What is the Best Folding Tricycle for Adults?

Welcome back to Utah Trikes. Any trike owner will tell you that a trike is BIG. Even the smallest of trikes take up a lot of space compared to your average bike. With a wider wheel base and a full seat most trikes are about 2 feet wide if not more. So transporting these pedal vehicles or just storing them in your home can be a bit difficult.

And with the rise in popularity of trikes over the past few years this size issue is starting to become a lot more prevalent.

Because of this we want to highlight the ever popular folding trikes that we carry. These trikes all fold to a fraction of their full size, making them easily transported and stored. Making owning a trike even simpler especially if you are an urban rider.

In today's article we will be talking about all of our folding trike models, and discussing which models are the best. So if you are interested in what folding trike is going to come out on top stick around!

Advantages of Folding Trikes

The advantages that folding trikes provide to riders is a big reason for their rising popularity, and it’s easy to see why. They fold into a much more compact size for easy storage and transport. They can be tucked away in a corner of your garage, placed in your car's trunk for an outdoor adventure, or stored in a closet in your home, saving valuable space.

If you are an outdoor rider who loves to explore trails and different places you will know how difficult it can be to take your trike to new places. The folding feature is a big time and space saver, and If you live in an urban area with less space like an apartment, being able to fold your trike into a closet or hang on the wall will save you a ton of space.

As well as being compact they have a lot of factors to make transportation easier as well. For one Folding trikes are made to be carried and moved around. Most folding trike options are built to be as light as possible for easy transferring into a car. And many come with roller wheels like on the Catrike models that allow you to wheel your folded trike around like a traveling suitcase.

Another perk is the stability. Despite having a hinge at the center of the frame these trikes are engineered to still be as sturdy as their non folding counterparts. With advanced trike folding technology these trikes that split right down the middle still give you a comfortable and strong ride.

And of course like any other trike a folding trike model provides elevated comfort, adaptability for disabilities, and an easy and more relaxed ride than a standard two wheel bike.

Now that we know all of the great features that folding trikes bring to the table lets hop into the different brands and models of these trikes and breakdown what makes them different from each other.

Catrike

First folding brand we will talk about is Catrike. Catrike has 3 different folding models: the Catrike 559, the Catrike Trail, and the Catrike Dumont. All 3 share the same folding features while being different builds for different riding styles. Being an article about folding, we will just focus on the Dumont because it is the most popular out of the three.

If you want to learn more about these trikes specifically check out our 559 vs trail video at the linked here.

Catrike Dumont

The Catrike Dumont is a full suspension recumbent trike that has all the qualities that make a top-notch Catrike, a Catrike. With out of this world handling and 30-speed gearing the Dumont is fast and accurate. While also providing a comfortable platform for riding.

Catrike has spent many years perfecting their folding technology and the Dumont is a shining example of the folding function. Compared to all the other folding trike brands there is only one that has the whole trike fold together into one compact piece.

The Catrike's feature a folding seat as well as a folding frame. So when you are folding your Catrike with the quick release hinge on the bottom all you need to do is fold down the seat, secure it with the velcro strap and then fold the whole trike.

There's no need to remove the seat or store it separately, folding is entirely contained within the trike and really just takes a couple of seconds to get your trike folded up.

To make folding even faster there is a chain ring managing kick stand. This kickstand catches the chain as it folds with the frame and holds it securely in place behind the kickstand, and not to mention it does what a kickstand does best and helps your folded Dumont stay upright.

And for even more ease of transport the two little wheels at the base of the folded frame allow you to wheel your trike anywhere. Making it super easy to get your trike from the car to the house without any extended heavy lifting.

When folded the Catrike Dumont goes from its full length of 82 inches to a folded length of 45.25 inches.

On top of all of these folding features the Dumont is stacked with front and rear suspension and a comfortable build like every Catrike. Making this trike not just perfect for storage and transportation, but also great on the road and comfortable rides!

The Catrike Dumont comes in at $4950 and with all these features combined with the folding capability it's easy to see why it is at this price point.

HP Velo Scorpion FS 26

Next up is the HP Velotechnik Scorpion FS 26. This is HP’s premium trike with tons of great riding features. Combining top notch folding capabilities with an amazing full set of suspension on every wheel and HP’s guaranteed ride quality.

The Scorpion FS 26 was the world's first full suspension folding trike with a large 26 inch rear wheel. Blazing the path for the ever convenient touring trike you can take anywhere.

The Scorpion FS 26 is compactly foldable, eliminating any storage and transport issues. Going from a fully extended 91 inches long to being folded down to 49 inches in length. You can even shave off 12 more inches by taking off the rear wheel

This trike folds also with a durable quick release hinge at the center of the trikes frame. To fold the trike you will have to remove the seat and then release the hinge on the frame to then fold the rear wheel up and over the trike.

The folding is efficient and simple with the chain tightly wrapping around the folded frame, being guided by the flexible chain tubes and staying securely in place. And this trike even folds easily and stays compact with any additional accessories like rear fenders or racks.

With a starting price of $6,740, the Scorpion FS offers a higher price than the Dumont, but with its complex and high quality German engineering its easy to see what new features it brings to the table.

Its key features are centered on agility, low weight, effortless acceleration, and precise steering, providing performance rarely matched in the folding category.

The ergonomic seat and out of this world suspension options further facilitate a totally comfortable journey on three wheels.

ICE Adventure HD Recumbent Trike

The next folding trike we have is the ICE Adventure Recumbent Trike. This magnificent machine stands out with its high seated wide design that focuses on comfort and style.

ICE trikes utilize an innovative Compact Flat Twist folding system. This is a folding innovation that they brought to the table and it makes folding an ice adventure quick and easy, without sacrificing the structural integrity of the trike.

To fold this trike all you need to do is remove the seat using the clamp underneath the seat which is conveniently elevated for easy of access, then fold the handlebars down to flat which is made easy with super secure indexed clamps for easy readjustment after folding, and undo the quick release lever and fold the frame. As the rear wheel comes up and folds inward it pivots on the hinge to fit snugly between the front wheels.

Unfolded the Ice Adventure at its full extent is 84 inches long, but once it is compacted and folded the trike length decreases to 35 inches. This makes the ICE Adventure the smallest trike on this list when folded… for now.

Beyond the folding though there are lots of other features of the ICE Adventure that make it a standout of the best folding trikes. And that is the unique riding style.

The ICE Adventure is built a lot like a Catrike Villager. It has an upright sitting position maximizing comfort and ease of boarding and dismounting. The Seat is much higher off the ground than most trikes and promotes a relaxed tour style of riding.

Prominent among its features is the exclusive Ergo-Luxe seat, solely designed to focus on the ultimate seating comfort. In turn the seat adjustment system provides custom-fit seating for riders, enhancing comfort and improving ride quality.

It also incorporates ICE’s fresh handlebar clamping system for solid positioning and straightforward alignment during unfolding. It caters to riders of various heights ranging from under 5 feet to over 6 feet 6 inches, assuring excellent stability and control.

The folding ICE frame is the stock option for the ICE Adventure and it starts at a price of $4,500

AZUB

Now lastly the 4th trike running for the best folding trike is the Azub Ti Fly .If anything this is the luxury folding trike. Every piece of this trike and specifically the folding mechanism are expertly machined and brimming with quality details that no other trike can step up to.

The Azub is a large trike coming in at 82 inches long and 36 inches wide. The Ti Fly feels very sturdy like nothing will ever take you out, but this can quickly become a downside when you're trying to transport a hefty trike such as this.

But this isn't a problem because of the optional folding hinge that can be built into your Azub no matter if it’s new from the factory or an old one you’ve had for a while.

The folding mechanism for the Ti Fly is an expertly crafted Anodised 7505 aluminum hinge and clamp. This is a solid hinge design built with rigidity and strength in mind. With a large clamp diameter and precision lugs that connect together when closed, a solid frame is the highest priority.

Not to mention the folding mechanism is easy to access with a well raised seat and an extra large access lever, making folding simple.

There are also multiple folding options depending on how much space you have to transport your trike. You can half fold the trike by just removing the seat, folding down the handlebars and then releasing the center frame clamp. Once folded over that's all you have to do. Even with a rear rack and mudguards installed. Once half folded like this your length will decrease to 53 inches.

But if you want to go even smaller you can activate the Extreme Fold. This involves removing the rear wheel from the trike and folding in the rear fork downwards towards the center of the frame. Once that's done you will release the center frame clamp and fold that forward as well. Then fold up the handlebars into the folding of the frame and remove both front wheels.

This method takes a little more effort but for this tiny size it's worth it. The total dimensions after Extreme folding gets down to a length of 28 inches. Letting you fit your trike into the trunk of a small car!

Folding isn't even a major focus of this trike beyond its amazing compacting capabilities; it has tons of high quality features that make this one of the best trikes out there. Along with being super comfortable and intuitively driven, the Ti Fly comes stock with all around suspension.

They use a unique titanium leaf spring suspension design in the front connecting the two front tires and providing a super light weight and responsive suspension design that you won't find anywhere else.

The Ti Fly X 26 with folding capability comes in at 7403 dollars. The most expensive on this list, but for good reason. And remember if you already have an Azub trike The folding hinge and handlebars are able to be installed even after purchase and you can get the folding hinge separately for $374.

The Best Folding Trike

And that's all 4 of the trikes we would put in the running for the best folding trikes you can buy. Each of these trikes falls into a unique category of trike and it's hard to name the BEST with so many different types of riders.

If I was to choose the BEST folding trike based on quality and foldability alone I would choose the Azub Ti Fly. The Ti Fly has the highest quality build and can get your trike down to the smallest size possible. You can't get that with any other trike. But the Azub is not a realistic option for a lot of customers because of its price tag. So let's consider the other options.

The ICE Adventure is the most affordable option at $4500 and it is built for comfort. Price point aside if you are looking for a high seated trike that is easy to mount and dismount, that has the main goal of providing a comfortable leisurely ride this is the best folding trike for you.

For a little bit more at $5000 you can get the Catrike Dumont. The Dumont has the fastest and most convenient folding out of all 4 of these trikes. There's no need to remove the seat from the trike, and everything is contained inside of the fold thanks to the chain wrangling kick stand. It also has the wheels at the base of the frame for easy trike transportation. If you want a folding trike that is the easiest and most straightforward to handle, the Dumont is certainly for you.

And lastly the HP Scorpion. Coming in at $6740 it's much closer to the Ti Fly in price range, but it has a much different build than the other folding trikes. The Scorpion is built for a low to the ground lightweight ride. Made for high speed touring and suspension to match being one of the best. With the folding capabilities of this trike you can take this pedaling power anywhere.

Each of these trikes has their own unique build and there is a folding trike for everyone. Links to all of these trikes will be throughout this article, and if you want to learn more about them.

If you have any questions you can comment down below or shoot us an email at Trikes@utahtrikes.com. We would be happy to give you a hand.

Now with that take your folding trikes out to some new trails and remember to relax, spin fast and ride trikes.