My First Ride Ever on an eTrike at 51: What It's Really Like

Fifty-One Years Old and Riding for the First Time

Brian Staer is 51, and when he climbed onto a sixthreezero relaxed-style electric trike for the first time, he said it plainly: he was super excited, and this was his very first ride ever. Not his first ride on this particular model. His first ride on any electric bike or trike, period. He brought a camera along and talked his way through the whole thing, partly for himself and partly for anyone who has been circling the idea of an eTrike without quite working up the nerve to try one.

That framing is what makes the ride worth writing about. Most reviews of electric trikes come from people who already know what they are doing. They have ridden dozens of models, they can rattle off motor ratings from memory, and they forget what it feels like to stand next to a new machine wondering whether it is going to get away from you. Brian had none of that background. He was learning in real time, out loud, and every small realization he had on that ride is one a lot of first-time riders will have too.

Over about eight minutes he goes from a cautious four miles an hour in an open lot to a confident sixteen miles an hour on a city street. Along the way he figures out how the throttle works, discovers that steering a trike is a different skill than steering a bicycle, learns to watch for curbs, and decides that the seat is, in his words, very comfortable. More than once.

What follows is a walk through that ride, with the context a new rider might want filled in along the way. If you are thinking about your first eTrike, consider this a chance to ride along before you ride yourself.

There is a reason so many first-time electric riders start on three wheels. A two-wheel bike asks you to manage balance at every moment, and adding a motor to that equation can feel like a lot. You are now balancing, steering, pedaling, braking, and managing a power source all at once. For someone who has not been on a bike in years, or who never felt fully at home on one, that is a steep starting point.

A trike removes the balance problem almost entirely. With two wheels in the back and one up front, the machine stands up on its own. You can stop at a crosswalk without putting a foot down. You can roll along at a walking pace without wobbling. You can look over your shoulder without the whole bike drifting with you. That stability frees up your attention for the parts of riding that actually take learning, like judging speed and choosing a line through a turn.

Brian noticed this within the first couple of minutes. He said he liked the wheels on the back and felt he had more balance, and that as someone who had never done this before, it seemed easier to hold himself steady. Later in the ride he went further, saying he felt so confident with the two wheels behind him. That confidence is the whole point. A rider who feels secure is a rider who relaxes, and a relaxed rider makes better decisions.

If you are weighing your options, the sixthreezero electric tricycle lineup covers a range of styles, from upright cruisers to models built for cargo or passengers. Riders who want the most forgiving starting point often look at the electric trikes designed for seniors, which tend to emphasize easy handling, comfortable seating, and a relaxed riding position. You do not have to be a senior to appreciate those qualities. Brian, at 51, certainly did.

Turning It On and Getting Rolling

The ride begins about as simply as a ride can. Brian switches the power on from a control on one side of the trike, and that is the whole startup routine. No complicated sequence, no menu to work through. Power on, and the trike is ready.

Then comes the first small surprise for a new rider: the motor does not just launch you forward the moment it is switched on. Brian had to start pedaling to get things going. As soon as he did, he could feel the assist kick in. He described it as feeling the trike kick into gear, which is a pretty good way to put it. One moment you are pushing the pedals under your own power, and the next you feel a gentle shove from behind as the motor joins in.

That behavior is worth understanding before your own first ride, because it shapes how the first few seconds feel. Pedal assist is designed to respond to your pedaling. You supply the intention, and the motor adds to it. For a nervous first-timer, that is reassuring. The trike is not going to surge forward unexpectedly just because the power is on. You are in charge of when movement starts.

Brian took it slowly, which is exactly the right instinct. He noted out loud that it was the first time he had ever done this, and you can hear him settling in. There is no rush in those first moments. If you are setting up your own ride, pick a quiet, open space, give yourself room in every direction, and let the first few pedal strokes be about getting a feel for how the assist arrives rather than about going anywhere in particular.

A few seconds in, Brian found the throttle, and his first reading on the display was four miles an hour. He announced it with genuine delight, which says a lot about the mindset of a first ride. Four miles an hour is roughly a brisk walk. On a regular bicycle it would feel slow. On a brand-new electric trike with a motor you have never used, it feels like plenty.

The throttle gives you a second way to control power. Instead of relying only on pedaling to call up the motor, you can use your hand to ask for speed directly. Brian quickly figured out how the two relate. When the path tilted slightly downhill, he realized he did not need to push the throttle as much. Gravity was doing some of the work, and he could ease off his hand and let the trike roll.

A little later he made another observation that a lot of new riders will appreciate: he could pedal if he wanted to, but he really did not need to at that moment. He could control the trike with his hand alone. That flexibility is one of the most practical features on a trike like this. Some days you want a workout and will pedal the whole way. Other days your knees are sore, or you are carrying groceries, or you simply want to enjoy the scenery, and the throttle carries you.

If having that option matters to you, it is worth filtering for it when you shop. Sixthreezero groups its electric tricycles with throttle control together, which makes it easy to compare them side by side. For a first-time rider, being able to roll forward without having to pedal hard from a standstill can make starts at intersections and on gentle slopes far less stressful.

The Biggest Lesson: Steer It Like a Car

About a minute into the ride, Brian hit on the single most important thing any bicycle rider needs to know before getting on a trike. He said you really are steering it almost like a car, not like a bike where you lean into the turn, and that it was something to get used to. This catches nearly everyone who grew up on two wheels. On a bicycle, you turn largely by leaning. Your body tilts, the bike tilts with you, and the front wheel follows. It is so automatic that most people do not realize they are doing it. On a trike, the frame stays upright. Leaning your body does very little to change direction. Instead, you turn the handlebars, and the trike goes where the front wheel points, much like a car follows its steering wheel.

Brian kept discovering versions of this throughout the ride. Early on he learned you cannot overturn, describing the right motion as a more subtle turn. A few minutes later he caught himself leaning again and admitted it was a lesson he still had to learn. Later still, on the street, he noted with some satisfaction that when he was turning, he did not have to lean at all. You can hear the habit being rewired over the course of eight minutes.

The practical advice that falls out of this is simple. Take your first turns slowly and wide. Turn the bars smoothly rather than jerking them. Resist the urge to throw your weight to the inside of the turn, and if you do catch yourself leaning, do not panic. It is just muscle memory from years of riding bicycles. Brian even found that accelerating gently into a turn, the way you might in a car, felt natural, and after one of his wider loops he declared it a perfect turn. That is a good sign that the new technique clicks quickly once you stop fighting it.

Brian was refreshingly honest about the one moment that felt a little less settled. A few minutes in, he said that if you accelerate too fast, you can feel the trike leaning. It is a useful observation, and it fits with how three-wheel machines behave.

Because a trike does not lean into corners the way a bicycle does, the forces of a turn push outward on the frame instead. At walking speed you will barely notice. Take a tight turn quickly, or speed up hard in the middle of one, and you will feel that outward push as a sense of the trike wanting to tip toward the outside of the curve. It is the same sensation you feel in a car taking a sharp corner, just more direct because you are sitting on top of the machine rather than inside it.

The good news, and Brian was quick to say so, is that it was very easy to get back under control. He said he did not feel out of control at all, and he went out of his way to speak to anyone worried about an eTrike simply taking off on them. He felt very safe. That matches what most riders find. The fix is to slow down before the turn, not during it, and to make your turns wider when you have room.

A good mental rule for a first ride is to treat corners the way a careful driver does. Brake on the straight, coast or roll gently through the bend, and only add power once the handlebars are pointing straight again. Once that rhythm becomes habit, cornering on a trike is smooth and predictable, and the sensation Brian described stops being a surprise and becomes a simple cue to ease off.

Slowing Down and Using the Brakes

One of the quieter discoveries in Brian's ride came when he let go of the throttle. He noticed that when you take your hand off, the trike kind of slows on its own, and he called the trike intuitive in that regard. That natural slowdown is reassuring for a beginner. You do not have to grab the brakes the instant you want to reduce speed. Simply easing off gives you a gradual deceleration and a moment to think.

When you do need to stop with more purpose, the brakes are right where you would expect them. Brian pointed out the levers on the left and right of the handlebars, one for the front brake and one for the rear, and summed up the system as really easy. He also liked how the handlebars sweep back toward the rider, which put the levers comfortably within reach and meant he had no trouble braking.

If you have not ridden in a while, spend a minute in an empty space practicing stops before you go anywhere busier. Roll forward at a slow speed, squeeze both levers smoothly, and feel how the trike responds. Then try it a little faster. Using both brakes together gives you even, controlled stopping, and it helps to learn how much pressure you need before you are in a situation where you need it in a hurry. Brian did a version of this naturally, noting at one point that he had to brake a little to set up for a turn.

Stopping power matters more as you get more confident and start riding faster, carrying cargo, or tackling hills. Riders who want extra confidence there can browse electric trikes with disc brakes, which are designed to give strong, consistent stopping across conditions.

Watching Brian's speed climb is one of the most charming parts of the video. He goes from four miles an hour to five, which he calls a whopping five miles an hour with a laugh, and says he wants to ease into going faster and take his time because it is his first ride. On a straightaway he works up through six and seven before reaching eight, then later touches ten in the open lot.

His comment at ten miles an hour is worth pausing on. He said his top speed was only ten miles an hour, but that it honestly felt pretty fast to him. He acknowledged that these trikes can go a lot faster and decided to keep it slow, joking that his young-man days of going fast were behind him.

That is not a confession of timidity. It is good riding. Speed on an electric trike is a choice, not a requirement, and the right pace on your first day is whatever pace lets you stay relaxed and attentive. There is no prize for hitting a high number on the display in the first ten minutes. The skills that keep you safe, like turning smoothly, braking early, and reading the space around you, are much easier to build at walking or jogging pace.

It is also worth remembering that speed feels different on a trike than in a car. You are sitting in the open air, close to the ground, with nothing between you and the world. Ten miles an hour on a trike can feel brisk and exciting in a way that ten miles an hour behind a windshield never does. That sense of motion is a big part of the fun, and you can enjoy it fully without pushing your limits.

The Comfort Report

If there is one theme Brian returns to more than any other, it is comfort. Partway through the lot he said the ride was very comfortable and that the seat was very comfortable as well. Out on the street a few minutes later he said it again: very comfortable, and that the seat was very comfortable. By the end you get the sense he was a little surprised by how good it felt.

Seat comfort is easy to underestimate when you are shopping. Spec sheets tend to lead with motors and batteries, but the seat is the part of the trike you are in contact with for the entire ride. A narrow, firm saddle can turn a pleasant half hour into an uncomfortable one, and for a lot of riders, discomfort is the real reason a bike ends up in the garage. A wide, supportive seat lets you ride longer and enjoy it more.

Brian also praised the handlebars for sweeping back toward him. That swept-back shape lets you sit upright with relaxed arms instead of reaching forward, which takes pressure off your wrists, shoulders, and lower back. It also gives you a better view of what is ahead and around you, which matters once you leave the parking lot.

If comfort is high on your list, the sixthreezero collection of the most comfortable electric trikes is a good place to begin. And if you already ride and want to upgrade, the sixthreezero seats collection includes replacement options. Getting the fit right matters as well. The sixthreezero fitting process is designed to match riders with a model that suits their body and riding style, which is a smart step if you are not sure where to start.

Leaving the Lot: Curbs, Sidewalks, and People

After a few laps, Brian decided it was time to get more adventurous and head out onto the street. This is where the ride shifts from learning the controls to learning the environment, and his observations become very practical.

The first thing he flagged was width. A trike's rear axle is wider than a bicycle, and Brian mentioned that with the bigger wheels you have to make sure you do not clip a curb. It is a real adjustment. On a bike, you instinctively judge your clearance by the width of your handlebars. On a trike, the rear wheels sit wider than your body and somewhat behind you, so it is easy to cut a corner too close and catch a wheel on a curb or post. Giving yourself a bit of extra room on turns, especially near edges, solves most of it.

Next came traffic and pedestrians. He noted there were other cars around and that the office area meant fewer people, but he still met a person and a child on the sidewalk and adjusted his route to go around them. That moment is a good reminder. On a sidewalk or shared path, people walking have the right of way, children can move unpredictably, and the courteous move is to slow down, give space, or find another way. Brian did all three without fuss.

He also noticed that on different surfaces, he still caught himself leaning, even though the trike was very sturdy on its own and did not need any help holding its balance. That is the bicycle habit again, popping up when the ground changes. It fades with time. Before you ride on public roads or sidewalks, it is worth checking the local rules on where electric trikes are allowed to ride, since that varies from place to place.

Brian's route outside the lot included a gentle downhill stretch, and he mentioned easing off the throttle as the slope picked up. That is the right reflex. On a descent, gravity adds speed for free, so the job shifts from creating momentum to managing it. Light, steady pressure on the brakes keeps your speed where you want it, and backing off the throttle entirely is usually the smart move.

He also made a nice comment about a transition from the road up onto another surface, describing it as very smooth. Transitions are where a lot of beginners tense up, whether it is a driveway lip, a curb cut, or a change from asphalt to concrete. Approaching them straight on rather than at an angle helps all three wheels meet the change evenly, and keeping your speed modest gives the trike time to absorb the bump.

Brian also chose to turn around at one point and noted how easy it was. Turning around in a tight space is something new riders often worry about, so it is encouraging to hear it described as simple. The trick, as with all trike turns, is to go slowly and turn the bars rather than lean.

For riders whose routes include rough pavement, gravel, sand, or a lot of uneven ground, wider tires can make a meaningful difference in comfort and stability. Sixthreezero's fat tire electric trikes are built for exactly that kind of variety. For smooth neighborhood streets and paved paths, a standard trike will usually feel right at home.

Sixteen Miles an Hour and a Grin

Once he had a stretch of road to himself, Brian finally let the trike stretch its legs. He called out the numbers as they climbed: ten, eleven, thirteen, then fifteen miles an hour. His reaction at that point is the most enthusiastic of the whole video. He said that these speeds are where the eTrike really becomes exciting.

He made a second pass and did it again, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and commented on how quick the acceleration was to get up that fast. His fastest mark of the day was about sixteen miles an hour, and you can hear how far he had come from the man who was thrilled with four miles an hour a few minutes earlier.

There is a lesson in that arc. Brian did not start fast. He started slow, learned how the trike steered, figured out the brakes, practiced turns, and got comfortable with the space around him. Only then, on an open, straight road, did he try for more speed. By the time he got there, it felt natural, and his comment about it being very nice suggests it felt controlled rather than frightening.

That sequence is a good template for your own first rides. Build the basic skills at low speed first, then increase your pace gradually and only in situations where you have clear space ahead and good visibility. Speed is a reward for confidence, not a test of it. And always wear a helmet, no matter how slow you plan to go. The sixthreezero helmets collection is a convenient place to pick one up alongside your trike.

Shutting Down the Right Way

At the end of the ride, Brian pointed out how easy it was to power down, and then added a small but genuinely useful tip. Before getting off, he made sure the throttle was set so he would not accidentally hit it while dismounting.

It is the sort of detail experienced riders do without thinking and beginners often never consider. When you are climbing off a trike, your hands and body are moving in ways they do not while riding. It is easy to brush the throttle with a hand or a sleeve. If the system is still live, that can nudge the trike forward at exactly the moment you are least balanced. Turning the power off, or otherwise making sure the throttle cannot engage, before you swing a leg off removes that risk.

A good habit to build from the very first ride is to follow the same routine every time you stop. Come to a complete stop, hold a brake, switch the power off, and then step off. Reverse it when you get on: settle into the seat, get your feet ready, and only then power up. A consistent routine means you never have to remember what to do in the moment.

Easy mounting and dismounting matters for comfort as well as safety. If climbing over a high frame is a concern, look at sixthreezero's easy-to-mount eTrikes with a low step-through frame. A lower frame makes getting on and off far simpler, especially for riders with limited flexibility or stiff hips and knees.

Near the end of his time in the lot, Brian offered his overall verdict on his first electric ride: it was a lot easier than actually riding a bike. Then he joked that he no longer had to worry about that pesky cardio.

It is a funny line, and it is partly true. The motor and throttle mean you can ride without breathing hard, and for a lot of people that is exactly what makes riding possible again. If hills, distance, or joint pain have kept you off a bicycle, electric assist removes those barriers. You can go farther, ride more often, and arrive at your destination without being worn out.

But it is also worth saying that the cardio does not have to disappear unless you want it to. As Brian himself noted, you can pedal whenever you like. Many riders find that they actually move more on an electric trike than they did before, simply because they ride more often. A trip you would never have attempted under your own power becomes a pleasant outing, and you can pedal as much or as little as feels good along the way. Exercise becomes something that happens naturally rather than something you have to force.

The easier part, from a first-timer's perspective, is the learning curve. On a bicycle, the hardest skill is balance, and it can take a long time to feel comfortable. On a trike, balance comes built in, and the skills you need to learn, like steering without leaning and turning at sensible speeds, come quickly. Brian went from his very first pedal strokes to confident street riding in roughly eight minutes. That is not typical of learning to ride a bike.

Lessons for Your Own First Ride

Pulling together everything Brian discovered, a handful of practical takeaways stand out for anyone about to try an eTrike for the first time. Start in a big, empty space. A quiet parking lot or an empty office complex, like the one Brian used, gives you room to make mistakes safely. Spend your first few minutes just rolling slowly, starting, stopping, and getting a feel for how the pedal assist and throttle respond.

Steer with your hands, not your body. This is the big one. Turn the handlebars smoothly, take turns wide and slow at first, and expect to catch yourself leaning out of habit. That is normal and it fades. Slow down before corners, not during them. If you feel the trike lean in a turn, that is your cue that you came in a little fast. Brake on the straight, roll through the bend, and add power once you are pointed straight again.

Mind your width. The rear wheels sit wider than a bicycle, so give curbs, posts, and parked cars extra room. Practice your braking. Learn how both levers feel and how quickly you can stop before you need to stop in a hurry. Build speed gradually. Brian's ride went from four miles an hour to sixteen, but only after he had the fundamentals down. Ride at whatever pace keeps you relaxed.

Make getting on and off a routine. Stop fully, hold a brake, power down, and make sure the throttle cannot be bumped before you dismount. Wear a helmet every time, and check your local rules before riding on streets, bike lanes, or sidewalks.

Brian's ride was on a relaxed-style trike from sixthreezero, and the features he kept praising are a good checklist for anyone shopping. A comfortable, wide seat. Handlebars that sweep back toward you so you sit upright. Brakes that are easy to reach. A throttle that lets you ride without pedaling when you want to. And above all, the planted feeling of two rear wheels that let you relax from the very first minute.

Beyond those basics, think about how you will actually use the trike. If you plan to run errands, a trike with plenty of carrying space will make life easier, and sixthreezero gathers its electric tricycles with a large basket in one place. If you are a larger or taller rider, or expect to carry heavy loads, look at models built for high weight capacity. If you need to back out of a tight garage or parking spot, a reverse gear can be surprisingly handy.

If you are still unsure, the sixthreezero buyer's guide walks through the main decisions, and the fitting consultation offers personalized advice. Sixthreezero also offers a 30-day test ride, so you can try the trike in your own neighborhood, the same way Brian did, and decide for yourself. Bikes ship with free shipping and arrive mostly assembled, and the assembly instructions cover the remaining steps. If you would rather try a trike in person, you can visit the store for a test ride.

Once you own one, keeping it in good shape is straightforward. Battery care is the main thing to stay on top of, and replacement batteries and chargers are available if you ever need them. The warranty page outlines what is covered.

The Takeaway From a First-Time Rider

At the end of his ride, Brian said he hoped he had not made a fool of himself. He had not. What he did was show, honestly and without any polish, what it actually looks like to try an electric trike for the first time. There were a few wobbly moments of leaning, a turn or two taken a little quickly, and a lot of happy commentary about seat comfort. There was also steady progress, minute by minute, from cautious beginner to confident rider.

His closing verdict was that it was a great, smooth ride, that he highly recommends the trike, and that anyone who has not tried one is going to love it. Coming from someone who had never been on an electric bike or trike before that morning, that recommendation carries some weight. He was not comparing models or chasing specs. He was simply reporting how it felt, and it felt good.

If you have been wondering whether an eTrike is right for you, or worried that it might be too much to handle, Brian's ride is a pretty encouraging answer. A stable frame, a comfortable seat, simple controls, and a little patience in the first few minutes are all most people need. The rest comes quickly.

For more first-hand rides, buying advice, and how-to guides, browse the sixthreezero Bike Advice blog, or explore the full range of sixthreezero electric trikes to find the one that will carry you on your own first ride.