Fatrike Chat with Trike Hobo on an ICE Full Fat tricycle

[@JaYoeNation]

WHOA!!! i just saw this video for the first time! i love the shirt Steve! Thank you so much for doing wearing this and giving me the shout out at the end!! JaYoe!

[@EZSteve]

My pleasure Matt! I value this shirt (was it the one you were wearing when you got hit by the truck?) steve

[@cyclingfreeman]

What a nice video...I haven't been able to get my own trike yet, but boy do I get inspired by you and your videos, thanks a million for taking the time!!! This model from ICE is the bike I would get if I could ever afford it!!! Keep it up and greets from Sweden!

[@EZSteve]

Fatrikes are available that cost less than a third of this particular ICE trike. I happened to pull out all the stops, and went for the gold when outfitting this monster. ICE has a reputation for very costly trikes, and this one leads the pack, but the affordable fat tire trikes are just as much fun, regardless of the manufacturer. Thanks for commenting ... it's really neat to know someone from Sweden is watching my stuff! steve

[@coniow]

I had the chance of a roll around the ICE factory carpark on the 24" wheel prototype trike before the full fat went on sale, and it was a lot of fun! (One of the perks of living in the UK: Falmouth is only 250 miles or so from me :-). I ended up getting an Adventure 26" to which I have now added the widest tires I can fit with the mudguards (Fenders), which are 2.1 inch Schwalbe's, and just swapped the rear for the 'Soft-Tail' that was not available when I got it: what a difference! I can only dream about a Full Fat, though, so thanks for giving me some details to look at!

[@EZSteve]

You are quite fortunate to live so close to Falmouth. I have met the ICE folks, but over here in the USA at the shows. Your ICE Adventure is actually the better pick overall because it offers more riding options than a Full Fat does, and adding the soft tail makes a huge difference too, along with those larger tires. The Adventure is much more practical than the Full Fat in my opinion, and likely weighs less too. steve

[@kevinhornbuckle]

That shifting hub seems to solve a lot of problems. Thanks for the tour. The whole trike is impressive.

[@EZSteve]

That rear hub is great, but man, is it ever costly! Paying about $1700 for a hub is a luxury few riders can afford. Fat tire trikes are simply FUN to ride, like a big giant soft baby buggy that can roll over just about anything, haha. steve

[@velvetvideo]

so here we are in 2024....after having ridden this awhile, how does it compare to other off road trikes you've ridden? ...particularly the Azub. I'd also love your opinion on this vs something like a Surly BFD a quad style setup like Pony4 or the Utah trikes. Thanks for sharing your videos and insights.

[@EZSteve]

Back in 2009, I originally wanted a quad, but back then, there was virtually nothing available like there is today. Utah Trikes was just getting started. I am sure a fat quad is a lot of fun to ride, and if it has two wheel rear drive, would give much more traction than a fat tire trike with only one wheel drive. But on a quad, if you turn going downhill on two distinct planes simultaneously, one wheel will always lift off the ground, whereas on a trike, a two-plane turn will not lift any wheels off the ground. AZUB trikes are outstanding, but very costly due to having so much hand assembly with expensive materials. Before I got my ICE Full Fat, I wanted an AZUB fat trike, but the company had not yet made them available for public purchase (they were still doing final testing on it). So, I got the Full Fat instead. Both are high quality trikes, but the AZUB is not suspended, whereas you can get the Full Fat with full front and rear suspension, which is very important for maximizing comfort. You will hear some people say that with fat tires, suspension is not necessary, but I don't agree at all ... a suspended trike, even one with 26x4.8 tires aired down, is not as comfortable as the same thing with full suspension. When it comes down to comparing recumbent trikes with upright bikes, there is a day and night difference. Both are fun, and have their advantages, so it comes down to what a person wants to do with the cycle. Fat tire bikes are more versatile when it comes to where they will fit (like single track on a hillside), but they can't match the comfort of a recumbent trike. steve

[@velvetvideo]

@@EZSteve Thanks! I should've specified the Azub Ti-Fly X with 26x3" tires....not their unsuspended full fat. I'm over 50 and I used to own a surley Pugsley. After years of a 20 mile daily commute, I was ready to get off the mountain bike. I'm thinking of changing to a trike or something like a Yuba Spicy Curry or Tern Orox/GSD as a car replacement. I'm still leaning heavily toward the Azub Ti-Fly X or potentially building my own trike. I've been scouring the AtomicZombie/Chop Shop forum lately since I can't really find a perfect solution. If this ever becomes a reality for me I hope to see you on the trails. :) ..I get the feeling we're not too far from each other.

[@EZSteve]

@@velvetvideo The AZUB Ti-Fly X is an excellent, and very costly, recumbent trike made in the Czech Republic. My friend Matt Galat, who has the "JaYoe Nation" KZbin channel, had one of these custom built for him when he visited the factory a year or two ago. He has quite a few outstanding and insightful videos about this trike that will definitely help you to decide if this trike is a good match and fit for you. Check out his videos on the AZUB Ti-Fly X here: www.youtube.com/@JaYoeNation/search?query=Ti-Fly Another great option is the HP Velotechnik Scorpion fs26 Enduro, but rather than 26" wheels all around, it has a 26 in the rear, and 20" wheels in the front, so not as much ground clearance if you plan on doing a lot of serious off-road adventures. When I sought a car replacement back in late 2008, I first wanted a quad, but only one existed that I could find, and that company went out of business before I had made my decision ... so I ended up opting for a recumbent trike instead. The comfort level on recumbent trikes is day and night different compared to bikes, unless the bike is a long wheel base recumbent bike. But even then, for long trips, a trike has many advantages. Check out Matt's videos on the Ti-Fly X, and leave him some questions. He has a LOT of experience with this trike, whereas I have none at all (I prefer the HP Enduro myself). steve

[@velvetvideo]

@@EZSteve I've watched most of Matt's videos already. Thanks for the link. :)

[@EZSteve]

@@velvetvideo I hope you find success in getting the wheels that match your needs. I never get it right the first time, going through several different choices (and a lot of cash), but I sure enjoy the process of trying this and that. Maybe the search is more important than the conclusion? steve

[@Hemotem]

Thank you for the video. This is the trike I would love to own!

[@EZSteve]

There are far less expensive fatrikes available for anyone where finances are an issue, some costing only a third of what I invested in this particular one. steve

[@tonyallen4265]

Great info! Thanks.

[@curbowman]

I have always wondered if the Rohloff could be paired with a double chainring to get even lower gearing. I think it would be nice to have a 24/36 setup.

[@EZSteve]

Yes, you can do that pairing, or even with a triple chainring up front. The low climbing ability of the trike would increase substantially with such a setup, which is a good thing in really tough terrain. steve

[@rdkuless]

Chain Tubes....Contact Pat at t-cycle.com with the length that you need and they will custom cut and flange it for you. They manufacture all the chain tubes / Idlers / and logo flags for Catrike. TerraCycle is located in Portland on about 60th and SW Center. Just south of Powell. Nice genuine people to work with.

[@EZSteve]

I met Pat in 2011 at the second annual Recumbent Cycle-Con in Pomona, California. Yes, he is a super nice fellow, and made sure I had one of his double bottle holders for my trike before we parted ways. TerraCycle is top notch. At this writing, Pat has retired, but has left the company in good hands. steve

[@BryceLovesTech]

Great video I have been looking for a fat trike review. Unfortunately my budget is only for the Fat Tad right now. But that's a great-looking bike you have there

[@EZSteve]

Fat Tads are just as much fun as this expensive ICE trike! All of these fatrike brands are tons of fun, so get what you can afford and have a blast! steve

[@BryceLovesTech]

@@EZSteve Thank you

[@EZSteve]

@@BryceLovesTech Sorry for my REAL late reply! Sometimes I miss comments, even though I try to respond to all in a timely manner. steve

[@rdkuless]

Hobo.. try calling Pat at TerraCycle of PDX. Let him know the length of chain tube you need and he custom cuts and flares the ends with custom equipment. He sells it by the foot. He has floating chain tubes that are custom cut for length: t-cycle.com/idlers-chain-management-c-41/chain-management-accessories-c-41_69/

[@EZSteve]

Thanks Rob!

[@jamesbradley5511]

If you live in the UK WERE CAN GET 1 FULL TRIKE AND HOW MUCH ARE THEY. £???

[@EZSteve]

The company that makes the Full Fat (Inspired Cycle Engineering, or ICE for short) is located in the UK, in Cornwall, England, so getting one of these trikes should be relatively straight forward for you (compared to me in another country). In the trike shown in this video, I had invested about 9400 US dollars, but that also included extra stuff, like the super pricey Rohloff rear hub, pannier racks, panniers, and more. I believe the base price in US dollars is around 5400, which is considerably less money (I had a lot of extra bells and whistles, including front suspension). There are companies that make less expensive fat tire trikes if you want to spend even less money.

[@Bikepacking]

wow great info

[@anthonylovell2946]

Please help (Disabled) gent Tony with funding for recumbent at www.gofundme.com/Recumbenttrike

[@plutoplatters]

that chain tube could come up to about the chainring.... just thinkin

[@EZSteve]

Yeah, I agree totally!

[@ronaldnorton9204]

where to buy one

[@EZSteve]

Buy this trike from Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE), which is located in England, or get one at an ICE dealership in the United States or other countries. I got mine from Backcountry Recumbent Cycles in Bend, Oregon, USA at this link: www.backcountryrecumbentcycles.com/ Mark, the owner, is a great guy, and I believe he will ship (but not sure) if you can't pick it up at his shop (which I did). However, there are many other dealers in the US that also sell ICE trikes, perhaps one close to you!

[@jamesbaxter2812]

I think you will have done better if you was not in that building, You ecko. need more light

[@EZSteve]

I agree 100%, talking in an empty garage is not the best for sound quality, especially since my camera does not have the option of a remote microphone. steve

[@buddah13]

not bad for almost 7 grand

[@RickAnderson1]

$8700.00 in Canada

[@EZSteve]

My total investment in this trike was just under 10 grand, including the pannier system, basically everything needed for remote adventuring. The good news for most people is that fatrikes are available from other manufacturers for a fraction of the price that ICE charges for all their cycles. steve

[@timothybradek3560]

I'm sure you're aware, and it's of my opinion, that one of the greatest draw-backs recumbents have is their visibility as viewed from vehicles on the road: tis the reason they typically are seen w/ those six ft. long flags, so as to alert drivers of their specific whereabouts. These flags help, but hardly suffice in their attempt to be noticed by drivers; especially, at this early stage of recumbents where drivers aren't really expecting to see them on the roadways and byways. However, it seems that your trikes for off-road do set a bit higher than those designed for the road; that they clear the rough terrain typical of most trails. Knowing that we don't want to be top heavy in the trike design, has there been any talk of elevating your road trikes to maybe eight to twelve inches; thus, giving the rider a little more peace of mind as traffic comes up from behind thinking to themselves, "I sure hope / pray they see me". Thank you for a video well done. Your thoughts please.

[@EZSteve]

Howdy Timothy! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You make good points. Yes, this ultra large off-road trike is FAR more visible to motorists than standard street trikes, like the two trikes I had prior to this one, which have the seat only about seven inches off the pavement! Since this video, I have sold this Full Fat trike, and now ride a bicycle, and I have noticed that traffic gives me even MORE room when they pass than when I rode trikes for nine years. The trike in this video allowed me to be eye-to-eye with motorists in standard sized sedans, but with my low street trikes, my face was at mid-door level of the cars, well below the door's window. I always did run large and bright flag arrays on my trikes, which made a BIG difference in my visibility. Most recumbent trike manufacturers do make street trike models that are higher, as you discuss. This is primarily because a significant percentage of recumbent trike riders are in poor physical condition (excessively overweight/balance issues/back pain/etc), and higher trikes are necessary for these folks so that they can simply get into and out of the trike. The low racy trikes, like I had, are fast and handle superbly, but require an athletic person who has no physical issues to mount and dismount with ease. As expected, the higher trikes for the physically challenged do not have the same excellent handling capabilities as the lower trikes, but they do make it so motorists can see them much better. On all three of my trikes (two low/one high) I never did have any negative road issues with motorists who did not see me. I was always afforded great respect in sharing the road. Since my triking days, I've had two bicycles, one a fat tire off-road model, and my current street bike, both of which can be seen on this KZbin channel of mine, where I do detailed reviews of each. At this point in time, having now been riding bicycles for just over one year, I feel safer on the bicycle than on the tricycle. The common mindset among trikers (me included prior to my current biking days) is that recumbent trikes are so odd looking that motorists will notice them readily. There is also the thinking that since recumbent trikers look like physically challenged people in elaborate wheelchairs, motorists will go out of their way to treat them with respect and avoid hitting them with their cars. I believe there is merit to these visibility thoughts for recumbent trikes, but still, with so many drivers these days texting while driving, and using their cell phones, I prefer my much larger and taller profile on my bicycle. When riding my bike, which puts me in a tall vertical position of more than six feet, I believe I am considerably more visible to motorists than on my former recumbents, even my giant Full Fat as seen in this video. See ya' ... Steve

[@SolarizeYourLife]

Looks slow...

[@EZSteve]

This trike is indeed slow, and it takes lots of time to get up to speed (overcoming the resistance of the huge fat tires), BUT, wow, is it ever fun to ride! Curbs, roots, rocks, whatever you encounter, is readily conquered on this beast of a trike. And for riders who live in snow country, a trike like this is actually indispensable, as it takes on snow with an ease that has to be experienced to believe. steve

[@clayguinard3651]

All of these are converted into a fat Trike or quad they don't come that way it's it's something that is created

[@EZSteve]

Yes, Clay, these trike companies are putting out some cool stuff in recent years, and the fatrikes are one exciting model worth trying because they are so much fun! steve