If you say “chainless” in the recumbent world nowadays, the first name that probably comes to mind is CIXI PERS. The French pedaling system is now available on ICE trikes and Stentrikes, while HP Velotechnik has also been experimenting with the technology. But CIXI isn’t the only company exploring this idea. American recumbent trike manufacturer Trident Trikes has been working with its Asian partner OV Plus on a chainless system of its own, with the goal of making the technology considerably more affordable and accessible to a broader group of riders.
Trident has now officially announced its Chainless series, with the first two models scheduled to arrive around December. And before that happens, visitors to the upcoming Recumbent Cycle-Con will get the opportunity to actually ride prototypes of both trikes.
The basic principle behind the Trident/OV Plus system is similar to what we have already seen from CIXI. Instead of mechanically connecting the pedals to the rear wheel with a conventional bicycle chain, pedaling becomes part of an electronic drive system. That opens up some interesting possibilities, particularly on electric recumbent trikes, where the traditional drivetrain can be replaced by a much more integrated system.
According to Trident, its Chainless system uses a 500-watt motor paired with a 48V, 20Ah battery. The system offers regenerative capability as well as reverse, two features that are particularly interesting on a recumbent trike. Reverse can make maneuvering a larger and heavier e-trike considerably easier, while regenerative braking feeds some of the energy back into the battery, potentially extending the trike’s range.
Another interesting part of the design is the five internal gears incorporated into the motor system. Riders don’t have to shift through them manually. Instead, the system selects the appropriate gearing automatically as you ride. A throttle is included as well.
The first two trikes receiving the new drivetrain will be the E Trekker 26 Chainless and E Terrain 20 Chainless.
Trident says the first production E Trekker 26 Chainless has already come off the production line. The prototype that will appear at Recumbent Cycle-Con will have another new Trident feature too: front air suspension. According to the company, that suspension system is expected to become available at the beginning of 2027.
Trident has announced a retail price of $5,495 for the E Trekker 26 Chainless and $4,695 for the E Terrain 20 Chainless. Both are expected to become available through Trident dealers and directly from the company around December.
But specifications and technical possibilities tell only part of the story. In the end, the main question is how it is going to ride and behave. How natural will pedaling feel? How quickly and smoothly will the system react to changes in cadence and effort? And perhaps most importantly, how close will the experience be to riding a conventional trike with a chain?
Those are questions that can’t really be answered from a press release or specification sheet. Fortunately, riders won’t have to wait until December to find out. Both new Trident Chainless prototypes will be available for test rides at Recumbent Cycle-Con next weekend.
