How to ride the Jorvik RIDA electric tricycle
Or how not to ride a Jorvik RIDA
I spent the first half of my ride on the Jorvik RIDA thinking that the electric motor was very subtle. So subtle that I couldn’t even feel it. The colourful display told me I was chugging away at a cheerful 8.5 miles an hour. I thought the electric motor would help me on bridges and hills. However, I was having to get off and push the RIDA up any slight rises. And I obviously didn’t have the correct posture, as my right wrist was getting sore.
Not so easy Jorvik RIDA
I was going so slow that I was not going to arrive at the home of the relative I care for on time. I didn’t dare take the RIDA on the last mile on the main road to their house. Drivers around there are not so tolerant. They wouldn’t appreciate an eejit on an e-trike.
Those Jorvik RIDAs aren’t so bad once you get to know them
It took me an hour to get to the Sandford Substation. I had only hired the Jorvik RIDA for 3 hours. So, I decided to turn back to the Strawberry Line Cycle Project. At least I could get the train from Yatton station and get to my relative’s home sort of on time. The Vikings of yore attacked at speed with their longships. The Jorvik RIDA was a squat sloth in comparison.
The Jorvik RIDA’s Voyage Home
As is my usual way, I got to grips with the Jorvik RIDA on the way back. I finally worked out how to switch on the electric motor. This gave me the electric assist that I had been expecting all along. I was now able to motor at a more reasonable 11.5 miles an hour. You wouldn’t want to go much faster than that on a shared path with dogs and children.
Avoiding the Congresbury Chicane
I decided to avoid the short section of the Strawberry Line path next to the river at Congresbury. It’s too narrow for a tricycle. I also didn’t fancy going down the 90 degree turns in the descent to the road crossing. So I decided to ride on the small stretch of road to and from the road crossing instead.
It helped that there was a turning opposite the small bridge over the Yeo, so that I could check if the traffic was clear in both directions before crossing the road. I must have slept in a funny position the night before, as my neck was sore. I didn’t want to keep turning my head to see what traffic was behind me, so some wing mirrors would have been handy.
Jorvik RIDA’s on a storm
Now that I had the electric motor engaged, hills were a breeze. I had the power set at level 4 (out of 5). I found that I was doing a decent pace without having to pedal much.
This Jorvik RIDA’s not so heavy
I’ve seen photos of other Jorvik models that looked massive with big chunky tires. However, the RIDA didn’t overwhelm me. Indeed, I rode at a decent if steady pace before I worked out how to get the electric assist. This was reassuring, as I know that I can still ride the RIDA if I run out of battery power. If I were to buy this model, then I know that I could still cycle and save the last vestiges of battery power for hills.
The Jorvik RIDA is surprisingly cheap
At the time of writing in May 2026, the Jorvik RIDA is only £1,999.99. However, if you have a disability, you can get VAT relief in the UK, reducing the price to only £1,665.83, a real bargain. Jorvik have designed the RIDA to be their entry-level model. This price is really accessible when compared to other e-cycles.
Will I be a Jorvik RIDA?
Probably not, as I want to work a bit harder on my cycle rides. That sweet spot on the RIDA when I was going 11 miles plus an hour while hardly peddling was a bit too sweet for me.
However, this would be ideal if you wanted the RIDA instead of a mobility scooter. Indeed, I’ve seen a man riding a Jorvik trike as a mobility scooter in Weston-Super-Mare, which I heartily applaud. If you look into the Jorvik story, you’ll see that they were developed by a man who found that there were no suitable, modern accessible trikes for his father with Parkinson’s. So, the Jorvik focus on mobility is deliberate.
Jorvik design the trikes to have a smooth ride over most terrains. Indeed, the RIDA was fine to ride over a path like the Strawberry Line that is bumpy in parts.
Although I don’t think the Jorvik RIDA is for me (yet), at least I have got the hang of riding tricycles this week.
Kevin Mahoney