Reviewed by Adulttricyclereview.com
ICE Sprint X Tour 26, Posted on January 14, 2020
While
there are faster trikes out there and trikes with more suspension
travel, ICE has positioned the Sprint right down the middle between
comfort and all out performance. The ICE Sprint is available in a
variety of configurations. First, is a rigid frame with a 26 inch rear
wheel. Second, is a rear suspension and rigid front end with either 20
inch or 26 inch rear wheel. Third, is a front and rear suspension with
either 20 inch or 26 inch rear wheel. ICE offers all three
configurations in an “X” version, an “X Tour”. The ICE Sprint is one of
my favorite trikes, the workmanship in all ICE trikes are second to
none.
Frame: The main frame on the ICE Sprint X
is 100% 4130 Chro-moly steel TIG welded together. I would have to say
the welds are beautiful and of the highest quality in the industry. You
will not be able to find any manufacturer building a better quality
frame than ICE. ICE prefers the durability of Chro-Moly main frame
which offers more shock absorbing ride than frames made of aluminum.
Paint:
The ICE paint jobs are fantastic. The paint jobs are just perfect. It
just not possible to do anything better. ICE offers the Sprint X Tour in
any color you want as long as it is Gray. I guess ICE likes to give you
options on the components rather than colors.
Drive Train:
The shifting is superb on the Sprint. ICE chose a wide variety of
drivetrains starting with a Shimano Clairs 24 Speed Drive Train. Ice
also offers a Shimano Deore 30 speed and a Shimano Ultegra 33 Speed.
Brakes:
ICE has three brake systems to choose from, the first is the super
reliable Sturmey Archer Drum Brakes. Drum brakes offer good reliable
stopping in both wet and dry conditions and require the least amount of
maintenance. Second is the Avid BB7 which are one of my favorite
mechanical disc brake system, the Avid BB7 brakes are reliable and
easily adjustable. A super convenient feature of the Avid mechanical
brakes is that each brake pad can be adjusted independently, so you can
really dial in your brake adjustment. Third is the new Calipso Disc
Brakes which can be used with front suspension where the Avids will not
work with the ICE front suspension. I have used all three brake systems
over the years and have found all of them performed well enough. ICE has
a quick release wheel kit which makes removing the wheels a snap. ICE
trikes use a rear “V” brake and a remote lever for it’s parking brake.
The parking brake works very well and is very easy to use.
Seat:
The seat height on the Sprint X is a low 8 inches and the angle is
adjustable from 37 to 44 degrees. Sprint seat fabric is the best in the
industry; they are way ahead of their competitors. The seat mesh is
breathable on the back, so your back does not get too hot and sweaty.
The bottom is breathable as well. ICE put in a breathable foam pad in
the bottom of the seat to give you some extra support, plus extra
comfort. The sides of the seat mesh have just the right amount of extra
padding to not only cushion you from the seat frame, but also helps hold
you in the seat a bit. ICE is now offering an upgraded, padded seat
mesh which has been a huge huge success. The new padded seat mesh is
breathable, vented and offers good support.
Ride:
There is a lot of good trike manufactures out there building premium
trikes and ICE is one of the companies at the top of that list. The ride
and handling on the Sprint X Tour is simply awesome. Riding the full
suspension Sprint, you will instantly notice the suspension smoothing
out the ride. Both the front and rear suspension is easily adjustable.
The rear suspension can easily be adjusted by moving the elastomer up or
down on the swing arm. The elastomer also can easily be changed out to
one that is stiffer or softer, depending on your personal needs and
wants. I have rode both the ICE Sprint X and Sprint X Tour models and
they both feel glued to the ground around corners, even the full
suspension version. I thought how can I test the ICE Sprint’s front
suspension in the most extreme condition? Let’s just do everything that
you should not do on a trike. So I went out to find a down hill section
and headed down. When I got some speed built up, I turned hard and
braked at the same time knowing just what could happen. I was very
surprised, the trike seem to know that I was about to do something
stupid. I thought the front suspension would dive under during hard
braking, especially going down hill and into a turn but that just never
happened. The Sprints full suspension was just super stable and gave me a
very confident feel after my test. The indirect steering that ICE
offers is precise and accurate. The feeling is light and you do not
have to use much effort to make the trike go where you want it to go.
Living in the Midwest, our roads and paths are quite bumpy. I like the
full suspension trike with 26 inch rear wheels best, it give you a
smoother ride over a 20 inch wheel especially if you are going fast.
Yeah, the full suspension is more money and Yeah, ICE trike can get
expensive, but man you can’t take that money with you to the grave. So
what are you waiting for? You should live large. Treat yourself to
something way cool every now and then. You will be happy you did on
down the road.
In conclusion: ICE hit the nail in
the head with the Sprint X. The Sprint is lively, fun, comfortable and
handles fantastic. Everything you would want in a trike. The Sprint X is
very stable and is a top drawer quality trike. If you are a person who
wishes to ride the trike like you stole it, you will really like the
sprint.
Accessories: ICE is one of the best
companies when it comes to accessories. ICE has just about everything
you would ever want to add to your trike.
Pros: Fantastic handling, and comfort with some of the best build quality in the industry.
Cons:
This trike is fantastic. There is not one thing I can knock this on
trike. The seat height of 8 inches may be to low for some people.