A 50-Year Cyclist Tries His First Four-Wheel E-Bike: Jamie's ANYterrain Quad Test Ride

Why a 50-Year Cyclist's First Quad Ride Is Worth a Look

Every so often a test ride tells me more about a bike than any spec sheet could, and this was one of them. My colleague Diane took a rider named Jamie out from our 630 location in San Clemente for his very first ride on the ANYterrain quad, our four-wheel electric bike. Jamie isn't a nervous beginner looking for something with training wheels. He's 62, he's been cycling for 50 years, and by his own count he's put tens of thousands of miles on road bikes and mountain bikes. When someone with that kind of history climbs onto a four-wheeler, I pay close attention to what he notices, because he has half a century of riding to compare it against.

I want to walk you through that ride in detail. Not a highlight reel, but the whole thing, including the moment Jamie wasn't sure the bike was even switched on, the display icon nobody could identify on the spot, and the point near the end where he got hung up on a short climb and had to let another rider by. Those moments matter. If you're thinking about a quad, you deserve to know what the first hour actually feels like, rough edges included.

Who Jamie is, and why his take counts

Most of the riders who ask us about four-wheel e-bikes fall into one of two groups. Some have never felt comfortable on two wheels and want something that simply will not tip. Others used to ride a lot, and something along the way, whether a sore back, a cranky knee, or a few years away from the saddle, has made a conventional bike feel like more work than fun. Jamie sits closer to the second group, with an important twist: he never stopped riding. He's still the kind of guy who heads out on a long mountain bike loop. He's just honest about what it costs him.

Early in the video, Diane mentions that Jamie tends to get strains in his lower back. Later, the two of them talk about a pain he sometimes feels right in the center of his knee. Neither is unusual for a rider in his sixties with decades of miles in his legs, and neither keeps him off his bikes. But they shape how a ride feels, how long it lasts, and how he feels the next morning. That's the lens I want to use for this whole article. Can a quad give an experienced cyclist the riding he loves while taking some of the physical toll out of it?

The route: shop, street, bike lane, trail

The route made for a good test. Diane and Jamie rolled out from the shop, dropped down a slight decline, turned onto a street with a bike lane, picked up a bike path, and then headed onto a trail with bumps, short climbs, a couple of steeper pitches, and some corners where you can't see who's coming the other way. That's a realistic mix. Plenty of people buy a stable e-bike picturing a flat beach path, then discover their real rides involve a hill out of the neighborhood, a rough stretch of trail, and a few cars to share the road with. This ride covered all of it in a single outing.

Diane rode alongside Jamie the whole way, which gave us something else that's useful: a side-by-side look at how two very different riders handle the same machine. Diane freely admits she takes any decline slowly and rides her brakes on the way down. Jamie joked early on that if it were up to him, he'd be flying. Watching the quad accommodate both styles was one of the more interesting parts of the ride, and I'll come back to it.

Why a quad, and not just another bike?

Before getting into the details, it helps to be clear about what a quad is for. Four wheels give you a platform that stays upright on its own. You don't balance it when you stop, you don't put a foot down at a light, and you don't have to hold yourself up while you reach for a control. You sit on it the way you'd sit in a chair, and it carries you. Add pedal assist and a throttle, and you get something that can feel closer to a small personal vehicle than a bicycle, while still letting you pedal as much or as little as you like.

That last part is what a lot of experienced cyclists overlook. They hear "four wheels and a throttle" and assume it means giving up on exercise. Jamie's ride shows pretty clearly that it doesn't have to. He spent the whole afternoon dialing his effort up and down, and by the end he had a much better feel for how much work he wanted to do on any given stretch. If you want to browse the category while you read, our four-wheel e-bike collection lays out the current options side by side, and riders weighing three wheels against four can compare them with our electric trikes for seniors.

So let's start where Diane started: standing next to the bike, before anybody turned a pedal.

Diane opened with a walkaround, and I'd encourage anyone getting a new e-bike to do the same before the first ride. Knowing where everything is before you're moving takes a lot of stress out of those first few minutes.

Gears and pedal assist

The quad has seven gears, which work just like the gears on a conventional bike. On top of those sit five levels of pedal assist, controlled with up and down buttons at the handlebar. Diane showed Jamie which button raises the assist and which lowers it, and that's genuinely all there is to it. Gears change how hard each pedal stroke feels; the assist level changes how much the motor adds to each stroke. You'll use both, and on this ride Jamie and Diane spent most of their time in fourth gear while moving the assist up and down to match the terrain.

The thumb throttle

This quad has a thumb throttle. You press it down with your thumb, and Diane compared it to the accelerator pedal in a car: push to go. The throttle works whether or not you're pedaling, which becomes important later in the ride. If you already know you want throttle control on whatever you ride next, our e-trikes with throttle control are a good place to compare setups.

Drive and reverse

Here's a feature that surprises people: the quad has a forward and a reverse setting. Drive and reverse, just like that. If you've ever tried to back a heavy bike or trike out of a tight spot by shuffling your feet, you'll understand why this matters. It's especially handy for riders who don't want to climb off and wrestle the bike around a garage or a crowded parking area. Reverse is a feature people specifically look for, which is why we keep a dedicated page of reverse-gear e-trikes.

Horn and rear turn signal

There's a horn, which Diane was clearly delighted about, and there's a turn indicator on the back. Flip the switch left or right, and the rear signal shows drivers and other riders which way you're heading. Diane pointed out one detail worth remembering: unlike a car, the signal doesn't cancel itself after the turn. You have to push the switch back to the center to turn it off. It's a small thing, but it's exactly the kind of small thing that leaves a new owner blinking down a bike path for a mile without noticing. Build the habit early: signal, turn, re-center.

Storage up front and in back

There's ample storage in the back and ample storage up front. Diane didn't dwell on it during the walkaround, but it came back up at the end of the ride when the two of them started talking about packing a lunch. If hauling things is high on your list, you can also browse our e-trikes with a large basket.

Fat tires

The quad rolls on fat tires. Out on the trail, Diane explained the practical payoff: a wider tire rolls over cracks and crevices that might catch a narrow one, so you're not constantly scanning the ground for the next gap in the pavement. The same thinking runs through our fat-tire e-trikes.

The low step-through and the backrest

For Jamie, this was the part of the walkaround that hit home. The quad has a low step-through frame, and Diane tied it directly to his lower back. On a road bike or a mountain bike, you swing your leg high over the saddle or top tube every time you get on. That big leg lift isn't kind to a back that's prone to strains. On the quad, you step through and sit down. When Jamie climbed on, his first reaction was that it was very nice, and that he didn't have to lean way over. If an easy mount is your top priority, our easy-to-mount e-trikes with a low step-through are built around that same idea.

The seat also has back support. Diane suggested that if Jamie wanted to switch into what she called "plain Jamie manual mode" and really pedal, he could push back against it so the pressure wouldn't all land on his lower back muscles. Later on the trail, he confirmed he was using it, and that it kept him from being hunched over.

The parking brake

The parking brake works off the brake lever. To set it, you pull the brake in and turn the lock; to release it, you turn it back to horizontal. The parking brake was on when Diane handed the bike over, and she walked him through switching it off. She also told him to hold the brakes, since they were starting on a slight decline and she didn't want him rolling away. With a heavier four-wheel bike, that's good practice. Nothing tips over, but it will happily roll.

Power, the display, and one icon nobody could name

Then came a very human moment. Diane told Jamie he was in fourth gear and in drive, and he asked, reasonably enough, whether the bike was actually on. It wasn't. They found the on button, powered it up, and the display came to life. Diane ran through what it shows: battery level, an approximate time left on the battery, the pedal assist level you're in, and mileage, including how far you've gone since it was last reset.

Jamie pointed to one symbol and asked what it meant. Diane didn't know, said so, and promised to find out when they got back. I'm glad that stayed in the video. Every display has an icon or two that isn't obvious, and nobody should feel silly asking. Start with the manual, and if it's still a mystery, reach out to us. With the bike on, Jamie in pedal assist one and fourth gear, Diane's last piece of advice was to take turns a little slower, because they were heading for the trail. Then they were off.

The ride began downhill, which is a decent first test of any new bike. Jamie, already in pedal assist, rolled down the slope out of the shop while Diane followed. Her first question was the obvious one: how does the quad feel?

His answer came quickly. It was nice, and it was more stable than "the other one," the trike he'd ridden earlier that day. A moment later he refined it: a little more stable than the trike, and more stable than a normal bike. I appreciate that he didn't oversell it. He's a measured guy. On smooth pavement the gap between a well-designed trike and a quad isn't night and day, but it's there, and he felt it right away.

Two riding styles on one decline

Diane, true to her word, took the decline slowly. She told him so, and said she'd go ahead of him once they reached the street. Jamie joked that if it were him, he'd be going a whole lot faster. That exchange sums up who the quad suits. A cautious rider can creep down a hill feathering the brakes and still feel completely settled. A faster, experienced rider can relax and enjoy the descent. Neither one has to fight the bike.

Into traffic

At the bottom they turned right. Diane waited for a car to make its turn even though she'd be riding in a bike lane. A little later she spotted a car with its lights on ahead and slowed to make sure the way was clear. Small decisions, but the right ones, and worth copying. A quad is wider than a two-wheeler, and drivers aren't always expecting one. Use the turn signal, give vehicles the benefit of the doubt, and don't assume anyone has seen you.

On the street, Jamie's verdict was that the ride was really smooth, and he liked it. On the way down, he said, the brakes worked nicely. Then they turned onto the bike path, and from there onto the trail.

Bumps and blind corners

The trail gave the quad something to work with. They rolled across a series of bumps, and Jamie's reaction was simply that this was nice. Diane asked whether he felt in control. "I sure do," he said. She told him to watch for riders coming around corners, and they both eased off. I'd stress this for anyone taking a quad onto shared paths: you're wider than a bicycle, so leave yourself room and assume someone is just around the bend.

Later in the ride, Diane said she thinks you need to be a bit more careful on a quad going downhill than you would on a regular e-bike or a mountain bike, and she mentioned that she sits a little higher up on it. Take that seriously. Four wheels mean you won't topple over standing still, but cornering quickly on a descent is a different matter. Slow down before turns, especially downhill ones, and the ride stays relaxed.

Climbing through the assist levels

Then they reached the first real climb, and this is where Jamie's ride got fun to watch. He was in pedal assist one and fourth gear. Diane suggested clicking up to two. They both did, and the difference was obvious enough that Diane said so out loud. Jamie went to three. Diane suggested he try four.

His response is the line I'll remember from this video. Ordinarily, he said, he'd be struggling to get up that hill, and on the quad it felt like he was riding on flat ground. This is someone with fifty years of climbing in his legs. He knows exactly what that hill normally costs him. Hearing him say it felt flat is about the strongest endorsement of pedal assist I can offer.

Diane asked whether he ever thought they'd be riding those trails together. That gets at something I see all the time. One person in a pair is a strong lifelong cyclist; the other isn't, or simply doesn't enjoy climbing. Pedal assist closes that gap. The stronger rider dials down, the other dials up, and suddenly you're riding side by side instead of one person waiting at the top of every hill.

The quad versus a mountain bike

Diane asked Jamie to compare the quad to his mountain bike, since he probably wouldn't take his road bike onto that trail. His answer: it's a lot easier. More stable, for one. And for another, he was barely pedaling and still moving along really nicely and smoothly. She asked if he could feel the stability, and he said it was very stable. Then she added the point that matters most to anyone with balance concerns: when you stop, you don't have to put your feet down, because you're basically sitting on a stationary platform. Jamie agreed that it was nice.

For a mountain biker, that's a completely different rhythm. You're not dabbing a foot at every pause, and you're not holding yourself up while you check the trail ahead. You stop and you sit. For riders with stiff hips or sore knees, eliminating that constant foot-down at every stop takes a surprising amount of strain out of a long ride. If that kind of steadiness is what you're shopping for, our electric bikes for seniors are another useful comparison point.

The eye-opener: turning the assist off

Partway through the ride, Diane had Jamie try something I recommend to every new e-bike owner. She had him click all the way down to pedal assist zero, so the motor wasn't helping at all. This, she told him, was going to be the eye-opener. Now they were riding as if they were on mountain bikes.

Jamie felt it immediately. Even on flat ground, he said, he was really pedaling now. Diane asked whether he was using the back support, and he said he definitely was, which kept him from bending over. Then she had him click back into pedal assist one. That single step, she said, should take some pressure off his legs. Then two, since they were on a slight incline. Then three.

That sequence is the best way I know to understand what an e-bike gives you. Ride it without assistance first, so you know how much work the bike really is. Then add assistance one level at a time. You'll feel each step, and you'll learn which level fits what you want from a particular stretch of road or trail.

Twenty-five miles versus fifty

Diane described the shift as going from "I need to turn around, there's no way I'm making it back" to "I could ride forever." Jamie put it in terms of his own riding. On his mountain bike, a long 25-mile ride is really tough. On the quad, he said, he felt like he could do 50 miles and barely break a sweat. He came back to that 50-mile comment more than once before the ride was over.

I want to be careful here. That's Jamie's sense of effort, not a battery range claim. How far any e-bike goes on a charge depends on assist level, throttle use, rider weight, terrain, and conditions. What his comment really tells you is about the rider: assistance can stretch how far an experienced cyclist feels comfortable going before fatigue takes over. For anyone whose rides have been getting shorter over the years, that's a big deal.

You can still get a workout

Diane made a point that a lot of experienced cyclists need to hear: you can still get a good workout. Click the assist down and you're working. Click it up when your legs or joints need a break. Jamie showed it himself, stepping up to pedal assist three for a big hill and saying he hardly felt it.

Diane asked whether he felt any pressure on his knee or back. None, he said. Later she circled back to the pain he sometimes gets in the center of his knee, and her point was simple: on a quad with assistance, he can ease off by raising the assist and extend the ride instead of cutting it short. Jamie agreed. That's the case for pedal assist in a sentence. You decide how much exercise you're getting, moment to moment, instead of the hill deciding for you.

Throttle only

Next, Diane suggested they stop pedaling entirely and ride on the throttle alone. Jamie's reaction was that this was nice too, and that the throttle was really nice. He hadn't touched it earlier in the ride, but he could see the appeal straight away, especially if he got tired on the way back.

Diane told him to try it up a steep section. He agreed it was steep, gave it a go, and called it super fun and super easy. Diane immediately tied it to a hill he knows well: the one by his house. That's the kind of moment that turns a test ride into a real decision. Almost everyone has one hill on their regular route that dictates how they feel about riding. When a rider pictures that hill and starts grinning, the bike has done its job.

One detail from their conversation is worth noting. When Diane asked which assist level he was in, Jamie said one, but added that since he was on the throttle, it didn't really matter. Diane agreed. On this ride, the throttle moved the bike whether or not either of them was pedaling. If you'd like to see which of our models include a throttle, start with our full e-bike lineup.

Watch the battery bar

Then Diane raised the practical caveat. If you use the throttle a lot, especially uphill, keep an eye on your energy bar. They were a fair distance from where they'd started, and she said the throttle is fun, but you want to be smart about it. On the climb back, she was in pedal assist one and moved up to three because she didn't want to spend too much of her own energy. Jamie, also in one, said it wasn't bad but he could feel it, so he went up to two. Then the trail tipped downhill and they could both coast.

A bit later, Diane suggested that if he saved enough battery, Jamie could finally do the ride from his home to the beach. His answer is a classic bit of local knowledge: getting to the beach isn't bad, because he lives way up on a hill and it's mostly downhill, but coming back is tough. Diane's reply was the important part. If you don't have enough battery for the return, that's the thing you need to be mindful of. Jamie summed it up himself: keep an eye on the battery indicator.

If you're planning an out-and-back with the big climb on the return, budget for the return. Use lighter assist on the easy way out, save the throttle for the hill home, and check the display at your turnaround point. It's the same logic a hiker uses with water.

Brakes that forgive

Diane asked what Jamie thought of the braking. Really easy, he said. She added that the brakes are very responsive, and that even on days when your hands are tired or stiff, you don't have to worry.

Jamie then raised a point only a lifelong cyclist would think to bring up. On a mountain bike or a road bike, if you grab just the front brake and slam it on, you can go right over the handlebars. On these, he said, you're not going to do that. Diane agreed: left brake, right brake, both brakes, all good. Jamie said he always uses both anyway. Diane, laughing, admitted she usually does.

That's a meaningful difference for riders who get nervous on two wheels. A lot of the fear on a conventional bike comes from knowing that one panicked squeeze of the wrong lever can pitch you forward. Taking that worry away changes how relaxed you feel on a descent. It's still worth braking smoothly and early, especially heading into turns, but you're not riding with that particular fear in the back of your mind.

The moment Jamie got stuck

Near the end of the ride, they had to turn left up a short hill. Jamie said he'd go first, then realized another rider was coming and stopped to let them pass. That left him sitting still on the incline, needing to start over. He apologized for getting stuck, the other rider was friendly about it, and everyone carried on. How did he get moving again? He used the throttle.

I'm glad that made it into the video. Restarting from a standstill on a hill is one of the most awkward things you can do on any bike, and it's where a lot of riders lose confidence. Being able to press the throttle and roll away, without a big stomp on the pedals or a wobble while you find your balance, takes most of the stress out of it.

Room to pack a lunch

As they rolled on, Diane brought the storage back into the conversation. With all that space, she said, they could easily pack a lunch and ride out somewhere for a picnic. That's how storage actually gets used. It isn't just a line on a spec sheet; it's the reason a ride turns into an outing. A jacket, water, lunch, maybe a few things picked up on the way home.

Jamie's verdict

Back at the shop, Diane asked the big question: what did he think? He loved it. He said again that he could easily do a 50-mile ride on the quad, where on his mountain bike he'd be wiped out after 25.

She asked about having four wheels. Very stable, he said, which is great, and you don't have to worry about falling over. The throttle was great for going up hills. The pedal assist was great for going up hills. He loved that.

Diane asked whether he'd have made the climbs without pedal assist. On his mountain bike, maybe, he said, but it was much, much easier with the assist. Her closing thought was that riding any kind of e-bike, e-trike, or the quad makes you want to get back out the next day. Jamie's answer: absolutely.

Who this quad suits

So what should you take from Jamie's ride? If you're an experienced cyclist dealing with back strain or a sore knee, the quad lets you keep riding the trails you love, choose your own effort, and get on and off without that big leg swing. If you're a cautious rider, it handles slow, brake-heavy descents without any drama. And if you ride with a partner at a different fitness level, it can put you both on the same trail at the same pace.

The other side of the ledger is just as clear. Take turns slowly, especially downhill. Watch the battery when you're far from home, particularly if you're leaning on the throttle. And learn the controls before you roll out, including the turn signal that needs re-centering and the parking brake.

Try one for yourself

Diane's closing invitation was simple: come out to 630 and test ride for yourself, and see what fits you and your lifestyle best. Jamie tried e-trikes, a quad, and e-bikes on his first visit, and that's honestly the best way to shop. You'll find location details on our visit our store page. If you can't make it in, our 30-day test ride gives you time to ride on your own routes, and you can get fitted to narrow down what suits your body. Whatever you choose, I hope it makes you want to get back out tomorrow, the way it did for Jamie.