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Which Electric Trike Will These Seniors Over 60 Choose? They Learn To Ride ETrikes & Pick a Favorite

Can these four seniors over 60 learn to ride an electric tricycle? Stick around to find out. Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I have nearly 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry, and today we're going to see if we can teach four seniors over 60 to ride an electric tricycle. All right. So, I'm joined by our four senior riders all over the age of 60. They just rode e-bikes for the first time, and you can check that out in our other YouTube video if you want to see how they did it. Now, we're introducing them to electric tricycles. So they're familiar with how the electricity works, but they have not been on an electric tricycle. And actually, I should ask, has anyone ridden a tricycle as an adult? No. Okay. So this is going to be fun. And I know probably a lot of you at home maybe are considering getting an electric trike or you've decided that you need a three-wheel bike option. And I will tell you that three-wheel trikes are different than a two-wheel bike. So I think a couple of you may be in for a surprise now. It can go either way. A lot of people pick it up quickly. For others, it takes not a long time, a few minutes or an hour to get used to how they feel and steer differently. Also, how you lean your body and use your body weight on a tricycle is much, much different than on a two-wheel bike. So we got four different e-trikes here. And we've got on the end here our Reverse E-trike, which has two wheels in front. Now that one's going to feel the most like a two-wheel bike. Then moving down, we've got our Simple Step-Thru Fat Tire E-trike, our Rickshaw, and our Simple Glide. And one thing kind of new for you guys as well as these three right here are 750 watts. So more powerful than the e-bikes. This is 500 watts. All right. So let's get everyone introduced to you. We'll go down the line so you can meet our riders and also tell them your height. So tell them your name, your age, and your height. And remind us again about the last time you rode a bike. All right.

Phyllis: My name is Phyllis Know. I am 69 years old. I hate having to say that. The last time I rode a bike was probably a week ago because I do ride somewhat frequently. And my height I think, it's 5'5". I used to be 5'6", and I'm going that way.

Dustin: All right. Thank you.

Peter: Yeah, I'm Peter Adams. I'm 61 years old. And what was the other thing you wanted to know?

Dustin: Your height.

Peter: I'm 6 foot.

Dustin: Six feet. And the bike you said you had ridden like five years ago?

Peter: Oh yeah. I've ridden a bike five years ago. I have one, I just don't use it.

Dustin: Okay. All right. Maybe we'll inspire you today.

Peter: Maybe.

Dustin: All right. Coming down here.

Victor: Hi, my name is Victor Oya. I'm 73 years old. I ride a bike but I've never tried a trike.

Dustin: And how tall are you Victor?

Victor: 6'3".

Dustin: 6'3". Cool.

Oya: I'm Oya Craston. I'm 63. The last time I rode a bike was probably a year ago. I'm 5'4".

Dustin: Okay cool. All right, so let's get into it. If you guys want to mount up, get on your trikes.

Phyllis: I do have one quick question. What are these guys?

Dustin: Okay, so. What are these guys? Oh, so those are parking brakes.

Phyllis: Oh, okay.

Dustin: So you click it in and then you got a parking brake here. Yeah. That's what these are on yours right here. Did you want a different seat or Victor? Oh, okay. Do you want to seat higher?

Peter: A little.

Dustin: Okay.

Peter: All right, great.

Dustin: How do you feel? Comfortable?

Oya: Yeah.

Dustin: We can adjust the handlebars. This one's pretty customizable.

Victor: That was cool.

Oya: Okay.

Dustin: We can bring them there.

Oya: Yeah, that's good.

Dustin: Better?

Oya: Yeah.

Dustin: Okay. Okay cool.

Oya: That's good. I feel like I'm on a Harley Davidson.

Dustin: Okay. Is everyone comfortable? Good?

Peter: You don't look like you're on a Harley Davidson.

Dustin: Okay, so we've reviewed the throttle. Now on Victor, your throttle is on the right hand on this one. And pronounce your name to me again.

Oya: Oya.

Dustin: Yours is actually... So we've got twist throttles on these two. Okay. So that one is going to... So you twist it going towards you.

Oya: Oh, okay. What's this red button here?

Dustin: So the red buttons you have and she has one. If it's popped out, it means the throttle is disengaged. So it's a safety feature, right? If you're getting on and off the bike, you can disengage it, push it in, and now the throttle can be used. A trike, if you want to go left, turn the wheels left. You have to realize that you've got two wheels in the back, it won't tip over. Now, you don't want to steer quickly, because that's how you would tip a trike over. But a lot of times, I see people get going in this direction, and they don't know how to get it going back the other way because they're leaning their body. You have to turn the handlebars to go in the other direction. Seems basic but trikes don't steer the same way as a two-wheel bike. So just remember that you have to steer the handlebars. Any questions before we get off and running? All right. Go ahead and have it. Just don't hit the camera. You could also use the throttle if you want to have it help you get going. Okay. Phyllis is off. She seems to be doing great. Okay. Brake, brake, brake. Ease into it. Slow down just a little. All right, are you ready Victor? Okay, just go slow out of the gates, please.

Victor: This is different.

Dustin: Uh-huh, uh-huh. Yep. Yep. You have to just keep the wheel straight like a car. Slow down just a little bit for me. Brake, brake, brake. Yep. All right, ready Oya? Go for it. You can twist that throttle to get going. Now yours also, I was going to say the brakes. Let me see.

Phyllis: The seat was too low. I could barely pedal.

Dustin: You want me to raise it?

Phyllis: Yeah. Well, I want to try one of theirs.

Dustin: Okay.

Phyllis: Because this was just like a bike.

Dustin: Yep. Yep. Okay.

Phyllis: Which was not a bad thing.

Dustin: Now, you watch him. You see how you're leaning and it's like people lean thinking it's going to move. It's different, right?

Phyllis: So you don't need to lean or you shouldn't lean?

Dustin: You want to utilize your leaning as a counterbalance to keeping the tires on the ground. But the leaning is not going to move the trike in any direction.

Phyllis: Got it. Got it. Got it.

Dustin: Yeah. We'll have everyone come back and then we'll get some feedback and then we'll swap trikes. Yeah. So a lot of people do what you did, though. They come out, they throttle it. I had a woman that crashed into the curb over here and I thought she was going over the edge. I mean, I'm not even kidding. Like she, at the last minute, I said, just hit the brake and she did. But you know, you've been doing something for 30, 40, 50 years, which is riding a bike, and your brain is hardwired to think to lean. You know.

Phyllis: I never thought about the fact that really, it's your body that's, you know, don't use it the entire turn.

Dustin: Yeah, you only need to turn it a little as you lean right? Like on a trike, you have to turn the wheel. You have to turn the wheel to go.

Peter: You have to. Yeah.

Dustin: Yeah. Different, right? Did you start to get the hang of it towards the end? Uh-huh, uh-huh. Well, we'll also have you guys cycle through here and you'll feel the difference. Oya, what do you think?

Oya: Yeah. Thank you for pointing out that this is not like a bike. You know, you're tempted to ride it like a bike because you have the handlebars, but it doesn't take very long to figure it out. You know, you just have to remember that you need to turn the wheel in the direction that you want to go.

Dustin: Yeah.

Oya: And maybe when you first start, you know, just be cautious with the throttle. Right.

Dustin: Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Let's play musical trikes so everyone picks a different one.

Oya: Should I leave the power on?

Dustin: You can leave it on. Yeah.

Phyllis: I guess you guys took those. I guess you and I can change.

Oya: Okay. So now, I go on this one.

Dustin: On this one, just primarily use this brake.

Oya: Okay.

Dustin: The right brake.

Oya: Okay. And then, oh, this has the throttle like the other thing.

Dustin: Yeah. Now this one's going to feel like a two-wheel bike.

Oya: Okay.

Dustin: So, we're kind of taking you backward from. And I'll put the kickstand up for you here.

Phyllis: I'm going to let you guys peel first.

Oya: I'll go.

Phyllis: I'll go behind you.

Pete: Victor, go ahead.

Dustin: Yeah, you're off and running. Now, that's a twist throttle, but just ease into it. Yeah, so you're going to twist it towards you.

Victor: Okay.

Dustin: Oh, but the throttle's disengaged. What do you think? Very nimble right? I have a feeling Phyllis is going to love this one. What do you think? I guarantee you loved it.

Phyllis: It was cool. It really was.

Peter: Again, it was easy once you get used to it.

Victor: Yeah. Nice.

Dustin: Getting the hang of it now?

All: Yeah.

Dustin: Oh, watch out for that cone.

Peter: That's what the cones are for.

Phyllis: I guess I'll try this one now, huh?

Dustin: Yeah. So, I want to try something. Sorry, Peter.

Peter: Peter, yeah.

Dustin: Peter, okay. Who wants to ride on the back with Peter?

Oya: Oh, I'll ride with him.

Phyllis: All right, okay.

Oya: I'll ride with him.

Phyllis: I want to but I can't do that to him.

Dustin: No, you're fine. Trust me.

Oya: Are you a good driver?

Peter: I am.

Dustin: All right.

Phyllis: Don't tip her.

Peter: Don't tip.

Dustin: I just want Peter to feel how it doesn't feel that much different having a passenger versus not having a passenger.

Phyllis: So don't over-tip your Rickshaw driver?

Dustin: Don't ever. Oh, this one?

Phyllis: No, I didn't do that one. I did that one.

Dustin: No, you did this one.

Phyllis: I did?

Dustin: Yeah.

Phyllis: Yeah. You're right. I'm sorry. I did, yes.

Dustin: Yeah, this one can almost feel like a scooter, but you can pedal if you want to. So it's a cool little mobility device.

Phyllis: I didn't see the throttle.

Dustin: You want me to get the seat up for you Victor?

Victor: I just did.

Dustin: Oh, okay.

Phyllis: I increased it.

Dustin: Oh, it's a twist throttle.

Phyllis: Oh, you said that.

Dustin: Yeah.

Phyllis: I wasn't paying attention because it didn't affect me at the time.

Dustin: Did you do the throttle at all?

Phyllis: No.

Dustin: Do you want to try it again?

Phyllis: No. No. But it was cool. It was cool. I was more concerned about my width. So when I was going around corners, I was kind of doing that.

Dustin: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Phyllis: To make sure I didn't catch the curb.

Dustin: All right. Do you want to get on that one then?

Phyllis: Sure, yeah. And that's a twist throttle too, right?

Dustin: That's right, yep. Let's see. We got a little noise coming from our brake there, I hear. Fun back there though, isn't it? How was the steering?

Peter: Easy.

Dustin: Yeah.

Peter: Yeah, once you get used to this.

Dustin: Whoah, slow down, slow down, slow down. I'm telling you, no matter how many times I say it, and I know everyone looks at me like when I'm telling you in the beginning, you know.

Oya: Yeah.

Dustin: But the trikes, just, yeah.

Oya: Should I ride this one?

Dustin: Yeah. Do you want to try this one now? And then Peter, you can try that one.

Oya: Already I think.

Dustin: Yeah, yeah. Peter will do that one. Do you want the seat down a little bit?

Oya: I think, it's probably okay. Let's see.

Peter: Oh, this is very laid back.

Oya: This one has, is this where the throttle is?

Dustin: Yes, that's right. Yep. Oh boy. Where are we going? Where are we going? What are we doing here? Do you want to get on the seat first? Okay, okay. Let's get the seat down for you a little bit. I didn't know the strategy was there. Oh, okay. Get moving. Yeah, with the trike, I think it's better to mount first just because it's balanced already. Right. Right, right, right. Okay, there we go. That's the horn.

Oya: Where is the horn?

Dustin: The little green button.

Oya: That's the horn?

Dustin: That's right. Yep.

Oya: Oh, I love it. This is the only one that has a horn?

Dustin: One of the other ones does too.

Oya: Cool.

Dustin: All right. Just ease into that throttle for me.

Oya: It was on three and I didn't notice when I took off.

Dustin: All right, Phyllis, what do you think of that one?

Phyllis: It was good but I'll never make fun of old people going so slow because it does, it isn't that I was expecting to turn into it, but as I'm turning, I feel I need to counter it in the other direction. So I'll never bark at old people going on these things so slowly. I'll just say, have a good day.

Dustin: Yeah, and honestly, once you get the hang of it, you'll understand. I think, when we turn, we think we're tipping.

Phyllis: Exactly.

Dustin: But you're not.

Phyllis: You don't know the tipping point. You don't want to test it.

Dustin: Exactly. How'd you like that one Peter?

Peter: Easy, it was like...

Dustin: It's fun, isn't it?

Peter: Just, kick it back.

Phyllis: I like that one. The first one was just like a bike, like what you said.

Victor: Similar to a bike.

Peter: That was my favorite, I think.

Victor: What's the advantage of having two wheels in the front?

Dustin: It's going to give you added balance.

Victor: Okay.

Dustin: And if you notice, you can make sharper turns on this.

Victor: Yes, you can.

Dustin: Yeah. So, you still have to hold the wheel, and the handlebars to balance it, but it makes balancing easier than a two-wheel bike. The steering is a little more nimble. So you just have to get used to it. Yeah, but it feels and the way you lean and whatnot is similar to a two-wheel bike on this one, you know.

Victor: It was fun.

Dustin: So we have one more swap to make, right? So Peter comes to this one.

Peter: On that one, yeah.

Dustin: Yeah. Okay.

Victor: The Rickshaw.

Phyllis: Was there a distinct difference?

Peter: Oh, I ended up on a higher power. Oh, kickstand on a trike.

Dustin: I put those on there as added to bring the pedals back. You can move the seat back if you want. So you just, yeah, there you go. It slides back now.

Victor: Oh, that's nicer.

Dustin: Yeah.

Victor: That's a nice slide. Nice.

Dustin: You can take off Victor, if you like.

Victor: Okay.

Dustin: So, it's a twist throttle again.

Victor: So you're to twist them to go.

Dustin: Did someone just... No, you're good. You should be good to go. Yep. Just ease into it. Not all the way. Don't do it all the way. Just ease into it.

Phyllis: And so the weight on the back, really you need that to balance the center body?

Dustin: I mean it helps. So I saw you having a little trouble with the steering.

Oya: Yeah. This one is harder. And I'm not sure why that is.

Dustin: Well, this is your first traditional trike, right? Because the Simple Glide has a longer frame. This one's gonna feel more like a regular trike.

Dustin: And the steering is different.

Oya: Yeah.

Dustin: So it takes a little getting used to.

Oya: Because the other trike, like halfway down, I haven't.

Dustin: Yeah, these two are going to feel similar.

Oya: Yeah. Is it also because they're wider?

Dustin: They're not much wider, to be honest with you. Bigger tires...

Oya: Yeah.

Dustin: But the width in the back is fairly similar. You could try that one and see if you feel any different.

Oya: I think I did that one.

Dustin: So yeah. No, I don't think you rode this one. I don't think she did that one, right?

Phyllis: No, you did the one with the seat

Dustin: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oya: Oh, I didn't do that one?

Dustin: No.

Phyllis: Okay, I'll do that one.

Dustin: All right, are you ready Phyllis?

Oya: Yeah, this one was harder a little bit.

Dustin: Yeah. Okay, what do you think of this one?

Peter:  Not my favorite.

Dustin: Okay.

Peter: It has a much more of a bicycle feel to it. But it's just, I'm big and it feels like those front wheels are....

Dustin: Too unstable for you?

Peter: A little unstable from my side.

Dustin: Cool. What do you think Victor?

Victor: That was nice. So very nice. That was very nice.

Dustin: Comfortable right?

Victor: Comfortable, yeah.

Dustin: Now, did you pedal too?

Victor: Not very much.

Dustin: Just enjoying the throttle?

Victor: Exactly. Yeah.

Peter: Yeah, that's funny, the throttle's on different bikes each, so you have to get used to the feel of it.

Dustin: Yeah. And then the weight of the bike has a big impact on how the throttle responds.

Peter: Right. My favorite was the one you turn like a motorcycle.

Dustin: Okay, you like the twist throttle. Yeah.

Peter: Yeah, that's right.

Dustin: Yeah. Cool. So trikes are different from two-wheel bikes. Yeah. Yeah, they serve a different purpose, either if you have balance issues. But also obviously, the Rickshaw is great if you want to bring passengers.

Peter: Absolutely.

Dustin: And for cargo purposes as well.

Peter: For your dogs.

Dustin: Yeah, exactly. I want to see if Phyllis is going to be comfortable taking a passenger on the back.

Phyllis: I'm not braking but I'm hearing.

Dustin: Yeah we have to do a brake adjustment. How did you feel the steering-wise, though?

Phyllis: This is more like a bike. I really like this one.

Dustin: Yeah. Just steers easy?

Phyllis: Yeah.

Dustin: Are you comfortable taking Peter as a passenger?

Phyllis: Yep.

Peter: I'll be heavy. Onward jeebs. Oh, I forgot my helmet.

Dustin: And you can increase that assistance if you need more help. What do you think?

Oya: Yes. So this one was a little easier.

Dustin: Uh-huh.

Oya: Maybe because it's less heavy than the first trike. I think someone who's used to riding trikes would have any trouble with it. But if you're not, then it takes some...

Victor: Getting used to?

Oya: Some practice. Yeah. For sure.

Dustin: Now, did you feel more comfortable as you kind of went along?

Victor: It makes a big difference if you have a little practice.

Dustin: Yeah.

Victor: Then you get the feel for it.

Dustin: Well you ride bikes a lot, so you're used to, like, how a regular two-wheel, you know, every day, right?

Oya: So I think what you would have to do with this one, like for someone like me, you'd have to take the assist off and then just ride it until you're comfortable.

Victor: A little practice.

Oya: Yeah, and then put the assist on, right? So you get used to it.

Dustin: It's fun, isn't it?

Phyllis: It is.

Dustin: Can you picture yourself in Belmont Shore cruising around?

Phyllis: With all the young people pointing at me and laughing.

Dustin: Why would they be laughing? They'd be jealous.

Phyllis: Yeah. That's true.

Dustin: Does anybody else want to try to be a passenger or not? Yeah.

Oya: Did you ride them all already?

Dustin: That's all of them.

Oya: I rode them all.

Dustin: So if you had to pick your favorite of the trikes, which one would it be?

Phyllis: This one.

Dustin: That one right there huh?

Phyllis: Yeah. I like the bike.

Dustin: What do you like about it? Just the steering and?

Phyllis: The fact that it's more condensed, not as large and bulky. And I feel I have more control, immediate control over this. Although I have control over the others. It's just me.

Dustin: Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's good. But you like the Rickshaw too.

Phyllis: The Rickshaw was fun. My grandkids would love riding them around.

Dustin: It's interesting to hear how you kind of liked the heavier one in the back but you didn't like that and you liked the lighter one for the steering. So I just think that's one thing to point out is everybody's going to feel a little bit different about how all the trikes feel. So, Peter. What do you think?

Peter: This is my favorite.

Dustin: Okay.

Peter: Not just the look, I love the fat tire. The grip on the road is great. And this basket is cool. Super cool. And the throttle action. I like it when you pull the throttle, and there it goes.

Dustin: Cool.

Oya: I like this one.

Dustin: Yeah? Yeah.

Oya: It's super comfortable.

Phyllis: Well Victor, that leaves this one for you, or that one for you.

Victor: I like this one.

Oya: Right?

Victor: Also, this is one of my favorite also, because it's sitting lower to the ground. It's got the smaller wheels and tires, and it's got the wheelbase that's compressed.

Oya: Yeah.

Dustin: And that was a little easier for you to steer? On this one?

Oya: That one was super easy even though it's a trike.

Victor: It's nice.

Oya: I also like the way I sit in it. This is like a super Harley Davidson. Yeah.

Dustin: Relaxed.

Victor: You know this has come in handy too. I like that mirror on.

Dustin: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oya: Where's the horn on this one?

Dustin: That one doesn't have a horn right now, unfortunately. We'll have to add that though.

Victor: Yeah. You get one of those

Oya: Yeah, all those little things.

Peter: Oh, the ring, ring, ring. Those are my favorite.

Dustin: Well actually, which one? This one has a bell, right?

Phyllis: Does it?

Dustin: Oh, no. One of them I thought did. Oh, maybe the Rickshaw. Yeah.

Phyllis: That has a horn.

Dustin: Cool. Well, there it is. We got them all up and riding on trikes. Definitely different than a two-wheel bike. If you want to see them doing their two-wheel ebike experience, you can hop over to that other video on Youtube. If you have any other questions or comments about e-trikes, please reach out to us at theteam@sixthreezero.com or call us at (310) 982-2877.

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