Triobike is a Danish company that makes a family tricycle with a nifty “Multi-purpose Design” which can be converted from a tricycle to a bicycle to a stroller. On paper it has many of the design features that families are looking for such as 5 point harnesses for kids, front & rear lights, disk brakes, etc. It’s sleek minimalist European industrial design will send hearts aflutter anywhere. Who wouldn’t want a tricycle you could drive the kids to daycare with, convert into a bicycle, and then ride to work with.
However in the case of Triobike, it’s Achilles Heal may be that it does neither of it’s intended purposes very well. As a tricycle, reviewers are beginning to talk about it’s dangerously unstable ride. As a bicycle, it’s sporty design doesn’t lend itself well for city riding (no fenders, uncomfortable forward leaning style, men’s style swing over frame) Finally as a stroller it’s unwieldy bulk makes it impractical. Imagine a parent struggling to load it into a car or better yet trying to get it through the doorway of a local store with a sleeping toddler on board.
Hybrid designs in and of themselves are a neat idea. They take up less space but serve multiple purposes. However, history has been marked with endless hybrid designs that try to do too many things and fail to do any well. Airplanes that convert into a car, cars that convert into a boat, and so on.
In the case of Triobike, it’s a great idea with flawed execution. Like any groundbreaking innovative design there will be growing pains and hopefully an evolution to an ideal form. If the makers of Triobike continue to refine and iterate the design, then it has a great future. Otherwise, it’ll remain another industrial design study where style has won out over function, with the added bonus of a $3000 USD price tag.
Triobike Links:
www.triobike.com
Triobike photos by Carteco
Triobike Video
Other Luxury Cargo Tricycle Makers:
Winther Kangaroo
Nihola
MyZigo (US manufacturer)
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:08 am
A far better design is offered by Dutch manufacturer Feetz (www.feetz.nl). This is a small company that for now is not exporting to the US. Reasonable prices, 1500 euro in Holland. The rear end folds up to the front end after which the trike has the footprint of a shopping cart and fits through normal doors. Roller brakes, 5 speeds rear hub. Front wheels lean like on a two-wheeler.
September 4th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Hi Frits,
The Feetz look amazing. Especially the leaning design, which is the holy grail of all tricycles. I’ll post soon about their tricycles. Thanks for the link!
Cheers,
John
September 8th, 2009 at 1:30 am
I stil prefer teh taga, looks really impresive… http://www.taga.nl
June 28th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I own a feetz and its a great concept however however when I travel from the U.K
to the Netherland in the coming week I hope to visit the manufacturer to make some
design suggestions before I order more bikes. Also I’ve in terms of small details like lack of locking nuts or nylock nuts I had several components of the bike rattle loose after only riding the bike 3 times. One of these was an bracket arm supporting the rear brakes which suddenly came loose and rotated with the wheel locking the brakes while I was crossing the road which might have been potentially dangerous.
Another thing is the fact that if you have near the max load and you use the kick stand the bike falls over. These are minor things that can be corrected. I actually have more points however that I want to discuss with the manufacturer rather than posting these here for competitors to see as I really believe that this bike has amazing potential.
A rear carrier on the feetz would be great also so I can balance the bike load and perhaps put the battery pack for the electric hub drive however there is no carrier on the market that will fit so again back to the manufacturer.
great bike hope it gets better
August 21st, 2010 at 6:38 am
Proper thanks are due for this awesome article. I’ve read id a couple of months now and maybe they are always very informative. Thanks!