How to Ride a Tandem Electric Tricycle: Tips & What to Expect

I'm Dustin, and I've been in the bike and e-bike industry for nearly 20 years. Recently, I took the EVRYjourney E-Trike Tandem out for a real-world ride with my colleague Jeff — and I want to walk you through exactly what we learned. Whether you're considering a tandem e-trike for yourself and a partner, a family member, or just want to know what to expect, this guide covers steering, pedaling together, navigating curbs, taking turns, and climbing hills. Think of it as the orientation ride we wish we'd had.

The EVRYjourney E-Trike Tandem is built for two riders and supports up to 500 lbs combined. It comes equipped with 3-inch wide 24" tires, hydraulic disc brakes, seven speeds, and a 750-watt rear-mounted motor with five levels of pedal assist plus a throttle. It's a capable machine — but like any trike, especially a tandem one, there are a few things you need to know before you roll out.

The single most important mindset shift when moving from a two-wheel bike to a tricycle — tandem or otherwise — is understanding how steering works. On a bicycle, you lean into a turn and the bike follows. On a trike, leaning doesn't steer the bike. You have to physically turn the handlebars to go in the direction you want.

That said, leaning still matters. When Jeff and I come into a turn, we both shift our body weight in that direction. It doesn't complete the turn, but it helps keep the rear wheels balanced and the whole trike stable through the arc. Think of it as active body positioning rather than passive riding. Once you internalize that distinction — handlebars steer, leaning stabilizes — the trike starts to feel a lot more intuitive.

For the rear rider (Jeff in our case), there's no steering input at all. Your job is to lean with your driver, stay relaxed, and trust the person up front. It takes a little getting used to, but it becomes second nature quickly.

One of the best features on this trike is the throttle. On a tandem, getting in sync with your pedaling partner takes time — and the throttle lets both of you take a break from pedaling whenever you need to, without losing momentum. For close-range maneuvering, tight parking lots, or slow turns where coordinated pedaling is awkward, the throttle gives the front rider clean control over power delivery.

When you are pedaling together, here's the key pairing to remember: lower pedal assist levels work best in lower gears, and higher assist levels pair with higher gears. If you're just cruising at level two, stay in gear two or three. If you want to open it up at level five, shift up to match. The gears can only be changed while you're both pedaling, so communication is everything — a simple "shifting up" or "taking a break" goes a long way.

One practical note: the rear rider has a footrest, which is great for taking a breather. However, if you're a size 10 shoe or smaller, you can fit both feet comfortably. Jeff wears a size 14, so it was a squeeze for him. If the rear rider wants to rest, they use the footrest. If they want to pedal, both riders pedal — the cranks are mechanically linked. There's no neutral position for the front rider's feet when the rear rider is pedaling, so make sure you're both on the same page before you start.

Curbs and driveways are where a lot of new trike riders get into trouble, so I want to be specific here. On a two-wheeler, you can hit a curb cut at an angle without much drama. On a trike, going over an angled curb means one rear wheel drops before the other — and suddenly you've got a significant lean to one side. That's not a fun feeling at 500 lbs combined weight.

The fix is simple: approach curbs and driveway aprons as straight-on as possible. All three wheels should transition the elevation change at roughly the same time, keeping the trike flat and stable. If the curb cut isn't perfectly aligned, navigate toward the flattest section of the transition zone, get as perpendicular as you can, and ease over it slowly. It only takes a few reps to develop the habit, and once you have it, it becomes automatic.

Wide turns are another adjustment that catches riders off guard. On a bike, you gauge your turn by where your front wheel is. On a trike, your two rear wheels are several feet behind you — and they track a tighter arc than the front wheel. If you start accelerating the moment your front wheel clears a curb or corner, there's a good chance one of those rear wheels is going to clip it.

The rule: don't accelerate out of a turn until you've visually confirmed both rear wheels have cleared the obstacle. Go wide, go slow, and look back if you need to. U-turns follow the same principle — take them slow, lean into them together, and ease into the throttle or pedaling only once you're fully through. Jeff and I made a U-turn at low speed using just the throttle, and it was smooth and controlled. Patience through the turn equals confidence coming out of it.

Hills on a tandem e-trike are a different experience than on a solo bike. At full combined capacity with Jeff and me aboard, we were pushing close to 500 lbs up a real incline with a 750-watt motor. Here's the honest take: you're not going to rocket up a steep hill — but you're also not going to be grinding and straining. The motor does the heavy lifting. We kept it in level five assist, dropped to third gear to make pedaling manageable, and worked our way up steadily without either of us breaking much of a sweat.

Before you hit the base of a hill, shift down into a lower gear while you're still on flat ground — it's much easier than trying to shift mid-climb. And if the hill is steep enough that the front rider wants to stop pedaling, the rear rider needs to stop too, since the cranks are linked. Use the throttle to maintain momentum while you regroup, then pick up pedaling together when you're both ready. Descents are all about the brakes — the hydraulic disc brakes on this trike are excellent, smooth and progressive. Ease into them on the way down, avoid pedaling, and let the bike find a safe, controlled speed before you reach the bottom turn.

Once you get past the learning curve — and it's a short one — riding the EVRYjourney E-Trike Tandem is genuinely a blast. On a straight, open path at level five assist in high gear, we hit over 18 mph on throttle alone. That's not bad at all for a 500-lb tandem trike. On a flat beachside trail, this thing would be an absolute joy.

The large rear cargo basket is a practical bonus — great for packed lunches, a cooler, beach gear, or anything else you want to bring along. And the combination of wide tires, hydraulic brakes, and a low, stable frame means you can ride with real confidence, even if one or both riders are newer to cycling or coming back after a long break. The rear rider's main job is to enjoy the view, lean when asked, and maybe take the occasional shift on the pedals. Honestly, not a bad deal.

If you're considering the EVRYjourney E-Trike Tandem — or any of our electric tricycles — we'd love to help you find the right fit. Drop your questions in the comments below and we'll answer them personally. You can also visit us in San Clemente, California for a test ride before you commit. And remember, every sixthreezero e-trike comes with a 30-day test ride policy: if you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back with no questions asked and no money out of your pocket. Check out the EVRYjourney E-Trike Tandem on our product pages, and join the sixthreezero Pedalers Facebook group to connect with real riders who can share their firsthand experience before you buy.