Riding the sixthreezero Simple Glide Fat Tire Recumbent eTrike: Comfort, Control, and a Smoother Ride

Meet the Simple Glide Fat Tire Recumbent eTrike

Some bikes look like they want to go fast. The Simple Glide Fat Tire looks like it wants you to sit down and relax. That first impression turns out to be pretty accurate. In this video, Maria walks around the trike, explains the controls one at a time, and then takes it out for a real ride through a quiet suburban neighborhood, complete with traffic, a couple of U-turns, a few bumps, and one small wardrobe mishap that every rider can learn from.

The Simple Glide Fat Tire is a 750W recumbent electric trike with a footrest, an adjustable armrest setup, and a wide fat tire up front. It sits in an interesting spot in the sixthreezero lineup. It shares the laid-back seating of a recumbent, the steadiness of a three-wheeler, and the bump-soaking ride you get from the brand's fat tire electric trikes. If you have been browsing electric tricycles and wondering which style actually suits your body and your routes, this ride-along is a useful look at what living with one of these feels like.

What follows is a full walkthrough based on Maria's video: the seat, the controls, how the motor and gears work together, what the fat tire does on pavement and beyond, and an honest look at who this trike makes the most sense for. We kept her observations front and center, because a rider's first-hand impressions are usually more useful than a spec sheet.

The first thing Maria points to is the seat, and it is easy to see why. Instead of a narrow saddle perched on a post, the Simple Glide has a full chair with a backrest and arms. Maria compares it directly to an office chair, and later in the ride she goes a step further and says it is almost like sitting at home in an armchair.

That comparison matters more than it sounds. A lot of people who stopped riding years ago did not quit because they lost interest. They quit because something hurt. A sore lower back, pressure on the hips, numbness from a traditional saddle, or simply the strain of leaning forward to reach the handlebars can turn a pleasant ride into something you dread. Maria speaks to exactly that rider in the video. If your reason for not riding is that your back might hurt, she says, this is a seat designed with you in mind.

A recumbent position spreads your weight across your back and seat rather than concentrating it in one small contact point. Your torso is supported, your arms rest naturally, and your legs extend forward toward the pedals instead of pushing straight down. It is a fundamentally different way to sit on a bike, and for many riders it is the difference between a ten-minute spin and an afternoon out.

If comfort is your top priority, it is worth looking at the full range of comfortable electric trikes to see how the different seat styles compare. The Simple Glide leans hard into the supported, reclined end of that spectrum.

Maria describes getting on and off the Simple Glide as easy in, easy out, and the armrests are a big part of that. They move up and down, so you can lift them out of the way while you sit down or stand up, then lower them back into place once you are settled.

For riders with limited mobility, stiff knees, or balance concerns, this kind of detail is not a small convenience. Getting onto a traditional bike usually means swinging a leg over a frame or stepping through while holding the bike upright. On a recumbent trike, you are essentially lowering yourself into a chair that is not going to tip over. The arms give you something solid to push against when you stand back up.

Maria also points out that you can adjust the armrests while you ride if you want to. Some riders like them down as a place to rest their forearms on a long cruise. Others prefer them up to give their elbows more room. There is no single right answer, and that flexibility is part of the appeal. The trike adapts to the way you like to sit instead of asking you to adapt to it.

If mounting and dismounting is the thing you worry about most, sixthreezero also groups models in an easy-to-mount eTrike collection, and there is a separate collection of electric trikes for seniors that focuses on similar concerns. The Simple Glide fits comfortably into that conversation, especially for riders who want back support as well as easy access.

Starting the trike takes almost no effort. Maria shows a button down on the battery itself. Press it, a green light comes on, and the battery is ready. Her advice is simply to leave it on.

That might sound odd if you are used to the idea that electronics drain when you forget about them, but there is a reason she is relaxed about it. The main battery shuts itself off after a period of inactivity. You do not have to remember to switch it off when you park, and you are not going to come back the next morning to find it drained because you got distracted unloading groceries.

Maria also mentions that battery life is long across sixthreezero's electric models. Exact range always depends on how you ride: how much you lean on the throttle, which pedal assist level you choose, how hilly your routes are, rider weight, tire pressure, and even the temperature outside. Still, the combination of a long-lasting battery and an automatic shut-off means you spend less time thinking about power and more time actually riding.

Over time, any battery will age, and it is good to know replacement parts are easy to find. sixthreezero keeps batteries and chargers available through its parts section, which is reassuring if you plan to ride your trike for years.

Once the battery is on, the second step is pressing the button on the display to wake up the controls. This is where Maria gets genuinely enthusiastic. On the Simple Glide, the display sits in the center of your vision rather than off to one side.

She explains why this matters while riding on roads and trails. When the screen is mounted off to the left, checking your speed or your assist level means glancing down and away from where you are going. With the display centered, it is directly in front of you. Your eyes stay forward, and the information you need is in the same field of view as the road.

She comes back to this point during the ride itself. As a vehicle approaches, she notes that her eyes are already looking forward. It is a small design decision with a real safety benefit. Every second you spend looking down at a handlebar corner is a second you are not watching the car backing out of a driveway or the pedestrian stepping off a curb.

The display also shows you the battery level when you power up, which Maria jokes about, saying it shows she has lots of energy and is ready to hit the road. If you ever need a replacement, sixthreezero sells eBike displays as a separate part, but for most riders the main thing to know is that this one is placed where it is easy to read without breaking your concentration.

The Simple Glide uses a plus and minus control to raise and lower the pedal assist level. Maria describes this as the place where you get to make the ride your own, and that is a good way to think about it.

Pedal assist works by adding motor power while you pedal. On a low setting, the motor gives you a gentle push, and you are still doing a fair share of the work. On a higher setting, the motor contributes more, and the trike feels like it is pulling you along. You can change levels on the fly, so you might stay low on a flat stretch and bump it up for a hill or a headwind.

During the ride, Maria spends much of her time in the first level, which tells you something about how much help even the lowest setting provides. When she wants more, she points out that the control is right there at your fingertips, just as easy to use as the throttle. She moves up to the second level as she picks up speed, then drops back down to one when she wants to ease off.

For a rider coming back to cycling after a long break, this range is valuable. You can start with plenty of help and gradually take on more of the effort as your fitness improves. Or you can keep the assist high on days when your joints are not cooperating and still get outside. The trike does not force a single kind of ride on you.

Alongside pedal assist, the Simple Glide has a throttle on the handlebar. Maria describes it as a pump-style control, and she uses it right at the start of her ride to help herself out of the slightly backward position she was parked in.

That first moment is a good example of where a throttle earns its keep. Starting from a dead stop is often the hardest part of riding a trike, especially if you are on a slight incline, parked at an awkward angle, or simply not quite in position on the pedals yet. A throttle lets the motor move you forward without needing to pedal first. You get rolling, find your footing, and then carry on however you like.

Later, after a U-turn, Maria gives it a little throttle again to get going, and that is when she notices how stable the tire feels underneath her. Throttles are useful for exactly these transitional moments: pulling away from a stop sign, merging back to the right side of the road, or rejoining a path after waiting for traffic.

If having a throttle is non-negotiable for you, it is worth browsing sixthreezero's electric tricycles with throttle control. Many riders, particularly those with knee or hip trouble, find that a throttle is what makes an eTrike practical for daily use rather than an occasional treat.

Maria is clear that she enjoys the battery and plans to use it. But she also makes a point that sometimes gets lost in conversations about electric bikes: the Simple Glide still works like a regular tricycle. It has a full set of gears, and you can shift up and down and pedal it just as you would a conventional trike.

She calls this going old school, and she frames the gears as a backup. If the battery runs low on a longer ride than you planned, you are not stranded. You shift into an easier gear and pedal home. If you want a workout on a particular day, you can switch the assist off and use the gears to set your own effort level.

Gears and pedal assist also work well together. Even with the motor on, choosing the right gear makes pedaling smoother and more efficient. A lower gear helps when climbing or starting, and a higher gear lets you maintain a comfortable cadence at speed. Riders who learn to use both tend to get more range out of their battery, because they are not asking the motor to do work the gears could handle more easily.

If you are new to shifting or just want to understand how your drivetrain works, the sixthreezero Bike Advice blog has plenty of practical explainers. Replacement components like a derailleur are also available if your trike ever needs a repair down the road.

The Simple Glide has hand brakes on the handlebars, and Maria describes them as easy to hold. They have a bit of grip to them, so your fingers do not slip off the levers, and they are positioned where your hands naturally rest.

The detail she highlights most, though, is the lock. There is a mechanism on the brake that holds it engaged, and Maria compares it to putting a car in park and setting the parking brake. Once it is on, the trike stays put.

This is a more important feature on a trike than many people realize. A two-wheel bike falls over when you let go, so nobody expects it to stay parked on its own. A trike stands upright, which is great, but that also means it can roll if you stop on a slope and step away. A parking lock keeps it from drifting while you climb on, climb off, load a bag, or chat with a neighbor.

Maria uses it exactly as you would expect. At the very end of the video, back home after her ride, she sets the parking brake before getting off. It becomes a habit quickly, and it adds real peace of mind, especially for riders who need a moment to stand up or who park on driveways that are not perfectly level.

If brakes are a key part of your decision, you may also want to look at sixthreezero's collection of electric trikes with disc brakes to compare options across the lineup.

Maria takes a moment to point out the hand grips, which have a colorful, cordovan leather look. It is the kind of detail that is easy to overlook in a spec list but that you notice every single time you ride.

Your hands are one of the main contact points on any bike or trike. On a recumbent, much of your body weight is supported by the seat and backrest, so your hands are not bearing as much load as they would on an upright bike. Even so, comfortable grips help reduce fatigue on longer rides and make the trike feel more pleasant to steer.

There is also something to be said for a trike that looks good. Maria clearly enjoys the style of the Simple Glide, and she mentions later in the ride that everybody loves the trike and that she got lots of comments as she rode by. A machine you enjoy looking at is a machine you are more likely to take out of the garage.

After covering the grips, the throttle, and the pedal assist, Maria sums up the controls by saying that is really it. That simplicity is a selling point in itself. There is a battery button, a display button, an assist up and down, a throttle, gears, and brakes with a lock. Nothing on the handlebars requires a manual to figure out, and nothing distracts you once you are moving.

Maria's ride begins with an honest little moment that every new trike owner should hear about. Just a few seconds after getting going, her pant leg gets caught. She stops, tucks it in, and laughs that she always told her kids not to ride with wide legs.

It is a good reminder that on any pedal-driven bike or trike, loose clothing near the chain and crank is something to watch. On a recumbent, your legs are extended forward, so wide-leg trousers or flowing fabric can sit closer to moving parts than you might expect. The fix is simple: tuck your pants into your socks, roll them up, use a strap or clip around the ankle, or wear slimmer-fitting pants on riding days.

We appreciate that Maria left this in the video. It is the kind of thing that happens in real life, not in a polished advertisement, and it is a far more useful tip than another round of praise. Nobody was hurt, the trike was fine, and she was back underway in a moment.

While you are thinking about what you wear, it is a good time to think about safety gear as well. A properly fitted helmet is worth having on every ride, and sixthreezero offers helmets designed for the kind of relaxed, everyday riding the Simple Glide is built for.

Once she is rolling, Maria heads out through a suburban neighborhood, and it is not a closed course. There are cars, there are moments where she has to move over to the right, and there are points where she stops and waits for traffic to pass before making a turn.

This is where the forward-facing display comes back into play. As a vehicle approaches, Maria notes that her eyes are looking straight ahead, which lets her navigate traffic without looking down at a screen. Being able to keep an eye on the road while still knowing your speed and assist level makes riding among cars feel more manageable.

She also shows good road habits throughout. She moves over to the right to let others pass, she puts on the brakes and waits when the timing is not right for a U-turn, and she reminds viewers that everybody has to share the road. It is simple advice, but it is the heart of riding safely on any street.

A recumbent trike sits lower than an upright bike, so it is worth thinking about visibility to drivers. Bright clothing, lights, and a flag are all easy ways to make yourself more noticeable. Maria's comment that people kept commenting on the trike suggests it does not exactly blend into the background, but extra visibility never hurts, especially at dawn, dusk, or on busier roads.

The fat front tire is the feature that gives this model its name, and Maria spends a good portion of the ride explaining what it actually does. Her summary is straightforward: the tire is fat for a reason.

A wider tire has a larger contact patch with the ground and can run with more air volume. In practical terms, that means you feel fewer bumps and potholes. Small cracks, rough patches of asphalt, and the edges of driveways get absorbed instead of jolting up through the frame and into your back. Maria calls the result a smooth ride, and she notes that you feel more stability as well.

At one point she rolls over a bump and mentions that you did not feel that one as much, thanks to the fat tire. On a recumbent where you are reclined and relaxed, cutting down on that kind of jarring makes a real difference. The seat and backrest do their part, but the tire is the first line of defense against a rough surface.

Stability is the other half of the story. The fat tire gives Maria the sense that all her wheels are planted firmly on the ground, especially as she speeds up into the second assist level. On three wheels you are already more stable than on two, but a wide front tire adds confidence when steering, especially through turns and over uneven ground.

If you like the idea of a cushioned, planted front end, compare the Simple Glide with the rest of sixthreezero's fat tire eTrikes, and for two-wheel riders, the fat tire electric bikes collection applies the same idea.

Maria does a couple of U-turns during the ride, which is a great test for any trike. Turning around on a narrow road is where many riders feel the least sure of themselves, especially on a longer recumbent frame.

She approaches the turn sensibly. When a car is coming, she brakes and waits rather than forcing the maneuver. Once the road is clear, she makes the turn and gives it a little throttle to get moving again. That is when she says she felt a sense of comfort, knowing her tire felt really stable on the ground. Her conclusion is that the fat tire is a big bonus on this model.

It is worth adding some general advice here. On any trike, slow down before a tight turn rather than during it, keep your weight centered, and use the throttle gently to pull out of the turn rather than pedaling hard from a stop. Practicing U-turns in an empty parking lot or a quiet cul-de-sac before taking them on in traffic is a good idea for new riders.

A recumbent trike will have a wider turning circle than a small upright bike, so give yourself enough room and plan your turns. The reward is that you never have to worry about putting a foot down for balance. When you stop, the trike simply stays upright, and you can take as long as you need to wait for a gap.

Maria's ride is on paved suburban roads, and she acknowledges that. But she also looks ahead to where else the Simple Glide can go, and she mentions a feature that opens up more options: the front of the trike folds down.

Being able to fold the front section means you can pack the trike up and transport it to a trailhead, a park, or a vacation spot rather than being limited to routes you can reach from your front door. Maria says she will go through the folding features in more detail separately, but the point is clear. This is a trike you can take places.

Once you get there, the fat front tire helps again. Maria explains that it gives a bit more grip on dirt, gravel, and other surfaces that are not paved. That does not turn a recumbent cruiser into a mountain bike, of course. But for packed dirt paths, gravel park roads, and rail trails, a wide front tire provides a more confident ride than a narrow one.

If portability is high on your list, the folding electric trikes collection is a good place to compare designs. And when it comes to keeping tires in good shape for mixed surfaces, sixthreezero sells replacement tires and tubes so you can keep rolling.

Near the end of the ride, Maria offers a quick list of what she has been enjoying: great storage, very responsive brakes, and lots of visibility. It is a short summary, but each item deserves a moment.

Storage is what turns a fun ride into a useful one. Being able to carry a bag, a water bottle, a jacket, or a few groceries means the trike can handle errands and outings rather than just loops around the block. On a recumbent, carrying things on your back is uncomfortable, so having somewhere on the trike itself to put your belongings makes a big difference.

Responsive brakes are a safety essential, and Maria's comment backs up her earlier praise of the levers. When you stop to wait for traffic or slow for a turn, you want the trike to respond predictably. Visibility, in her case, refers to her own view of the road. The centered display, the upright head position on the recumbent seat, and the relaxed posture all let her keep her attention forward.

If you want to expand the carrying capacity, sixthreezero offers bags and panniers and baskets, and for riders who spend a lot of time in the sun, canopies are worth a look. A water bottle is a small thing that makes longer rides far more pleasant.

Maria ends the ride back at home, setting the parking brake before she climbs off. It is a fitting close: a relaxed ride out, a few real-world situations handled smoothly, and a calm return.

After watching Maria's ride, a clear picture emerges of who will get the most out of this trike.

The first group is riders who have stayed off bikes because of discomfort. If back pain, hip pain, or saddle soreness has kept you from riding, the chair-style recumbent seat with a backrest and armrests directly addresses those issues. Maria opens the video speaking to exactly this person, and the rest of the ride supports her case.

The second group is riders who value stability above all. Three wheels mean no balancing at stops, and the fat front tire adds a planted feel through turns and over bumps. If falling is your biggest worry, this layout removes a lot of that anxiety.

The third group is riders who want flexibility in how much effort they put in. With pedal assist, a throttle, and conventional gears, you can ride it nearly effortlessly, as a light workout, or entirely under your own power. That range makes it a good choice for couples or households where riders have different fitness levels, or for anyone whose energy varies day to day.

Finally, it suits riders who want to explore beyond the neighborhood. The folding front and the fat tire's grip on unpaved surfaces mean you can bring it to parks and trails. If you are still unsure which style fits you, sixthreezero's personal fitting process is designed to match riders with the right trike for their body and riding style.

No trike is perfect for everyone, and Maria herself said at the start that she would share things that might not be for her. While her full list is not part of this ride, the video itself suggests a few honest considerations.

First, clothing. Maria's pant leg getting caught shows that wide or loose trousers need a little attention on a recumbent. It is easy to manage, but worth knowing about before your first ride.

Second, size and turning room. A recumbent trike with a fat front tire is a larger machine than a compact upright bike. You will want space to store it, and you will want to plan your U-turns rather than whipping around on a narrow road. Maria's careful approach to turning around is a good model.

Third, terrain expectations. The fat tire is great for absorbing bumps and adding grip on gravel and dirt, but this is a comfort-focused trike, not an off-road machine. Maria rode on pavement and talked about unpaved trails as an option, which is the right way to frame it. Smooth to moderately rough surfaces are its sweet spot.

Fourth, visibility to others. Sitting lower means drivers may not see you as easily as they would an upright cyclist. Lights, bright clothing, and a flag go a long way.

None of these are deal-breakers, but they are the kinds of things you only learn by riding. That is part of why sixthreezero offers a 30-day test ride, giving you time to find out how a trike fits your actual routes and routines.

If you decide the Simple Glide is the right fit, a few resources make ownership easier. sixthreezero's assembly instructions walk you through final setup, and the bikes ship largely built, so you are not starting from a box of loose parts. The shipping page covers delivery details.

It is also worth reading through the warranty information so you know what is covered, and if you want a broader comparison before committing, the Buyer’s Guide lays out the differences between styles. For budgeting, the financing page explains available options.

Once you are riding, a few habits keep the trike in good shape. Check tire pressure regularly, since a fat tire only delivers its cushioning when it is properly inflated. Keep the chain clean and lightly lubricated. Charge the battery according to the manual and store it somewhere neither very hot nor very cold. And take a minute before each ride to squeeze the brakes and make sure everything feels right.

If you ever need parts, sixthreezero stocks fenders, seat posts, and other components, and the support team can help with questions that come up along the way.

If you have never ridden a recumbent before, give yourself a few short rides to adjust. The reclined position and forward-facing pedals use your muscles a little differently than an upright bike, and steering feels different too. Start in a quiet area, like an empty parking lot or a calm side street, and practice starting, stopping, and turning before heading into traffic.

Take a cue from Maria and begin in the lowest pedal assist level. It gives you a feel for how the motor responds without surprising you with too much power. Try the throttle gently from a stop so you learn how quickly it picks up. Practice setting and releasing the parking lock until it becomes second nature.

Adjust the armrests until they feel natural, and experiment with having them up or down while you ride. Spend a few minutes shifting through the gears with the assist on and off so you know how the trike feels as a regular tricycle, just in case you ever need that backup.

Within a week or two, most riders find the controls become automatic, and that is when the rides start to stretch longer. The goal is the same one Maria set out at the start: a comfortable ride that feels like your own.

Maria's ride on the Simple Glide Fat Tire is not a high-speed test or a technical teardown. It is a relaxed, honest look at what it feels like to sit down in this trike and take it around the neighborhood, and that is exactly what makes it useful.

The standout features are the ones she kept returning to. The seat feels like an armchair. The display sits right in front of your eyes, so you can keep watching the road. The controls are simple: a battery button, a display button, a plus and minus for assist, a throttle, gears as a backup, and brakes with a parking lock that works like a car's. And the fat front tire smooths out bumps and keeps the trike feeling planted, whether you are making a U-turn on a suburban street or heading onto a gravel path.

It is also refreshing that the video includes real moments: a pant leg caught in the first few seconds, a wait for traffic before turning, a reminder that everyone has to share the road. Those details paint a more trustworthy picture than any brochure.

If comfort and stability are what you have been missing from riding, the Simple Glide Fat Tire is well worth a closer look. Browse the full range of recumbent eTrikes, compare it with other electric tricycles, and when you are ready, take one out for a ride of your own. As Maria showed, the best way to understand a trike like this is simply to sit down and go.