bentrider Online. I'm sure you'll find some takers!
i tried no intersts its in my attic id swap f sweap frof trekking bike or rennrad@@bikestrikesrazors
Assumed it would be as fast as a 2 wheel recumebent lowracer bike which is supposed to be alot faster than a diamond frame.
It holds its own against some fast two-wheeled recumbents (T-bone and U2) until you hit the hills. Then it's a bit slower. :)
skor jezdza tak samo szybko co konwencjonalne rowery to po co sie męczyć z tymi kolubrynami - klasyczny rower jest leciutki i zajmuje o wiel mniej miejsca w domu i samochodzie
Przede wszystkim ze względu na wygodę. Niektórzy ludzie mają problemy z równowagą, ramionami, szyją i tyłkami na zwykłym rowerze pionowym. Poza tym rowery trójkołowe zapewniają zupełnie inne wrażenia niż rower dwukołowy. Bardziej przypomina jazdę na wózku napędzanym pedałami, co jest świetną zabawą. Zajmują więcej miejsca niż rower.
rubbisn bents are slower than wedges
Again, it depends on the 'bent or trike. We have a U2 Lightning lowracer and a Reynolds T-Bone that are clearly faster than most road bikes. And the ICE VTX trike is just as fast as a road bike on the flats, slower uphill and faster downhill. I ride them all, and that's my experience, for what it's worth.
yes but wobbling starts at 25mph@@bikestrikesrazors
bents are slower up hills
I will give you this- Most are, but some are faster or as fast on the flats and faster descending.
only good thing about trikes is i can fit it in a tent and sleep next to it@@bikestrikesrazors
rubbish i had german old ladies take over me i couldnt keep up with them
Were you on an ICE VTX, Jasper? Trikes vary widely in their performance. Additionally, it takes a good amount of time to build up the muscle groups specific to trikes.
i worked at crystal engineering well i i hel;ped out for fun there were no ice then iot was peter ross then chris parker buy the buisiness with niel selwood i helped out for a bit until health and safety investigated and said no voluteers i had a ross trike and a xlnt ice trice sorry i no about bents and wedgies@@bikestrikesrazors