e-Solo Trike - Mission Cycles

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ON T E S T
Mission
e-Solo Trike:
first impressions
All abilities cycling specialists Mission Cycles
teamed up with Conv-E to launch the e-Solo
trike. We took a first ride…
E
lectric trikes can be a godsend
for any riders who, through age,
infirmity or disability no longer feel
secure balancing on two wheels.
Mission Cycles are one of the UK’s
largest suppliers of trikes, for adults
and children, as well as other special
vehicles and adaptations to enable
riders of all abilities to cycle. Electric
assist is clearly often likely to be
helpful for trike users, especially as
trikes don’t tend to be lightweight
machines.
Mission have offered electric trikes
before, but earlier systems were often
hard wired between the components,
so if there was a fault the whole trike
had to be expensively shipped back
for repair. So for their collaboration
with Conv-E, the idea was to first use
an established, reliable system, and
then to ensure that if a part failed, it
could easily be unplugged and sent
back separately.
14 Electric Bike Issue 7
Four trikes versions are available,
all with very similar electric assist.
The e-Solo as reviewed here has 20"
wheels and a very low frame, so it’s
easy to step in and out. There’s also
24" version of the e-Solo, an ‘e-Trilogy
20’ with a more conventional frame,
and the ‘e-Trilogy 24’ with slightly
larger 24" wheels.
The e-Solos cost £1,499 inc VAT,
or £1,249.17 excluding VAT: that’s
£100 more than either of the Trilogy
models. Disabled customers may
well qualify for VAT-free purchasing:
check with Mission for details.
» ON THE TRIKE
With its big shopping basket at the back
and whitewall tyres, the e-Solo has
quite a traditional look, although the
wide handlebars and radically-shaped
frame do give a more modern edge to
the design. It’s super easy to swing
a foot through the gap in the frame:
BELOW: The trike has a
two-stage drive to the
back axle: only the righthand wheel is driven.
that flat bottom piece is only about 6
inches off the floor, no higher than
many kerbs and lower than most steps.
The wide, soft saddle is supportive
and comfortable, too. This is good: as
the bars rise quite high much of your
weight will be on the saddle, leaving
shoulders and wrists relaxed.
The trike is driven by the right
hand wheel only, via a two-stage
transmission with six derailleur
gears. There’s a useful chainguard
to keep clothes clear of the gearing.
At the front, there’s a V-brake while
at the back a roller brake is tucked
away below the box. Conveniently
the brake levers have spring-loaded
stops which you can engage to act as
a parking brake – just squeeze the
brake again to release. There are no
cut-out contacts on the brake levers.
So to the electrical system, and the
motor is mounted in the front wheel
as is conventional on most trikes.
The battery (9 Ah, 36V) however is
concealed under the rear basket: nice
and low which is good for stability,
and also protected against knocks. It’s
not really intended to be removed for
charging, but charging on the trike is
made as easy as possible with a cable
running up the side of the basket to
a socket (with waterproof cap) which
users can reach without leaning down.
Finally, at the handlebars there’s
a twist grip throttle to control the
motor. At the centre of the bars the
‘Golden Meter’ display unit gives
a very clear readout of your speed,
power assist level, battery status and,
at the top, the instantaneous power
being delivered by the motor.
We didn’t get to weigh the trike,
but the manufacturer’s estimate of 35
kg probably isn’t far off the mark.
ON TEST:
Ezee trike
Torq
ON TEST: Mission
e-Solo
BELOW: The motor’s fitted
into the front wheel.
BELOW RIGHT: The whole
grip rotates to activate
the throttle here. Note
also the sturdily mounted
display unit.
relatively weak riders will be able to
make progress even without the assist.
The assistance is controlled by
the throttle alone: probably the best
solution as this trike may be used by
people with limiting pedalling ability.
And in a brilliant touch, the ‘power
levels’ on the display actually control
the assisted speed, rather than
power as such. This makes the trike
superbly controllable: at low speed
setting, the full twist of the throttle
only takes you to just about walking
pace, at which speed even the most
timid of riders can feel secure. As
your confidence grows you can simply
increase the assisted speed.
Range, incidentally, is said to be
around 10 miles without any pedalling
at all, and to ride to 15 or more if you
contribute through your legs. Our
trike managed a 10 mile ride without a
problem, but I was helping it along.
Riding a trike can go against your
cycling instincts if you’re used to
two wheelers: instead of leaning to
steer, you need to turn the bars. And
any upright trike has limits to its
cornering ability. So I can blame only
my own incompetence for riding the
e-Solo off the path into a muddy field
a few minutes into my first ride.
But overall I was very impressed
with the trike’s handling: its stability
probably made me over-confident.
Once your instincts adjust to trike
steering it tracks well and needs just
the lightest of touches on the bars
to turn. The gearing is quite low, so
» SUMMARY:
The e-Solo trike works very well in its
mobility role. The speed level assist
works exceptionally well to provide
safe handling with the assist power
being applied in a totally controlled,
reassuring fashion. Just the ticket
for dignified, safe mobility – and the
big basket on the back also makes it
a very practical machine for useful
errands, not just leisure riding.
The UK market isn’t over-served
with trikes, so this is a welcome
addition. Perhaps its main competitor
is the Batribike Trike 20, a little
lower priced and with a clever leaning
function, but without the e-Solo’s
very low step through frame.
I’d definitely recommend a test
ride of the e-Solo for those riders
looking for a no balance option. It’ll
keep you independently mobile over
useful distances on a normal-looking
machine and also offer the option of
getting some useful exercise as you go.
That’s not something the alternatives,
not cycling at all or using a mobility
scooter, can compete with at all.
Peter Eland
Contact Mission Cycles to locate your
nearest dealer: Tel 01622 815678 or see
www.missioncycles.co.uk
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ON TEST: Wisper 906 Alpino Gazelle Orange Pure Innergy
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