Top Ten Reasons to Own a Trike

Top Ten Reasons to Own a Trike:

My head trauma [a politically correct term for "brain damage"] has
given me a lot - tons! - of thumb-twittling time. So, instead of using
my ever expansive time watching, my favorite channel, Game Show
Network, I've emailed my Dad requesting that he give me writing
assignments for my future trike zine.

Here's my original email to my father:


Hey Dad,

I'd like to use my empty, expansive time to work on my writing.

See, even though I have a soft-spot for libraries, and I've almost
finished my Library Science master's degree, I believe I'm really
supposed to be a writer.

With my zines, I've always been a writer of some sort, but I'd like to
make my writing touch more people.

I know for sure, in the future, I'm going to write some kind of trike
zine or website. This zine/site will have trike-related articles, ride-
reports, reviews [I'd like to have reviews of trike components as well
as things like music and zines, in general].

So Dad, this really is an application to Jim's college where I plan on
majoring in writing. Could you come up with some assignments?

You can have me do things like write a business letter to some made-up
company concerning some made-up problem, short stories and poetry, a
newspaper article regarding some made-up story, or just make up
something...

How can I make my writing touch more people?
***

And here's his response:


Ok, the professor is back in the house.

Since your object is to create a trike zine that is both educational
as well as entertaining, I think your first assignment is to write an
article called the "Top Ten Reasons to Own a Trike."

Good luck,

Dr. Carter



I know there are many more reasons one should triker, but I could only
come up with six. So, reader, here goes:

***Six reasons you should ride a trike***

There are many reasons why one should own a trike. In fact, because of
personal preferences and the subjectible nature of "fun", there's
probably way more reasons than the ones I have listed here.

Although this list goes from One to Six, it's not an order of
preference. In other words, number two isn't a better reason to trike
than number five. I'll let the reader decide their importance.

Here are six reasons why you should ride a trike. Can you guys think
of any more?

Regards,
Cullen
www.comatimes.blogspot.com




**Six Reasons Why You Should Own A Trike**


1. Environmental reasons

I really got into cycling when I was in highschool. I was a punk
rocker, and, like a lot of P.C. punks, I also called myself an
environmentalist. And, even though I'm thirty two, and am totally out
of touch with the music, I still hold a lot of the same punk rock
beliefs. I'm not going to let things like my disability and damaged
brain make me stop cycling. If only more people would've made the
bicycle their main mode of transport earlier you'd probably noticed it
each time you took a breath of air, I'm sure.



2. Unlike a bike, a trike can carry a lot of cargo

Because a trike has three wheels, it's much easier for the cyclists to
carry heavy cargo. Plus, a trike has more room to store the cargo. I
think all one has to do is look at this [http://justcoffee.coop/files/
images/On%20the%20Cargo%20Trike.preview.jpg] guy to get a clear idea
about the trike's carrying capacity.



3. Groceries

I know this ties in with number two, but since most of us don't live
on a farm or have close, friendly farmer friends, we rely on the local
grocery store to supply the food we use to fill our hungry, growling
bellies. And we regularly drive our automobiles to the local grocery
store to stock up on our food needs.

One could easily complain that, by using a slow bike instead of a fast
car, their milk would will spoil, or ice cream melt. Because, as point
two states, trikes have a lot carrying capacity, a trike could easily
carry a cooler of some sort to keep those cold perishables from
spoiling.



4. Attracting girls [or, for girls: Guys!]

I'm a very happily married gentleman to a beautiful, smart, cunning
woman named Allyson. However, my trike has tested my fidelity toward
her.

See, every time I take the thing out for a ride, some beautiful and,
dare I say, sexy female stops me to talk about my trike.

For example, last summer I was triking through a park when my trike
caught the eye of some, dare I say, voluptuous, sexy eighteen year
old [ I hope] babysitter sitting on a bench watching her kid swim.

I stopped at a nearby water fountain to fill up my water bottle.

"Oh," I hear behind me, "Is that yours?"

I turned and looked at the questioner. Man, in my bachelor days I
would've been all over this opportunity. But, like I wrote, I'm a very
happily married gent. So, I responded, "Yes, it is mine," hoping it
would end right there. But, she let out a flirty laugh.

"I bet the ladies are totally attracted to a thing like that," she
said with a flirtatious wink.

I had to end this early before it escalated into something I might
regret. "Yes, my wife loves it!" I said.

"Oh, you have a wife?" she glumly responded pointing to my trike. "I
was going to ask you out because that thing makes me so hot!"

I smiled uncomfortably, adjusted my trike, and said, "Goodbye."

I heard her let out moans of disappointment as I pedaled away. And,
this isn't the first time something like this has happened!

So, bachelors - or unfaithful married assholes - if you want something
that, in the words of my eighteen year old admiring babysitter, makes
girls "hot", get yourself a trike.



5. Passengers

After you've attracted that eighteen year old babysitter, you might
want to take her out on a date. As one can see from the picture below,
it's possible transport people via trike:

I bet a thing like this would make you a very popular person. And, I
guarantee, you'll be a trendsetter because people will instantaneously
recognize how ingenious a trike is. Especially a trike like the one
above.




6. The Coolness factor

As one can see trikes are a very cool thing. Unfortunately, in recent
times, people have been so transfixed with the automobile to realize
how cool the trike - or, any other velocipede - is. I guarantee that
once you get a trike people will line up outside you front door
wanting to be your friend. And you'll probably be the person people
say was the person who turned them on to cycling. This is especially
true for me: When I ride my trike, It's visibly apparent, from the
walker strapped to the back, that I'm disabled. I'm sure some people
think, when they look at me and see my trike and walker, "Jeez, if he
can do it, so can I."

wrote:

[cuuuuuuuut]

I know there are many more reasons one should triker, but I could only
come up with six. So, reader, here goes:

***Six reasons you should ride a trike***

There are many reasons why one should own a trike. In fact, because of
personal preferences and the subjectible nature of "fun", there's
probably way more reasons than the ones I have listed here.

Although this list goes from One to Six, it's not an order of
preference. In other words, number two isn't a better reason to trike
than number five. I'll let the reader decide their importance.

Here are six reasons why you should ride a trike. Can you guys think
of any more?

Some of your reasons i dont agree with.

[cuuuuuuut]


**Six Reasons Why You Should Own A Trike**


1. Environmental reasons

I really got into cycling when I was in highschool. I was a punk
rocker, and, like a lot of P.C. punks, I also called myself an
environmentalist. And, even though I'm thirty two, and am totally out
of touch with the music, I still hold a lot of the same punk rock
beliefs. I'm not going to let things like my disability and damaged
brain make me stop cycling. If only more people would've made the
bicycle their main mode of transport earlier you'd probably noticed it
each time you took a breath of air, I'm sure.

This one applies to any bike, not just trikes.


2. Unlike a bike, a trike can carry a lot of cargo

Because a trike has three wheels, it's much easier for the cyclists to
carry heavy cargo. Plus, a trike has more room to store the cargo. I
think all one has to do is look at this [http://justcoffee.coop/files/
images/On%20the%20Cargo%20Trike.preview.jpg] guy to get a clear idea
about the trike's carrying capacity.

oh, so a 2 wheel can not carry that much?
http://www.mcsbike.com/htm/i_truck.html


3. Groceries

I know this ties in with number two, but since most of us don't live
on a farm or have close, friendly farmer friends, we rely on the local
grocery store to supply the food we use to fill our hungry, growling
bellies. And we regularly drive our automobiles to the local grocery
store to stock up on our food needs.

One could easily complain that, by using a slow bike instead of a fast
car, their milk would will spoil, or ice cream melt. Because, as point
two states, trikes have a lot carrying capacity, a trike could easily
carry a cooler of some sort to keep those cold perishables from
spoiling.

Groceries is the same as cargo. So thats one less argument.



4. Attracting girls [or, for girls: Guys!]

I'm a very happily married gentleman to a beautiful, smart, cunning
woman named Allyson. However, my trike has tested my fidelity toward
her.

See, every time I take the thing out for a ride, some beautiful and,
dare I say, sexy female stops me to talk about my trike.

For example, last summer I was triking through a park when my trike
caught the eye of some, dare I say, voluptuous, sexy eighteen year
old [ I hope] babysitter sitting on a bench watching her kid swim.

I stopped at a nearby water fountain to fill up my water bottle.

"Oh," I hear behind me, "Is that yours?"

I turned and looked at the questioner. Man, in my bachelor days I
would've been all over this opportunity. But, like I wrote, I'm a very
happily married gent. So, I responded, "Yes, it is mine," hoping it
would end right there. But, she let out a flirty laugh.

"I bet the ladies are totally attracted to a thing like that," she
said with a flirtatious wink.

I had to end this early before it escalated into something I might
regret. "Yes, my wife loves it!" I said.

"Oh, you have a wife?" she glumly responded pointing to my trike. "I
was going to ask you out because that thing makes me so hot!"

I smiled uncomfortably, adjusted my trike, and said, "Goodbye."

I heard her let out moans of disappointment as I pedaled away. And,
this isn't the first time something like this has happened!

So, bachelors - or unfaithful married assholes - if you want something
that, in the words of my eighteen year old admiring babysitter, makes
girls "hot", get yourself a trike.

I am not so sure that they will like it. But i am sure they
like a fit man.



5. Passengers

After you've attracted that eighteen year old babysitter, you might
want to take her out on a date. As one can see from the picture below,
it's possible transport people via trike:

i dont see any picture below, and i SO wanted to see that 18
year old babysitter. But i do see an idea in the babysitter
being able to bike with 2, 3 or maybe 4 small kids in a cargo
bike such as the one you list above. But you can get similar
2 wheeled bikes.




JonB

aka Cullen Carter wrote:
[...]
4. Attracting girls [or, for girls: Guys!]

I'm a very happily married gentleman to a beautiful, smart, cunning
woman named Allyson. However, my trike has tested my fidelity toward
her.

See, every time I take the thing out for a ride, some beautiful and,
dare I say, sexy female stops me to talk about my trike.

For example, last summer I was triking through a park when my trike
caught the eye of some, dare I say, voluptuous, sexy eighteen year
old [ I hope] babysitter sitting on a bench watching her kid swim.

I stopped at a nearby water fountain to fill up my water bottle.

"Oh," I hear behind me, "Is that yours?"

I turned and looked at the questioner. Man, in my bachelor days I
would've been all over this opportunity. But, like I wrote, I'm a very
happily married gent. So, I responded, "Yes, it is mine," hoping it
would end right there. But, she let out a flirty laugh.

"I bet the ladies are totally attracted to a thing like that," she
said with a flirtatious wink.

I had to end this early before it escalated into something I might
regret. "Yes, my wife loves it!" I said.

"Oh, you have a wife?" she glumly responded pointing to my trike. "I
was going to ask you out because that thing makes me so hot!"

I smiled uncomfortably, adjusted my trike, and said, "Goodbye."

I heard her let out moans of disappointment as I pedaled away. And,
this isn't the first time something like this has happened!

So, bachelors - or unfaithful married assholes - if you want something
that, in the words of my eighteen year old admiring babysitter, makes
girls "hot", get yourself a trike.

The absolutely worst thing about any recumbent is being asked questions
or hearing question by/from the ignorant. I am tempted to build large
tail=boxes for all my recumbents so I can put large "PLEASE DO NOT ASK
QUESTIONS OR COMMENT ON THIS BICYCLE/TRIKE". I am about ready to put up
with the discomfort of an upright road bicycle just NOT to stand out.

If a woman approaches and is obviously only curious about the bicycle
trike, I ask "May I help you?" in an icy as tone as possible.

The only real advantages of a trike over a bicycle all relate to it
being statically stable, unlike the statically unstable bicycle.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

On Mar 28, 9:35*pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
aka Cullen Carter wrote:



[...]
4. Attracting girls [or, for girls: Guys!]

I'm a very happily married gentleman to a beautiful, smart, cunning
woman named Allyson. However, my trike has tested my fidelity toward
her.

See, every time I take the thing out for a ride, some beautiful and,
dare I say, sexy female stops me to talk about my trike.

For example, last summer I was triking through a park when my trike
caught the eye of some, dare I say, *voluptuous, sexy eighteen year
old [ I hope] babysitter sitting on a bench watching her kid swim.

I stopped at a nearby water fountain to fill up my water bottle.

"Oh," I hear behind me, "Is that yours?"

I turned and looked at the questioner. Man, in my bachelor days I
would've been all over this opportunity. But, like I wrote, I'm a very
happily married gent. So, I responded, "Yes, it is mine," hoping it
would end right there. But, she let out a flirty laugh.

"I bet the ladies are totally attracted to a thing like that," she
said with a flirtatious wink.

I had to end this early before it escalated into something I might
regret. "Yes, my wife loves it!" I said.

"Oh, you have a wife?" she glumly responded pointing to my trike. "I
was going to ask you out because that thing makes me so hot!"

I smiled uncomfortably, adjusted my trike, and said, "Goodbye."

I heard her let out moans of disappointment as I pedaled away. And,
this isn't the first time something like this has happened!

So, bachelors - or unfaithful married assholes - if you want something
that, in the words of my eighteen year old admiring babysitter, makes
girls "hot", get yourself a trike.

The absolutely worst thing about any recumbent is being asked questions
or hearing question by/from the ignorant. I am tempted to build large
tail=boxes for all my recumbents so I can put large "PLEASE DO NOT ASK
QUESTIONS OR COMMENT ON THIS BICYCLE/TRIKE". I am about ready to put up
with the discomfort of an upright road bicycle just NOT to stand out.

If a woman approaches and is obviously only curious about the bicycle
trike, I ask "May I help you?" in an icy as tone as possible.

The only real advantages of a trike over a bicycle all relate to it
being statically stable, unlike the statically unstable bicycle.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


It wasn't my intention to compare bikes to trike. I'm sorry if the
post gave you that wrong impression.

However, I hope the post is percieved as a very trike-centric like I
intended.

Just so you know, I love cyclist of ALL types.

Regards,
Cullen

The (unusually) irascible Tom Sherman rasped:

The absolutely worst thing about any recumbent is being
asked questions or hearing question[s] by/from the
ignorant.

Most of us probably understand that sentiment, having felt
some very similar emotion at least briefly at some point
in our recumbent cycling experience. Ignorance combined
with sloppy social graces can be oppressive and/or annoying
when you're really just not in the mood to deal with it.

However, most of the 'bent folks I know might also say that
one of the absolutely BEST things about any recumbent is
being asked questions or hearing questions by/from folks
who are unfamiliar but legitimately interested in our odd
vehicles, probably most especially tadpole tricycles.
Sharing the fun and social interaction are probably pretty
much an integral part of the trike riding experience. I
like it - not as much as my much more socially responsive
wife, but still...

Poems on the topic (both devoid of any hint of profanity,
just for the record):

http://www.32go.us/pow/nutrks.htm
http://www.32go.us/pow/trikes.htm

For the most part I agree with Tom's other comment:

The only real advantages of a trike over a bicycle all
relate to it being statically stable, unlike the
statically unstable bicycle.

However, it might be worth pointing out that the stability
of a trike is an important element while it's moving,
especially at low speeds and/or in low-traction conditions.
There are also several advantages of any cycle with a very
low center of gravity, especially in comparison to a more
conventional upright road or mountain bike. Some of these
advantages are shared by a lowracer recumbent bicycle, but
IMHO they're best realized with a well designed low-slung
tadpole. Probably the best example would be extremely hard
braking, where the typical tadpole can approach full weight
transfer onto its braking wheels, with minimal concerns
about doing an endo or locking up its wheels.

Regards,
Wayne Leggett
3-2-GO: The Trike Store
Ventura CA
Phone: 805-794-0718

32GO aka Wayne Leggett wrote:
The (unusually) irascible Tom Sherman rasped:

The absolutely worst thing about any recumbent is being
asked questions or hearing question[s] by/from the
ignorant.

Most of us probably understand that sentiment, having felt
some very similar emotion at least briefly at some point
in our recumbent cycling experience. Ignorance combined
with sloppy social graces can be oppressive and/or annoying
when you're really just not in the mood to deal with it.

Asking "how much did you pay for that" is just plain rude.

I was once asked "are you paraplegic" when riding my RANS Rocket, which
is probably the most stupid question to date.

Most questions from other cyclists are acceptable, except for the
deliberately rude ones from certain upright cyclists that obviously are
grouchy from having a narrow saddle pressing against their rectum.

However, most of the 'bent folks I know might also say that
one of the absolutely BEST things about any recumbent is
being asked questions or hearing questions by/from folks
who are unfamiliar but legitimately interested in our odd
vehicles, probably most especially tadpole tricycles.
Sharing the fun and social interaction are probably pretty
much an integral part of the trike riding experience. I
like it - not as much as my much more socially responsive
wife, but still...

Poems on the topic (both devoid of any hint of profanity,
just for the record):

http://www.32go.us/pow/nutrks.htm
http://www.32go.us/pow/trikes.htm

For the most part I agree with Tom's other comment:

The only real advantages of a trike over a bicycle all
relate to it being statically stable, unlike the
statically unstable bicycle.

However, it might be worth pointing out that the stability
of a trike is an important element while it's moving,
especially at low speeds and/or in low-traction conditions.

Well, that relates to the trike being statically stable.

There are also several advantages of any cycle with a very
low center of gravity, especially in comparison to a more
conventional upright road or mountain bike. Some of these
advantages are shared by a lowracer recumbent bicycle, but
IMHO they're best realized with a well designed low-slung
tadpole. Probably the best example would be extremely hard
braking, where the typical tadpole can approach full weight
transfer onto its braking wheels, with minimal concerns
about doing an endo or locking up its wheels.

Well, locking the wheels could flat spot the tires.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

Asking "how much did you pay for that" is just plain rude.

What's you typical response to this question?



I was once asked "are you paraplegic" when riding my RANS Rocket, which
is probably the most stupid question to date.

With my walker strapped to the back of my trike, I'm sure that I'm
going to be asked similar questions. Thanks for the warning!

I'll have to come up with some creative responses. "No, I just like
the walker aesthetics!" or "No, I just use it to get ladies!!!"

Cullen

wrote


Asking "how much did you pay for that" is just plain rude.

What's you typical response to this question?


When I'm asked such questions, I just answer them. Prices are generally
available on the web anyway & things cost what they cost...

aka Cullen Carter wrote:

Asking "how much did you pay for that" is just plain rude.

What's you typical response to this question?

I ask back how it concerns them, at which point they usually realize
that they were being rude.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

wrote in message
...


With my walker strapped to the back of my trike, I'm sure that I'm
going to be asked similar questions. Thanks for the warning!

I'll have to come up with some creative responses. "No, I just like
the walker aesthetics!" or "No, I just use it to get ladies!!!"

Cullen


Are you the fellow on the red Trice that I've met along the Fox River Valley
Trail?

gotbent, another Trice owner, aka FRVT rider
recumfortable since '99



--
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