Meet the Catrike 559 - A New Folding Trike From Catrike

Do you want the 26-inch wheel of the Expedition, the handlebars of the Villager, and the folding capability of the Trail all in one incredible trike? Say hello to the Catrike 559! The 559 is the culmination of years and years of Catrike’s trike-building experience.

Because Catrike listened to their customers, you could say the 559 is truly a product of the people. It combines performance, comfort, speed, and transportability into one magnificent super trike. The padded seat and the lower bracket offers luxurious comfort while riding, the large 26-inch wheel makes the 559 a worthy competitor (even against its two-wheeled competition), and the folding feature makes it that much easier to take with you!

Frame and Adjustability

Catrike Quality
The 559’s frame is made with 7005 aircraft-grade, hardened aluminum, so it is light and stiff. What’s the highlight of the frame? It folds. Under the seat is a quick release lever that allows you to pack and unpack your trike quickly. It’s ideal for those who have limited storage space or don’t have a way to transport a fully assembled trike.

Choosing your color
When you buy a stock 559 you can choose from any of Catrike’s stock colors: black, silver, white, electric blue, neon green, atomic orange and lava red. If that’s not what you’re looking for, Utah Trikes offers custom powder coating. It’ll fit anyone from 5’2” to 6’5”, with a weight capacity of 275 lbs.

Stay in the Saddle

Designed with you in mind
The 559 features an adjustable seat to achieve the perfect pedaling position which also uses quick releases. We first saw the adjustable seat from Catrike on the Villager and Trail models and then on the Road. The 559 features the latest Catrike seat with an Ergo-bent lumbar-supporting frame and a breathable foam pad that makes this one of the most comfortable trikes available. Needless to say, it’s fantastic for touring. Both the seat pad and the mesh backing can be removed from the trike to be washed. Hose it off or toss it in the washer to keep smelling fresh while you ride.

Adjustability
With a seat height of 11 inches it sits two inches taller than Catrike’s other folding trike, the Trail. The bottom bracket is a bit lower in relationship to the seat than the Expedition. Some riders have suggested this helps to avoid hot spots in your feet as you pedal. The 559 won’t lay back quite as far as the Expedition or 700 but the range of adjustability will still allow you to find a comfortable position in the saddle.

Steering and Handling

We have long felt that Catrike has made all their trikes with superb steering and handling, and the 559 is no exception. All the buzzwords are there with positive affirmations. Ackerman - yes! Center point - yes! straight-line tendency - yes! The 559 features sealed bearings for headsets, and a custom teflon bearing in the upper portion. That teflon bearing/bushing allows you to customize the feel of the steering by tightening the headset bolt. It eliminates high-speed shimmy and is now a common feature on all Catrike models.

Steering is easy, smooth, and predictable whether you are cruising around a parking lot or racing down a big hill. Like most Catrikes, the stability at high speeds is astounding. The vertical handlebars put your hands in a very natural position and are completely adjustable. You can slide them farther or closer to you, swing in or out, and can tilt them to optimize comfort. The handlebars also feature adjustable wrist rests.

Wheels and Tires

The Catrike 559 features two 20-inch wheels in the front and, of course, the signature 26-inch wheel in the back. The 5.5.9 is actually the metric measurement of the back wheel, hence the name of this particular Catrike. The wheels are sleek, featuring black hubs, spokes, and sturdy, double-wall rims, and silver nipples.

All three wheels have quick-releases for easy removal. The stock tires are Schwalbe Marathon Racers; the two front wheels measure 20 inches by 1.5 inches, and the rear measures 26 inches by 1.5 inches. They’ll give you a smooth ride and, with their RaceGuard puncture protection layer, they’ll last you a while on the road. They are a reasonable fast tire that is great for everyday riding.

Gearing and Drivetrain

The drivetrain of the 559 consists of the same upper-mid-level components found on all the current Catrike models. The components are a bit of mountain and road hardware to provide the rider with reliable shifting, and a very wide gear range. Up front, the 559 has an FSA Gossamer 52/29/30 crankset with integrated chain guard.

A SRAM TT500 bar end shifter controls the Microshift front derailleur. Another TT500 (indexed) controls the rear X7 long-cage derailleur across the SRAM PG-1050 11-36T 10-speed Cassette. This gives the 559 a great gear range of about 20-117 Gear Inches across all thirty speeds. Overall, the components will work well for most riders. If you are wanting to upgrade components we recommend doing that at the time you order so that we can get maximum credit towards any upgraded parts.

The chainline on the 559 is simple and efficient with a single power idler and flared PTFE chain tubes. You’ll enjoy incredibly smooth pedaling and, unlike some other trikes, you’ll find there’s very little noise. Smooth. Quiet. Fast. Talk about an enjoyable ride.

Slowing it Down

The stock 559 comes stock with Avid BB7 disc brakes, Avid Speed Dial 7 levers, and 160mm G2 Cleansweep rotors. They’re set up as two individual brakes on the left and right handlebars. Catrike chose to go with the higher-quality levers instead of the locking levers found on some other trikes, but they do include a velcro parking strap so you can avoid your trike rolling away from you. There’s no rear brake, but one can be added with our optional kit and a disc-compatible rear hub or wheel.

Extras and Upgrades

Catrike throws in a few extras with the 559 that you don’t get with every trike. You’ll get the Mirrycle rear view mirror and mount, a computer sensor mount, the Catrike flag, and a rear wheel fender. You’ll also find extra pockets on the back of the seat for all your little gadgets. Unlike some of Catrike’s other models, the 559 does not include a headrest so that tends to be the first thing most trikers add.

If you want to get into touring, throw on a rack and some bags. If you want to turn it into a racer maybe look into upgrading the tires. Are you a year-round triker? Then you’ll want the front fenders. Of course, we always recommend taking care of safety first, so consider adding a head and tail light for extra security.

So... Why the Catrike 559?

You can’t go wrong when you buy a Catrike, and the 559 is one of the most versatile, comfortable and all-around quality machines available to you. At a price closer to $3,000 than $2,000, it is not an entry-level trike. Of course, even if you have never ridden a trike before you will likely love it. It does cost more than the Catrike Expedition, so if you don’t need the folding frame or adjustable seat you may want to consider the Expedition.

The Catrike 559 combines luxury and performance, and is an ideal grand touring trike. Take it on long trips or pit it against other trikes and bikes in a race; you won’t be disappointed. Compared to the only other folding Catrike, the Catrike Trail, the 559 has a longer wheelbase, and gives you that 26-inch rear wheel for more speed. You can tour, you can race, you can cruise, and maybe best of all, you can fold it up and make it easier to take with you. As soon as you sit down and throw your feet on the pedals you’ll know it’s the trike for you. Catrike has combined performance, comfort, and transportability to make one of the most cost-effective grand touring trikes on the market.