Crazy On Three: 700 v Sprint26fs v Expedition, Part 1

Saturday, September 9, 2017

700 v Sprint26fs v Expedition, Part 1

(As of 9/17) I'm keeping both the ICE Sprint 26fs and my Catrike 700.
~~I'm a one trike guy. Once I decide on a trike there is no reason to keep a second one lying around.~~ The last time I made a decision between two trikes was when I had a Catrike Expedition and my current ride the Catrike 700. The Catrike 700 won and I sold the Expedition in 2014. Now my riding habits have changed. I currently live along California's Central Coast. My rides are slower paced as the beauty of the coast and the surrounding area doesn't lend itself to riding fast. There's so much to see when riding the Central Coast. It hypnotizes you with it's beauty and riding laid-back on three wheels makes it so easy to take it all in.

There are few things to consider when deciding what works best for me at this juncture in my triking life.

1. So much to see. The Central Coast is not like where I used to live in Agoura Hills, CA. Agoura Hills is a overgrown suburb dominated by SUV's, shit hole drivers, overbuilt houses and large shopping centers. A perfect example of suburban sprawl. Nothing to see so riding fast while listening to classic hard rock was the order of the day when taking my Catrike 700 on rides.

2. Varied road conditions including chip seal. The chip seal that was laid down on HWY 1 north of Cambria has been mitigated (thanks to the outrage of the cycling community) but the constant vibration can wear you out. In addition roads can go from smooth pavement to chewed up asphalt and everything in between.

3. Keep it light as possible even if suspended. No need for my titanium hips to push unnecessary weight.

4. Comfort for longer rides that I would like to do. There is so much I haven't seen yet. All of the Central Coast wine country awaits me.

That all being said I now have my Catrike 700 and my ICE Sprint 26fs in my possession. A Catrike Expedition is also in the running for the ultimate trike to meet my current needs. Although I don't currently have an Expedition with me, I know it very well. It was my first trike and I feel it is still one of the best all around trikes on the market.

For the record I'm not interested in any of the other Catrike models such as the 559 and the Dumont. They are heavy, the seat is too "cushy" and the seat recline is to high for my tastes.

Over the next few weeks I'll figure it all out. During that time I'll be posting comments to help me sort through all my thoughts and opinions as I ride both the 700 and the Sprint and compare all three trikes, Catrike 700, ICE Sprint 26fs and the Catrike Expedition.