No bike I have ever ridden has attracted more attention than the "Scorpion fx" recumbent trike. But it's not just the environment that finds it difficult to get used to an adult on a tricycle. Scorpion riders themselves also have to reckon with an adjustment period, as I soon realised. "It takes three to four weeks for the leg muscles to get used to the sitting position," Paul Hollants, co-owner of HP Velotechnik, told me when I took delivery of the bike.
To avoid any misunderstanding: The "Scorpion" is not faster than a single-track bike in the same weight class (a good 20 kilos when fully equipped). But it is much more relaxed. Tension in the shoulders, neck, arms, pressure points on the bum? Not with this bike. The multi-adjustable seat with lumbar support is as comfortable as a deckchair.
The full-length article from issue 4/2007 is available as a free PDF download.
