3 minute read
GIVE IT A ‘TRI’
Recumbent tricycles provide an accessible, fun way to get exercise
By Hannah Hoffmeister
Cyclists who are looking for an increasingly popular, comfortable and safe method of hitting the trails should look no further than recumbent trikes.
Sold for decades with two wheels, trikes are now the far more popular option, says Duane Oltz, a technician and salesperson who does “a little bit of everything” at the family-owned Campton Hills shop The Bike Rack. The trikes come in two main styles: delta, with two wheels in back and one in the front, and tadpole, one wheel in back and two in the front.
Visit the Campton Hills store to learn more and test-ride a bike!
Many can fit without adjustment in the back of a hatchback vehicle, Oltz adds. The three wheels of a recumbent trike “eliminate balance issues,” says Oltz. With the addition of flags or blinking lights and a better line of sight than a traditional bike (given that the seat is more like a chair), the recumbent bike is a comfortable and safe option. The Bike Rack also works on many adaptive trikes, constructed to fit the specific needs of a person with a disability. For example, adjustments can be made to specific sides of a trike for someone whose mobility has been impacted from a stroke. Handcycles, bikes powered by your arms, are also available.
“We’ve done some incredible things” when it comes to building adaptive bikes, says Oltz. These individualized bikes are developed by Creative Mobility, which is under the same roof as The Bike Rack. Project Mobility, which directs people to funding sources, completes the trio. Creative Mobility has now reached veterans, children’s groups, hospitals and nonprofits in other states, but it all started for one recipient. Hal and Julie Honeyman, part of the family who owns the shop, have triplets, one of whom has cerebral palsy. “They wanted to find (Jacob) a way to ride with the family,” says Oltz. Whether you’re looking to purchase a recumbent trike, a traditional bike or one with adaptations, the first step is to take it for a spin. Test rides are available through The Bike Rack; Oltz recommends trying at least two before making your decision. Making the switch to a recumbent trike is a positive one for many cyclists. Says Oltz of the people who choose a recumbent: “They find that they ride more than they ever did.”
YOUR TRAILS YOUR HOME
YOUR COMMUNITY YOUR COLLEGE
Enjoy the natural beauty of the Sugar Grove Campus on June 4 at our second annual 5K Trail Race. All proceeds benefit the Foundation Scholarship fund and help in-district students reach their educational goals.
waubonsee.edu/5k
Waubonsee Community College provides affordable, accessible education and opportunities to the people living in-district.
Our network of four campuses:
Sugar Grove: the main campus located on a beautiful 243 acres Aurora Downtown: a full-service campus in the heart of downtown Aurora Fox Valley: home to our health care programs located near
Rush-Copley Medical Center Plano: known as the Innovation and Design Center due to its core programs of CAD, Cybersecurity and
Welding GET STARTED TODAY:
waubonsee.edu
Waubonsee does not discriminate on the basis of any individual’s actual or perceived characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries regarding this policy may be directed to: Michele Needham, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator, Route 47 at Waubonsee Drive, Sugar Grove, IL 60554, compliance@waubonsee.edu.
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