E-Bike for heavy broken peeps…

[tirebob]

Hey all,

I am slowly getting my weight and other shit in order and want to start getting out on a bike this year but I also want it to be fun and casual and not a chore so I keep with it, so I have been looking into something like a fat tire e-bike. I am not just wanting to get out and just road ride, but I sure as hell am not going to be downhilling and stump jumping crazy full suspension mountain bike style. Something more for a combo of riding around town but going off the beaten path in some dirt and the hills. Maybe get out fishing and a bit of hunting kind of thing. Basically some pedal assist as well as throttle only control. Slowly work up my stamina and strength but can still get out and about…

I am not looking to go an spend crazy 5 figure money like I see Specialized and Trek full suspension stuff for the Uber hardcore, but I am not looking for shit either. Just decent and solid.

Does anyone here have any personal experience with such things?

[killramos]

Paging @Buster

[Buster]

I'm not sure what the best application is for you. I'm not a fan of fatbikes, and I'm not sure how good the fatbike e-bike tech is. Can I ask what you weigh at the moment?

[tirebob]

Like 265/270 ish depending on the day… still trending down though.

It isn’t so much I am a fan of fat tire bikes, but speaking more practically, for the type of surfaces I want to go on outside of pavement, with soft loose ground the wider footprint is apparently legitimately better and I am also thinking with my relatively severe lower back arthritis the extra cushion on the tire is beneficial.

Again, I am not wanting to go out and roar around or win any races and show off. This is just more about being able to go where I want to go with it and have some casual riding fun and be healthier, but I do like relative quality.

[Buster]

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Like 265/270 ish depending on the day… still trending down though.

It isn’t so much I am a fan of fat tire bikes, but speaking more practically, for the type of surfaces I want to go on outside of pavement, with soft loose ground the wider footprint is apparently legitimately better and I am also thinking with my relatively severe lower back arthritis the extra cushion on the tire is beneficial.

Again, I am not wanting to go out and roar around or win any races and show off. This is just more about being able to go where I want to go with it and have some casual riding fun and be healthier, but I do like relative quality.

That weight is marginal in terms of full suspension bikes. They aren't really designed around people who are a heavy, as the suspension designs simply arent optimized for it. It does sound like a fatbike is a pretty good choice, although I'm not sure what the tech trickle down for fatbikes is from the standard ebikes. I do have a specialized, and I like the tech there.

[tirebob]

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That weight is marginal in terms of full suspension bikes. They aren't really designed around people who are a heavy, as the suspension designs simply arent optimized for it. It does sound like a fatbike is a pretty good choice, although I'm not sure what the tech trickle down for fatbikes is from the standard ebikes. I do have a specialized, and I like the tech there.

Yeah I have all the confidence in the world in the tech and quality of Specialized and Trek as well, but I think they would be just outside of my initial needs. Maybe in a couple years if I take to riding regular and in different way, but to start I am leaning fatbike. It just seems like all the actual fatbike makers are not the big more known names, so trying to research down the rest is what I have been up to, and for the most part all the stuff one finds online feels more like the actual manufacturers marketing propaganda than real world reviews etc. That was why I was hoping maybe some beyonders are some users.

[Buster]

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Yeah I have all the confidence in the world in the tech and quality of Specialized and Trek as well, but I think they would be just outside of my initial needs. Maybe in a couple years if I take to riding regular and in different way, but to start I am leaning fatbike. It just seems like all the actual fatbike makers are not the big more known names, so trying to research down the rest is what I have been up to, and for the most part all the stuff one finds online feels more like the actual manufacturers marketing propaganda than real world reviews etc. That was why I was hoping maybe some beyonders are some users.

I think the Trek Farley is the most popular fatbike?

[tirebob]

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I think the Trek Farley is the most popular fatbike?

Yeah saw that bike but no e-version I can see…

[Buster]

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Yeah saw that bike but no e-version I can see…

i think the big guys are coming out with ebike versions en masse shortly.

[tirebob]

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i think the big guys are coming out with ebike versions en masse shortly.

The Trek Rail is pretty close to what would work but not quite what I want… I am always watching though!

[tirebob]

There are companies that seem to be popular with the hunting community but again, they are upstarts. They use a lot of major name parts but I am still a bit leery of the China electrics. Maybe that is a bit silly though as I imagine even though the majors all have better name stuff, they are probably mostly China anyways…

https://quietkat.com/en-ca

https://www.biktrix.ca/pages/ebikes

https://rambobikes.ca/

[ExtraSlow]

the electronics are from china with every brand.

[AndyL]

Grab the Costco ebgo(?) One see if it works for ya - return if it doesn't? Can't see the fat tire ones being a great choice as a heavy weight, just kill the battery faster, even if they do look cool.

[tirebob]

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the electronics are from china with every brand.

Yeah agreed, but is a Bosch motor made in China better than a Bafang (which seems really popular on e-bikes) motor? I honestly don’t know if it is a massive difference…

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… Can't see the fat tire ones being a great choice as a heavy weight, just kill the battery faster, even if they do look cool.

That really comes down to battery though it seems, as well as how you ride it. A lot of the hunter guys seem to suggest they get a long ass way out into severe back country and home no problem. Really, I am not looking to ride all day non-stop.

[AndyL]

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That really comes down to battery though it seems, as well as how you ride it. A lot of the hunter guys seem to suggest they get a long ass way out into severe back country and home no problem. Really, I am not looking to ride all day non-stop.

Rolling resistance + weight, it's not insignificant on an ebike - my little minipro lost 15-20% range when I threw the big knobbies on...

[tirebob]

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Rolling resistance + weight, it's not insignificant on an ebike - my little minipro lost 15-20% range when I threw the big knobbies on...

Oh I get what you are saying for sure… I am just speaking more to what the bike is designed for rather than retrofitting/changing from another design and comparing the difference. If I know already what I am expecting ahead of time when I buy it I am okay with that.

[ExtraSlow]

The awesome thing about an e-fat is that the e kinda takes away the downsides of the fat.

[suntan]

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Yeah agreed, but is a Bosch motor made in China better than a Bafang (which seems really popular on e-bikes) motor? I honestly don’t know if it is a massive difference…




That really comes down to battery though it seems, as well as how you ride it. A lot of the hunter guys seem to suggest they get a long ass way out into severe back country and home no problem. Really, I am not looking to ride all day non-stop.

Bosch motors go where the petals are. The Bafang motors go on the rear wheel.

There are different levels of assistance. If you use the lowest level the battery will last days. If you use the highest level and go up hills the entire time on the lowest gear your battery might last an hour.

[tirebob]

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Bosch motors go where the petals are. The Bafang motors go on the rear wheel.

There are different levels of assistance. If you use the lowest level the battery will last days. If you use the highest level and go up hills the entire time on the lowest gear your battery might last an hour.

Bafang actually makes mid-drive motors as well…

https://bafang-e.com/en/products/motors/m-series/m620/

https://www.biktrix.ca/pages/biktrix...-electric-bike

[suntan]

It’s been a while for me, good to see.

That one you linked would be good for you I think.