The Mooncool TK1 Folding trike is designated a Class 2 electric tricycle, offering throttle and pedal-assisted speeds up to 16 mph with a total of five pedal assist levels. Like many similar models we’ve tested, this trike has a cadence sensor, so the motor dishes out power as long as the cranks are turning, and it also has preset speed limits in each riding mode.
I tested the trike on a flat section of the Virgin River Trail System here in Southern Utah, riding in each assist level to determine its preset limits and ensure it could reach its advertised maximum speed. I also tested its throttle to evaluate the speed and forcefulness of its acceleration. See the graph above for my pedal test results.
As shown by the data, the trike’s five speed limits are rather evenly spaced, which is what we like to see in this test. With roughly a two mph difference in speed between each assist level, the pedal assist system offers a fairly granular level of control over your speed. We find this pattern to be intuitive, as the increase in speed when moving up to the next level simply feels “right.”
If you’re new to electric trikes, I recommend starting off slow with the lowest power level and working your way up, especially considering some handling characteristics I’ll go into more detail about in the Ride Quality section below.
When moving up through the TK1’s assist levels, I noticed that its motor would give a noticeable boost in speed up front. Those jumps in power could be a little surprising to new riders, but I found them fun—and to be clear, I don’t think they caused the TK1 to feel out of control.
In my experience, the lowest couple of power levels felt great for getting used to the trike or conserving battery power. The power and speed of PAS 3 felt appropriate for casual cruising. Finally, the higher output of PAS 4 and PAS 5 seemed best for getting around faster or climbing hills (though we formally tested the TK1’s climbing power separately).
I mentioned that the trike’s advertised maximum speed is 16 miles per hour, but as my results showed, the highest speed I reached was 15.5 mph (with both throttle and pedal assist). Ultimately, slower speeds are safer on a trike, so I don’t mind that I never reached 16 mph (a lighter rider may find it possible), but the difference is something to be aware of.
Also, as something to be aware of, I noticed that the TK1 started to ghost pedal between 13 and 14 miles per hour. Ghost pedaling results in two options: the rider can either pedal uncomfortably fast to contribute to moving the trike, or relax and turn the cranks casually to keep the motor moving. I usually did the latter.
For the record, ghost pedaling isn’t bad or unusual on a single-speed trike, as it creates a relaxed and low-effort pedaling experience. Most trikes that I’ve tested ghost pedaled to some degree, but the phenomenon is something to consider for those expecting the TK1 to feel like riding a bike.
As a final note about pedaling, I found that the motor engaged after roughly a half-turn of the cranks. It was somewhat difficult to start pedaling from a standstill, with a fair amount of pressure required to turn the cranks, so I’d likely recommend using the throttle to get moving and pedaling once the trike is up to speed.
When testing the trike’s throttle, I found that it built steadily in power up to 15.5 mph without feeling sluggish or overpowered. It felt safe and controlled, so I think the throttle’s programming worked well.
