E bike merged thread

[TobyJug]

I'm considering getting an e-fat bike (fat e-bike?) and it occurred to me that there's probably folks here that can offer good advice (there usually is).  Some of them are almost on par with trials bikes I would imagine.  Somebody here must have one?

[oldbike54]

 Are we discussing those fat tyred bicycles with hub motors ?

 Dusty

[TobyJug]

I was hoping to ?

I've not waded into a skier/snowboarder thing here have I?

[oldbike54]

I was hoping to ?

I've not waded into a skier/snowboarder thing here have I?

  No , just wanted to make sure we are on the same page .

 A friend from East Texas rides one all around Cedar Vale at the Fall rally , he is fairly large , it pulls him fine and looks like fun .

 Dusty

[bigbikerrick]

We have a couple of these Rad Rovers and love them. They are alot of fun.They have a 750 watt motor in the rear hub, top speed af 24 mph,and about a 35 mile range if you dont pedal at all.
Rick

[twowheeladdict]

For me the only advantage would be to expand my riding to bicycle only paths which I don't encounter very often.  And some say no motorized vehicles so you better slow down and pedal when near others.

My Van Van cost me $3000 and can go until I can't find fuel, but can't go on bike paths. 

So, if there are plenty of bike paths for you to enjoy, then go for it.  I hope EVs continue to evolve with more power density and lower costs.

[Wayne Orwig]

I have little interest, I was thinking about getting one as a gift. I have a couple of questions about electric bicycles.

Yesterday I saw what looked like a good deal, on a folding electric bike. It was 350 watt, and claimed it was good for 13 miles.
At 350 watts, about 1/2 horse, is that good enough?
It may occasionally be used on a beach. Does it need fat tires?

What should I look for in an electric bike? I have no clue.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

fat tires 100% on sand...  even more important because electric bikes are HEAVY

Go to your local bike shops, talk to the folks there. There is a lot of junk on the market now, but you can't go wrong if you buy one of the bike shop brands like Specalized, Giant, Trek, Cannondale

My mom and dad just got a couple, a Specialized for her and a Trek for him..  They absolutely love them

[twowheeladdict]

I do not recommend a front hub drive.  A friend got one for his wife because you can not tell it has electric assist by looking at the bike.  Everything is hidden.  When I test rode it I didn't like the feel of the hub motor on the front while navigating turns at speed.

If I do get one eventually, it will be one where I still get exercise, and the electric is there to help maintain speed when climbing hills or riding into a headwind.

I have memories in Daytona Beach, riding a single speed beach cruiser into the wind and leaned over the handlebars pumping for all I was worth just to make headway.  And I was in fantastic shape then. 

How much power the rider needs is really based on where they plan to ride and how they plan to use the bike.  You can always have too little, but never too much regarding power so it really comes down to value.  Why pay for power you will never use. 

[bigbikerrick]

Fat tires help alot in the sand. A forum member recomended Rad powerbikes to me over a year ago. He had a rad mini he used as a "pit bike" and liked it. I bought a pair of their fat tire step through folding bikes, and then bought a pair of full size fat tire mountain bikes, known as the Rad Rover. They have been alot of fun, and my son and his buddy even took the bigger ones deer hunting last year. They are all 750 watt rear hub motors with a planetary gear reduction.
Rick.



www.radpowerbikes.c om

[John Ulrich]

I use 750w Bafang motors on two HP Velotechnic recumbent trikes.  I actually “detune” them to 375ish.  More then enough power to pull me up the steepest hill.  They have 3,000+ issue free smiles on them.

[steven c]

I bought a Rad Rover for my wife but sold it nothing to do with the bike just not a good fit for her. For what they cost I was impressed, better performing then my Robbin moped. Another one that gets good reviews and under a grand is the Lactic XP  https://lectricebikes.com/collections/ebikes/products/xp-step-thru-white?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgomBBhDXARIsAFNyUqMVWBV8ecVqE4RfQ79xZeAdr-buwWj_9gQbr7nhs8M1twb0py5EwYgaAiXEEALw_wcB

[bigbikerrick]

I was just browsing Specialized e bikes. They make some nice machines, but not cheap! The trikes with the bafang motors must be a hoot to ride, John! Those are some high quality machines as well.
Rick.

[Milosh]

I'm a professional bicycle mechanic.

Yes you need big tires for the beach. Either 27.5+ or 26" fat tire bicycle.

Most of the stuff you're going to see on the Bezos machine are not worth the money. They're made with knock-off parts that are difficult to set up, difficult to use, and will break with any kind of regular use.

I wouldn't go with Specialized or Trek because you're paying for their marketing budget.

There's a Norco BigFoot VLT 2 that's a pretty good e-fatbike that my buddy has. It's 500Wh, I believe Shimano motor with SRAM components.

But if it were me, I'd just get a regular fat bike, like a Fuji Wendigo or Surly Ice Cream Truck.

I hope this helps. Feel free to DM me.

[Wayne Orwig]

So what I sort of gather:
350 watts is probably fine.
Fat tires are almost required for sand use.

The issue I have is that it will likely not even get 100 miles use in it's lifetime. It is for someone that talks about it, but really, never will use it. So I would hate to spend $30 a mile for it, if you know what I mean.

I would simply get the cheap Costco one that I saw, the reviews were actually pretty good. And it folds up small, which is good. But it has narrow 14 inch wheels, and I am sure would not work in the sand.

[Wayne Orwig]

Here is another question.

Can an e-bike, with pedals, be legally ridden on a bicycle only trail? I have to guess that places that restrict anything with a motor, and they probably should.

[bigbikerrick]

A class 2 electric bike, should be allowed on any bike trails or paths that allow regular bicycles. They have a top speed of 20 mph. using electric assist. thats what the bikes we have are classified as.
Rick.