Which E-Trike?

[stever1957]

My wife is thinking of an e-trike (under £2000 - preferably a lot under!), no longer being confident of riding a two-wheeler.
I'm wondering if a folding one would be less structurally sound?
As she's just under five foot, I'm thinking 20" wheels, rather than 24"?
The ones I'm currently aware of are:

Scout folding - £899 - https://buytricycle.co.uk/webstore/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=283

Aurai - £1299 - https://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/electric-trikes/aurai-low-step-electric-tricycle-20-11ah-pearl-dark-blue-6-speed

Jorvik - 1999 - https://jorviktricycles.com/jorvik-elite-low-step-through-electric-folding-tricycle-jet-e

I'd welcome any suggestions

 

[Nealh]

Jorvik are a well known brand in the trike world hence the price and better more solid looking bike with a front disc brake. It looks like a Bafang hub motor/controller kit but depends on the control system used, if a speed control system then the ride will be a little frenetic as the bike will give max power all the time. Also uses the shimano nexus hub gears so handy for changing gears when stopped if one forgets, twist grip gear change much nicer then thumb shifters.

The Aurai uses a KT1 lcd display so is a current control system, it will give low power in PAS 1 with increasing power in the other 4 pas levels.

The Scout look a bit too cheap and cheerful and like all the others there is no info on the control system used for the kit, in the e kit section it too looks like a kt system as the display looks like a ktlcd5 but it may not be the same system as fitted to the trike./

Which ever bike is decided on might be worth a test ride as they can be a bit tricky to get used to riding.

It may be prudent to ask about the control kit used on these bikes but I doubt the sellers will really know much.

 

[stever1957]

Thank you very much indeed.
I can't imagine how she might be able to try one, here on the Isle of Wight.
Can anybody give any pointers as to how tricky these things are to ride please?

 

[matthewslack]

Thank you very much indeed.
I can't imagine how she might be able to try one, here on the Isle of Wight.
Can anybody give any pointers as to how tricky these things are to ride please?

Any cross slope combined with front drive risks the front end going sideways unexpectedly. The rider needs to be aware of this, and know what to do if the front starts sliding, and the motor needs to be sufficiently controllable to allow recovery.

On flat, dry roads, no problem. In the wet, on an adverse camber or anything more than a gentle uphill, I'd be wary until experience showed me what is OK and what is not.

 

[stever1957]

Right, thanks very much.

 

[Nealh]

Typically with a trike one doesn't lean their body in to a corner or turn as the bike may tip, it takes practice until one is comfy with the different handling characteristic.

 

[stever1957]

Thanks again, Neal.

 

[stever1957]

This reply received from Jorvik re: Control System:

Thanks for your email. All of our tricycles require pedalling to operate the motor- there are 5 levels of assist that relate to the speed the motor will turn while pedalling. The speed achieved depends on the terrain and rider weight but the top speed on the JET E 250w trikes is 15mph.

 

[Nealh]

As I said most vendors haven't clue about the systems they sell and just have a script they spout out, really is a poor reply and backs up that they likely have no clue about the system. The Jorvik reply is exactly as I would of expected and is no different to all pedelecs operating systems. Try asking them if it is uses a speed or current controller and they will have no idea of what one is speaking of.