science

Trikke

Trikke is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Trikke rather than just read about it. In short: The Trikke ( tr-EYE-k; also known as a wiggle scooter, scissor scooter, carver scooter, Y scooter, or V scooter) is a chainless, pedalless, personal vehicle with a three-wheel frame. The rider stands on two foot platforms above the two rear wheels and steers the vehicle with handlebars attached to the lone front wheel.

Key takeaways

Trikke belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Trikke to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Trikke from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Trikke ( tr-EYE-k; also known as a wiggle scooter, scissor scooter, carver scooter, Y scooter, or V scooter) is a chainless, pedalless, personal vehicle with a three-wheel frame. The rider stands on two foot platforms above the two rear wheels and steers the vehicle with handlebars attached to the lone front wheel. The cambering system is designed to provide a stable, three-point platform that lets the rider lean into turns while all three wheels remain in contact with the ground. There are several variations of the Trikke, from body-powered fitness machines, to battery-powered transportation and personal mobility vehicles. Brand name Trikkes are manufactured by the company Trikke Tech based in Buellton, California. A body-powered Trikke is propelled using a motion that moves the vehicle along a curved, S-shaped path (called "carving"). The rider moves the vehicle from side to side, turning the handlebars and leaning the front structure while moving one's body weight toward the side one is turning into. The weight of the rider during a turn (or "carve") is placed mainly on the foot at the outside of the turn. The inside foot will support very little weight and the rider will often lift the heel of this foot during the turn. The resulting motion is similar to slalom skiing, a tic-tac move on a skateboard, or one's leg movements during roller skating. A Trikke can be propelled without the need to push off with one's foot. There are many variations of Trikke-riding techniques as riders place different emphasis on the elements of the movement. Using the carving motion, a body-powered Trikke can achieve speeds of nearly 30 km/h (19 mph), but more often, riders cruise around with average speeds in the 15 km/h (9.3 mph) range. A Trikke can be ridden uphill, albeit at a reduced speed. Since 2009, Trikke Tech, Inc. has manufactured electric versions of the Trikke, which have been adopted by various law enforcement and security companies as an alternative to other personal electric vehicles. Additionally, many recreational riders now use electric Trikkes for personal transportation as well as hybrid fitness vehicles.

History In 1999, Brazilian engineer Gildo Beleski applied for a patent on an improved design for a three-wheel cambering vehicle with the US Patent Office. In 2000, he founded Trikke Tech in Southern California, shipping 100 frames from Brazil and assembling Trikkes in his garage. Trikke three-wheel carving vehicles officially went on the market in 2002, and Time magazine named it one of the best inventions of that year. In 2008, Trikke Tech CEO John Simpson said that in 2008, the company sold over 60,000 Trikkes. Over half a million body-powered Trikkes have been sold.

References

External links Media related to Trikke at Wikimedia Commons Official website USPTO patent document

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Trikke

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Trikke claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Trikke before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Trikke ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Trikke

In research: Trikke appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Trikke in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Trikke is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Brazilian inventions, Human-powered vehicles, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Trikke outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Trikke in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Trikke means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Trikke out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Trikke in simple terms?

Why does Trikke matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Trikke?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Trikke.