Laid Back Cycles

Spent a day finding out what my AZUB would do on Iowa Hill Road.

For anybody not from around here — that's the road outside Auburn where serious road cyclists go to suffer on purpose. Long, steep, no mercy. I've watched guys in full kit walking their bikes up parts of it.

I just wanted to know what the trike would do.

Turns out: everything. The Bosch CX never got flustered, the Smart Sams gripped through every switchback, and I climbed the whole thing sitting back in a padded seat with my head resting, looking at the canyon instead of at my stem.

That's the part I keep chewing on. I did a climb that beats up experienced riders and got to the top not sore. Not wrecked. Just happy, and a little smug.

Stopped on this old bridge coming back down and sat there a while. No reason to hurry.

Anybody else been up Iowa Hill? What'd you ride it on?

Big news — I'm heading to Recumbent Cycle-Con next month! 🚲

September 18–20 at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio. It's the nation's largest gathering of recumbent and specialty cycling brands, and it's always the best few days of the year for anyone who rides laid back.

Here's what's happening:
• Exhibitors from the major recumbent trike, bike, and adaptive cycle brands
• Demo rides on a half-mile test track with straightaways, corners, and a gravel section
• Two sponsored group rides, plus the Xenia trail system right there
• Seminars and workshops on maintenance and travel tips
• The Cycle-Con Film Fest, food, and general good times all weekend

If you're going to be there, let me know — I'd love to say hi. And if you can't make it, I'll be posting what I see so you don't miss anything.

More info at cycle-con.com

Check out the new tail-light that we got in for trikes! It’s retractable with multi mode, blinking or solid and USB rechargeable lithium iron battery.

What do you think? 

NOW AVAILABLE HERE: https://laidbackcycles.com/products/hi-tail-recumbent-light

🚨 No chain… on a trike?!

I just got my hands on a new ICE trike with a chainless drive system—and yeah, it completely changes what you expect from a recumbent.

No long chain. No traditional drivetrain. Just a totally different way to transfer power.

Is this the future of e-trikes… or just an interesting experiment?

I put together a full, honest review (including what I like and what I’m not sure about yet 👀).

Curious what you think—would you ride a chainless trike, or is this a hard pass?

👉 Watch the full video here:

Comment from @kenmcclow8963 I saw a picture from Spezi, and it looks like Stein is going to show a PERS system as well. I believe at least two more manufacturers will have them soon, so hopefully there will be a lot of data on how they handle all types of riding

THE NEXT GENERATION HAS ARRIVED 🚀

This one’s wild…

No chain.
No gears.
No derailleur.

Just smooth, quiet power.

ICE just rolled out their new PERS chainless system, and it completely changes how a trike feels to ride. You pedal… and it just goes. Instant response, no lag, no shifting—just clean, effortless movement.

And yeah… it’s quick. 😎

We’re talking:
• No maintenance drivetrain
• Regenerative braking
• Reverse pedaling
• Whisper quiet
• Built-in anti-theft
• Up to 400% assist

It’s one of those things you really have to feel to understand—but once you do, it’s hard to go back.

Available now on:
👉 ICE Adventure
👉 Adventure HD
👉 Sprint X Tour

Question for you guys 👇
Would you ride a chainless trike… or are you sticking with the traditional setup?

🚨 Price Drop Alert – Time to Move This Rocket! 🚨

Hey folks, it's Laid Back Mickey here.

Sea Otter Classic is coming back April 16–19, and this bad boy right here was our star demo trike at last year's Sea Otter. We had it out on the course, turning heads and putting big smiles on faces — under 5 miles total, still basically brand new.

It's the ICE VTX — the fastest, lightest, most aggressive racing recumbent trike ICE makes. Blistering speed, razor-sharp handling, that planted-at-30-mph feel, Air-Pro carbon seat, 11-speed big gears, disc brakes, and all-black stealth look. Pure speed machine.
We've had it long enough. It's time for it to find its next speed demon owner.

Wicked awesome price drop to just $5,750 (that’s over $2,000 off a new comparably equipped VTX)!

Local pickup in Sacramento preferred, shipping available. Hit me up if you want to come rip it around the shop or grab it before someone else does.

Who’s ready to go fast? 😎
Link in comments 👇

Meet our customer, Keith.

Keith is a Stanford professor… brilliant guy… but like a lot of people we talk to, life threw him a curveball. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, things started getting harder—first driving, then biking, then even walking to campus.

And here’s the part most people don’t talk about…
It wasn’t just about getting around.

It was about losing independence.

That’s where everything changed.

Keith made the trip to Laid Back Cycles and rode a recumbent trike for the first time. No balance issues. No fear of falling. Just… freedom again.

He chose a bright “eon green” Catrike and now you can spot him cruising around Stanford like a guy who got his life back.

He rides to campus, stays active, and is independent again.
And his words say it best: 👉 “It’s easy to ride… I don’t fall… it’s a lot of fun.”

That’s why we do what we do.

It’s not about bikes.
It’s not about specs.

It’s about helping people get their freedom, confidence, and joy back.

Keith didn’t slow down.
He just switched gears.

💚 Keep on trikin’, Keith.

Another highlight from CABDA… getting to hang out with Paul from HP Velotechnik—one of the true legends in the recumbent world.

And here’s the best part… he’s sitting on an ICE trike 😄

That’s something I’ve always respected about this niche—manufacturers may compete, but there’s a real level of respect and camaraderie behind the scenes. At the end of the day, we’re all working toward the same goal:

Getting more people riding comfortably, pain-free, and enjoying life again.

Great people. Great conversations. And yeah… a lot of fun.

— Mickey