I have been giving today's topic lots of thought for a few years. During the time of Covid, we all saw the cycling industry have a great boom in business. Mostly 2-wheeled e-bikes but recumbents and trikes also got a good boost in sales. Certainly, e-assist is the biggest thing to ever happen to cycling. Unfortunately, in the last year or more, the cycling industry as a whole has been very depressed. I think this is true for the 2-wheeled market more than trikes but no one has been spared. Warehouses are still overstocked on products produced during the Covid boom, meaning nothing innovative is coming to market until this surplus can be cleared out.
I have made some observations over the last few years during my travels that I would like to share. I am someone who has been traveling in my truck and trailer all over the US for the last 5 years. Mostly, I have been looking for trails and paths as well as clubs and groups to ride with. I have also done a solo cross-US trike tour during this time. These have all been amazing experiences, and I've met wonderful people everywhere I've been. What has impressed me the most is the incredible generosity in the cycling community, especially with trikers. Trikers are exceptionally warm, welcoming, and more enthusiastic about cycling than any other group I've met. On my cross-country tour I was invited into many homes by people I had never met before. Most of the people who opened their homes had never done this before. The hospitality I was shown was bar none. I also had trikers look out for me as I approached their towns and cities. Often, trikers would not be happy with my route choice and would drive many hours to pick me up and make sure I was safe. This is simply incredible. The triking community is very special and should be celebrated.
I also love meeting people and going on group or club rides. The camaraderie between riders is special. I have also been able to ride with many groups, sometimes, more than once. I've ridden with groups in Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Montana, Washington DC, Utah, Nevada, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Florida, Arizona, California, Washington, Idaho and Oregon. These have all been wonderful rides with terrific people. From these rides, I've made some striking observations. The biggest and most surprising to me is that, for most of the groups, it's almost always the same riders each time I've ridden with a group a 2nd time.
Why is that remarkable? I think we all know that trikes have been selling. Aren't you also wondering where all the new trike riders are? I have some thoughts. For the rest of this post, I'm going to highlight my observations mostly from Portland, Oregon, because it's the area I know best.
Portland, Oregon, is a cycling mecca for the US and is blessed to have 2 excellent recumbent shops. Rose City, run by Robert Holler and Jonathan Garcia, has a big selection of different trike brands and carries their own shop-designed 2-wheel bike, the Mystique. They carry just about every brand of trike except for one. RecumbentPDX run by Janet and Mel Birge, is a Catrike exclusive shop. Both of these shops sell lots of trikes, most going out the door equipped with e-assist. These shops have been in business for many, many years and, in that time, probably sold hundreds of trikes.
There is also a very active recumbent cycling club in Portland that has a Facebook Page and posts group rides every week. I've been a member of this group for close to 20 years. The Pacific Northwest Recumbent Cycling group has monthly zoom meetings that are open to the public. This club is also responsible for the Recumbent Retreat on the Oregon Coast, which just celebrated its 26th year. What has always surprised me about the group rides is that there are typically 5-10 cyclists, and it's almost always the same riders. Again, where are all the new trikers? Especially considering there are 2 recumbent-specific shops in Portland selling lots of trikes for many, many years.
I can't say for sure, but I can guess at the reason new riders aren't joining the group rides. My guess is they aren't joining because they don't know the group exists. I think that when the shops make a sale, they aren't telling the new customers about the riding opportunities and the welcoming community. This is a shame and I think this is happening in bike shops all over the country.
Lots of people buy trikes to help them get back into cycling. So many people were forced to give up cycling, something they loved, often because of medical reasons. Maybe they have a physical ailment, back problem, or balance issue that took them off their upright bikes. Going to a recumbent shop and buying a trike gave them back their freedom. They could ride again. This is another very special aspect of the triking community. It is full of people who are grateful they discovered trikes. After buying a new trike, they were probably excited to be mobile again. But since no one told them about the community, it's possible that after riding a few times up and down the local trail, they lost interest. Especially once the winter season sets in, the trike got put away, and maybe it was put away forever. Being able to get together with other trikers, who can relate to their situation makes cycling an even richer experience.
Why should the bike shops want their new customers to be riding? After all, they are in the business of selling trikes, and they made a sale. Why isn't that enough?
Let me ask you if you have ever seen any advertising for trikes? Have you seen a commercial on TV or cable or in a magazine? Have you heard an ad on a podcast or radio program? Have you ever had to click to skip an ad in a YouTube video for trikes? I haven't. There simply isn't any advertising for trikes by any of the big manufacturers, including, ICE, HP, AZUB, Terra Trike, Hase, Catrike, Greenspeen, or Stein trikes, at least not in the US. I've seen sponsorship but I've never seen any advertising. Without advertising, how does anyone even know trikes exist?
Without formal advertising, the trikers, who are already riding, are the only advertising the bike shops have. No one can learn about trikes until they see one ridden down the road or a friend buys one. Or maybe they are on a bike ride on a trail or path and see a group of trikers also out for a ride together. Whenever I'm stopped at the bathroom on a trail, someone will almost always approach to ask about my trike. I often will let people sit in my trike to see how it feels. Seeing a trike isn't enough. People need to sit on one to 'get it'. This was my 1st experience. When I 1st saw a trike, I was already riding recumbent. Trikes were very odd to me, and I couldn't understand why you needed the extra wheel. 3 wheels seemed excessive to me. It wasn't until I sat down in one that I 'got it' , the light bulb went on and, I immediately, had to have one.
Bike shops should want their customers riding as much as possible if for no other reason than this is their only source of advertising. My idea is bike shops should provide a piece of paper with all the community resources. This should include local club rides. And not just recumbent rides. Most towns have upright cycling groups. These club rides offer the lowest-hanging fruit to get new customers.
I've ridden with many 2-wheeled upright clubs. At first, sure, they look at me funny. But, every time, they always say you are more than welcome as long as you can keep up. The clubs I've ridden with have rides for every level of ability. Often, they are listed on a webpage. The posted rides will either say 'No one left behind,' or they will list the minimum speed range participants are expected to handle. Like many upright riders, I also use an electric assist motor that allows me to ride with just about anyone, especially on the uphills. You ride with these groups a few times, and they will take notice of how fresh you are at the end of the ride. You end the ride smiling, you actually saw more than the fog line and enjoyed the scenery. Mostly, they will be jealous that you are not in pain and will start asking questions. So many upright riders are old guys who are stubbornly riding in pain. Once they see you return and become part of the group, this will break the ice and let them know they won't be the 1st to switch to a trike, I expect this will put ideas in their heads.
Maybe it's also time for recumbents to become part of cycling instead of continuing to be odd, different, and separate. It used to be uncomfortable for uprights and recumbents to ride together because of the different rhythm. Recumbents are much faster on the downhill but slower on the uphills. This hasn't changed, but now, with e-assist the rhythm can be adjusted accordingly. 2-wheel cyclists, whether recumbent or upright, still need to concentrate on the road, and, for trikers, this type of mixed riding will be less social with less gabbing than riding with all trikes.
This piece of paper I'm recommending bike shops provide to new customers should also have a list of charity rides. It could include Facebook pages and YouTube channels that offer good information where new trikers can learn and ask questions. All the manufacturers have Facebook pages. The list should also include the big events to consider going to. I always say the riding season, especially in the northern US is short. For me, it starts with the Spokumbent Retreat in Washington in June and is followed the next week by Tater TOT in Idaho. This year's Tater TOT had almost 200 trikers! 2025 will probably have more. The end of the season, for me, is the grand-daddy of all recumbent events, the Recumbent Retreat. Bike shops can include more local events to their list, such as Ciclovia.
Below, I've put together a basic list that I think bike shops all over the world could use as a template. Simply switch out club names and charity rides for your area. This list should be stapled to the receipt for every trike sale a bike shop makes. New trikers aren't going to know about any of these resources unless someone tells them.
Recumbent Rider Resources.
(Portland, Oregon - for template purposes)
Clubs
Pacific Northwest Recumbent Cycling Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/163171130390530)
Portland Bicyle Club (https://portlandbicyclingclub.com/)
Bike Portland (https://bikeportland.org/)
Charity and Area Rides
Monster Cookie
Hood to Coast
Sunday Parkways
Pedalpalooza (Month long cycling festival in Portland)
Bridge Pedal
Big Races and Industry Event
Bike Nonstop - Cross US non-supported race - (https://bikenonstop.com/)
RAAM- Race Across America (https://www.raamrace.org/)
Cycle Con (recumbent industry national event (https://cycle-con.com/)
RAGBRAI is probably the biggest ride in the US. (https://ragbrai.com/)
All manufacturers have FaceBook pages where customers ask questions and post tips and tricks.
All bike shops have FaceBook pages announcing store events including rides and maintenance classes.
Recumbent Riders is the biggest recumbent enthusiast page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/RecumbentRiders/)
Recumbent Trike Riders (https://www.facebook.com/groups/RecumbentTrikeRiders/)
Recumbent Retreat (https://www.facebook.com/groups/160427554103613/)
Spokumbent (https://www.facebook.com/groups/879792925916576/)
Tater TOT (https://www.facebook.com/groups/463485086277515)
RecumbentCyclingSoCal
YouTube Channels
Many bike shops have YouTube channels where they show off new gear and offer maintenance videos. The most consistent channels with the biggest following are:
Laidback Cycles (https://www.youtube.com/@LaidBackCycles)
Utah Trikes (https://www.youtube.com/@UtahTrikesOnline
The oldest channel of industry insiders is: LaidBack Bike Report which has a monthly show (https://www.youtube.com/@GarySolomon)
Some of the most consistent and popular enthusiast channels are:
Bikes, trikes and Razors (https://www.youtube.com/@bikestrikesrazors)
Out and About on Recumbents (https://www.youtube.com/@outandaboutontherecumbents)
Travels By Trike (https://www.youtube.com/@TravelsByTrike)
Cycle Touring Resources
Crazy Guy on a Bike has thousands of journals of people riding all kinds of bikes all over the world (https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/)
Cycle Blaze (https://www.cycleblaze.com/)
This is a suggested list that could be tailored to each shop area. There may be many other resources that I have missed which could be added. Please use this however you can and share it with any bike shop or manufacturer to give them ideas as well.
Until the industry gets big enough to afford actual advertising, I really think the best the bike shops can do is encourage people to ride as much as possible. People are yearning for community, and the bike shops can show their customers that there is an active and welcoming group already established.
I'll be making a video talking about this idea more. Let me know if I left anything out I can add to the video. As always, I'd love to know what you think and thanks for following along!
