At 75, Don Test Rides the sixthreezero Electric Rickshaw and Pictures His Grandkids in the Back

A Short Ride That Said a Lot

Some test rides are long and technical. This one was short, and it didn't need to be anything else. Don Nari, a 75-year-old rider, stopped by the sixthreezero headquarters in San Clemente to take the company's electric rickshaw out for a spin. He brought a camera, talked as he rode, and let the experience speak for itself. The whole video runs a little under four minutes, and most of what he says comes out in short bursts: a comment on the seat height, a note about how quickly the trike picks up speed, a happy "oh yeah" as he rolls along.

That's exactly what makes it useful. Spec sheets tell you what a machine is supposed to do. A rider talking out loud in real time tells you how it feels. When someone in his mid-seventies climbs onto an unfamiliar three-wheeler and, within a minute, is enjoying himself instead of concentrating on not falling over, that's information worth paying attention to.

By the end, Don's commentary shifts from the trike itself to something bigger. He starts talking about who he could bring along. He imagines his grandchildren sitting on the rear bench, and he talks about feeling safe and confident in a way he says he wouldn't on a regular bicycle. That turn, from "this is fun" to "this is something I could share," is really the heart of the video and the reason we wanted to write about it.

In this article we'll walk through his ride moment by moment, look at why each of his observations matters, and talk about what anyone considering one of our electric rickshaws should think about before taking one home.

If you watch the video with automatic captions turned on, you'll notice Don introduces the trike as the "Rick Shaw model of 630." That's the captioning software doing its best with spoken words. What he's saying is the rickshaw model from sixthreezero, our company name, which a lot of people naturally read aloud as six-three-zero.

Our rickshaws sit within the broader family of electric tricycles, but they're built around a different idea than a standard trike. Instead of a cargo basket being the main event out back, a rickshaw is designed to carry people. The rider sits up front and pedals or uses the electric assist, and passengers ride on a seat behind. If you're browsing the site and want to see every model designed with riders in back in mind, the For Passengers collection gathers them in one place.

That design decision changes almost everything about the riding experience, from the seat height Don noticed right away to the kind of power the motor needs to provide. Keep it in mind as we go through his comments, because nearly every one of them connects back to the fact that this machine is meant to move more than one person.

Less than a minute into the ride, Don makes his first observation. He notes that he's sitting a little higher up than he expected. It's a small comment, but it's one of the first things nearly everyone notices on a rickshaw, so it's worth unpacking.

On a typical low step-through trike, the rider sits fairly close to the ground. That's great for getting on and off, and it's a big reason those models are so popular with older riders. A rickshaw, though, has to make room for a passenger area behind the rider and a drivetrain that can handle the added load. The result is often a riding position that puts you a bit more upright and a bit more elevated.

There are real upsides to sitting higher. You see further down the path. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can see you more easily, which matters a great deal when you're carrying passengers. And for many people, a more upright position is easier on the lower back and neck than leaning forward over handlebars.

That said, if getting on and off is a challenge for you, seat height deserves a careful look before you buy. Our easy-to-mount eTrikes are built specifically around a low step-through frame, and they're worth comparing side by side with a rickshaw. If you're not sure which fits your body best, our fitting tool asks about your height, mobility and riding plans and points you toward models that match. Don didn't seem bothered by the extra height at all. He noted it, adjusted, and moved on to the part he clearly enjoyed most.

Within the same breath as his comment about the seat, Don mentions good acceleration. A minute or so later he says he loves it, and by the two-and-a-half-minute mark he's saying the trike has a lot of power. He comes back to the point again at the end, describing both power and acceleration as standout qualities.

Why does that matter so much on a rickshaw? Because weight is the whole point. A rickshaw is designed to move a rider plus one or more passengers. Every extra person adds load, and load is what makes a bike or trike feel sluggish when you start from a stop or roll into a gentle incline. A motor that feels lively with just the rider aboard is a good sign that it will still feel capable with a couple of kids or another adult on the back.

Smooth acceleration is also a safety feature, not just a fun one. Think about pulling out of a driveway, crossing a quiet intersection, or getting moving again after waiting for someone to pass on a bike path. In each case you want to clear the space promptly and predictably. A trike that hesitates or bogs down makes those moments more stressful than they need to be, especially for older riders who may not want to stand up and mash on the pedals.

Many riders who prioritize this kind of easy start also like having a thumb throttle, which lets the motor get you moving without pedaling first. If that appeals to you, take a look at our eTrikes with throttle control as you compare options. A good rule of thumb: start slowly the first few times, especially with passengers aboard, and get a feel for how quickly the trike responds before you ask for full power.

Around the three-minute mark, Don's attention moves down to the wheels. He says the trike has good traction, and then he repeats it with more conviction: the big tires really grip the road. (The automatic captions briefly hear this as "flat tires," but he's clearly talking about fat tires, as he says plainly a few seconds later.)

Fat tires are wider than standard bicycle tires and run at lower pressure, which gives them a larger contact patch with the ground. In practical terms, more rubber touching the road means more grip. That helps on loose surfaces like sand, gravel or packed dirt, and it also helps on ordinary pavement when you're turning, braking or riding over cracks and seams.

There's a comfort benefit too. A wider, softer tire absorbs a lot of the small bumps that would otherwise travel up through the frame to the rider and passengers. For grandparents thinking about kids on the back, that smoother feel is more than a luxury. It makes the ride calmer for everyone and less likely to jostle a small passenger.

If you like what Don describes here, our fat tire electric trikes collection brings together the three-wheelers built around these wider tires. And if you live somewhere with beach paths or mixed surfaces, fat tires are one of the features we'd encourage you to put near the top of your list.

One practical note: wider tires do their best work at the right pressure. Check the recommended range printed on the sidewall, and get in the habit of a quick pressure check before longer outings. It takes a minute and keeps both traction and comfort where they should be.

Right after he finishes riding, Don says simply that it was fun. Then he keeps talking, and this is where the video becomes something more than a quick product impression.

He describes the rickshaw as the kind of bike and outdoor activity that, as a senior, he could enjoy with his grandchildren sitting in back. He says he would feel confident. He contrasts it directly with a bicycle, explaining that on the rickshaw he'd have good balance, he'd feel safe, and his grandchildren would feel safe too.

It's worth sitting with that for a moment, because it captures something a lot of older riders feel but don't always say. Many people in their sixties, seventies and beyond still want to be active and still want to share outdoor time with family. What often holds them back isn't desire. It's the worry about balance, about a fall, about being responsible for someone else's safety on a machine that doesn't feel steady.

Don's comments show what happens when that worry fades. Instead of thinking about whether he can manage, he starts thinking about where he could go and who he could take. The trike stops being the subject of the sentence and becomes the way to get somewhere: a ride along the water, a trip to the park, an afternoon that the grandkids will remember.

That's a very different kind of value from top speed or battery range, and for a lot of families it's the value that matters most.

Don's comparison with a bicycle gets at something basic about how trikes work. A two-wheeled bicycle stays upright through motion and constant small corrections from the rider. When you're moving at a decent pace, those corrections are almost automatic. When you're starting, stopping or moving slowly, they demand more attention and more physical control. Add a passenger and the challenge grows.

A trike simply doesn't have that problem in the same way. With three wheels on the ground, it stands on its own when stopped. You can come to a halt, put your feet down at your own pace, wait for traffic or let a passenger climb on without wrestling to hold the frame up. For many seniors, that alone is the difference between riding and not riding.

This is a big part of why we keep a dedicated collection of electric trikes for seniors. Stability, an upright seating position, and electric assist that takes the strain out of hills and headwinds add up to a machine that lets people keep riding well past the age when a traditional bicycle starts to feel risky.

Trikes do handle differently, and it's worth being honest about that. Because you can't lean a three-wheeler into a turn the way you lean a bicycle, you'll want to take corners at a slower, steadier pace, especially with passengers. Most new trike riders get comfortable with this within a ride or two. Don, for his part, looked at ease almost immediately, which matches what we hear from many riders his age.

If you're shopping for a three-wheeler, you'll see plenty of options: recumbents, folding trikes, cargo trikes, tandems and more. So where does a rickshaw fit?

The simplest answer is that a rickshaw is built to share the ride. A cargo trike carries groceries. A tandem trike carries a second rider who also pedals. A rickshaw carries passengers who get to sit back and enjoy the view while the rider handles the work, with the electric motor doing much of the heavy lifting.

That makes it a natural fit for grandparents, for families with young children, for people who care for a spouse or friend with limited mobility, and for anyone who simply enjoys bringing others along. If you'd rather your companion pedal with you, our tandem eTrikes are worth a look, but for many families the passenger seat is the whole appeal. Nobody has to keep up; everyone just comes along.

Because rickshaws are designed for extra riders, total weight capacity is one of the most important numbers to check. It covers the rider, the passengers and anything else you bring. If carrying capacity is a top priority, our high weight capacity eTrikes collection is a helpful place to compare. Always stay within the limit listed for the specific model you choose.

Rickshaws also pair well with a few add-ons. A canopy offers shade for passengers on sunny afternoons, and you can browse options in our canopies section. For coastal riders in particular, shade can make the difference between a short ride and a long, relaxed one.

Don's excitement about bringing his grandchildren along is exactly the kind of thing we love to hear. It also comes with responsibility, and the good news is that a few simple habits go a long way.

Start solo. Before anyone climbs on the back, spend some time riding the rickshaw by yourself. Learn how it accelerates, how it brakes, how it turns and how it feels at low speed. Practice in an empty parking lot or a quiet path until starts and stops feel second nature.

Add weight gradually. Once you're comfortable riding alone, try it with an adult passenger who can give you feedback. A loaded trike takes a little longer to stop and turns a little differently, so it's worth feeling that difference before you have young riders aboard.

Helmets for everyone. Riders and passengers alike should wear properly fitted helmets, every ride. You'll find options in our helmets collection.

Set passenger rules. Kids should stay seated, keep hands and feet inside the ride area, and hold on whenever the trike is moving. Make it part of the routine before every ride, the same way you'd buckle a seatbelt in a car.

Pick your routes. Bike paths, quiet residential streets and park loops are ideal. Avoid busy roads and steep descents with passengers, and take turns slowly. Good brakes make all of this easier; if stopping power is a priority, our eTrikes with disc brakes are a smart place to start.

Check local rules. Regulations about carrying passengers, particularly children, on electric bikes and trikes vary by location. A quick check of your local guidelines before your first family outing is always worth the effort.

It's easy to hear Don praise the power and assume more is always better. On a passenger trike, though, power is only half the equation. The other half is control: how smoothly that power comes on, how easily you can scale it back, and how confidently you can bring everything to a stop.

Most electric trikes let you choose a level of pedal assistance. Lower levels give a gentle boost that's perfect for crowded paths or new riders. Higher levels make hills and headwinds feel easy. With passengers on board, many riders like to start in a low setting, then step up once they're rolling and the path is clear. It keeps launches smooth and passengers comfortable.

Parking and maneuvering are another place control matters. A rickshaw is longer than a standard trike, and backing it into a garage or out of a tight spot can be awkward. Some riders find a reverse function genuinely useful here. If that sounds helpful, browse our reverse gear eTrikes to see which models include it.

The bottom line is that Don's enthusiasm for the acceleration is well placed, and it's even better when it comes paired with a rider who understands how to use it gently. Power gets you moving. Control is what makes the ride relaxing for the people behind you.

Based on Don's ride and what we hear from customers, a few types of riders tend to get the most from an electric rickshaw.

Grandparents who want to be part of the outdoor fun. This is Don's story. A rickshaw turns a walk to the park or a trip down the beach path into an adventure for the kids, while the adult up front enjoys a stable, powered ride.

Riders who no longer feel steady on two wheels. If balance has become a concern, a trike can bring back the joy of riding without the worry. The rickshaw adds the ability to share that joy with someone else.

Caregivers and companions. People caring for a partner or friend who can't ride on their own often find a passenger trike lets them get outside together again.

Coastal and resort-town riders. Fat tires, a relaxed pace and room for passengers make rickshaws a natural fit for boardwalks, beach paths and laid-back neighborhoods. San Clemente, where Don took his ride, is a perfect example.

If you're still deciding between styles, our Buyer’s Guide breaks down the differences across our lineup, and the Bike Advice blog has plenty more rider stories and practical how-tos.

Don's video captures the feeling of a great test ride. Before turning that feeling into a purchase, it helps to work through a few practical questions.

How will you get on and off? Sit on the rickshaw if you can, or at least compare seat and step-through heights with your own comfortable range. Remember Don's first comment about sitting higher.

Who will ride in back, and how much do they weigh together? Add up the rider, passengers and any gear, then compare that total against the model's listed capacity.

Where will you store it? Rickshaws are larger than standard bikes. Measure your garage, shed or covered area, and think about how you'll get it in and out.

What routes will you ride? Flat beach paths, hilly neighborhoods and gravel park trails each put different demands on motor, tires and brakes.

What support do you want after the sale? It's reasonable to ask about coverage and service. Our warranty page explains coverage, our shipping page covers delivery, and the assembly instructions show what setup looks like when your trike arrives. If spreading out the cost would help, see the financing options.

Answering these honestly before you buy is the best way to make sure your first family ride feels the way Don's test ride did.

Once the rickshaw is home and you've practiced on your own, the fun part begins. A little planning makes that first ride with the grandkids feel easy instead of rushed.

Keep the first trip short. Fifteen or twenty minutes is plenty. Young passengers are usually thrilled just to be riding, and a short loop lets you get used to the extra weight without anyone getting tired, hot or restless. You can always go longer next time, and ending while everyone still wants more is a great way to build excitement for the next ride.

Choose a destination, not just a route. Kids love having somewhere to go: an ice cream stand, a playground, a spot to watch the waves or the ducks. A destination breaks the ride into two shorter legs with a rest in the middle, which is easier on the rider and keeps passengers engaged.

Ride at a time of day that suits everyone. Early mornings and late afternoons tend to be quieter on paths and cooler in summer. Midday sun can be tough on small passengers, which is another reason a canopy and a water bottle are worth bringing along.

Pack light but smart. Water, sunscreen, a light layer for the ride home and a small first-aid kit cover most situations. A bag or pannier keeps everything organized and out of the way; our bags and panniers section has options that fit a range of trikes.

Charge the battery the night before. It sounds obvious, but a full battery means you can use more assist when you want it and never have to worry about the ride home. Electric assist range drops as load increases, so with passengers aboard it's wise to plan shorter distances than you'd ride alone until you learn how your trike performs.

Let the kids be part of it. Have them help check that helmets are on and buckled, remind each other to stay seated, and pick the destination. Kids who feel involved are more likely to follow the rules, and the ride becomes something you do together rather than something done for them.

Most of all, go at your own pace. One of the best things about a rickshaw is that it doesn't ask you to keep up with anyone. Don's ride shows how quickly a well-designed trike can make an older rider feel at home. Give yourself the same patience, and the confidence will follow.

There's no substitute for doing what Don did: sitting on the trike, feeling the motor kick in, and taking a loop to see how it handles. If you're in Southern California, you can come test ride our bikes and trikes in person. Details are on our Visit Us page.

If a visit isn't practical, you still have a way to try before you commit. Our 30-day test ride gives you a month to ride at home, on your own routes, with the people you plan to carry. That's arguably an even better test than a few minutes at headquarters, because you'll see how the rickshaw fits into your actual life: your driveway, your storage space, your neighborhood paths and your grandkids' enthusiasm.

You can also watch more rides like this one in our Video Blog, where riders of all ages share what they noticed on their first outing. Hearing from people in a similar stage of life is one of the best ways to picture yourself on the same machine.

Strip away the excitement and the short exclamations, and Don's test ride boils down to a handful of clear impressions. The rickshaw sits a little higher than he expected. It accelerates well and has plenty of power. The fat tires grip the road with real confidence. And, most importantly, it gave a 75-year-old rider the sense of balance and safety he'd need to bring his grandchildren along.

That last point is the one that stays with you. Plenty of products are fun for a few minutes. Fewer change what someone believes they can do. When Don stepped off and started picturing his grandkids in the back, he wasn't thinking about features anymore. He was thinking about time together, outdoors, on his own terms.

That's what we hope every rider finds on a sixthreezero trike. If Don's ride has you curious, start by browsing our rickshaw collection, take a few minutes with the fitting tool, and then go ride one. Bring the grandkids along for the second trip.