Seniors: How to Choose the Right Electric Trike for You

How I Help Seniors Choose the Right Electric Trike

I've worked in the bike and e-bike industry for about 20 years, and one question comes up from older riders more than almost any other: which electric trike is actually right for me? It's a fair question. Walk into our showroom and you'll see folding trikes, four-wheelers, recumbents, rickshaws, a leaning trike with two wheels up front, and a tandem built for two. They all have at least three wheels and a motor. Beyond that, they're built for very different people.

So instead of reciting spec sheets, I want to do what I do with customers in person. I'm going to walk down the line, model by model, and tell you who I typically see buying each one, what they love about it, and where I'd point someone in a different direction. The goal is simple. I want to help you line yourself up with the trike that suits your body and your plans, so it actually gets you out riding instead of sitting in the garage.

If you want the full technical breakdown on any model, every product page has it, and we have dedicated videos on our YouTube channel that go much deeper into each trike than I will here. You can also browse our full lineup of electric trikes for seniors while you read along.

Two Questions That Narrow It Down Fast

Before we get to individual models, there are two things I ask almost every senior who's shopping for a trike. The first is about riding position. The second is about balance. Answer those honestly and you'll rule out a good part of the lineup before you ever look at a price.

Traditional Pedaling or Forward Pedaling?

When I say "traditional trike," I mean a trike where the pedals sit right below the seat, the way they do on a standard bicycle. To get proper leg extension on a setup like that, you raise or lower the seat. That works well for a lot of people, especially riders who've been on bikes their whole lives and want that familiar feel under them.

The trade-off is height. The more leg extension you need, the higher that seat goes. A higher seat makes it harder to get on and off, and for some riders it creates a sensation of tipping, even when the trike itself is perfectly stable. That's one of the most common reasons I hear seniors say a traditional trike isn't working for them.

On many of our trikes, the pedals are moved forward, out in front of your body. That lets the seat sit lower to the ground, and you get your leg extension by pedaling out in front of you rather than straight down. A lower seat adds stability and makes mounting and dismounting easier. It does feel a little different from a regular bike riding position, and that's worth knowing going in.

How Steady Are You, Really?

The second question is about balance. If your stability is still pretty good and you're moving to three wheels mostly for peace of mind, nearly the whole lineup is open to you. If you're dealing with moderate to severe balance issues, I'll usually steer you toward a lower seat, a forward pedaling position, or even four wheels. And there's one model in our lineup that leans and still asks you to hold yourself upright. I'll flag that clearly when we get to it.

What Every Trike in Our Lineup Shares

A few features are common across the lineup, so I'll cover them once here rather than repeating them for every model.

Every trike we make has both a throttle and pedal assist. With pedal assist, the motor helps while you pedal. With the throttle, you press it and the trike goes without you pedaling at all. Plenty of riders use both on the same outing. If a throttle is a must-have for you, our electric trikes with throttle control are all in one place.

They're also all seven-speed, just like the gears you'd have on a bicycle. You shift them to adjust your cadence so your pedaling matches up with the assistance from the motor, or simply to change your pedaling cadence when you're riding without the motor.

And every trike out there except the rickshaws has reverse, which you operate through the throttle. Reverse sounds like a small detail until you're trying to back out of a tight parking spot or turn around in a narrow driveway on something with three wheels and a rear basket. You can see the models that carry it in our reverse gear electric trikes collection.

I'll start where I usually start in the showroom, with the Easy Transit, our compact folding electric trike. When I think about who buys this one, the pattern is very consistent. It's people who want something they can transport easily.

These are often riders who travel a lot. The Easy Transit folds up and can be stored inside an RV or in the back of an SUV. You can actually fit two of them side by side in the back of an SUV and still have cargo space left over. For couples who spend part of the year on the road, or who'd rather drive to a favorite path than ride to it, that matters a great deal.

Power in a Small Package

Compact doesn't mean underpowered. Both versions have a 750-watt motor and a 10.4 amp-hour battery. The range is up to 50 miles, and the top speed is 16 miles per hour. For a trike that folds into the back of a vehicle, that's a lot of capability.

There are two versions: one with a 2-inch tire and one with a 4-inch tire. The wider 4-inch tire gives you a little more stability and makes it a good choice for off-road trails. Either way, the trike is very short and very narrow. That makes it easy to handle in tight spaces and easy to bring along wherever you're headed.

The Honest Downside: It Feels Like a Tricycle

I want to be upfront about the one thing I hear people don't like. The Easy Transit feels like a tricycle. The steering feels like a traditional trike, and if you have a hard time getting used to that, this may not be the model for you. You'll find that's true of any traditional trike, not just this one.

It's also traditional in its pedal position. The pedals sit right below the seat, so you raise and lower the seat to get enough leg extension when you ride. For a lot of seniors, that's where the frustration comes in. Raising the seat puts you up higher, which makes it harder to get on and off. It can also create a sensation that you're tipping. Other trikes in our lineup move the pedals out in front of your body and drop the seat lower, and they feel quite different as a result.

None of this is a flaw so much as a trait. A traditional trike rides the way it does because of where the pedals are. Some riders love that upright, familiar position. Others never quite settle into it. The point is to know which camp you're in before you buy.

Who I'd Recommend It For

If you have stability or balance issues that are moderate to severe, I'd tell you plainly that there are better options for you in terms of stability. This isn't the trike I'd hand to someone who's already nervous about tipping.

But if your stability is still pretty good, you're just getting into a trike, and you want something small and compact that's still powerful, the Easy Transit is a really good option. We sell a lot of them to exactly that rider: someone who wants something compact, easy to navigate, easy to store, and easy to take along.

A few questions worth asking yourself before you choose it. How often will this trike ride inside a vehicle? How much storage space do you really have at home? And are you comfortable at a traditional bike seat height, with the pedals under you? If your answers lean toward "often," "not much," and "yes," you're probably the Easy Transit rider.

Next up are our four-wheelers. They're not trikes in the strict sense, but they belong in this conversation, because a lot of seniors who start out shopping for a trike end up here. You can see the whole group in our 4-wheel e-bikes collection.

We have three four-wheel models: the Simple Glide 4-Wheel, the ANYterrain 4-Wheel, and the ANYterrain 4-Wheel Recumbent. The recumbent wasn't on the floor the day I filmed, but I'll cover it here too, because for some riders it's the best of the three.

Why Four Wheels Feel Different

These don't feel like trikes. I think they steer a little differently, and with four wheels on the ground you get increased stability. The seniors I typically see choosing a four-wheeler fall into two groups. Some have had a bad experience on three wheels. Others simply like the idea of having four wheels touching the earth. If either of those sounds like you, a four-wheeler is a great choice.

Simple Glide 4-Wheel: Your Own Mini Golf Cart

The Simple Glide 4-Wheel is structured like your own mini golf cart. You sit in a captain's chair, it's very stable, and it's a genuinely different type of ride. If you want something that works as your personal mobility device, it's really fun. You've got cargo space, with a basket in the back and a basket in the front.

The pedals are out in front of your body, so the seat sits lower and you get your leg extension by pushing forward. You can also add a canopy and a windshield. Those just make you feel safe and secure, while you're still keeping your legs moving.

The rider I picture on the Simple Glide 4-Wheel is someone with a little less mobility who likes the stability of four wheels but still wants to be out pedaling and running errands. It's the around-the-community four-wheeler: stable, comfortable, and practical for the short trips that make up most of a week.

ANYterrain 4-Wheel: For the Adventurer Who Wants Four Wheels

The ANYterrain 4-Wheel has a 4-inch wide tire, and it can handle off-road trails or pavement. It has baskets in the front and back as well, so you don't give up cargo space for the extra capability.

Here's the key difference between the two. Where the Simple Glide 4-Wheel has the pedals out in front of your body, the ANYterrain sits like a traditional trike or a traditional bike. You raise and lower the seat to get your leg extension. So it's going to feel like a regular bike, except you have four wheels. If you like the position of a regular bike but you want four wheels, it's a great choice.

We get a lot of seniors who are still active, who still want to be on something beefier that can do trails, but who like the stability of four wheels. If you're still a bit of an adventurer and you want something you feel can take on the off-road, the ANYterrain is a great option.

ANYterrain 4-Wheel Recumbent: Comfort Meets Capability

The recumbent version keeps the four-wheel action and adds a captain's chair. It sits lower to the ground, you have a reclining seat, and you're pedaling out in front of your body. You still get the off-road-ready four-wheel platform, but in a much more comfortable seated position. It's a strong fit for the trail-curious rider who would rather sit back than sit up.

Bringing a Passenger

On some of our four-wheel setups, you can also change the rear basket out for a seat. If you want to bring a passenger along with you, that's a lot of fun, and it turns a solo ride into something you can share.

The Relaxed Body is a really cool one to explain, because it bridges two worlds. At a glance, it resembles a traditional trike. Look a little closer and you'll see the seat has been lowered and the pedals have been shifted forward. So you get that recumbent feel, while it still looks like a trike.

Who It's For

If you're a senior who likes the idea of a regular trike, but you want it to be a little easier to mount and dismount, and you still want a traditional seat, the Relaxed Body is a good choice. A lot of the riders who pick it like the familiar shape of a trike. They just don't want to climb up onto a high seat to get proper leg extension.

That lowered seat is the whole idea. Because the pedals are forward, you don't need to raise the seat to get your legs extended. You get on lower, you sit lower, and you push out in front of you instead of straight down. If you've ever felt that tipping sensation on a tall seat, you'll notice the difference the first time you sit on this one. It sits right at home among our easy-to-mount e-trikes with a low step-thru.

How It Rides

It's going to sit and feel a lot like a bicycle did, just with the pedals shifted forward and the seat brought down. Riders tell me they like the riding position, the pedaling position, and how they sit on it. It doesn't ask you to learn a completely new posture, which matters if you've ridden bikes for decades and want something that still feels like riding a bike.

It's also incredibly stable, thanks to the elongated frame. That longer frame is a big part of why it feels so planted, and it's one more reason riders who are a little nervous about three wheels end up comfortable on it.

Cargo Space That Gets Used

A lot of seniors opt for the Relaxed Body because they like the cargo space in the back. A rear basket is one of those features people underrate until they own one. It's the difference between a trike you take out for a loop around the block and a trike you use to run to the store, carry a bag to the park, or bring something home with you.

Reading the Signals

When someone tells me they want a trike that looks like a trike, but they don't want to feel perched up high, this is the model I walk them over to. When someone tells me they want maximum back support or a chair-style seat, I usually point them elsewhere, because the Relaxed Body keeps a traditional seat by design. That's part of its appeal: you get a lower, more stable position without giving up the classic saddle many riders prefer.

The Bottom Line

If you want the look of something like a traditional trike, but you want that recumbent feel and the stability, the Relaxed Body is a good choice. It's lower, easier to get on and off, stable from end to end, and familiar enough that most riders feel at home on it quickly.

If someone asks me which trike in our lineup is the most comfortable, I point them to the Simple Glide. This is really the trike if you want maximum comfort. You've got a backrest for back support and a huge cushioned platform seat, which can now also be upgraded to a captain's-chair-style seat. Browse our recumbent electric trikes to see the different configurations.

It's one of our best sellers and a genuine fan favorite. Part of that comes down to how it handles. The Simple Glide doesn't feel or steer like a traditional trike at all. It's very intuitive and very easy to get used to, which takes a lot of the worry out of those first few rides.

The Versions

There are several versions of the Simple Glide, and choosing between them is mostly a question of how much power you need:

• A 500-watt model with a 2-inch tire.
• A 750-watt model with a 4-inch fat tire.
• A 750-watt recumbent version with a 4-inch fat tire.
• A dual-motor, dual-battery version with 1,500 watts of power and 30 amp-hours of battery.

For comparison, the single-motor versions carry 15 amp-hours of battery, so the dual-battery model doubles that capacity.

Matching the Motor to Your Riding

Here's how I explain it. You want maximum comfort, but you still want the ability to do everything. Maybe you want to go out in town. Maybe you want to take on trails. Maybe you have huge hills where you live. The Simple Glide range covers all of that, but each version suits a slightly different rider.

If you're mostly looking for something for flat ground and you don't need a ton of power, the 500-watt is good. I see a lot of older riders who don't need that power, but who want the stability and comfort, choose the 500-watt. It does the job without asking you to pay for capability you'll never use.

Even among older riders who want comfort first, some still want to get after it a little and get out on the trails. For them, the fat tires and extra power of the 750-watt are nice to have. If you want to take on trails but only need a single motor, that's the one.

The dual motor is a good fit for heavier seniors and for anyone who rides where there are a lot of hills. If you want to make sure you've got either the battery range or the power, the dual motor is it. When someone tells me their regular route includes big climbs, that's where I point them.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before you pick a version, think through three things. Where will you ride most often: flat neighborhood paths, a mix of pavement and trails, or hilly roads? How much weight will the trike be carrying, between you and whatever you bring along? And how far do you want to go before you have to think about charging? Answer those honestly and the right Simple Glide usually becomes obvious.

Why Comfort Is Worth Prioritizing

For a lot of seniors, comfort isn't a luxury feature. It's the thing that decides whether you keep riding. If the seat hurts or your back aches partway through a ride, the trike starts spending more time parked than moving. The backrest, the wide cushioned seat, and the intuitive steering are what keep Simple Glide owners going out again and again.

So if you want that comfort and that stability, and you still want the option of doing a little bit of everything, this is the model I'd look at first. Our most comfortable electric trikes collection is a good place to start comparing.

The rickshaw is pretty easy to explain. It's for the senior who has a partner or a friend they want to bring along who can't ride on their own, or for the grandparent who wants to put the grandkids on the back. We have a lot of grandparents out there choosing the EVRYjourney electric rickshaw for exactly that reason, and it's a lot of fun.

Easy to Ride, Plenty of Power

The rickshaw is easy to steer and easy to get used to. The question I hear most often is some version of: can I bring my grandkids, and will it give me enough power? Absolutely it will. The power it provides will do everything you need. You can press the throttle and it will go without you having to do any work, if you'd rather not pedal.

One thing worth repeating from earlier: the rickshaws are the one part of our lineup without reverse. It isn't a deal-breaker for most riders, but it's worth thinking about how and where you'll park it.

Versions and Seating Options

Beyond the standard model, there are other versions of the rickshaw, including a dual-motor, dual-battery version and a recumbent version. Neither was on the floor the day I filmed, but both are worth knowing about.

The recumbent rickshaw is the one to look at if you want something comfortable to ride when you don't have passengers. It has a captain's chair, and you still have the seat on the back. So sometimes you ride by yourself, and when the grandkids come over, you put them on the back. As with our other recumbents, you're pedaling out in front of your body.

How Much Power Do You Need?

The rickshaw comes in different motor sizes: a 750-watt version, a 1,000-watt version, and the dual motor at 1,500 watts. You have to think about how much power you need and where you're going to ride. For flat ground, 750 watts is just fine.

There's also a trailer hitch on the back, so you can attach a second row or an extra cargo basket. If you do that, or if you're bringing some heavier grandchildren, you may want the extra power, depending on the hills and the terrain you ride on. Our e-trikes for passengers collection gathers the setups built around carrying people.

Staying Young and Staying Connected

These can be a lot of fun for our senior community, both to stay young and, especially, to connect with the grandkids. Maybe you're in charge of school pickups one or two days a week. If you're within riding distance, the rickshaw could be a really great choice, and it turns a routine errand into something everyone looks forward to.

The same goes for a partner or friend who can't ride anymore. A rickshaw gets them outside and along for the ride, rather than watching from the porch while you head out alone.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Who will ride on the back, and how often? How much will your passengers weigh, and will you ever want to hitch on a second row or extra basket? Are your usual routes flat, or do they include hills? And do you want to ride comfortably on your own between passenger trips? Those answers tell you whether the standard, the bigger-motor, or the recumbent rickshaw is your best fit.

Our Two Front Wheel e-trike is a tadpole-style, tilting reverse trike, with two wheels up front and one in the back. It's for the senior rider who's transitioning from a two-wheel bike to a three-wheel bike and doesn't feel ready to fully commit to a traditional three-wheeler. You'll find it in our two front wheel e-trikes collection.

It Leans, and That Changes Everything

With two wheels in front, you might expect it to feel rigid. It doesn't. It leans and it's agile, so it feels just like a two-wheel bike. If you've ridden bikes your whole life and the idea of steering like a tricycle doesn't appeal to you, this is the trike that keeps that familiar two-wheel feel.

There's also a fat tire version. You get extra stability from the wider tires as well as from the two wheels up front.

Important: You Still Need to Balance

I want to be very clear about this one. Because it leans, it does require you to steer and keep it upright. If you're a senior who suffers from balance issues and you can't balance on your own, this would not be the trike for you.

But if you're jumping from a two-wheeler to a three-wheeler, and you feel you can still balance but you'd like a little extra support, it's great. Think of it as the in-between step: more support than a two-wheel bike, with more of the riding feel you already know than a traditional trike offers.

Fun to Ride

These can corner, they're fun, and they're quick. It runs a 750-watt motor, and of everything in our lineup, it's the one that feels most like a lively bike ride. That's why active riders who aren't ready to give up that feeling tend to gravitate toward it.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Do you still ride a two-wheel bike comfortably today? When you come to a stop, do you feel steady holding the bike up? Is part of the appeal of riding, for you, the feel of leaning into a corner? If you answer yes to those, the Two Front Wheel deserves a serious look. If you hesitate on the balance questions, that hesitation is worth listening to, and a non-leaning trike will likely serve you better.

Last but not least is the one that speaks for itself: the bicycle built for two. Our EVRYjourney tandem e-trike is great if you have a partner who can't ride on their own, but you want to keep their legs moving.

How the Pedals Work

On the tandem, the pedals are connected. If one rider is pedaling, you both have to pedal. There is a small platform in the back where the rear rider can rest their feet, but you have to have small feet to fit on it and make sure you don't get hit by the pedals. Keep that in mind if your passenger has larger feet.

If you both decide not to pedal, you can just use the throttle and go. So you can head out for a ride, use the throttle when you want to take a break, and pick the pedaling back up when you're ready.

Keeping a Loved One Active

This is where the tandem really earns its place. Maybe the person in the back, whether that's your partner, a friend, or your son or daughter, can't really put much tension on their legs. It would still be good for them to keep their legs moving. With the pedals turning, their feet turn too. That makes the tandem a good option for keeping that rider active.

Or Just Ride Together

It doesn't have to be about mobility, of course. Maybe you just like to get out with your partner and ride together. It's a lot of fun. You've got a cargo basket in the back, and a 750-watt rear-mounted motor does the heavy lifting when you want it to.

I see the tandem as a great fit for active seniors who want to be out together, still enjoying the sun as a couple. I've got more videos on it over on our YouTube channel if you want to see it in action.

Here's a quick recap of how I'd line yourself up with the right model:

• If you travel, own an RV, or need a trike that fits in a vehicle, and your balance is still good, look at the Easy Transit.
• If you've had a bad experience on three wheels or simply want four on the ground, look at the four-wheelers: the Simple Glide 4-Wheel for errands around the community, the ANYterrain 4-Wheel for trails, and the ANYterrain Recumbent for trail capability with a reclined seat.
• If you want the look of a classic trike with a lower seat and forward pedals, look at the Relaxed Body.
• If comfort is your top priority, look at the Simple Glide, and match the motor to your terrain and your weight.
• If you want to bring grandkids, a partner, or a friend along, look at the EVRYjourney Rickshaw.
• If you're moving from two wheels to three and can still balance on your own, look at the Two Front Wheel.
• If you want to ride with a partner and keep their legs moving, look at the EVRYjourney Tandem.

Test Ride It at Home

Choosing from a screen only gets you so far. That's why we offer a 30-day test ride on your e-trike. If you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back. No questions asked, no money out of your pocket. Every trike is also backed by our warranty, so if something goes wrong, we'll take care of it, parts and labor.

Come Ride One in Person

If you're anywhere near Southern California, come out for a test ride. Visit our store in San Clemente, California, and test ride any of our e-trikes before you purchase. Sitting on a traditional trike, then a recumbent, then a four-wheeler back to back tells you more in ten minutes than any video can, and it's the best way to make sure you're making the right choice.

Talk to Real Riders First

I'd also encourage you to join our community before you buy. We have a Facebook group called sixthreezero Pedalers with thousands of members. Join before you purchase and talk to existing riders, so you can hear firsthand how their trikes work for them. Once you have yours, post in the group and make some friends. And download our app to track your rides and compete on the leaderboard.

Still Have Questions?

If something is still unanswered, reach out. You can email the team at theteam@sixthreezero.com or call us at (310) 982-2877, and we'll help you sort through the options.

Thanks for sticking with me through the whole lineup. And don't forget: it's your journey. Enjoy the ride.