MAKING TECHNOLOGY WORK It’s Not a Trick, It’s a Trikke! BY JEFFREY M. ALLEN

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ast month I made my annual pilgrimage to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Every year the electronics industry gathers in Las Vegas so that manufacturers can show off their latest and greatest products, storeowners and buyers for chains can order products for resale, and media people can check out what may prove interesting to their readers. Since I neither manufacture nor sell electronics, I wander around the show floor looking for products that I think my readers may find interesting and arrange to try out many of them so that I can report about them to you. One of the products I found this year has absolutely nothing to do with running a law office. In fact, it has no direct connection to running any kind of an office. When I looked at it, I thought it interesting. As I talked to the manufacturer’s representative about it, I thought it might prove an interesting topic for an article, so I arranged to get one to try out. Several weeks after the show, I received a phone call from Laura Bone, a trainer the manufacturer had contacted to get me a device to try out and show me how to use it. We set up a time and she met me, gave me a short lesson in how to operate it, and left me one to play with. The device, called a Trikke (pronounced “Trike”), looks like a large tricycle without a seat. You ride it standing up. Instead of pedaling it, however, you move it by shifting the weight of your body to carve turns with it, much as you would carve a turn on a ski slope. Bottom line, you get from one place to another, get a workout at the same time, and it beats the heck out of walking. Although I knew I wanted to write about the Trikke due to the fact that I firmly believe in the theory of trying to

Jeffrey M. Allen ([email protected]) is the principal of Graves & Allen in Oakland, California. A frequent speaker and writer on technology topics, he is editor-in-chief of GPSolo magazine and GPSolo eReport, an editorial board member of the ABA Journal and Experience magazine, and author of jallenlawblog. com. In addition to being licensed as an attorney in California, he has been admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He holds faculty positions at California State University of the East Bay and the University of Phoenix.

stay in shape and getting some physical exercise to try to keep your body and your mind functioning, I had some doubt in my mind as to whether to do it for Experience or one of the other magazines I write for. I made up my mind when I did some research on the Trikke and discovered that Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn regularly use Trikkes for exercise. As they are in their mid-to-late eighties, it convinced me that this was an appropriate venue for the discussion. As the Carters use their Trikkes comfortably, nobody under 90 should beg off on the theory of being just “too old.” I am sure that most of you still remember Jimmy Carter and his wife. For those of you who have difficulty recalling them, you may remember that Jimmy was that pleasant sort of fellow with the southern drawl who grew peanuts in Georgia. At last report he was building houses in his retirement. Oh wait, I remember now, he spent some time in the White House before getting into Trikke EV-Green Lite construction. Seriously, if you think I am kidEditor’s Note: ding about the Carters using the Trikkes, Neither the ABA nor you can check it out in any of several ABA entities endorse magazines. You can find videographic non-ABA products or evidence on YouTube in the form of services, and product an excerpt from a 2010 interview for a reviews in Experience 60 Minutes show (www.youtube.com/ should not be so watch?v=2ruKPiEAzz4). In fact, if you construed. want to try the Trikke out, you might watch the YouTube video first and get some pointers on how to ride one from Images courtesy of Trikke President Carter and his First Lady. I

Published in Experience, Volume 22, Number 2, Summer 2012. © 2012 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

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should note that President and Mrs. Carter use human-powered Trikkes without an electric motor to provide assistive power. Learning to ride the human-powered version will take an hour or so for the basics and then practice to become competent. If you have ever done any downhill skiing, you will find it familiar, as the balancing and movements are very similar. You carve a series of small turns by putting your weight on the outside foot while leaning a bit towards the inside and moving the front wheel slightly in the direction you are moving and then reverse to the other side so that you “slalom” down the road. It’s all about shifting your weight and developing a rhythm to keep the Trikke moving.

Folded Trikkes

You use the same movement pattern to operate the electronic vehicles in humanpower mode or to provide supplemental power. Unless you are relatively young and/ or in good shape, you won’t want to start out trying to climb uphill on a humanpowered Trikke. You will find level ground far easier to traverse. On the other hand, one of the electric-assisted Trikkes will give you the ability to deal with such inclines and still get some exercise.

Think of it as a hybrid; the battery charge will last much longer if you use it to help out but rely on your own muscles for most of the propulsion. At the same time, the more you use your own muscles, the better the workout you will get and the more it may improve your health. Because of the way you make it move, it gives you “no impact” aerobics (unless, of course, you manage to fall off). I wouldn’t worry too much about falling off, though, as it provides a pretty stable platform. From the moment I got on it, I felt no likelihood that I would fall off of it and, in fact, I never did. Laura did warn me, however, that leaning back on the Trikke, as opposed to forward, makes the platform unstable and could cause you to fall backwards. She also warned me of the need to avoid rocks and holes in the pavement, as they can cause you to fall. She also advised against trying to carve a turn through water, as you can lose traction and make the Trikke unstable. If you encounter water, just keep the wheel straight until you get through it. I followed her recommendations and had no problem with its stability. As with any exercise program, you probably don’t want to do this without first checking with your physician to ensure that you do not have a medical issue that militates against such activity. While it is not likely you will fall off, you should take the precaution of wearing a bike helmet, just in case. The Trikke folks have come up with several different models ranging from around $650 to $2,200. The lineup includes models that operate 100 percent on body language, to those that operate more or less equally on body language and electricity, to those that operate primarily on electricity. If you want to move the Trikke from one place to another for use without riding it, you will find it very easy to transport. All models of the Trikke collapse easily and quickly and set up just as easily. You can easily fit several collapsed Trikkes into most full-sized cars. Laura brought two to each of our meetings (her own and the model she was leaving me to check out) in her little sports car. The heaviest of the standard-powered Trikkes (the 48V Pon-e) weighs in at 46

Published in Experience, Volume 22, Number 2, Summer 2012. © 2012 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

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pounds, including the battery. I had no problem collapsing the Trikke and taking it on the local rapid transit system in its folded state. One precautionary note about using the Trikke for a mobility vehicle: the electric power for all the Trikkes comes from a lithium battery, and I am advised that you cannot transport lithium batteries on commercial aircraft as you can lead-acid batteries such as are generally used in powered wheelchairs and many other mobility vehicles. You should have no issue with transporting a humanpowered vehicle on a commercial aircraft or one of the electric-powered vehicles without the battery. If you have mobility limitations but can stand comfortably for reasonably long time periods, you might consider using a Trikke as a mobility vehicle. It will get you around as easily as other mobility vehicles and still give you the opportunity for some exercise. If you do not have the ability (or lack the inclination) to use the manual versions, get an electronically assisted model and use the battery for power instead of your own muscles. Even that way, if you ever choose to use your body to augment the electric power, you get a little bit of exercise, and every little bit helps. The Trikke people have been very friendly and cooperative. I am advised that they have dealers and/or trainers throughout the country; you can locate one through their website, www.trikke. com. Laura told me that they will let you try out some of the different models before you make a decision. I tried out several and will give you a brief summary of each to help guide your choice. Human-Powered T8 Trikke. The standard human-powered Trikke; 8.5-inch air tires, aircraft aluminum frame, and disc brakes; easy to learn on and a good beginner’s vehicle. It lists for $649.99 and weighs 27 pounds. If you want to get a human-powered vehicle for exercise, this is likely the one you will want. T12 Roadster Trikke. The top of the line human-powered Trikke. Designed for longer rides, built with an aircraft aluminum frame; 12-inch air tires and

disc brakes. The T12 lists for $749.99 and weighs 32 pounds. The T12 has a longer wheelbase than the T8. The length and its extra height require a bit more athleticism to operate than the T8. The T12 is a more advanced device than the T8. Electric/Human-Powered 36V Pon-e Light. The lightest of the electric Trikkes; tips the scales at about 37 pounds, including the battery. This model comes with a 180-watt electric motor, a removable lithium battery, and disc brakes. It has a rating of a 10-mile range, extended by the use of muscle power. The 36V Light comes with tires designed more for workouts than commuting as well. It lists for $1,299.99 and has a top speed of 13 miles per hour on electric power. This one makes a good compromise between a human-powered and an electric-powered vehicle. My trainer told me she preferred it over the other Trikkes as a compromise vehicle, since its lighter weight made it easier to use manually. She also felt, as a woman, that women would be more likely to use it manually than the heavier electricpowered Trikkes, which she found more difficult to use manually. As the Light has a five-second power-up delay, I did not like it as well as the standard 36V or the 48V in the electric-power mode. 36V Tribred Pon-e. The middleweight of the electric Trikkes, weighing in at approximately 42 pounds with the

Trikke T12 Roadster

Published in Experience, Volume 22, Number 2, Summer 2012. © 2012 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

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battery. They build this Trikke with a 250-watt electric motor with a removable lithium battery and disc brakes. It has a rating of a 16-mile range, extended by the use of muscle power. The tires on this Trikke work better for commuting. It lists for $1,899.99 and has a top speed of 16 miles per hour on electric power. I did not find the extra weight a significant problem respecting manual operation, and I definitely preferred the extra power and range of the standard 36V and its 250-watt motor. I felt this worked well as a compromise vehicle for me and I preferred the immediate response of electric power when I wanted the assist. 48V Tribred Pon-e. The heavyweight Trikke, weighing in at 46 pounds with the battery. They build this Trikke with a 350-watt electric motor with a removable lithium battery, disc brakes, and the same tires as those on the 36V standard Pon-e. It has a rating of a 24-mile range, extended by the use of muscle power. It lists for $2,199. It has a top speed of 16 miles per hour on electric power. If you want help on inclines, plan to use the Trikke for longer distance rides, or pack around a significant amount of extra weight, you might consider the 48V Pone. Alternatively, if you just want some extra power, the 350-watt motor may prove just the thing for you. Like the standard 36V, the 48V has no power-up delay. Laura told me that she considers the 48V a commercial-class vehicle and she does not particularly recommend it for most non-business users. She places them in heavy-duty business uses involving airports, security, and the like.

While you may not want to fully accessorize your Trikke, you might consider getting a few basics, such as a bag to hold things while you ride, a rear-view mirror, and a bell or horn. If you want to ride at night, you will surely want some lights. You can get these accessories from a Trikke dealer, or in many cases you can find suitable lights, bells, horns, helmets, and mirrors in most bike shops. I thoroughly enjoyed using the Trikke. I am 63 (still young by SLD standards), and my doctor says I should get more aerobic exercise. As I have some issues with my feet that preclude jogging or other impact aerobics, I like the noimpact aerobic nature of the Trikke and the fact that I get to move around while exercising instead of sitting on an immobile exercise bike or standing on a stationary elliptical machine. As an added bonus, my Labrador retriever loves running alongside of the Trikke, as it moves faster than I can on my feet, and he needs the exercise too. It gives us both a better workout than a walk! I started out by commenting that the Trikke has nothing to do with running a law practice or any other type of office, but as I wrote this column, the inaccuracy of that statement dawned on me. While it does not directly function in the office environment, medical science has pretty much concluded that physical activity generally makes you healthier and improves the functioning of your body and your mind. Anything that does that certainly improves your functioning both in and out of the office. n

Published in Experience, Volume 22, Number 2, Summer 2012. © 2012 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

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