The Best 3-Wheel Electric Bikes for Seniors
What makes a 3-wheel electric bike one of the top choices for seniors today? Well, this blog will be your in-depth guide as to what 3-wheel electric bikes are and why seniors should ride them. As well as a few specific bike recommendations!
Sections in this blog:What is a 3-wheel electric bike? Why would seniors want one? How to use:
- LCD Controller
- Taking off and riding
- Getting service and help
What is a 3-wheel electric bike?
The first time you most likely ever saw a 3-wheel bike was as a child. Remember the radio flyer trikes? Well, these are similar… just bigger and better!
3-wheel bikes will typically have two wheels in the back and one wheel in the front and are called trikes. 3-wheel electric bikes can also come in a number of different styles. There may be beach cruisers, off-roading electric bikes, and even folding models. So, no matter what you might use a 3-wheel bike for, there is one made for you.
3-Wheel electric bikes always come with a powerful motor and a rechargeable battery. The motor will typically be a 500W motor, but even models that have a smaller motor will be enough to get you up and over any hill or terrain you might come across while riding.
All 3-wheel electric bikes have a large battery, usually right below the seat post, that is easily charged and powers your bike’s features.
When you first receive your bike, it is best to go ahead and plug up the battery and let it get a full charge, this usually takes about 4-6 hours. Then, with a full charge, you can ride up and over 30 miles! Think about just how far you could ride.
Why would seniors want one?
Well, one of the main reasons that anyone would choose to ride a 3-wheel bike is because of how stable and easy to ride they are compared to a bike that only has 2 wheels. Because of the structure of 3-wheel bikes, they require minimal effort to balance (if any effort at all).
This single feature makes them very attractive to older adults and to anyone who may have limited mobility. This is a huge part of why more and more seniors are choosing to ride these types of bikes.
Another reason why seniors might want was is because they can use it as their main form of transportation. As many people age, they choose to stop driving and this is a great alternative to public transportation or walking.
With a long-lasting battery, you should have no problem getting where you need to go, and get back home with a 3-wheel electric bike.
3-wheel electric bikes are commonly used to stay active or as a mode of physical therapy. Seniors often try to stay as active as they can, and with an electric bike, you never have to worry about getting stranded and not being able to make it back home.
3-wheel electric bikes are also used as a mode of physical therapy for many seniors who need to get more of their mobility back, help to manage an illness, or just try and keep up with their health.
This can be a great way to reduce pain, as well as gain strength and balance as you go.
LCD controller
All 3-wheel electric bikes should be equipped with some type of LCD controller that is located on the handlebar. This controller is important to have because it will be the way that you track your speed, distance traveled, and battery life.
You want to always make sure that it is something that is simple and easy to use. This LCD controller also controls how you will turn your front and rear LED lights on and off. These lights are powered by the battery so no need to worry about having to change them out.
Taking off and riding
When you first get your 3-wheel electric bike it is important to read through the owner’s manual before you ever get on and ride. This way you should understand how all the features work, as well as safety precautions.
Once you have done that you are ready to start riding and the first thing you should do is put on a helmet! I would always recommend starting pedaling on the bike without any power before you choose to push down on the thumb throttle. This way, the bike won’t bolt out from underneath you.
Once you are on the bike there are actually three different ways in which you could ride. The first way to ride is just like a normal bike, you don’t have to use the power from the motor or battery.
The next way to ride is called pedal assist mode. Pedal-assist mode is where you use power from the battery and you pedal at the same time. There are usually about 5 levels with pedal assist, 1 being the easiest and 5 being the hardest level.
The last mode of riding is full throttle mode. This is just like it sounds, all you do is push down the thumb throttle and let the bike take you where you want to go – no need to pedal at all!
Getting service and help
With any kind of bike that you could get it is going to need tune-up services done, and maybe even repairs might be needed in the lifespan of the bike. But what should you do when you need help? You should be able to reach out to the company you bought from and they will get you taken care of.
It is important to remember that you may need service and that you are able to get your bike serviced or repaired when needed. One great thing that some bike companies offer now is nationwide bike techs that even come out to your house.
Make sure to check wherever you are buying so you wouldn’t even have to leave your house in order to get your bike fixed!
What to look for in a company
As mentioned above, getting service and help is a big deal in something you might want in the company that you choose. Another thing that goes hand-in-hand with that is the warranty that is offered on the bike.
If you are going to spend a lot of money on something like this, you want to make sure you are covered in case something does happen. Make sure you can get ahold of the customer service department as well.
You want to make sure you are dealing with a reliable company before you make a purchase in case you have any questions after you buy, or just ever need to get ahold of them.
Recommendations
There are so many 3-wheel bikes out there but which ones are the best choices for seniors? I will give two recommendations below.
The Anywhere Trike – Rugged Edition
This is the #1 choice for seniors all over the USA. It is equipped with fat tires that can cover any terrain. It has a low step-through, upgraded seat with a backrest and ergonomic design for your ultimate comfort.
The Anywhere Trike - Breezy Edition
This Breezy edition trike is another great choice for seniors. This trike has many features similar to the Rugged Edition trike but has a few differences such as tires and size.
This trike would be the ideal choice for someone who is only going to be using the bike on bike paths or the road, the fat tires on the rugged trike make it better for all terrains and off-roading.
The Breezy trike is a little bit smaller as well, so this trike is the perfect fit for someone who is 5'0" or above.
Happy riding!
