Could an electric trike replace a car for short trips, or is that just marketing hype?
Posted by Trippy-jay420@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 31 comments
I drive maybe 4 miles round-trip for groceries twice a week. That's it. The rest of the time, my car sits there and costs me money.
No fuel, low care, and most go 20-50 miles per charge. I think that’s more than enough for suburban errands.
I took a look at the electric bike and trike options (viribusbikes.com) and the prices are cheaper than I expected. A motorized three-wheeler for $1,000 makes sense if it replaces a few car trips a week.
How do they deal with light rain, and do you feel safe in the traffic?
I want some honest answers from people who actually ride one, not just weekend warriors.
unseenmover@reddit
Mind does. And i dont have to deal with all the idiots in the Fing parking lot..
HojonPark4077@reddit
Only if you can stomach the shame
deck_hand@reddit
My brother-in-law lived without a car at all throughout his college years (including graduate school). He had a manual 10-speed that he rode everywhere. So, yeah, it's 100% possible.
There's several 3 wheeled "cargo bikes" out there, some with enclosed "cabins" that can be used in all kinds of weather. The one that I think makes the most sense, from an all-weather use perspective is the Organic Transit ELF. A bit pricy, but seemingly well put together.
Erander@reddit
Id recommend regular bicycle instead of trike for more versatility (such as getting it indoors if needed), it can work surely for such short trips
youandican@reddit
maybe they have balancing issues where a trike would be a better option.
youandican@reddit
I live in a small town of about 20,000 people and use a eBike for almost everything within the town, - going to my appointments, grocery shopping and even picking up smaller items from the home improvement store. I have a small trailer and with it an the panniers on the bike I can get 7 bags of groceries in a whack. It rains quite a bit here in Oregon so I do have rain gear. I use the car when I end up going out of town simple because of the distance.
They are slowly adding bike infrastructure in town, but it is still lacking in most areas. For the most part I try to stick to the roads with bike lanes, but if they don't have them I tend to take the side streets. FWIW last year, I only put 3,000 miles on my car, everything thing else was done on my eBike.
Humble_Key_4259@reddit
Trikes specifically "seem" more stable but if one tire goes off the trail or if you turn too fast they can flip over very easy. If you get a trike, get a tadpole style (two front tires and one rear) as they are WAY more stable.
bsurg@reddit
I think a lot of this also depends on the bike/road infrastructure where you live. An ebike absolutely can replace a car for your needs, but I'd feel less inclined to use one if the only available routes involve 50 mph roads.
Exciting-Mission8911@reddit
Yes
TheTarragonFarmer@reddit
I'm relatively new to electric assist, but I don't feel any more comfortable sharing the road or riding in the rain on the ebike than my regular bike.
I stick to separated bike lanes and grumble in the rain :-) Also I tried to waterproof the controller housing with silicone caulk, we'll see how it works out. (The original one burned out on me from just splashback from riding in salty slush during winter, not even rain...)
Also for grocery runs, I'm fretting over it getting stolen. It's still useful for my work commute where I can park indoors.
BonsaiKiller@reddit
I love my Velotric to commute a few miles to work and last summer got a pet trailer rated to 100 lbs to haul groceries. I even make Costco runs and it’s fabulous! I rarely drive now.
Ranccor@reddit
Yes. You could easily do 4 miles round trip twice a week.
In fact, taking an Uber twice a week would very likely be cheaper than owning a car, if you are just trying to save money.
Few-Helicopter-2943@reddit
My trip to the store today was about six miles round trip. Bought 4x 40lb bags of salt for the softener plus misc other stuff, around 200lbs total of cargo, plus 200lbs of me. Love my ebikes :)
Quercus408@reddit
The only thing that isn't accessible to me within a 7 mile radius is the airport. Driving my car that short of a distance just feels silly to me unless it's armageddon-level weather outside.
Tomj_Oad@reddit
Totally
I just made the switch to a Velotric Triker and haven't skipped riding it a single day I do ten or fifteen miles a day around town easy. Headlights, brake lights and turn signals help my peace of mind as well. Go for it and know it's a valid form of trans for your situation
funcentric@reddit
I used to ride a recumbent non electrified trike regularly. Recreationally but regularly. If you need to depend on it for days of rain in a row, I wouldn’t recommend that. For instances like that, just take a taxi, ride share or public transportation.
As long as you have space indoors to store the trike, go for it. Do realize that a trike does have a learning curve since it doesn’t counter steer and doesn’t lean. It’s not that intuitive if you’ré used to riding bicycles.
Parking, locking may be harder with a trike than a traditional diamond frame because of limited space and locking likely will require a longer lock like a chain setup. Try a noose style setup. Less chain but offers more length than simply wrapping it around.
offbrandcheerio@reddit
The short answer is yes, they absolutely can (and do!) replace short trips. I even use a two-wheeled e-bike for short trips myself.
The key thing would be to buy a model that either has enough built in storage capacity to carry your normal amount of groceries or the ability to add enough storage capacity. And get a good bike lock. Also, avoid riding on main roads if there is no bike lane or side path. Use side streets whenever you can. Use sidewalks along main roads if you need to. Whatever you can to keep yourself safe. Don’t trust the Google Maps recommendation to be the best possible bike route. At least around me, it frequently suggests taking roads that are definitely not safe on a bike/trike.
Baebarri@reddit
I have a Viribus e-trike for the express purpose of running errands because I live within a half mile of just about everything I need. It has a large basket on the back that can hold a half dozen grocery bags no sweat.
My only issue is traffic because not all of the streets have bike lanes and it's a heavy traffic area.
miknob@reddit
I just got back from a grocery run on my ebike. I have Topeak expandable bags that holds 2 bags. Or a gallon of milk and another bag.
KaboodleMoon@reddit
I ride a (regular 2 wheeled) ebike \~7 miles round trip 5 days a week and more randomly.
The biggest worry where I live, is not being able to store the bike safely while I'm shopping. Quick trips? Fine. Order ahead pickups? Great!
But if I have to go in and "actually shop" and compare fruits/veggies cause I don't trust their pickers? Nah, I don't trust leaving it locked up outside that long here. If they have better bike lockup places where you are, or bike LOCKERS, absolutely not an issue.
Zestyclose-Bag8790@reddit
I have my Gazelle Medio two wheel e-bike, and I have a dot cart that I sometimes use to hold my German Shepherd/ Malinois mix . It can also hold all the groceries that will fit in my fridge.
godzillabobber@reddit
It can replace all trips under 15 miles most of the time. I've gone from 25 tanks of gas to 3 per year. Today that's about $1200. Plenty to take Uber on rainy days
boshbosh92@reddit
Definitely can. I use my ebike to commute to the store every week multiple times
criggie_@reddit
Would you sell the car? Otherwise its sitting there never being used and costing you money. You'd definitely want to store the trike in a garage - they're not as weather resistant as a modern car.
STORYTIME I couldn't drive for 10 months (medical reasons, not being naughty) so I did my grocery shop weekly with a regular 2 wheel bike and a kiddy trailer. 10 minutes there and 15 home was not long enough for things to thaw out, though I did use foil-lined freezer bags but no ice packs.
At the supermarket I was tempted to change trolley to "stroller/pram" mode and wheel it around the shop, though that would have meant folding the tongue down and fitting the front wheel, which can't be fitted while in trailer mode.
So its not impossible. Definitely a faff in the rain, but the fuel savings were real.
I'd be concerned those trikes are relatively cheap - an ebike should cost as much as a normal bike plus the same again for the electrics/motor, otherwise corners have been cut somewhere.
Also what's the load rating? The rear basket doesn't look that big or strong so may not hold a week's shopping. Just something to check.
Lastly, if you're unsure, buy the bike and ride it. If you can go a month without driving the car, then seriously consider selling it.
Specs_The_Animator@reddit
I use an E-bike as my daily driver to and from work (~16 miles round trip, 5 days a week, since 2022), and as long as you take care of it, it should be able to handle the abuse. Of course, when it comes to rain, I tend to overdress to keep my casual clothes dry. And as for the bike itself, the more expensive the bike, the more sturdy of a bike lock you'll want.
wturber@reddit
Cargo ebike or ebike with trailer.
I use an E cargo bike for nearly all of my in-town trips. And if I have to haul something really large, I hook up my trailer. I also use it for trips outside of town up to 10 or 12 miles or so, or about 25 miles round trip.
A cargo bike for in-town trips provides a great deal of flexibility in case you have to carry or transport something unexpected. A trailer is great when you have a planned trip where you have to carry a bunch of stuff.
derping1234@reddit
Electric bikes in general and electric cargo bikes especially can function as car alternatives when going shorter distances. Trikes are not very popular as they mak trade offs in manoeuvrability and stability in corners. Of all the trikes, tadpoles (2 wheels in the front, one in the back) seem to be more popular. I am not familiar with the bike you referenced specifically, but at that price I wouldn’t expect it to be much.
Ok-Type-8917@reddit
I don't own a trike but just an ebike. I had a medical issue at 59 and decided not to drive for awhile because I realized I was a danger. I parked my car and got my first ebike. I couldn't ride my regular bike, balance starting off was a huge issue, once I was moving I was fine. After about six months I sold my car and saved about 800 dollars a month. I'm 64 now and never bought another car, winter is tough but I do my errands on better days. Unfortunately in my area riding in traffic would be a very bad idea, I take side streets. When that's not possible the sidewalks are legal and very rarely a pedestrian. So depending on the streets you plan to travel a trike would definitely be capable of what you are looking to do. They handle differently so turns need some caution. One bit of advice is to try and buy something that is serviceable in your area. Some shops will only work on certain ebikes or not at all. Parts availability on some off brand bikes can be difficult. Larger companies like Aventon, Lectric, Velotric and probably others partner with shops in many areas for repairs and sales.
QuantityKindly3153@reddit
I use mine for almost all grocery runs, yes it can replace a car for that.
Physical_Click9769@reddit
Sorry i dont have one but will get one eventually. A full replacement is not a good idea. You can do it but should consider the bearing in any ebike motor and controller too, over time if ur riding in rain on an often enough basis its not going to work right. It really depends on where u live and situation cuz if u got no ubers or public transportation how can you get to some random appointment or party? Even if u have a car as a backup it'll give u more peace of mind on rainy days or random locations u need to go to. Also you're going to have a wider footprint so I personally would only ride on sidewalks with a trike.
jlhawn@reddit
I live about a mile and a half from a grocery store and target (they’re within a quarter mile of one another) and make 3 to 4 trips a week by bike for my family of 3. Sometimes I go to get $100 of groceries. Sometimes I go just to pick up bananas. I’m at a point where if I took my car to get a bunch of bananas it’d feel wasteful. There’s also a grade separated bike lane half the way there, and the rest of the way I take a side street with speed bumps and stop signs that slows down car traffic. It’s California weather too so weather is not much of an issue. When it does rain, you just gotta wear the right gear which isn’t a big deal.