Burley Canto w/26" front..?

New to recumbents and I was curious about this bike and want to learn more about it.

Why not a 26" front wheel and could one be added? Would their be any advantages, wheel options better? handling?
(I understand a longer fork would be needed.) may not be a useful option.

I'm also curious of reviews and opinions of long term owners of Canto's

Meanwhile I do some forum searching, the web didn't turn up much and I noticed at Burley . com that they don't list recumbents??

 

Burley simply shut down their recumbent division years ago, not because they weren't profitable or because they did not have s good product, but because they were making much MORE money with their bike trailers. It was a pure business decision. They sold their recumbent division.

 

From what I've read 2006 was the last year? A particular Canto I'm looking at has disc brakes front and rear. I assuming it's one of the last models since I found a road test on a 2002 w/o discs.

 

Jose, that's another missing friend. I met him years ago at A RR get together in Atlanta I believe and again at Sebring.

 

The Burley recumbent division was purchased in 2007 and moved to TN. There were prototypes made using a 26" front wheel on borh the canto and the Koosah.

 

Went to a recumbent bike shop, the only two-wheels were hanging way up on the wall, the floor was stocked full of trikes.

Maybe I need to reconsider?

Merry Christmas!!

 

Really comes down to what you want and what you will ride. There are pros and cons to both. Trikes are heavier and slower but if you aren't in a hurry so what. If it's hilly where you live just make sure you have plenty of low gearing. You also don't have to worry about balancing with three wheels. However, they can be more difficult to transport and store. I say ride as many Recumbent Bikes and Trikes as you can before you buy.

 

Slower?? I've been reading that they are faster?

I'm thinking a trike is going to take up more space than I want but they do feel comfortable. Two wheels look almost as comfortable but will take up less space.
Either way the best advice is to ride both and as many as I can.

 

Two wheels take up less space. Trikes take up more.
Two wheels weigh less. Trikes are heavier.
Two wheels can often times fit on a regular bike rack. Trikes need special rack or can fold and go in small place.
Two wheels can lean in to a curve much better. Trikes will roll if not careful, must take curves with certain technique.
Two wheels are faster due being more aerodynamic. Trikes are wider and are less aerodynamic, but can still have speed.
Two wheels require movement and balance to remain upright. Trikes have three wheels...no balance issue.

In the end, it all depends on personal preference and personal fitness level.

 

That trike was a fully enclosed Velomobile. The shell was made out of Kevlar and carbon fiber and the whole thing weighed about 40 LBS. a weight which hasn't been matched by any current carbon fiber velomobile said.

 

Good summary from Serenity. I would add a few more:
Two wheels - wheels are in tandem and you only have to miss obstacles for one wheel track, three wheels have three tracks to hit obstacles.
Crowned roads can be obnoxious to ride with 3 wheels.

The only real advantages that trikes have are in the area of balance. They're easier to learn because you can't fall down, and you can go as slow as you want because... they won't fall down. Trikes excel in parking lot test rides. Virtually anyone can ride one on the first try, and Like with the late, unlamented Bike-E, that is a major factor in sales. "Fast" is not an attribute normally associated with trikes.

As I've thought about it, there is one more advantage of trikes. The paired wheels (usually 2 in front) aren't trapped by stays, so you can remove the tire for flat repair without removing the wheel. Fenders may complicate that, though.