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Why choose an electric tricycle for adults over a normal bike?
Everyone has heard about electric tricycle for adults. Over the course of the years many options have been created to suit everyone’s needs and be fun for everyone!
But do you actually know why they are more and more popular? And do you know all the criteria you should be aware of before purchasing one? Keep reading to find out!
What exactly is an electric tricycle for adults and why use them?
An electric tricycle for adults is a mixture between a tricycle and an electric bike. To understand this, you’ll need to know what both of these are.
The electric bike is just like a normal bike but it has an electric drive. This drive will boost your speed and will help you strain less and be less tired at the end.
A three-wheeler, on the other hand, doesn’t have an electric drive but it has a third wheel! As you could imagine, this additional wheel makes the bike much more stable as the weight is distributed more equally. It is also often much more comfortable.
One day, someone had the great idea of putting these two bikes together to make an electric tricycle for adults! Everything we said above was put into one bike.
You therefore have a stable and easy to ride tricycle! They provide great visibility, and you can ride for hours without being tired.
If you aren’t a very athletic person, afraid of falling or you just want to have more fun, the electric three-wheeler is the best option for you!
You will feel confident and will be able to go for long bike rides without worrying.
The several types of electric tricycle for adults you should know
There are three types of electric tricycles for adults: pedal-assist tricycles and throttle etrike.
- Pedal-assist tricycles: in this case, the motor will only help you when you pedal. You will be able to reach a maximum speed of 28 miles / 45 kms per hour because you are additionning your power and the motor’s power! Another thing is that your battery’s life span will last longer because you use less electric power. This is great for longer trips.
- Full throttle etrike: basically, the motor will help you even if you aren’t pedalling. These types of bikes allow you to go up to 20 miles / 32 kms per hour. However, the battery’s life span will be shorter than with pedal-assist because you only use the motors power. These are great for shorter trips, when you are tired.
- Both on one trike: this means you can choose whether you want to be in full throttle mode or pedal assist. You have the perks of both!
These different types of tricycles also exist for bikes. You can have full throttle bikes, pedal assist bikes and bikes that have both.
That’s why we can add another type to this list: the AddBike+. This module turns your traditional bike into a tricycle. It also works for electric bikes. You would therefore end up having an electric tricycle for adults!
If you want to know more about this solution, keep reading. We’ll go more into details about this further down.
Several advantages of choosing an electric tricycle for adults
There are many reasons to switch for an electric tricycle for adults. Here are some of them:
- It’s easy to get around town: An electric bike will get you across the city much quicker than a car! It could be the end of waiting in traffic and you can get to work much easier! Thanks to the electric assistance you won’t even be sweaty and tired.
You might think that it is harder to park because a tricycle is quite bulky. But, if you think about it you won’t have to pay for a parking space, you can just lock it or bring it inside. - Get your daily exercise: Even though you have electric assistance to help you along, you have to pedal and stay active. But, without putting too much stress into it and being too tired. You should be looking forward to riding your bike at the end of the day, not dreading it!
- Carry loads: Electric tricycles for adults often have a large basket at the front or a rack at the back. You can therefore bring your shopping, luggage or any load you need, home. Thanks to the electric assistance you can even carry heavier things!
- Reduce pollution: get from one place to another without an internal combustion engine. This means that you won’t pollute while moving around on your bike. It’s one less person using a car so one less person polluting the air!
All the different key parts of an electric tricycle for adults
There are different parts on an electric tricycle for adults that could affect the price or the quality of the bike. They are things you need to look out for before choosing a bike.
Firstly check the motor of the electric tricycle for adults
For an electric tricycle for adults’ motor, the higher the torque is, the higher the force which means that it is easier for the bike to propel you along.
But what does “torque” mean? Torque is used in mechanics when talking about a motor and represents the amount of force in Nm (Newton/meter) that the motor gives when turned on.
It ranges from 15 to 85 Nm.
Three different types of motors exist:
The motor on the rear wheel:
When the motor is on the rear wheel, it is directly connected to the rear transmission, this means that it will be quicker to respond and the bike will be lighter and more dynamic ! If you like dynamic riding, this is perfect for you.
However, there are a few drawbacks:
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- The rear shifter makes it harder to get on and off the electric tricycle for adults.
- You also need to know how to repair a derailed chain as the risk is higher with this type of motor
- It is hard to remove the rear wheel in case of a flat tire or any other problem so the maintenance isn’t as easy.
- Sometimes the battery can also be at the back. If this is the case there will be a poor weight distribution and the risk of tipping over will increase
The motor in the front wheel hub:
This is the easiest and safest place to put the motor, it is also very often the least expensive. As it’s on the front wheel it doesn’t come into contact with the pedals or the chain and the rear wheel has a little risk of losing grip when taking a turn. It is actually a very popular motor for cyclists who ride on simple, quite flat roads! You can also come across the reduced front motor. It uses less power because it doesn’t need to reduce the speed of the motor (as it is already reduced) so it extends the lifespan of the motor and makes the electric tricycle for adults lighter.The motor on the bicycle drive (in the middle):
If the motor is placed here, the harder you press on the pedals, the more power the motor sends and therefore the quicker you go! This system is the most sophisticated of the three. These kinds of motors are controlled by the torque, the speed and the pedalling rate. The higher these factors, the more assistance you will get.
This is ideal for long journeys because the weight is equally distributed throughout the bike, the risk of tipping over is reduced and the rider will be more comfortable.
However, these types of motors are usually heavier, noisier, more expensive and the electric tricycle for adults’ components tend to have a shorter lifespan because it pulls on the chain and controls the gearbox at the same time. You’ll probably have to change your chain regularly if you use your bike daily.
Secondly, look at the electric tricycle for adults’ battery
On an electric tricycle for adults, the battery is there to store all the power necessary to make the motor work and propel you along.
They used to be made out of lead and then nickel but now they are made out of lithium polymer (Li-Po), lithium phosphate (LifePO4) or lithium-ion (Li-ion) because they are less heavy and they have a bigger life span.
You’ll mainly encounter lithium-ion batteries like the one on your laptop or MP3 player.
They are a bit more expensive but they offer longer ranges of 20 to 40 miles for some electric tricycles and an average of 360 watts/hour. If an electric tricycle for adults is used daily and isn’t damaged, the battery will have a lifespan of 5-6 years. After this, its capacity is reduced, which means you’ll have to charge it more often.
Therefore, if you plan on using your eTrike daily the battery lifespan is something you are going to have to look at, the higher it is the longer the battery will last.
How to calculate your battery’s lifespan
To know what your bike’s battery lifespan is you are going to have to look at 5 things:
- Your weight: the heavier you are, the more power the bike will need to move therefore the power level goes down faster.
- The road: you need to know what kinds of roads you are going to be riding on. When you are going uphill, the bike will need more power. If you are going downhill or riding on flat surfaces the bike will need less power. Stopping frequently in town also asks for a lot of power from the bike.
- Distance: you’ll need to know how far you are going in order to know how long your battery will last. Theonger the trip the more power will be needed.
- The electric assistance: the lifespan also depends on what level of electric assistance you are going to use. There are three levels: high, medium and low. The lower the level of assistance needed, the less power will be used.
- The battery capacity: it is usually indicated on the battery, the higher the capacity the longer the lifespan in general.
Batteries can also be placed differently depending on the bike. They can be on the back of the seat tube, on the rear luggage rack, on the bike’s diagonal tube or on the front of the bike. It all depends on what you want to do with the bike. For example if you want to carry luggage, a battery on the rear rack would be a problem.
As we said before, batteries store energy for the motor. Let’s talk about motors!
Finally, don’t forget the electric tricycle for adults’ brakes
There are four types of brakes for a bike:- Disc brakes: When you brake with this kind of brake, the brake pads tighten onto the disc near the hub of the wheel which stops it from turning. This system is very reliable in any weather condition and is perfect for sporty bikes.
Can there be downsides in buying an electric tricycle for adults?
- The price: First off, you’ll find that a normal tricycle is often more expensive than a normal bike. If you add a battery and a motor to it it’ll be even more expensive. But if you think about it, it’s a long term investment, it’s expensive now but you’ll make it worthwhile in just a few years as you won’t have to fill it up with gas for example.
- They need Expert Repair: if you are not a mechanic you will probably need expert repair in case a component brakes or if there is any problem. You’ll therefore have to find a bike mechanic and go to his shop.