it took my wife 64 years, to get her 1st trike, for Christmas...

[Back in the fold]

we have a newer "50's style" tandem 7 speed, with flamed seats... and lets just say, I learned my lesson on that one... the person on the back can just freewheel... with baskets on the back for the dogs, getting that "family truckster" up the hills, with only one person pedaling, worked up too much sweat to be enjoyable..

The stoker wasn’t doing their job ! ? ! ? That’s unforgivable ! You’d never believe how fast a tandem can go with two guys that know their business .

 

[Lcc86]

Yes there is a place for both just as there is a place for cyclists of every discipline . You have touring cyclists , road racers , triathletes , commuters , mountain bikers and track cyclists . Bike messengers on fixed gear bikes , tandem bikes and adventure cyclists that load up and see the world . There are all kinds and every kind has a different set up but the common denominator is that they are all human powered .
Electric bikes are something completely different . They look like a bike and can be pedaled like a bike but every time I see one I never see its rider turning the cranks . It seems to me that the pedals and crankset are there as a backup in case of battery failure . But hey , whatever floats your boat . It’s better than sitting inside vegetating and going to pot . They just are not bicycles in the pure sense .
Your Dad sounds like my kind of people . I hope he gets out again soon .

I forget where you are based @Back in the fold, in the UK where I am the battery is only meant to provide "assistance" and you have to pedal all the time, although there are more powerful batteries and modifications (which are illegal on the road) that people put on the bikes that effectively turn them into a moped as you can keep your feet still. I personally don't understand why you wouldn't just buy a moped at that point instead but the main people who seem to do these illegal modifications are delivery riders so maybe it's cheaper than having a moped, I don't know. My one just gives me some extra oomph to help get up hills and what not that I wouldn't be able to manage otherwise.

 

[Essjay]

It's more likely that you have to have compulsory basic training and a provisional licence then a test to ride a moped, together with road tax and insurance. Electric bikes don't need a driving licence, road tax or insurance provided it meets certain criteria about battery power and the speed it can do. I reckon that's the main reason for the illegal modifications, hoping that the authorities won't notice.

 

[Magnum Man]

Teddy is ready to roll... I'm still attaching small parts, like the fenders... and the tires need inflating yet, but it came with a 60% charge... this has the upgraded motor and battery... the original is a 500 watt, and this one has a 750 watt motor... interestingly the box it's self weighed 1/3 as much as the bike... when it rolled off the truck, it was as heavy as a washing machine in the box...

 

[fishorama]

Huh, front page of my newspaper had an article on how hard it is to choose an e-bike for kids. Apparently there are 3 "classes" of them here. Some go 20mph with or without pedaling; some up to 28mph. Some need a license, all need helmets.

I talked to my sister last week & she & BIL just got e-bikes, the kind you have to pedal. They both had knee replacements & can't run anymore but bike pedaling is ok. She scoffed at not needing to pedal, then they're just motorcycles.

I remember many years ago us birdwatches & trail hikers were distressed about mountain bikers destroying trails & scaring away wildlife. So, I have mixed feelings without much understanding of all the issues.

I might like a trike or e-bike to the close grocery stores. I used to walk to 1 but needed my husband to pick me & the groceries up (oops). Most places don't allow golf carts on streets or many other places.

 

[Magnum Man]

this one ( at least with the bigger motor upgrade ) has 4 levels of speed/ power modes... and there is a sticker on the bike that 17 mph is the top speed, but I suspect that is the "original" top speed, and expect with the half again bigger motor upgrade, that it probably goes faster... how much will be proven later, though I expect 17 is fast enough for my wife... but she has been talking about "road biking" the few miles to a gal pals house in the country, with good paved roads an option in between... were it mine, I'd probably open it up, on the paved country roads...

it is foldable ( though that loses any advantage when the rear wheels are 30 inches apart ) also I did not find an assembly instructions... it was mostly assembled and very well packaged, with most unassembled pieces being tool-less connections... there was a manual on the battery, use, and maintenance, charging, and safety, and most actual hardware was already on the bike and just required loosening and installing the parts ... everything was pretty intuitive, for a mechanical guy... it has lights ( though I may have a problem with the head light, as it hasn't come on... there is a patch cord, when used with a basket on the front... and I mounted that upside down, on purpose, with the thought of putting the dog in the front basket ) but it also has brake lights, and turn signals, hydraulic disk brakes front and rear, with easy locks on both, for parking... I'll go. through the numerous packing materials in search of operating instructions, but think we figured out the basics... it took a while to figure out how to turn it off, and if the parking brakes are applied, the brake lights are on, unless the bike is turned off...

it's definitely not the simple machine bikes started out being...

 

[Back in the fold]

The pooch gets to go for a ride ! I like that .

 

[gimme30]

For some reason when I saw the title I was thinking more along the lines of something like this....

No basket for the dog though.....

 

[Magnum Man]

if I buy a trike, that is definitely more my style... though, now that I'm old, the bucket seat of a slingshot, looks more appealing...

 

[gimme30]

You probably remember the old balloon-tired Hondas that everyone thought were death traps. They just got the wheel arrangement wrong.
I'm not sure I'll ever trade my 2 wheels for 3 but those Can-Ams are some seriously impressive pieces of hardware!

 

[Magnum Man]

I agree... with ATV like front suspension, they lean much more into cornering, I would never enjoy a solid rear axel type like the Harley, or Gold Wing conversions... IMO, too much like riding a bicycle with training wheels... Mrs. e-trike may be OK, because of the reduced speeds... but 2 wheels in the back ( so far ) would IMO reduce the fun factor too much, at highway speeds or on twisty roads... of course there could be an independent suspension rear design, that just hasn't come out yet, that I'm aware of, that could match the fun...

 

[GaryE]

And in my old fashioned mind, trikes and bikes are for our strength and health... the motors may be helpers, but. The goal for retirement bikes/trikes should be our endless fight against becoming decrepit and slow.

I remember how liberating it was to move from a tricycle to a 'two wheeler' as a little kid. Those trikes made you work very hard. It took forever to get anywhere. So I can see electric trikes, unless you live in a place with flat paved roads everywhere.

 

[fishorama]

Will Teddy need a helmet & maybe a leather outfit? I guess I missed his cuteness while I slowly typed before.

I never had a trike as a kid, but I remember going from training wheels to free riding. Scary fun!

 

[Magnum Man]

we have never put helmets on our little dogs that ride... but I've heard goggles are a good suggestion, but none of them would ever wear them... when I was a young man, I had a crazy mutt, that always wanted to be with me, but would not behave outside... it never wanted to go in the house, and wouldn't let you get ahold of it, if it got loose... I had fenced a section of the back yard for her... I was working on the roof one day, with the ladder in her fenced in area, and after a few minutes on the roof, I got a cold nose on my bare back, and she taught herself to go up and down the ladder... she also rode motorcycle with me... if she got loose outside, I'd have to get on my bike, and ride to wear she was... she would see me and cone running, and jumped side saddle on the motorcycle seat behind me, she used her feet on both sides of the seat, and really seemed to enjoy leaning into the corners and hitting the twists... Teddy likes to ride, but prefers to be in front, and face forward... and he's not as athletic, and needs help getting up...

 

[GaryE]

An electric unicycle for you would be a conversation starter....