How to Make Your Recumbent Trike Visible: DON'T Get Hit By A Car!

A common question about recumbent trikes is: "Can cars see me?" The answer is simple AND there are a few things to make your trike even more visible. Whether it be safety flags, Airzound horns, bell, blinky lights, or bright clothes, there are many ways to increase the visibility of your recumbent trike to be safer on the roads and trails.
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[@markfeldman6509]

High bright flags , strobe front light and bright red rear lights. Bright clothing and hat/helmet. Also must stop and make eye contact with any driver before proceeding. Eye contact and a wave and thumbs up is the way to go. I am an exclusive trail rider and avoid roads. Fortunately I live in an area…Cape Cod with numerous fabulous safe trails. I drive my trike to the trails on my suv.

[@84bmw325e]

I mounted two lights like the one in the in the video on the flagpole.

[@lancerudy9934]

Great video thanks 😊

[@arnegerhardsen3755]

Thanks

[@rstewardson4164]

I often get the comment “ you’re to low” and “I can’t see you down there”, to which I’ll ask if they can “see the road?” I use two headlights (on strobe during daylight) and two taillights, more to be seen than to see. I have and use an AirZound, although some days I swear I need a 2 liter bottle.

[@33India6]

Well, I think most drivers in intersections actually don’t look at the road, they look slightly above it looking for approaching vehicles.

[@danielforde-pogson]

Misread that to begin with - I thought you just said "some days I swear"!!!

[@johnsimion2893]

"I’ll ask if they can “see the road?” -- Sure, no driver would ever miss seeing small things in the road. That's why it's perfectly safe to let young children play in the road. I'm sure MOST of the time drivers would see you. It's the ones that DON'T that will kill you. And as a recumbent BIKE rider, I sit up MUCH higher than your recumbent trike, and I can personally attest that Nordenham1234 is absolutely correct, at intersections the only thing drivers are looking for is other cars. I have had several incidents in which drivers at intersections didn't see 6'-4" ME on my bright yellow bike with fluorescent yellow jersey, flashing headlight and flashing taillight, so I really, really doubt anybody is going to see that 3' tall trike with a little fluttering flag at 5' or even 6' high ... especially not when so many pickup trucks are 5' high at the hood line.

[@Riazor1370]

Thanks man, about that horn I have an idea to get the aerosol can horn for my bike next time. It pretty light for the bike.

[@LaidBackCycles]

No problem 👍Glad to help!

[@michaeldesilvio221]

I plan on getting some very bright led strobe lights.

[@markroberts9375]

Multiple strobe light on the front and rear work very well. Rear lights can be angled to give side view and rear . The more lights, the better. Flags do not provide adequate view to pedestrians and vehicles, especially when the trike is traveling at speeds close to that which is allowed on a roadway. Especially when roadside parking is allowed. Defensive driving for trikers is a must! Double rear view mirrors are a must, too. And defensive piloting of your low slung trike is necessary.

[@LaidBackCycles]

Yes! LOTS of lights and defensive riding.

[@markroberts9375]

@@DemiGod.., that crosses my mind each time I ride. Many years ago in high school, a classmate would occasionally have Petite Mal seizures. I witnessed these in a large class lecture where the teacher would be using an overhead projector in a darkened environment and when the acetate work slides were managed or removed/replaced, apparently the nature of the visual “play on light” contributed to the triggering of the seizure.

[@notdoneyet7785]

How bout a flag at the front? Anybody tried it? Been wondering how I might attach one angled forward. That cross traffic at intersections and driveways is deadly

[@ronprince1478]

As a cyclist and motorcyclist people will look you in the eye and still not see you, always expect others to do the worst possible thing at the worst possible time and you might survive.

[@LaidBackCycles]

Great insight! Expecting drivers not to see you can help to keep you safe.

[@chrisperceval193]

Any tips for aerodynamic flag alternatives? I ride a DF velomobile and, in summer when not using the racing hood, have a front/rear combined Cateye light on my helmet in flashing mode. This is probably about 90cm off the ground. Flags present 2 issues re velomobiles - 1. how to mount them and 2. how not to ruin the aerodynamics of the thing (you can be goign along at 20-30mph without too much bother in velomobiles (faster down hills).

[@LaidBackCycles]

I may not have a specific recommendation for a velomobile flag, but my first instinct would be to go with a stiffer flag like the Purple Sky Flag.

[@33India6]

I use wide, lightweight red ribbons instead of flags and like that arrangement. Don’t know if it would meet your requirements!

[@danielforde-pogson]

Where do you attach front lights to those machines?

[@LaidBackCycles]

There are standard bike size diameter tubing at the front of most trikes. If not, there are easy bar mounts available to customize for any model!

[@33India6]

My experience is to be very careful at intersections, turning drivers will look right over you, flags are too far back to be properly seen by some turning drivers.

[@LaidBackCycles]

Yes, if you don't get eye contact with the driver use a tap of your air horn to make sure they notice you. Same thing goes on a bike.

[@stevenabrams5811]

I been riding bikes since 1959, In all those years I had beer cans thrown, rocks, been pushed off the road in a ditch, been hit by a car, because that person didn’t like cyclist. I am 69 and I ride on trails now with wounded warriors, most of them on hand and recumbent trikes. In all my years I am now considering a recumbent trike, with lights, flags. In this year 2022 I just don’t feel safe riding on the roads where I live like I did for over 30 years. Trained for Ironman, and for racing across the USA, or a foreign country where I raced for over 15 years.

[@SFCRambo60]

I seen so many cyclists blow through stop signs, especially KZbin post. Setting an example they do not.

[@LaidBackCycles]

Following the rules is certainly a key to safety!

[@hahafalseflag5090]

big flag and many friends

[@SFCRambo60]

That's so true, the more the merrier.