Reviewed By Adulttricyclereview.com
The True Quest trike is a nice entry level Delta style trike. The Quest
has many of the same great features as the Sun Seeker recumbent trikes,
the closet being the Tri-Classic SX from Sun. Many of the parts are the
same between these two brands and they are both manufactured in Taiwan.
The bicycle industry is changing quickly, for the past fifteen year
there has been a push to leave Taiwan and have product made in China
because of the extra low labor cost. China’s labor cost have been rising
at 10-15% per year and now China is loosing manufacturing to countries
like Cambodia. Bicycle manufactures are starting to make a shift away
from China. Taiwan and Cambodia are looking more favorable. Cambodia
brings very low labor cost and motivated workers where Taiwan bring high
quality manufacturing. Companies like Sun, True, ICE, Hp Velotechnik,
Greenspeed and Terratrike all choose the highroad on quality and choose
to have there frames manufactured in Taiwan.
Frame: The frame on the Quest is beautifully
constructed. The Tig welding on the Cro-Moly frame is contestant and
smooth, I found no gaps in the welding or imperfections. The frame is
one of the big differences between the True Quest and Sun Seeker trikes.
The Quest had a lower step over so getting on and off the Quest will be
easier than the Sun Seeker for some people. The other difference is
that we like the way the Quest seat attached over the Sun Seeker. The
Quest seat attached securely and was easily adjusted by choosing one of
the series of hole in the trike frame and seat frame.
Paint: The paint was very nice, the paint was applied
evenly and consistently with no thin spots or runs. The paint looked to
be very generously applied. The paint looked to be a baked on enamel
that has a very nice shine and smoothness finish. The paint job looked
to be very high quality and should last the life of the trike easily.
Drive Train: The True Quest comes with a SRAM 21 speed
drive train and grip type shifters. The stock 21 speed drive train gives
most riders enough gears to to conquer just about any hill they can
find.
Brakes: The brake are fairly typical, True Bicycle used
a “V” brake for the front and a disc brake for the rear. The both brake
levers have a parking lock where there is a button on the brake lever
that you can push and lock the brake in the on position.
Seat: One of our most loved features is the adjustable
padded contoured mesh seat with full back support. The Quest seat was
wide and comfortable and fit our testers well. The seat can be easily
adjusted forward and backward for different height riders by the one
quick releases under set seat with out the need for any tools. The seat
angle has a very wide range of adjust-ability and will suit people well
who are looking for a very upright seated position. The breathable mesh
seat fabric can accommodated people up to 300 Lbs. We preferred the way
the Quest seat attached to the frame over the Sun Seeker but both seat
attachment were east to use and worked well.
Ride: The ride between the True Quest and Sun Seeker
trike are very close. The width and length of both trikes are the same.
We found the Quest to be very maneuverable and steered easily and
predictable. The frame on the Quest absorbed the bumps nicely. The seat
height was a 1/2” higher on the Quest than the Sun Seeker. We did prefer
the seat style on the Quest over the Sun Seeker it was wide, more
comfortable and offered more support. The Quest rolled well with the
stock Kenda Kwest tires which you see used on a lot of brand trikes. We
did like that the Quest came with three twenty in wheels where the Sun
Seeker came with two twenty inch rear wheel and a sixteen inch wheel the
front.
Accessories: There are lot of options available for the True Quest. True
Bicycles produce a very nice polycarbonite fender set and a very nice
rear basket specifically for the Quest. Other popular accessories are
safety flags, front and rear lights, mirrors, luggage racks and bags.
According to True Bicycles electric motor kits are are one of the top
selling add-on sales to the quest.
Though the True Quest is designed with comfort in mind, the trike is
perfect for intermediate and casual riders looking for some light
touring, commuting or just plain bike path fun.
In Conclusions: Comparing the True Quest to the Sun Seeker both trikes
are very similar, sharing a lot of the same parts. But the win goes to
True Bicycles on design, component choices and comfort. True Bicycle and
Sun both offer high quality tricycle for a reasonable price.
Pros: A very comfortable seat, easier to get on and off
of compared to a tadpole style trike, low price, ability to easily add a
front wheel motor kit.
Cons: A little less stable than a Tadpole style trike due to the higher seat height and the one wheel in front rather than two.