Electric vs. Manual Recumbent Trike: Which is Right for You?

The question of electric vs. pedal-only isn’t really about whether you want exercise — it’s about which vehicle lets you ride more, ride farther, and keep riding for more years. Both deliver the core recumbent trike experience: zero saddle pressure, low knee stress, three-wheel stability. The motor changes the envelope of where and how long you can go.

What You Get With Electric Assist

The Real Fitness Argument for Going Electric

Counterintuitively, many fitness researchers and cycling coaches argue that electric trikes deliver more total exercise than pedal-only trikes — especially for riders over 55. Here’s why:

Longer rides = more total exercise: An electric trike rider who covers 20 miles at PAS 2 (moderate assistance) spends 90+ minutes riding and burns 400–600 calories. A pedal-only rider on the same route who gets tired at 8 miles and turns around burns 250–350 calories. Total exercise: electric wins despite lower intensity per minute.

Hills no longer end rides: On a pedal-only trike, a significant hill means turning around or exhausting yourself. On an electric trike, you ride through hills at PAS 4–5 and continue your route. This dramatically expands your accessible riding territory and total distance.

Ride frequency: Electric assist reduces the recovery time between rides. Pedal-only riders who exhaust themselves often skip the next day’s ride. Electric riders typically can ride every day.

Which LBR Pedal Models Exist

Every LBR frame is available in both electric and pedal-only versions:

• LBR Glide Pedal — $1,599 — Same frame as the Glide. 7-speed drivetrain. 45–55 lbs.
• LBR Ease Pedal — $2,499 — Same 13″ seat, rear suspension, parking brake as the Ease. No motor.
• LBR Venture Pedal — $1,999 — Same fat tires, front suspension as the Venture. No motor.

The pedal models use the same frame, same brakes, same seat, same geometry. No motor or battery means 20–30 lbs lighter and $600–$800 less. If you decide later you want electric, you cannot retrofit a motor to a pedal frame — you would buy a new electric model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off the electric motor and ride purely on pedal power?

Yes. Set PAS to 0 — the motor is completely disengaged and the trike behaves exactly like a pedal-only model. The extra weight (motor + battery = 20–25 lbs) is the only difference. Many electric trike owners ride at PAS 0 on easy flat sections for the workout and switch to PAS 1–2 on hills.

I’m 68 years old. Should I get electric or pedal?

Electric, in nearly all cases. The motor extends the range of where you can go, makes hills manageable regardless of fitness level, and ensures that a headwind or a bad energy day doesn’t cut your ride short. The LBR Ease electric at $3,199 is purpose-built for this use case. The $800 premium over the Ease Pedal pays for itself in the additional riding you’ll actually do.

I want exercise — will electric assist make me lazy?

Not if you don’t let it. PAS 0–2 on flat terrain gives you a challenging workout. Reserve PAS 3–5 for hills and headwinds. The result is a more variable, interval-like workout than grinding at one steady effort level. Many riders find they exercise more consistently on electric because they can always push harder by lowering the PAS — or recover by raising it when needed.