First Time on a Trike: Initial Impressions of the Relaxed Body
I've spent a lot of years around bikes and trikes, and one thing I've learned is that experienced riders and brand-new riders notice completely different things. A veteran will talk about gear ratios and tire pressure. A first-timer tells you how it feels to sit on the thing, whether the controls make sense, and whether they're having fun. That second kind of feedback is gold, because it's exactly what most people shopping for an electric trike want to know.
So when our guest rider for this video told us, on camera, that it was their first time ever on a trike, I knew the footage was going to be worth writing up in detail. The trike was the sixthreezero Relaxed Body, and the setting was about as ordinary as it gets: a quiet parking lot, a stop sign at the end of the lane, a little downhill, a slight uphill, and some local traffic. No test track, no staging. Just a real person figuring out a new machine in real time.
\"It feels more like a standard bicycle\"
The very first comment, before the wheels had even turned, was about the seating position. Sitting on the Relaxed Body in the parking lot, our rider said it felt more like a standard bicycle, more like what they were used to when they sit on a bike. They couldn't quite put a finger on why, but the word they kept landing on was comfortable.
That reaction is interesting, because the Relaxed Body is not a traditional upright tricycle. According to its product page, it uses a forward pedaling setup, a semi-recumbent design where the pedals sit out in front of your body rather than directly below you. You might expect that to feel foreign to someone who grew up on ordinary bikes. Instead, our rider found it familiar right away. My read on that: the trike still has a handlebar in front of you, a real saddle under you, and pedals you push with your legs, so the core \"bicycle\" feeling is all there. What changes is how relaxed your posture can be while you do it.
If you're curious about that style of riding position in general, our recumbent electric trike collection gathers the trikes built around a laid-back, forward-pedal posture. And if your main concern is simply getting on and off without lifting a leg high, the easy-to-mount low step-thru e-trikes are worth browsing too.
Controls a first-timer can read at a glance
Before setting off, our rider looked over the cockpit and said all of the controls were very self-explanatory. The battery was switched on, the display showed power assist level one, and the trike was sitting in gear five. That was the whole pre-ride briefing, and it was enough.
I don't want to skip past that, because it matters more than people realize. A lot of new riders are nervous about e-bikes and e-trikes for one reason: they imagine a dashboard full of buttons and a steep learning curve. When someone who has never been on a trike can sit down, glance at the handlebar, and understand what everything does, that tells you the design is doing its job. You shouldn't need a manual to take your first lap around a parking lot.
For reference, the product page lists five levels of pedal assist, a twist throttle, and a seven-speed drivetrain on the Relaxed Body. During this ride, our rider stuck to assist levels one, two and three and never touched the throttle, so everything I describe here is about pedal assist. The throttle is there for when you want the motor to do the work without pedaling, and we have a whole collection of electric trikes with throttle control if that feature is high on your list.
The first pedal strokes
Rolling out in power assist one and gear five, our rider's first observation was that this trike felt lighter than what they'd been riding earlier that day, and that it simply felt really good. A few seconds later came the line that ended up defining the whole video: \"I love this trike.\"
There was a funny little moment right after that, too. Our rider kept catching themselves calling it a bike, then correcting to \"trike.\" That's not a slip I'd edit out. It's honestly one of the best compliments a trike can get from a newcomer. If the experience is close enough to riding a bicycle that your brain keeps filing it under \"bike,\" the transition from two wheels to three is going to be a lot easier than you feared.
Our rider decided to head down to the stop sign at the end of the lot and keep going, which is exactly what you want to see. Nobody who is uncomfortable on a new machine volunteers to extend the route.
Sharing the road for a moment
Early in the ride, a truck hauling classic cars waited to let our rider pass. It was a lighthearted moment (it reminded our rider of Monterey during car week), but it's also a reminder that test rides happen in the real world. Even in a quiet area, you'll share space with vehicles, and that's when you appreciate a trike that feels predictable. Three wheels mean you can come to a full stop and stay put without putting a foot down, which takes a lot of the stress out of waiting for traffic.
That stable, stay-upright-at-a-standstill quality is a big reason trikes appeal to so many of the riders I talk to, especially folks returning to riding after years away. If that describes you, our electric trikes for seniors page is a good place to compare options built with stability and easy handling in mind.
","id":"051e32fa-a7e2-4c7e-ac3b-a190a30a622e"},{"layoutId":"bike-listing","variants":{},"bikes":[{"id":"b5a0770c-b568-4de4-89f5-576534cf3da0","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"26Lgro1tcp3cXBvIm8XmBY"}}}],"id":"36ebef69-ad28-4e52-b53f-66c82d587094"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"Smooth Pedal Assist: Levels One Through Three","body":"If there's one thing first-time e-trike riders worry about, it's the motor. Will it lurch forward? Will it feel like it's dragging me somewhere I don't want to go? Will I be able to control it? This part of the ride answered those questions better than any spec sheet could, because our rider moved through three different assist levels and talked through each one as it happened.
Starting in power assist one
The ride began in assist level one, the gentlest setting. That's where I recommend every new rider begin, and our rider did it instinctively. At level one, you're still doing most of the work with your legs, and the motor is adding a light, steady push. It's the setting that lets you learn how the trike steers, how it brakes, and how it responds to your pedaling before any extra power comes into the picture.
Even at this lowest level, our rider was already relaxed enough to say they loved the trike and wanted to keep going past the stop sign. That tells me level one was providing enough help to make pedaling feel easy without making anything feel rushed.
Stepping up to power assist two
A little further along, our rider bumped it up to level two, and the reaction was immediate and specific. The torque, they said, doesn't set off really quickly the way some of what they'd ridden earlier did. Instead, it was a nice, smooth transition in the power assist.
I want to unpack that, because it's one of the most useful things anyone said in this video. When you change assist levels on an e-trike, you're asking the motor for more help. On some machines, that extra help arrives all at once, and you feel a noticeable surge. Experienced riders sometimes like that punch. Nervous riders usually don't. What our rider described on the Relaxed Body was the opposite: the added power came on gradually, so the trike simply felt a bit easier to pedal rather than suddenly faster.
For someone who has never ridden a trike, that smoothness is a confidence builder. You can experiment with the assist buttons without bracing yourself every time you press one. I'd go so far as to say it's one of the most important qualities to look for if you're buying your first electric trike, and it's the kind of thing you can only really judge by riding.
Coasting downhill in level two
Still in gear five and assist level two, the route dipped into a gentle downhill. Our rider coasted, and the word that came out was \"smooth.\" Then, a moment later, a comment about how much they liked the lightness of the frame.
Downhills are where a lot of new trike riders tense up, so I paid attention to this stretch. Our rider stayed loose, let the trike roll, and kept talking. There was no sense of the trike wanting to run away or wander. That's a good sign for anyone who lives in a neighborhood with gentle grades.
Dropping back to level one
Before making a U-turn, our rider deliberately dropped back down to assist level one. That's a smart move, and I'd encourage every new rider to adopt it as a habit. Slow, tight maneuvers are where you want the least amount of motor help. You want the trike moving at walking pace, completely under your control, while you steer. I'll talk more about what happened in that U-turn in the next section, because it's an honest moment that taught a useful lesson.
Power assist three on the climb
The last assist change came at a slight uphill. Our rider switched to level three, still in gear five, and the response was pure enthusiasm: \"Oh, yeah. That is nice.\" And then the line I liked best: \"Don't even know we're going uphill.\"
That's what pedal assist is supposed to feel like on a climb. You're still pedaling, but the grade disappears into the background. For a lot of the riders I talk to, hills are the single biggest reason they stopped riding years ago, and they're the biggest reason they're considering an electric trike now. Hearing a first-time rider say they couldn't even tell they were climbing is about as clear an endorsement as you can get. The Relaxed Body's product page notes it runs a 750-watt rear-mounted motor, and our rider only needed level three of five to make that slope feel flat.
Coming back down through the levels
Once the climb flattened out, our rider dropped back to level two, rolled toward the parking lot, and then went down to level one again for the slower, tighter space of the lot. I really like this pattern, and it's worth spelling out because it's exactly how I'd coach a new rider to use assist:
Our rider figured out that rhythm on their own, on their first ride, in about five minutes. That says something about how intuitive the system is. You don't need to memorize anything. You just press up when it gets harder and press down when you want more control.
If you're comparing trikes and you know comfort is your top priority, take a look at our most comfortable electric trikes. And if you'd like to see the full lineup in one place, every model is on our main electric tricycles page.
","id":"e1b97fd1-15bc-4bd8-bc44-e0b5f219ca7c"},{"layoutId":"full-width-image-with-out-bleed","variants":{},"image":{"assetId":"7jEajlP1DIKfRmGHh41qMk","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"id":"1ca95690-8ed2-48c5-b4a0-f80c08e64a0a"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"Gear Five, a Wide U-Turn and Responsive Brakes","body":"Two habits showed up in this ride that I think every new rider can learn from. One was a gearing habit that our rider fell into naturally. The other was a braking lesson that came from an honest, unscripted moment in a U-turn. Neither of them is glamorous, but both are the kind of practical detail that makes your first weeks on a trike go smoothly.
Staying in gear five the whole time
From the first pedal stroke to the final roll into the parking lot, our rider stayed in gear five. They mentioned it several times, and near the end they said that, for some reason, keeping it in gear five just seemed natural.
The product page lists a seven-speed drivetrain on the Relaxed Body, so gear five sits in the upper middle of the range. Here's why I think that worked so well. When you combine a mid-range gear with pedal assist, the motor is filling in the effort that you'd otherwise be shifting for. On flat ground and gentle grades, you can often leave the gears alone and use the assist buttons instead. That's a big part of why e-trikes feel so approachable to people who never got comfortable with shifting on a regular bike.
That said, I don't want anyone to take away the idea that gears don't matter. They do. On a steeper hill, from a dead stop, or when you're carrying a loaded basket, dropping to a lower gear will make pedaling easier and give the motor a more comfortable job. The takeaway is simply that you don't have to be a shifting expert on day one. Find a gear that feels natural for your area, and adjust the assist level as the terrain changes. You'll learn the rest over time.
The U-turn and the brakes
Now for the moment I appreciated most, precisely because it wasn't perfect. Our rider dropped to assist level one, announced a wide U-turn, and started around. Partway through the turn, the pedal assist kicked in. Afterward, our rider explained what they'd learned: when they made that U-turn, the assist engaged, so they needed to keep their hands on the brakes. And then, right away, the verdict that the brakes are very responsive.
I think this is a genuinely useful bit of footage, and it's the kind of thing a lot of review videos would cut. Here's what's going on. Pedal assist responds to pedaling. If you're turning slowly and you keep pushing the pedals, the motor does what it's designed to do and adds some help, even at level one. On a two-wheeled bike, you might instinctively stop pedaling and coast through a tight turn. On a trike, new riders often keep pedaling to maintain momentum, and that's when the assist adds a little push you weren't expecting.
The fix is simple, and our rider found it immediately: in slow, tight maneuvers, keep a couple of fingers resting on the brake levers. If the assist adds more speed than you want, a light squeeze settles it. You can also ease off the pedals as you go into the turn and let the trike roll through. After a few rides, this becomes automatic.
The good news in this moment is the second half of what our rider said. The brakes were very responsive, so a light touch was all it took to keep the turn under control. According to the product page, the Relaxed Body has three Tektro disc brakes, one in front and two in the rear. Our rider didn't comment on the brake setup itself, just on how they felt in use, which is honestly the more important thing. If strong, predictable stopping power is near the top of your checklist, our electric trikes with disc brakes collection lets you compare models with that feature.
Why trikes turn differently than bikes
Since this was our rider's first time on three wheels, it's worth explaining why U-turns feel different on a trike, because every new trike owner runs into it. On a bicycle, you lean into a turn. On a trike, you don't lean. You steer, and the trike stays level underneath you. That's a big part of what makes trikes feel so stable at low speed, but it means your body has to unlearn a lifetime of leaning habits.
The practical advice I give new owners is the same approach our rider took without being told:
Practice a few figure eights in an empty parking lot and you'll have this down in an afternoon. A parking lot is where this whole video was filmed, and it's the perfect place to build your confidence before heading onto streets or paths.
Don't forget the basics
One more practical note while we're on the subject of control and safety. Whenever you're learning a new machine, wear a helmet, even in a parking lot. It's a small habit that costs you nothing and protects you during exactly the moments when you're still figuring things out. We carry sixthreezero helmets if you need one to go with your new trike.
When I step back and look at this section of the ride, what stands out is how quickly our rider adapted. In the space of a few minutes, they found a comfortable gear, learned how the assist behaves in a slow turn, and discovered that the brakes would respond the moment they were needed. That learning curve is exactly what I hope for when someone tries their first trike.
","id":"57ce6372-2b26-4953-9027-0b563b7f4cbf"},{"layoutId":"full-width-image-with-out-bleed","variants":{},"image":{"assetId":"5ozoE7j65JkyJUu6A0tWxi","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"id":"4cd93258-d0c3-4133-a716-363638d4b202"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"Lightness, the Rear Basket and Pure Fun","body":"By the end of the ride, our rider had circled back to two themes again and again: how light the trike felt, and how much fun they were having. Then, right before moving on to try the next trike, they pointed out one more feature that I think will matter to a lot of buyers. Let's take those one at a time.
\"The lightness of this trike is really working for me\"
Lightness came up more than anything else in this video. Our rider mentioned it in the first minute, again while coasting downhill, again on the way back into the parking lot (\"the lightness of this trike is really working for me\"), and once more at the very end: \"This trike is lighter, and again I said that earlier, but I like that part of it.\"
I want to be careful about how I frame this. Our rider was comparing the Relaxed Body to the other trikes they had tried that same day, and they mentioned that while they like the fat-tire style of trike, this \"small, light one\" was the one they really liked. That's a personal, side-by-side impression from one day of riding, not a measured weight comparison, and I'd encourage you to check the product page for the trike's full specifications rather than take any single rider's feel as a number.
What the impression does tell you is how the Relaxed Body feels to ride. A trike that feels light is usually a trike that feels nimble: it responds quickly when you start pedaling, it's easy to steer, and it doesn't feel like you're wrestling a heavy machine through a turn. For a brand-new rider, that sense of ease goes a long way. It's a big part of why our rider was comfortable enough to extend the route, experiment with the assist levels, and keep smiling the whole time.
It's also a good reminder that tire width and overall feel are personal preferences. Some riders love the planted, cushioned feel of a wide tire. If that's you, browse our fat tire electric trikes. Others, like our rider, gravitate toward a trike that feels lighter and quicker. Neither is wrong. The right choice is the one that makes you want to ride.
The \"dog box, grocery box\"
Right at the end, our rider noticed the big basket on the back and named it perfectly: \"The dog box, grocery box. I like that.\" I love that description, because it captures exactly how people actually use a rear basket on a trike. It's for the weekly grocery run, the trip to the farmers market, the bag of library books, and, for plenty of owners, a furry co-pilot.
The Relaxed Body's product page describes it as a huge rear cargo basket, and mentions custom basket bag options sold separately. For a lot of riders, that basket is what turns a trike from a fun weekend toy into something you use every day. Once you can ride to the store and bring the groceries home, the trike starts replacing short car trips, and that's when people really fall for it.
If carrying capacity is a priority, our electric trikes with a large basket and cargo electric trikes are worth a look, and you can add storage to almost any setup from our sixthreezero baskets collection. If you do plan on giving a dog a ride, take a few slow practice laps first with the basket loaded so you get used to how the trike handles with weight in the back.
\"I've never had more fun on a trike\"
After rolling back into the parking lot, our rider let out a laugh and said, \"That was fun.\" Then came my favorite line of the whole video: they wanted to say they'd never had more fun on a trike, but since it was their first day, that wasn't saying a lot. \"But seriously,\" they added, \"this is fun riding these trikes. It is fun.\"
I bring this up because fun is underrated when people shop for e-trikes. Buyers understandably focus on stability, comfort, and safety, and those things matter enormously. But the trikes that get ridden are the ones that make people smile. A trike that sits in the garage doesn't help anyone's mobility, fitness, or independence. A trike you look forward to riding does. Our rider went from never having been on a trike to calling the experience genuinely fun in about five minutes, and that's the outcome I want for everyone.
Who I think the Relaxed Body suits
Putting this ride together, here's who I'd point toward the Relaxed Body based on what our rider experienced:
Try it before you decide
The biggest lesson from this video is that the way a trike feels is personal, and the best way to know is to ride one. Our rider's impressions of the seating position, the smooth assist, and the lightness all came from a few minutes in the saddle. If you can, come see us and ride for yourself. Details are on our visit our store page. If you can't make it in, our 30-day test ride program lets you try a trike on your own streets. And if you're not sure which model fits your body, our personal fitting page will help you narrow it down.
Our rider finished by asking what else we had ready to ride, which is about the best ending a test ride can have. If this first trike made them that eager to keep going, I think it's worth putting the Relaxed Body on your list too.
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