Meet the Simple Glide Dual: Two Motors, Two Batteries, and a Roof
I'm Dustin, and I've spent about 20 years working in the bike and e-bike industry. Over that time I've ridden just about every kind of three-wheeler you can imagine, from simple cruiser trikes to rickshaws built to haul passengers. The Simple Glide Dual is one of the more ambitious machines I've had the chance to test. It takes our recumbent Simple Glide platform and gives it two motors, two batteries, and 1,500 watts of total power. Mine was also wearing the optional canopy, which turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole ride.
This article is a written version of a ride I filmed for our YouTube channel. I'll cover what the trike is, what the features are like to live with, how the dual motor system works in practice, and how it handled a long ride that ended on a very steep hill. I'll tell you where it impressed me and where you'll want to make choices of your own, like how much power you actually need on a given day.
What the Simple Glide Dual is
At its core, this is an electric trike with a recumbent-style riding position. You sit back in a supportive seat with your feet out in front of you, rather than perched upright over the pedals. If you've been browsing our recumbent electric trikes, you already know the appeal: less pressure on your wrists and back, a lower center of gravity, and a seat that feels more like a piece of furniture than a bike saddle.
What separates the Dual from a standard Simple Glide is the drivetrain. There's a 750-watt motor in front and a 750-watt motor in the rear. You can run either one on its own, or run both together for a combined 1,500 watts. Feeding those motors are two batteries, so you get a big jump in range along with the extra power.
Here's the quick rundown of what you get:
Think of it as a personal mobility device
I don't really think of the Simple Glide Dual as a bike in the traditional sense. It's closer to a personal mobility device. It's built to get you where you want to go, quickly and comfortably, without you needing to be a strong cyclist. You can pedal it like a bike and shift through the gears, you can let the pedal assist do part of the work, or you can sit back and use the throttle.
That versatility is the whole point. With two batteries and up to 80 miles of range, this is something you can genuinely use for errands, trips around town, and longer recreational rides without planning your day around a charger. Add the baskets for your stuff and the canopy for shade, and it starts to look like a real alternative to hopping in the car for short trips.
It's also a natural fit for riders who want a stable, low-stress way to get around. A lot of the folks who shop our electric trikes for seniors are looking for exactly that combination of stability, comfort, and enough power that hills stop being a reason to stay home. The Dual takes that idea and pushes the power side about as far as it goes.
Why 1,500 watts on a trike?
The obvious question is why anyone needs 1,500 watts on something capped at 20 mph. The answer is that top speed isn't where the extra power shows up. The speed limit stays the same. What changes is how the trike pulls when you ask it to work hard: steep hills, heavier riders, a loaded basket, rough ground, or off-road trails. That's where a single motor starts to strain and two motors just keep going.
I'm 230 pounds, and the trike itself weighs about 140 pounds. Together that's roughly 370 pounds rolling up a hill. On a single 750-watt motor, that's a real load. With both motors working, you'll see later in this review that it barely noticed. If you've looked at our full lineup of electric tricycles and wondered which one is built for the toughest terrain and the heaviest loads, this is the one I'd point you toward.
","id":"7da211b7-d767-46db-b5c7-ff020fb405e5"},{"layoutId":"bike-listing","variants":{},"bikes":[{"id":"c3bacc6e-47cb-4f29-acb3-ac577a143f1f","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"6zdHIM4RMvRtDRzJrd87N1"}}},{"id":"df3fc3a1-24f4-46c3-b76f-bf0c1d717386","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"5pET3ukwE0pQBTK4Of9Xub"}}}],"id":"beea1e51-e8d3-4a88-95f5-ad78cea14705"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"Comfort First: Seat, Suspension, Handlebars, and the Canopy","body":"Power gets the headlines, but comfort is what decides whether you actually ride something every day. The Simple Glide Dual has a lot of adjustability built in, and once you dial it in, it's a genuinely relaxing place to sit for a long ride.
The office chair style seat
The seat is the first thing most people notice. It's wide, it's supportive, and it has a backrest, so it feels a lot more like an office chair than anything you'd find on a typical bike. You can slide it forward or backward to match your leg length, and you can raise or lower it to get the height right.
Getting the slide position right matters more than people expect. On my ride I stopped a couple of times to fine-tune it. At one point I pulled the seat back too far, nudged it forward, and found the spot where my legs had the right amount of bend at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Later in the ride I brought it in just a little more. Small changes like that make a noticeable difference in how efficient and comfortable your pedaling feels, so take a few minutes on your first rides to experiment.
Armrests and a footrest
Two small features make a big difference over a long ride. The first is the armrests. On a long straightaway I could rest my elbows on them while I steered, which takes the load off your shoulders and arms. If you've ever finished a ride with sore shoulders from holding yourself up, you'll appreciate that.
The second is the footrest. If you want to take a break from pedaling and ride on throttle for a while, you have a proper place to put your feet instead of leaving them on spinning pedals or holding them awkwardly in the air. It's the kind of detail that tells you the trike was designed around comfort first.
Tool-free handlebar adjustment
The handlebars adjust without tools, so you can bring them in closer or push them out to fit your body. That's handy if more than one person in your household rides the trike, and it's also helpful as you figure out your preferred position over the first few weeks. Between the seat slide, seat height, and handlebars, you can build a riding position that fits you rather than forcing yourself to fit the trike. If that kind of adjustable comfort is your top priority, our collection of the most comfortable electric trikes is worth a look as well.
Full rear suspension
The rear suspension is doing a lot of quiet work on every ride. On the bumpy sections of my route it soaked up the hits nicely, and it pairs with the wide tires to keep the ride smooth. I also rode right up a curb onto the sidewalk and across some uneven ground, and it took all of that in stride. When you're sitting back in a recumbent position, you feel road vibration through your back as much as your seat, so suspension really earns its place on a trike like this.
The canopy
Now for the part that gets the most attention when I ride this thing: the canopy. It's an add-on rather than standard equipment, and you can find it with our other sixthreezero canopies.
If you live somewhere warm and you don't want the sun beating down on you all day while you ride, the canopy is a game changer. During my ride the sun was behind me and the roof was keeping me fully shaded. On a long ride in the summer that's a big deal, both for comfort and for keeping the sun off your skin. It'll also give you some protection overhead if you get caught in a light rain.
I was a little curious how it would behave at speed, so I paid attention on the descents. Coming down one hill I was moving at about 25 mph, and the canopy held up just fine. No flapping, no drama. It feels like part of the trike rather than something bolted on as an afterthought.
Baskets for real errands
You get both a front basket and a rear basket, which is a big part of what makes this a practical errand machine. Groceries, a bag, a jacket, whatever you need for the day has a home. If carrying capacity is high on your list, our electric tricycles with a large basket collection shows the range of options we offer.
Put all of this together, the adjustable seat, armrests, footrest, suspension, baskets, and canopy, and you end up with a trike that's built for spending real time in the saddle. It's comfortable enough that a long ride feels like a pleasure rather than an endurance test, and that's exactly what you want from a mobility device you plan to use often.
","id":"e257c333-767b-4933-88a9-d1ebf290ea51"},{"layoutId":"full-width-image-with-out-bleed","variants":{},"image":{"assetId":"5OleD8Qv2iEw0paHP0FdAj","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"id":"6b60157c-a5db-4fcf-be52-a5bb5f6d2b78"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"Power on Your Terms: Single Motor, Dual Motor, and Dual Batteries","body":"The headline feature of the Simple Glide Dual is the dual motor system, and the best part is that you're in full control of it. You don't have to use all 1,500 watts all the time. In fact, a lot of riders won't want to.
Choosing front, rear, or both
From the color display you can choose to run just the rear motor, just the front motor, or both at once. Switching is simple. On my ride I pressed and held the plus and minus buttons together, and that toggled me into rear motor only. Doing the same thing again let me go back to dual motor mode.
When you're in dual motor mode and you hit the throttle, you get the full output of both motors, and the acceleration is honestly kind of crazy for a trike. When you're in single motor mode, you get 750 watts, which is still a capable amount of power and plenty for most everyday riding.
Staying within local rules
There's a practical reason the single motor option matters beyond just taking it easy. If you want to be legal on the streets, you need to be at 750 watts or less. With the Dual, you can run a single motor on the street to stay within those rules, then switch to both motors when you're off-road or on terrain where the extra power is appropriate. Rules vary by location, so check what applies where you ride.
The top speed is capped at 20 mph for the same reason. That cap is there to keep the trike within local laws, which is why I keep saying the extra power isn't about going faster. It's about how easily you get up to speed and how well the trike holds its pace when the road tilts upward.
Pedal assist and throttle
Like most e-trikes, the Simple Glide Dual gives you a few ways to put power down. You can pedal on your own and use the seven gears like a regular bike. You can use pedal assist, where the motors add power as you pedal. Or you can use the throttle and not pedal at all. If throttle riding is important to you, the footrest makes long stretches on throttle genuinely comfortable.
On my ride I started out in pedal assist level three, which was a comfortable cruising pace. Then I bumped it up to level five, and that's when it really started cooking. The difference between levels is easy to feel, so you can match the assist to the moment: lower levels when you want some exercise or you're cruising on flat ground, higher levels when you want to move or you're facing a climb.
Combine that with the motor selection and you have a lot of ways to tune the ride. Single motor with low assist is a gentle, efficient cruise. Dual motor with high assist is the most power you can get. Everything in between is available with a couple of button presses.
Getting set up for your first ride
If you're new to a trike with this much power, here's how I'd approach the first few rides. Start by dialing in your fit: set the seat height, slide the seat until your legs have a slight bend at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and bring the handlebars to a spot where your arms feel relaxed. Then release the parking brakes and start out in single motor mode on a lower pedal assist level.
Spend some time getting a feel for how the trike accelerates, turns, and stops. Shift through the seven gears and notice how they change the effort at the pedals. Once that feels natural, step up the pedal assist, and then try dual motor mode somewhere with open space so you can experience the acceleration without surprises. Building up gradually like that lets you learn what each setting does, so later you can pick the right mode for each part of a ride without thinking twice.
Why not always run both motors?
You can, but a lot of people don't want that level of acceleration all the time, and that's totally fair. If you're riding casually around the neighborhood, single motor mode is smoother and more relaxed. I think of the second motor as something you call on when you need it: a steep hill, a heavy load, a trail, or just a moment when you want to have some fun. The point is that it's your choice.
Dual batteries and range
The second half of the dual system is the batteries. With two of them on board, the Simple Glide Dual has a claimed range of up to 80 miles. That's a lot of riding for an e-trike, and it's a big reason this works as an everyday vehicle rather than a weekend toy. If range is your top concern, take a look at our electric tricycles with long-range batteries.
The real benefit is that you don't have range anxiety. During my ride I could see the display toggling between the two batteries in the upper left-hand corner, so I always knew where I stood. At one point, one battery was down to a single bar while the other was completely full. On a single-battery trike, one bar left means you start thinking about the ride home. Here it just means you've still got a full battery to go.
Range on any e-trike depends heavily on how you ride. Rider weight, hills, wind, how much you pedal, and whether you run one motor or two will all affect how far you get. If you spend most of your time in dual motor mode on high assist up steep grades, expect to see less than the maximum. If you run a single motor and pedal along with moderate assist, you'll get closer to the top end of that range.
The color display
The color display ties it all together. It's where you select your motor mode, change your pedal assist level, and keep an eye on your speed and battery status. It's easy to read while riding, and seeing both batteries at a glance makes managing your range simple.
","id":"3a60aa17-08dc-44e6-b28c-1302d4a7b1ec"},{"layoutId":"full-width-image-with-out-bleed","variants":{},"image":{"assetId":"6sBm4rP4LjzWWDFN9uWlFt","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"id":"2b8aebcd-e8dc-4669-bfaa-ff174f5c228d"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"On the Road: Stability, Handling, and the 4-Inch Tires","body":"Specs only tell you so much. Once I released the parking brakes and got rolling, the thing that stood out most wasn't the power. It was how planted the trike felt everywhere I took it.
Insanely stable
If you're not familiar with the 4-inch wide tires on the Simple Glide line, they make a huge difference. This trike is insanely stable. Truthfully, I'd put it among the most stable electric trikes out there, and I'd even compare its stability to our 4-wheel e-bikes, which is saying something.
A few things work together to create that stability. The frame is elongated, which gives the trike a longer wheelbase. You're also pedaling forward from a seated, reclined position, which keeps your weight low and centered. Then you add those 4-inch tires, with all that rubber on the ground, and the result is a trike that feels very hard to upset. If you like that wide-tire feel, our fat tire electric trikes collection is built around the same idea.
Cornering and road camber
You can fly around turns on this thing. I took several corners at a decent clip and never felt unsettled. From a stability standpoint, I really wasn't worried at all.
The one situation I don't love is when the street starts sloping sideways, where the road is tilted from one edge to the other. That's true of pretty much any trike, since you're sitting on a fixed platform rather than leaning like you would on a bike. Even there, though, the Simple Glide Dual stayed totally stable. It's simply something to be aware of and take a little slower.
Curbs, sidewalks, and rough ground
I also wanted to see how it handled the kind of obstacles you run into every day. I rode right up a curb onto the sidewalk with no trouble, and I crossed some uneven terrain where it stayed totally balanced. It's going to be very, very difficult to tip this trike.
Between the suspension and the wide tires, bumps are a non-event. The suspension makes the ride feel smooth, and the tires roll over rough patches rather than getting knocked around by them. I've also taken this trike on trails before, and that's exactly the kind of riding where the extra power and the wide tires earn their keep.
Downhills and braking
Coming down one hill I was rolling at about 25 mph. Remember, the motors cap at 20, but gravity doesn't care about caps. At that speed I wanted to know two things: that the canopy would stay put, which it did, and that the trike would stay composed and stop when I asked it to. The hydraulic brakes gave me confident stopping power and good control on the way down. If braking performance is high on your list, browse our electric trikes with disc brakes to compare options.
The parking brakes are worth a mention too. On a trike you can't lean it against your hip while you stop, so having a reliable way to lock it in place when you park, load the baskets, or climb on and off is a real convenience.
The first hill: single motor vs. dual motor
Before the big climb, I ran a quick side-by-side test on a smaller hill. I switched into rear motor only and started up the hill. With my 230 pounds on board, plus the trike's 140 pounds, a single 750-watt motor was carrying a meaningful load, and you could feel it working.
Then I switched into dual motor mode and did it again. The difference was immediate. With both motors pulling, I started cooking up the hill and the trike just flew, with roughly 370 pounds of combined weight and no strain at all. For one stretch I wasn't pedaling at all and it kept climbing anyway.
That test is the clearest way I can explain what the second motor is for. On flat ground, one motor and two motors feel similar once you're cruising. On a hill, the second motor is the difference between grinding up and gliding up.
Cruising
Once things flattened out, the trike settled into an easy rhythm. On one long straightaway I was cruising at a relaxed 19 mph with my elbows on the armrests and the canopy keeping me in the shade. Of course, wherever you ride, obey all the traffic rules. A trike is wider than a bike and you want drivers to see you as a predictable part of the road.
","id":"db3d9dc6-d555-479d-be68-39597191af29"},{"layoutId":"full-width-image-with-out-bleed","variants":{},"image":{"assetId":"6Dd5HcgBXVhOYrzUyg0IMd","options":{"backgroundSize":"cover"},"mobileAssetId":"","mobileOptions":{"backgroundSize":"cover"}},"id":"0fd16a6e-9022-4fec-824f-c7a9d52cb13f"},{"layoutId":"paragraph-section","variants":{},"heading":"The 12% Grade Test, and How to Get Your Own","body":"I saved the hardest test for last. There's a hill on my route that I've ridden plenty of times on other e-bikes and trikes, and it's genuinely challenging. Even on a 750-watt trike at my weight, it's a workout, especially with 4-inch wide tires adding rolling resistance. I'd never tried it on the dual motor version, so I was pretty excited to see how it would do.
The approach
The hill starts out around an 8 to 9% grade, which is plenty steep on its own. As you work your way up and around the turn, it gets steeper, moving into roughly 10, 11, and eventually around 12%. It's hard to capture on camera, but if you've ridden a hill like this, you know it's serious.
Again, I'm 230 pounds, and the trike weighs about 140. That's important context for anyone wondering whether this will work for them. If you're a heavier rider, or you plan to carry a lot of cargo, our collection of electric trikes with high weight capacity is a good place to compare models.
Throttle only, then pedaling
I started up on throttle alone, just to see how far I could get without pedaling. It pulled well on the lower part of the climb. As the grade kicked up past 10%, I started pedaling, mostly just to make it go a little faster.
Here's what surprised me. I wasn't exerting myself at all. On this same hill with a single 750-watt motor, I'm working. With the dual motors, I was pedaling lightly and the trike was doing the heavy lifting. As we got into the 12% section, I was still moving at 14 mph. I could actually have slowed down and worked even less if I'd wanted to.
That's the real story of the Simple Glide Dual. Hills that used to dictate your route, or stop you from riding altogether, become just another part of the ride.
A battery ran out, and it didn't matter
On this ride, one of the batteries ran dry partway through, and it wasn't a problem. We made it back up the hill anyway. That's exactly why I like the dual battery setup. Running a battery down on a long, hard ride is just part of riding hard, and having a second one on board means it's an inconvenience at worst instead of a long push home.
Who the Simple Glide Dual is for
After a full ride, here's who I think will love this trike:
If most of your riding is short, flat, and casual, you may not need two motors. But if you want the most capable version of the Simple Glide, with power to spare and the range to back it up, this is it.
Try it before you commit
Buying an e-trike online is a big decision, so we make it as low-risk as we can. We offer a 30-day test ride. If you don't love your trike in the first 30 days, send it back. No questions asked, and no money out of your pocket.
We also stand behind what we sell. If anything goes wrong, we'll take care of it, parts and labor. You can find the full details on our warranty page.
If you'd rather try it in person, come out for a test ride. We're in San Clemente, California, and you're welcome to try any of our e-bikes and e-trikes before you buy. You'll find the address and details on our visit our store page.
Join the community
I'd also encourage you to join our Facebook group for sixthreezero riders before you buy. There are thousands of members, and it's a great place to talk with people who already own the trike you're considering, ask questions, and make sure you're making the right choice. Once you have yours, post in the group and make some friends.
Finally, download the sixthreezero pedaling app to track your rides and compete on the leaderboard. With up to 80 miles of range on the Simple Glide Dual, you'll have plenty to log.
If you have any questions about the Simple Glide Dual, reach out to the team at theteam@sixthreezero.com or call us at (310) 982-2877. We're happy to help you figure out whether it's the right fit. It's your journey. Enjoy the ride.
","id":"cc22b3f7-6742-4a9c-b25f-92f1edbbe591"},{"layoutId":"bike-listing","variants":{},"bikes":[{"id":"17e5cbec-6aa3-4a0b-a78e-a194b2962be0","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"6zdHIM4RMvRtDRzJrd87N1"}}},{"id":"a287daf8-6ba9-4a44-9db3-da485558725b","value":{"entry":{"entryId":"5pET3ukwE0pQBTK4Of9Xub"}}}],"id":"453f8fc1-c784-4010-aa51-9f0c9c5cad26"},{"layoutId":"bodyfit-quiz","variants":{},"id":"07703bfc-ce57-4be0-a558-393782885fc2"}]},"images":["5OleD8Qv2iEw0paHP0FdAj","6sBm4rP4LjzWWDFN9uWlFt","6Dd5HcgBXVhOYrzUyg0IMd"]}},"staticQueryHashes":["1118653772","2624707571","3486008833","764694655"]}