Riding an E-Bike With a Canopy in the Rain: Carara's 61-Years-Young Test Ride

A Test Ride That Turned Into a Rain Test

Some of the best rides we get on camera are the ones nobody planned. Carara came out to try one of our e-bikes, introduced herself as 61 years young, and within the first few seconds of filming it started to rain. Not a storm. Just the kind of steady drizzle that makes most people glance at the sky, sigh, and decide the ride can wait until tomorrow.

Carara did the opposite. She happened to be sitting on what she called her deluxe version, a bike fitted with a full canopy overhead, and she decided this was exactly the moment to find out what it could do. Her first reaction once she was rolling underneath it was pure delight. She couldn't get over how fancy it felt. And she made a point I want to put right at the top, because it's the whole story in one line: the rain started, and she just kept riding.

I'm Dustin, and I spend most of my days helping people figure out which bike actually fits their body and their life. I've watched a lot of first rides. What I liked about Carara's is that nothing about it was arranged around perfect conditions. She was honest about what she liked, honest about what she wasn't sure of, and honest about the fact that she isn't really a bike person to begin with. That makes her take more useful than most polished reviews, so I want to walk through it point by point and add some context from the fitting side of things.

Who Carara is, and why her opinion matters

Carara told us early on that she doesn't particularly love biking. She's a runner. She likes being out on her feet. Cycling has never been the thing she reaches for when she wants to move.

That detail matters, and it's a profile I hear constantly. A lot of active people in their 50s and 60s already have a form of exercise they enjoy. They walk, they run, they hike, they swim. When they come to us, it usually isn't because they've dreamed about bikes their whole life. Something has shifted. Maybe they want an activity they can share with a spouse. Maybe they just want a way out of the house that covers more ground than a walk does.

So when someone like Carara, who openly prefers running, says a bike makes her want to ride a bike, that's not a throwaway compliment. That's the whole job. Turning a cyclist into a cyclist is easy. The real test is whether a bike can win over somebody who wasn't looking to be won over.

By the end of her ride, she was pretty clear about it. In her words, she was digging it.

Why a rainy day was the right day to film this

If you've watched our videos, you know most of them are shot on nice days. That's not an accident. Sunshine looks good on camera. But it also gives people a slightly incomplete picture, because real life isn't always sunny, and plenty of riders live where the forecast changes by the hour.

Carara said it herself: what a perfect time to check this out, especially since it had just started raining. She'd been handed a bike with weather protection, and the weather showed up on cue. You couldn't write a better demonstration if you tried.

Her takeaway was simple. Most people assume bikes are a fair-weather thing. You ride when it's nice, and the rest of the time the bike sits in the garage. What she was experiencing in real time was a kind of riding where weather didn't automatically end the outing. She was sheltered, she was comfortable, and she was still pedaling.

I'll get into the canopy in detail in the next section, including what it does well and what it doesn't change about riding in the wet. I wanted to set the scene first, because everything Carara says on this ride is colored by the fact that she's doing it in the rain, under cover, at 61, on a bike she'd only just climbed onto.

What kind of bike this is

Carara calls it an e-bike throughout, and the setup she describes is built around comfort: a supportive seat she can lean all the way back into, armrests, a canopy overhead, adjustable pedal assist, and even a reverse function. If you've been browsing our four-wheel e-bikes or our recumbent electric trikes, you'll recognize that family of features. These designs put stability and a relaxed seated position first, instead of the leaned-over posture of a traditional bicycle.

I'm keeping this article focused on Carara's experience rather than turning it into a spec sheet. If you want exact numbers for any model, the product pages are the place for them, and our team is happy to help you compare. What I can give you here is the thing a spec sheet can't: what it actually felt like to someone riding it for the first time, in the rain, who came away wanting more.

The canopy is the headline of this ride, so let's give it some real time.

Carara's first observation was the obvious one: it kept the weather off her. A few minutes in, she said something that made me laugh when I watched the footage back. She honestly didn't know whether it was still raining, because the canopy was keeping it off her. That's about the best review a rain cover can get. If you have to look around to check whether the weather is still happening, the cover is doing its job.

Rain protection changes when you can ride

Her bigger point was about mindset. A lot of the time, she said, you think you can only ride when it's nice out, but this lets you ride in some rainy weather.

That affects how much use people actually get out of a bike. When I'm fitting someone, one of the first things I ask is where they live and how they plan to ride. A rider in a dry, sunny climate can get by without any weather protection. A rider who lives with frequent drizzle, afternoon showers, or a long gray season is in a different position. For that person, a bike that's only usable on clear days might see the road a fraction as often as they hoped.

A canopy doesn't make you weatherproof, and I'll come back to that. But it turns a light rain from ride cancelled into ride continues. Over a year, that adds up to a lot more time outside.

Carara also floated the idea that a setup like this might let you ride in more rugged conditions. She was thinking out loud there, and I'd treat it that way. The instinct makes sense, since more cover means less exposure. Just know that rugged means very different things to different people, and the right answer for your local conditions is worth talking through with us before you buy.

Sun protection might be the bigger win

Here's the part a lot of people overlook. Carara said that for her, she loves sun protection, and the canopy would give her more of it once the weather gets warmer.

Rain gets the attention because it's dramatic. But for many riders, especially anyone out midday, in a warm climate, or for long stretches, the sun is the more constant problem. Shade over your head and shoulders on a hot afternoon can be the difference between a ride you enjoy and one you cut short. For riders who are sensitive to sun, or who simply don't want to bake, overhead cover pays off far more often than the rainy-day benefit does.

So when you're deciding whether a canopy is worth it, don't only ask how often it rains where you live. Ask how often you'd be riding in direct sun, and how you feel after an hour of it.

It keeps you a little warmer, too

Near the end of her ride, Carara added a benefit I don't hear mentioned much. The canopy doesn't just protect you from rain, she said, it also kind of keeps you warm.

That's what you'd expect from being partly enclosed. Rain on a cool day isn't just wet, it's chilling, especially once the breeze from riding hits you. Being sheltered from falling water and some of the wind takes the edge off. Neither of us would call it a heater. But on a damp, cool afternoon, feeling kind of warm instead of cold and soaked is a real difference.

What a canopy doesn't change

I want to be straight with you here, because I'd rather you ride safely than ride on false confidence. A canopy keeps rain off you. It doesn't change the road.

Wet pavement is wet pavement. Painted lines, metal covers, and leaves get slick. Brakes on any bike can take a little longer to bite when they're wet. Drivers see less in the rain and are busy with their own wipers and fogged windows. So whether you're under a canopy or not, slow down a bit, leave more stopping distance than you think you need, take turns gently, and make yourself as visible as you can. Lights on. Something bright on.

None of that takes away from what Carara felt. It just puts it in context. The canopy made her comfortable enough to keep riding. Good habits are what make it safe to keep riding.

If you're thinking about adding cover

If the canopy is what caught your eye, look through our sixthreezero canopies to see what's available and which bikes each one is built for. Canopies are designed around specific frames, so compatibility matters. If you're unsure, ask us before you order. That's exactly the kind of question our fit team is there to answer.

Once Carara got past the novelty of riding under a roof, she started talking about how the bike actually felt to sit on. This is where her runner's mindset really came through.

Sitting upright on purpose

Early in the ride, she pointed out that she was sitting up a little, even though she knew she could lean all the way back against the seat and use the armrests. She chose not to, at least at first, because sitting upright meant more of a core workout for her abdominals.

I love this, because it shows something people don't always realize about comfort-focused designs. A supportive seat with a backrest and armrests gives you options. It doesn't lock you into one posture. On a traditional bike, your position is mostly set by the frame: you lean forward, your hands carry weight, and that's that. On a seated, supported design, you choose.

Want to rest? Lean back and let the seat hold you. Want to work harder? Sit tall, take your back off the backrest, and let your trunk muscles hold you upright while your legs pedal. Carara went for the second option. It's a small decision, but it turns the bike from a way of getting somewhere into something closer to a workout tool, without giving up the comfort that's right there the moment you want it.

Scooting back and still feeling supported

Later on, she scooted back further into the seat and noted that her core still felt supported. That's the other half of the same idea. You can move between the two positions during a ride: tall and engaged for a stretch, then settled back when you want to relax.

From a fitting perspective, that flexibility matters a lot for riders with stiff backs, tired shoulders, or no interest in hunching over handlebars. Being able to change position partway through a ride, without stopping, keeps you comfortable for longer, and comfortable riders ride more often.

If seated, back-supported riding sounds good to you, our most comfortable electric trikes are a good place to start comparing.

Super comfortable, really easy to adjust

Carara's verdict on the seat was quick: super comfortable and really easy to adjust. She didn't elaborate much, and she didn't need to. For a first-time rider, comfortable and easy to adjust are the two things that matter most about a seat.

Comfort is obvious. Easy adjustment is underrated. A seat that's a pain to adjust tends to stay wherever it was first set, and that might not be right for you. When adjusting is simple, you're far more likely to dial it in properly, and a properly set seat is one of the biggest factors in whether a ride feels good or feels like a chore. It also helps when more than one person in the household shares the bike.

Turning

She also mentioned that the bike had nice turning capabilities. Another short comment, but worth noting, because turning is one of the things people worry about most with larger, seated designs. They look substantial, and people assume substantial means clumsy. That wasn't Carara's experience. As with any new bike, take your first few turns slowly while you learn how it responds.

Two seconds on, two seconds off

One of my favorite moments came right at the end. Carara demonstrated getting on and off and summed it up as two seconds, boom, boom, boom. Then she put the armrest down and declared the whole thing very classy.

Mounting and dismounting is something I think about constantly when fitting riders, especially anyone over 60, anyone with stiff hips or knees, and anyone nervous about balance. A bike can ride beautifully, but if getting on and off feels awkward or risky, people stop using it. Watching Carara hop on and off in a couple of seconds, with an armrest that moves out of the way, tells you a lot about how approachable this style of bike is.

The best bike in the world does nothing for you parked in the garage because it's a hassle to climb onto. Two seconds on and two seconds off is the kind of detail that decides whether a bike gets ridden three times a week or three times a year.

If ease of mounting is high on your list, browse our easy-to-mount e-trikes with a low step-thru. That collection is built around exactly this concern.

The electric side of the bike got its moment about halfway through the ride, and Carara's reaction is a good illustration of how pedal assist works in practice.

Going from level one to level two

She'd been riding on assist level one. Then she bumped it to two and pointed out how quickly the bike just took off on its own. Her explanation was simple and accurate: even though you're pedaling, the bike can go faster or slower depending on what you like.

If you've never ridden an e-bike, this is the part that surprises people. Pedal assist doesn't replace your effort. It adds to it. You keep pedaling, the motor adds a boost on top, and the assist level controls how much. Lower levels give a gentle helping hand. Higher levels give you more. The first time you step up a level, that extra push can feel like the bike surging forward, which is exactly what Carara noticed.

That's a good reason to start on a low level while you're learning a new bike, and to step up the assist on a straight, open stretch rather than in the middle of a turn. Give yourself a few rides to get a feel for each level before you rely on the higher ones.

Turning the assist down on purpose

Then Carara did something I wish more riders would do. She dropped it back to level one, specifically so she could get a stronger workout.

There's a stubborn idea that e-bikes are cheating, or that they don't give you any exercise. Carara's ride is a nice rebuttal. The motor is a tool, and you decide how much it helps. On a low level, you're doing most of the work and getting a real workout. On a higher level, you're getting help, which can be the difference between finishing a ride and turning back early.

For someone like Carara, a runner who values the exercise, it's the best of both. She can push herself when she wants to, knowing the help is there if she gets tired or just wants to cruise home. Pair that with the posture choices she was making, sitting tall to work her core, and you can see how a seated e-bike becomes a genuine fitness tool rather than only transportation.

If you'd also like the option of a throttle for the times you don't want to pedal at all, look through our electric trikes with throttle control and check each model's page for how it works.

It goes in reverse

Carara also showed that the bike reverses, and she thought that was super cool. I agree, and it's more useful than it sounds.

On a regular bike, backing up is easy. You stand over it and walk it backward. On a larger, seated bike, that isn't always practical. Think about pulling out of a tight parking spot, backing away from a curb, repositioning in a garage, or getting out of a spot where you rolled a little too far forward. Being able to reverse while staying seated takes a lot of awkward wrestling out of the picture. For riders with limited strength or mobility, it can be the difference between a bike that's convenient and one that's a chore every time it's parked.

If reverse is a must-have for you, we've gathered our reverse gear electric trikes in one place so you can compare them side by side.

Could you carry a passenger? Check first

Toward the end of the ride, Carara wondered out loud whether she could put a passenger in the back. You can hear her start the sentence, stop, and rephrase: she felt like she could put a passenger in the back, and she probably could. She also figured she could carry a lot of stuff with her if she wanted to.

I'm keeping her words as she said them, because she was guessing, and I don't want to turn a guess into a promise. Whether a particular bike can safely carry a passenger depends on the model, its weight capacity, and what it's designed and equipped for. That's information you should get from the product page and from us, not from a first impression on a test ride.

If riding with another person is part of your plan, start with our e-trikes for passengers, which are built for that purpose. If cargo is the priority, look closely at the basket and rack setup and the listed weight capacity of any bike you're considering. A bike that feels roomy when it's empty can feel very different with groceries or a second rider aboard.

One of the most honest moments in Carara's ride came in the middle. She mentioned that she'd tried another model before this one and had been madly in love with it. She said she might lean toward that one specifically.

I could have cut that line. It isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of the bike she was sitting on. But I think it's one of the most useful things she said, and here's why.

Liking more than one bike is normal

In the same breath, Carara said what I think is the real lesson: there's something for everybody, and you can pick any kind of bike you actually want. She'd ridden two bikes, enjoyed both, and had a favorite. That's exactly how it should go.

People sometimes come to us looking for the best bike, as if there's one answer. There isn't. There's the best bike for you. Carara is a runner who wants a workout, loves sun protection, and liked sitting tall to engage her core. Another rider might care most about how easy it is to get on and off. Another rides mostly in the rain. Another wants to bring a grandkid along. Each of them could reasonably end up on a different bike and be thrilled with it.

If you test ride two bikes and love one more, that isn't a knock on the other one. It's information. It means you're learning what matters to you.

Turning Carara's ride into your own checklist

Here's how I'd use her experience to narrow down your own choice.

• How often does weather cut your rides short? If rain or strong sun regularly keeps you indoors, overhead cover like Carara's canopy deserves a serious look.
• Do you want exercise, assistance, or both? Adjustable pedal assist lets you keep it low for a workout, as Carara did, and turn it up when you need help.
• How do you want to sit? A supportive seat with a backrest and armrests lets you sit tall to work your core or lean back to relax.
• How easy does getting on and off need to be? If mounting worries you, prioritize a design you can step into and out of in a couple of seconds.
• Where will you park and maneuver? If you'll be working in tight spaces, a reverse function can save a lot of hassle.
• Will you carry anything, or anyone? Confirm weight capacity and passenger suitability on the product page instead of assuming.

If you're comparing options for riders in their 60s and beyond, our electric bikes for seniors and electric trikes for seniors collections show the range side by side. If you want to see everything we make with a motor, browse all of our electric bikes.

Get fitted before you decide

Carara's ride is a good reminder that a few minutes on a bike tells you more than hours of reading. If you can't ride before you buy, a personal fitting is the next best thing. Tell us about your body, how you want to ride, and where, and we'll help you narrow it down. Part of why Carara felt so comfortable was a seat that was easy to set up for her, and getting the fit right from the start is how you get that same feeling.

If you'd rather find out on your own streets, read how our 30-day test ride works. And if you're nearby, you're welcome to visit our store and try a few bikes back to back.

Final thoughts

At one point Carara said the ride reminded her of something, then laughed and admitted she didn't know what it reminded her of. She just thought it was really cool how much technology has changed.

I think that sums it up. A 61-year-old runner who doesn't love biking climbed onto an e-bike, got caught in the rain, and kept going. She sat tall to work her core, leaned back when she wanted support, played with the assist levels, backed up just to see if she could, and hopped off in two seconds flat. And she said the bike made her want to ride a bike.

That's the goal. Not the fanciest bike on the floor, but the one that makes you want to get outside, even when the forecast isn't perfect.