Why Recumbent Trikes May Be a Bad Idea If You Have Arthritis | Easy On & Off ETrikes for Arthritis

Why a recumbent tricycle or bicycle may not be right for you if you have arthritis.

Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I have 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry. Today, we're going to talk about recumbent bikes and e-trikes, and why, if you have arthritis, they may not be right for you. All right, right here I've got three of Sixthreezero e-trikes, the Relaxed Body 750 watt, the Simple Glide, and the Any Terrain. All three of these are linked in the description below. All three are good options if you have arthritis. All right, I have been with a few customers this week. I mean, I've been with a lot of customers over the course of months and years. But over the last week, I had a few customers who have severe cases of arthritis, both in their knees, their hips, and their hands. And in having a lot of conversations, many of these customers have test-ridden multiple different types of tricycles, in particular, and they're looking for an electric tricycle, but they really need something that will accommodate their physical limitations. So, limited mobility in the knees, limited mobility in the hips, and some loss of dexterity in the fingers. A lot of people look at recumbent e-trikes or trikes as a good way because you sit and lie down, and it's very comfortable and easy to mount and pedal. Now, what I actually learned this week, what I've known but what I learned again, is that if you have severe arthritis, getting in and out of a recumbent that is very low to the ground may be extremely challenging, if not impossible.

I know from experience that my mom has pretty severe arthritis, and as an example, she likes a little bit of a higher car, right? So the seat, they can slide a little easier in and out. If it's a lower car and they have to climb into it, getting out is really difficult, or getting up from a very soft couch, right? Also, a low, soft couch. Also, nobody likes a really low toilet seat, either, right? So those can be hard to get up and off of as well. So why would you want your bike or e-bike or e-trike to be any different, right? You don't want it to be super low to the ground. Now that's what you're gonna get with most recumbent lay-down trikes that are out there. So I think a lot of people like them because they feel like A, they're more balanced and stable, and B, you're lower to the ground, right? So the fall risk is lower, and B, you don't have to worry about being up high and tipping over. But if you have arthritis and you struggle to bend down and get up, I don't think a recumbent one that's really low to the ground is the right option for you. Now, it's up to you to determine if it is or it isn't, because I don't know everyone's specific body types and I don't know what you're capable of, but I can tell you right now, the gentleman that was here this week with extreme arthritis really liked the Simple Glide as an example because the seat is right about butt high, so you can just slide in, and to get off, you can use the armrests to push up and get out of the seat.

So the mounting and dismounting is really, really simple. This is what we call more of a semi-recumbent, right? It's got the pedals out in front of your body, but it's not a full lay-down. The same is true for the relaxed body here. It has the forward pedaling design, but again, you can adjust the seat to be in a spot where it's easier for you to get on and off, and you're not sunken down into the seat, where it's impossible for you to get back up when you're riding. Now, the AnyTerrain is more of a traditional up and down, but you have the four wheels for stability. It has a little bit of a forward pedaling design, not as much as these two semi-recumbent e-trikes. But if you're looking for stability, these are actually all three incredibly stable e-trikes that can give you that forward pedaling design. But again, you're not as low to the ground as your typical recumbent. So I just want you to really think about why you want a recumbent. Why do you think it's best for your body? And think about your own mobility and how arthritis has affected you, because it's very possible that a low recumbent is not right for you. I'd also say measure the seat from the ground and on any recumbent you're looking at, and practice. Is it possible for you to get on and off? Again, recumbent trikes and bikes have a much lower seat to the ground than a recumbent bike at the gym.

That's also something else to think about, right? So just because you can get up and down off the recumbent bike at the gym doesn't mean you can do it with a recumbent bike or each right, so Really important that you find the right fit for your body, so you'll definitely get out and use it. If it's something that you struggle to get on and off with or it's difficult, you know, you may just not end up using it. And the goal is to keep our bodies moving to keep them active. So, I hope that helps. If you have any other questions or are trying to decide on the right one for you, reach out to us at theteam@sixthreezero.com or call us at 310-982-2877. In addition to that, we offer a 30-day test ride of your e-trike policy. If you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back. No questions asked. No money out of your pocket. We're also going to warranty everything for one year. Anything goes wrong in the first year, we'll take care of it, parts and labor. And if you want to come out for a test ride, we're here in San Clemente, California, 1046 Kairokoto Unit K. Come test ride any of our e-trikes before you purchase to ensure you're making the right choice. Also, join our community before you purchase. We have a Facebook group called Sixthreezero Pedalers. There are thousands of members in the group. Join before you purchase to talk to existing riders to ensure you're making the right choice. Then, when you have yours, post in the group, make friends, and finally download the app to track your rides and be on the leaderboard. So thanks for sticking around, and don't forget, it's your journey or experience. Enjoy the ride.