Riding With Sophie: One Rider, Her Dog, and the Freedom of a Three-Wheel E-Trike

Meet Sheri and Sophie

I've spent close to twenty years around bikes and e-bikes, and the rides that stay with me are almost never about top speed or motor wattage. They're about the small, ordinary reasons somebody climbs back on after years away. This story is one of those, and it isn't mine. It comes from Sheri, a sixthreezero rider who's 61, and her steady companion Sophie, a seven-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who tips the scale at a solid 22 pounds, give or take. Sheri is quick to add that Sophie insisted her age be disclosed too. That little bit of humor tells you most of what you need to know about how these two get around.

Sheri filmed one of their everyday rides for us, beginning to end, and if you watch it, you'll pick up on something I wish more people understood about a three-wheel e-trike. It isn't a lesser bike. For the right rider, it's a door back into hours of the day you'd quietly written off. Sheri and Sophie ride most days, unless she's only popping two doors down to drop something off. The loop runs about 45 minutes to an hour, never far from the house, with a stop somewhere around the halfway point or near the end to share a drink of ice water. On the way home they swing by the mailboxes to grab the mail, and Sophie has learned that the mailbox stop means the ride is nearly over.

What strikes me first is how little Sheri carries. She used to bring a frozen water bottle; she's since upgraded to a simple thermos, and she packs one small plastic cup that she and Sophie pass back and forth. Her phone rides in the pocket of a liner she had custom-made for her basket, and the mail key tucks into a zippered pocket so it doesn't rattle loose. That's the whole kit. No gadgets, no elaborate rig. A drink, a phone, a key, a dog, and a route she knows by heart.

If you're new here, sixthreezero builds a wide range of electric tricycles, and we spend a lot of time helping folks figure out which style fits their body and their life. A lot of our trike riders are people like Sheri, adults and seniors who want the freedom of a bike without the balance demands of two wheels. That's exactly the crowd our electric trikes for seniors are built around, though I'd gently push back on the idea that three wheels are only for older riders. Plenty of younger people ride them too, because they want to haul cargo, carry a passenger, or, in Sheri's case, bring a dog along without a second thought.

Here's the part that gets me. Sheri tells us, plainly, that before this trike she couldn't enjoy being outside during the day. Walking in the heat was miserable, so she'd become someone who mostly stayed indoors when the sun was up. The trike changed that. Riding, it turns out, keeps her cooler than walking even when she's covered head to toe, because she's moving through the air instead of trudging through it, and because the motor means she isn't generating a furnace of body heat to get up the road. I'll come back to the sun-protection side of this later, because it's central to her whole story, but I want to flag it up front: for Sheri, this wasn't about recreation. It was about getting a piece of her life back.

And then there's Sophie. You can tell within about ten seconds of footage that this dog is the entire point of the exercise. Sheri lifts her into the rear basket, settles her onto a little pillow, clips her in, and Sophie sits up front and center like she's running for office. Sheri leans back now and then mid-ride just to let her know she's thinking about her. People stop them constantly. On this one short ride, Sheri got flagged down by three separate strangers who wanted to say hello to the dog. That's not a throwaway detail. A ride that makes strangers smile and start conversations is a ride you actually want to take, day after day. It's the difference between exercise you dread and a habit you look forward to.

I want to walk through this ride the way Sheri experiences it, because there's real substance in the details: how a trike stays planted with a dog in the back, how to bring an animal along safely and comfortably, how to ride in full sun without cooking, and how the right fit turns a bike from a chore into part of your routine. The best e-trike in the world is the one that actually gets ridden, and Sheri's doesn't sit in the garage waiting for a perfect day or a free afternoon. It goes out for 45 minutes, most days, on a familiar loop, with a passenger who's thrilled to be there. That's the model I'd hold up for almost anyone who tells me they want to ride more. Keep it short, keep it close to home, give yourself a reason to look forward to it, and the miles take care of themselves.

Let me talk about stability, because it's the quiet engine behind this whole story. A three-wheel trike doesn't ask you to balance. You can roll to a complete stop, sit flat-footed, look around, greet a neighbor, and never once worry about tipping over the way you might on two wheels at a standstill. For a rider coming back after years off a bike, or for anyone whose balance isn't quite what it used to be, that single fact removes the biggest source of fear. You're not fighting to stay upright. You're just sitting and riding.

Sheri says something in her video that I want to unpack honestly, because it's a genuine observation and not every rider volunteers it. She notes that her trike can feel a little tippy, and that when she sets Sophie into the rear basket, the extra weight in the back actually makes her feel more secure, steadier, less likely to tip. She's not wrong, and it's worth understanding why, because it tells you something useful about how these machines behave.

Why a trike handles differently than a two-wheeler

On a regular bicycle you turn by leaning: you tip the bike into the corner and your body follows. A trike does not work that way. Leaning doesn't steer it, and leaning the wrong way can actually make it feel unsettled. You turn a trike by turning the handlebars, and in sharper or faster corners you shift your weight slightly toward the inside of the turn to keep all three wheels planted. The tippy feeling riders sometimes describe almost always shows up in corners taken a little too fast, not on straight, flat ground. On the flat, a trike is about as stable as personal transportation gets. So the honest version is this: any trike, ridden hard into a tight turn, can lift a wheel. The fix isn't ballast, it's technique and speed. Slow down before the corner, steer with the bars, and give yourself room. Do that and the tippiness Sheri mentions mostly disappears.

Now, about Sophie's weight helping. That instinct is sound too. A 22-pound dog sitting low on a pillow in the rear basket lowers the effective center of gravity toward the back of the trike, and weight carried low and centered makes almost any wheeled vehicle feel more planted. It's the same reason a loaded cargo bike can feel steadier than an empty one. So Sheri gets a real, physical stability benefit from her passenger, on top of the emotional one. I'd still tell any rider that good cornering habits matter more than what's in the basket, but she's reading her own trike correctly, and that's exactly the kind of feedback a rider develops over months of daily miles.

Choosing a trike that feels steady from the start

If low, confidence-inspiring stability is your priority, the frame style matters. A low step-through frame lets you get on and off without swinging a leg up over anything, which is a bigger deal than it sounds when you're managing groceries, a dog, or a knee that's seen better days. Our easy-to-mount e-trikes with a low step-through are built exactly for that moment of getting on and off, which is when a lot of spills actually happen. If you want to sit even lower and more securely, a recumbent design drops you into a supported, chair-style seat with a backrest, and it's hard to overstate how stable and relaxed that feels. Our recumbent electric trikes are a favorite among riders who want maximum comfort and a low, planted center of gravity.

Tires play a role in the steady feeling too. Wider tires put more rubber on the ground, and that larger contact patch translates into more grip and a more grounded ride, especially over cracks, gravel, and driveway lips. Our fat tire electric trikes lean into that, and they'll happily roll off the pavement onto packed dirt or grass without drama. For a rider like Sheri, who sticks close to home on familiar roads, that stability shows up as a ride you don't have to think about. The trike just stays under you while you pay attention to the dog, the mail, and the neighbors waving hello.

The last thing I'll say about stability is that it compounds with everything else in this story. Because Sheri isn't worried about balance, she can bring Sophie along. Because Sophie rides safely, Sheri actually goes out. Because she goes out, she gets sun and movement and conversation she wasn't getting before. Stability isn't a spec sheet line item here. It's the foundation that lets the rest of the good stuff happen, and it's the first thing I'd want any new trike rider to feel confident about before they ever think about motors or range.

Sophie's ride setup is simple, and I think that's exactly why it works. Let me walk through it the way Sheri does in her video, because if you've ever wanted to bring a dog along, this is a clear-eyed look at what it actually takes.

The centerpiece is the rear basket. Sheri had a fabric liner custom-made for hers by a maker she found on Etsy, and it's a genuinely clever bit of kit. It has a phone pocket with two small clips that hold the phone in place, so it can't bounce out over a bump. It also gives Sophie a soft, contained surface to sit on, topped with her own little pillow. You don't need a custom liner to carry a dog, but the idea behind it is worth stealing: a padded, enclosed basket floor keeps a small dog comfortable and keeps your gear from sliding around. If you're outfitting your own trike, our baskets are a solid starting point, and for the phone, keys, and thermos, a small frame or handlebar bag from our bags and panniers keeps the little essentials from rattling loose.

Keeping your dog secure

Sheri doesn't bring a leash on the ride, because her securing method doesn't need one. She has a clip anchored to the basket that connects to Sophie's collar, so the dog is tethered from the side and stays put, nice and secure. It's a tidy system and it clearly works for the two of them. I'll add one thing as a general safety note, not a correction: a lot of riders prefer to clip a dog's harness rather than the collar. A harness spreads any sudden pull across the chest instead of the neck, and it's a gentler, more secure attachment if a dog ever lunges. Sophie is a calm, seven-year-old pro, so a collar clip suits her, but for a younger or more excitable dog, a harness clip is the setup I'd lean toward. Either way, the point is the same: the dog should be attached so it cannot jump or fall out, and you should be able to see and reach it easily.

Sheri also names the reason this matters, and it's an honest one. Sophie is a very good girl, she says, but if a person or another dog went by, Sophie would have no sense at all and could bolt into the street. So Sheri keeps her close and keeps her tether short whenever Sophie is getting in or out. That's the right instinct. The riskiest moments with a dog aren't while you're rolling steadily along, they're at the stops and the transitions, when the dog is deciding whether the world is more interesting than the basket.

Comfort, honesty, and reading your dog

Here's where I appreciate Sheri's candor. She's upfront that Sophie doesn't love every part of the routine. Sophie shakes her head at the little dog sunglasses and isn't thrilled about wearing them, and she's not a fan of being carried in her ride gear when it's time for a bathroom break. But once she's in the basket and rolling, she's all in. She can't resist ice water, and by the end of an invigorating ride she's tired out and will, in Sheri's words, sleep soundly and snore all night. That mix matters. A dog that tolerates a couple of small things in exchange for an hour of wind, sights, and attention is a dog that's genuinely enjoying the outing. The gear goes on easily and adjusts simply, Sheri notes, which is what you want, because a fussy setup is a setup you'll skip.

The shared-drink ritual is a small thing that does real work. Sheri takes a sip from her thermos, then pours a little ice water into the plastic cup for Sophie. On a warm day, that stop is not optional. Dogs overheat faster than we do, they can't sweat the way we can, and a small dog in a basket is sitting still in the sun while you pedal. So build hydration into the ride. Keep water cold, offer it at the halfway point, and watch your dog. If you'd rather not share a cup, a dedicated bottle and a collapsible bowl work great, and any of our water bottles will ride happily in a frame cage or basket pocket.

A short checklist for bringing your dog

If Sheri and Sophie have you thinking about it, here's the distilled version. Start with short outings so your dog learns the basket is a good place to be. Secure the dog so it cannot jump or fall out, and favor a harness clip for anything but the calmest animal. Pad the basket so the ride is soft and contained. Bring cold water and offer it partway through. Keep the dog close and the tether short at every stop, because stops are where trouble starts. And read your dog honestly, the way Sheri reads Sophie. A happy passenger sits up and takes in the world. A stressed one tells you, and it's on you to listen. Get those pieces right and you end up with what Sheri has: a dog who'd rather be in that basket than anywhere else, and a reason to go for a ride every single day.

Now the part of Sheri's story that stopped me the first time I watched it. Sheri shares, openly, that she has skin cancer issues and needs to keep her face covered from the sun. On her rides she wears full coverage, a face covering and a hat that protect her whole face and keep her ears covered. She's honest that it's a striking look. Her family and friends, she says, can hardly believe she leaves the house like that, much less rides a bicycle. And her answer to that is one of the most quietly powerful things a rider has ever told us: if people look or stare, that's okay, because she's only going to see them for a minute, and the coverage protects her while she gets to be outside again.

I want to handle this carefully, because it's her health and her decision, and I'm not here to give medical advice. Sun protection that specific should always follow what your own doctor or dermatologist tells you. What I can speak to is the riding, and why an e-trike, of all things, is what gave Sheri her daytime hours back.

Why riding covered up beats walking in the heat

Before the trike, Sheri couldn't enjoy being outdoors during the day, because walking in the heat while covered up was simply too hot. This is the insight I'd want every heat-sensitive or sun-sensitive rider to hear: riding is cooler than walking, even in more clothing. Two reasons. First, you're moving through the air, and that airflow over your body carries heat away far better than standing or strolling. Second, and this is where the electric part earns its keep, the motor does the hard work, so you're not generating the internal furnace that walking uphill in the sun produces. Sheri covers her whole face and rides in full sun, and she stays comfortable, because the trike keeps a breeze on her and the motor keeps her effort low. Take away either of those and the math changes. Together, they turn a no-go situation into an everyday ride.

If you're managing heat or sun sensitivity, lean into anything that lowers your exertion. A generous throttle lets you get rolling and hold speed without grinding away at the pedals, which keeps your body temperature down on the warmest days. If that sounds useful, our trikes with throttle control are worth a look. And for shade you carry with you, a canopy turns the trike itself into sun protection, which is a real consideration for riders who need to limit exposure. You can see the options among our canopies.

Two rides in one: covered by day, uncovered at dusk

Sheri has a second riding mode, and it's lovely. She bought a matching sixthreezero helmet, and she wears it in the evenings, when she can ride without full face coverage. As the sun goes down, she can take off the hat and the face protection, put her lights on, and, in her words, feel like she's one with the universe again instead of sticking out like a sore thumb. She's candid that the helmet and her sun mask both leave the ears open and don't layer together perfectly, so she splits her riding: covered up in the daytime sun, helmet and lights at dusk. If you want to match your own gear to your bike the way she did, our matching helmets are made for exactly that, and I'd always encourage lights for any low-light ride.

There's a mental-health thread running under all of this that I don't want to skate past. Sheri went from being someone who mostly stayed indoors during daylight to someone who rides most days, greets neighbors, and gets stopped by strangers who want to meet her dog. That's not a small change. Getting outside, moving your body gently, and having easy, friendly contact with other people are some of the most reliable things we know of for feeling better, day to day. The trike is the tool, but the real product is a life that happens outdoors again. That's why I put stories like Sheri's next to our electric bikes for seniors and trikes: the specs matter, but what people actually buy is the return of a part of their day they thought was gone.

Sheri hopes people notice her gorgeous bike and her gorgeous dog and don't look too hard at the rest, and honestly, having watched the footage, that's exactly what happens. The trike and Sophie are what you see. The coverage is just how a determined woman solved a real problem so she could get back to living outside. I find that inspiring, and I think a lot of riders dealing with their own version of that problem will too.

Everything Sheri and Sophie do rests on one thing being true: the trike has to fit the rider, and the ride has to fit the life. Get those right and you end up with a daily habit. Get them wrong and you get an expensive garage decoration. So let me close with what makes a trike work for the way you actually ride, and how to give yourself the best shot at loving it.

Fit comes first

A trike that fits disappears underneath you. You stop thinking about the machine and just enjoy the ride, which is exactly the state Sheri is in when she's leaning back to check on Sophie. The pieces that get you there are a frame you can mount and dismount without strain, an upright and relaxed seating position that keeps your wrists, shoulders, and neck out of tension, and adjustment points at the seat and handlebars so you can dial the fit to your body rather than contorting yourself to the bike. This matters even more if arthritis, past surgeries, or reduced range of motion are part of your picture. Before you buy anything, I'd rather help you get the fit right than sell you the wrong trike, which is the whole idea behind our personal fitting.

Let the motor set the effort

One of the best features on any e-trike is that you decide how hard you work. Most of our trikes offer several levels of pedal assist, and the smart way to use them is to match the level to the moment. Start in a lower assist level so the motor's kick is gentle and predictable off the line. Turn the assist up for hills or headwinds. Turn it down on the flat when you want a little exercise, or switch the motor off entirely when you want a real workout. Sheri mentions turning her pedal assist down to level one as she winds toward home, easing off as the ride relaxes into its final stretch. That's the rhythm to aim for: the motor is there to remove the barriers, not to remove the ride.

Build a ride you'll actually keep

Here's the pattern I'd copy straight from Sheri. Keep the loop short, 45 minutes to an hour. Keep it close to home so there's no packing, no driving, no production. Give yourself a reason to look forward to it, whether that's a dog in the basket, a stop for a cold drink, or the neighbors you'll pass. And add a tiny bit of structure, like grabbing the mail on the way back, so the ride has a natural rhythm and a satisfying end. Consistency beats intensity every time. A comfortable half-hour taken five days a week will do more for you than an epic ride you take once a month and then dread.

A few practical starting points if you're getting rolling:

• Do a quick pre-ride check every time: tires firm, brakes grabbing, seat and handlebars snug, battery charged, display awake.
• Start in a low pedal-assist level and work up as you get comfortable with how the motor delivers power.
• Practice steering and cornering in an open, empty space before you take on traffic, since a trike turns differently than a two-wheeler.
• Pack light and pack smart: water, phone, keys, and whatever your ride actually needs, secured so nothing rattles loose.
• Plan the route around smooth, low-traffic roads, and slow down before every turn.

If you're not sure a three-wheeler is for you, the honest answer is that you won't really know until you sit on one and roll down the block. That's why we offer a 30-day test ride, so you can find out on your own streets, with your own hills and your own errands, whether it clicks the way it clicked for Sheri. And once it does, you're not riding alone. Our Journey Club community is full of riders swapping exactly the kind of tips Sheri lives by, from securing a dog to beating the heat.

I keep coming back to one image from her video. It's near the end of the ride, the sun is going down, and Sheri can finally take off the hat and the face covering. Sophie is tired and ready to be unclipped, having held court for every stranger on the route. Two doors from home, a woman who once stayed inside all day is rolling up the street on three steady wheels with her best friend in the basket, feeling, as she puts it, like one with the universe again. That's the whole thing, right there. Not the wattage, not the range, not the spec sheet. A comfortable, stable trike that fits her, a passenger she adores, and a reason to be outside every single day. If that sounds like something you'd want, come find the one that fits you. Thanks for riding along with Sheri and Sophie. I'll see you on the road.