By BRYAN J. BALL
Managing Editor | Bentrider Online Magazine | 04 September, 2006 12:21

A couple of years ago, WizWheelz was the brand to beat in the sub-$2000 trike market. As other trike makers jumped into that pricepoint WizWheelz lost a bit of attention. Over the past 12 months, the company has made some major steps to try and put their name back in the collective conscious of American recumbent trike enthusiasts. Their first move was to make their machines available through dealers. The second was to introduce a trike at an all-time low price point of $1299. This new trike is called the TerraTrike Cruiser.

Anyone who has any experience with previous WizWheelz models will immediately recognize the Cruiser as one of the family. WizWheelz does do a couple of things differently than many of their contemporaries do. They still use bushings on their kingpins while others use headsets now. The steering is also a cross-over "Self Centering" indirect set-up that is becoming increasingly rare. The Cruiser's large footprint (31.5" track and 39" wheelbase) is also a throwback to the days before "compact" tadpoles were all the rage. This is all just fine with me. As you'll read below, all of this "old-school" tech seems to work just fine.

The budget-priced Cruiser uses the same chromoly frame, seat and handlebars from the $1899 TerraTrike Tour. The bike is available in only one color (a slightly metallic "Michigan Blue") but I like it. WizWheelz quality was never what I would call "poor" but it has improved over the years. Some of the welds on our Cruiser weren't as clean as those on a Catrike or an ICE but they definitely looked tough enough to do the job and were still better than those on anything else in this price range. The seat, handlebars and other custom made pieces were all very well executed and all looked to be of very high quality.

WizWheelz reached the $1299 price point by choosing some low-end and occasionally esoteric components. The Cruiser uses the same basic RPM crankset found on the Bacchetta Café and the trike's 24 speeds are managed with a Shimano Altus rear derailleur and a set of SRAM MRX twist shifters. A pair of off-brand "Unique" disc brakes takes care of the stopping. WizWheelz uses their own wheelset and all three wheels are shod with CST 40 psi tires with reflective sidewalls.

I'll be the first to admit that most of these components can now be found on higher-end department store mountain bikes that retail for $200. But you know what? They all worked great. Eight-speed shifting is pretty much perfected and even lower-end systems tend to work pretty darn well. The same can be said for cable-actuated disc brakes. About the only drawback to choosing a cheap disc brake over an expensive one is ease of initial set-up. An expensive Avid is a breeze while some lower-end brakes are a nightmare. Since WizWheelz ships their trikes fully assembled this is not a concern. Our Cruiser's brakes were drag-free out of the considerably large box and stayed that way for the duration of the test.

Ergonomically the Cruiser is identical to most other WizWheelz offerings. You won't hear any complaints from me in that regard either. I've always found the WizWheelz seat to be pretty comfortable. It's also adjustable for recline angle which isn't too terribly common in the contemporary trike market.

The bottom bracket height is also very agreeable to me. The handlebars are lacking adjustment compared to some other current options but I found them to be just fine. The cockpit is pretty roomy for a tadpole (thanks to the wider track). The Cruiser also has a pretty high 300 pound weight limit so it may be a good choice for clydesdales. No matter your size, the Cruiser definitely has the "all day comfort" that most trike customers are looking for.

The handling on this trike is just as good as it is on any other WizWheelz offering. In our review of the alloy trike that Wiz now calls the "Access", we called its handling "Light and predictable". The same description applies here. It doesn't have the same quick point and shoot feel that many other tadpoles have. It's much more relaxed. I would say it's more like a Mercedes or a Lexus than a Porsche or a Ferrari.

Quick slalom turns were a lot of fun with the Cruiser's light feel and the nice wide track helped keep the trike on all three wheels during even the hardest cornering. At high speed, the Cruiser again wasn't quite as precise as some other trikes but I never felt a need to hit the brakes out of fear. WizWheelz calls its steering "self-centering" and that's a pretty accurate description of how it feels. There is just a touch of brakesteer but nothing to get excited about.

With a curb weight of 37.5 pounds, the Crusier isn't a performance machine and it's not meant to be. The 40-psi tires also slow it down a bit. However, with a set of 100psi Primo Comets, the Cruiser performed a bit better than I expected. It is certainly faster than any of the Sun Tadpole offerings (even with the stock rubber) and should be able to keep up just fine with trikes like the ICE Q, Greenspeed GTO or Trimuter.

One nitpick I've had with almost every WizWheelz trike I've tested and reviewed is the chain routing. The company uses better idlers than it used to and the drivetrain definitely feels more efficient than before. However, it still makes more noise than a lot of other trikes do. It's not a deafening roar or anything like that but a low whirring sound is your constant companion as you pedal along. Wizwheelz does offer an idler upgrade that will cure most of the noise.

WizWheelz also offers an impressive range of accessories for their machines. You can order everything from upgraded tires to a complete $999 "Ultimate Touring" package direct from the company. Nearly all of their accessories fit on the Cruiser. With a generous selection from the options list, you could make the Cruiser into a very nice commuting/touring trike and still spend well under two grand.

Which brings me to something else I wanted to say about the Cruiser… When we arranged for this test WizWheelz seemed a bit concerned about how us "enthusiasts" would take to the Cruiser since it's really meant to be an entry-level machine. After riding the Cruiser, I think that Wiz is really selling itself short. The Cruiser is a very nice trike in its own right and an outstanding trike for $1299. No, the components aren't too flashy but they're good enough that you can let them wear out before you upgrade. And the frame is definitely worth the upgrade. This is a trike that you can buy into cheaply and ride for years.

One of the best things about buying a WizWheelz is actually "buying" the trike. If you can't find one at your local dealer you can order direct from the manufacturer. If you choose to go that route, you can opt to have the trike shipped to your door fully assembled. You practically just kick out one end of the box and roll the trike out. No set-up and assembly issues required.

There seems to be an ever-increasing number of Taiwanese trikes available from a plethora of importers. A lot of these trikes are priced very close to the Cruiser's asking price. Some of these trikes are a good value but they don't come with a dealer support network or the muscle that a major manufacturer can provide. If you feel uncomfortable going with one of these importer companies, you can opt for WizWheelz TT Cruiser and know that you have a full-time manufacturer backing you up. And you can sleep well at night knowing that you bought a very nice trike.

WizWheelz TerraTrike Cruiser
Highs – Light and predictable handling, good comfort, outstanding value
Lows – Louder than average chain routing, 40 psi tires
MSRP - $1299
More Info – http://www.wizwheelz.com