I've owned an old style T-8, with the polyurethane wheels, for almost a year. Though I liked it, it seemed too much like a "toy", and I wanted something more substantial. Everything that I read (Trikketalk, etc) led me to believe that the T-12 was the "Cadillac" of the Trikke line smooth, easy, quiet and fast. This is NOT the case in fact, it is vastly less efficient than my old t-8 ("less efficient" = requiring greater energy expense to cover the same distance). This makes it substantially harder to ride than the t-8. It is just plain exhausting!
I checked to make sure that there wasn't a problem with my particular T-12. I checked that the bushings were not too tight, OK, that the brakes weren't rubbing, OK, that I had the recommended 75psi front and 80psi rear, OK everything checked out fine, so I posted my concerns on Trikketalk. The general thrust of the replies is that the T-12 really is bigger, slower and harder to get going than any Trikke in the line, and I just need to get used to it. So, it is a Cadillac all right, but instead of driving it, it feels like I am behind it, pushing it. Uphill. With it in Park.
On other subjects, it is very well built there is no flex or shimmy when I am on it, and I am 6'0 200 lbs. Putting it together was straightforward however, you need to carefully study the instructions on brake adjustments if you are going to set them yourself.
The thing that keeps my rating from falling below a 3 is this: the T-12 IS a good workout. I do intend on sticking with it, however, it will stay just that: "A Workout Device". For fun and riding enjoyment wish I would have bought the T-8 air which would have been the sweet spot between effort, comfort, ease of use, and speed. Not to mention, less expensive by more than $100.00.
FOLLOW UP -
I have now been riding the T-12 for over a year. I take it out three times a week, 10 miles each ride. I also rotate that same 10 mile path between roller-skates and a bicycle. The T-12 is STILL too big, too bulky, too cumbersome, too arduous, and too hard to move to be anything other than a "Workout Device". (And this is from someone who is (now) 6'0, 185 lb.) As a "Workout Device", it is very good, I still have no complaints about it's build, workmanship or sturdiness. But, because the T-12 is none-the-less limited in it's role, I find that I still use the T-8 Poly for general riding around. Now, more than a year down the road, I still feel that the T-8 would have been a better choice, one that hits the target of being a multipurpose Trikke nimble enough to kick around town and heavy enough for working out.
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Update 01/02/08:
Just to let everyone know that there are new Trikke T12 colors available: Metallic Green and Metallic Copper. They look so cool.
As an adult, the Trikke T12 is my favorite among other Trikke models out there. Why?..because it gives me the best overall workout, it fits my style of riding and fun activity. With the T12, I find exercising for fitness with a newfound interest that I never get bored at. I used to run 2 miles 3 times a week but joint pain cause me to look for other alternatives. Trikking is not hard on my joints because its low-impact. The fluid motion of carving or zig-zag maneuver to propel myself is where the workout is all about. I trikke on flat roads, bike trails, open parking lot, and any road surface I can think of and not worry about the cracks and niks on the pavement because the air tires can handle it well.
I can now go uphill too after so much practice at it where workout is at its best.
Find a trikker in your area and thats when the fun goes a long way when two of you or more get together. Nowadays I do long distance trikking as I've evolve doing this activity into a serious workout regimen. Occasionaly my fellow trikkers meet up and we trikke for miles on trails, local parks and sometimes join marathons too. The disc brakes are a good feature on the T12 and gives me a much better stopping power at anytime.
The T12 comes 70% preassembled and all you have to do is attached the front fork, handle bar, and the tires(after inflating) to the respective axles. Instructions are provided on assembling and learning so you're covered even for a beginner. T12 comes in two colors: metallic black which is shiny with silver aluminum rim wheels while the matte black is flat with black colored rims. I personaly have the metalic one but I'm giving the matte black this review so it won't feel so alone here. Overall they're the same and its really a matter of preference.
Someone ask me if the trikke is okay on dirt roads, I'd say it is doable as a downhill freeride without carving involved. It is not recommended on this conditions when you carve because you take the risk of sliding and falling down when the front wheel loss its grip from loose gravel. Trikking is meant to be riden on solid roads, dry cemented lanes and pavements. Even with this pavements you can still slide and fall when your front wheel accidentaly hit marbles, acorns, loosen leaves, wet spots, and uneven surface if you're not careful. I have my share of falls too. While trikking I recommend wearing a helmet and some knee\elbow pads for your safety. Knowing your road manners and cycling courtesies are important too. Don't let this precautions hamper you down but just let it be your guide. Trikking is no different than biking, skateboarding or other sports activity out there that has its share of injuries if you're not careful. So be safe..
Finaly, if you're looking for something new to do for fitness and exercise, give trikke a spin. Its really fun and I should not say this but it can be "addicting" too as some users put it. I've lost some weight with trikking and my endurance has increased. Studies had already been done on its health benefits so trikking will have its place in fitness and continue to grow in popularity. There are many trikkers already here in US and all over the world. Come join us and TRIKKE on....
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I've been riding a T12 daily for two and a half years. I ride about eight miles a day. I rode a T8 with urethane wheels for four years before I got the T12. Urethane wheels are difficult and dangerous, and very slow on all but the smoothest pavement. I highly recommend air tires for serious riding. My T12 has been a joy from the first moment I mounted it. For someone my size (6'4"), it's much faster than a T8, with much less effort.
I ride a trikke because it is far more fun than riding my back-up vehicle, a 26" mountain bike. Both are well suited to the urban landscape, but the trikke feels a lot like swimming or dancing, rather than sitting and running. One propels a trikke with one's entire body.
My practical point-to-point using inner-city surface streets is about 8 MPH, opposed to 12 MPH on my bike. I think it is a pretty good ballpark estimate that a trikke moves about 2/3 the speed of the average bike in most situations. It requires double the effort, but since one uses twice as many muscles, there is little fatigue. It is also very easy to fold and carry aboard buses and trains.
The maintenance on a trikke is very low, but there is enormous stress on the frame, since it is literally the drive mechanism. I snapped a leg at the folding joint about a year ago...no big deal to replace at $40. I recently snapped the handlebars, again no big deal to replace at $20.
Honest reviews on Trikke Tech T12 Series 3-Wheeled Carving Scooter (Charcoal)
Trikking is by far the most fun form of aerobic exercise I have discovered. The movement is smooth and gentle, even though it takes some solid pushing to get up hills. It is downright whimsical. Trikking makes me smile and usually makes others smile too, unless they're trying to pass you on a narrow bike path.
Warning: I've tried to convert many people to become trikkers. Most remain unconverted. It takes some persistence to get good enough to even go up slight inclines. Many people give up too soon. This is probably not a great impulse purchase. Be sure that you're excited enough to practice for the weeks or months to get good at it. I kept learning better techniques even in my second year of trikking. And when I rode different models in following years, I learned even more. If you've got a friend with one, try theirs, and get some instruction from them. You might even consider finding a local dealer who can let you try different models, and help you with adjustments and maintenance.
Also, the energy input to forward momentum conversion is fairly indirect, you can't just stand up on the pedals and power forward like you can on a bike. This means you put in twice the effort to go only 2/3 the speed as a bike. But as another reviewer mentioned, since that effort is spread so evenly across different muscle groups in your body, you don't get sore muscles (or a sore butt from a bike seat).
The T12 is solid, high off the ground, and has disc brakes that are almost dangerously effective. It's easy to lurch forward into the handlebars if you brake too hard. Also Important: The handlebars want to pivot 180 degrees from their normal position. It's supposed to be this way. It's part of how you get the pushing effect from the turning, but you have to be careful not to let them turn too sharply or you'll go right over them.
Another reviewer recommended helmet and knee/elbow pads. I have people wear bike gloves when learning to Trikke, because when you take a spill, the speeds are usually low enough that you try to catch yourself with your hands rather than rolling. This leads to scraped palms if you don't wear gloves.
Trikkes are pretty low maintenance. I generally just check adjustments once a year, and tire pressures once a month. It can sometimes be tricky to fold, but if you wiggle its arms while pulling on the release mechanism, you can get it to work.
I have now purchased 4 different models of Trikkes so I can bring other people out Trikking with me. Since I'm a big guy (over 6' & 230 lbs), the T12 is my favorite model. But be warned, it is large and can be hard for newbies to handle. Stick to a T8-Air if you don't need the largest model.
Finally, a few tips on getting started...
Start by practicing standing on the trikke while it's still. Stand on the balls of your feet toward the front of the footpads with your toes pointed out (heels in). This lets you use all your leg muscles (including calves) instead of standing flatfooted and using only quads/thighs. Practice leaning the whole trikke from side-to-side and notice the upright steering tube can lean over pretty far while you're still standing solidly. Once you try "pushing," be sure you're leaning the trikke like this instead of just turning the handlebars. You'll get a much better feel for it this way.
Don't try to make it go from a stand still, take a few good pushes with your foot like a normal scooter to get up enough speed to try the rock-and-roll style pushing. Avoid hills for a while when you're learning. Downhill gives you false confidence. Uphill tends to rapidly drain the small amount of confidence you may have started developing. :)
Good luck. Enjoy dancing in the streets on your own Trikke!
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I've owned an old style T-8, with the polyurethane wheels, for almost a year before I bought the 12. Though I liked it, it seemed too much like a "toy", and I wanted something more substantial. Everything that I read (Trikketalk, etc) led me to believe that the T-12 was the "Cadillac" of the Trikke line smooth, easy, quiet and fast. This is NOT the case in fact, it is vastly less efficient than my old t-8 ("less efficient" = requiring greater energy expense to cover the same distance). This makes it substantially harder to ride than the t-8. It is just plain exhausting!
I checked to make sure that there wasn't a problem with my particular T-12. I checked that the bushings were not too tight, OK, that the brakes weren't rubbing, OK, that I had the recommended 75psi front and 80psi rear, OK everything checked out fine, so I posted my concerns on the Trikketalk web forum. The general thrust of the replies is that the T-12 really is bigger, slower, bulkier and harder to get going than any Trikke in the line, and I just need to get used to it. So, it is a Cadillac all right, but instead of driving it, it feels like I am behind it, pushing it. Uphill. With it in Park.
On other subjects, it is very well built there is no flex or shimmy when I am on it, and I am 6'0 200 lbs. Putting it together was straightforward however, you need to carefully study the instructions on brake adjustments if you are going to set them yourself.
The thing that keeps my rating from falling below a 3 is this: the T-12 IS in fact a good workout. I do intend on sticking with it, however, it will stay just that: "A Workout Device". For fun and riding enjoyment wish I would have bought the T-8 air which would have been the sweet spot between effort, comfort, ease of use, and speed. Not to mention, less expensive by more than $100.00.
I have now been riding the T-12 for over a year. I take it out three times a week, 10 miles each ride. I also rotate that same 10 mile path between roller-skates and a bicycle. The T-12 is STILL too big, too bulky, too cumbersome, too arduous, and too hard to move to be anything other than a "Workout Device". (And this is from someone who is (now) 6'0, 185 lb.) As a "Workout Device", it is very good, I still have no complaints about it's build, workmanship or sturdiness. But, because the T-12 is none-the-less limited in it's role, I find that I still use the T-8 Poly for general riding around. Now, more than a year down the road, I still feel that the T-8 would have been a better choice, one that hits the target of being a multipurpose Trikke nimble enough to kick around town and heavy enough for working out.
