7 Reasons People Return Their Electric Trike (And How to Make Sure You're Not One of Them)

Before You Buy: Return Policies, Shipping Costs and Why People Buy Online

Seven reasons. That's what it comes down to when someone sends an electric trike back. I've been in the bike and e-bike industry for 21 years, and over that time I've watched the same handful of issues come up again and again. The good news is that almost every one of them can be prevented, or at least softened, if you know about it ahead of time.

I'm recording this in our showroom with two of our dual motor, dual battery models next to me: the EVRYjourney rickshaw and the Simple Glide. I'll reference both as we go, because they're good examples of how different e-trikes can be from one another. But this article isn't really about any single model. It's about you making a confident decision and ending up with a trike you love.

Why the fear of returning is completely reasonable

If you're browsing electric trikes online, or even standing in a store, there are probably two worries in the back of your mind. One is choosing the wrong trike. The other is what happens if you do. Both are fair. An e-trike is a real investment, and nobody wants to be stuck with something that doesn't work for their body or their life.

So before anything else, look at the return policy of whoever you're buying from. Read it carefully. Here at sixthreezero, we offer a 30-day test ride: you have 30 days to ride your e-trike, and if you don't love it, you can send it back without any money coming out of your pocket. Not every brand works that way. A lot of companies charge return shipping, and many also charge a restocking fee.

Return shipping on an e-trike is not cheap. Depending on the model and where you live, it can run several hundred dollars. Plenty of brands advertise free shipping on the way to you (we ship free too), so it's easy to assume the return is covered as well. Check. If you're responsible for the return freight, you want to know that before you click buy, not after. Our shipping details are laid out on the site so you can see exactly how it works with us.

Why so many people end up buying online

There's a practical reason a lot of e-trike shoppers end up buying online rather than walking into a shop. The in-store selection of electric trikes is usually much thinner than the selection of two-wheel e-bikes. And if you're looking for something specific, say a trike designed around a particular body type or mobility need, it's genuinely hard to find those niche models at a local store.

If you happen to be in Southern California, you're welcome to come see us in San Clemente and ride before you buy. If you're not, you're likely going to make this decision online, like a lot of our customers do. That's exactly why I want to walk through the reasons people return their trikes, and what you can do about each one.

One more piece of context before we start: with us, about 5% or fewer of customers return their e-trike. I can't speak for the whole marketplace, but that's a pretty high success rate. The goal of this article is to help you land in the other 95%.

The number one reason people send an e-trike back is simple: it doesn't fit, or it doesn't feel the way they expected it to feel on their body.

I understand that completely. We put out a lot of videos and photos, and so does every other brand. But can a video ever fully tell you how a trike will feel when you sit on it? Not really. You see someone riding it, you picture yourself in that seat, and then the box shows up and the reality is a little different.

Why fit is so personal on a trike

Part of the challenge is that we talk about an "average" build for a man or a woman, and very few people actually are average. There are so many different body types out there. Different shapes, sizes, heights, leg lengths, torso lengths, levels of flexibility. All of those things affect how a trike feels once you're actually on it. Two people of the same height can sit on the same trike and have completely different experiences.

That's especially true for riders with unique builds, and it's a big reason this is the most common return reason we see.

Step one: take the online quiz

The first thing you can do to prevent a fit problem is take our online fitting quiz. You answer a few questions and it recommends the trikes that are the best match for you. It's quick, and it narrows things down a lot.

Step two: get a personal fitting from me

We've also introduced a personal fitting service that I handle myself. You fill out a more detailed questionnaire and upload photos of yourself, plus a video of you walking or moving around. Honestly, the more photos and video you send, the better. I'll personally look at everything and recommend the e-trike I think is right for you. You can start that process on our Get Fitted page.

Why do I trust that process? Because I've done hundreds, likely well over a thousand, test rides here in San Clemente. I've watched so many different body types on every one of our trikes that, just from a picture, your height, your weight, and possibly your inseam, I can make a very accurate recommendation. I can also follow up with a phone call or a video explaining exactly why I picked the model I picked for you, so you're not just taking my word for it.

So if you want to minimize the risk of a trike not fitting: take the quiz, then fill out the detailed fitting form, and let me recommend the right trike.

Step three: test ride something, anywhere

Another smart move is to test ride e-trikes locally, even if they're not ours. Some local shops will have a few trikes you can try, and in some areas you can rent one. The point isn't necessarily to buy that exact trike. It's to learn what feels right and what doesn't. Do you like sitting upright or leaning back? Do you like a high seat or a low one? Bring that knowledge with you when you shop online and you'll make a much better decision. And if you can get to Southern California, visiting our San Clemente showroom lets you try our lineup side by side.

Small adjustments make a big difference after delivery

Here's the part a lot of people don't realize. If you sit down for the first time and something feels off, that's not necessarily the end of the story. With our trikes, and with a lot of trikes out there, there are many customizations you can make after the trike is in your house.

You can swap the seat. Browsing our replacement seats is a good place to start if the saddle is the issue. You can change the cranks, too, going to a shorter crank arm if you have shorter legs or a longer one if you need it. On certain models you can adjust the height. You can add a cushion to the seat. There's a whole range of tweaks that aren't obvious when you first unbox the trike and feel some discomfort.

The reality is that no trike is going to fit every body type perfectly straight out of the box. It might take a few small adjustments, and from 21 years of fitting bikes and e-bikes, I can tell you it might just be a millimeter here or there that makes all the difference. If comfort is your top priority from day one, our most comfortable e-trikes are a good starting point, but any trike can benefit from a little dialing in.

So if it doesn't feel right that first time, reach out. If you bought from us, call or email us. If you bought from another brand, reach out to them. Before you decide to send it back, give someone the chance to help you get the fit right.

Reason two: it doesn't steer the way I expected

The second most common reason for returns is steering. People tell us the trike doesn't handle the way they thought it would, or very often, that it seems to be pulling to the right or pulling to the left.

If you're buying a tricycle as an adult for the first time, especially an electric one, you need to know this going in: trikes steer differently than two-wheel bikes. A lot of our customers have ridden two-wheel bikes or e-bikes for 20, 30, even 40 years. Many have been off a bike for 5, 10, or 15 years and don't have the balance they once did. They come to a trike expecting everything they learned on two wheels to carry over to three.

Some of it does. Some people hop on and get it right away, no problem. Others are genuinely surprised by how different it feels.

The mindset I want you to have is this: feeling thrown off at first doesn't mean you won't get it. It just means you're learning something new. If you go in expecting that a trike won't feel like a two-wheel bike, you give yourself the time and grace to practice and get comfortable.

Why it feels different

The fundamentals are just different. On a two-wheel bike, you steer largely by leaning, gliding with the bike through a turn. On a trike, you actually steer with the handlebars to make it go where you want. You can turn a trike as sharply as you like, whereas on a bike there's only so far you can turn the front end before you tip over.

The other piece is weight transfer. On a trike, how you shift your weight in turns and corners helps keep all three wheels planted on the ground. It's a skill, and like any skill, it comes with a little practice.

Choosing a style with a shorter learning curve

Your mindset is one part of preventing a steering return. The other part is the style of trike you choose. Certain designs are a quicker, simpler adjustment for someone coming off two wheels.

In my experience, upright trikes have a bit more of an adjustment period compared to recumbent and semi-recumbent e-trikes. That comes down to their length and the way they steer, which just feels more natural. Upright trikes tend to have a little more pull and involve more weight transfer through the corners. Something like the Simple Glide is the opposite: you really don't have to think about weight transfer at all. It's incredibly balanced, and all you do is steer the handlebars to go where you want to go. For a lot of riders, that's far more intuitive.

If steering or balance worries you, mention it when you fill out the personalized fitting form. I'll factor that into my recommendation and point you toward the trikes I think will be easiest to steer and have the gentlest learning curve.

Reason three: the weight

The third reason is weight. A lot of people want an e-trike they can transport. Maybe it has to be lifted into the back of a pickup, or carried into wherever it's stored. Whatever the reason, the reality is that e-trikes are heavy.

Every e-trike I know of is over 50 pounds, and many are well beyond that. Our EVRYjourney rickshaw here is around 130 pounds. Our four-wheeler is around 140. The Simple Glide is about 100. If you need to lift a trike off the ground regularly, take that seriously before you buy, because it's going to be hard to find any e-trike that's truly lightweight.

A few things help. First, take the battery or batteries off. That reduces the weight right away. Second, you rarely need to lift the whole trike at once. Loading into a pickup, for example, you can lift the front end in, then lift the back. You're only handling roughly half the weight at any one time. And if transport and storage are a big part of your life, a folding e-trike is worth a look.

Weight matters less once you're riding

Here's something people coming from two-wheel e-bikes don't always think about. On a two-wheeler, weight affects you much more while riding. When you stop, you're the one keeping that bike upright. If the weight starts going one direction and it's too much for you, the bike tips, and you can go down with it.

On an e-trike, that doesn't happen. All the weight is planted on the ground. The trike isn't going to tip at a stop. So realistically, the weight mostly matters for transportation. It does affect range too, but we account for that in how we design the batteries and motors.

People do sometimes complain about the weight. But if you think ahead about what you'll be doing with your trike and how you'll load it, you can choose the right vehicle setup or rack and make transporting it easy.

Reason four: the range didn't meet expectations

Say you expected to ride 25 miles and your trike only got 15. That's the fourth most common return reason.

Here's what you need to understand about range: every estimate is based on specific conditions. Flat ground, a rider around 175 pounds, and so on. Those are the conditions behind the number you see. The real world can produce dramatically different results, and that's true of electric cars as well. Steep hills and steep grades drain your battery much faster. Riding in pedal assist level five drains it much faster too.

It works the other way as well, and that happens quite a bit. If you ride in a lower assist level like one or two, you may well go beyond the range we, or any other e-trike brand, advertise.

Your body weight plays a big part

Rider weight affects range a lot. A 300-pound rider will get less range than a 150-pound rider, because the motor has to work harder, and that takes more battery power. That's not a flaw. It's just physics, and it's worth being honest with yourself about.

How to avoid a range surprise

Before you buy, reach out to the brand directly. Tell them the actual kind of riding you'll do and how many miles you expect to cover. With us, that's built into the personal fitting form I review. Knowing your real-world conditions (your hills, your distance, your weight) helps me or our system recommend the right trike for you.

And if you find you're going farther than you planned, there's an easy fix with most brands: buy a second battery and carry it. Put it in a bag or a basket. Our e-trikes with a large basket make that especially easy. Swapping batteries mid-ride is simple, and having a spare along takes the range anxiety away.

Why every trike doesn't come with a huge battery

People sometimes ask why we don't just put dual motors or very large batteries on every trike. The battery is one of the largest costs in an e-trike. As the battery gets bigger, so does the price. A lot of customers don't need or want that extra capacity and don't want to pay for it. The customers who do want it can get it, either with a higher-capacity model or by picking up a second battery. That way you're not paying for range you'll never use.

Reason five: the assembly process

The fifth reason is assembly. Sometimes it's more daunting than expected, and halfway through, frustration takes over and someone throws up their hands and says, "I don't want to do this anymore."

That's totally fair. I understand it. And I want you to know that if it happens to you with us, we'll figure out a way to get your trike assembled. If a customer absolutely can't do it and frustration has peaked, we'll cover the cost and send a mobile mechanic to your house to put it together, so you don't have to worry about it. Mobile mechanics are available throughout the country, and we do this in times of need.

Before it ever gets to that point, we can also get someone on the phone with you or on a video chat to walk you through it step by step.

Know what you're getting into

Different models arrive with different amounts of assembly already done. Our trikes are roughly 85 to 95% assembled, depending on the model. Before you buy, it's worth watching an assembly video for the specific model you're considering, from us or from any other brand, so you know exactly what's involved.

Some are very simple. With the Simple Glide, for example, you're basically putting on the seat and the front wheel. You don't touch the electronics; the batteries come installed. The handlebars fold up into place. You're not installing chains or gears, and the gears and brakes come pre-tuned from the factory. There really aren't many steps.

Of course, if you've never assembled anything like this before, even a short process can bring challenges. That's okay. We're here to help, whether that's a call, a video chat, or someone at your door.

Reason six: cosmetic damage

The sixth reason is cosmetic damage, and it's one the entire industry deals with. Anyone shipping bikes, e-bikes, or e-trikes faces it.

We ship our electric trikes all over the country, sometimes coast to coast, like many brands do. We package them to the best of our ability, and then we put them in the hands of a carrier, whether that's FedEx, UPS, or an LTL freight carrier, and we trust them to handle it with care. Even so, it's not impossible for a trike to show up with a minor scuff on a fender or a mark on the frame.

That's unfortunate for you and for us, especially on a $3,000, $4,000, or $5,000 product. We do advertise a minimal allowable amount of cosmetic damage. But we also stock replacement parts, and I believe we're one of the most customer-focused brands out there when it comes to taking care of damage. Some brands won't help with that, or may not respond at all. That's another thing worth checking with any brand before you buy.

Most damaged parts are easy to replace

A lot of the parts that get scuffed in transit are easy to swap. A scratched fender, a scuffed seat, a handlebar, a basket: we can send you a new one, you replace it, and you're off and riding.

A minor scratch somewhere low on the frame is also worth keeping in perspective. Once you're out riding, the trike is going to pick up marks over time anyway. That's life with any bike. If the damage is truly severe, we'll work out how to get a replacement trike to you.

What I see sometimes is that a trike shows up, someone notices a mark, and the immediate feeling is, "This isn't new, I just want to send it back." My only ask is this: give us a chance to make it right. Contact us, send photos so we can take a look, and let's see what we can work out together.

And this goes for any brand, not just us: a minor scuff on arrival is usually not a reflection of the company. We can't watch what happens while a trike is in transit. Heavy, bulky products don't always get treated gently, and honestly neither do small packages. You've probably seen videos online of delivery drivers tossing boxes around. We fight that by packaging trikes as protectively as we can without making them impossible for you to unpack, and balancing those two things is genuinely difficult. So don't lose faith in a brand, including ours, if your trike arrives with a small mark.

What about a damaged box?

Related to this, every so often someone wants to return a trike because the box arrived damaged. Maybe part of the cardboard is torn and you can see inside.

In my experience, about 93% of the time, the trike inside is fine. Everything inside the box is wrapped. A hole in the box is usually a carrier issue (it may have been dragged and lost some cardboard), not a sign that the trike itself is damaged.

What we advise is to go ahead and build your trike. You're covered by the 30-day return policy either way, with no money out of your pocket. In almost every case it's going to be completely fine, and you'll be off riding.

Now, if parts are hanging out of the box, a wheel has come off, and the whole thing looks discombobulated, send us a photo. In that case, we'll most likely file a claim with the carrier and work on getting you a new trike. Either way, please don't be angry with the brand over the condition of a box. It's usually not their fault, and from our side, we're going to make it right.

Reason seven: they never opened the box

The seventh and final reason is that some people simply never open the box.

Our 30-day money-back guarantee gives you 30 days to ride your trike, test it, and send it back if it isn't right for you. We're strict about that 30-day window because the whole point is to give you the chance, once it arrives, to get out there and figure out if it works for you. We do extend our return windows after the holidays, and I think a lot of brands do the same, but you'll want to check each brand's specific policy.

So if you contact us 60 or 90 days later and tell us you never opened it and want to return it, we won't take the return. What we will try to do is work with you. Since we do get open-box orders, we may be able to pick up your trike and send it to a customer who ordered an open-box model. So I'll be upfront: this isn't really a reason we accept returns. It's a reason people request them, often because life got busy, they moved, or they just decided they didn't want it anymore. We'll still do what we can to find a solution with you.

Why a shipped trike can't be sold as new

Once a trike is in transit to you and back, it goes through a lot of bouncing and bumping, even if it never comes out of the box. It wouldn't be fair to sell that as new to the next person. That's why we don't, and it's why we have an open-box e-trike section.

Some of those open-box trikes really are like new. If someone receives a trike, decides within the 30 days that they don't want it, and it's never been removed from the packaging, we take it back. It's in perfect working order. We list it as open box, and whoever is lucky enough to buy it basically gets a brand new e-trike. Nothing about it has changed.

Why e-trikes ship more safely than regular bikes

One more thing on shipping. Our e-trikes ship LTL, which means they travel on a pallet. LTL shipping is generally much safer and has a higher success rate for arriving undamaged. Regular bicycles usually go ground through FedEx or UPS, where there's a lot more handling and jostling of individual boxes, and that's one reason standard bikes tend to see more damage. Because e-trikes ride on pallets, they get handled much more carefully.

Your checklist before you buy

Those are the seven reasons people return an e-trike: fit, steering, weight, range, assembly, cosmetic damage, and never opening the box. Every one of them can be avoided or resolved with a little preparation and a willingness to reach out before giving up.

If you have questions about any of this, email the team at theteam@sixthreezero.mom. And remember, I'm personally here to do a fitting for you. Request the detailed custom fitting form, which goes beyond the BodyFit quiz algorithm on our website and which I review myself, because we want you on the right trike from day one.

On top of that, you get our 30-day test ride. If you don't love your e-trike in the first 30 days, send it back, no questions asked, with no money out of your pocket. Our warranty also covers you if something goes wrong, parts and labor.

If you'd like to ride before you buy, come see us in San Clemente and test ride any of our e-trikes. And join our community: our Facebook group, the sixthreezero Pedalers, has thousands of members. Join before you buy and talk to real riders about their experience. Once your trike arrives, download the sixthreezero pedaling app to track your rides, compete on the leaderboard, and post photos in the group. It's a lot of fun.

Thanks for reading, and remember: it's your journey. Enjoy the ride.