Well, here’s something a bit different. If you want to move a couple of kids around on an electric bike then there’s a few ways to do that, but not many as elegant as this Butchers & Bicycles trike.

The main issue with a trike is handling: because you can’t lean it into a corner, they’re a lot less stable at even normal riding speeds in a turn. The Butchers & Bicycles approach to rectifiying this is to allow the whole trike to tilt.

Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - tilt on white.jpg
Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - tilt on white (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

It’s a lovely, elegant solution to the problem and also beautifully engineered. The bike uses a wishbone linkage system; the tilt is limited so you won’t fall off it at slow speed. A second linkage joins up the two front wheels to a standard handlebar setup. You get a Tektro hydraulic disc brake on each wheel.

The ABS box at the front has seating for two kids, and a three-point harness for each. You can also fit an Isofix child seat if you have a young child. There’s no clambering in; there’s a full-height door (with a child lock) at the front for easy access.

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Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - motor (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

Assist-wise you get a 250W Bosch Performance Line motor and 400Wh battery. The transmission is an oil-free Gates Carbon belt drive, and at the back you get Nuvinci’s constantly-variable N360 hub which offers infinite adjustment over a 360% ratio range. The Intuvia display on our bike was linked up not only to the motor but to a Supernova lighting system, which two E3 lights at the front and one at the back. That’s an optional extra over the €5,395 (£4,100) base price. It’s not cheap, this one…

You get a city-friendly build, with Schwalbe Big Ben tyres, alloy mudguards and a full-width kickstand. A chainguard would be nice, even with the belt, but that’s not specced as standard. You do get a bungee cord phone holder though! And a cup holder.

Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - phone holder.jpg
Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - phone holder (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

It’s a big machine, this. You’ll need level-access storage or somewhere safe to keep it outside. It won’t fit in most cars. It did fit in Mike’s Renault Espace though. Just.

Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - in espace.jpg
Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E - in espace (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

We’ll be putting the trike through its paces over the next few weeks, so look out for a review soon.

Read more about the trike at http://www.butchersandbicycles.com/