Triride vs Batec
Both the Triride, and the Batec electric handbike, offer a simple way to convert your manual wheelchair into a kind of motorised wheelchair, or an electric scooter, that can increase your mobility and independence. Both are suitable for indoor or outdoor use and they can make getting around lots of fun as well as greatly extending the distance that you can travel and the places that you can get to unaided in your wheelchair.
Basically, they both look like the front end of an electric scooter (but look better!). They consist of a wheel, with an electric motor located in the hub, handlebars to steer with, a braking system, and a locking system which securely attaches them to most kinds of manual wheelchairs.
The main differences between the Triride and Batec handbike are the size, weight, price, and what comes as standard features.
The Batec electric handbike has a 20-inch wheel, whereas the Triride has 14-inch wheels. Both have rims made from strengthened aluminium and those of the Batec are double walled. The Triride offers a choice of two tyre types for either city or mountain riding, while the Batec has ultra-grip Maxxis tyres. The Triride has a stainless-steel frame compared to the aluminium frame of the Batec.
When it comes to stopping, the Batec has dual 200-mm mechanical brakes, while the Triride has a powerful single disc, but both should be quite capable of bringing you to a safe stop under any conditions. Each one has its own attachment system for safe and quick accoupling with the wheelchair, and for which the Triride already has an approved patent. The Batec, has patents pending, and its system has the disadvantage of requiring a heavy clamp to be permanently fitted to the wheelchair.
Both have LCD displays which show battery power and the Batec shows your speed as well. The Batec includes other features as standard, such as a ‘safe feet’ stand frame which has two tail lights on the stems, a front LED light, as well as two USB ports. The Triride, on the other hand, offers a wide range of optional additional features which includes easels to make coupling with the wheelchair easier for people with severe mobility limitations, leather handgrips, lights, mirrors, smartphone carrier, cyclocomputer to measure speed, different handlebars, a basket, and an attachable trailer which can carry up to 75-kg.
So, which to choose?
Well, the weight is the big difference, with the Triride weighing in at under 10kg, while the Batec tops the scale at 15kg, plus 4kg of battery, plus 5kg of removable weights (which are used to provide improved traction) for a hefty total of 24kg.
Admittedly the Batec does have a lot more equipment included as standard but that adds to its size, weight and the price tag. If you are looking for a small, lightweight, reasonably priced model that you can easily get in and out of the car (even a small one), and attach on your own, the Triride has got to be the top choice as its price, versatility, compact size and super light weight set it apart from the competition.
