7 Tips For Taking Care of Your Cargo Electric Tricycle

A cargo electric tricycle is a great way to take big and bulky items wherever you go. If you’re a delivery driver or need a way to carry luggage with you, a tricycle could be a great solution. Not looking after your trike properly can mean that it breaks much more quickly or that you have to pay for costly repairs or a new battery.

Like with any other vehicle, some maintenance can extend the lifespan. You can continue to get the most out of your cargo tricycle even after covering thousands of miles. Failing to take some protective measures can mean that you need to replace your trike after a few years. Don’t let your investment go to waste! Here are some tips to ensure that your trike can be a fun and faithful companion for years to come.

1. Ride With Caution

Before we discuss any maintenance tips for your trike, we’ll share the most important tip; riding with caution. If you’re used to riding an e-bike, a small electric tricycle, or a manual tricycle, you might feel confident with your cargo tricycle. It’s good to be confident, but you still need to take precautions and remember that your cargo trike is bigger than most.

A trike is wider than a bike and different to ride. You won’t be able to lean to steer, and this means you need to take corners with more width. On top of this, if you have cargo on board (some people even take their kids with them) you need to keep a steady speed to avoid losing your cargo.

It doesn’t take much to get used to riding a tricycle. Take a bit of time and head to a quiet parking lot where you can practice some maneuvers and get used to the feel of riding.

2. Always Load the Tricycle Properly When Carrying Cargo

The rules for loading a cargo tricycle are pretty simple. Think of it as your shopping cart in the supermarket. You don’t want to put your bananas and bread on the bottom and stack water and heavy canned products on top!

Put heavier items at the bottom to ensure nothing gets squashed or damaged. Also, it’s a good idea to get some simple ratchet straps. If you are carrying cargo, this means you can tie it down and ensure it doesn’t fall off when you corner.

Incorrect loading can damage the tricycle. Putting too much cargo on board can put pressure on the mechanism and brakes. Check the manufacturer-recommended limits before you add cargo.

3. Look After The Battery

With an electric bike or trike, the battery is absolutely vital. They can be replaced in the future, but they aren’t cheap. It makes sense to get a long lifespan out of your battery. You also don’t want to risk your battery cutting out while you’re on a journey.

The battery shouldn’t be stored at any extreme temperatures. 0-45 degrees C is the range you should stick to. In freezing temperatures. You may know from your smartphone that cold conditions can drain your battery. It means your battery goes through more cycles. All batteries have a number of cycles (charges and full discharges) before they stop working, including the battery on your electric tricycle.

You should also be sure that you don’t overcharge your battery. This can cause you to use up more “cycles” too. Keep the battery between 20% and 80% charged. You can even set a timer to kick in and top up the battery periodically, or a smart plug to let you set the charge functions from your smartphone. Looked after correctly, your battery can last for more than 10,000 miles of transport.

4. Regularly Give the Trike a Thorough Clean

This tip is not just about making your trike look good. Trikes have lots of moving parts and components that can break if dirt gets baked on. The longer you go without cleaning, the more likely it is that the tricycle will get damaged.

A simple wipe-down is fine after most trips, especially in the city. If your trike goes down a dirtier path or gets a lot of grit on it, a deep clean is a good idea. 

Regardless of your most recent journey, it makes sense to thoroughly clean the trike regularly, with a focus on wire connections and moving parts. A wipe down in all of the areas where mud is drying onto the bike can prevent a lot of problems with the bike’s connections and components. If you plan to wash your trike, make sure you remove the battery first.

5. Lubricate the Chain

Whatever electric bike or trike you have, you need to take care of the chain. A dry chain will wear down quicker and this means time in the bike shop getting a new chain. It also means more expense. Lubrication is a quick and easy job that can save you a lot of hassle.

Make sure you don’t get any on the sprocket or brake disks. Spray lube in an area where the chain runs, and wipe away any excess. You can use an old rag or discarded clothing for this.

6. Consider Extreme Weather

We’ve already mentioned what extreme weather conditions can do to your battery. Extreme cold can damage the electrics, too. If a bike keeps freezing and unfreezing, it can compromise electrical components. This is bad news if you live somewhere cold. Your trike will still work in cold weather, but you may have to work harder to maintain it.

If you are storing your electric tricycle in a space where you know it will get cold, take the battery off and store it indoors. Room temperature is far better for a battery.

7. Keep Your Trike Safely and Securely Stored

This maintenance tip is not about extending the life of your tricycle, it’s about keeping your trike safe. 

These are not cheap products, and even if you are constantly taking your cargo electric tricycle out to carry out deliveries, you need to make sure it is always safely secured. If not, it could be targeted by thieves. The resale value is usually large, and many stolen trikes and electric bikes are never traced. Store it in a bike shed or garage, and don’t make it easy for potential thieves to target. If you have to leave your tricycle while you’re in public, make sure you lock it up.

Conclusion

It is easy to forget about the maintenance steps, but this can lead to costly repairs. A top cargo electric tricycle like the Emojo Caddy Pro or Belize Tri-Rider E-Trike provides 35 miles of power on a single charge, but only if you take good care of the battery. Nobody wants to have to keep returning their trike to a bike shop for repairs. 

Make sure you look after the electronics and the body of your tricycle and make sure you can enjoy a smooth and reliable ride, even with cargo on board. Enjoy worry-free transport and a smooth ride with these seven crucial tips.

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