Behold the new niche of Fat Trike!

http://road.cc/content/news/100438-mari ... pole-trike

Seriously though Maria Leijerstam has to be one tuff cooky to cycle 18hr a day for 20 days across anartica

one thing I can't quite understand though is why a trike, I can understand comfort and stability, but surly there will be a lot of pushing involved due to snow conditions and that thing looks a beast to hike-a-bike with, even if you do put ski's on the front wheel.

Serious question 1: Is the rider handicapped? I can't see a good reason to favour a trike over 2 wheels otherwise.

Serious question 2: Won't she freeze to death sat down / still for 18 hours in those conditions? I'm thinking a bike would be more involving, which may help generate some heat ???

I reckon a trike for stability in cross winds and possibly a smaller wind profile being closer to the ground. Hiking sections I should think will involve pulling the bike with some sort of harness but for short hop on hop off sections that would be a real pain in the a**e.

Fat recumbent unicycle is the obvious solution.

IGMC

that rear mech is a gonner

*edit*
as some commenter's also said

I think the key part is 'clip on skis for when the snow is too deep' - a trike will stand up on its own and can be pulled by someone with a harness.

Sleds for all that kit is standard for polar expeditions so a trike vouch work like that too.

All a bit hardcore thou :-/

Fair play to the girl!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25526541

45min documentary about her trip. Just watched it over lunch and it was quite interesting.

http://www.itv.com/news/wales/story/201 ... outh-pole/

She's good mates with Shaggy, & he had a fair bit of input into the whole thing iirc..