Long-time readers will remember that in October 2005 I went to see Inspired Cycle Engineering in Falmouth, because I wanted a recumbent trike; incidentally the pictures of that trip have been moved to Flickr in a recent reorganisation, but the blog posting is still intact at the original URL.

Well I’ve had a good year’s use out of the Trice XL, including posting short and long videos of using it for my commute; and my friend and colleague Simon has been there from the outset, helping me assemble, test and transport it.

So when a few weeks ago Simon was talking about suffering that which I identified as nascent bent-lust, but was worried at the cost, I said: “You need a KMX, mate” and showed him the website. (videos)

30 seconds later he said “I want one”; so this evening we drove down to Portsmouth to meet Alan.

Flickr Photoset

Having booked with Yvonne from KMX, we arrived a litttle after 5pm; Alan was there with several models out on show, and he ran Simon through the basics and chatted with me about the differences between the Trice and the KMX – putting aside the fourfold price difference given that my XL was built-to-spec, the KMX has rear disc brakes on the left grip, and linked front brakes on the right; the Trice has independent left and right discs and a rear parking brake – this causes significant difference on cornering between the two, with the Trice I can lock the nearside wheel when steering into a turn, the KMX breaks-away at the rear end much more easily, though.

Anyway – we both had a go on several of the models, focusing primarily on the X-class machine; I was interested to learn that KMX does not come from a hardcore recumbent cyclist heritage, but instead one of the owners is a former airframe manufacturer who made some “karts” for his kids – one is barely visible below the red trike in the 2nd-to-last photo – and the business mushroomed and began later to include “toys for grown-ups” too.

Although a small company KMX are this year branching-out into serious recumbent sales, fettling and refining their machines to fit the four-figure budgets which grownups are willing to spend – and what I saw was very interesting to me; there’s less of the handmade look to a KMX machine compared to a Trice, but then that’s the whole point.

These are fun machines which are becoming more purposeful, rather than custom engineering being put to use in the rough. If you wrap it round a tree, you should not cry. If you break it doing a four-foot drop, then… well, actually, most of it ought to survive that, but I think I’ve made my point… Most people don’t want to take a £3000 recumbent off a cliff just to see what happens; that’s less of a worry with a £700 machine – and for those with bigger budgets, your whims can be catered-for.

I rolled the X-class; Simon rolled a different one which was fitted with Maxxis Creepy Crawlers rather than the typical Maxxis Hookworms – which I found amusing, since I have one of each tyres on my respective unicycles; also Si was feeling a bit sore at the end of the day, since he lacks trike-muscles.

But he bought one! So now there are two tricycles at Guillemont Park. 🙂

I’m interested in getting one too – for the aforementioned “drop it off a cliff” reason, plus it will free me to convert the Trice to a road cycle and fit a fairing of some sort; but I am holding off for a few weeks until some upcoming changes to the seating make themselves apparent. I’m bigger and wider than Simon, and want more seat breadth.

Alan’s a jolly nice guy; we talked about the KMX website a bit, and after hearing about it I recommended literally splashing the link for the KMX-Owners Yahoo Group all over their front page, because there’s nothing like a community full of people to answer the questions of newbies who might want to dip a toe in the water.

All in all, it was a very pleasant experience, and a nice way to spend an evening. I look forwards to returning for another visit.

ps: if you are encouraged into contacting KMX, do please mention the blog. 🙂