Terratrike introduced their Rover trike in 2010. It is a comfy, rugged trike, and the most economical Terratrike has ever offered. This trike is made to fit anybody with a 400 lb rider weight limit, an extremely adjustable frame and the highest tadpole seat I know of. The Rover’s high seat makes it easy for most anyone to get on and off, even riders with some disability. The 400 lb warranty weight makes a great first trike for folks who want to use it as a fun way to get out and lose some weight.

WizWheelz TerraTrike Rover Tadpole Recumbent Tricycles

The Rover is available in 1, 3 and 8-speed versions. Both the 3 and 8-speed Rovers have quite low gears, making it fairly easy for beginners to climb hills. The internal hubs are easy to shift too. The high gearing on these trikes is pretty limited, particularly on the one and three-speed models.

The Rover is also one of the most maneuverable trikes on the market, with an extremely small turning circle. What it gains in small turning circle it gives up in high-speed stability; if you are interested in going over ~20 mph on downhills you might consider a different trike. But if you are timid on descents or live where it is flat this won’t be as much of a problem for you.

Though not sporty the Rover is a great first trike and an excellent trike for around town errands, beginning exercise, rehab or mobility use. It is a bit heavy and slow for longer distances or bigger hills. The Stock Rover seat mesh is waterproof so it will likely make you sweaty when you Ride indoors on a trainer, work hard, like a hill climb or on warmer days. I recommend spending the few extra dollars for the upgraded breathable mesh seat.

The Rover’s high seat makes its panic stopping poor. I would not recommend the Rover to a rider who wants to zoom down hills; its high-speed handling and braking are subpar. Incautious panic stops can stand it on end, potentially causing loss of control. At 5 or 10 mph this may not be dangerous; at 20+ mph it could cause you to crash. Any tadpole with a high seat has this problem and as the Rover has the highest seat it may be the most noticeable.

The Rover won’t go very fast on flat ground because it is heavy, has low-pressure tires and the high gear is pretty low, especially on the 3-speed version.

The Rover is relatively easy to disassemble with a few wrenches. You remove the seat, disassemble the frame, and on the 3 and 8-speed versions unhook the gear cable from the rear hub. I would not call it foldable.

One unique option available for the Rover is a kit to make it a tandem trike. The Rover tandem is excellent for getting out together for moderate riding at a moderate price. It is especially good when one rider is partially disabled but still wants to get out. This kit can be purchased separately and is retrofit-able to any Terratrike Rover. The tandem Rover’s long wheelbase greatly improves the high-speed handling and virtually eliminates the possibility of lifting the rear wheel in a panic stop.

The Rover is a very good first trike. If you get very serious about riding it probably won’t be the last trike you own.

Terratrike Specifications