Equipment

I think it might be worthwhile, before talking about our training, to write a few words about the trikes we purchased and our reasons for doing so. Recumbent trikes can be pretty expensive compared to traditional delta-frame bikes (like thousands of dollars more). This was an important consideration for us, since we are retired and live on a limited, fixed income. We decided, after considerable research, to buy a pair of TerraTrike Cruisers. These trikes are produced by Wizwheels, an American company located in Michigan. We purchased them at Amling's Cycle & Fitness in Niles, Illinois. We chose the Cruiser for three reasons. First, the Cruiser is the highest-quality, entry-level trike we could find on the market. At $1,400 each, they were not cheap. Nevertheless, we saved at least $4,000 compared to what we would have spent for two similar trikes produced by other manufacturers. Second, WizWheels has a fantastic customer service reputation. We could have bought other brands of trikes at a similar price. Most of those, however, are built in Taiwan. The manufacturers have no formal dealership organizations in the United States and provide little if any customer support. They may produce good trikes, but once you buy them you're on your own. Third, the Cruiser provides a sound basic platform which we can upgrade in the future. We already have added fenders, water bottles, mirrors, lights, computer, and luggage racks in anticipation of touring this summer. If we are still at this cycling thing next year, we plan to add a series of upgraded drive train components. We should, at that point, have a pair of really decent touring trikes.