Let’s say you want to ride an e-bike but your balance isn’t what it used to be. And let’s say you’ve got a doctor who advises you to stay active in order to maintain your health. What’s a senior to do? Well, an adult e-trike is just the ticket. The Lectric XP Trike combines the affordability and ease-of-use of Lectric’s popular e-bikes with the reassurance of an e-trike.
Remarkably, the Lectric XP Trike is no more expensive than many consumer-direct e-bikes, and it includes a number of features that make it ideal for seniors who may have previously thought that e-bikes weren’t an option for them.
The Lectric XP Trike shares in common with cruisers the upright seated position that allows the rider to keep their spine straight (and comfortable). The pedals are shifted slightly forward so that pedaling recruits more of the rider’s hamstrings and glutes, which tend to remain stronger in older riders than their quads do. Buyers can also order a backrest that allows anyone who needs a bit of back support to remain comfortable and stable as they ride.
Lectric made some excellent design choices with the XP Trike to make sure it’s easy for seniors to use. It has a very low standover height of just 13.8 in., which means anyone with stiff knees or hips will only need to lift one foot roughly 14 in. in order to mount the XP Trike. The choice to go with 20-in. wheels also helps to keep this e-trike’s center of gravity low, making it stable in turns.
Lectric limits the XP Trike’s top speed to 14 mph in order to make cornering as stable as possible. This is still quick enough to get around the neighborhood or across town. This is a simple e-trike to operate, in part, thanks to their decision to go with a single gear, a choice that makes sense for something with a 14 mph top speed.
The 500W brushless, geared hub motor has more than enough power to get the rider up to speed, whether by pedal assistance or throttle. That’s right, this is a Class 2 e-trike, which is to say it comes with a throttle so if your legs get tired, you have an insurance plan for getting home. It can be handy for getting going if that first pedal stroke requires too much oomph.
Powering the 500W hub motor is a 672Wh lithium-ion battery. This is a bigger battery than we often see with this size motor and it was a great choice because e-trike’s give up a bit of efficiency due to having three wheels on the ground. Remarkably, the XP Trike weighs only 69.5 lbs., which is a fine achievement considering many e-bikes weigh more than that. Lectric estimates that most riders will get as much as 60 mi. of range per charge.
One of the wonderful benefits of an e-trike is their carrying capacity. Load up a basket and there’s no worry about balancing with the extra weight until you’re up to speed. Bigger riders concerned about the strength of an e-bike will likewise appreciate the 415-lb. carrying capacity and its ability to comfortably support riders as large as 330 lbs, making it ideal for NFL retirees. Regarding non-rider payload capacity, the front basket can hold up to 35 lbs. and the rear basket can accommodate up to 75 lbs. That’s a week’s-worth of groceries in most households.
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