HP Velotechnik is Making a Delta Trike?

After many years of focusing exclusively on tadpole configured trikes HP Velotechnik is branching out in a new direction: One wheel in front and two in the rear! Here's our interview with their illustrious marketing director Heiko Truppel from our June '23 webcast.

[@nospamallowed4890]

Awsome bike design. I have not seen any orher e-trike that matches this (recumbent pedal position, comfortable seat, cargo basket, motor assisted). The only negatives I see are no dealers near Fort Myers, FL and too high a price for a first trike... which seems to be the target market. If I were to make a suggestion, it is to design a less expensive version of it so that it would be a tokerable price for first-timers.

[@persebra]

I was building Delta trikes before I ran out of money. tadpoles are sportier as he said, but they sit too low for me. I have always preferred the Delta with its load capabilities so I am happy to see this.

[@JimmPratt]

there are many tadpoles that sit nearl;y as high as deltas or put you near to head height of car drivers - Anthrotech, Leitra, SunSeeker, GreenSpeed, Kent, and HP's own Adaptive series, for example. just depends on the purpose - sport versus cargo versus accesibility.

[@geriannroth449]

​@JimmPratt interesting selection how would you rate the Azub mini in comparable height seating position to the aforementioned?

[@JimmPratt]

Good to see HP applying their experience to Delta trikes! Add in quads later on, and youj got the trifecta of 'bents: cycles, trikes, and quads.

[@bluetocop]

i love my delta

[@pg5200]

Considering the dual freewheel, the Pony4 actually implemented this solution a while ago already :)

[@garyseckel295]

Delta-planform recumbent trikes are the coming growth of recumbency. Majority of riders don't need redundant steer wheels on bike paths that are every bit as straight as railroad tracks. Most suspension under rider's torso is desirable, and no disassembly for a flat tire either. Think about that! Sit side saddle on seat and swing, OR lift, a single leg over frame while ALREADY being seated! This, even from a wheelchair! Get an internal hub. Rear cassettes way less desirable for most riders!

[@petecresswell932]

Nobody ever quantifies tolerance for off-camber. e.g my ICE Adventure can handle about 8.5" of off-camber before I eat dirt (or concrete). Understood that such a quantification is complicated by the fact that different riders will have different centers of gravity, but this is a pretty serious thing in the context of a trike going off a curb or going across a hill and the prospective buyer should have at least some idea of when they will tip over.

[@indian2003]

I have a Scorpion fs26. I enquired the price of the low mesh seat and I was in for a shock. It cost 700 euros. The seat is made by Radical Design in Holland and sold by HP for the same price as RD sells their trailer.

[@LaidBackPedalPusher]

I noticed it has over seat steering. I think that the serious competition has under seat steering, right? My deltas have over seat steering, but my husband's delta has under seat steering (Easy Racers). Is this difference like direct and indirect steering? P.S. I love the N380 on my tadpole and it sounds like a great addition to a delta.

[@garyseckel295]

Correct. Over seat steering is typically direct steering. Under seat steering is typically indirect steering. accommodating

[@geriannroth449]

​@garyseckel295 is it true the direct steering tends to inflation more twitchy ride than the indirect steering?

[@jerrydaminato743]

Interesting.

[@gaetanozuccarello9802]

😉😊👍

[@jpmyles1560]

Fat tires and faster maybe 28-30 mph I would by 2 myself. But it’s seems I’ll have to go with ADDMOTOR M360ii start at 22mph but can unlock to 28 mph. 750 watt motor and 48vote 20 amps battery. More power. More younger people will buy . Your bike looks very good. If it was faster you would sale sale sale…

[@100toeface]

I wish they made a non electric version.

[@GarySolomon]

Not very likely.

[@tdgdbs1]

Makes no sense; the two wheels and the chain guard tubes rob power from the mid drive motor. What's the point of all the parasitic loss?

[@garyseckel295]

Twin tires directly under weight is way less wasted friction, AND hugely greater traction! HELLO?! Look way beyond more ball bearings, etc, and see less tire squirm! Twin tires under load is a Win, Win!

[@user-zu4nl7bm9e]

can they upgrade theirs recumbent bike to e-thru axle wheelhub? it's 2023 right now they still using the design 10 yrs ago. and the quick release wheelhub is nearly EOL right now.

[@JimmPratt]

e-thru axle wheelhubs are nice, but still expensive to produce and only come from one company (discounting Asian knock-offs). tech from 10 years ago are typically standard, reliable, and cheaper to manufacture. this is why belt drives are taking a long time to saturate the market. I think many people like the quick releases for tire/tube/wheel-size changes without the need for removal tools.

[@user-zu4nl7bm9e]

@@JimmPratt it's funny to see they sale the 2013 to 2015 designed frame at 2023 and twice price as its released. the e thru x wheelhub has the same price as the quick release. mtb bike had alread retired QR wheel, in next 1 or 2 year, most of road bike brand will retire the QR wheel too. Only the cruz bike had updated the design, and it's nearly the only high performance recumbent bike on the market. it's sad. gcn and others main stream media treat the recum like a clown, and the factory still consider the 20$ costing increasing.

[@JimmPratt]

@@user-zu4nl7bm9e if e-thru and quick-release are now the same price that is great! People may still prefer the quick-release, mostly because *it is a quick-release* - no wrench or socket tools needed to remove the wheel from the cycle when servicing it, like changing a flat tire. While the delta is suitable for everyone, people with less repair experience or less mobility or strength will appreciate the quick-release. Remember, this not a performance trike, it is a comfort trike. It is an e-trike. so the target market will be different than the performance market. Hase and Sunseeker have done pretty good with their deltas, so I do not see any problem that HP Velotechnik tries to offer the public their own idea of a delta trike - in this case a dedicated delta e-trike. Unfortunately Inflation, supply-chain issues, and the rarity of 'bent sales compared to uprights often lead to raised prices in the production of recumbents. Plus new deisgns or productions of new cycles tend to start out more expensive than long-running produced cycles because the creators would like to re-coup their investments quickly - that's common business logic.. Just wait, if you want to see the price drop - it will likely happen in time, as they bring out newer or different models.. If this bothers you, bring us competative and less expensive solutions. Let's see *your* delta trike on the market. :)