Best Electric Trikes with Digital Screens: Why Your Next E-Trike Needs a Digital Display

Electric tricycles with a digital display. What do you know about them and which one's the best? Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I have nearly 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry. Today, we're going to talk about electric trikes with a digital display. All have a digital display as well. Now, if you're shopping for an electric tricycle, I would say most of the e-trikes on the market now have some form of digital display. At this point, if you find an electric trike that doesn't have a digital display, most likely it's going to be less expensive, or I will say sometimes for e-trikes or e-bikes that have a pedal-assist motor, they don't have a display. They have on-off buttons, and you just pedal and you go. So those do exist. I would say in the US, they're actually few and far between, and most of the e-trikes now do have a digital display. Now, when we talk about digital displays, there are many shapes, sizes, colors, and black and white, or colors in which a digital display can come. The display in and of itself actually isn't going to dictate any of the functions of the e-trike, I take that back. Sometimes it may, sometimes it may not.

The one thing that really dictates what capabilities the e-trike has is called the controller, which is attached to the battery and sends the signals up to the display to display what you need. So, as an example, let's talk about the reverse of your e-trike. If you don't have a controller that is capable of reverse, you can't put reverse on your display. If you have a controller that's capable of reverse, you can do reverse on your display. The controller is the brain of the operation. When you talk about the display, first and foremost, you want to make sure you're getting the features of the e-trike you want. Then you'll be able to have the option to maybe adjust some of those on the display. A couple of examples, I just said reverse is one, cruise control, also having a light that's integrated. We also have some turn signals on our trike. Again, you need a specific controller for that as well. So from there, it's really up to you to determine what type of display you want on your e-trike. Now, the other thing too is you can't just take any display and plug it into any e-trike. You have to make sure it's compatible with the controller. So that's another thing to think about as well. 

If you can figure out which displays work with which controllers, you could potentially change a display of an e-trike that you bought, but maybe not.The other thing I'll say is I wouldn't judge your purchase based on the display. I do think it's an important characteristic, but I do think there are more important things. In my opinion, just the overall performance of the e-trike, and of course, how it fits your body and suits your needs. All of the digital displays are going to display the same information, which is the battery life, your miles per hour, and your odometer, both a total odometer and a trip odometer. So that's going to be pretty much universal. Then it also, some displays will tell you how many watts the motor is outputting, or sometimes how many volts it's outputting. Some will tell you the temperature outside. Whether or not you want that, I don't know. There are other features or other settings you can access in the display. Again, all e-trikes will have that. That's where you'll change all the settings of the motor and whatnot. Now, I wouldn't recommend trying to crack into there because if you change the wrong setting accidentally, your e-trike may not work the way it's supposed to. So those are factory-set for a reason.

Now, like I said, you can get displays in the middle. We have more rectangular ones, we have square ones, and then there's black and white and color. I'll bring you in for a quick close-up to show you the different displays. All right, so here's an example of a display. It's got the miles per hour right in the middle there. And I actually can't see back here, but you got your battery at the top. Another thing is that some of the batteries display the life by either a percentage or bars on a meter. So, something to think about as well. Some companies do custom interfaces on how they make it look. So I will say certain things do make some nicer than others, but again, it won't affect the performance. All right, we can make our way over here now to this display. Now, color displays are coming out as well. I will say, I mean, the color is all well and good. It doesn't matter. Sometimes, black and white is easier to see in the sunlight. So this is a very popular display. It's called the LCD3. Pretty much straightforward. You can see you got your pedal assist level, your miles per hour, right in the middle.

Down below is your odometer, and like I said, you got your weather on there and your watt output as well. Now here's a sleeker option, smaller. Sometimes the smaller is nice, right? Because just less, more inconspicuous, and you can see this one's actual color, and you know, looks a little nicer, pops a little bit. You've got all the same basic things in there. Pedal assist, miles per hour, you name it. This is the same, you can skip that one, and then last but not least, here's another one, a popular one called the M5 Rectangular. So your battery's up top here with the bars. Your miles per hour, your pedal assist, and this is your odometer. But when you have the brakes engaged, it says error because the motor doesn't work. All right, so those are some variations of e-trikes with digital displays. All of our e-trikes have digital displays.

Displays on Our Trikes

Here’s what you’ll see on two of our most popular models:

• Simple Glide Fat Tire 750W Recumbent: a color display with a speedometer, battery meter and power meter. It works with 5 levels of pedal assist and a twist throttle, and the trike also has an LED headlight and taillight.
• Relaxed Body 750W: an LCD display with a speedometer, power meter and battery charge. It also shows which of the 5 pedal assist levels you’re using, so you always know how much help the motor is giving.

Both screens sit in the middle of the handlebars, where a quick glance tells you what you need without taking your eyes off the road for long.

What to Look for in an E-Trike Display

Since nearly every e-trike has a screen, the display itself rarely decides which trike to buy. Still, a few details make daily riding easier:

• Easy to read at a glance. Large numbers for speed and a clear battery gauge matter more than extra data.
• Simple buttons. If you have arthritis or ride with gloves, try pressing the buttons before you buy.
• Pedal assist level on screen. Seeing your level helps you manage battery life on longer rides.
• A trip counter. It’s an easy way to track your progress if you ride for exercise.



How to Use Your Display on a Ride

• Check the battery before you leave, especially for longer rides or hilly routes.
• Drop the pedal assist level to save battery on flat roads, and raise it for hills or headwinds.
• Watch your speed on downhills and around people, pets and driveways.
• Reset the trip counter at the start of a ride if you like to track distance.
• Leave the settings alone. They’re set at the factory to match your trike’s controller. If something seems off, contact our team instead of changing it.

If you have any questions about displays on any e-trikes, whether ours or someone else's, reach out to us at theteam@sixthreezero.mom or call us at 310-982-2877. In addition to that, we offer a 30-day test ride on your e-trike policy. If you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back. No questions asked, no money out of your pocket. Also, we're gonna warranty everything for one year. If anything goes wrong in the first year, we'll take care of its parts and labor. Also, come out for a test ride here in San Clemente, California. We have all of our e-trikes. We're at 1046 Calle Rocoto Unit K. Test ride all of the trikes before you purchase to ensure you're making the right choice. Then, finally, join our community. We have a Facebook group called Sixthreezero Pedalers. Join the group before you purchase to talk to existing riders to ensure you're making the right choice. Then, when you have yours, post in the group and make friends. It's a lot of fun. And finally, download our app to track your rides and compete on the leaderboard. Don't forget, it's your journey, your experience. Enjoy the ride.

FAQs:

Do all electric trikes have a display?

Most do. A few basic pedal-assist models skip the screen, but they’re rare in the US.

Can I change the settings on my display?

It’s best not to. The settings are matched to your trike’s controller at the factory, and changing them can affect how it rides.

Can I swap my display for a different one?

Not always. A display has to be compatible with your trike’s controller, so a screen from another model may not work. Ask our team before you buy a replacement.

Why does my display show a message when I brake?

On some displays, a message appears when you squeeze the brakes. That’s normal. If it stays on after you let go, contact our team.

Does the display show how far I’ve ridden?

Many do, with a total odometer and a trip counter you can reset.

Does a higher pedal assist level use more battery?

Yes. The more the motor helps, the faster the battery drains. Using a lower level on flat ground is the easiest way to ride farther on a charge.

What does the power meter on my display show?

It shows how hard the motor is working at that moment. You’ll see it climb when you start from a stop or ride uphill, and drop when you coast or ease off the throttle. Watching it is a simple way to learn which riding habits use the most battery.

Is a color display better than an LCD display?

Both show the information that matters most: speed, battery and pedal assist level. A color screen can be easier to read at a glance, but the best display is simply the one you can read clearly while riding.