Catrike Expedition Review on May 3, 2022

The Catrike Expedition, introduced in 2007, is a rugged, made-in-USA trike built for adventure. With its 26″ rear wheel and extended wheelbase, it offers a smoother ride than earlier models. It was a game-changer, designed not just for casual rides but for longer journeys and touring. Popular YouTuber JaYoe Nation even documents global adventures on his Expedition.

Today, trikes are booming, with 50% sold including motor kits. While some see them as “cheating,” they make triking accessible to more people—great for hills or physical challenges. Catrike offers a premium Bosch e-assist system that’s smooth and quiet, though it lacks a throttle. Thankfully, throttle-based kits are available from other brands. The Expedition also comes well-equipped with must-haves like a rear fender, mirror, wrist rests, and clipless platform pedals.

Frame: The frame on the Catrike Expedition is aluminum, TIG welded together in Florida. I would have to say the welds are beautiful and of the highest quality in the industry. The frame is constructed out of oversized, shaped and manipulated aluminum tubing. Catrike does it all, cutting, bending, welding; heat treating, painting and assembly of your trike all under one roof.

Paint: Catrike’s paint jobs are a work of art. There is no one in the bike industry that is better (maybe just equal) to Catrike’s paint jobs. Their standard paint jobs are everything you want in a paint job: clean, consistent and durable, along with seven colors to choose from.

Drive Train: The shifting is superb on the Expedition. Catrike chose a premium SRAM drivetrain combination with ten gears to choose from in the rear and three in the front for a total of 30. The SRAM GX rear derailleur performed flawlessly, making the SRAM GX with the SRAM 500 TT Bar End Shifter and Microshift front derailleur. Catrike uses this setup quite often on their trikes. Bar end shifters are Catrike’s shifter of choice and mine as well. Bar end shifters just make sense for me. I believe they are easier to use than the grip type shifters you see on some other brands. Grip type shifters work fine on a traditional bicycle but not so much so on recumbents. I feel I do not have as much control of the grip type shifter compared to the bar end type shifters.

Brakes: Catrike chose my favorite mechanical disc brake system the Avid BB7 brakes with the Avid Speed Dial brake levers. This combination stops the Catrike Expedition consistently and has no brake rub. I have no issues with the mechanical brakes that Avid offers. They are simple, reliable and easy to adjust. A super convenient feature of the Avid mechanical brakes is that each brake pad can be adjusted independently so you can really dial in your brake adjustment. Catrike chose a simple Velcro strap that you wrap around one of the brake levers for your parking brake. I really like this because it is simple and adds no weight to the trike. This also allows Catrike to be able to use a premium brake lever.  ICE trikes and Hp Velotechnik chose a different route by adding a brake to the rear wheel and a remote shifter to control the brake. This works well but it adds almost a pound to the ICE trikes and Hp Velotechnik trikes.

Seat:  Catrike was the first to offer a padded seat—a big hit for its comfort and breathable foam that stays cool. ICE and HP Velotechnik later introduced their own vented, padded seats with added adjustability. This competition has led to impressive innovations across the industry. The Expedition features a hybrid seat mesh with breathable center and padded sides—great for hot days. Its seat sits 10 inches high with a fixed 37-degree recline, offering a comfortable and stable ride.

Handling: Catrike uses direct steering on all there models, I prefer what is called indirect steering but the Catrike Expedition steers confidently and handles just fine.

Ride: I found the ride on the Expedition to be typical of Catrike. It is perhaps a little stiffer than some other brands of trikes, but it’s still comfortable enough to be on for long rides.  I can only give the Expedition a five out of ten score, honestly.  The Catrike 5.5.9 is more comfortable, and the Catrike Dumont is more comfortable than the 5.5.9.  So who does the Expedition appeal to the most?  Well, I think someone that has no need to fold the trike and someone looking for a very good value.  If you can live with the 37 degree seat angle, then the Expedition could be the right choice for you.  I find the seat angle to be fine but most women will not like it.  When women sit on the Catrike Expedition it is almost immediate that they say “it feels like I am laying down”.

In conclusion: Over the years Catrike has been very successful with the Expedition.  It has always been a high quality, soldierly built, and reliable trike.  I feel Catrike has made some nice refinements over the years but with no-folding frame, no adjustable seat angle, and no suspension it has been outshined by the 5.5.9 and Dumont.