Carbontrikes Makes Us Want to Race Recumbents
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…
The Carbontrike is designed to handle equally well with 16″ or 20″ front wheels. Rear is a standard road bike wheel.
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.
Comments
I think I saw that green thing at IKEA last week.
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.
@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
Drivers do not see us on regular bike. Heck no, I am not riding roads in this.
Uhhh…..is it so comfortable that a helmet is no longer required?
I agree with Velo… Nice helmet, must be one of those low profile flesh tone expensive models.
Helmet not required. Brown paper bag on the other hand………
Why is that even on this forum….”bike” rumor not “trike” rumor…..lame.
I’d like to try one out for kicks. I bet it’s crazy fast.
I like how it’s got an aero wheel behind the rider.
How long does it take to oil that chain?
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.
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?
I’d pedal the crap out of that. Of course, I just added a RowBike to my stable, so…
The only thing worse than that thing would be a tandem version.
@Brian
A rowbike in your stable? Sorry, anything with a rowbike in it cannot be a stable. More of a circus freakshow
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”.
Wow. Super turd.
Absolutely nerd-tastic! ; )
All the haters are just jealous because they know that thing would leave any normal carbon roadbike in the dust…
Androo, it’d certainly do that on descents.
It hasn’t got one of those fluorescent flags that most recumbents seem to have …
The ovalized boom is a great feature! No twisting under torque…