Road obstacles

[Worldcat]

I'm new to trikes. What is the best way to take a pothole or other obstacle that you can't avoid.

 

[jaxbobg]

That's a reasonable question. Many times traffic around you prevents a quick jog to another lane.

For small obstacles of unknown nature, I steer to keep the object left or right of the front wheel and inside the rear tire. Most of the time this works okay.

I have encountered wood or retread rubber on the road and other large debris and when possible just take to the road shoulder to get past it. Keep cool and the trike will ride the shoulder just fine, with no loss of stability. Once in a while there is no choice so I stand slightly on the pegs (same as you would do on a 2 wheeler) and hope that the tires don't get damaged. Better check them, though, as soon as practical.

Overall, your 2 wheeler skills will serve you well on the trike also.

 

[Worldcat]

Thanks jaxbobg. I wasn't sure if you would take it with one of the rear wheels if you couldn't miss it.

 

[knob]

If I'm certain that at least one tire is going to hit something, I prefer it to be one of the back tires. Sometimes there is just no avoiding it.

 

[BinIdaho]

what the others said...try to take with a rear tire than front tire!

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Concur .. but I like to take manhole coves with the front ... I get less jostling that way. Everything else with a rear if I have a choice.

 

[Jonesy]

about a month ago, on rte. 84 toll bridge in NY. saw a 3 or 4 ft. piece of 4x4 in my lane got moved over to next lane, would have damaged my trike for sure. lucky it wasn't rush hour. told lady at toll window, she called it in right then, may have saved someone a accident. as for pot holes, I take them with rear tires if I can't miss them.

 

[Worldcat]

I appreciate all of the information. Glad I joined Triketalk.

 

[rhino 2]

Concur .. but I like to take manhole coves with the front ... I get less jostling that way. Everything else with a rear if I have a choice.

I'm with you on the sunken ''And i'm being politicly correct here ''Service Covers'' ''AKA'' Manhole Covers.. If i can't avoid them i'll go with the front..

 

[Gorilla]

As stated all is great. If you are hitting something sizable with the front get as much weight off your forks as you can by lifting yourself slightly up and back to get your weight further back and hold on tight hopefully no damage.

 

[GARYD]

I've been telling riders for years "If you have to hit a pothole or sewer cover- HIT IT WITH THE FRONT WHEEL" after almost 5 years of hitting things, I have come to that conclusion. The FRONT will only "shake" for a second, but hitting with one of the rear wheels will "shake" the WHOLE bike, and it won't be comfortable. Of course it all depends on how bad the pothole is.

For small items, I do as jaxbobg does, but it has to be a small object.

My 2 wheel friends kid me that a trike can't avoid a pothole, but I tell them I may hit a pothole once, but you'll hit it twice.