A performance trike with a focus on speed as well as stability with narrow tires, recumbent seating position, and chromoly frame design
Open platform allows you to swap battery sizes, adjust the top speed and amp flow to change performance vs. efficiency, large bright display panel is easy to work with
A nice SRAM GX derailleur, triple ring setup for 21 gearing combinations, 2 mechanical disc brakes, a parking brake, motor inhibitor, and reliable electrical system
The display panel is mounted more securely but you have to glance away from the road to read it, the grip shift is difficult to actuate with pinky and ring fingers, and it is somewhat heavy and hard to maneuver in tight spaces
Video Review
Introduction
Make:
Electric Bike Technologies
Model:
Electric T3 CX Trike
Price:
$2,948
(48v 10Ah Metal Case Battery, $250 Shipping, Fully Assembled Ready to Ride)
Body Position:
Recumbent
Suggested Use:
Neighborhood, Urban
Electric Bike Class:
Throttle on Demand (Class 2), Speed Pedelec (Class 3)
Winzip-MM Mechanical Disc with 160 mm Rotors, Wuxing Levers with Motor Inhibitor and Parking Latch
Grips:
Flat Rubber, Locking
Saddle:
Alloy Frame, Padded Mesh
Seat Post:
Rans Style Seat Slide
Rims:
Alloy, Stainless Nipples and Eyelets, 36 Hole
Spokes:
Front Stainless 14 Gauge Black, Rear Stainless 12 Gauge Silver
Tire Brand:
Kenda Kwest, 20" x 1.25"
Wheel Sizes:
20 in (50.8cm)
Tire Details:
75 to 100 PSI
Tube Details:
Schrader Valve
Accessories:
48v 9Ah Battery in Soft Bag (-$286), 48v 20Ah Battery in Soft Bag (+$366)
Bolt-on Rack with Pannier Blockers 25 kg Max Weight, Adjustable Angle Seat with Removable Cover, Adjustable Length Boom, Heavy-Duty Torque Arm for Motor Mount
Other:
Locking Removable Battery, 1.5 lb 3 Amp Charger, KMC Z Chain, 300 lb Max Load
20 mph (32 kph)(User Adjustable Speed, PAS Sensitivity, Current)
Written Review
To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Electric Bike Technologies. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Electric Bike Technologies products.
Electric Bike Technologies has definitely become a leader in trikes thanks to products like the Eco Delta and Liberty Trike. Today we are looking at the T3 CX, a tadpole style trike made with speed in mind. Think of this as a road bike version of a trike. The trike features a very sturdy chromoly frame design, capable of high speeds and stability therein. It does this by using a bowed frame to keep the weight low and centered for added stability and maneuverability. In addition to the bowed frame, it has the pedals sit higher than the waist… this combined with the recumbent style seating means more pedal torque and power from the rider. I love that it also features narrow tires and high gears… it’s almost like a sports car version of a trike! The trike is very easy to get on and off of with its recumbent design and even keeps the handle bars within easy grasp since they are mounted up from the seat. It is quite an impressive design with an overall focus of durability, comfort, and reliability. As I just mentioned, the handlebars are uniquely mounted, sort of upside down and backwards, but this allows the rider to get on and off very easy and positions them for this seating that thankfully resembles more of a lawn chair than a narrow bicycle seat. Once seated the you can see the display on your left and throttle on the right. That throttle is mounted on top of the handle for your thumb to hit, and the brake handles are nice and long so you can actuate them easily. However, it is not an entirely clean setup with the wires going everywhere. The seat here is comfortable… it features mesh backing with a lot of bracing and has a feel akin to that of a hammock. The seat is adjustable in reclining positions, but the real adjustment is going to be the pedal extension which is done at the ‘boom’ of the trike (the front crank arm section). The narrow wheels feel race ready, you get a set of Kenda 20” x 1.25” tires that work great on the pavement. Steering is easy since the front wheels are linked, you only have to use one hand if needed and it engages both. I cannot emphasis enough how this trike has great handling… it matches the speed really well and it feels like a sports car. I love all the other little touches here like the tubing around the chain to keep your clothing and legs clean from grease, really such a simple touch that goes a long way. The pedals here are a metal and plastic combination which works well… and I have to call out this separate controller. This helps keep maintenance costs down while making battery replacement cheap and easy as well. Also, Electric Bike Technologies dials this trike in when you buy it, it can be sized up for specific customers and comes fully assembled
Driving the trike is a rear hub-drive 500 watt geared motor. This works great in this application and gives it a smooth handling feel, thanks to that long wheel base. You get a throttle override and 5 modes of pedal assist. The pedal assist is powered by a 12 magnet cadence sensor, so as you apply gentle pressure to the pedals, the electric motor will quickly jump in and take over. The top speed is 20mph out of the box, but you can configure it to go faster and Electric Bike Technologies will even help you with that. I was able to reach 25mph easily on my road test, and if given a longer stretch, would likely have gone faster. Mechanically, the trike is quite interesting. You have a total of 21 gear combinations, due to the 3 chain rings in the front as well as the SRAM X4 derailleur. The setup uses a 32 tooth, 42 tooth, and 52 tooth rings in combination with a 13-34 tooth cassette in the rear. Actual shifting is done via the grip shift on the right handlebar, but I did feel it was a little out of place because it is kind of tough to actuate since you will be using your two weakest fingers to do so, the pinky finger and ring finger. Stopping the T3-CX is done in the front, you get 160mm mechanical disc brakes and a motor inhibitor in the right brake handle. There is no brake in the back, but that is not needed as much with a tadpole style trike like this. I should also mention the parking brake that is included too.
Powering the T3-CX is a rear mounted lithium ion battery pack. As tested, we went with the 48v 10ah pack which comes in this great metal case. It is secured via lock and key and slides in and out of this rear rack housing easily. Electric Bike Technologies does offer both a 9ah version as well as a massive 20ah version on their site. The former option would be great if you want to cut overall cost on the trike while the later option will grant you more range on a single charge. It should be noted however, that the metal casing is only for the 10ah version we tested. Both the lower 8ah version and higher 20ah version come in a zipper bag rather than a metal case. To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells. Try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry.
Operating the trike is simple. Once the battery is mounted, start by turning the key in the on position. From there, the display will come to life and give you the read outs. The battery is shown across the top in 16 ticks. These ticks are in an infographic that somewhat resembles a ruler. Shown below that is you speed in MPH and the various levels of pedal assist you might be in, 0-5. To change the pedal assist, simply hit up or down on the arrow controls mounted on the left handle bar. I really appreciate the throttle override here and it adds to the overall sporty feel. Anyways, there is an odometer readout below that and pressing the mode button will change that to display max speed, average speed, and trip set. Hold the up and down arrows together for a moment and that will unlock the deep drive menu. Here you can mess with top speed as well as other electrical power configurations to really get the setup how you want it. I think it is cool they used a special mount for the display here. However, my only gripe with the display on this trike is that having it mounted on your left side and a bit further down means you have glance over at it and take your eyes off the road, so do be aware of that.
Wrapping up my time with the T3-CX was a ton of fun. I always enjoyed speedy vehicles and I felt powerful and nimble at the same time, similar to a sports car. I want to mention the tradeoffs here though, so let’s go over those real quick. The trike is cumbersome, so moving it around a garage, storage, or tight spaces and corners is somewhat difficult, however, on the road going up to speed it does wonderful. The grip shift placement makes you feel like you have to use your two weakest fingers (ring and pinky) to actuate it. And it should be noted that the display is a bit out of the way, so much so that you may have to take your eyes off the road for a glance to read it, so do be aware of that. At the end of the day however, the T3-CX was a lot of fun wrapped in a great price ($2,662). I love that it is backed by the same company that brought us E-Bike Kit as well as the Liberty Trike, they have quite the stellar customer service reputation here too. I would like to thank them for the opportunity to come out and check out the T3-CX.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the trike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Electric Bike Technologies Ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
A performance trike with a focus on speed as well as stability with narrow tires, recumbent seating position, and chromoly frame design
Capable of stable high speeds, it does this by using a bowed frame to keep the weight low and centered for added stability and maneuverability
The pedals sit higher than the waist, this combined with the recumbent style seating means more pedal torque and power from the rider
I love that it also features narrow tires and high gears… it’s almost like a sports car version of a trike!
Steering is easy since the front wheels are linked, you only have to use one hand if needed and it engages both, I cannot emphasis enough how this trike has great handling… it matches the speed really well and it feels like a sports car
The handlebars are uniquely mounted, sort of upside down and backwards, but this allows the rider to get on and off very easy and positions them for this seating that thankfully resembles more of a chair than a narrow bicycle seat
You get 21 gear combinations to pedal with on this trike (along with an extra large 11-32 tooth sprocket in the back), whether you’re climbing or going your max speed, those gears will make it easier
In addition to the 48v 10ah battery, Electric Bike Technologies offers other battery options as well, such as a more affordable 9ah version and a high range 20ah version
Decent brakes with motor inhibitors in the right brake lever and a parking latch so the trike won’t roll away
This e-trike gives you pedal assist, throttle on demand and has an open computer system allowing for integration with more after-market battery packs, you can also dial down the top speed and amp output for safety and efficiency
A 12 magnet cadence sensor detects pedal motion (and stops) much faster than some of the cheaper 6-magnet designs I’ve seen, because it’s cadence sensing you don’t need to push especially hard in order to activate the motor, you can just stretch your legs and pedal gently if you want but still get a boost
I think it’s great that you can order the T3-CX shipped directly to you ready to ride, they will even get it dialed in based on your size and needs before it gets out to you
I like the pedals they chose for this trike because they offer good traction, more surface area, they match the frame and just seemed sturdier
Cons:
My only gripe with the display on this trike is that having it mounted on your left side and a bit further down means you have glance over at it and take your eyes off the road, so do be aware of that
I like the grip shift on the right handlebar, but I did feel it was a little out of place because it is kind of tough to actuate since you will be using your two weakest fingers to do so, the pinky finger and ring finger
There are no integrated lights or flag pole accessories included here, these would be nice to have because they would improve convenience while enhancing safety… but you do get reflectors and the silver frame is more visible
The key must be left in the battery pack and switched to on when riding, it stays out of the way on this trike but might still jingle a bit if you’ve got a keychain attached
For a speed machine, I do wish the brakes were a little better, maybe larger rotors or hydraulic discs versus mechanical, torque based pedal assist would fit this trike perfectly too
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