Looking for some input! I am selling my 2 wheel e-bike (due to fear of falling) and I've been researching trikes. There were 5 on my list - the IZIP Tristar Plus (Same as the Raleigh Tristar IE), the Pedego Trike, The Bintelli Trio, The Evelo Compass, and the Bolton Galaxy. My thoughts have been...
The Bintelli is noticeably heavier and has no chain guard or parking brakes. The Bolton I know nothing about. The Evelo is the most expensive by far, and has 24" wheels all around. The Pedego seems to have a loyal following but has a front hub motor and seems like it would have less power up hills. The IZIP/Raleigh is the brand I had for my 2-wheeler and I loved it. There is an authorized dealer an hour away who could do warranty work. It has a mid drive motor which seems the best. I am in the 60s, overweight and out of shape, and will be using it locally on back road, some of which are gravel, and at our local state park. Any input? If I buy any of the other 4 brands, what do I do if I have a warranty situation and have no dealers anywhere around?
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I have the Bintelli Trio and I'll only ever get a tilting trike from now on! (Bintelli is the only company that does a proper tilting trike)
You should know the Trio isn't heavy. It is actually 70 pounds. (I KNOW the websites say 102 pounds. But it is a typo. Really. I have weighed it on multiple industrial scales to check.)
The chain guard isn't really an issue. And I take mine offroading. (I do light mountain biking with it.) No chain issues.
As for parking brake, I simply swapped the brake lever for the front wheel with the same brand/style brake that had a parking brake lever as well. Like $20.
I also added a brake light. The wiring is in the control box ready to connect brake lights. They just didn't include them in the sale. When you buy it and have the bike shop set it up they can do all that.
Now the real reason to get the Trio is the tilting. NO other trikes have this feature and it is a game changer. I have no idea why no one else does it. When you get on and off, it is stable like a regular trike. BUT when you are riding along you can pull a lever and engage the tilt. This means that when you ride on uneven ground you can remain upright even though the back wheels tilt with the road. On most trikes when you ride in the bike lane, the road tilts to the right (rain runoff) and you are having to lean far left t counterbalance. It is very uncomfortable, and almost ALL roads do this. My old trike gave me back issues. Also when you try to take a turn o a standard trike you can tip over unless you go very slow. That sucks.
And lastly, on bumpy ground, you get tossed back and forth with every bump. But not in a TILTING trike. You stay smooth and completely upright no matter what the road does underneath you. And you can take turns at full speed like with a 2 wheeler. In fact, riding it feels like a 2 wheeler in every way except getting through a narrow gap! And when you come to a stop, you can flick the tilt lock and it locks back into a typical trike so you don't fall over (like when you are at an intersection or riding in a crowded area)
I will never ride a non-tilting trike again. In fact, because of the trio, I am slowly regaining my ability to balance on the bike. I get all the benefits of biking without constantly falling over while stopping and starting. But now I don't always HAVE to lock it when I start or stop. Once in a while, I feel stable and safe enough to brave stopping or starting without the tilt lock engaged so it is like a 2 wheeler. But only when I am up to it. Slowly I am getting more confident. I am not ready to ride a 2 wheeler yet, but someday I will. I still prefer a trike (all the storage in the basket!!!) but if you ever think you might want to build back up to a 2 wheeler, the Trio helps.
