Impact of Wheelbase and Rear Track Width on the Comfort of Electric Tricycles
By Addmotor | 13 November 2024 | 0 Comments
Electric tricycles have been booming in the past couple of years. Many people are waking up to its benefits. This is especially true for seniors who find it to be an accessible and affordable solution to get around and stay active.
As the pinnacle of safety, stability and sustainability, electric trikes need to be the most comfortable and ergonomic. This is especially true when seniors and regular adults use them almost daily.
Several factors contribute to the comfort and ergonomics of an electric trike. Two of the most underrated are wheelbase and rear track width. Most beginner riders fail to account for these two and it tends to cost them in the long run.
So let’s discuss how these two measurements can affect the riding experience. We’ll also cover some examples and talk about how to avoid common pitfalls.
This is an important measurement because it helps us identify things like the trike’s stability, handling capabilities and ergonomics.
Most electric trikes come with a longer wheelbase especially when compared to two-wheeled eBikes. A longer wheelbase offers a more smooth and stable riding experience because it can spread out the weight of the rider more evenly and sit closer to the ground.
So if you want to ride more comfortably and minimize road vibrations and impacts, a longer wheelbase is ideal.
On the flip side though, a longer wheelbase means the trike takes more space. This means you have a larger turning radius and less maneuverability. You’ll need to be extra careful when making tight corners or riding through traffic or crowded areas.
Also, a longer wheelbase means the trike will take up more space. This can affect things like storage and finding good parking spots.
This is where a shorter wheelbase comes in handy. Electric trikes with short wheelbases are more compact and easier to control. You can ride more confidently and make corners easily. On top of that, it takes up less space and you can always find good enough parking spots.
The most important factor is stability. Similar to how a longer wheelbase helps prevent balance issues, a wider rear wheel distance helps keep the trike stable.
So when you have a narrower rear-wheel spacing, the trike is more vulnerable to flipping over, especially if you’re riding at higher speeds or turning corners.
Besides stability, the rear wheel distance also affects things like weight distribution. When the rear wheels are narrower, they tend to put extra pressure on the trike wheels and frame. This can affect the balance and also cause components to wear out faster.
However, many electric trike manufacturers take the easy route to keep costs down. For instance, they might shorten the wheelbase and rear track width on an electric trike.
The only person that’s going to suffer from this is the rider. They’ll have to be extra careful when riding these narrow electric trikes because of stability issues.
On top of that, some riders, especially taller ones, might run into situations where their foot hits the rear wheels or frame whenever they’re pedaling. This is a common complaint issued by most riders against specific compact electric trike manufacturers.
Thankfully, this is not the case with Addmotor electric trikes. Even Addmotor’s most compact and foldable electric trike model, the CITYTRI E-310 has a wheelbase of 125 cm, providing more than enough clearance for riders to pedal comfortably without their foot hitting the back.
After extensive testing, Landtan's fat tire electric tricycle has achieved an optimal balance between wheelbase length and rear track width. The standard trike dimensions (wheelbase: 117 cm, rear track width: 83 cm) ensure both flexibility and mobility while maintaining stability and comfort. If the wheelbase or track width is shorter than this standard, the rider's feet are more likely to hit the rear wheels, significantly reducing riding comfort.
Here’s a table outlining these two measurements between Mooncool’s TK Pro and two of Addmotor popular compact electric trikes:
Mooncool’s TK Pro Electric Trike is a very compact e-trike. This electric trike has a shorter wheelbase of 112 cm. And Addmotor Citytri's width between the rear wheels is almost the same as the Mooncool TK PRO trike's width of 72cm, but its wheelbase is about 13cm longer, greatly reducing the likelihood of your feet and wheels hitting each other.
A longer wheelbase is preferred because it aids stability and minimizes the trike from flipping over. The only trade-offs are that it can make the trike take up more space and difficult to turn corners.
Rear track width is equally important. A short spacing means the trike has a higher risk of tipping over, especially at higher speeds.
When both these measurements are too low, it can affect the overall balance of the trike. On top of that, it can create a situation where the rider’s foot hits the back frame or wheels, causing discomfort and negatively affecting the riding experience.
So if you’re looking to buy an electric trike, be sure to check for these two measurements as well. But in any doubt, go with Addmotor, their electric trikes are perfectly optimized for safety, stability and comfort.
As the pinnacle of safety, stability and sustainability, electric trikes need to be the most comfortable and ergonomic. This is especially true when seniors and regular adults use them almost daily.
Several factors contribute to the comfort and ergonomics of an electric trike. Two of the most underrated are wheelbase and rear track width. Most beginner riders fail to account for these two and it tends to cost them in the long run.
So let’s discuss how these two measurements can affect the riding experience. We’ll also cover some examples and talk about how to avoid common pitfalls.
Wheelbase of Electric Trikes
In electric trikes, eBikes and many other vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel.This is an important measurement because it helps us identify things like the trike’s stability, handling capabilities and ergonomics.
Most electric trikes come with a longer wheelbase especially when compared to two-wheeled eBikes. A longer wheelbase offers a more smooth and stable riding experience because it can spread out the weight of the rider more evenly and sit closer to the ground.
So if you want to ride more comfortably and minimize road vibrations and impacts, a longer wheelbase is ideal.
On the flip side though, a longer wheelbase means the trike takes more space. This means you have a larger turning radius and less maneuverability. You’ll need to be extra careful when making tight corners or riding through traffic or crowded areas.
Also, a longer wheelbase means the trike will take up more space. This can affect things like storage and finding good parking spots.
This is where a shorter wheelbase comes in handy. Electric trikes with short wheelbases are more compact and easier to control. You can ride more confidently and make corners easily. On top of that, it takes up less space and you can always find good enough parking spots.
Rear Track Width/Total Width of Electric Trikes
Here, the rear track width is the distance between the two rear wheels of an electric trike. Although it’s not the first thing people look for when picking an electric trike, the unsuitable width can have serious implications later.The most important factor is stability. Similar to how a longer wheelbase helps prevent balance issues, a wider rear wheel distance helps keep the trike stable.
So when you have a narrower rear-wheel spacing, the trike is more vulnerable to flipping over, especially if you’re riding at higher speeds or turning corners.
Besides stability, the rear wheel distance also affects things like weight distribution. When the rear wheels are narrower, they tend to put extra pressure on the trike wheels and frame. This can affect the balance and also cause components to wear out faster.
How Addmotor Electric Trikes Optimize Wheelbase and Rear Track Wheel
Finding the perfect measurements for wheelbase and rear track width is no easy feat. Manufacturers have to account for various situations and use cases, meaning they have to optimize things like maneuverability, stability and cost.However, many electric trike manufacturers take the easy route to keep costs down. For instance, they might shorten the wheelbase and rear track width on an electric trike.
The only person that’s going to suffer from this is the rider. They’ll have to be extra careful when riding these narrow electric trikes because of stability issues.
On top of that, some riders, especially taller ones, might run into situations where their foot hits the rear wheels or frame whenever they’re pedaling. This is a common complaint issued by most riders against specific compact electric trike manufacturers.
Thankfully, this is not the case with Addmotor electric trikes. Even Addmotor’s most compact and foldable electric trike model, the CITYTRI E-310 has a wheelbase of 125 cm, providing more than enough clearance for riders to pedal comfortably without their foot hitting the back.
After extensive testing, Landtan's fat tire electric tricycle has achieved an optimal balance between wheelbase length and rear track width. The standard trike dimensions (wheelbase: 117 cm, rear track width: 83 cm) ensure both flexibility and mobility while maintaining stability and comfort. If the wheelbase or track width is shorter than this standard, the rider's feet are more likely to hit the rear wheels, significantly reducing riding comfort.
Here’s a table outlining these two measurements between Mooncool’s TK Pro and two of Addmotor popular compact electric trikes:
| Mooncools TK Pro | Addmotor LANDTAN | Addmotor CITYTRI | |
| Wheelbase | 44.1 in / 112 cm | 46.1 in / 117 cm | 49.2 in / 125 cm |
| Total Width | 28.4 in / 72 cm | 32.7 in / 83 cm | 28.3 in / 72 cm |
| Note | Extra Small E-Tricycle | Small E-Tricycle | |
Mooncool’s TK Pro Electric Trike is a very compact e-trike. This electric trike has a shorter wheelbase of 112 cm. And Addmotor Citytri's width between the rear wheels is almost the same as the Mooncool TK PRO trike's width of 72cm, but its wheelbase is about 13cm longer, greatly reducing the likelihood of your feet and wheels hitting each other.
Conclusion
Wheelbase and rear track width are some of the underrated features that beginners often miss when purchasing their first electric trike. However, these measurements are crucial since they affect the handling, comfort and stability of electric tricycles.A longer wheelbase is preferred because it aids stability and minimizes the trike from flipping over. The only trade-offs are that it can make the trike take up more space and difficult to turn corners.
Rear track width is equally important. A short spacing means the trike has a higher risk of tipping over, especially at higher speeds.
When both these measurements are too low, it can affect the overall balance of the trike. On top of that, it can create a situation where the rider’s foot hits the back frame or wheels, causing discomfort and negatively affecting the riding experience.
So if you’re looking to buy an electric trike, be sure to check for these two measurements as well. But in any doubt, go with Addmotor, their electric trikes are perfectly optimized for safety, stability and comfort.
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