Many of you have probably seen some videos from Cruzbike showing a tilting trike with an extremely narrow track of the rear wheels. Such a prototype was presented by Cruzbike about seven years ago, and it was basically an add-on kit that had one wheel positioned a bit frontward and the other one a bit backward. The overall concept was very innovative and caught a lot of attention.

Three months ago, a new video appeared on Youtube. Not on an official Cruzbike Channel, but on Jim Parker’s private one. The footage from 2016 shows the third prototype of the Cruzbike TTRIKE. Unfornatenuly it was the last one. Cruzbike stopped this development a few months later. However, it is still an exciting project that I find worth presenting. 

Jim Parker, co-founder, and director of Cruzbike, wrote about it: “This video was made September 11, 2016 in Lumberton NC. This was the most successful of the tilting trike prototypes before progress was halted. It uses an attachment to a Cruzbike frame (in this case a Cruzbike V20) that fits in the rear dropout. It needs an improved locking system that is not too rigid, but will trim to vertical when stopped or slow, and can easily be engaged/disengaged. The project goal was a light, simple, inexpensive attachment that would allow switching between a recumbent bike and tilting trike for relatively low cost; and taking advantage of the benefits of Cruzbike’s patented dynamic-boom FWD. The trike would also have the advantage of being much faster than typical recumbent trikes, and much better visibility (for the rider and motorists sharing the roadways). The wheelbase is intentionally long to allow for improved weight/traction on the (front) drive-wheel.”

The comments below the video show some interest from Cruzbike fans, but there is a long way between a prototype and a final product, a lot of investment is needed, and the manufacturer needs more than several interested customers to make such an investment worth it. Currently, there is no sign Cruzbike has any plans to bring the kit into production. 

Watch the two videos below to get an idea about this tilting trike project. 

You can read other articles about tilting trikes on RECUMBENT.news here.

 

Cruzbike TTRIKE prototype on a video from 2015

 

Last Cruzbike tilting trike prototype on a footage from 2016