Affordable Recumbent Trikes in 2022
The cost of recumbent trikes can sometimes throw our customers off track. Recumbent trikes are specialty items filling a niche market. Because of this, simply put, they ain’t cheap. However, because they are becoming more mainstream, we have seen some price drops as more trikes hit the assembly lines. Here we explain what we mean by an affordable recumbent trike based on the competitive pricing we’ve seen in 2022.
Cheap vs. Affordable in Recumbent Trike Terms
First, it’s important to understand the difference between cheapness and affordability. Ask any elite brand in any category, from fashion to cars and trikes to computers, and they’ll always say cheap infers poor quality, while affordability is all about value. Because you get what you pay for, investing a few hundred or even a thousand dollars less in your trike honestly means you won’t be riding the safest trike.
It also means you’re going to run into more problems with the trike, including broken parts and an unpleasant ride. So, when you’re shopping for a recumbent adult trike, the last thing you want is to look for the cheapest brand. Instead, you want to look for the brands and models that offer the best value.
What Price is Considered Affordable for Adult Recumbent Trikes?
What would we consider an affordable trike? Our affordable trikes range between $1500 and $2750. If this seems like a lot, remember you’re getting far more value in this price range. This translates into a longer-lasting trike that is a joy to ride. It also means fewer breakdowns and costly parts replacements. Although a cheap trike might cost less upfront, you’re investing in a trike that is likely to prove too uncomfortable to ride.
We also like to point out to our customers that it does not cost $1,500 to $2,750 every time you ride the trike or each year you own it. It’s a one-time cost that can be broken down into affordable monthly payments. You’re looking at between $125 to $230 a month for a year. That’s very affordable, and once your year is done, so are your payments. Easy peasy.
Value Increases Enjoyment and Use
We’ve met a lot of customers looking to upgrade their recumbent. Many share something in common: They chose the cheaper model first. And we get this. You really don’t want to invest upwards of $1,500 for a trike you might never use. But here’s the irony in that: A cheap, poorly designed recumbent trike lacks all the benefits of a higher value model.
Therefore, you won’t enjoy the ride, so it ends up in storage, and you end up in front of your computer or TV. When you invest in the right trike, you’ll get far more use out of it, not just because it’s built to last but also because you’ll love it. You’ll never want to miss out on an opportunity to take a ride because you’ll feel safer, more comfortable, and less stressed so that you can enjoy the experience. That’s priceless because it keeps you fit so you’ll be around longer, living your best life.
Recumbent Trikes are More Complex to Make
Adding to the value of our recumbent trikes, there’s so much more involved in the manufacturing process. This is one complex trike with a lot more components and a state-of-the-art design that improves your riding experience. Recumbents reduce pain and allow you to get out there even if you have previously experienced back or knee issues on an upright bike.
The ergonomic design allows you to enjoy more comfort and increase the duration of your rides. You’re also safer because the trike has three wheels for added stability and is lower to the ground to avoid toppling. All these things are worth the investment when it comes to the pure enjoyment your trike offers.
There’s just no getting around the fact the benefits of your trike impact the cost of production. But the manufacturers fulfill the needs of a niche market, and when done well, they provide the ride of your life. Here’s a breakdown of the components that impact the price:
- Special machinery to bend the broad tubing
- A wider seat costing an average of $200 compared to a saddle seat at just $5
- Three wheels vs. two
- Specialty chain lengths to accommodate the trike’s stretched-out position
- Specialty steering
- Additional cable housing and tandem lengths
Add the shipping costs to get the trikes to our store, and suddenly you’re looking at a higher price tag. Hopefully, you also see that the additional expenses are all justified, not just designed to make the manufacturers rich.
The Dark Side of Affordable Recumbent Trikes
There isn’t really a dark side, but there is an economic reason recumbent trikes are more expensive. As mentioned earlier, recumbent trikes are specialty items that meet the needs of a niche market. Because there is less demand, supplies are lower, and production costs are higher. As we see more adults aging and wanting to live an active lifestyle, chances are demand will rise.
Fingers crossed that an increase in demand will make it more affordable for smaller trike companies to increase production so they can afford to sell their trikes at a lower price. The more trikes they make, the more materials they need, and the less they pay for those materials. Buying materials in bulk always helps cut costs. Right now, they are ordering materials on a much smaller scale, which costs them more. Unfortunately, they have no choice but to pass on those expenses to the consumer.
When you understand the difference between cheap and affordable, it feels less like you’re getting ripped off and more like you’re getting a far better ROI. There’s no denying the value of a high-quality trike and the years of enjoyment they offer.
Laid Back Cycles carries an exceptional line of affordable recumbents. They offer high-end trikes that won’t cause sticker shock. Stop by to discuss your options, including financing, to make it easier to afford the best trike for your needs.
Video Transcript:
Over the last decade when we first started at Laid Back Cycles, we brought on a lot of different trike manufacturers. We found that if you go cheap, that's different than affordable. Cheap means it really doesn't function the way you were hoping it to function. There's a difference between cheap trikes and affordable trikes. Affordable trikes are good quality trikes that work well, work well for what you want to do, but they're not that expensive.
One of the number one brands out there is TerraTrike and they make affordable trikes. They make high-end trikes with some nice performance, but let's talk about affordability. TerraTrike was one of the first ones to come out with a trike under a thousand bucks - that was the TerraTrike Rover. It was a popular trike but it only had three speeds so they don't offer that anymore. But, they offer something with eight speeds and that's going to be the Maverick or even the Rambler. If you want no speeds you can go with the Rogue. They're all in that rambler frame style which is super comfortable, easy to ride, and is a nice cruise around trike. TerraTrike is one of the few manufacturers in the world that offers a lifetime warranty. That's for the first person that buys it for as long as they own it. If anything breaks on the frame, they will replace it. Parts are one year like everybody else. See terratrike.com for details. They believe in their product; they make a quality product.
I know that you've seen out there on videos trikes in the 5 grand, 8 grand, 15 grand range. TerraTrikes are affordable nice cruise around trikes. For under two grand, those are the models that I would look at when I'm looking for affordable trikes. Once you start to get into about 2,500 bucks, that's the beginning of a lot of trikes. You're getting a great quality trike with TerraTrike. You also can start getting into the Catrike Villager so now you have some different choices to really choose from.
Another way to afford a trike is financing. At Laid Back Cycles we offer up to 12 months of financing so you can take whatever that price is and then spread it across 12 equal payments. It makes it a little softer to chew or to digest, however you want to say that, and that's a great way to afford the trike that you love.
