A Catrike Trail E-Cat accessorized with a Shimano Alfine-8 drivetrain upgrade, Racktime rear rack with integrating basket, phone-mount, and extra mirror using AlphaBENT accessory mounts.
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23 May 2016 - 7:33pm
Catrike Dumont Update: Availability and front-suspension retrofit
Many Catrike owners are probably wondering:
- Will Dumont front suspension spindles be mountable on other Catrike recumbent trikes?
- When will the Catrike Dumont full-suspension trike begin production?
Front-suspension Retrofits NOT possible
Catrike reports that the engineering specifications and forces involved preclude retro-fit capability. The suspension spindles (kingpins / kingposts) for the Dumont have been completely engineered from scratch and they are designed to different specification than non-suspension Catrike recumbent trikes. Therefore, retrofits will not be possible.
Recumbent tricycle spindles are extremely complicated. They are not only responsible for resisting riding forces, they also make the ride and steering what it is. Spindles are the nexus of a recumbent trike's handling, stability, self-centering, anti brake-steer, pedal-steer, and turning radius. In short, they dictate how a trike will ride and behave.
Catrike is understandably playing it quite cautiously with the new suspension spindles in order to avoid making any costly errors like their massive spindle recall when they last re-designed their non-suspension spindles. In this instance, there were a couple failures and Catrike replaced every spindle at its own expense.
It is common for front suspension to be non-modular and non retrofittable. Certainly, no one has ever expected HP Velotechnik to allow front suspension retrofits pulled from its Scorpion FS-20 and FS-26 models. The new Azub front suspension due out this summer will technically be retrofittable, but the retrofit will involve a replacement of the front cruciform including spindles and this is expected to be an expensive proposition.
The only currently commercially available front-suspension retrofit option is on ICE Sprint and Adventure models. In such an instance, a retrofit is possible, though more expensive than when installed OEM at initial purchase.
Catrike Dumont full-suspension trike not available until June at the earliest
On 3 June 2016, Catrike will get word that will dictate when they will finally be able to begin production of their new Dumont full-suspension big-wheel recumbent trike. Other than that, mum is the word, but is is likely that people anxiously awaiting this model will be able to look forward to getting their own in July.
The Dumont was announced in 2015 at the Interbike trade show, and Catrike has been shooting for a Spring 2016 initiation of production.
Catrike manufactures recumbent trikes in Orlando, Florida using Just-In-Time manufacturing philosophy and methods.
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