Mercian Tricycle

 

     This is one of only a few tricycles Mercian is known to have made. It dates to the early 1950s. The axle is a Holdsworth one-wheel drive unit. The downtube transfers and black paint are original. It is owned by an accomplished touring and racing cyclist who is a mainstay of Great Britain's Tricycle Association. 

     I had the opportunity to try this machine at the V-CC Cambridge Section Mercian Ride in September, 2007 - a hair-raising experience, but definitely fun. Everything one does subconsciously to maintain balance on a bicycle destabilizes a trike.