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Sunday 27 October 2013

Drift Trike Phenomena!

Drift Trikes are tricycles that have slick rear wheels, normally made from a hard plastic, often PVC. Proper drift trike wheels can also be created by sliding PVC or polyethylene pipe over deflated pneumatic wheels and then re-inflating them to lock them in place. They are designed to drift, by intentionally initiating loss of traction to the rear wheels and counter-steering to negotiate corners. They are usually ridden on paved roads with steep downhill gradients, with corners and switchbacks. Smooth roads are preferred to coarse chip sealedroads, as coarse surfaces tend to wear rear wheels faster, create a rougher ride and even reduce drifting ability. Riders gather most of their momentum through gravity but many trike drifters choose to employ a freewheeling pedal front wheel, which makes for a more versatile trike. The freewheel hub allows the rider to obtain forward momentum but allows for coasting when not pedaling. Another means to gain initial momentum is to stand on the rear of the trike and to kick/push with one leg. Operating speeds for drift trikes generally range between 25-50mph. Many drift trikes are home made or custom fabricated by professional welders. However, certain bike manufacturers such as Huffy, Trek, Aldi's brand crane, Airwalk, and a number of other companies have released children's versions commercially. The sport has a dedicated following and is quickly growing in popularity across the globe. The origins of drift trikes come from New Zealand, where the sport was first invented. Fueled by New Zealand's on-going car and drift culture of 'boy racers' and car enthusiasts. Drift triking quickly began to spread to other countries soon after, including Australia, the United States, many European nations and various other countries. A Non-Profit organization was founded in the United States, in 2011, called the American Drift Trike Association - with the goal to promote the sport of drift triking.

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