Easy Transit vs. Simple Glide: Which sixthreezero eTrike Is Right for You?

Two eTrikes, One Route, One Honest Rider

There is only so much you can learn from a spec sheet. Motor wattage, battery capacity, and gear counts tell you what a trike is capable of, but they don't tell you how it feels when you're halfway up a steep street with a stiff wind in your face, or how your back holds up after the third hill. For that, you need someone to actually ride the thing.

So that's what we did. Diane, one of our regular test riders, took two of our most popular electric trikes out on the exact same loop through the hilly streets around our San Clemente home base: the Easy Transit, a folding fat tire eTrike, and the Simple Glide, a dual-motor trike built around a captain's chair seat. Same rider, same route, same blustery morning. Lisa, who helps run our test rides, rode along to call out the turns.

The route had a bit of everything. Flat stretches through quiet neighborhoods, a few busy intersections, parking lots, short punchy climbs right out of a turn, and a couple of genuinely steep hills that would have most people walking a regular bike. There were descents with curves at the bottom, bike lanes with uneven edges, and the odd acorn and rock scattered along the way. In other words, it looked a lot like the kind of riding most people do every week.

What follows is a full account of both rides, what Diane noticed, what surprised her, and where she landed when she was asked the big question: which one is the right eTrike for you? Her answer wasn't a simple "this one is better." Both trikes impressed her. But they suit different riders, and the differences come down to things like seat design, frame length, and where the motor sits. If you are weighing these two, or just trying to understand what separates one electric trike from another, this is a good place to start.

Before getting into the ride itself, it helps to know what we're comparing.

The Easy Transit is a 750-watt folding fat tire eTrike. Its motor sits in the front wheel, so when you engage pedal assist or the throttle, the trike pulls you forward rather than pushing you from behind. It has a lower seat with a lower back support, seven gears, multiple pedal assist levels, a left-side thumb throttle, and a reverse function. The seat adjusts up and down but doesn't slide forward or back. Because it folds, it's part of our folding electric trike lineup, and its wide tires put it among our fat tire electric trikes as well.

The Simple Glide is a dual-motor trike: two 750-watt motors, up to 1,500 watts combined, with dual batteries totaling 30Ah. It has a wide captain's chair style seat with a full backrest and flip-up armrests, a twist throttle instead of a thumb throttle, hydraulic brakes, seven gears, and the same range of pedal assist levels. The seat slides forward and back as well as up and down, and the frame is a bit longer than the Easy Transit's.

On paper, a lot of the controls are similar. Both have seven speeds, both have pedal assist plus a throttle, and both have displays and components that are easy to see and reach. Diane pointed that out early on: the way you operate them is mostly the same. The differences show up in the body position, the drive system, and how the trike behaves on hills and through turns. Those are the things you only really learn from the saddle, which is why we put both on the same course.

One more note on the rider. Diane is 5'4", and that turned out to matter. Several of her observations about fit and comfort tie back to her height and frame size, and she was careful to say so. If you're taller, some of what she felt may play out differently for you. We'll flag those moments as they come up.

Diane started on the Easy Transit and set off in pedal assist level one. Her first reaction came within seconds: level one has a lot more push than she expected. On many e-bikes and eTrikes, the lowest assist level feels like a gentle nudge. On the Easy Transit, it felt like real help, which was welcome given the conditions.

And the conditions were not ideal. It was very windy that morning, the kind of headwind that makes riding a regular bike a slog. Diane mentioned more than once that going into that wind on a traditional bike would have been tough. With the motor helping, it was a non-issue. She shifted through the gears for a bit to find a comfortable cadence, settled in, and kept rolling.

The seat on the Easy Transit sits fairly low, and there's a lower back support behind you. It's a comfortable position for flat ground and easy cruising. The handlebars, display, and shifters were all within easy reach, and Diane didn't have to hunt for anything. Everything you need to adjust while riding is right where your hands already are.

On flat pavement in pedal assist one, the trike rolled along smoothly and predictably. This is the kind of riding many people do most of the time: a loop around the neighborhood, a trip to a nearby store, a ride along a quiet road. For that, the Easy Transit felt good right away. The questions came later, once the route tilted up and the turns got tighter.

The biggest adjustment on the Easy Transit is the motor placement. Most riders are used to the feeling of being pushed from behind, which is how a rear hub motor or a regular bike drivetrain feels. With the Easy Transit's front motor, the sensation flips. When the assist kicks in, the front wheel pulls you along.

Diane described it as good and comfortable, just different. It isn't a problem, and it doesn't make the ride worse. It simply takes a few minutes for your body to recalibrate. You feel the trike tugging forward from the front instead of surging from the back, and your hands notice it on the bars.

She came back to this point several times during the ride, and her conclusion was consistent: once you get used to the front pull, it's a very comfortable ride. Anything new takes a minute. She even admitted, laughing, that after a year of test riding our bikes she still occasionally gets a bit of a jerky start on this one when she hasn't ridden it in a while. That's honest, and it's useful to know. If you buy a front-drive trike, plan on a short getting-to-know-you period. Ride it around a parking lot or a quiet street, try the throttle gently, and let your hands and body learn how it responds.

The front drive also showed up in one specific way near the end of the ride. Pulling into the driveway, Diane hit the throttle a little too quickly and the front tire spun briefly. The Easy Transit's thumb throttle is quite sensitive, so a light touch goes a long way. She was quick to say that this is a matter of familiarity rather than a flaw. Once you know how much pressure the throttle wants, you stop overdoing it.

The hills are where this route earns its reputation, and they're where the Easy Transit showed both its power and the one area where it asked more of Diane.

On the first busy crossing, she used the throttle to get across the street quickly and straight up a short incline on the other side. Then she bumped up to pedal assist two and immediately noticed the speed. It was moving well for a pedal assist setting, comfortably faster than she expected.

On the steepest climb of the route, she switched strategies to show what the trike can do. First she used pure throttle, noting that she had plenty of battery to do it. Then she moved to pedal assist four, which she described as relying almost entirely on the trike to get her up the hill. She was going about five miles an hour on a seriously steep grade and wasn't fatigued at all from pedaling. The motor was doing the heavy lifting.

But here's the part she wanted riders to hear. On those steep climbs, she found a lot of her body weight shifting forward onto her hands. Instead of sitting back against the seat, she felt herself holding herself up on the handlebars. It wasn't painful, and it didn't stop her from climbing, but it was noticeable.

She thinks this is mostly about her height. With a shorter frame and a seat that only adjusts up and down, she couldn't get her back naturally settled against the backrest on the climbs. A taller rider might sit differently and never feel it. Still, if you're on the shorter side, or if supporting your weight through your wrists and arms is something you'd rather avoid, it's worth knowing before you choose.

There's also a side note about camber. At one point the road had a slant, and Diane found herself leaning slightly to the left to stay comfortable. On an incline with a sideways tilt, she was facing a bit off-center and had to shift her weight. That's normal on any trike, but it's one reason she felt the Easy Transit rewards a rider who is already comfortable with a bit of balance work.

Trikes handle turns differently from two-wheelers. On a traditional bike, you lean the whole bike into a corner. On a trike, the frame stays upright and you shift your own body weight instead. Diane did this through every turn on the route, leaning slightly into left turns and curves, and on the Easy Transit she noticed she was doing a bit more of it than she'd expected, especially on curves at speed.

Her approach to turning was the same on both trikes, and it's good advice for anyone new to three wheels: slow down before the turn, not in it. She talked about how on a regular bike you can carry speed and throw a full-body lean into a corner. On a trike, you'll naturally make a small body shift as you go through, but you'll be far more comfortable if you take the turn slowly. On one turn she was at about six miles an hour, making a gentle weight shift, and the trike tracked through cleanly.

The turning radius earned real praise. At the top of one hill she made a U-turn and said she loves how tight these trikes can turn. With two wheels in back, swinging around in a narrow street felt easy and secure.

Going downhill, the Easy Transit felt stable. Diane tends to ride the brakes on descents because she doesn't like going fast, and that's a comfort preference rather than a necessity. What she noticed was that the trike didn't pull one way or the other. It stayed extremely stable on the way down, and she didn't need much finger strength on the brake levers. On another descent she stopped pedaling entirely and let the weight of the trike carry her down, braking as she approached the turn at the bottom.

On flat neighborhood streets she worked her way through the assist levels, from three down to two and then one, explaining that she simply didn't want to go too fast in a residential area. At pedal assist three she was cruising at about ten miles an hour. It's a good example of how the assist levels are really a speed and effort dial: higher levels for hills and headwinds, lower levels where you want to keep things calm.

Throughout the ride, Diane used the throttle in a very specific, very practical way: crossing busy streets. Every time she pulled up to a stop and needed to make a left across traffic, she used the throttle to get moving quickly and get across. She said it makes those moments so much easier, and that's a big part of why many riders choose a trike with a throttle in the first place. If you'd like that option, our electric trikes with throttle control are a good place to browse.

The Easy Transit's throttle is a thumb throttle mounted on the left side. Diane, who is right-handed, said she would probably prefer it on the right, and she's seen these throttles mounted on both sides, so she believes it can go either way. It's a small detail, but if you have a strong preference about which thumb does the work, it's worth asking about.

She also gave some wise advice about relying on the throttle. Before you lean on pure throttle up a long hill, check your battery level. Throttle-only riding uses more power than pedaling with assist. On one climb she admitted she was using the throttle partly because she was being a little lazy, then switched to pedal assist four and went off the throttle entirely. The trike kept climbing at a safe, steady speed with her pedaling. That's a good habit to build: use the throttle where it really helps, like intersections and starts on hills, and let pedal assist handle the rest.

At the end of the ride, Lisa suggested showing off one more feature: reverse. The Easy Transit has a reverse function, and Diane demonstrated it by backing up in the parking area, carefully avoiding the Simple Glide parked nearby. It was simple and smooth. Her point was that reverse is genuinely useful if you find yourself in a tight spot, like nosed into a corner of a garage or a crowded parking space, where getting out would otherwise mean climbing off and dragging the trike backward. If that sounds like your situation, take a look at our electric trikes with reverse gear.

After the ride, Diane checked with Lisa about the seat. On the Easy Transit, the seat goes up and down, but it doesn't slide forward or back. That limits how much you can fine-tune your position relative to the pedals and handlebars.

For Diane, that's where the hill-climbing discomfort came from. Because she couldn't move the seat to suit her shorter legs and torso, she wasn't sitting back naturally on the climbs, and more of her weight ended up on her hands. She was clear that she doesn't know for certain whether it's entirely her size, but she suspects a smaller frame plays a big role.

She also noticed that the shorter frame changes the pedaling motion. On the Easy Transit, her pedal stroke felt more compact, with less leg extension than on the Simple Glide. For some riders, that's perfectly comfortable. For others, especially those who like a longer stroke, it may feel a bit cramped.

Her overall verdict on the Easy Transit was warm and honest. It's a great eTrike. It's comfortable, it's fast, and the gears and components are easy to reach and use. She had a really fun ride on it. But she sees it as a better fit for someone with some riding experience, someone comfortable with a bit of balance and weight shifting, and someone who doesn't mind getting used to a front-drive pull and a sensitive throttle.

This is exactly why we talk so much about fit. The same trike can feel perfect for one person and slightly off for another, and the reason is usually body dimensions and riding style, not quality. If you're unsure where you land, our fitting quiz is designed to match riders to bikes and trikes based on their body and how they plan to ride.

With the Easy Transit parked, Diane moved over to the Simple Glide, and the difference was obvious before she even started pedaling.

The seat is wider, and it has a real backrest that supports your lower back. There are armrests too, which you can ride with down or flip up out of the way. Diane prefers them up, but it's nice to have the choice. She summed up the seating position in one line: how could you not be comfortable? You're sitting in a captain's chair. She said there was zero strain on her back at all, and the hand grips were comfortable as well.

Before taking off, she showed a couple of setup details. The Simple Glide has parking brakes, which you release by pulling the lever in and moving the lock. She also explained that the trike needs to be in at least pedal assist level one for either the throttle or pedal assist to work. With assist off, you're in fully manual mode, which is fine if you want to pedal on your own, but the motor won't help.

Then she stopped for a moment, which turned out to be one of the most important parts of the comparison. Because she's 5'4", she slid the seat forward. On the Simple Glide, the seat adjusts forward and back as well as up and down: you push down and pull it toward you. That one adjustment let her set her reach to the pedals properly, and it's a big reason the rest of the ride felt as good as it did. If seat comfort is a priority for you on any ride, it's worth exploring our seat options too.

The other control difference is the throttle. The Easy Transit uses a thumb throttle; the Simple Glide uses a twist throttle. Neither is better in absolute terms, and plenty of riders have a strong preference one way or the other. If you have arthritis in your thumbs, for instance, a twist grip might feel more natural, and if you prefer to keep your grip steady, a thumb throttle might suit you better. It's worth trying both if you can.

Diane started the Simple Glide on the throttle in pedal assist one and rolled out. She shifted up to fourth gear, then bumped to pedal assist two, and her reaction was immediate. She was surprised by how much more power came on, and she pulled away from the videographer before she realized it. She laughed that she had forgotten how powerful this trike is.

A bit later, crossing a parking lot, she demonstrated the jump between assist levels more carefully. In pedal assist one, keeping the same cadence, she was going about five miles an hour. She clicked up to pedal assist two and, within a couple of pedal strokes, she was at eight miles an hour. Same effort, noticeably more speed. That's exactly how pedal assist is supposed to work, and it's a nice illustration of how much control the levels give you.

On the steep climbs, Diane noticed something else: the front wheel was spinning as she pedaled, and there was a bit of a gravelly sound coming from it. That's when she figured out what Lisa confirmed a moment later. The Simple Glide has two motors, one front and one rear. She had originally described it as a rear-drive trike, and corrected herself on camera. She also mentioned that, as she understands it, you may be able to switch to a single motor to save battery, though she hedged on the details, so check the product page or ask our team if that matters to you.

The dual motors made the climbs feel easy. On one very steep hill right after a turn, she moved from pedal assist one up to three, took her hand completely off the throttle, and let the trike do almost all the work. She wasn't out of breath at all. Her words: this is a powerful trike.

It's also worth remembering the setting. That same strong wind was still blowing during the Simple Glide ride, and Diane said any bike ride that day would have been difficult without some pedal assist. With two motors helping, the wind just wasn't much of a factor.

Coming into an intersection, Diane asked Lisa whether the Simple Glide had hydraulic brakes. It does, and she said she could already tell. Hydraulic brakes need less finger strength. When you squeeze the lever, it travels more easily and the stopping power comes on smoothly, without needing a hard pull.

That matters more than people sometimes realize. If you have weaker hands, arthritis, or you simply get tired on long descents where you ride the brakes, light lever effort makes a real difference in comfort and confidence. On one downhill curve, Diane rode the brakes the way she usually does and noted how little pressure she needed on the lever. Coming to a stop sign after rolling downhill at around eleven miles an hour, she said she had zero worries about stopping correctly. If braking feel is high on your list, you can browse our electric trikes with disc brakes to compare options.

The ride quality impressed her too. She rolled over bumps and barely felt them. At one point she rode over an acorn and heard it crunch without feeling it. She described the overall ride as amazingly smooth, more than once.

On a descent through a bike lane, she pointed out something that riders on two wheels will appreciate. The edges of the road had divots and ledges, and there were rocks and acorns scattered around, but she didn't have to worry about any of it. The Simple Glide felt so stable that she wasn't concerned about the trike slipping or catching an edge. She noted that this is very different from riding a traditional bike, where a lip in the pavement or a patch of debris can easily throw you off balance.

The biggest difference between the two trikes, for Diane, showed up on the same steep climbs where the Easy Transit had put weight on her hands. On the Simple Glide, she could lean back into the seat while going uphill. The backrest supported her, the longer frame gave her room, and her weight stayed in the seat instead of migrating forward to the handlebars.

She also found she could extend her legs further on each pedal stroke. The longer frame and the forward-and-back seat adjustment let her get a fuller stroke, which felt more natural and efficient than the compact motion she had on the Easy Transit.

Cornering followed the same pattern as the first ride. On a left turn, she leaned ever so slightly into it. On a right-hand curve going downhill, she leaned a little to the right. Before a right turn into a steep hill, she slowed down substantially, made the turn, and then used the throttle to get up the immediate climb. She repeated her advice to take turns slowly on a trike, which applies no matter which model you ride.

She described the Simple Glide as super comfortable, super smooth, and not hard to steer. Near the end of the loop, she shifted between pedal assist two and three depending on the road, clicking down where it smoothed out and back up when she wanted a bit more help. At no point did she sound like she was working hard. That ease is a big part of what this kind of trike is for: getting out, covering ground, and coming home feeling good. For riders who put comfort first, our most comfortable electric trikes collection gathers models with that same priority.

After riding both trikes on the same route, Diane boiled the comparison down to a handful of real differences. Here they are in plain terms.

Seat and back support. The Simple Glide's wide captain's chair with backrest and armrests gave Diane full lower-back support, especially on climbs. The Easy Transit's lower seat and lower back support were comfortable on the flats, but on steep hills she ended up with weight on her hands. This was the single biggest factor in her recommendation.

Seat adjustment. The Simple Glide's seat slides forward and back as well as up and down. The Easy Transit's moves up and down only. For a shorter rider, that forward adjustment made a meaningful difference.

Frame length and pedaling. The Simple Glide's longer frame let Diane extend her legs more fully. The Easy Transit's shorter frame gave her a more compact pedal stroke.

Drive system. The Easy Transit is front-drive, so you're pulled rather than pushed, which takes a few minutes to get used to. The Simple Glide has dual motors, front and rear, with plenty of climbing power.

Throttle. The Easy Transit has a sensitive left-side thumb throttle. The Simple Glide has a twist throttle.

Brakes. Diane specifically noted the Simple Glide's hydraulic brakes and how little finger pressure they needed. The Easy Transit also felt stable and controlled on descents without much effort on the levers.

Extras. The Easy Transit folds and has a reverse function, both genuinely practical features. The Simple Glide has parking brakes and flip-up armrests.

What they share. Both have seven gears and a range of pedal assist levels, both have easy-to-reach controls and clear displays, and both handled the hills, turns, and descents of the route with no trouble. Diane said it plainly: they're both great, both smooth, and both powerful.

Diane's recommendation was direct. If you struggle with lower back pain, or if balance is a concern for you, she would point you to the Simple Glide.

The reasoning follows from everything she felt on the ride. The wide seat and supportive backrest keep you settled and supported, especially when the road tilts uphill, which is exactly when riders tend to tense up and lean forward. The longer frame and adjustable seat position let you find a comfortable reach without compromising, even if you're on the shorter side. The hydraulic brakes need very little hand strength. And the dual motors make hills and headwinds feel manageable without much effort.

It's also a strong choice for riders who simply want the most relaxed experience possible. If your idea of a great ride is sitting back, rolling smoothly over rough pavement, and not thinking much about technique, the Simple Glide fits that well. Riders who are newer to trikes, or returning to riding after a long break, may find it the more forgiving of the two.

If you're shopping with an older rider in mind, our electric trikes for seniors collection is built around many of the same priorities: stability, comfort, and confidence. And if getting on and off is a concern, take a look at our easy-to-mount eTrikes as well.

None of this means the Easy Transit is the lesser trike. Diane had a genuinely fun ride on it, called it fast and comfortable, and said the components were easy to reach and use. It simply suits a slightly different rider.

She sees it as a great match for someone with some riding experience. You don't need to be an expert, but if you're comfortable with a bit of balance and shifting your weight through turns and over sloped pavement, you'll settle into the Easy Transit quickly. The same goes for the front-drive pull: if you're happy to spend a few rides getting used to it, it becomes second nature.

Taller riders may also find the Easy Transit's fixed-position seat less of an issue than Diane did. Her hand-weight observation on climbs was tied, at least in part, to her height and the fact that she couldn't slide the seat forward. Someone with longer legs and a longer torso may sit naturally against the back support and never feel it.

Then there are the practical features. The Easy Transit folds, which matters if you're short on storage space or want to transport it. Its fat tires add to its sure-footed feel, and the reverse function is a real help in tight spaces. If those things matter to how you'll actually use your trike, they may tip the balance.

Along the way, Diane shared a number of habits that are worth borrowing no matter which trike you choose.

Use the throttle for busy crossings. Every time she crossed a busy street or made a left across traffic, she used the throttle to get moving quickly and safely. Pedal assist needs a pedal stroke or two to engage; the throttle responds right away.

Slow down before turns. Trikes don't lean like bikes. Approach turns at a moderate speed and make a small shift in body weight as you go through. She took several turns at around six or seven miles an hour.

Check your battery before leaning on the throttle. Pure throttle riding, especially uphill, draws more power. Glance at your display before you rely on it for a long climb. If you ever need a spare, our batteries and chargers page is the place to look.

Treat pedal assist like a dial. Higher levels for steep hills and strong wind, lower levels in neighborhoods and parking lots. Diane moved between levels constantly, matching the assist to the road and to how fast she wanted to go. As she explained, the higher the assist level, the more motor power goes to the pedals, so the same cadence gets you more speed.

Ride the brakes on descents if it makes you comfortable. There's no prize for speed. Diane rides her brakes lightly on most downhills because that's her comfort level, and both trikes stayed stable doing it.

Give a new trike a little time. Whether it's a front-drive pull, a sensitive throttle, or simply the feel of three wheels, there's a short learning curve. Practice in a quiet spot before heading into traffic.

And of course, wear a helmet and stay aware of what's around you. Diane checked for cars at every hill crest and intersection, slowed for pedestrians, and even apologized to Lisa for an unclear signal. Good habits make every ride better. If you need one, we carry sixthreezero helmets.

When it came time to sum up, Diane didn't crown a winner. She said she'd be happy on either one. Both have great components, good displays, smooth rides, and plenty of power for hills, turns, and descents. For her personally, the deciding factor was how comfortable she felt in each seat, especially when climbing and cornering.

That's why she kept coming back to the same advice: get out and try them. A seat that feels perfect for one rider can feel slightly off for another. Frame length, seat adjustment, throttle style, and drive system all affect people differently, and the only real way to know is to ride.

If you're near Southern California, you can come test ride both trikes in person. Check our Visit Us page for current test ride days. If you're further away, we've made it easier to try at home with our 30-day test ride. And if you'd like a bit of guidance first, our fitting consultation can help narrow the field based on your height, riding style, and the kind of terrain you'll be riding.

For more comparisons, ride-alongs, and buying guidance, browse our video blog or the choosing a bike section of our Bike Advice hub. Our buyer's guide is another good resource if you're still weighing features. Whichever trike you end up on, the goal is the same: a ride that feels good, gets you where you want to go, and makes you want to head out again tomorrow.