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4.6 Handling
You should avoid riding the trike on two wheels. It is possible to do, with considerable practice, but it places
unfair stresses on the wheels and you will not be able to control the trike properly.
If you lock the back wheel (using the rear parking or disk brake), it is possible to make the back end of the
trike skid around; this is the so-called ‘handbrake turn’. While fun to do in a quiet car park, this maneuver can
cause a loss of control, and should not be attempted around other vehicles. It can also scrub the tread off an
expensive tyre in a very short time.
Heavy loads should be carried as low as possible, and as much in the middle of the trike as you can. Heavy
loads mounted high on the back of the trike will affect its handling, especially at higher speeds and when
cornering. Do not carry a child in a child seat over the rear wheel. Besides affecting the trike’s stability, the
trike is not heavy enough to sufficiently support a child without someone sitting on it (it can fall over when you
get out of the seat).
For carrying children or heavy loads, we recommend towing a trailer. There are plenty of 2 wheeled trailers on
the market, and they can be very heavily loaded without affecting the handling of the trike. Crash tests done
in Germany show a child is much safer in a trailer than in a child seat.
4.7 Brakes
The front brakes are operated independently by each main brake lever. The left lever operates the left brake,
and the right lever operates the right brake. Normal braking should be done with both levers together and
evenly for excellent stopping power; you will find your trike to be very stable under braking. Unlike other
trikes, stopping using only one brake will not result in the trike veering from its intended course. This ‘No-
Brake-Steer’ geometry is a safety feature that is an ICE innovation and is designed into every trike we make.
Because your weight is being supported on 3 wheels rather than 2, you will find it easier to lock up the brakes
on the front wheels. The trike will not roll over, but it will slide. Locked wheels are hard on tyres, and are not
as efficient for braking as a wheel which is still turning. When you are braking into corner, you will find the
unloaded inside wheel will lock up quite easily. It is not a problem, but remember that the lightly loaded wheel
is not contributing much to steering or braking the trike.
If you brake violently, at low speeds and with both brakes, you may find the trike wants to lift its back wheel.
In extreme cases, you can brake hard enough for the chainring to hit the ground.
Brake drums, calipers and rotors will heat up when they are used. They can get very hot, especially after a
long descent, and it is possible to burn yourself if you are not careful. Do not touch them while riding or
immediately after dismounting from the bicycle. Check that the brake components have been cooled down
before attempting to adjust the brakes.
4.8 Hill climbing
A recumbent trike or bike tends not to climb a hill as quickly as an upright bike whose rider can get off the
saddle to use his/her weight to get extra effort. It will climb in comfort at a lower speed and in a lower gear.
Try to keep your cadence up by shifting down early. You should never need to get off and push, even when
carrying a heavy load. Just gear down and keep spinning until you reach to the top of the hill.
4.9 Descending a hill
CAUTION, take care on your first downhill rides until you gain experience.
It is not unusual to reach
speeds of over 40 mph on steep descents. You will find you can go faster and with much more confidence
once you are used to the way the machine handles. Because there is less air drag in the recumbent position
you will go faster than a bike. You have powerful brakes with good stopping power.
CAUTION,
the brakes are powerful and if they are applied sharply on some of our models with higher seats,
you can cause the rear wheel to rise up. This can result in some loss of directional control.
