Turning the Work Trike into a Recumbent
(and back again)

* Introduction * Wheels in the Garden * Wheels Outside the Garden * Garden Trails * Two Cats *

* Catrikes * Mountain Trikes * Tri-Sled * Quadraped * Delta Work Trike * Speeds * Mt Bike *

* Recumbents and Sea Kayaks * Upright into a recumbent (and back again) * Roof Rack * Trailer *

The work trike began as a standard upright adult tricycle. I thought it would be relaxing to meander through the garden in the evening after an exhausting day.

It soon proved just as useful riding to a distant site in the garden, to save time for all the extra trips back to the garage for the tools I forgot.

Meanwhile, sitting on a high seat was not as relaxing as lounging on recliner, but the recliner couldn't wander around the paths.

I was building benches out of rhododendron wood at the time, and one of them turned out to be a "recumbent". It was very comfortable, and I wondered about putting wheels on it. That, of course, was impractical, so my thoughts returned to the trike. Could it be modified so I could lay back in it?

I turned the handlebars around backwards and inverted them, replaced the seat with one from a tractor, and moved it further back. It worked well there and also down on the axle, except the trike kept flipping over backwards. But it was fun to ride. However, I couldn't really lay back.

Then I discovered real recumbents on bentrideronline.com, and found used recumbent trikes for Doreen and me. No need for the pretend recumbent anymore, so I reconverted it back to a work trike, complete with pickup bed and trailer.