Scorpion folding electric trike

[Cudzoziemiec]

I've just been talking to my neighbour. His wife is annoyed that she's had to give up cycling completely due to a balance problem; dodgy connection between inner ear and brain, it was described to me. So they reckon a semi-recumbent trike would be the answer, and because she's getting on a bit* and it's a hilly area, electric help would be appreciated. They've found something called a Scorpion, a folding trike with electric assist, but it doesn't seem to have a UK importer. I suggested D-Tek off the top of my head, being the only recumbent retailer I could name, but they're in Norfolk(?); something a bit further west would be better.

Any ideas, anyone?

*Hope she's not reading this!

[ElyDave]

Cambridgeshire

About 20 miles North of Cambridge, and a ten minute taxi ride from Ely railway station.

Ely is quite a hub with trains from Norwich, Ipswich, That London and also from the west - Peterborough, Birmingham etc

[Kim]

Scorpion is HPVelotechnic's three-wheeler, which has recently evolved to include an impressively high-seat version.  All that fine German engineering of the Streetmachine, and they found a way to make it heavier

Bikefix and Kinetics are the go-to dealers for HPVelotechnik, though I'm sure others can too.  (D-Tek is in Little Thetford, near Ely - not to be confused with actual Thetford.)

ICE are local to you by recumbent standards.  If you're considering a Scorpion, then it's certainly worth looking at their stuff too.  They do electric assist, and a high-seat mod for the Adventure.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Thanks. I'll pass all that on. Cardiff is pretty near but I think they'd be willing to go to London for a specialist.

[Kim]

London Recumbents are also in London, if something like the Hase Kettwiesel is worth considering.  We bought barakta's^[1] ICE Sprint from them, but I'm not sure if they're currently an ICE dealer (I think Bikefix are, however).


_{[1] She's on three wheels for balance reasons, as much as arms.}

[Wowbagger]

This thread is worth a look:

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=90477

From memory (if she reads this, höffentlich AH can confirm or otherwise) Auntie Helen dealt with Neil at ICE. They have always seemed to be a most obliging company when she has had dealing with them.

[PhilO]

There is an accessible cycling charity at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff (near the castle) which has a variety of special needs cycles, including at least a couple of ICE Trices

https://www.cardiffpedalpower.org/bikes-we-sell

[Auntie Helen]

As Wowbagger says, ICE were excellent for me and Neil always super-helpful. I think the Hase Kettwiesel could be a good option though as it's less recumbent than some. Electric assist is available for most different trikes I think, and I fitted my own.

The Scorpion is very heavy, over engineered and expensive; I would recommend an ICE Adventure in preference, plus ICE's customer service is unbeatable. Or take a look at a Kettwiesel.  Ignore KMX trikes, too cheaply made.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Thanks. 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Apparently they're having a look at Yorvik Bikes cos they're going to (or through) York anyway.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Apparently they're having a look at Yorvik Bikes cos they're going to (or through) York anyway.

I guess that's 'Jorvik' trikes.

Not heard of them, or seen any of their bikes or trikes around.

They claim to be

leading tricycle companies in the world

which is quite some claim. Seem to have been in existence since 2015.

[Cudzoziemiec]

They might be disappointed then. But York's a nice place to spend a day anyway!

[Kim]

*shrug* Looks like it's worth a look if sturdy step-through upwrongular tricycles are your thing.

[Cudzoziemiec]

<looks>
Well they've got three wheels and electric assist and they fold, but they're hardly "semi-recumbent". I'm not sure how dodgy her balance is but I can see an upright trike has more appeal in being at least superficially close to the cycling she's known.

[CAMRAMan]

Not knowing much about such things, I wonder if this might be of any use...


 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Spoke to neighbour today; they have a Jorvik upright trike on order. Seems it's been on order for quite a while. In non-trike news, when I spoke to him he was seeing if he could fit his Hewitt tourer in the back of his car so his wife could drive him to the airport. He's doing a cycle-camping tour with friends, from central Germany to Budapest, mostly down the Danube. Sounds good.