Best Multi-Speed Electric Tricycles for 2025: Why Gears Matter on Electric Trikes

Electric tricycles with multiple speeds. What do you need to know?

Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I have nearly 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry. Today, I'm going to talk to you about electric trikes with multiple speeds. All right, I've got three of Sixthreezero's best-selling e-trikes, our Simple Glide models, our 500-watt, 750-watt, and Relaxed body 750-watt. So if you are shopping for an electric trike, you may see trikes, some that have speeds, some that don't. A lot of single-speed options, others may be three-speed options, or seven-speed options. So what's the benefit of having speeds, or what's the downside? A lot of tricycles are single-speed, and a lot of e-trikes are single-speed. The reason many companies do that is because of the simplicity. You just have one gear, and it is only in that one gear, and I just want to also mention that I'm talking about the speeds as related to the actual speeds on the bike, on the tricycle. They're not correlated to the electronics.

So the assistance level you get from the electronics is a different thing. The gears or speeds that I'm talking about are like what you had on a 10-speed bicycle or a 21-speed bicycle. So many companies put single speeds on trikes because of their simplicity, and as we get older, maybe it becomes more complicated to shift the gears. Now, the downside of a single speed is you only have one gear, right? So while you're pedaling, you can't make it easier or harder to pedal at all. It's just that one gear, and what I find is that many of the brands make that gear a little bit harder to pedal. So it allows you to go faster when you get your momentum going. Now, the downside of that is that it can be harder to start pedaling from a dead stop. Now, the benefit of an electric trike, obviously, is that you can use the assistance, or you can twist the throttle to help get you going as well.

But the other downside to that is you have no variation in the gears when you get to a hill or when you do hit a higher top speed, right? So when you want to climb a hill, it's always beneficial to shift the gears down to get it into a lower gear, like one or two. The,n when you get to flat ground and you want to start to go faster, you would shift your gears up. So as you move your assistance up also into level five, you would want to move your gears up to level seven now. There is, what it does add is it adds another dimension to the controls, right? So typically on your left side, you would have the buttons to increase and decrease the pedal assist as related to the motor, on your right side, you'll often have the throttle, which can be a twist throttle, but now you'll have what's called a trigger shifter to shift the gears. The way this works is you'll press a button for the gears to go up, and you'll press a lever for the gears to go down. I understand if you're first getting into riding electric trikes, it may seem complicated, maybe too much for you to take on initially.

But as you get more comfortable, it's something you can experiment with and see how the gears can be beneficial for you, which I know that they absolutely can. The other thing about that is if you don't want to shift the gears, you don't have to. You can simply put it at the speed that you like best and never touch it again. The benefit, though, of having those speeds is that you can use them if you want to, right? If you just have a single speed, you have no option of changing it whatsoever. So I like having the speeds, I like being able to shift those in coordination with how I'm using the pedal assist from the motor. That way, you can balance out and find the perfect cadence throughout your rides. Now we offer speeds on every trike we make, we make seven speeds. Twenty-one speeds would be a little difficult because you would need two derailleurs. So seven speeds are nice because it's just in the rear, it's clean. and simple. There is some additional wiring, but you can see it's all tied in together and nicely cabled, and that's how all of the trikes are. Also, on regular bicycles, when you have the gears, it adds a lot of extra wiring.

In the case of E-Trikes, you already have the wiring for the electronics. So now you just cable it all together, and it doesn't add anything extra to that cabling whatsoever. So I like having speed. If you have any other questions about e-Trikes with speeds or need help, reach out to us at theteam@sixthreezero.live or call us at 310-982-2877. We also have a whole other slew of e-trikes with speeds that you can check out. Also, we offer a 30-day test ride on your e-trike policy. If you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back, no questions asked, no money out of your pocket. We also warranty everything for one year. If anything goes wrong in the first year, we'll take care of its parts and labor. And if you wanna come out for a test ride, we're here in San Clemente, California, at 1046 Gaia Ricotta Unit K. Come test-ride any of our e-trikes before you purchase to ensure you love it. Then, when you have yours, join, well, actually before you have yours, sorry, join our community as well before you purchase. Our Facebook group is called Sixthreezero Pedalers, there are thousands of members in the group. Join the group before you purchase to talk to existing riders to ensure you're making the right choice. Then, when you have yours, post to the group, make friends, and finally download the app to track your rides and compete on the leaderboard. Don't forget, it's your journey or experience.

Here’s how those gears work across the trikes we make today, and how to get the most out of them.

Our 7-Speed Electric Trikes

Most of our e-trikes come with Shimano Tourney 7-speed gearing, including:

• Relaxed Body 750W: a 13" step-over and upright seating for easy on and off
• Easy Transit 750W Folding: folds to fit a car trunk or closet
• Simple Glide Low Seat 750W Recumbent: built for riders 6'0" to 6'8", with hydraulic brakes
• Fat Tire 750W Reverse: two front wheels and hydraulic disc brakes
• EVRYjourney eBike Rickshaw 750W: a rear bench for passengers

Compare them all in our electric tricycle collection.

Which Gear to Use, and When

• Gears 1–2: starting from a stop and climbing hills
• Gears 3–5: everyday riding around town
• Gears 6–7: flat, open stretches when you want to go a little faster

Shift before you stop so it’s easy to pedal away again, and shift one gear at a time while pedaling lightly. And if you’d rather not think about gears at all, pick one you like and use pedal assist or the throttle for the rest.

FAQs

Do electric trikes need gears?

Not strictly, but they help. The motor sets how much help you get, and the gears set how hard each pedal stroke feels, which matters most on hills and when starting from a stop.

Can I leave my trike in one gear?

Yes. Many riders pick a middle gear and let pedal assist or the throttle do the rest.

Is a single-speed trike better?

A single speed is simpler, but it’s harder to start and climb hills without a lower gear. Read more about single speed vs multi-speed bikes.

Do more gears give me more range?

Not on their own. Range depends mostly on the battery, the assist level, the terrain and the load.