Simple Step Through vs. EVRYjourney: Same Components, Very Different Ride

Same Family, Different Personalities

Put the Simple Step Through and the EVRYjourney side by side and you could be forgiven for thinking you're looking at the same bike twice. Both have the relaxed, swept-back lines of a classic beach cruiser. Both carry the same electrical system, the same display, the same thumb throttle and the same seven-speed drivetrain. If you were shopping from a spec sheet alone, you might flip a coin and call it a day.

That would be a mistake, and not because one bike is better than the other. Diane, who spent an afternoon riding both through a breezy parking lot at the sixthreezero store in San Clemente, came away loving them equally. The point she kept returning to was that these two bikes put your body in different places. One makes getting on and off feel like stepping over a curb. The other asks you to lift your leg a little higher, then rewards you with a lower seat and a pedal stroke that reaches forward instead of straight down.

Those differences sound small when you read them. On the saddle, they're the kind of thing that decides whether a bike becomes your daily ride or sits in the garage. A pedal stroke that feels natural to one rider can be uncomfortable for another, especially for anyone managing a sore hip, a stiff knee or a recent surgery.

This article walks through everything Diane noticed during her side-by-side test, from the shared hardware to the riding position, the cockpit layout and the small details like seat adjustment that matter more than most people expect. If you're browsing cruiser-style electric bikes and these two keep landing on your shortlist, the goal here is to help you figure out which one fits the way your body moves, not just which one looks better in the photos.

Before getting into what separates them, it helps to know how much is identical. According to Diane, the two bikes share the same components. That's good news, because it means the choice between them comes down almost entirely to fit and frame design rather than to trading off features.

Both bikes use pedal assist, a system that adds motor power on top of your own pedaling. Each has five levels of assist, so you can choose anything from a gentle nudge to a much stronger push. Both also have a thumb throttle mounted on the handlebar, which lets you get moving or surge ahead without pedaling at all. Diane pointed out that both use the thumb style rather than a twist grip, which is worth knowing if you've ridden a twist throttle before and found it easy to trigger by accident.

On the mechanical side, each bike has seven gears that you shift manually, much like you would on a road bike or a mountain bike. Gears and pedal assist work together. Assist levels control how much the motor helps, while gears control how hard each turn of the pedals feels. Having both means you can fine-tune your effort for a headwind, a hill or a lazy cruise along the water.

And both carry the beach cruiser look that sixthreezero is known for: a sweeping frame, comfortable upright posture and handlebars that come back toward you so you aren't hunched forward. If you like riding with your head up and your shoulders relaxed, either bike delivers that.

So if the hardware is a tie, what's left? Frame geometry. That's where the real decision lives, and it's the reason the company offers more than one step-through electric bike in the first place. Two people of the same height can need completely different frames depending on their flexibility, their joints and how they like to start and stop.

One of the more relatable moments in Diane's test came before she'd ridden a foot. She hopped on the Simple Step Through, looked down, and realized the display wasn't lit. Like a lot of us facing an unfamiliar bike, she wasn't sure where the power button was. Her colleague Lisa, filming from the side, pointed it out.

For the record, the power button sits just below the pedal assist buttons on the left side of the handlebar. Once you know it's there, it becomes second nature. It's worth mentioning because new riders often assume an electric bike is broken when it simply hasn't been switched on. If your display is dark, check that button first.

Once powered up, the display sits right in the center of the handlebars, where your eyes naturally fall while riding. Diane was enthusiastic about it, and with good reason. It shows your speed, how much battery is left, which pedal assist level you're in, and your mileage. She tapped the assist up to level one with a single press and could see the change immediately.

What she liked most was the size of the readout. The numbers are big. You don't have to squint or tilt your head to read them, which matters if you wear reading glasses or if the sun is bouncing off the screen. It sounds like a minor convenience, but being able to glance down, see your battery level, and look back up at the road in a second is a real safety benefit. The less time your eyes spend off the path, the better.

Both bikes use the same display, so whichever frame you choose, you'll get the same at-a-glance information. If you ever need a replacement down the line, sixthreezero sells eBike displays and batteries and chargers as separate parts, which is reassuring for anyone planning to keep a bike for years.

Before riding, Diane lowered the seat on both bikes, and she was openly delighted at how easy it was. The seat post uses a quick-release lever. You flip the lever open, slide the seat to the height you want, and snap the lever closed again. That's the whole process. No wrench, no hunting for the right Allen key, no calling someone over to help.

She was candid about why this mattered to her. She described her hands as not being the strongest and mentioned that she may have a little arthritis in one of them. Plenty of seat clamps require real grip strength or tools to loosen and tighten, and that alone can make a rider dependent on someone else every time a grandchild borrows the bike or a different pair of shoes changes the fit. On these bikes, she managed it easily on her own.

That independence is easy to overlook when you're shopping. Most buyers focus on motors and batteries. But think about how often you'll actually adjust your seat. Maybe you share the bike with a partner. Maybe you're still dialing in your ideal height over the first few weeks. Maybe you want the seat a touch lower on days your knees are complaining. Every one of those moments is easier with a lever you can operate with stiff fingers.

A quick tip if you're setting seat height for the first time: start lower than you think. A lower seat lets you put your feet down at stops, which builds confidence. Once you're comfortable with how the bike handles, you can raise it gradually to get more extension in your leg on each pedal stroke. With a quick-release clamp, that experimentation costs you a few seconds rather than a trip to a mechanic.

If the stock saddle isn't quite right for your body, there are also replacement sixthreezero seats that can make longer rides more comfortable. Seat height and seat shape work together, and getting both right is one of the cheapest ways to make any bike feel custom.

The Simple Step Through earns its name the moment you approach it. The frame dips very low between the seat and the handlebars, so swinging a leg over is barely a swing at all. Diane described mounting and dismounting as super easy and later compared it to taking a regular step. If you've ever had to tilt a bike over toward the ground just to get your leg across, you'll understand why that matters.

For reference, Diane is 5'4". With the seat set where she wanted it, she could stand over the bike at a stop with her feet touching the ground. That's a comfort many riders don't realize they want until they have it. Being able to plant your feet flat when you stop at a crosswalk or wait for a car to pass removes a lot of the low-level anxiety that keeps people from riding more often.

Once moving, she found the bike easy to steer, comfortable and light-feeling. She kept it in pedal assist level one for most of the loop and noted, with some surprise, how quickly it took off. Her verdict was that it's a fast eBike, which is high praise considering she never went beyond the lowest assist level and didn't use the throttle on that particular run.

She also called it quick, light, fun and easy to control. Those four words together are a pretty good description of what most people want from a cruiser-style electric bike. You want enough zip that hills and headwinds don't wear you down, but you also want to feel in charge of the bike rather than along for the ride.

The Simple Step Through is the kind of design that suits riders who prioritize easy access above everything else. Many people browsing electric bikes for seniors land on step-through frames for exactly this reason. That said, ease of mounting is only half the picture. The other half is what your legs do once you start pedaling, and that's where this bike and the EVRYjourney part ways.

On the Simple Step Through, the pedals sit more or less directly beneath the seat. Diane made a point of asking the camera to watch her legs as she rode, because this is the detail that most people miss when comparing bikes online. With the pedals underneath you, each stroke moves your knees in a mostly up-and-down motion, similar to climbing stairs.

For a lot of riders, that motion is completely natural. It's how most traditional bicycles are built, and it's an efficient way to put power into the pedals because your body weight sits right over them. Diane said it was comfortable for her. She mentioned she has no hip or knee issues, though she does have some trouble with her ankles, and the up-and-down stroke didn't bother her.

Where it can become a problem is for riders whose hips or knees don't like deep, repeated flexion. When the pedal comes to the top of its circle, your knee rises close to your chest and your hip bends more sharply. Do that a few thousand times over a long ride and any existing stiffness or pain can make itself known.

Diane was careful not to overstate this. Her advice was simple: if you have a hip concern or a knee concern, the pedal position on the Simple Step Through might be something to think about, and you won't really know until you sit on the bike and pedal it yourself. Some people with joint issues ride this kind of frame happily. Others find it aggravating. Bodies vary too much to make a blanket rule.

The takeaway is that a low step-over and a comfortable pedal stroke are two separate things. One bike can be wonderful to climb onto and less comfortable to pedal for your particular joints, or the reverse. It's worth judging them separately rather than assuming that the bike that's easiest to get on will automatically be the easiest to ride.

Switch to the EVRYjourney and the first difference is obvious. The frame's step-over is a bit higher, so Diane had to lift her leg more to get on. It's not a tall frame by any means, but it doesn't have quite the same nearly-flat entry as the Simple Step Through.

The trade-off is what happens once you're seated. On the EVRYjourney, the pedals are positioned further forward relative to the seat. Because your feet are out ahead of you rather than directly below, the seat can sit lower to the ground while still giving your legs enough room to extend on each stroke. Diane noted that she felt lower to the ground on this bike than on the other one.

This style of geometry is sometimes called a forward-pedal or flat-foot design. The idea is that you get a more laid-back, almost lounging posture. Your legs push out in front of you instead of straight down, and when you stop, putting your feet flat on the ground tends to be easy because the seat is lower.

Watching Diane ride, the difference in leg motion is clear. Instead of the stair-climbing movement of the Simple Step Through, her legs moved in a more forward, extended arc. She described it as pedaling a little bit in front of her. It's a subtle shift on paper, but it changes which muscles are doing the work and how sharply your hips and knees bend at the top of each stroke.

Forward-pedal geometry is popular on comfort electric bikes precisely because it combines a lower seat with a relaxed riding position. For riders who love the feeling of being close to the ground, and who don't mind a slightly higher leg lift when getting on, it can be the more comfortable bike over a long afternoon.

Diane's main reason for drawing attention to the EVRYjourney's pedal position was joint comfort. Her reasoning was straightforward. If she had an injury in her hip or knee, she'd expect the forward stroke to put less strain on it than pedaling straight up and down, because the joints don't have to fold as tightly at the top of each rotation.

She backed that up with a story. She had recently ridden with a woman who was test riding bikes in the early stages of recovering from hip surgery. That rider told her the up-and-down pedaling motion was painful during her recovery. A forward-pedal frame changed how the movement felt for her, which is exactly why trying both styles matters for anyone in a similar situation.

It's worth being clear about what this does and doesn't mean. A forward pedal position isn't a medical treatment, and it won't suit every injury. Some riders with knee issues actually prefer a more upright, traditional stroke, depending on the specific problem. If you're recovering from surgery or managing a chronic joint condition, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor or physical therapist about what kind of movement is safe for you before you start riding regularly.

What the comparison does show is that small geometry differences can have a real effect on comfort. Two bikes with the same motor, the same gears and the same display can feel completely different to a rider with a sensitive hip. That's something a product page can't tell you, and it's the strongest argument for getting on both bikes before deciding.

If you can't make it to a store, the sixthreezero fitting tool is designed to match you with a bike based on your body and riding style, and the 30-day test ride gives you time to see how a frame feels over real rides at home rather than a few laps around a parking lot.

While setting up the EVRYjourney, Diane noticed something curious. One of the handlebar grips was shorter than the other. She asked Lisa about it, and the answer was simple: the grip needs to leave room for the gear shifter. On that side of the bar sit the pedal assist controls, the thumb throttle and the shifter you use to move through gears one to seven. All of that hardware takes up space, so the grip is trimmed to fit.

It's the kind of detail that might look odd in a photo but makes perfect sense in practice. Having the shifter, throttle and assist controls clustered together means your thumb can reach everything without letting go of the bar. You can bump up your assist, click into an easier gear and give the throttle a nudge, all while keeping a secure grip.

Diane found the grips very comfortable. She also praised the brakes, which she described as comfortable to use, and said she personally loves the handlebar and its width on this bike. A wider bar gives you more leverage for steering, which can make a bike feel more stable at low speeds and easier to guide through tight turns.

If you're new to multi-speed bikes, the gear shifter might seem like one more thing to learn on top of the electric controls. In practice, many riders find a rhythm quickly. A sensible habit is to shift into a lower, easier gear as you roll to a stop so the bike is ready for a smooth start. Pair that with a low assist level and you'll pull away gently instead of lurching.

Because both bikes share the same components, everything said here about the controls applies to the Simple Step Through as well. The layout you learn on one will feel familiar on the other, which is handy if two people in a household end up choosing different frames.

A recurring theme in Diane's ride was how lively these bikes feel even at the lowest assist setting. She explained pedal assist as giving her a bit of motor power behind her pedaling. In level one, it simply makes pedaling easier. Yet on both bikes, she was struck by how quickly they got moving.

That's useful information for first-time eBike riders, who often assume they'll need to crank the assist up to feel any difference. Many people are surprised to find level one already feels like having a tailwind. Starting there gives you time to get used to how the bike responds before you explore higher levels.

There's also a battery benefit. Lower assist levels draw less power, so riding mostly in level one or two typically stretches your range further than living in level five. You can save the higher levels for hills, strong headwinds or the last few miles home when your legs are tired.

The wind came up more than once during Diane's test. She joked that it always seems to be windy out by the store, and you could hear it in the recording. Riding into a stiff breeze is exactly the situation where pedal assist proves its worth. On a regular bike, a headwind can turn a pleasant ride into a slog. With assist, you keep a steady pace without burning out.

If you've been hesitant about eBikes because you worry they'll feel too fast or out of control, the lowest assist level is a gentle way in. You can even ride with assist set to zero, which Diane mentioned as an option, and the bike behaves like a regular seven-speed cruiser. Turn assist on when you want it, leave it off when you don't.

Diane used the throttle mainly to get started on the EVRYjourney, then let pedal assist take over once she was moving. That's a smart way to use it. Starting from a dead stop is often the shakiest moment on any bike, especially with a higher step-over or a lower, more laid-back seat position. A gentle press of the throttle gets the wheels turning before your feet even find the pedals.

She also highlighted the throttle's value for getting out of situations where you need to move quickly. Think of a busy intersection where a gap in traffic opens up, a short steep driveway, or the moment you realize you started in too high a gear. Having on-demand power under your thumb can turn a stressful moment into a non-event.

Both bikes use a thumb throttle rather than a twist throttle. Some riders prefer this because there's less risk of accidentally triggering power when you grip the handlebar tightly or lean on it while walking the bike. With a thumb lever, applying power is a deliberate action.

A word of caution that applies to any eBike with a throttle: practice in a quiet space first. A parking lot like the one Diane used is ideal. Get a feel for how much pressure produces how much speed, and practice coming to a stop with both brakes. Once you're comfortable, the throttle becomes a tool you reach for naturally rather than something that startles you.

Throttle access is one of the most requested features among riders with limited stamina or joint pain, and sixthreezero offers it across many models. If three wheels sound appealing, there's also a collection of electric tricycles with throttle control built around the same idea of power whenever you need it.

When Diane summed up her test, she boiled the comparison down to one central trade-off. On the EVRYjourney, she had to lift her leg a little higher to get on and off. In exchange, she sat lower to the ground thanks to the forward pedal position. On the Simple Step Through, getting on and off was as easy as taking a normal step, she was still low to the ground, but her pedaling motion was more up and down.

So which matters more to you: the ease of getting onto the bike, or the feel of the pedal stroke once you're riding? For some people, the answer is obvious. If lifting your leg even moderately high is difficult because of balance, flexibility or pain, the Simple Step Through's nearly flat entry may be the deciding factor. A bike you can't comfortably mount is a bike you won't ride.

For others, a little extra leg lift is no trouble, and what really matters is whether pedaling feels good on their joints for an hour at a time. In that case, the EVRYjourney's forward pedals might win, especially for anyone whose hips or knees protest at deep bending.

There's also a middle ground. Some riders find they can mount the EVRYjourney more easily by tilting it slightly toward them, or by approaching from the side that feels most natural. Diane even switched sides when getting onto the EVRYjourney during her video. Small technique changes like that can make a higher step-over more manageable than it first appears.

The honest answer is that neither design is universally better. They're tuned for different bodies and different priorities, and the best way to know which camp you're in is to try both motions, mounting and pedaling, back to back.

Diane shared her height, 5'4", specifically so viewers could picture how each bike might fit them. On both bikes, with the seat lowered, she could touch the ground at a stop. That ability to plant your feet is one of the biggest confidence boosters in cycling, and it's something many riders give up on taller frames without realizing there's another option.

Height alone doesn't tell the whole story, though. Your inseam, the distance from the floor to your crotch, has more influence on how a frame fits than your overall height. Two people who are both 5'4" can have noticeably different leg lengths. That's another reason a quick in-person test or a proper fitting is more reliable than a size chart.

On the Simple Step Through, reaching the ground comes from the low frame and an adjustable seat. On the EVRYjourney, it comes from the forward pedal geometry allowing the seat to sit lower while still letting your legs extend. Both get you to the same place, feet on the ground at a stop, by different routes.

If you're on the shorter side, or if balance is something you think about, prioritize a bike that lets you rest flat-footed at stops. You'll start and stop more smoothly, you'll feel more secure in traffic and you'll be far less likely to tip at low speed. Being able to stand over the bike comfortably makes every other part of riding easier.

Taller riders aren't left out either. Both seats adjust with the quick-release lever, so there's room to raise them for a fuller leg extension. If you're unsure where you fall, the sixthreezero buyer's guide walks through sizing and frame styles in more depth.

Diane was clear that only you can decide which bike suits you best. That's not a dodge. It's a recognition that comfort is personal. Still, a few questions can help you narrow things down before you ever sit on a saddle.

First, how easy is it for you to lift your leg over something at hip or knee height? If stepping over a low obstacle already feels like effort, put extra weight on the Simple Step Through's low entry. If you can swing a leg over a moderate bar without thinking about it, both frames remain on the table.

Second, do you have any hip, knee or lower-back issues, either current or recent? If so, think carefully about pedal position. A forward stroke like the EVRYjourney's may feel gentler for some conditions, while a traditional under-seat stroke might suit others. Your doctor or physical therapist can help you understand which movements to favor.

Third, how and where will you ride? Diane encouraged viewers to think about how they'll actually use the bike. Short, frequent trips with lots of stops and starts, like errands around town, put a premium on easy mounting. Longer leisurely loops along the coast or through a park put more emphasis on how comfortable the pedal stroke feels over time.

Fourth, how much does a lower seat matter to you? If you love feeling close to the ground and want a relaxed, stretched-out riding position, the EVRYjourney leans that way. If you'd rather sit more directly over the pedals for a conventional feel, the Simple Step Through does that. Thinking through your rider style can make these priorities clearer.

Based on Diane's ride, a few patterns emerge. None of them are hard rules, but they can point you in a direction worth testing first.

The Simple Step Through tends to suit riders whose top priority is getting on and off with as little effort as possible. That includes people with limited flexibility, those who ride in skirts or dresses, riders who make lots of short stops and anyone who simply wants a bike that feels approachable from the very first moment. It also suits riders who like a traditional pedal stroke with their legs moving beneath them and who don't have hip or knee concerns that make deep bending uncomfortable.

The EVRYjourney tends to suit riders who don't mind a slightly higher step-over and who want to sit lower and more relaxed with their legs reaching forward. Riders with hip or knee sensitivities may find its forward pedaling motion more comfortable, as the woman recovering from hip surgery did. It also appeals to anyone who loves the feeling of a laid-back cruiser that keeps them close to the road.

Both suit riders who want the core benefits of a sixthreezero cruiser eBike: five levels of pedal assist, a thumb throttle, seven gears, a big easy-to-read display, comfortable grips and brakes, and a seat you can adjust yourself in seconds. Diane described both as easy to turn and maneuver, quick, and fun. The shared DNA is strong.

If you're shopping for a couple, it's entirely possible each person will prefer a different one, and that's fine. You can browse the full range of women's electric bikes, men's electric bikes and unisex electric bikes to see how these two fit into the wider lineup.

Diane mentioned in passing that the store carries other models beyond these two, and it's worth taking that seriously. For some riders, the comparison between step-over height and pedal position will reveal that neither two-wheeled frame feels quite right.

If balance is the main concern, or if you're worried about holding a bike upright at a stop, a three-wheeled electric trike removes that worry entirely. A trike stays upright on its own, so you can come to a full stop without putting a foot down. Many models also have very low step-through frames.

sixthreezero has a dedicated collection of easy-to-mount eTrikes with low step-through frames, along with electric trikes for seniors and recumbent electric trikes. Recumbent designs in particular take the forward-pedal idea even further, placing the pedals well out in front of a reclined seat. Riders with significant hip or back issues sometimes find that position the most comfortable of all.

None of this is meant to steer you away from the Simple Step Through or the EVRYjourney. Most riders who love the cruiser feel will be very happy on one of them. But if you test both and find yourself still uneasy, it's worth knowing there are other shapes designed around the same goals of comfort, stability and confidence.

You can see the full electric lineup in the electric bikes collection and the full set of three-wheelers in the electric tricycles collection.

Diane rode without a helmet in her video, and she made a point of explaining why: she was in a parking lot, going slowly and carefully, purely for the demonstration. She stressed more than once that she'd normally wear one. On the open road, that's the right call for everyone. Electric bikes reach speeds quickly, as Diane discovered in level one, and a helmet is cheap insurance.

If you need one, sixthreezero offers helmets styled to match the cruiser look. Beyond that, a few accessories can turn either of these bikes into a more practical daily rider.

A basket is the most obvious upgrade for errands. Front or rear, it means you can bring home groceries, a bag from the farmers' market or a picnic for the beach. The sixthreezero baskets are designed to fit the brand's frames. If you prefer to keep weight off the handlebars, bags and panniers hang from a rear rack and keep the steering feeling light.

A bell is a small thing that makes shared paths far friendlier, and sixthreezero carries bells as well. If you ride in the heat, a water bottle is worth bringing along.

None of these accessories change the fundamental choice between frames, but they can make the bike you choose fit more neatly into everyday life. A bike that's easy to carry things on gets ridden more often, and riding more often is the whole point.

Choosing a frame is the fun part. Before you commit, it's also worth knowing what support comes with the bike so there are no surprises down the road.

sixthreezero offers free shipping on its bikes, and they arrive mostly assembled. If you get stuck putting the final pieces together, the assembly instructions walk you through each step, and the company's mechanics can help with questions.

There's also a warranty on the bikes, and the company says it can connect riders with approved mechanics nationwide when service is needed. For an electric bike that you plan to ride for years, knowing that help exists outside of the San Clemente area is reassuring.

If budget is a factor, financing options are available, and it's worth checking the current discount codes before you buy. Prices and promotions change, so look at what's running at the time you're ready.

Finally, the 30-day test ride is the safety net that matters most for a comparison like this. A parking lot loop will tell you a lot, but a few weeks of real rides, including hills, errands and the occasional longer outing, will tell you whether a frame truly suits your body.

Diane closed her comparison with the most honest advice anyone can give about bike fit. What's best for you is something only you will know, and the only real way to know is to ride. She said it twice for emphasis, and she's right. Specs, photos and even videos can narrow the field, but they can't tell you how your hip feels at the top of a pedal stroke or how easy it is for you to swing a leg over a frame.

If you live near Southern California, the sixthreezero store in San Clemente offers in-person test rides, and Diane mentioned Tuesdays and Saturdays as test ride days at the time she filmed. Schedules can change, so check the visit our store page for current details before you head over. Riding both bikes back to back is the clearest way to feel the difference between them.

When you test, try to recreate how you'll actually ride. Mount and dismount several times, from both sides if that's natural to you. Come to a full stop and see whether your feet reach the ground comfortably. Start from a standstill with and without the throttle. Pedal for long enough that any joint discomfort has a chance to show up. A couple of quick laps won't reveal what fifteen minutes will.

If you can't visit in person, use the personal fitting consultation to talk through your body, your joints and your riding plans. Between that guidance and the home test ride period, you can make a confident choice without ever leaving your neighborhood.

Both the Simple Step Through and the EVRYjourney are, in Diane's words, great bikes. They share the same components and the same cruiser spirit. The difference lies in how they meet your body: one opens its frame wide for the easiest possible step through, the other lowers you down and stretches your legs forward. Figure out which of those matters more to you, ride them if you can, and you'll end up on the right one. For more comparisons and practical guides, browse the Bike Advice blog.