The day after being inspired by the video, fate delivered to
me the opportunity to buy a used T12 for just $150. The owner was moving and needed it gone “today,”
so agreed to have a friend pick it up for me sight unseen. I had figured I could sell it at a profit if
I didn’t like it, but I’ve fallen unexpectedly in love with it!
The Trikke has a lot of scratches, likely from being moved
around in storage, but mechanically is in great working order. The front tire still has its seam line, which
tells me it’s barely been ridden. I’ve
racked up 24 miles riding it three times this week, which is likely more
distance than the original owner ever put on it.
This T12 lacks a lot of the amenities found on the current
model, such as ergonomic hand grips, locking brake levers, water bottle holder,
and rubber foot decks. But it’s
well-built with an aluminum frame, 12” tires, stylish rims, disk brakes, and
wheel fenders. The major difference is
the steering system. The narrower handlebars
are set on a lower steering column, making it more suited to shorter
riders. This Trikke feels lighter than
its modern-day counterpart, although I have not yet found the specs to prove
it.
I put the T12 through its paces on three test drives this
week. The first was 9 miles lapping a
school parking lot, which featured a lengthy 4-degree hill climb. The second was a quick Friday night workout
at Rodale Fitness Park,
with 2 laps around the flatter inner loop, and 2 laps around the hillier outer
loop (with its 4.5 degree hill). The
final was a grueling 11-mile ride on the hilly streets of Stroudsburg. Some hills had to be walked up, but I was
able to tackle a few in the 6-degree range.
I made it up a few hills that I had not been able to do on my last ride
in the area. My friends, who are both
certified trainers, said I was riding better than ever, and believed that this
T12 being a good fit for me was part of that.
So it looks like this copper beauty is a keeper!! I have already added the pull cords, which are
an absolute must on older T8’s and T12’s whose locking mechanisms can be
very hard to operate otherwise. I will
likely upgrade the handgrips next, because I was getting some blistering on the
inside of my thumbs. I’ve heard the
sand-paper foot decks wear out easily, and when they do I will likely upgrade
to the same rubber foot decks I enjoy on my T8.
I have the locking brake levers on order, and will swipe the water
bottle holder from my T78. Finally, I’ll add a cargo net and lights to fully outfit this Trikke for touring.
Overall, this older T12 is a true joy to ride. Its design is more suited to short riders
than the current model, and it can be easily upgraded with all of the modern
accessories. I had never envisioned
myself as a T12 enthusiast until a few days ago, but this unexpected turn of
events has completely won me over.
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