You skipped the most important reason. I ride most everyday. With power assist, I won't pedal as much. Right now I average about 5 mph. I love my trike and I enjoy my ride everyday. The fun part of my trike is I don't feel slow at all and it takes less effort than riding a diamond frame bike. I walk with a cane because of an injury, but I feel very athletic riding my trike. If I had a motor I would go much faster and everything would wear out faster. Maybe it would be different if i needed to keep up with a group, but I usually ride alone. Also my trike weighs about 35lbs and it is very easy to load inside my Toyota Prius.
I broke my ankle on a pedal drop on the maiden voyage of my TerraTrike Rogue after i added a mid-drive motor. I wasn't using any assist when the accident occurred. My physical therapist is thinking that I'll probably be good to get back on the trike by the end of December. Depending on the weather (Oregon, Tualitin river valley) I may wait a bit longer. I'm deciding on which safety pedals I'm going to put on it. TerrCycles has a system with straps that sells for about $140 that I am leaming towards buying. I will not ride it again without some safe pedal solution. I wanted a torque sensing motor and didn't want to break the bank, so I bought a 500 watt ToSevin DM02 motor kit from California Ebikes. On the brief maiden voyage, I used power assist levels 0-2 on the ride while pedaling. I'm riding for fitness. On the first mild but fairly long hill on my ride, I went to level 2 but then backed down to level 1 because 2 made it too easy. I probably went up to 5 on one of the flat straight aways just to try it. The Rogue, at least compared to my big bicycle, is no speed demon. I had dropped to level 0 on a section of bike trail that is flat or slightly downhill when I had the pedal drop. My lower left (distal) fibula was fractured at the ankle. Needles to say, I don't recommend riding w/out safety pedals. Fortunately, i had installed the optional thumb throttle on it, and it worked. I was about three miles from home, on a paved trail in the woods, and I was able to make it back on just throttle. I'm looking forward to getting back on it and giving the motor a real shakedown. There is the Banks/Vernonia rail trail out here that is about a 44-mile ride, 22 there, and 22 back that i want to try it on. It has some elevation and a section of switchbacks where the motor should really help. The torque sensing ToSevin felt really natural with the limited riding that I did with it.
I very much enjoy your trike videos and it’s alway good to hear about the e-assist. I know someday I’ll add it. But so far this year, I have ridden my trike over 12,000 miles and the knees holding up nice.
One other thing to remember about replacement batteries. Alot of Lion batteries have some number of cycles they are rated for, normaly in the 200-300 range. However that rateing is to 80% capacity. Basically if its 200 cycles to 80% after about 200 full charge/discharge cycles your 10AH battery will only carry about 8ah. You wont get as much distance off them but they will still keep working way way past the rated number of cycles. unless your a daily rider that $700 battery is going to take several years before it degrades to 80% capacity and will still be more than viable to field for a good decade. Should the day come that your just not getting the range out of the battery you want get a new one and keep the old as a range extender when you really want to go the distance.
Please clarify. At 3:33, you said that a Class 1 can go "up to 20 mph." Does this limit you downhill or on human power alone? In other words, do they actually stop you from going faster or does the assist simply cut off over 20 mph?
Great video. I didn't know there were so many different motors and the restrictions for them. I definitely want e-assist, but a level 1 no throttle. If I'm not pedaling, I don't get any assist. Keep those videos coming.
You skipped the most important reason. I ride most everyday. With power assist, I won't pedal as much. Right now I average about 5 mph. I love my trike and I enjoy my ride everyday. The fun part of my trike is I don't feel slow at all and it takes less effort than riding a diamond frame bike. I walk with a cane because of an injury, but I feel very athletic riding my trike. If I had a motor I would go much faster and everything would wear out faster. Maybe it would be different if i needed to keep up with a group, but I usually ride alone. Also my trike weighs about 35lbs and it is very easy to load inside my Toyota Prius.
I broke my ankle on a pedal drop on the maiden voyage of my TerraTrike Rogue after i added a mid-drive motor. I wasn't using any assist when the accident occurred.
My physical therapist is thinking that I'll probably be good to get back on the trike by the end of December. Depending on the weather (Oregon, Tualitin river valley) I may wait a bit longer. I'm deciding on which safety pedals I'm going to put on it. TerrCycles has a system with straps that sells for about $140 that I am leaming towards buying. I will not ride it again without some safe pedal solution.
I wanted a torque sensing motor and didn't want to break the bank, so I bought a 500 watt ToSevin DM02 motor kit from California Ebikes. On the brief maiden voyage, I used power assist levels 0-2 on the ride while pedaling. I'm riding for fitness. On the first mild but fairly long hill on my ride, I went to level 2 but then backed down to level 1 because 2 made it too easy. I probably went up to 5 on one of the flat straight aways just to try it. The Rogue, at least compared to my big bicycle, is no speed demon. I had dropped to level 0 on a section of bike trail that is flat or slightly downhill when I had the pedal drop. My lower left (distal) fibula was fractured at the ankle. Needles to say, I don't recommend riding w/out safety pedals. Fortunately, i had installed the optional thumb throttle on it, and it worked. I was about three miles from home, on a paved trail in the woods, and I was able to make it back on just throttle. I'm looking forward to getting back on it and giving the motor a real shakedown. There is the Banks/Vernonia rail trail out here that is about a 44-mile ride, 22 there, and 22 back that i want to try it on. It has some elevation and a section of switchbacks where the motor should really help. The torque sensing ToSevin felt really natural with the limited riding that I did with it.
I very much enjoy your trike videos and it’s alway good to hear about the e-assist. I know someday I’ll add it. But so far this year, I have ridden my trike over 12,000 miles and the knees holding up nice.
Woohoo! That's awesome Doug. Keep it up :)
Wow, when do find time to eat and sleep😜?
Wow. 12,000 miles! Congrats.
Great informative video. There are lots of good reasons to ride an e-trike. Get one, and you will love it.
One other thing to remember about replacement batteries. Alot of Lion batteries have some number of cycles they are rated for, normaly in the 200-300 range. However that rateing is to 80% capacity. Basically if its 200 cycles to 80% after about 200 full charge/discharge cycles your 10AH battery will only carry about 8ah. You wont get as much distance off them but they will still keep working way way past the rated number of cycles. unless your a daily rider that $700 battery is going to take several years before it degrades to 80% capacity and will still be more than viable to field for a good decade. Should the day come that your just not getting the range out of the battery you want get a new one and keep the old as a range extender when you really want to go the distance.
Do you have a video about the best e-recumbent all terrain bike that has a good carry capacity.
Check out this one ua-cam.com/video/7NrFRu8GMRk/v-deo.html
Please clarify. At 3:33, you said that a Class 1 can go "up to 20 mph." Does this limit you downhill or on human power alone? In other words, do they actually stop you from going faster or does the assist simply cut off over 20 mph?
Great question John. The motor stops at 20 mph, but you can go as fast as your legs will pedal or gravity will pull you after that.
Great information to review
Thanks for watching!
Thanks love it 👍
Great video. I didn't know there were so many different motors and the restrictions for them. I definitely want e-assist, but a level 1 no throttle. If I'm not pedaling, I don't get any assist. Keep those videos coming.
The terratrike EVO is an excellent trike that has pedal assist (must pedal).
Trikes are slow uphill, etrikes overcome this problem.
Now I feel like Superman on the hills with my Bosch motor :)
Great info Thanks
Great video thanks 😊
Thanks for watching!
In 4 to 6 years the battery should be cheaper than it is is now.
Also, they are always improving battery technology. I can't wait for the 100 mile battery :)
He should have said “Reason number one why not to buy an E-bike, because I only sell regular bikes”. 😂
About 80% of our customers purchase an electric trike :)
Good information, thanks