How Does a Parking Brake on an Electric Tricycle Work? Can it Stop an ETrike from Rolling on a Hill?

Showing you a parking brake on a three-wheel e-bike.

Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I have nearly 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry and today I'm going to demonstrate to you the parking brake on a three-wheel e-bike. All right, I have got the EZ Transit 750-watt foldable e-trike here, and this has an awesome parking brake feature, which I have engaged right now. You can see we're pointed down a hill right here. The parking brake feature can come in usually a couple of different ways.

This one has a, on the top lever here, have you pull the lever and you see this right here, you click that in place and the brake will stay. Some options have a little push button, when you pull it back you push the button in and it locks the brake. It's essentially like what you see on a gas pump, how you pull the gas pump, you click something in and it keeps the lever engaged. So basically what you're just doing here is you're keeping the lever engaged to make sure the calipers or the brake pads are clamping down on the rotors in this situation. So, you want the pads. So, what I want to show you is if I let go of the brakes, I just want to demonstrate, that the bike's going to roll away, okay?

There we go. So, we are on and hill right now, and if I did not have these parking brakes engaged, our trike would have rolled away. So, cool thing right here, again, just pull that. I've got it on both sides. One of the brakes is usually enough, but I can engage both, and then from there, the trike's not going anywhere this trike right now weighs about 70 pounds so you can see that on this decline here it holds no problem so that's also a cool feature just to have even on flat ground as you're mounting or dismounting your trike if you want to engage the brakes so the bike doesn't go anywhere and you don't have to worry about pulling them yourself that's also kind of nice and like on a hill as an example I can just get on right now and I don't have to pull the brakes at all. And I can sit here and don't have to worry about rolling away or anything. So makes mounting and dismounting so much easier and safer. Safety is the keyword.

How To Use The Parking Brake On A Cruiser E Trike?

The parking brake on a cruiser e trike helps to keep it stable whenever you park it. With this in mind, here are some simple and easy steps that will allow you to use the parking brakes.

1. Find The Parking Brake Lever Or Pedal - You should look for the brake pedal or lever under the seat or near the handlebar. This may further differ depending on your e-trike model, yet is easy to spot.
2. Engage The Brake By Polling Or Pressing - Next, you must press the pedal or pull the lever until it locks. As a result, this will stop the cruiser e trike from rolling over when you park it on uneven or sloppy ground.
3. Check The Brake Is Completely Engaged - You also need to check if the brake is securely locked. A partially engaged brake might not keep the trike in place and further lead to accidents.
4. Release The Brake Before Riding - To start riding, you should press or pull the lever as well in the opposite direction. Afterwards, it will release the brake and will allow your cruiser e trike to move in a safe and free way.
5. Check The Brake Regularly For Safety - You should also inspect the parking brakes at regular intervals to make sure they work in the right way. If you come across any issues, you must fix them to avoid any safety problems.

To conclude, using the parking brake is a simple and easy way to keep your cruiser e trike safe when you park it. Moreover, you should always check if it is working before use for smooth and secure rides.

Characteristics That Affect The Parking Brake’s Effectiveness In Electric Tricycle

The effectiveness of a parking brake on a comfortable electric trike is influenced by several factors. These characteristics determine how well the braking system maintains the bike’s stability when it is stationary.

1. Brake Design: The type of parking brake system (Whether Electrical or Mechanical) affects how your tricycle stays in place. A well-designed brake completely engages and also resists disengagement due to inclines.
2. Vehicle Weight Distribution: The weight balance in the electric tricycle also influences the brake’s effectiveness. Hence, uneven weight can cause the parking brake to struggle against movement.
3. Surface Conditions: The friction between the tires and the bike’s surface is crucial. On slippery or smooth surfaces, a parking brake may not hold. As a result, this eventually reduces its ability to prevent the bike from rolling off.
4. Brake Material Quality: High-quality brake materials for your comfortable electric trike ensure a reliable hold. On the other hand, lower-grade materials might wear out, further causing the parking brake to lose its effectiveness.
5. Incline And Slope Angle: The steeper the incline will be, the harder the parking brake will have to work to hold your electric tricycle in place. For this reason, tricycles that are parked on steep slopes need a robust braking system for effective performance.
6. Motor Resistance: The motor’s regenerative braking function may provide the brake's efficacy as well. If the motor doesn’t resist movement enough, you might need to avail extra brake support.

The parking brake’s performance relies on these interrelated characteristics. Hence, they ensure the vehicle stays stationary and safe in various conditions, whether on level grounds or inclines.

So have any other questions at all about parking brakes on three-wheel bikes or e-bikes? Reach out to us at theteam@sixthreezero.com or call us at 310-982-2877. In addition to that, we're offering a 30-day test ride on your e-trike policy. If you don't love it in 30 days, send it back. No questions asked, no money out of your pocket. We also warranty everything for up to a year. Parts and labor will take care of it in the first year. Lastly, join our Facebook group, sixthreezero Pedalers.

Thousands of members are in there. Jump in there, join the group, and ask questions about trikes, e-trikes, the easy transit before you buy your own. Then when you have yours, post in the group, and make friends, it's tons of fun. Then you can also download our app and track your rides and compete on the leaderboard. That is fun as well. So thanks for sticking around and don't forget, it's your journey, your experience. Enjoy the ride.