ICE Adventure Trike 26 RS

Pros

  • Large and Comfortable Seat
  • More room for accessories
  • Shock Absorption Suspension
  • All kinds of sizing adjustments
  • 10 gear rear wheel + 3 front
  • Front Drum Brakes
  • Easy to change tires, Front tire
  • Strong Frame
  • Great for Touring
  • Great for people with balance issues
  • Great turning Radius

Cons

  • Doesn’t fit on the side of most roads safely
  • Too wide to fit through hotel room doors
  • Long
  • A lot to go wrong
  • Problems with flip shifters
  • Don’t know how to fix drum brakes
  • Slow uphills
  • Heavy
  • Parking brake is easily forgotten to release
  • Seat can be too warm at times and takes a while to dry

The ICE Trike is a very comfortable trike. It’s great for people like myself with Parkinsons’ disease. However, it is very hard to pedal uphill. It is capable of hauling everything you need for a cross-country tour, if you don’t mind slower miles. Trying to get in and out of hotels is a challenge but does fit with a few twists and turns. Like all trikes, you need lots of lights and flags to make yourself seen.

Around 15-20 mph, it starts to wobble/fish-tail some.

Its maneuverability while riding is phenomenal.

Catrike Five Five Nine

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Width fits through doors with ease
  • Easily folded for transport – with extra wheels, pull handle, and kickstand
  • Seat – comfortable
  • Everything is easily adjustable, with minimal tools
  • Disc Brakes
  • Parking brake built into brake levers
  • Comfortable
  • Fast – aerodynamic
  • 11 gear rear wheel
  • Easy to change front tires

Cons

  • Wider turning radius
  • Minimal space for accessories
  • Smaller rack for panniers
  • Harsh on bumpy roads – no suspensions/shock absorption
  • Harder to sit down on and stand up from due to a narrower width
  • Learning how to repair disc brakes
  • Seat side pouch sits too far back (will see if it can come forward some)

This is a great trike. It is capable of easily fitting into places, like hotel rooms and station wagons; however, its smaller width means a larger turning radius. It fits better on the side of the road than the ICE Trike, but not as nice as a two-wheel bike. It’s lightweight, compared to other trikes.

The parking brake is hard to forget about because it is built right into the brake levers.

With 11 gear rear wheel, you have plenty to choose from making it an easier ride.

Had it up to 22 mph and no wobble/fish-tailing.

Folds up nicely and easily, much like a modern suitcase with wheels and a kickstand.

Comparing the Two:

The ICE Trike is a very comfortable trike and handles nicely with a smoother ride compared to the Catrike which feels every bump and requires more room for turning due to its narrow width.

The Catrike is more stable at higher speeds than the ICE Trike, which I find more important than the turning radius.

I have only been on short trips with the Catrike compared to the thousands of miles I have put on the ICE Adventure Trike. They both have their qualities and faults. The ICE Adventure is going to be more comfortable on long tours, but at a much slower pace. The Catrike is going to be slightly less comfortable, but faster. So it comes down to what you are willing to put up with for what you are trying to accomplish.

Both trikes are obviously wider than a two-wheel and will take up more space on the side of a road, but the Catrike will not stick out quite as far as the ICE Adventure.

We shall see, over time, which trike is more suitable for long trips once I have a few more miles put on the Catrike.