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Our 3 Favorite Trikes this Fall Fall is just around the corner, which means great riding weather! If you’re looking to get into a recumbent trike this season, here are three great options to get you on the trails.   Catrike 5.5.9 eCat The Catrike 5.5.9 is already a favorite amongst trike riders on its own. Add on the Bosch electric assist motor system and the 5.5.9 eCat becomes a premiere option for any rider. This trike offers a comfortable and smooth ride with an emphasis on mobility. No longer do you have to worry about making it up that next big hill or going another 10 miles. The Bosch Active Line Plus motor will extend your ride without adding fatigue. All of the benefits of riding a Catrike combined with the Bosch motor make this trike a favorite for Laid Back Cycles this autumn. For more info on Catrike in 2021, click here! Schedule a Test Ride for the Catrike 5.5.9 eCat or Talk to us to learn more!   TerraTrike GTS Combining speed, comfort, and quality, the GTS (Gran Tourismo Sport) is one of the best options in the recumbent trike market. The all new designed seat fits your body better than ever before. With upgraded components across the board, you will be riding with ease. The lightweight frame is one of the lightest if not the lightest on the market – at least at this price point. The hydraulic brakes add peace of mind for smooth braking and also require very little maintenance. Want to dive even deeper into the GTS? Check this out! Schedule a Test Ride for the TerraTrike GTS or Talk to us to learn more!   TerraTrike Rogue with the Enviolo Hub Bring seamless comfort to your ride with the Rogue. Experience shifting the way you always thought it should be; changing gears at a complete stop, or under a full load with the Enviolo City internal hub. The Rogue with the Enviolo hub makes shifting easier than ever. Riders will also find comfort in the recline and relax fixed wide seat and adjustable handlebars.  With simplicity at your fingertips, your next adventure has never been easier or more affordable. The Rogue is our favorite budget option this Fall. Schedule a Test Ride for the TerraTrike Rogue or Talk to us to learn more!

Beautifully integrated into ICE’s recumbent trikes, the Shimano STEPS Electric assist systems give the push you need to explore further with ease. With the integrated 250w motor mounted at the front of the trike, the battery mounted under the trike’s seat, a handlebar-mounted computer and controller for easy access, and a neat, well protected wiring loom, the whole system blends in and keeps your trike looking as great as ever.  The Shimano STEPS system has already added to ICE’s smooth and exhilarating experience. The Envolio Hub adds yet another seamless perk to the system. Forget gears, simply pedal and go. The Enviolo Hub features fully automatic step-less gear shifting technology and is available on Shimano STEPS 26″ rear wheel trikes. The system lets you focus on what’s important, like enjoying your ride. Simply set your desired cadence once (how many pedal rotations feel comfortable for you) and the Enviolo Hub will constantly adjust its internal gear ratio to maintain a steady smooth cadence regardless of the speed or riding conditions that you encounter. The system can be easily adjusted while riding using a wireless handlebar-mounted controller or Bluetooth Smartphone App. Simply turn on, set your STEPS power assist level, pedal, and go. The Enviolo Automatiq Hub makes riding a recumbent trike easier than ever. Taking steep hills, gearing, and keeping up are all afterthoughts. With only a handful of dealers with the new Envolio Hubs around the world, Laid Back Cycles has stock! Test ride one today here.

Manufacturers around the world are struggling with their supply line and the recumbent trike industry is not an exception. Luckily, Laid Back Cycles has recumbent trikes in stock amidst the difficulty to get them. Here’s what Catrike and The New York Times has to say about this widespread predicament: Catrike has 500 of its three-wheeled bikes sitting in its workshop in Orlando, Fla., nearly ready to be sent to expectant dealers. The recumbent trikes have been waiting for months for rear derailleurs, a small but crucial part that is built in Taiwan. “We’re sitting on $2 million in inventory for one $30 part,” said Mark Egeland, the company’s general manager. The company’s problems offer a window into how supply-chain disruptions are rocking companies in the United States and around the world, pushing inflation higher, delaying deliveries and exacerbating economic uncertainty. It is unclear when the snarls will clear up — and it’s possible they will get worse before they get better. The holiday season is right around the corner, American companies are running light on inventory, and coronavirus outbreaks continue to shut factories around the world. Demand for goods remains strong as households use money saved during months stuck at home to buy athletic equipment, couches and clothing. That could keep pressure on global goods producers and the transportation routes that serve them even as consumers begin to redirect their spending back toward dinners out and theater tickets — a shift that many analysts had hoped would help supply chains return to normal. The critical questions for economic policymakers are how long the problems will last and how much they will feed into consumer prices, which have jumped sharply this year, both because of data quirks and bottlenecks. Federal Reserve officials regularly say they expect the faster price gains to prove “transitory,” but they are careful to stress that supply chains are a major source of lingering uncertainty, making it unclear how quickly rapid gains will fade. “I’m less in that ‘transitory’ camp,” said Phil Levy, the chief economist at Flexport, which tracks ocean shipments and helps importers plan so that their parts can get in by desired dates. “And more in the ‘we have reason to be concerned’ camp.” Container costs have rocketed up. Earlier this month, container shipping rates from China and East Asia to the United States’ East Coast climbed above $20,000, compared with about $4,000 a year ago, according to data from the freight-tracking firm Freightos. Those attractive high prices are encouraging ships to abandon other routes, causing the problem to spread. And shipping issues have been exacerbated by related imbalances: Boats are backing up at ports, and as demand for goods booms in the United States, empty shipping containers haven’t been able to get back to China fast enough. Some suppliers are eating higher production and transport costs. Full Speed Ahead, which produces crank sets for Catrike, has seen expenses increase as the demand for raw aluminum has risen. Shipping costs are also four to five times what they were a year ago, said Mark Vandermolen, the company’s managing director. Full Speed Ahead has passed “very little, if any at all,” of those cost increases on to customers, he said, and he hopes to “maintain pricing for as long as possible until it is no longer sustainable.” But not all of Catrike’s suppliers have absorbed climbing costs, and whether higher prices for components make for more expensive consumer products — actual inflation, as it is conventionally measured — depends on how companies like Catrike and the dealers they work through decide to adjust. Catrike raised prices by $200 early this year, its first adjustment since 2010, to cover costs. But the company is at a “sweet spot” where it’s outperforming competitors by offering affordable products, so it would prefer to leave prices steady now, Mr. Egeland said. He’s also cautious: Catrike hasn’t printed prices in its newest catalog, in case rising expenses make another increase necessary. The Fed — which has primary responsibility for keeping inflation steady — has made clear that it is content to look past a recent pop in inflation. If companies lift prices once or twice amid reopening challenges, the central bank can tolerate that as a one-off change. Officials would worry more if price increases dragged on for months or years. If that happens, consumers and businesses alike could come to expect consistently higher prices. They might demand higher pay, and a cycle of inflationary increases could take off. It will take time to know whether the bottlenecks will lead to more permanent damage. Supply chains are still badly snarled. The time it takes for parts from one of Catrike’s suppliers to arrive by sea in North America from a factory in Indonesia has jumped to three months, and sometimes it takes four — double what it took before. Estimates from Flexport confirm the problem is widespread along that shipping route. For Full Speed Ahead, average transit times have increased from about a month to up to seven weeks. “There’s been bottlenecks at, I’d say, every point along the way of the supply chain,” Mr. Vandermolen said. “Even if they’re small bottlenecks, that just adds up all the way through.” Mr. Egeland thinks it could take 12 to 18 months to sort out issues across Catrike’s suppliers, he said, and he doesn’t think the firm will ever return to the kind of lean manufacturing process — carrying limited inventory — that it used to use. “It’ll be a hybrid until we get comfortable,” he said. “This is probably the new normal.” Consumer firms, suppliers and transit companies have been unsure whether to make permanent adjustments to deal with what could be temporary disruptions. And if they do decide to expand, it takes time. Firms are building out shipping capacity by more than 20 percent, but much of that will take effect only in 2023 or later, based on new fleet orders tracked by Ocean Shipping Consultants. The White House wants to improve port capacity — which might lower shipping costs and thus prices in the long term — but that, too, is no quick fix. In the meantime, backlogs are building. “This is here for the rest of the year, and it’s only going to get worse because of the Christmas season,” said Ryan Petersen, the chief executive of Flexport. Mr. Levy, the company’s economist, suggested that around the Chinese New Year in early February — when factories and shipping typically experience a lull — was probably the earliest things might begin to normalize. It could also help if, as the money from stimulus checks is spent down in the United States, consumer demand for goods begins to cool more. Retail sales data for July, released last week, showed early signs of waning demand for furniture, cars and apparel. And the future hinges in part on the virus. Nada Sanders, a professor of supply chain management at Northeastern University, predicted that the highly contagious Delta variant would most likely delay a return to normal until at least 2023. Given that many parts of the world still have large unvaccinated populations, hot spots across the globe could lead to more factory and port shutdowns, she said. “There is no question that we’re going to continue to see stoppages,” Dr. Sanders said. – By Jeanna Smialek and Madeleine Ngo

Are weather conditions keeping you from riding your recumbent trike? BUY A TRIKE TRAINER HERE If you’re local to us in Northern California, you’d know that there are some pretty bad fires right now that are causing the sky to be smoky, making any outdoor exercise difficult. For one reason or another, the conditions aren’t always perfect to ride outside. Luckily, there is an option for indoor riding on those off days! The SportsCrafters Trike Trainer! SportCrafters trike trainers are the only trainers in the world specifically designed for recumbent trikes.  Easy to use, lightweight and portable, these trike trainers do not require any assembly or maintenance.  The OverDrive Trike Trainer, powered by ARC Technology, automatically adjusts in resistance as the rider changes speed – no manual adjustment necessary.  At higher speeds, the OverDrive Trike Trainer will ramp up the resistance to realistically mimic road riding conditions.  This trainer is perfect for the active trike customer who wants to maintain fitness while riding indoors. The OverDrive Trike Trainer is also perfect for families with varying skill levels.  Just turn the trainer around to switch between resistance modes. Change the resistance level simply by changing gears Powered by our patented ARC Technology, the OverDrive Trike Trainer delivers real-road resistance Lightweight, compact, and easy to transport and store Accommodates all sizes of wheels and requires no clamping on the rear skewer 100% designed and manufactured in the USA BUY A TRIKE TRAINER HERE

 This July we were able to finally able to get together and ride our recumbent trikes as a community after over a year. It was amazing to see the turnout and all the smiling faces of the group riding again. Over 40 people made it! We’ve referred to our community rides as the “Hidden Benefit” of recumbent trike riding. While health and recreation are at the forefront, here at Laid Back Cycles, we never forget the importance of our amazing recumbent trike riding community. One thing that we always hear on our rides is how non-motor riders are jealous of the people with electric assist trikes! As the electric assist motor riders are zooming past, it is likely you’ll want to keep up. Luckily, any trike can be retrofitted with an electric assist motor! Once you try one, you’ll never want to go back. Check out more information here, schedule a test ride for an electric assist motor here, or give us a call. See those waving colorful things coming off the back of these trikes? Flags are a very important part of trike safety, ensuring vehicles and other riders can see you and avoid a collision. What an easy way to stay safe! If you don’t have one already, check out these: Safety Flags Thank you to everyone who made it to the ride! We look forward to seeing new and familiar faces at the next one.

Are Recumbent Trikes An Effective Workout?    Are you looking to get fit and improve stamina? A recumbent trike is a fantastic way to help you maintain your fitness and get outside, particularly for those cyclists who might struggle with joint pain and movement. As we age, our physical stamina declines, but thanks to recumbent tricycles, you can still stay active – but are they an effective workout? We thought we would take a closer look at how these innovative solutions can help transform your fitness. What is a recumbent tricycle? Recumbent trikes are a unique solution that helps riders sit back in a reclined position, spreading the weight over a larger surface area. This makes it a far more comfortable ride, reducing the stress and pressure on your back, shoulders, neck, and wrist. They also provide fantastic lumbar support, which only helps to increase the comfort further. A recumbent tricycle provides the rider with additional support, allowing them to travel further and with less resistance. These unique trikes are becoming increasingly more popular, and many riders are discovering the benefits of switching from two wheels to three. Not only are they comfier, but a recumbent trike also provides riders with a wide range of additional benefits, including: Stability Trikes are far more stable than traditional bicycles, meaning riders do not have to worry about the inherent balancing act. A recumbent trike will also not send the rider crashing to the ground should they have a puncture. Thanks to the low center of gravity and the three wheels, these trikes also require no balancing, particularly on slow speed uphill climbs. Greater visibility When you are out riding on the road, a recumbent trike is also more visible. This means that drivers will be able to see you more clearly and will likely give you a more room when driving past. Aerodynamic Recumbent tricycles are also a very aerodynamic solution, allowing them to slice through the air with minimal resistance. This means they require less energy to power through, allowing riders to focus on their ride. Easy to ride With all of this combined, recumbent tricycles are very easy to ride. They are surprisingly lightweight, which, combined with the comfortable position, means you can go for longer distances than a traditional bike. Recumbent trikes are also easier to maneuver and turn, thanks to their innovative steering systems. This means that they are smoother and safer to navigate around the roads, which makes them far more accessible for riders of all skill and fitness levels. What are the health benefits of a recumbent trike? Riding a recumbent trike offers you a wide range of benefits, but it can also transform your next workout. Using these trikes provides a full-body workout and can help you to keep fit and maximize your stamina. There are many health benefits to riding a recumbent tricycle, including: Boost your cardiovascular health Riding a trike is a fantastic cardiovascular workout. As you pedal along, you will be getting your heart pumping and your body active. Regular cycling on your trike will strengthen your overall heart health as well as helping to boost your lung capacity and reduce blood pressure. Research has shown that riding a recumbent trike gives you all of the same benefits as a normal bike but from the comfier position of the seat. Increased muscle strength Although they are far comfier than a traditional bike, riding a recumbent trike is also a full-body workout that can increase your muscle strength. Despite being sat in what might seem like a strange position, you will be able to target a whole range of muscles, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles, and your glutes. Riding a recumbent trike can target the entire body, helping you to increase the strength and stamina of every major muscle while reducing the risk of pain or injury. This is particularly useful for those riders who are already dealing with an injury or are suffering from other conditions. Improve your motion When we get active and use our muscles, it improves the flow of blood throughout our bodies. In turn, this helps to improve the elasticity of the tissue in our joints, which increases our range of movement and flexibility. Getting out peddling on your recumbent tricycle can help you to enjoy these benefits, particularly in key areas such as your hips and knees. Burn those calories Of course, riding a recumbent trike is not just about improving your flexibility or muscle strength; it is also a fantastic way to burn calories and lose weight. Any time you are getting active, you will be helping to burn calories, and the amount you burn will depend on a range of factors. Everyone will burn calories differently, for example, a 120-pound person cycling for thirty minutes will, on average, burn around 190 calories. However, a 180-pound person cycling at the same pace and distance would burn closer to 290. It is important to remember that riding a recumbent tricycle is not the only solution and will need to be combined with healthy eating. Stress-free Another major benefit of using a trike rather than a traditional bicycle is that it places no stress on your joints or muscles. Riding a normal bike requires balance, and the seating position can put a lot of stress and pressure on your back, wrists, and knees. Riding an incumbent trike removes this stress on your joints, giving you a more comfortable experience and allowing you to ride further for longer. Due to the stress-free position of the seat, it also makes them a fantastic solution for those riders with injuries or arthritis. So is a recumbent trike a good workout? When you combine all of these factors together, riding a recumbent tricycle is a fantastic workout. Regularly riding these trikes can significantly improve your fitness and stamina, helping to improve your overall health. They are also a lot of fun to ride, which can make you more eager to get out and discover the benefits of riding a recumbent tricycle. If you are looking to discover the fun of a recumbent tricycle, then here at Laid Back Cycles, our team can help you. We are the largest supplier and service center for recumbent trikes in the United States. Our mission is to help you find the ultimate solution for your needs. That is why we will work with you to create the perfect adjustments and adaptations to ensure the recumbent trike is suited to you. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the benefits of riding a trike, helping you get out and improve your fitness. Want to find out more?    

We are finally gathering again! Laid Back Cycles would love to have you at our next community ride located in sunny Sacramento County, CA. Rides are a staple for the community that recumbent trikes curate and we are so excited to be organizing a ride after a 2020 hiatus. RSVP here: https://laidbackcycles.rsvpify.com/

TerraTrike’s highly anticipated sport-touring model, the GTS, has finally hit the floor. This summer, you have the chance to try out the trike that we have been waiting for! Laid Back Cycles has GTS’s ready to deliver to your front door or take a ride, in store – find out for yourself if it lives up to the hype. Spoiler: We think it does! As the West Coast’s largest recumbent trike dealer, we are prepared to get the brand new GTS in YOUR hands. Schedule a test ride today! Click here: https://laidbackcycles.com/shedule-an-appointment/         The GTS (Gran Tourismo Sport) is an excellent option for those who want the most out of their rides. You can go where the adventure leads you in the trike that offers a perfect balance of comfort and performance. The new mesh seat adds breathable padding that will let you ride comfortably and cool for hours. The seat stays have also been beefed up with the new Wishbone design to improve stability and handling. To top it off, the seat continues to be just as adjustable as other TerraTrikes and then some with a fully adjustable mid-back section for personalized comfort. Terratrike offers a fresh new seat design, unlike anything they’ve ever produced – this really is a game-changer for TerraTrike as they continue to expand into sporting trikes. The frame introduces a new solid-aluminum design. Using 7000 series aluminum, the GTS is able to dampen road vibrations with its lightweight frame – coming in at under 36 lbs. Efficient pedal strokes are placed at the forefront by utilizing the rear triangle design. The boom has been made larger to increase stiffness where you want it and to give you a ride that feels solid. The frame design offers more than just technical benefits; it is also made to be sleek so you can ride in style. The seat and frame are not the only upgrades for the GTS. It’s been upgraded with Shimano Deore hydraulic brakes that add precision control with just a squeeze. Command the trails with deep profile rims fit with Schwalbe Tryker tires that will push you forward with speed and traction. In addition to top-tier components, you also have the choice between Fog grey and Molten orange. With so many upgrades and new features, TerraTrike is positioned to win with the GTS. Due to Covid and supply chain challenges there are limited quantities available. Order now, soon to be sold out!

The Hidden Benefit Of Recumbent Trikes: Community Laid Back Cycles does multiple community rides and maintenance workshops each year. Interacting with the recumbent trike community is one of the best parts of owning a trike. Hopefully, we will see you at the next Laid Back Cycles event! There are many benefits to riding a recumbent trike including comfort, freedom, and exercise. One benefit that is easily overlooked is the community aspect of riding recumbent tricycles. While getting out on the trail, getting fit, and feeling the wind flow over you are all great pleasures of trike riding, the recumbent trike community offers the fun you didn’t know you were looking for. When you’re riding down the road in your Catrike Dumont or TerraTrike Gran Tourismo for example, people will be shouting “Wow!” or be clambering to know more about your beautiful recumbent trike. Trike’s grab attention and will be the envy of your neighborhood.  It’s not uncommon for me to get stopped on the trail to chat about my trike. “How does it feel? Can you go as fast as a road bike? Where can I try one?” These are all questions I get very often and the answer is… My recumbent trike feels great! The comfort is unmatched – it’s like a Lazy Boy on wheels! If they want to know how fast I can go, I simply challenge them to a friendly race (in which I win easily with my electric-assist motor). The great thing is, even without a motor, most folks are able to keep up with their road-warrior, two-wheel bike friends. Luckily, when people want to try it out, I simply direct them to Laid Back Cycles to try out any one of our recumbent trikes for free.  Grabbing attention with your trike is certainly not the only benefit of community that you’ll receive. The real treat is when you find other recumbent riders. Recumbent trike riders all have something in common – they choose the Freedom to Ride. No longer does knee or back pain, balance issues or fatigue stop you from cycling. Laid Back Cycles get you riding again. We also can help get you riding with other trikers! The recumbent trike community is so fun to be a part of – I speak from experience.  For almost a decade, we have been able to put on community rides in sunny Fair Oaks, CA. Dozens of recumbent trike owners come out each time to be a part of the events. We meet up near the American River Trail and Laid Back Cycles team members lead different length and speed rides depending on your ability or inclination. Riding trikes with the Laid Back Cycles community is one of, if not my favorite thing.  In addition to meeting up for rides, we also do maintenance workshops with our Master Technician, who teaches simple fixes for the trail. Fixing a flat, trike safety, lubing your chain, and common accessories needed are all on the agenda – plus more. These workshops are great opportunities to learn about keeping your trike healthy and meet other trike riders.  In addition to our local rides and workshops, we also have ways to stay connected online. You can join our Facebook or interact in the comments on our YouTube videos.   If you are considering a recumbent trike or already have one, make sure to add community to your list of benefits. We love cultivating community at Laid Back Cycles and hope to see you in the shop or on the trail soon!