Gareth and I rode the Pino in Baltimore’s Tour du Port on October 21st. We pedaled the 10 mile route that wound around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, up Federal Hill, and out to Fort McHenry. It was probably the last day of warm weather we’re likely to see this season, so I expect that we’ll be riding far less frequently until Spring ‘08 arrives.
At one point, I had considered getting a Hase Trets trailerbike for Gareth. We ended up not going that route for one very important reason – it would put Gareth in the back and down low, likely making him feel like luggage instead of a cyclist. This is certainly not to say that the Trets isn’t a good option. It just didn’t fit the goals we wanted to fulfill.
The utility of the Trets was that it was a recumbent trailerbike into which a child with limited trunk support could be strapped and still have access to his/her own set of pedals. It also employed a 7 speed shifter and a freewheel to allow the child to determine his/her level of work while pedaling. The one main requirement, however, was that it be hitched to a lead bike that would provide it with direction.
Not any more. Hase has modified the Trets so that it can now accept a front fork, turning the Trets into an independent delta trike.
The Trets is largely unchanged aside from the fork modification, though it should be noted that the shifter remains in the lower position (by the seat) even with the addition of the handle bars. If a child needs help keeping their hands in place on the grips, they will likely be unable to move their hands to change gears.
The downside to these revisions is, as usual, the cost. The Trets originally sold for around $1,350. The price with the trike revision, according to BentRider Online, is now $2,490. That puts it well within range of adapted trikes from the likes of Adaptivemall. The main question becomes one of positioning – is your child able to pedal from a recumbent position or does he/she require a more upright stance?
It’s always good to have alternatives, and the nice thing about the Trets is that when your child tires of pedaling, you can convert it back into a trailer to just bring them along for the ride.