Viribus TriGo Plus 350W E-Trike | Photo Connor Burkesmith Mountain Weekly News
We’re excited to see e-trikes take over the transit market as stable, low-speed, short-distance commuters/cargo-haulers. With a bit of redesigning, we can envision the Viribus TriGo Plus 350W filling this need perfectly. The redesign will have to overcome the bike’s eagerness to get on two wheels while turning, the bike’s eagerness to drift sideways while driving on straight roads, and the rear rack, which can allegedly carry 110 pounds, feeling so rickety we were afraid to put anything in it.
Viribus has a good start and we’re excited to retest the bike once they enhance it by widening the wheelbase and tires, shipping the bike with the rear axle properly perpendicular to the frame, and reinforcing the rear rack.
Founded in 2018, Viribus is dedicated to “designing innovative, high-quality bikes and trikes.” Their goal is to “enhance mobility and accessibility for all riders by ensuring comfort, stability, and thoughtful engineering.” Since its founding, the company has rolled out mountain bikes, cruiser bikes, trikes, and electric variations of their two – and three-wheeled offerings.
The company is loved by their customers. On their website, they have over 1,100 reviews across all of their bike models and every single review is three stars or higher (out of five stars).
Frame
The bike’s step-through frame makes hopping on and off easy. The frame can carry 330 pounds and the rear rack can carry 110 pounds. We appreciate the quick-release seat post which makes it easy to share the bike with friends as well as do on-the-fly changes. The plastic
suspension-looking dust cover on the seat post is designed to keep dust off the steel seat post. It is not intended to provide suspension.
While Viribus does offer a 100% assembled tricycle, this bike arrives in many pieces and requires lots of expert assembly. Other reviewers have
mentioned concerns about assembling the bike.
Motor and Battery
The battery, centrally located behind the seat post, is 36V, 13Ah, and 468Wh. The battery, which is certified to UL standards 2271 and 2289, charges in an industry average 6 hours. It provides 31 miles of range using the throttle and 37 miles of pedal assist range. The bike has 5 pedal assist speeds that get the 87 pound bike up to speed quickly. The top speed is 15 miles per hour. We don’t advise going more than 10 miles per hour on this bike on straight roads and no more than 8 miles per hour around corners.
Due to the frame design and the fact it comes in multiple pieces, it’s hard to keep the rear axle aligned perpendicular to the frame. This misalignment causes the bike to drift sideways on straight roads. The bike is also eager to get on two wheels when cornering, as shown below.
Components
It’s cool to see a $849 bike with 7-speed Shimano shifting. The braking system is mechanical disc brakes with a hand-engaged parking brake. The bike tech doesn’t stop at the battery and motor. The front light is helpful. We’d love to see Viribus consider adding brake lights and turn signals to allow folks to signal their stopping and turning intentions without having to take their hands off the handlebars. The LED display on the left side of the handlebars shows speed, odometer, and battery remaining.
Ordering
The TriGo Plus 350W comes in just one frame size that fits adults from 5’5″- 5’11”. You can mix and match color, tire size, and motor power. Color options are blue, cyan, white, pink, red, and black. Tire size can be 24” or 26”. Motor power can be 250W or 350W. Viribus simplifies the ordering process by offering free shipping, 30-day returns, a 1-year warranty and a partnership with Shop.
The Trigo Plus 350W retails for $849, but Shop allows folks to pay in 4 interest-free installments or from $76.63/mo. You can further customize your bike with accessories like a mirror, lock, phone holder, or a rear-facing tricycle seat.
Viribus TriGo Plus 350W E-Trike Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Step-through frame for easy on/off
- High-quality components including Shimano shifting
- Centrally located, certified battery with good range
Cons:
- Bike drifts sideways on straight roads
- Difficulty keeping rear axle aligned perpendicular
- Assembly required with concerns mentioned by reviewers
Overall Impression
If Viribus is able to improve the design of the bike TriGo Plus E-Trike ($849.99), we’re sure it could become a fan favorite as a stable, low-speed, short-distance commuter/cargo bike.
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