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Adult Trike Support & Practical Guidance

Choosing the Right Adult Trike

Clear, practical answers to common questions about adult trikes — from choosing the right setup to understanding stability, transport and electric assist. This support section is designed to help you make informed decisions and feel confident at every stage of your cycling journey.
  • IP & Warranty
    • Warranty

      LIMITED WARRANTY

      Tomcat SNI Ltd, a UK Limited Company with registered office located at Unit 13.7, The Gloucester Business Park, Hucclecote Glos, GL34AA warrants that the equipment and equipment parts manufactured by Seller (the “Product”) and sold or provided to the first end user (“BUYER”) are produced according to usual practices, customs, standards, specifications and tolerances of trade prevailing in the country of origin at the time of production and shall, subject to the limitations and exclusions set forth below, be free from defects in design, material, and workmanship.

      1. USE, PAYMENT AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS

      This Limited Warranty applies only if:

      (1) The Product is used properly and is operated in accordance with the SELLER’s instructions and manuals as furnished to BUYER at the time of purchase;

      (2) The person filing the warranty claim is the first end user of the Product; and

      (3) Buyer complies with all other sections of this Limited Warranty.

      2. PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING WARRANTY SERVICE

      The procedure described in this Section 2 shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Warranty Claim Procedures.” For the Limited Warranty to apply, BUYER must completely fill out and deliver to the SELLER a warranty claim fully describing the alleged defects or failures of the Product and original proof of purchase within the Warranty Periods (defined in Section 4) and within fifteen
      (15) days of the date BUYER discovered the alleged defect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that SELLER determines, in its sole discretion, that BUYER reasonably should have discovered the alleged defect before its actual discovery, this Limited Warranty shall not apply.

      In order to determine whether the Limited Warranty should apply, BUYER shall provide any information to SELLER, including photographs where applicable, via telephone, email or any other appropriate means of communication. In the event the defect is covered by the Limited Warranty, SELLER may, at its sole option, require that the defective Product be shipped to the address provided by SELLER with mailing or shipping charges prepaid. BUYER shall pay all expenses associated with returning the Product to SELLER, including, without limitation, the costs of shipment, import taxes, duties and tariffs if applicable. BUYER shall return the Product, including its accessories and documents, to SELLER in its original packaging.

      3. WARRANTY SERVICES PROVIDED

      If the Product is proved to SELLER’s satisfaction to be defective, within the Warranty Periods (defined in Section 4), SELLER’s obligations under this Limited Warranty shall be limited to either repairing or replacing the Product, or refunding the purchase price when appropriate, at SELLER’s sole discretion, and only if such defect was caused solely by defective design, workmanship and/or

      materials. Such repair, replacement or refund shall be SELLER’s sole obligation and BUYER’s exclusive remedy hereunder, and shall be conditioned upon BUYER’s fulfilling its obligations under SELLER’s Warranty Claim Procedures.

      4. WARRANTY PERIODS

      This Limited Warranty of the Product applies for:

      – two (2) years for any physical good as from the date said physical good is sold or donated to the first end user,
      – five (5) years for any frame product, excluding any attachments, as from the date said frame product is sold or donated to the first end user,
      (the “Warranty Periods”).

      The Warranty Periods shall not be tolled for any reason. No action by SELLER or BUYER shall operate to extend or revive this Limited Warranty without the prior written consent of SELLER.

      5. EXCLUSIONS FROM WARRANTY

      The following is not included under this Limited Warranty:

      (1) Scratches, dents, marks or other visible surface wear on the Product, unless SELLER is notified as soon as the Product is received by the BUYER;

      (2) Normal wear and tear from everyday use;

      (3) Wear parts, including but not limited to straps, belts, buckles, cushion covers, soft foam and fabrics, tyres and tubes.

      (4) Misuse, abuse or loss by the BUYER;

      (5) Theft of the Product by any third party;

      (6) Physical damage to the Product as a result of tampering, mishandling, neglect, modification or repair without the approval of SELLER, unreasonable use and/or negligence of the BUYER whether foreseeable by SELLER or not;

      (7) Items, equipment, goods, products, components, and parts not sold by SELLER;

      (8) Damage to Product caused by the carrier during shipping;

      (9) Deterioration resulting from age, storage, weathering, lack of use;

      (10) Continued Product use after an alleged defect is discovered or should reasonably have been discovered;

      (11) The cost of returning the Product under this Limited Warranty; and

      (12) Damage to Product caused by fire, storm or other acts of God.

      SELLER expressly reserves the right to inspect the Product and its components, parts, and BUYER’s use, maintenance, and any other activity or inactivity of the BUYER, when determining whether an alleged Product defect is covered by the Limited Warranty.

      6. LIMITATIONS ON WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

      This Limited Warranty is provided by SELLER, and it contains the only express warranty provided to BUYER by SELLER. SELLER does not authorize any other person, including distributors, to give any other warranties on SELLER’s behalf.

      SELLER DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS WARRANTY NOT PROVIDED HEREIN AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY, GUARANTY OR REPRESENTATION AS TO PERFORMANCE, QUALITY AND ABSENCE OF HIDDEN DEFECTS, AND ANY REMEDY FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, WHICH BUT FOR THIS PROVISION, MIGHT ARISE BY IMPLICATION, OPERATION OF LAW, CUSTOM OF TRADE OR COURSE OF DEALING, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

      Implied warranties in jurisdictions where they may not be disclaimed shall be in effect only for the duration of the express warranty set forth herein.

      If BUYER has a claim under this Limited Warranty or under any implied warranties provided to BUYER by state law, BUYER may not file a court action based on that claim any later than one (1) year after BUYER’s right to file a court action accrues. In those countries which do not allow this limitation on the time period for filing a court action, this provision is inapplicable.

      7. SELLER’S LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

      SELLER’s liability with respect to the Product sold to BUYER shall be limited to the warranty provided herein. SELLER SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY OTHER OBLIGATIONS OR LIABILITIES, WHETHER ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND STRICT LIABILITY) OR OTHER THEORIES OF LAW, WITH RESPECT TO PRODUCTS SOLD OR SERVICES RENDERED BY SELLER, OR ANY UNDERTAKING, ACTS OR OMISSIONS RELATING THERETO.

      Without limiting the foregoing, SELLER SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY FOR PROPERTY OR PERSONAL INJURY DAMAGES, PENALTIES, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, SERVICES, DOWN TIME, SHUT DOWN OR SLOW DOWN COSTS, OR FOR ANY OTHER TYPES OF ECONOMIC LOSS, AND FOR CLAIMS OF BUYER’S CUSTOMERS OR ANY THIRD

      PARTY FOR ANY SUCH DAMAGES. SELLER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR AND DISCLAIMS ALL CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL AND CONTINGENT DAMAGES WHATSOEVER. THE SELLER’S TOTAL LIABILITY ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRODUCT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE VALUE OF THE PRODUCT SOLD TO BUYER.

      The SELLER’s total liability in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty), misrepresentation, restitution, or otherwise, arising in connection with the performance or contemplated performance of the contract between SELLER and BUYER shall be limited to the price paid for the Products.

      8. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION

      This Limited Warranty is governed by the laws of the United Kingdom, without reference to conflict of laws principles. In the event of a dispute arising from or relating to this Limited Warranty, which is not resolved by negotiation between the parties, the parties hereby agree to personal exclusive jurisdiction of the United Kingdom courts.

      9. MISCELLANEOUS

      Any description of the Product, whether in writing or made orally by SELLER or SELLER’s agents, specifications, samples, models, bulletins, drawings, diagrams or similar materials used in connection with BUYER’s order, are for the sole purpose of identifying the Product and shall not be construed as an express warranty. Any suggestions by SELLER or SELLER’s agents regarding use, application, or suitability of the Product shall not be construed as an express warranty unless confirmed in writing by SELLER to be such.

       

    • What patents does Tomcat SNI Ltd Hold?

      We pride ourselves on innovation and protect our intellectual property with patents.

      The following patents and patent applications cover aspects of Tomcat SNI Ltd’s trike technology which are unique.
      Self Centralising Steering
      GB patent application number: 1807603.4 GB

      Frame separation and control function interfaces
      GB patent application number: 1905636.5 GB

      Quick Release Wheels.
      GB patent application number: 1906651.3 GB

      If you require further information about any of the above patents please contact our design and innovation team on 01452 616 900 and ask to speak to the Chief Engineer.

  • Frequently asked questions
    • What's included in the cost of my trike?

      When the Tomcat trike arrived in 1997 it had the Carer Control, Two Piece Frame, Custom Build and lightweight construction that everyone wanted, but those features obviously cost more, therefore, in the absence of a “like for like” machine, the myth grew that a Tomcat was expensive.

      However, value is not always about cost and even though the ticket price might have been higher, funders soon realised that it was better to pay a little extra for something that was going to be loved and used rather than wasting money on a dust collector.

      Service too, is a factor for something as crucial and specialised as a special needs trike. After all, it is a therapy tool so the stakes are very high. It was service that led the chief executive of a national charity to recently remark that “You are the best supplier we deal with – by some margin”.

      Tomcat has never been tempted to manufacture abroad because custom building is about immediate response to special situations, but for years UK costs were higher. That is no longer the case and unless a process is very labour intensive, UK manufacture coupled with the Brexit effect upon the pound is very competitive, so we are pleased we kept to our UK only policy.

      These days, you may well find that when you buy a custom-made Tomcat, you are paying less for the original technology than you are paying for an imported copy, so a Tomcat is tremendous value for money. How do you find out – well that’s quite simple! Always ask at least two companies to provide an assessment and make sure that one of those is Tomcat! Assessments are free, so what do you have to lose?

    • Do you buy back used Tomcats?

      As a customising OEM, for quality management and insurance reasons we cannot use anything but new and traceable components in our products, therefore we do not allow old components or assemblies on site except under our passported Give and Take scheme. However, if you want to sell your old Tomcat or see it go to a new home, there are other ways we can help.

      Tomcat trikes are generally considered the industry gold standard, therefore when a Tomcat in good condition comes up for sale (on Ebay for example), they command a very high second hand value – usually between 30% and 50% of its purchase price after 5 to 10 years and sometimes more.

      If you do choose this route the guarantee expires with you, but we are happy to provide support, service, spares, advice and, where possible, customisation to the new owner because experience has taught us that they are our customers of the future. In a nutshell, a private sale with our support will realise a far higher return on your original investment than a buy back.

      If you simply want to see your Tomcat go to a good home, take a look at our Give and Take scheme. In essence, we service your old Tomcat free of charge and pass it on for group use in schools, hospices or anywhere where many deserving children can benefit from your gift. The scheme is entirely free and passported so you know where your old Tomcat is benefiting those other children.

    • I want to support British Industry. How much of a Tomcat is truly 'Made in Britain'?

      Standard cycle components such as bells and spokes are never made in Britain these days, however most Tomcat components are unique to the company and are cut from the raw material and made into Tomcat parts here in the UK. We make all our frames and custom components in our Gloucester workshops and every Tomcat product is assembled to order in our fitting shop.

      Certain specialist processes or high volume precision components can only be provided by specialist firms, however, all are British and most are based locally in Gloucestershire.  This means you know that when you buy a Tomcat you are supporting British industries as diverse as model makers, founders, precision machinists, upholsterers, finishers, laser cutters and wheel builders to name but a few.

      We are very proud to say that for fifteen years Tomcat has always had at least one engineering apprentice in training and the Tomcat product you buy is about as British as it gets.

    • Why have you asked us for measurements again?

      It can take some time for a quote to turn to an order and in that time children can have growth spurts so we will ask you to measure your child again if your quote is more than three months old.

      The most important measurement is the inside leg – but as that is inappropriate for an assessor to measure accurately, we ask the parent to take this measurement for us in a proscribed way that produces an accurate result.

      Though easier to measure, height is of less importance than inside leg, however, because the human body normally grows in very strict proportion we are able to cross reference height with the inside leg to confirm that both are correct. If at the build stage we believe there may be an error, we will sometimes ask you to check both measurements again. With adults we usually only ask for height.

  • Customer Care
    • How does the assessment process work?

      Adult buyers often want to understand what happens next. A simple step process reduces hesitation.

      Step 1 — Speak to Our Team

      We start with a conversation to understand your goals, riding experience, and what you would like to get out of cycling again.

      Step 2 — Personal Assessment

      One of our experienced assessors will guide you through the most suitable trike options and make the necessary adjustments so you can ride comfortably and confidently.

      Step 3 — Built for You

      Your trike is then built to order by our team in the UK, configured specifically to suit your measurements, riding style, and chosen features.

      Step 4 — Delivery and Ongoing Support

      Once delivered, we remain available for advice, servicing support, and any adjustments you may need in the future.

    • Where can I find the serial number on my trike?

      The serial number can be found on a sticker with the CE mark on the frame. If you ever need help locating it, our team can guide you so you always have it available for service or support enquiries.

    • Is my Tomcat trike registered anywhere after purchase?

      Yes. Every Tomcat trike is recorded against its original owner using the frame serial number. This helps us provide accurate support, identify the trike if needed, and assist with servicing or replacement parts in the future.

    • Do I need a personal assessment before ordering?

      Choosing a trike from photographs alone can be difficult. That’s why we offer personal assessments to help you find the right fit.

      During an assessment we will:

      • Identify the most suitable trike model
      • Adjust seating and handlebars for comfort
      • Demonstrate optional features such as electric assist
      • Ensure the riding position feels natural and stable

      The goal is simple: a trike that feels comfortable, confident, and enjoyable to ride.

      Arrange an Assessment

    • Customer Support From Your First Ride and Beyond

      Choosing the right trike is an important decision. Whether you’re returning to cycling after time away, looking for a more comfortable riding experience, or simply want the stability of three wheels, our team is here to guide you through the process.

      From personal assessments to long-term support, we make sure your Tomcat trike fits you properly and continues to work for the way you ride.

      Book a Personal Assessment

  • Assessments, Setup & Aftercare
  • Choosing the right trike
    • Do I need an assessment before choosing a trike?

      An assessment isn’t about being tested — it’s about finding what works for you. It allows you to try different options, make adjustments, and understand what feels comfortable and confidence-boosting before making a decision.

      Read more: What Happens in an Adult Trike Assessment?

    • Should I choose an electric or non-electric adult trike?

      Electric assist can be helpful if hills, fatigue or variable strength make cycling harder. It doesn’t replace pedalling, but supports it when needed. Whether electric assist is right for you depends on how you plan to ride and what you want cycling to feel like.

      Read more: Are Electric Adult Trikes Worth It?

    • How do I choose the right adult trike for me?

      Choosing the right trike involves more than size or appearance. Factors such as how and where you’ll ride, comfort, confidence, transport needs and whether electric assist would help all play a part. Trying a trike set up for you can make the decision much clearer.

      Read more: What Happens in an Adult Trike Assessment?

    • Do adult trikes tip over?

      A well-designed adult trike is stable when ridden as intended, but like any cycle, stability depends on factors such as frame geometry, setup, rider position and how it’s used. Choosing the right trike and having it adjusted correctly is key.

      Read more: What Makes an Adult Trike Stable?

    • Are adult trikes only for people with disabilities?

      No. Adult trikes are used by people with a wide range of abilities and reasons — including reduced confidence, joint pain, fatigue, or simply a preference for stability and comfort. They are about supporting cycling, not labelling the rider.

      Read more: Is an Adult Trike Right for Me?

    • What’s the difference between an adult trike and a two-wheel bike?

      The main difference is stability. Two-wheel bikes rely on balance and momentum, while adult trikes provide stability even when stationary. This makes trikes particularly reassuring for riders who value confidence and control over speed.

      Read more: Adult Trike vs Two-Wheel Bike: Which Is Right for You?

    • Are adult trikes hard to ride?

      Adult trikes handle differently to two-wheel bikes, but many riders find them easier and more predictable — especially at low speeds, when stopping, or when starting off. With the right setup, most people adapt quickly.

      Read more: Is an Adult Trike Right for Me?

    • Is an adult trike right for me?

      An adult trike may be right for you if you want to cycle with greater stability, confidence and comfort. Many people consider a trike after a change in balance, confidence, health or simply because a two-wheel bike no longer feels enjoyable or reassuring.

      Read more: Is an Adult Trike Right for Me?

  • Electric Trikes & Effort
    • How does electric assist work on an adult trike?

      Electric assist supports your pedalling rather than replacing it. Sensors detect when you pedal and provide assistance in proportion, helping to smooth effort and reduce strain — especially on hills or longer rides.

      Read more: Are Electric Adult Trikes Worth It?

  • Stability, Safety & Confidence
    • How can I feel confident riding an adult trike for the first time?

      Confidence comes from correct setup, a suitable riding environment, and time to adapt to how the trike handles. Starting somewhere quiet and building familiarity gradually helps most riders feel comfortable quickly.

      Read more: Your First Ride on an Adult Trike: What to Expect

    • Are adult trikes suitable after illness or injury?

      Many people return to cycling on a trike after illness or injury because it allows them to ride without worrying about balance or sudden stops. The right setup and riding style are important to ensure comfort and confidence.

      Read more: Returning to Cycling After Illness or Injury

    • Will an adult trike help if I’ve lost confidence cycling?

      For many riders, yes. The stability of three wheels reduces the fear of falling, which often restores confidence more quickly than trying to persist with a two-wheel bike that no longer feels comfortable or safe.

      Read more: Cycling With Confidence on an Adult Trike

    • Do adult trikes handle differently on corners?

      Yes. Adult trikes steer and corner differently to two-wheel bikes, particularly at speed. Learning how a trike responds in turns is important, which is why trying one and building familiarity gradually is recommended.

      Read more: What Makes an Adult Trike Stable?

    • Are adult trikes safe to ride on the road?

      Adult trikes can be ridden on the road in the same way as other cycles, provided they are used appropriately and the rider feels confident. Visibility, positioning and familiarity with the trike’s handling all contribute to road safety.

      Read more: Where Can I Ride an Adult Trike?

    • Can I stop on an adult trike without putting my foot down?

      Yes. One of the key benefits of an adult trike is that it remains upright when stationary, meaning you can stop and start without needing to put a foot down. This can significantly reduce anxiety for many riders.

      Read more: Is an Adult Trike Right for Me?

    • Why do adult trikes feel safer at low speeds?

      At low speeds, two-wheel bikes require constant balance corrections. Adult trikes remove this requirement, allowing riders to focus on steering and surroundings rather than staying upright — particularly when starting, stopping or riding slowly.

      Read more: Adult Trike vs Two-Wheel Bike: Which Is Right for You?

    • How stable are adult trikes?

      Adult trikes are designed to be stable when stationary and predictable when riding. Unlike two-wheel bikes, they don’t rely on balance at low speeds or when stopping, which many riders find immediately reassuring.

      Read more: What Makes an Adult Trike Stable?

  • Transport, Storage & Practical Use

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Choosing the right adult trike

Ride with confidence