Raleigh Bikes Tristar 3-Speed Trike

I always wanted an adult trike and could not wait to get this one. I pictured myself riding like the wind, making quite a spectacle of myself. I did make a spectacle of myself, but mostly because I crashed and burned. I should have done some research on how to ride a trike. But let's start at the beginning.It took my husband almost 3 hours to put the Raleigh Bikes Tristar 3-speed trike together. The instructions say it can take as little as 30 minutes, if you are experienced at assembling bikes. It took my husband 30 minutes to get all the parts out of the box.He had an especially hard time getting the handle grips on.After assembly, the seat was adjusted for my height. I was enthused and ready to go.I should have have practiced turning on a flat surface. This bike is not meant for grassy surfaces, uneven surfaces, or hills. Do not even get me started on hills.First, the bike has 3 speeds, but even at the first speed, which is supposed to be the easiest, this trike is hard to get going. Standard mechanisms used for bicycles do not work with a trike. For instance, standing up on the pedals. All this does with a trike is make the rear wheels spin.My first attempt at riding about 20 feet steered me right into a bush. I had no control over which way the bike turned. It felt unstable and unbalanced. Sure, you don't fall over when you are sitting still, but maneuvering the trike is different than on a bike. I practiced a few minutes in my yard, then headed out to the road. On top of the hill, we turn right. Not knowing I had to lean my body left, as only the back right tire has any control over the bike, I used my body to steer right like you would a bicycle, and the bike toppled over, down the hill, into a ditch. I was scratched up, and everything in the basket was in the weeds.Nervous but determined to master this thing, I got back on the trike and continued on. I found a flat surface and did some figure eights, practicing my turns. It's unique and does take practice. No more spills but getting speed was never easy.Coming back up the hill was a bad experience. The trike is very heavy. I could not get the trike up the hill, and couldn't get off the trike to push it. Pushing a trike is very hard. The back tires do not allow you to walk along side and push it. Also, because of the trikes weight, pushing it was not an option. I got on the trike and slowly maneuvered it up the hill and back home.Part of the reason I had such a bad experience is that I am out of shape. Another part is that I simply did not realize that riding a trike requires skills different than those used when riding a bike. I didn't realize that the trikes weight would be an obstacle. Hills are not pleasant.Finally, the rear tires have to be on level surfaces. I live in the country and our roads aren't level. If your back tires are on gravel, grass, and pavement, be careful.On a plus side, the seat is very comfortable. Big and comfortable for any out of shape behind.There is a hand brake on the left handlebar and you can use foot brakes too. I never really went fast enough to have to brake. Getting going was the problem. And turning. And the weight of the trike.So yes, I am quite disappointed in myself. But I will be back out again tomorrow, trying to get better at this trike thing. My recommendations for anyone new to riding trikes is to ride it on evenly paved surfaces or boardwalks. Find a parking lot and practice turning and doing figure 8's. Avoid hills at all costs.Riding a trike is a skill I never knew existed. I just assumed it would be easier than riding a bike. Even my husband had a hard time, and he's very athletic and rides his bike every day.This is made for leisure rides in the park, on pavement or wood surfaces. There's no off-road adventures on this thing. Not for a while, anyway. Just know what you are getting into when buying a trike. The trike is heavy, and gives you a workout when riding it on anything other than flat, smoothly paved surfaces.

This a very solidly built trike. I've put 87 miles on it and thought it was time to share my thoughts. I live in a community that has almost no hills and a lot of miles of bike paths and for me this trike is ideal. Having 3 speeds is still a definite plus but I ride mostly in the 2nd gear (1 to 1) ratio which gives my legs and cardio system a good workout. Put it in low gear and the pedaling effort is almost effortless. On level ground and pavement it does really well but off the pavement...not so good. It is only driven by the right rear wheel and on wet grass and rough ground traction is almost non-existent so it is best keep it on the pavement. It is heavier than your typical bicycle so keep in mind that you have to pedal harder to move this trike than you would a bicycle and you shouldn't plan on winning any races with it. To save a little weight I elected not to install the heavy steel cargo box (weight 8.5 Lbs) and instead replaced it with a plastic "milk crate" which weighs almost nothing and can be purchased almost anywhere including on Amazon. (had to drill two holes in the "milk crate" but it works just fine for me) Also installed as accessories are: a rearview mirror, rear taillight and front headlight (lights are rechargeable from USB outlets), a bell, and a cell phone holder (cheap GPS app on my cell phone tells me distance traveled and how fast (usually not very) I am moving. In perspective I am 73, only "moderately" overweight at 5 '7" and 188 lbs. and I am cruising comfortably on this rig at 7.4 mph on average. Not setting any speed records but I really like my trike.

Let me start by saying that this is a nice bike. I have some experience, having owned a bicycle shop in Flagstaff during much of the 1970s. The first step, of course, is to get it out of the box. That is a bit of a task, as it is very well packed and protected. Then there is considerable assembly required. I have assembled a LOT of bicycles, and this took me about an hour. I could have done it faster, but I was in no hurry. You do need typical tools, such as screw drivers, combination wrenches, and Allen wrenches. The only unusual tool needed is a pedal wrench. This is just a thinner than normal wrench. Don't forget that one pedal is left hand thread. To put the grips on, mix a little dish detergent into some water and wet the inside of the grips with it. They will go on much easier, and when it dries they won't move at all. Also, when riding, remember only the right rear wheel is driven when you pedal, so traction is low enough that you can spin the wheel if you try. Also, don't turn sharply at speed. You can't lean into turns on a trike, so you can go over sideways.The bike was made in Taiwan, and it is very well constructed. The low, step through frame makes mounting easy, and the wide, comfortable seat is great for someone who may have picked up a few pounds. They must have seen my picture! With the three speeds it rides easy. It is fairly heavy for a bicycle, so I wouldn't want to ride it up a lot of steep hills, but it is great where I live. It shifts easily, and the rear coaster brake and front hand brake both function well. It has a nice basket in the back, which, by the way, is the hardest single thing to assemble. The paint is pretty and applied with no glitches. It has a sturdy front fender and a very sturdy chain guard.Now I just need to figure out how to put it on the back of my Minnie Winnie motor home.

I loved that I can ride a bike again. After falling off of my two wheeler a few times I thought that I might need to give up riding. When I saw this I thought it might work. It does.There are only 3 speeds and it is hard to pedal up hill.I love that there are brakes on the handlebars and in the pedals.I took the basket off in the back because it was two heavy.