7 Things Nobody Tells You About Riding a Tadpole Recumbent Trike

If you’re coming from an upright bike, riding a tadpole recumbent trike is going to feel different in ways most people don’t talk about. In this video, I break down the everyday realities of riding a recumbent trike—the things you only notice after a few real rides of recumbent cycling, not just comfort and stability.

This video is for new recumbent trike riders, riders transitioning from an upright bike, and anyone who wants a more stable and comfortable cycling experience without the pressure of traditional bike culture.

Most videos about recumbent trikes focus on specs, comfort, or stability—and those things matter—but they’re not what determines whether someone actually sticks with a trike long term.

What really matters are the subtle, everyday differences that show up after a week or two of riding: sitting lower than traffic expects, dealing with road hazards differently because you’re managing three wheel tracks, realizing how unforgiving bad gearing choices can be, and discovering that climbs stop being something you rush through and start becoming part of the ride.

This video also includes a real-world moment where I talk about an accident that happened on this exact route, and what it revealed about road surfaces, awareness, and equipment choices. That naturally leads into why helmet choice can start to feel different on a recumbent trike compared to an upright bike.

This isn’t about whether a recumbent trike is better or worse than an upright bike.
It’s about understanding what actually changes—physically, mentally, and emotionally—once you start riding one.

If you already ride a recumbent trike, what surprised you the most when you switched?

01:06 Sitting lower changes everything
04:33 Three wheels, three tracks
06:55 Gearing matters more
08:41 Spending more time on climbs
12:15 Some gear starts to make sense
18:04 What happened here (my accident)
23:17 Why helmet choice starts to matter
27:51 Being different takes the pressure off