Sure, we doubt you’ll be riding from the edge of the Antarctic continent straight to the South Pole anytime soon. But, man, having a ride that’s equipped to do exactly that sure sounds sweet. That’s exactly what you can get with the Full Fat, a recumbent trike that’s ready for the toughest trails nature has to offer.
Made by Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE), the trike is based on the custom-built three-wheeler that Maria Leijerstam rode across Antarctica late last year. Described as “expedition-tough,” it’s designed to ride through practically any terrain – rock, mud, sand, and snow are all fair game.
As the name makes clear, the ICE Full Fat sports a trio of fat tires around the oversized wheels, with a pair of 4.7-inch rubbers out front and a 4.8-inch unit in the back. It retains many elements found in the original, including the heat-treated 4130 chromoly frame and CFT hinge (which equips it with a compact folding mechanism for more convenient storage), but reinforces it with a selection of off-road components suited to a more varied range of off-road conditions. Key features for the recommended configuration include a 27-speed derailleur-based drivetrain, a Rohloff XL 14-speed gear hub, front and rear elastomer suspension with four inches of travel, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes in front, Avid BB7 disc brakes in the rear, custom pulleys and chain tubes, and an Ergo-Flow mesh seat.
Each ICE Full Fat is built to order, so you can specify exactly the individual components you want installed in each trike. Price for the recommended configuration is set at $7,200.