Trikke
Encyclopedia
The Trikke requires roughly the width of a downtown sidewalk
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
(1-1.5 m) but can also operate on city streets. Mastering the correct form necessary for efficient propulsion requires practice, as it is not a familiar movement for most new riders. Riders often claim to need a few longer rides to find the "sweet spot" or ideal movement pattern to effectively ride a Trikke.
Its three point contact structure makes it reasonably stable, but wet pavement or leaves, or rough gravel under the wheels can cause a rider to possibly tip over or skid, so helmets are highly recommended.
History
In 1988, Brazilians Gildo Beleski and Osorio Trentini created a three-wheeled vehicle for riding downhill — three wheels were used because they felt that the added stability of three wheels combined with the frame’s dynamic ability to lean or camberCamber
Camber may refer to a variety of curvatures and angles:* Camber angle, the angle made by the wheels of a vehicle* Camber thrust in bike technology* In the steel industry, the concavity of rolls...
would offer much greater turning ability at good speed. While slowing down on the flat after the speed run, they discovered that the vehicle would continue to move forward as long as the rider continued to turn and lean into each turn repeatedly. They helped found the company that now produces Trikkes, Trikke Tech Inc., based in California.
TIME news magazine
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
named the Trikke one of the best inventions of 2002.
In 2004, the first Trikke/3CV (3 wheel Cambering Vehicle) race ever was held in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The race was organized by a group of enthusiastic riders from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
who also founded the 3CV World Sports Federation. The goal of the federation is: "to further develop and promote 3CV SPORTS globally and to organize and initiate 3CV Sport Competitions and Events on a regular basis". In addition to organizing official races and events, the federation also promotes and supports local, unofficial events such as group tours, fun rides & club rides. Races have been held in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
snow, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Group rides have been held in major cities in the United States, and guided Trikke tours in Paris
Tourism in Paris
With about 42 million tourists per year , Paris is the third most visited city in the world after Orlando and New York City, and the first by international visitors . The city and its region contain 3,800 historical monuments and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites...
and other tourist places.
The original mass-produced Trikke used 6 - 8 inch polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
tires. In 2004, Trikke introduced the T12, a larger 3CV with 12 inch pneumatic bicycle tire
Bicycle tire
A bicycle tire is a tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle, unicycle, tricycle, quadracycle, bicycle trailer, or trailer bike. They may also be used on wheelchairs and handcycles, especially for racing...
s and disk brakes, which made this model much more versatile than the solid tire version. Later, they developed an 8 inch model (the T-8) which also used urethane that could be converted to use pneumatic tires, and a 12 inch pneumatic tire for use on the T12. Most models are constructed with aluminum alloy frames and can be folded for easy storage or transport in autos. Models can fit into most SUVs or station wagon-types of vehicles for transport to riding sites.
In September 2006, the Expertise Centre of Movement Technology of the Hague University started extended research on the physical results of riding a Trikke. The research aims to discover which muscles are used and how many calories are burned while riding. In short, a Trikke ride can burn up to 1000 kcal per hour, when riding at 20 km/h. Riding at an easy 15 km/h will still burn around 520 kcal; in comparison light jogging burns a little under 350 kcal.
In August 2009 a number of Trikke enthusiasts attended the Goodwood Roller Marathon
Goodwood Roller Marathon
Goodwood Roller Marathon is an annual charity race around the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit organised by the , currently raising money for the NSPCC...
in the UK to complete a full marathon distance on a trikke.
The initial Trikke design was later developed into an electric motorized vehicle
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
that can also be propelled with human power.
The company released two new products - the electric Tribred and the Skki. The Tribred is making inroads into law enforcement, security and warehouse patrolling, as well as offering consumers a fun way to commute.
The Trikke SKKI was awarded as product extension of the year by Gizmag magazine in 2006, and on February 16, 2008 the first ever US national time trials were held at Wolf Mountain Ski Resort in Eden Utah. The sponsors of the races have vowed to make it a yearly event and look forward to seeing it grow into a much larger, more recognizable winter sport.
Trikke Tech, Inc. introduced some product line extensions in 2009, redesigning their SKKI device, similar to a Trikke but for use on snow, as well as motorized vehicles called Tribreds. A Tribred utilizes a brushless hub motor in the front wheel to provide assistance to human power and reaches speeds up to 17 mph. The Tribred Free Rein models will travel up to 10 miles on a single charge (cost per charge is about 4¢). For a longer ride, Panasonic lithium cells are used with the Tribred Pon-e which is a lighter and more deluxe model.