I finally got that Schwinn Meridian Adult Trike that I have been looking forward to for months...
...and took it back the next day
That trike was an absloute POS. The frame was misaligned to start with. The back part of the frame bolts to the front part. Measuring from the top of the seat tube to the rear wheel hubs, the frame was off by nearly an inch to the left. That plays hob with steering. The over all feel of the trike was not very solid. A lot flimsier than I expected from a $250 Schwinn. And finally, if not for those problems, with the high position of the seat, giving it a very high center of gravity, you have to slow down to a very slow speed to turn. Evan if the frame had been straight, I would not recommend this trike for a motor.
What I ended up getting instead was a large frame Diamondback Wildwood. Once I got my pretty new bike home and went to install the motor kit...It Didn't Fit! It had a 32 spoke wheel and my GEBE drive ring is the 36 spoke pattern. Not a disaster, because I had planned ordering an alloy rim with 12g spokes from my local bike shop. I just had to order sooner than I would have otherwise. The local bike shop can usually get parts in one or two days, but I called too late on Friday, and Monday was mermorial day, so I finally got it Thursday, May 29. Just in time for my birthday on the 30th! The Diamondback is many times better than the cheap Roadmaster I got at Walmart. The large frame fits me better, and the front suspension and other components are better than the cheaper bikes. The suspension seat post also makes for a more comfortable ride after I added some washers in the seat tube to get it adjusted firm enough for my 240 lbs.
...and took it back the next day
That trike was an absloute POS. The frame was misaligned to start with. The back part of the frame bolts to the front part. Measuring from the top of the seat tube to the rear wheel hubs, the frame was off by nearly an inch to the left. That plays hob with steering. The over all feel of the trike was not very solid. A lot flimsier than I expected from a $250 Schwinn. And finally, if not for those problems, with the high position of the seat, giving it a very high center of gravity, you have to slow down to a very slow speed to turn. Evan if the frame had been straight, I would not recommend this trike for a motor.What I ended up getting instead was a large frame Diamondback Wildwood. Once I got my pretty new bike home and went to install the motor kit...It Didn't Fit! It had a 32 spoke wheel and my GEBE drive ring is the 36 spoke pattern. Not a disaster, because I had planned ordering an alloy rim with 12g spokes from my local bike shop. I just had to order sooner than I would have otherwise. The local bike shop can usually get parts in one or two days, but I called too late on Friday, and Monday was mermorial day, so I finally got it Thursday, May 29. Just in time for my birthday on the 30th! The Diamondback is many times better than the cheap Roadmaster I got at Walmart. The large frame fits me better, and the front suspension and other components are better than the cheaper bikes. The suspension seat post also makes for a more comfortable ride after I added some washers in the seat tube to get it adjusted firm enough for my 240 lbs.
