Winter, snow, ice cycling

[LittleWheelsandBig]

From my limited recumbent trike experience, I'd pick a faster trike like a VTX over slower versions pretty much every time, unless I was specifically looking for a loaded touring plodder. It can be a bit depressing to feel like you are pushing it hard at dutch-bike velocities.

[Kim]

See, while I've taken the opportunity to spool a VTX up to speeds in excess of R17 a couple of times, and considered it to be excellent fun, I'm not sure I see the point on typical BRITISH roads, where you're just going to get your teeth rattled and splashed with crud.  On a race track, sure.

What recumbent trikes are really good at (assuming absolutely zero risk of BloodyTrains) is the tourer plodding, though I'm always amazed at how slowly I find myself riding barakta's Sprint when I'm not paying attention.  Can't help feeling that (assuming you have the option) you're better off on two wheels.  Or in a velomobile.

The Sprint X seems to be an acknowledgement of this inherent slowness, but by the time you've ditched the mudgards and front suspension and fitted some fast-rolling tyres you're half way to a VTX in terms of practicality.

[cycleman]

Comfort and stability are the best thing about recumbent trikes. I don't worry about falling off. I have learnt to let the trike set the pace only have to work hard up the steepest of climbs. I ave 7.5 mph but a  able bodied person should manage 10 mph ave. Quite fast enough for enjoyable touring 

[fd3]

Also depends on how fast you usually ride. And trikes feel faster because they are low.
And also how susceptible you are to poor road conditions.  I find wide tyres on the catrike gives decent comfort, but then I am looking at city riding, not audaxing.

[Arellcat]

See, while I've taken the opportunity to spool a VTX up to speeds in excess of R17 a couple of times, and considered it to be excellent fun, I'm not sure I see the point on typical BRITISH roads, where you're just going to get your teeth rattled and splashed with crud.  On a race track, sure.

This was basically why I sold my Speedy.  On my then commute, even my eyeballs got vibrated and it became less fun each time! I switched to two wheels and suspension, and bought my Speedmachine, which was fine except in ice and snow.

What recumbent trikes are really good at (assuming absolutely zero risk of BloodyTrains) is the tourer plodding, though I'm always amazed at how slowly I find myself riding barakta's Sprint when I'm not paying attention.  Can't help feeling that (assuming you have the option) you're better off on two wheels.  Or in a velomobile.

This was basically why I bought my Quest.  It doesn't work well in snow, because there isn't enough traction from the back wheel (it never had anything more gnarly than the Marathon Supreme it's worn for the last several years, although during the worst weather I actually carried a 2.1" knobbly tyre just in case).  My commute is almost all main roads, but the first few miles don't have the benefit of buses to pulverise the grit into the snow and pulverise the snow into slush.  The bigger problem is getting to the main roads when the village is all but snowed in.  I liked Saukki's idea of a 2x26" high racer shod with winter tyres, but it was easier to just buy Marathon Winters for my Elephant Bike and accept that my evenings were taken up with commuting and eating.