Stay Active and Have Some Fun With Our Favorite Adult Tricycles for Seniors
Tricycles aren’t just for kids anymore! You can pedal your way to better cardiovascular health by triking, which is becoming the hottest new way to get from place to place — and get a little fresh air and exercise in the process. As the COVID-19 pandemic wages on, adult tricycles also offer an exciting way to engage in some socially distant fun in the great outdoors (and even accomplish some errands while you’re out).
These sturdy, self-powered vehicles are fun for people of all ages, but they’re an especially nice choice in workout and transportation equipment for older people. That’s because they’re comfortable to ride, more stable than a two-wheel bicycle (meaning they’re great for people with balance limitations) and have fewer maintenance requirements than mobility scooters. Plus, getting regular physical activity can help seniors improve stamina and muscle strength, reduce symptoms of health conditions like arthritis, limit the risk of falling and even promote a more independent lifestyle — and the novelty of a trike can definitely make the decision to start exercising much more appealing in the first place.
If a tricycle sounds like it might be the encouragement you need to get active and find some simple pleasures outdoors in the time of COVID-19, take a look at a few of the best trikes on the market for seniors.
How to Ride an Adult Tricycle Safely
When you take steps to stay safe on your trike, you’ll have added peace of mind that makes it easier to enjoy the ride. Knowing a few key things and prepping ahead can simplify the process.
First, It’s important to understand cycling and traffic laws in your area to make sure you’re following the rules of the road at all times — and staying as careful as possible. You’ll also want to look into any particular rules about riding bikes at your destination if you’re not using regular streets. For example, boardwalks and some trails might have restrictions about where you can ride. Additionally, it’s a wise idea to plan out your general route ahead of time to make sure you know your area and understand how you’ll navigate any intersections, roundabouts and other changes in traffic flow. Mapping your route can also help you find bike lanes to use.
Being prepared for what you might encounter while cycling is only one of the first steps toward safer riding. Once you have your trike, you’ll want to get to know the mechanics of the vehicle. Test your brakes and, if you have them, any gear-shifting mechanisms in a safe spot like your driveway or sidewalk before you take your trike out onto the road. It’s essential to know how these features work so you can use them to respond quickly to a change in conditions. If it’s been a while since you’ve ridden, start your triking in your driveway or on a non-busy street. Even if you’ve cycled before, each trike rides differently, and you want to become familiar with it before you go too far from home.
While riding, it’s vital to stay aware of your surroundings. Watch out for pedestrians and oncoming vehicles — drivers may not be paying attention. Wearing bright colors or reflective riding gear can help make you more visible. Use hand signals to communicate with drivers and other cyclists when you’re turning or switching lanes. Don’t wear headphones or sunglasses that could obscure your vision or keep you from hearing. Do wear a properly fitting helmet every time you ride; it’ll keep you safe, and it may even be a requirement in your state.
If the road around you is bumpy or has obstacles like potholes, prepare to trike around them, as the wider back end of a trike can destabilize over large bumps or holes. Fortunately, many adult trikes are built with self-balancing designs to prevent you from tipping off, but if one side of the back wheel set comes up too high, the trike could flip. Always take corners slowly and keep your weight centered.
Best for Low-Impact Exercise: Mobo Triton Pro Adult Cruiser Trike
Are you looking to get moving without overexerting yourself or putting extra stress on your joints? The Mobo Triton Pro Adult Cruiser Trike is an excellent cycling choice to meet your needs. This trike is a recumbent bike, which means it’s low to the ground and places you in a reclined position, so you can sit back and take in the scenery. The positioning of this type of seat eliminates pressure on your neck, back and knees, keeping you as comfortable as possible while riding.
Another innovative feature of this trike is its dual-joystick steering control. The joysticks — one on either side of the chair — function in place of traditional handlebars to help you make easy turns without straining your arms, wrists or back; instead, you can gently tilt your body and use the joysticks to guide your direction. The design also requires minimal balance and keeps the trike stable to give you a smooth ride on any flat terrain. Its sturdy steel frame ensures that large and small riders alike can enjoy the perks of this equipment. This is the perfect trike for a cruise around the neighborhood.
Best for Saving Space: Foldable Bkisy Adult Tricycle
If concerns about storing or transporting a clunky trike from place to place are holding up your decision, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief. The Foldable Bkisy Tricycle for Adults is a simple solution for anyone lacking the roomier storage area this type of cycle often requires. This space-saving trike’s rear frame folds into itself, allowing for easy collapsing so you can tuck it away, out of sight — it’s ideal if you’re living in a condo community or don’t have a garage.
With its padded seat and large wheels, the trike is also built with comfort and stability in mind. The vehicle comes with brakes on both the front and rear of the frame, ensuring that the tricycle remains responsive to your directions and stays easy to steer. It also comes with a foldable basket for transporting items, making it ideal for trips to the store. The carbon-steel frame is both snazzy and durable to prevent rust and wear, so it’s great for taking rides along the boardwalk or other areas where it might get a little damp. Whether you value practicality or you’re a fan of space-saving designs, this is a great option.
Best for All Terrains: Dirt King Adult Dually Tricycle
This trike is built for fun-loving cyclists (and those who don’t live on the smoothest roads — check out those heavy-duty wheels). Emulating the classic build of a dirt bike, the Dirt King Adult Dually Tricycle has four rear wheels and a super-wide front wheel for maximum stability. The trike’s thick wheels and shock-absorbent seat make it ideal for all-terrain conditions, as it can roll over rocks and uneven ground that might cause trikes with thinner tires to jolt and tip.
The padded seat is comfortable and is large enough to quell any concerns about the possibility of tipping off the chair. It’s also designed to adapt to riders of all sizes. The heavy-duty frame ensures that this bike holds up for the long haul. If you live in a dusty or rocky area, this trike will help you enjoy all the benefits of riding without tearing up your equipment or having to replace tires frequently.
Best for Different Speeds: Slsy Adult Tricycle 7-Speed
Do you like the idea of mixing up your triking routine? The Slsy Adult Tricycle 7-Speed trike is ideal for those who swap between riding speedily while trying to get a bit of cardio exercise in and taking things slow to enjoy the scenery on a leisure ride. The seven available speeds make this trike ideal for variation in an exercise routine, as the settings let you choose how hard you want to push yourself physically while riding up hills. You can easily shift between gears to accommodate incremental sprints or relaxed pedaling.
Different speeds can also help you adapt to different terrains, making this trike ideal for any potential shifts in the texture of the street, sidewalk or path you’re on. Like the space-saver bike, this trike comes with a basket for carrying groceries and other small goods. This trike is a flexible option for riders who like to vary their tricycling routine from day to day.
Best for Carrying Shopping Goods or Pets: Viribus Adult Tricycle With Front and Rear Baskets
If you’re planning on using your trike to commute to the store, visit the farmers’ market or take your pet out on the town for some fresh air, the Viribus Adult Tricycle is your best choice. This trike comes with both a front basket — which is ideal for small dogs, cell phones, wallets and other essentials — and a large rear basket, which is ideal for bigger dogs and groceries. The rear basket is built with its own wheels, and you can detach it from the bike and roll it around like a shopping cart. It’s perfect if you’d rather not try to lug a heavy basket or armload full of farmers’ market produce around while you shop.
The wide, spring-loaded seat makes this trike comfortable for riders of all sizes, and the placement of the cargo baskets ensures that you won’t feel weighed down or unbalanced while you’re trying to steer the bike. The self-balancing steel frame is what makes this not only perfect for an active cyclist but also excellent specifically for seniors because it works to keep riders upright during mounting and dismounting and while navigating turns.
