Buying an Electric Quad This Year? Comparing the Any Terrain Quad, Any Terrain Recumbent, and Simple Glide

Shopping for a Quad This Year? Start Here

Diane opened this video with a simple question, standing on the floor of our San Clemente store: are you looking to buy a quad this year? If you've found your way here, I'm guessing the answer is yes, or at least maybe. Good. That's the right place to start, because four-wheel e-bikes are a category where I see people overthink the spec sheet and underthink the one thing that matters most, which is how the bike fits their body.

At the time Diane filmed this, our quad lineup had three options: the Any Terrain Quad, the Any Terrain Recumbent, and the Simple Glide. Two were parked right next to her. The third wasn't on the floor that afternoon, but she made a point of mentioning it, and I'm glad she did. All three share a 750 watt motor. All three sit in roughly the same price neighborhood. So the decision comes down to power and budget far less than people expect. It comes down to how you sit and how you pedal.

I'm Dustin, and I spend most of my working days helping people figure out which bike their body actually wants. Diane does the same thing face to face at the store. What I liked about her short walkthrough is that she skipped the hype and went straight to the differences you'd feel in the first thirty seconds of a test ride. I want to unpack each of her points, add the context I'd give you if you called me, and help you narrow three good options down to the one that's right for you.

What "quad" means in our lineup

When we say quad, we mean a pedal-assist electric bike with four wheels instead of two or three. You still pedal. You still steer with handlebars. But you don't balance the way you do on a two-wheeler, and you get a wider footprint than a trike. For a lot of riders, that's the whole appeal: you can sit, stop, and start without thinking about tipping. If you want to see everything in the category side by side, our four-wheel e-bike collection is the place to browse.

People arrive at quads from different directions. Some are stepping up from a three-wheeler and want more planted footing. Some haven't ridden in decades and don't trust their balance on two wheels anymore. Some just like the look, and the idea of a bike that feels a little more like a small vehicle. All of those are good reasons, and none of them tells you which of our three quads to buy. That's what the rest of this article is for.

Same motor, similar price, different ride

Here's the part that surprises people. Diane pointed out that both Any Terrain models carry a 750 watt motor, and that the Simple Glide does too. On price, she put the Any Terrain Quad at about $4,000, the Any Terrain Recumbent at about $4,200, and the Simple Glide starting at about $4,000. Those were the numbers when she filmed. Prices move with promotions, so treat them as ballpark figures and check the current listing before you decide.

When three bikes share a motor rating and sit within a couple hundred dollars of each other, the usual shopping shortcuts stop working. You can't pick the most powerful one. You can't pick the cheapest one and feel clever about it. You have to choose based on what happens when your body is on the bike. Honestly, I think that's a good thing. It forces the right conversation.

If the total still feels like a stretch, look at our financing options before you start trading down to something that doesn't fit you. A bike you'll ride beats a bike you saved a few dollars on and left parked in the garage.

The real decision: upright or reclined

Diane boiled the comparison down to one thing, and she was right to. The Any Terrain Quad has a shorter frame and a more up-and-down pedal stroke. The Any Terrain Recumbent puts you in a captain's chair with your feet out in front of you. She called them completely different workouts, and that isn't marketing language. Your legs are doing a different job in each position.

I'll go deeper on each bike in its own section, but keep this framing in mind as you read. One position is close to what most of us grew up riding. The other is a different way of riding altogether. Neither is better in the abstract. One of them is better for you.

Why I always push the test ride

Diane closed her video by telling people to go to the website, look at all the options, and then come out to the store and ride them. I'd underline that twice. I can describe leg extension and seat position all day long, but you'll know within a minute of sitting on each bike which one feels natural. If you're in Southern California, come visit our store in San Clemente. If you're not, our 30-day test ride exists for exactly this reason.

One more practical note before we go model by model. If you aren't sure where you land on fit, our personal fitting page is a good first stop. Height and inseam don't tell the whole story, but they rule things in and out quickly, and they'll make the sections below a lot more useful to you.

Let's start with the bike Diane introduced first, the Any Terrain Quad. On paper it checks the boxes you'd expect from a capable four-wheeler: a 750 watt motor, a price Diane put at about $4,000 when she filmed, and a footprint that doesn't ask you to balance. What makes it distinct is the frame, and what that frame does to your legs.

Shorter frame, shorter reach to the pedals

Diane explained that the Any Terrain Quad has a somewhat shorter frame, so when you're sitting on it, your leg extension is shorter. That's a small sentence with a lot packed into it. Leg extension is how far your leg straightens at the bottom of each pedal stroke. On a frame where the pedals sit closer to the seat, your knee stays a bit more bent through the whole circle.

For some riders, that's exactly what they want. A shorter reach feels compact and controlled. You aren't stretching for the pedals, and your feet stay underneath you instead of out in front. If you're on the shorter side, or you simply like feeling tucked in, that setup often feels comfortable from the first pedal stroke.

For other riders, especially taller ones, a shorter reach can feel cramped. Your knee comes up higher at the top of the stroke and never quite opens up at the bottom. That isn't a flaw in the bike. It's a fit question, and it's the main reason I tell people to sit on this one before they buy it.

The up-and-down pedal stroke

Diane hopped on to demonstrate, and she described the pedaling as more of an up-and-down situation. That's the clearest way to put it. On the Any Terrain Quad, you push down on the pedals, much the way you would on a regular bicycle or a traditional upright trike. Your legs work underneath you, and each downstroke feels like the pedaling you already know.

This is the motion most of us learned as kids, so there's almost no learning curve. You get on, you push, the bike goes. If you've ridden an upright bike or one of our electric tricycles, the feel will be familiar right away, with the difference that four wheels keep you planted when you come to a stop.

Diane's advice here was straightforward: if that kind of up-and-down pedaling is what you're interested in, it's something to weigh seriously. I agree. Pedaling style is the thing you'll notice on every single ride, long after the novelty of four wheels has worn off.

Who tends to like the Any Terrain Quad

Based on what Diane covered, here's how I'd think about it. The Any Terrain Quad tends to suit riders who:

• want the familiar feel of upright, push-down pedaling
• are comfortable with a more compact, shorter reach to the pedals
• would rather keep their feet beneath them than out in front
• are shopping around the price Diane mentioned, about $4,000 at the time of filming

None of those are hard rules. I've seen tall riders who love a compact setup and shorter riders who prefer to stretch out. Treat that list as a starting hypothesis that your test ride will either confirm or throw out.

What to pay attention to when you sit on it

When you test the Any Terrain Quad, give it more than one lap of the parking lot. Pay attention to a few specific things. First, watch your knee at the top of the pedal stroke. If it comes up uncomfortably high, the reach may be too short for you. Second, notice the bottom of the stroke. You want a slight bend, not a locked-out leg and not a deep crouch. Third, ride long enough to feel whether your lower back and hips are happy in the upright posture.

Then get off and get back on a couple of times. It sounds silly, but mounting and dismounting is something you'll do on every ride, and the first time is never a fair sample. By the third time you'll know whether it feels easy or awkward.

If you have any knee concerns, mention them to whoever is helping you, whether that's Diane at the store or me on the phone. Diane specifically called out restricted knee movement as a reason some riders lean toward a different seating position, so it's worth being upfront about it. We'd much rather point you in the right direction on day one than have you discover a fit problem a month in.

Doing your homework first

If you want to understand how we think about fit, frame style, and rider type across our whole range before you visit, our bike buyer's guide lays out the same questions I'd ask anyone. Then go sit on this one. You'll find out quickly whether the shorter frame feels like a snug fit or a squeeze.

The second bike Diane walked through was the Any Terrain Recumbent. It has the same 750 watt motor, it was priced at about $4,200 when she filmed, and it delivers a completely different experience the moment you sit down.

The captain's chair

Diane called the seat a really comfy, cozy captain's chair, and that's how most people react the first time they settle into it. Instead of perching on a saddle, you sit back into a chair. Your back is supported and your weight is spread out. For a lot of riders, that alone makes the case.

Comfort is a big deal on any bike, and it's easy to underrate when you're comparing listings online. A seat you're happy in for ten minutes might not be one you're happy in for an hour. That's why chair-style seating is so popular, and why so many of the bikes in our most comfortable electric trikes collection put you in this kind of seat.

Pedaling forward instead of down

Here's the key mechanical difference. Diane showed that when she pedals the Any Terrain Recumbent, her feet are much farther forward. Rather than pushing down underneath you, you push out in front of you, with your legs reaching toward the front of the bike.

That changes the feel of every stroke. You aren't standing over the pedals or letting your weight drop onto them. You're pressing forward from a supported seat, with your back against the chair. It's smooth, and once your legs get used to it, it can feel very natural. But it is different, and the first few minutes take a little adjustment.

Who Diane said it suits

Diane named three kinds of riders who benefit from this setup, and each one deserves a closer look.

Riders with restricted knee movement. Diane said the forward pedaling position can be really advantageous for anyone with restricted movement in their knees. I'll be careful here, because I'm not a doctor and every knee is different. The general idea is that the position changes how your knee works through the pedal stroke. If up-and-down pedaling bothers you, it's worth finding out whether this feels better. Try it, and check with your doctor or physical therapist if you're managing a specific condition.

Taller riders. Diane also pointed to taller riders. With the pedals farther out in front, there's more room to extend your legs, so longer legs aren't folded up the way they can be on a more compact frame.

Riders who want this kind of workout. Her third point is easy to skip past: some people simply want this type of workout. If you've ever used a recumbent exercise bike at the gym and enjoyed it, you already have a sense of the appeal.

A different workout, not an easier one

Diane was clear that the two pedaling positions are completely different workouts, and that you'd be using different muscles in each. I like that framing, because people sometimes assume a recumbent is the lazy option. It isn't. It's a different way of working, with your legs pressing forward from a supported seat instead of pushing down from above.

With a 750 watt motor helping out, you can make any ride as easy or as hard as you want. What changes is how the effort feels in your body. If you're buying a quad partly for exercise, that's worth thinking through. Pick the motion you'll actually look forward to doing three or four times a week.

What to check on a test ride

When you try the Any Terrain Recumbent, start with the seat. Make sure you can get into it and out of it comfortably, since you'll do that on every ride. Then pedal and watch your knees. Do they track comfortably? Does your leg extend fully without your hips sliding forward in the chair? Ride long enough to find out whether the forward position feels relaxing or just strange. For most people, strange turns into comfortable surprisingly fast.

Notice your upper body, too. A good reclined position should let your shoulders and hands relax rather than forcing you to hang onto the handlebars for support. If you find yourself tensing up, mention it, because small adjustments can make a big difference.

If you like what this seating style does for you, our recumbent electric trike collection is worth a look as well, since the same pedal-forward idea runs through all of those models.

The third option Diane mentioned wasn't parked next to her that day: the Simple Glide. She described it as a four-wheel model with a 750 watt motor, starting at about $4,000. That's everything she covered on camera, so I want to fill in some detail from the current product listing, because the one that wasn't in the room still deserves a fair hearing.

How the Simple Glide Quad is set up

According to the product listing, the Simple Glide Quad uses a recumbent riding design. The seat slides forward and back, raises and lowers, and swivels, which makes getting on and off easier. It adds armrests, a headrest, and a seat belt. Up front, a tilting steering system is designed to keep both front wheels on the ground through turns.

Stopping is handled by four hydraulic disc brakes, and the listing includes headlights, taillights, and brake lights. There are front and rear baskets for groceries or gear, and an optional canopy for sun and rain. If the canopy interests you, you can see what's available in our canopies collection.

The listing also describes the Simple Glide Quad as something you can pedal or ride on throttle, which means you can do the work on good days and let the motor carry you on days when your legs aren't up for it.

Who it's aimed at

The product page is pretty direct about its audience. It's built around stability, seated support, and easy mounting, and much of the page speaks to older riders and people managing balance or mobility concerns. That lines up with why so many riders come to quads in the first place. You can browse more models with that focus in our electric trikes for seniors collection.

That doesn't make it a seniors-only bike. The adjustable seat, the cargo space, and the option to pedal or not make it practical for errands and easy rides for anyone who likes the idea of a supported, sit-back ride.

Why Diane brought it up

Diane mentioned the Simple Glide because she didn't want anyone to leave thinking there were only two choices. I appreciate that. If the adjustable seat, the cargo setup, or the throttle option appeals to you, put it on your test-ride list. It wasn't on the floor the afternoon she filmed, so it's worth calling ahead to make sure you can ride one when you visit.

And as with every price in this article, check the live listing. Diane's starting figure of about $4,000 was accurate when she filmed, and promotions can shift it.

If I had to reduce Diane's walkthrough to a single decision tree, it would start with your body. Do you prefer pushing down on the pedals, with your feet underneath you? The Any Terrain Quad is built for that. Do you want to sit back and pedal forward, especially if your knees are touchy or your legs are long? Look hard at the Any Terrain Recumbent. Do you want a reclined seat plus extra support features and baskets front and back? The Simple Glide belongs on your list.

Then think about the ride you want

Diane made the point that upright and recumbent pedaling are completely different workouts. So ask yourself what you want each ride to feel like. Some people want the bike to feel like a bike. Others want it to feel like a comfortable chair that happens to move. Plenty want exercise on good days and an easy cruise on tired ones.

Think about how long you'll ride, too. A comfortable seat matters more the longer you're out. A familiar pedal stroke matters more if you'd rather not relearn anything. Neither need is more legitimate than the other, and being honest with yourself about which one you have will save you a lot of second-guessing.

Price is close, so don't let it decide

With the Any Terrain Quad around $4,000, the Any Terrain Recumbent around $4,200, and the Simple Glide starting around $4,000 when Diane filmed, the spread is small. I'd never let a couple hundred dollars push you onto a bike with the wrong seating position. You'd feel that mismatch on every ride for years.

Mistakes I see people make

Most of the buying regrets I hear about don't come from a bad bike. They come from a mismatch between rider and bike that a little more attention would have caught. A few patterns come up again and again.

Choosing from photos alone. A quad can look perfect on a screen and feel wrong the moment you sit down. Photos can't tell you where your knees will end up.

Assuming a recumbent is the easy option. As Diane said, it's a different workout, not a lesser one. If you choose it, choose it because the position suits you.

Ignoring your knees and hips. If a pedal stroke bothers you in the store, it will bother you more on a long ride. Take that signal seriously instead of hoping you'll get used to it.

Skipping the test ride. This is the big one, and it's why Diane ended the video the way she did.

A simple test-ride plan

Diane's closing advice was to look at the options on the website, then come out and test ride, and see which one feels best for you. Here's how I'd structure that visit so you get the most out of it:

• Ride the models back to back, so the differences stay fresh in your mind.
• Mount and dismount each one at least twice, since you'll do that on every ride.
• Pedal long enough to notice your knees, hips, and lower back, not just your first impression.
• Try a few gentle turns and stops to get a feel for how each one handles.
• Ask yourself which one you'd want to get back on tomorrow.

That last question sounds soft, but it's often the most honest answer you'll get. The bike you want to ride again is usually the right bike.

If you can't get to San Clemente

Not everybody lives near the store, and that's fine. Give us a call or reach out through our contact page, and tell me your height, any joint concerns, what you plan to use the bike for, and whether you prefer pushing down or pushing forward. I can usually narrow these three down to one, sometimes two, in a short conversation.

The bottom line

Three quads, one motor rating, nearly the same price. What separates them is how they put your body to work. Diane said it best at the end of her video: see which one feels best for you. Do your reading, then go sit on all three. Your knees, your back, and your legs will tell you which one to bring home.