Simple Glide Dual Motor eTrike: The Complete Owner's Guide

Where the Dual Motor Fits in the Simple Glide Family

The Simple Glide has become one of the most popular electric trikes we make, and over time it has grown into a small family of models. There is a 500 watt version, a 750 watt single motor fat tire version, a Deluxe edition, and now the Simple Glide Dual Motor. That last one is the subject of this guide, and it is the most capable trike in the lineup by a wide margin.

Dustin, our head fit specialist, has spent roughly 20 years in the bike and ebike business, and he has put a lot of miles on this trike. He recently walked through every feature on camera, from the battery locks to the settings menu buried inside the display. This article turns that walkthrough into something you can read at your own pace, refer back to when you are adjusting your trike, or use to decide whether the Dual Motor is the right fit before you buy.

We will go roughly from the big picture down to the small details: first the motors, batteries and drivetrain, then the physical adjustments you can make to the seat, footrest and handlebars, then the controls and display, and finally what a first ride actually looks like. If you already own one and just need a specific answer, skim the headings and jump to the section you need.

Before getting into how everything works, here is what you are actually working with. The Dual Motor pairs a 750 watt rear motor with a 750 watt front motor, for a combined 1,500 watts when both are running. Power comes from two 15 amp hour batteries mounted at the back, giving you 30 amp hours of total capacity.

Top speed sits close to 28 mph in pedal assist, while the throttle is capped at 20 mph, which is the legal limit for throttle operation. The drivetrain is a seven-speed derailleur, the brakes are hydraulic discs, and the rear of the trike rides on a dual suspension setup tucked under the seat.

On the practical side, the trike ships with both a front basket and a rear basket, has mounting points for a canopy, includes integrated front and rear lights, and features a folding frame, folding handlebars, folding pedals, a parking brake, wheelie bars and a 2-inch hitch receiver for accessories. If you are browsing other options, it sits alongside our fat tire electric trikes and folding electric trikes, but none of them pair two motors the way this one does.

Two Motors, Three Ways to Ride

The defining feature of this trike is that you choose which motor does the work. You are not locked into running both all the time. You can ride on the rear 750 watt motor alone, the front 750 watt motor alone, or both together for the full 1,500 watts.

That flexibility matters more than it might sound. On flat neighborhood streets, a single motor is plenty, and it is gentler on the battery. When you hit a long climb or you are hauling a load in the baskets, switching both motors on gives you a noticeable jump in torque. Dustin describes the dual setup as powerful and torquey right off the line, and in his demo the difference in takeoff between dual and rear-only was obvious.

A sensible way to think about it: treat the rear motor as your everyday mode, and save the dual motor setting for the hills. You can switch modes from the display while you are riding, which we will cover in the controls section, so there is no need to stop at the bottom of a hill to change things.

One thing to keep in mind is that the assist levels behave differently depending on which motor mode you are in. Level one with both motors running is a lot stronger than level one on a single motor. So if you switch from rear-only to dual while you are sitting at a higher assist level, expect a bigger push than you are used to.

The two 15 amp hour batteries sit at the rear of the trike, side by side. Together they give you 30 amp hours, which is a large reserve for a trike of this kind. In practical terms, it means you can run the more demanding modes, including dual motor and higher assist levels, without feeling like you are watching the battery gauge the whole ride.

You do not have to run both batteries at once. The trike will operate with just one installed and switched on. Dustin prefers to keep both on, and for most riders that is the simplest approach, but it is good to know you have the option if one battery is charging inside or you want to cut weight for a short trip.

Each battery weighs about 10 pounds. That is not light, but it is very manageable to carry into the house for charging. If you ever need a spare or a replacement charger, those are available in our batteries and chargers section. We cover how to remove, lock and charge them in detail further down.

Speed: What to Expect From Throttle and Pedal Assist

There are two speed ceilings to know about. When you are pedaling with assist, the Dual Motor will get you close to 28 mph. When you are using the throttle alone, it tops out at 20 mph. That throttle cap is there because 20 mph is the legal limit for throttle-only operation.

Top speed is not really the point of this trike, though. What the dual motor setup delivers is torque, which is what you feel when you pull away from a stop or start up a grade. Most riders will spend the majority of their time well under the top speed, and the extra power shows up as a trike that does not bog down on hills or when carrying groceries, a pet or a passenger trailer.

If you want to squeeze every bit of performance out of the motors, there is a power mode setting inside the display menu that changes how aggressively they deliver. We get to that in the settings section.

If you have ridden a 10-speed or 21-speed bike, the gears on the Simple Glide Dual Motor will feel familiar. It uses a seven-speed derailleur, which moves the chain between different sprockets on the rear wheel to make pedaling easier or harder.

Here is the part that confuses many new riders: the gears have nothing to do with the electric assist. They are a completely separate, mechanical system. The two work together while you ride, but you change them independently. Shifting gears does not change your assist level, and changing your assist level does not shift gears.

Gear one is the easiest to pedal and is the one you want for climbing. Gear seven is the hardest to pedal and is for when you are moving fast, both motors running, and want your pedaling to keep contributing. Most people settle into the middle gears for everyday riding.

There is one rule to remember: you can only shift gears while the trike is moving. Because the derailleur physically moves the chain from sprocket to sprocket, the chain has to be turning for the shift to happen. Shifting while stopped can leave the chain half between gears. The electric assist level, by contrast, can be changed any time, moving or parked. A good habit is to pick your gear with your assist level in mind. A higher assist level lets you ride in a harder gear comfortably, while a lower assist level usually pairs better with an easier gear.

Pedal Assist Levels

The Dual Motor has five levels of pedal assist, controlled with the plus and minus buttons on the left side of the handlebar. Each step up adds more motor help when you pedal. There is also a level zero, which is where the trike sits when you first power it on.

At level zero, the electric system is effectively off. That includes the throttle. If you power on, twist the throttle and nothing happens, check the screen first. You need to be in at least level one before the motors or the throttle will respond.

As mentioned above, the actual push you feel at each level depends on your motor mode. Level two on the rear motor alone feels very different from level two with both motors engaged. Dustin also points out that motor output is tied to the assist level, so if you are on the throttle and feel the trike is not getting up to speed, bumping the level up is usually the fix. If you are coming from a non-electric trike and want a broader overview of how assist and throttle differ, our ebike advice articles cover the basics.

Up front, there is a footrest platform that flips down so you can rest your feet while riding on throttle. It is a nice touch for longer cruises when you just want to relax.

The catch is that it has to be flipped up whenever you plan to pedal. If it is left down, your pedals will strike the platform as they come around. It is an easy thing to forget the first few times, so get in the habit of checking it before you set off.

Riders with large feet, roughly size 12 shoes and above, sometimes find that their heels brush against the footrest even when it is folded up. If that happens to you, the fix is simple. The footrest is held on with two bolts, and removing them takes the whole platform off. You lose the footrest, but you gain clean heel clearance on every pedal stroke.

Simple Glide Dual 750w

The seat height adjusts down at the frame, below the seat itself. On production trikes, this is done with hex bolts. Loosen them and the whole seat assembly can be raised or lowered, then tightened again at the height you want.

This is a two-person job. The seat assembly has some weight to it, and having one person lift and hold while the other tightens makes the process much easier and avoids scratching anything. Dustin also recommends spraying a little WD-40 into the sliding section first so it moves up and down smoothly.

For most riders, the lowest seat position works best, especially once you slide the seat back along its rails. Taller riders may want to raise it so their legs are not overly bent at the top of the pedal stroke. If you are not sure where you land, our fitting tool is a good place to get a recommendation based on your height and inseam.

Sliding the Seat and Fine-Tuning the Angle

Separately from height, the seat slides forward and backward on rails. This is how you find the right distance to the pedals, and it is a large part of why the Simple Glide fits such a wide range of riders. Shorter riders tend to slide forward, taller riders back.

There are a couple of less obvious adjustments too. On some trikes, there are spacers under the seat rails. If you find the seat sits a bit high for you, removing those spacers lowers it slightly.

The seat does not tilt on its own, but Dustin has found a workaround. On his demo trike, he added an extra washer under the rails to angle the seat back slightly. It does not come set up that way from the factory, but it is a small change that some riders find more comfortable over a long ride. If you try it, make sure everything is tightened back down securely.

The standard seat is comfortable, and Dustin personally prefers it for the pedaling position it gives him. That said, there is an optional captain's chair upgrade, available among our sixthreezero seats, which is noticeably cushier.

The trade-off is height. The captain's chair adds about 4 inches to the seat height because of its thicker padding. For riders around 5 foot 10 and taller, that is usually fine. For shorter riders, it can push you far enough from the pedals that pedaling becomes a stretch and less comfortable.

So the honest answer is that it depends on how you ride. If you mostly cruise on throttle with your feet on the footrest, the extra cushion may be worth it at almost any height. If you pedal a lot and you are under about 5 foot 10, the standard seat will likely serve you better. The captain's chair has one other advantage, which brings us to the next topic: it folds almost completely flat.

Removing the Backrest for Car Transport

One of the questions we hear most often is whether the standard seat's backrest folds down. It does not. If you are planning to load the trike into a car or SUV, that backrest can be the piece that keeps it from fitting.

The good news is that it comes off easily. Underneath the seat, the backrest is secured with two bolts on each side. With an Allen key, it takes about 10 minutes at most to remove them, and the same to put the backrest back on.

If you will be doing this regularly, Dustin suggests swapping the bolts for wing nuts, which you can take off and put back by hand without any tools. Just check that they are snug before every ride.

Alternatively, the captain's chair folds almost flat. With it folded, the basket becomes the tallest point of the trike, which can make a big difference when fitting it into a vehicle. Just remember the height trade-off described above.

The Folding Frame

The Dual Motor has a folding frame, and it is genuinely useful. Folded in half, the trike fits lengthwise in a short-bed pickup truck. Dustin has loaded it that way several times, and it is a quick process once you have done it once.

To fold it, loosen the frame clamp, then pull up on the quick release. From there, the frame starts to fold in half. To put it back, lift the frame back into position, bring the clamp in and tighten it down firmly. Always double-check that the clamp is fully tightened before riding.

Folding also helps with hitch-mounted flatbed racks. Depending on the rack, a folded trike can take up less length than an unfolded one, which may let you use a shorter rack. It is worth measuring your rack and the folded dimensions before you buy anything. If transport is a big part of how you plan to use your trike, take a look at our wider range of folding electric trikes too.

Stopping is handled by hydraulic disc brakes. They are self-adjusting, which means less fiddling as the pads wear, and they offer strong, consistent stopping power, which matters on a trike with this much motor behind it. You can browse other trikes with similar setups in our electric trikes with disc brakes collection. There are two brake levers on the handlebars, one for the rear and one for the front. Use them together for the smoothest, most controlled stops.

There is also a parking brake, which is handy on driveways, slopes or anywhere you do not want the trike to roll. To set it, flip the small switch up into the lock position, then squeeze the brake lever. It will hold the brake engaged so the trike stays put. Release the switch to free the brakes before you ride. When the brakes are engaged, you will see a small warning icon on the display. This is normal. It is just telling you the motor is disengaged because the brakes are on. Once you release the brakes, the icon disappears.

Rear Basket Placement

The rear basket comes with the trike, and there is one assembly detail that saves a lot of frustration later. Before you mount the basket, slide the seat all the way back to its rearmost position. Then mount the basket so there is clearance between the seat and the basket at that position.

If you skip this step and mount the basket close to the frame, you may later discover the seat cannot slide back as far as you need it to. Shorter riders who know their seat will always sit forward are welcome to mount the basket closer, which gives a slightly more compact rear end. Just make that decision deliberately rather than by accident. If you want more cargo space down the road, we offer additional baskets and bags and panniers, and the trike is also set up to accept a canopy for shade and light weather protection. Our full assembly instructions are a good resource if you are setting up a new trike.

Hitch Receiver and Wheelie Bars

At the very back of the trike there is a hitch receiver that takes a standard 2-inch hitch ball mount. You can buy the hitch ball from us or pick one up at a hardware or auto parts store. That hitch opens the door to several accessories, including a trailer, a trailer basket, or even an additional row of seating for passengers. If carrying people is a priority, our trikes for passengers collection shows other ways to do it. You will also notice wheelie bars at the back. These are an extra safety measure to keep the trike from tipping backward. Dustin notes he has never heard of a trike tipping that way, but with 1,500 watts available, the extra margin was worth building in.

Both batteries lock onto the frame with a key. To remove one, insert the key and turn it to unlock. Then, with the palm of your hand, give the battery a light tap. You do not need to hit it hard. A gentle push is enough to pop it free so you can slide it off the rails.

When the battery is locked, a small tab extends from the lock and holds the battery in place on the trike. That means nobody can simply walk off with it while the trike is parked. Turning the key retracts that tab.

To reinstall, line the battery up with the rails, push it forward onto them, then slide it back into place until it clicks. Once it is seated, lock it with the key. It is a quick process once you have done it a couple of times. Repeat the same steps for the second battery.

Unlocking the battery can take a moment the first time, since it is not always obvious which way the key turns. If it does not budge, try turning the key the other way.

The Battery Power Button and Charging

This is a step that trips up many new owners. Each battery has its own power button. For the trike to work, you need to press and hold that button until the indicator lights up green. Only then is the battery on and ready to supply power.

So there are actually two power-on steps: the battery button, then the display button on the handlebar. If the display will not come on, check the battery buttons first.

Each battery also has a charging port. Plug the included charger into the port and into any standard household outlet. You can charge with the batteries still on the trike or carry them inside. That is entirely up to you, and it is one of the conveniences of having removable batteries, especially if your trike lives in a garage or shed without an outlet nearby.

Adjusting the Handlebars and Stem

The front end of the Dual Motor offers plenty of adjustment, which goes a long way toward making the trike comfortable for different riders.

First, the stem has a hand-operated clamp you can loosen to change the reach and angle. There is also a pivot point where the bars can be adjusted. Between the two, you can bring the bars closer, push them away, or change their angle until your arms feel relaxed.

If you lock the clamp and the bars still move, there is an easy fix. Open the clamp, then tighten the small bolt next to it. That makes the clamp harder to close, which means it clamps more firmly once it is shut. Close it again and the bars should stay put.

Bar height is handled with a quick release, so raising or lowering them is simple. Finally, the handlebars fold down for transport by pressing the release, which pairs well with the folding frame when you are trying to fit the trike into a smaller space.

Under the rear seat is a dual suspension setup with two spring units. You can see them flex when weight goes on the seat. The job is straightforward: soak up bumps, cracks and rough patches so they do not travel straight up into your back.

It is not a stiff, rigid frame, and you can feel that on the road. Uneven pavement, gravel paths and the occasional curb cut all feel softer than they would on a trike without suspension. Combined with the seat, it makes longer rides noticeably more comfortable.

If comfort is your top priority when choosing a trike, our most comfortable electric trikes collection is worth a look for comparison.

Folding Pedals, the Rear Motor and the Derailleur

A few more details at the back. The rear motor is built into the rear drive area, and next to it sits the derailleur, the mechanical part that moves the chain between gears. Again, that is the manual gearing, not part of the electric system.

The pedals fold inward with a push. This is useful any time you lay the trike on its side or want to keep its width down for storage or transport. Fold them back out and they lock into place for riding. Should you ever need a replacement derailleur, we stock those as parts as well.

The Red Kill Switch

On the handlebar there is a red button that acts as a kill switch for the electric system. When it is popped out, the electric assist will not work at all. When it is pushed in, everything functions normally. It is easy to bump this button by accident while riding. When that happens, the motors suddenly stop helping and it can feel like something has gone wrong. Dustin admits he has done it himself. If your trike suddenly loses assist, check the kill switch before anything else. Nine times out of ten, pushing it back in solves the problem. It is also a useful safety feature. If you ever need the motors to stop instantly, popping it out cuts the assist.

Using the Twist Throttle Smoothly

The throttle on the Dual Motor is a twist grip. Turn it toward you and the motors drive the trike, no pedaling needed. You can see similar setups in our electric trikes with throttle control.

The most important habit to build is easing into it. A lot of new riders treat the throttle like a car's gas pedal and twist it hard right away. With up to 1,500 watts behind it, that gives you a sudden lurch forward, which is uncomfortable at best.

Instead, roll it on gradually. Some riders like to control the grip with two fingers for finer control, while others prefer a full hand. Either works. What matters is a smooth, progressive twist. It may take a few rides before it feels natural, and that is completely normal. Start in a low assist level and a single motor mode while you get the feel for it.

The gear shifter sits on the handlebar and shows which of the seven gears you are in. There are two levers. One shifts up into harder gears and the other shifts down into easier gears.

Something that catches people out is that both levers are operated by pushing up with your thumb, even though one shifts up and the other shifts down. Spend a minute getting familiar with which is which before your first ride. And as covered earlier, only shift while you are moving. The electric assist can be adjusted any time, but the gears need the chain turning.

Powering On the Display and Reading the Screen

The electric controls sit on the left side of the bars: a plus button, a minus button, a set button and a power button. To turn the system on, press and hold the power button. The screen will light up.

Once it is on, you will see a lot of information at a glance: a power indicator, battery level, current speed in miles per hour, the total distance ridden on the trike, the motor mode, the power mode setting, and your pedal assist level. On first power-up, the assist level will read zero, so remember to bump it to at least one before you try to ride.

A single short press of the power button, without holding it, turns on the headlight. The front headlight and rear tail lights are integrated into the trike and powered by the main battery, so there is nothing extra to charge. A short press of the set button cycles through ride information, including the distance of your last trip and how long you rode for, before returning to the main screen. If you ever need a replacement screen, ebike displays are available as parts.

Switching Motor Modes From the Display

On the display, you will see a small bicycle icon. The tire that is lit up in green shows which motor is active. When only the rear tire is green, you are on the rear motor alone.

To change modes, press and hold the plus and minus buttons together. One press-and-hold switches to the front motor only. Do it again and both tires light up, meaning both motors are engaged. Another press-and-hold cycles back to the rear motor.

You can do this on the move. Some riders can press both buttons with two fingers of the same hand. Dustin finds it easier to use both hands, so if you are still getting comfortable, choose a safe, quiet moment to switch, or set your mode before you start riding.

Pedal assist level is separate and works just as you would expect: plus to increase, minus to decrease.

Press and hold the set button and you enter the trike's settings menu. There are several sections here, and an important piece of advice applies: stay out of the advanced settings and information sections. Changing settings there can seriously affect how the trike performs and cause a range of problems. They are set at the factory for a reason.

The section you will actually use is general settings. Highlight it, press set, and you are in. Here are the options you will find and what they do. Clearing the trip setting lets you reset your trip counter. Press set on that option, use plus or minus to change it to Y, and the trip data will reset.

Screen brightness adjusts how bright the display is. On the demo trike it was turned up all the way, which helps in direct sunlight.

The speed limit is preset at the factory, and there is no need to change it. Wheel size and power mode are the two settings worth understanding properly, so they get their own sections below. When you are done, choose save and exit to return to the main screen.

The Wheel Size Setting

The display uses the wheel size setting to calculate your speed, and it also affects how the motors are controlled. The Simple Glide Dual Motor uses two different wheel sizes, a 16-inch and a 20-inch, which makes it hard for the system to know which number is best.

Dustin has found that setting the wheel size to 16 lets the trike go a little faster, while still staying within the legal limit. The trade-off is that the speedometer will no longer be fully accurate. With the setting on 20, the speed reading is more accurate.

Changing this setting does not damage anything. It is purely a choice between slightly more pep and a more trustworthy speed reading. Dustin keeps his on 16. If you rely on the speedometer, for example in areas with posted speed limits for trikes and bikes, you may prefer 20.

Power, Normal and Eco Modes

Also in general settings is the power mode, with three choices: power, normal and eco. From the factory, it is likely set to normal.

If you want the most out of both motors, switch it to power. This is the setting to choose if you live somewhere hilly, carry heavy loads or tow a trailer. If you would rather stretch your range, eco delivers a gentler assist and conserves battery. Normal sits in between.

Once you save and exit, the main screen shows which mode you are in, so you can always check at a glance. A lot of riders keep it in power because of the extra torque, and with 30 amp hours of battery on board, there is a lot of range to work with even in the strongest setting.

Your First Ride, Step by Step

Here is how Dustin gets moving, and it is a good sequence to follow on your first few rides.

Start by sitting down and sliding the seat into the position that suits your legs. Make sure the footrest is up if you plan to pedal. Turn both battery buttons on, then press and hold the display's power button. Check that the kill switch is pushed in, choose your motor mode, and set your assist level to at least one.

Release the parking brake and any brakes you are holding, and watch the brake icon disappear from the screen. Now you can start off one of two ways: either ease into the throttle and then start pedaling once you are rolling, or simply start pedaling and let the assist kick in.

In the demo, Dustin starts with both motors engaged and the takeoff is strong and immediate. He then switches to rear motor only, and the start is noticeably slower. On a single motor at a lower assist level, he also has to bump the assist up to around level three before the trike really picks up speed, which shows how closely the motor output is tied to the assist level. Once you are rolling, you can pedal, raise or lower your assist, and shift gears up or down as the terrain changes. When it is time to stop, use both brakes smoothly and you will come to an easy, controlled halt.

There are many controls on this trike: two motors, five assist levels, three power modes, seven gears, a throttle, a kill switch and a parking brake. If that seems like a lot to take in, you are not alone, and you do not need to master it all on day one.

A good approach is to add one thing at a time. Start by just pedaling with a low assist level. Once that feels natural, add the throttle. When you are comfortable with both, start working the gears into your rides. Then, once all of that is second nature, experiment with motor modes and the power setting.

Practicing in a quiet parking lot or an empty street makes a big difference. Wear a helmet, take it slow, and give yourself a few rides. Every rider we talk to says the same thing: after a week or two, it all just clicks.

Is the Simple Glide Dual Motor Right for You?

The Dual Motor makes the most sense if you want power in reserve. If you live somewhere with hills, plan to carry cargo or tow a trailer, or simply like the feeling of a strong start, two 750 watt motors and 30 amp hours of battery will make a real difference.

It is also a great fit if you value comfort and adjustability. Between the sliding seat, adjustable seat height, multi-point handlebar adjustment, rear suspension and footrest, it can be set up for a wide range of riders. Many of our customers who ride electric trikes for seniors or need a stable, low-stress ride find that the Simple Glide family suits them well.

If you mainly ride short, flat routes and want something lighter and simpler, a single motor Simple Glide may be all you need. Not sure which way to go? Our personal fitting consultation can point you toward the right model for your height and riding style, and you can read more video walkthroughs and guides in our Bike Advice section. Every trike also comes with our 30-day test ride and warranty, so you can try it on your own streets before committing.