Do you need an electric trike? We tested one out to see

The tricycle never really took off. With all do respect to the tiny bikes for toddlers and motorcycle sidecars, the three-wheeler never really went mainstream. But there's a new electric trike in town looking to change the way we view the bike with an extra wheel.

The bike in question is the EVRYjourney electric tricycle from Sixthreezero. Combing through the marketing material, it's easy to assume this model is for women as that's pretty much all that's pictured on the website, but it's not gender specific (the sloped frame does resemble the rather antiquated "traditional" women's frame, originally built to handle dresses). More than anything, being a trike, it's more for the kid residing in us.

Which brings up a point: riding a tricycle is different than riding a bicycle and that becomes abundantly clear right away. There's more of a lateral wobble to the trike, which makes sense given your wider set. It takes some getting used to, but it won't take long. Turning is a different animal, as traditional cyclists like to pedal into a turn. With a trike, you’ll want to slow into more turns to keep all three wheels grounded. Once you get the feel of it, riding the EVRYjourney is a breeze.

There's a lot to like about this trike. For starters, it looks sharp. Looks aren't everything but when you’re dealing in the realm of the tricycle — again, most synonymous with toddler toys — that added cool factor appeals to the adult rider. The synthetic leather accents, multitude of frame colors, and white-walled tires all add style points.

The battery life is impressive. Not only does it charge quickly, but a full pack will likely get you at least 30 miles, if not 40-plus. The wheels seems clumsy and oversized at first, but after tackling some gravel and grass, we learned to really appreciate them. The fenders too, while stylish, make this trike great in all conditions (the display did just find in the rain).

You won't be breaking any land speed records on this tricycle but the 250-watt front wheel motor delivers enough pep and tops out around 16 MPH. The throttle is responsive, the display functions are easy to navigate and fairly useful, and there are five levels of pedal assist. Things are equally smooth when going manual, as there are seven gears to help you along the way.

We like the basket, which is large enough to carry a pup, large cooler, or a reasonable amount of groceries. The motor is quiet, keeping the ride peaceful, and the ride is a comfortable one. There's a lot that can be adjusted, which is especially great if you’re sharing the bike and passing it from one rider to another. With the included toolkit, one can easily adjust everything the seat orientation to the handlebar angle.

Right out of the gate, the trike takes some pretty heavy assembly. That's a reasonable price to pay for having the thing shipped in a convenient and surprisingly-narrow box right to your door, but it's still worth noting. Those with zero mechanical aptitude will be viewing and reviewing short tutorial videos from the brand while putting the thing together. This writer has a reasonable amount of bike tuning experience and it still took a good couple of hours to get it all prepped. But the good news is that once it's ready to go, there's little to do after that besides enjoy the ride and charge the battery when needed.

One other issue is the shear size and weight of the model. While it's hard to imagine remedying this in any way (smaller wheels would look silly, not sure you could find a lighter motor, thinner frame perhaps?), it does present some issues, namely in the form of storage. The trike is large enough it sort of needs it's own parking space. It's not the simplest thing to tote in and out of the house, so consider having a designated spot for it and get a lock that can handle the larger build.

The bike huffs and puffs a bit dealing with hills of any significance so keep your surroundings in mind. It does its best work on flatter terrain. It would be cool if the cords could be less obvious, or even wired internally in a future model, but this is more of a tip going forward than a real complaint.

While it's easy to say this is mostly cut out for a retiree living in Palm Springs, the e-trike is a workhorse and a great commuter bike. While sizable, it's a good-looking bike that can do everything a quality cruiser bike can and more. We like it not for its technical ability or speed but for its aesthetic, utilitarian nature, and breezy ease of use. This is a genuinely fun ride that has summer written all over it. More than a trike, it's an electric tricycle and an adult tricycle in one, built for carefree cruising.

Curious about the best bikes on the market? See what else we like for 2023. Razor has a new e-bike and we cover electric mountain bikes too. So grab your helmet and get pedaling.