12.5" Stand Over Height, 68" Length, 30.25" Width, Basket Dimensions: 11.7" (297mm) x 6" (148mm) x 2.7" (68mm)
Frame Types:
Trike
Frame Colors:
Metallic Red
Frame Fork Details:
Rigid 1-1/8
Frame Rear Details:
15mm Steel Keyed Axle for 20 Tooth Sprocket and Brake Mount
Attachment Points:
Front Fender Bosses
Gearing Details:
1
Single Speed, 20T Sprocket, (Optional Internal 3, 5, or 7 Speed)
Cranks:
One-Piece Steel, 6" Length, 36 Tooth
Pedals:
VP-560 Plastic Platform, 1/2", Black
Headset:
Steel, Caged Bearings, 25.4 x 34 x 30mm
Stem:
Steel, 25.4mm, 205mm Quill x 60mm Ext
Handlebar:
Steel Cruiser Style, 27.6" Wide x 9" Rise x 25.4mm Clamp
Brake Details:
Linear Pull Front V-Brake, Wuxing Lever with Motor Inhibitor and Parking Lock, Promax 300 160mm Rear Disc, Central Axle Mount
Grips:
Wuxing Rubber
Saddle:
Oversized Western Style with Adjustable Support Brace, Black
Seat Post:
Steel
Seat Post Length:
350 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
28.6 mm
Rims:
Alloy, Double Walled Front, Single Wall Rear, 36 Hole
Spokes:
Stainless 14 Gauge Silver Rear, 12 Gauge Front
Tire Brand:
Heng Shin, 24" x 1.75"
Wheel Sizes:
24 in (60.96cm)
Tire Details:
40 to 65 PSI, Nylon
Tube Details:
Schrader Valve
Accessories:
36v 9Ah Battery in Soft Bag (-$210), 36v 20Ah Battery in Soft Bag (+$330)
Stainless Steel Front Fender, Saddle Support Bar, Steel Chain Cover, Vinyl Coated Steel Basket 21" Long x 15" Wide x 9" High, Small Torque Arm for Motor Mount
Other:
Locking Removable Battery, 1.5 lb 5 Amp Charger, Hold the Up Arrow to Activate Display Backlight, Max Weight ~250 lbs
Battery Level (5 Bars), Speed, Avg. Speed, Max Speed, Power Level (0-5), Odometer, Trip A, Trip B
Hold the Up Arrow to Activate Display Backlight
Display Accessories:
Independent Button Pad, Forward or Reverse Toggle Button
Drive Mode:
Twist Throttle
(With Reverse)
Top Speed:
14 mph (23 kph)(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.
After covering so many bikes at Electric Bike Review, over time, they can start to blend together somewhat…So it is always fun and refreshing for us to see our 3 wheeled friends, the trike. Today we are checking out the Electric Sun Traditional Trike from Electric Bike Technologies. The Electric Sun Traditional Trike is just that, a traditional style delta trike, so it has 2 wheels in the back and 1 in the front. Priced competitively, it is quite affordable at $1,683, and adds some mobility too. Thanks to the super low 13” stand over height, extra supported saddle, and sturdy frame that is rated to hold 300lbs, it can open up a lot of doors for those that want to get out and don’t want to balance a bicycle. The tires here are 24” x 1.75” all the way around. I love the double walled aluminum wheel in the front and the thicker and stronger 12 gage spokes up here to stabilize the front hub motor. The seat is nice and large…not so much an an active seat, but molded more after an actual bobber-style motorcycle saddle. It is very unique and comfortable while maintaining stability from the strong seat post and the brace in the back. Both of these can be adjusted to your liking, but the one drawback to the saddle here is that pedaling long distances is somewhat uncomfortable, however, most people will likely enjoy using the throttle anyway. If you do want to pedal, the crank arm itself has been refined to a longer American style crank so you get a more natural pedal motion, as opposed to some other trikes, where the pedaling action could feel like you were on a toddler trike. As you sit, you will see the simple controls, small grips, and the twist throttle on the right… I love that the handlebars have a rise to it so they come out and meet you nicely, even if you are taller. For creature comforts, you get a nice metal full chain guard to protect your clothing from getting eaten up by the chain. You also now get a front fender to keep you dry and the dirt out of the way. One of the fan favorites is still here too, the rear basket. This is mounted on the back and is really sturdy, great for carrying you bag or other items around. However, the wiring of the basket is kind of cheaper and the battery sits in the middle of the basket, so you may want to be careful with what kind of load you put in there. Other features include platform pedals, 5 colors to chose from, and a solid, sturdy rear axle.
Driving the trike is a front hub-drive motor rated at 500 watts and 35nm of torque. This motor is encased in the wheel rim itself and has a torque arm to keep things stable and sturdy. The Electric Sun Traditional Trike has both throttle and cadence based pedal assist and I really appreciate that it has a reverse mode where as most others don’t. It coms in really handy and it is setup in such a way that you can’t reverse during forward movement as a safety feature. The throttle here and the pedal assist increases smoothly and you can control that level of power with 5 modes of throttle responsiveness. This is great if you need to dial it down for hanging out with a slow moving crowd at like a museum or something similar, yet you can dial it up and really get going about (15mph top speed) for long stretches. The controller here is external which keeps battery replacement costs down, and it also makes maintenance easy. The same could be said about the external wiring here too. In the rear you have a 20 tooth sprocket and a 36 tooth chain ring in the front. For stopping power, you have a cantilever brake in the front and dual piston Promax 300 160mm mechanical disc brakes in the rear. There is a parking brake here too, which is nice for loading and unloading.
Powering the trike is a 36v 10ah lithium ion battery pack. I love that this one has a metal enclosure to keep it protected. Also, the battery here has a handle and mounts securely on a sturdy metal plate in the basket. The battery is pretty lightweight so having it mounted in the rear makes turning easy. It is secured by lock and key and the key is also what turns the trike on in an ignition style. If you want to save some money, you can get the trike for under $1,500 by opting for the 36v 8ah battery option that comes in a bag instead of a metal box. Similarly, you can upgrade to a massive 20ah if you want more range, this battery also comes in a bag rather than a metal box. 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. Keep in mind, the pedal assist level controls the throttle too. This is great so if you are in a parking lot, or need to take it slow, you can have it… let’s say at level 2, and the throttle will go nice and easy without fast acceleration and keeps the top speed limited. Similarly, if you want to go full out, you can put it in level 5 and the throttle will act accordingly. 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.
Overall I found the Electric Sun Traditional Trike to be a nice offering that will appeal to many people. I enjoyed the easy going ride but also have a lot of appreciation for the sturdiness and strength of it all. The trike may not be for everyone however, so let’s go over the tradeoffs here to see if it is a good fit for you. The seat here is super sturdy, comfortable, and can hold a lot of weight, but pedaling is uncomorftanble due to the way your thighs can rub the side, but I guess most will use the throttle. Another consideration is the battery being mounted in the basket, this will make you second guess what cargo you may put on it or near it. Even with those tradeoffs considered, there is a lot of practicality and it is hard to argue with the competitive price point. With opening mobility doors and being sold by a reputable company, this trike will likely appeal to many of the right people. A big thanks to Electric Bike Technologies for letting me try out the Electric Sun Traditional Trike!
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the bike, 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 trike that is centered around stability and mobility, thanks to the comfortable and sturdy seat, 300lb max weight limit, easy going riding or faster dashes around town
It is very low to the ground and easy to approach, if you can get your leg over a single staircase step, then it should be okay for you to get over and onto the Electric Sun Traditional Trike
Great 24” x 1.75” all the way around, I love the double walled aluminum wheel in the front and the thicker and stronger 12 gage spokes up here to stabilize the front hub motor
The comfortable seat is nice and large, molded more after an actual bobber-style motorcycle saddle, very unique and comfortable while maintaining stability from the strong seat post and the brace in the back, both of these can be adjusted to your liking
The rear basket is great, this is mounted on the back and is really sturdy, great for carrying you bag or other items around
Pedaling has been improved, the crank arm itself has been refined to a longer American style crank so you get a more natural pedal motion
Unlike the Liberty Trike, this trike gets both pedal assist and throttle, so you have more options on mobility, both match the 15mph top speed well
For creature comforts, you get a nice full chain guard to protect your clothing from getting eaten up by the chain, you also get a front fender to keep you dry and the dirt out of the way
The throttle here increases smoothly and you can control that level of power with 5 modes of throttle responsiveness, this is great if you need to dial it down for hanging out with a slow moving crowd at like a museum or something similar, yet you can dial it up and really get going for long stretches
The external controller keeps battery replacement costs down, and it also makes maintenance easy, same with the mechanical brakes in the rear
Battery options are available, so you can get the 9ah battery to get cost down below $1,500 or you can upgrade to a 20ah battery to increase your range
Cost has been kept down, despite the upgrades this year, they have been able to maintain the affordable $1,683 MSRP
Cons:
The seat here is super sturdy, comfortable, and can hold a lot of weight, but pedaling is uncomorftanble due to the way your thighs can rub the side, but I guess most will use the throttle
The battery here is mounted inside the basket, this will make you second guess what cargo you may put on it or near it, obviously liquids or heavy items may not be the best
The basket can hold a lot of weight, but the wiring of the basket is very thin and flexible, but more in a cheap way than a good way
A lot of external wires, none internal, but this is actually good for maintenance I suppose
A very minor gripe here, but I do wish it had nicer aluminum alloy pedals, plastic pedals were chosen, likely to keep costs down
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Yeah, I think you could swap out the extra large saddle and remove that back support arm in favor of a more traditional and narrow saddle (which would make pedaling easier). I can’t guarantee this, but just looking at the design, this should be possible, it uses a standard seat post as the main support. Even if the top clamp of the post is funky, you could get another 28.6mm seatpost, or a narrower post with a shim, and swap it in with a different saddle :) I’d love to hear if you pursue this and how it works for you! Sorry we didn’t take closer pictures of the top of the seatpost.
Warthog
5 years agoCan a more traditional seat be had?? I like everything about the bike except the seat.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoYeah, I think you could swap out the extra large saddle and remove that back support arm in favor of a more traditional and narrow saddle (which would make pedaling easier). I can’t guarantee this, but just looking at the design, this should be possible, it uses a standard seat post as the main support. Even if the top clamp of the post is funky, you could get another 28.6mm seatpost, or a narrower post with a shim, and swap it in with a different saddle :) I’d love to hear if you pursue this and how it works for you! Sorry we didn’t take closer pictures of the top of the seatpost.
Reply