@@47f0 The point of a bike is to exercise by pedalling while going somewhere, the electric motor is meant to be an assistance. If you think it's the other way around, you're failing at life...
E-bikes are not bikes, not motorcycles, not cars. For some people and some situations they are the perfect tool. Do you not ride a car because you might run out of gas? You can get good exercise on an ebike, it is a lot easier to do on bikes with torque sensors. And, guess what, not all of the population is young and fit . Just wait until you get old. For a lot of us, the choice is between riding an ebike and not riding at all.
@@FMuscleZ28good luck pedaling for prolonged periods of time on a ebike with a recuperating wheel, it's like riding a resistance training machine. I work on me ebike and am extremely fit, shit can be better than walkimg on flat terrain, but the second there's an uphill section I jump off and take a walk
I have an e-bike that I bought almost a year ago now. My situation is lack of bike shops and most you find, want nothing to do with e-bikes. The situation is even worse because of a lack of an owner's manual that covers operations, scheduled maintenance, and repairs. Are there any manuals available that cover generic e-bikes? Yes, I did go with 4" fat tires because the roads around here are horrible!!! Harpo Marx can make a musical instrument of my 10-speed 27" English racer with 1.25" wheels, by plucking the spokes! LoL
My story is I've got fat tyre bike 20x4 ins tyres my problem is can't ride bike seat or what I shoud be say is the distance from seat to peddle is to short in trying to heighten my seat using pvc so I've gained 3ins still my knee comes to high. I'm 5ft 7ins these bikes from China there for people 5ft2or3ins. That bike you are giving away looks better to peddle by the way I'm 75yrs old I've had ebikes for years well about five mostly kits from China I bought this bike from amazon so I've done the bike yup a bit I love fabricateing change and work the job out. I watch all your videos because you have great ideas like what you said in this vidio I wish we had the same weather even in summer ists not hot all the time the UK we get to much rain no good for ebikes merry Xmas
I'm looking for an electric trike that's not high to step into. I'm disabled and currently use a 4 wheel mobility scooter. I want to go more places. Any recommendations?
Ever seen a drunk pig wallowing around on roller skates? That. I run 700cX42 Continental's on my 250 watt e-bike, and routinely leave 750 watt fat tire bikes far behind if the route is twisty.
I am disabled and would need a 3 wheel bike for balance How does a 3 wheel bike compare to a standard ebike Are they going to be slower with less riding distance
If the tires are the same width as a bicycle’s, upright trikes will have both more rolling resistance and air resistance. Recumbent ones where you sit low and lean back have more rolling resistance and similar or less air resistance. While in general you will be moving more slowly, you have advantages such as stability at low speed and even being able to rest on your trike comfortably when stopped. Just look for a model that has a parking brake function should you need to leave it parked on a slope. The tadpole type, with two wheels in front, is more stable in turns than the delta type with two wheels in back. You will want to take turns more slowly than you would on a bicycle, even on a tadpole trike. Lean your upper body to the inside of turns to regain some stability. One thing I didn’t consider before I got a trike is you have to worry about more debris or potholes as you need to clear three versus mostly one track for your tires.
Fat tires are a gimmick on an eBike for an average rider - just wastes energy! I wouldn't even consider a tire fatter than a 3" tire, 2" - 2.5" tires are what I prefer - more nimble than fat tires, a plusher ride than thinner road tires, and reactive enough to be able to make quick, tight turns. I suspect eBike manufacturers started offering fat tires because they are so much cheaper than offering a decent suspension. Adding more unsprung mass is never a good thing.
This is really a North American thing, where anything that is elegant and efficient is regarded with disdain, and Mom really needs a Lincoln Navigator or Nissan Armada to take the 8-year-old to school. In other markets these obese rolling barcaloungers are anomalous.
You neglected to mention a pump, so you can reinflate when you get back to the road from off roading. I'm guessing you're talking about tubless tires because the pressures you mentioned seem low to me. A spare tube or 2 would be wise for off roading and/or a puncture repair kit (for tubeless tires). If I get more than a mile from paved roads I take spares of most things, including a chain, a couple of spokes, tire brush &, in winter, some warming pads.
I love my fat tire e-bike. It has 26x4 fat tires and a torque sensor. I find the sweet spot for inflation to be 17 lbs. My travels are mostly on rural highways and I feel safe and confident with the large fat tires because I often have to go from the blacktop to the soft shoulder and back to move over for cars and trucks, and the fat tires handle the transition with ease and safety. And since I have upgraded the gearing on my e-bike to a proper 52T chainring with an 11-34 freewheel, the torque senser is an absolute joy to use now. No more ghost pedaling! I can now cruise at a comfortable speed of 25 mph verses the old 14 mph, and with my 20 Ah battery I can easily travel 50+ miles on a charge. With my new gearing and fat tires my e-bike now feels like a Ferrari with a good dose of Hummer rolled in lol! 😀👍 It's awesome. 😎
Love my 4x20s on my Revv1. Defiantly did the second battery. Also did the Tannus Armour after a rear flat… no fun. The Tannus Armour and Flat Out do make the ride feel very different but gives a sense of safety
I have fat bike with 26 x 4.5 inch tires that I use almost exclusively in snow, so the extra size and width are important. However it is worth emphasizing that fat tires greatly increase the size and weight of the bike. This is especially true of the 27.5 inch tires, as that creates a super long bike that would not even fit on my Kuat bike rack. And most of these bikes are heavy, so getting them on and off bike racks or on pickup trucks takes some strength. Another tip is that the range can vary enormously from one ride to the next. Riding in soft snow quickly runs down the battery while riding on hard pack can get you three times the range. So it is wise to keep that in mind when setting out on a ride.
A knife or multi-tool for Self-Defense? That's an awful recommendation. Probably the best tool for that is the bike itself. Use your speed and leave. If you can't leave on the bike, you'll need something with a better track record than a knife to avoid injuries. Unless you're very talented in martial arts, a very bright flashlight (1,000 lumens or more) and pepper spray is going to be better. And if you're able and willing to do so responsibly, a firearm is the single most effective tool if faced with a lethal threat you cannot otherwise avoid.
My tip for fat tires is to avoid them like the obesity-loving, SUV-crazed, North American pox on cycling that they are. These are nearly anomalous in other parts of the world, where people actually have a cycling culture. And before we start crying about how you absolutely have to have fat tires the minute you leave pavement, mostly you don't. I used to race cyclocross on sew-ups (tubular tyres) over terrain that 97 percent of these rolling barcaloungers will never see. But, leave it to North Americans to do what they always do. Take something elegant, aesthetic and efficient, like cycling, and turn it into none of those things. Other than that, I like them just fine.
Agree, the 3inch is a good compromise for street/trail (50psi). The huge disadvantage is that there are zero safe fat tires, the casing and tread are as thin as paper. Before riding my new Ebike I filled the tires with Flat-Out military grade flat sealant. It has been a year and no flats, road only (500miles). Comparatively, my off road conventional bicycle is a fat bike (26x4) I have had 5 flats this year (1000miles). Comparatively, my road bikes use 26x2 inch Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, no flats in 4 years (5000 miles per year). I had a 3inch fat (26x3) that came with Duro tires, and what a fantastic mountain bike it was, heavy duty tires, 2 flats in 7 years (1000miles per year) But could not find replacement tires, Duro tires are the best in the world!!! and inexpensive. Why is it in the bike world the best products are shoved out of the way by new products that are advertised as the new and best, are not. Great tires are an extreme rarity. Tires on Ebikes and bicycles is the most important component for safety, fun, and convenience of not having to spend your time on the side of the road repairing flats.
I'm running 26x3" Duro Beach Bums, on my Cruiser, and must agree, mate, they're the closest to motorcycle-style durability, in a bicycle tyre, that I have found.
I have seen your tire advertised, good to know it is as high quality as mine! Isn't that a 3.5 inch wide tire? I think Duro is still making your tires. The tire I wanted was their DH Downhill tire, very difficult to find. @@jasonrivers7518
Fat tires on ebikes that arent made for much off road use are unnecessary. They create more drag making your batteries run out more quickly, along with being much heavier than normal tires which has the same effect. Mountain bikes generally have 2.5 inchh tires and this if for some very harsh use on trails so it is illogical to say you need theese massive heavy tires for offroad use,they are simply something used for marketing on theese ebikes, which arent even designed for actual use out on trails, just get a proper emtb second hand for the same price, it will bestronger and lighter,even faster rolling on roads with the narrower tires.
Thanks for all you do Micah, I bought my fat tire bike two years ago after watching your videos. It is a blast to ride, guaranteed smiles! I rarely use the throttle because of the awesome torque sensor. I consider it an ultra lightweight motorcycle that I control the power with my feet by peddling. Dual batteries, dual motors and full suspension. FlatOut Sportsman Formula - absolutely phenomenal product. Never dries out, which is a problem with Slime🫠. A very eye-opening experience for me was when I drained my innertube of the FlatOut to recapture it, and then filling the tube with air and counting how many punctures the innertube actually endured. I had no clue that there were any holes in the innertube prior to draining the FlatOut. This stuff is absolute magic.
I have a 4x20 and a 4x26 bike, and they handle really well - but the 26 took some time to get used to. But off-road it is more benign going over irregularities, and it's better on going straight - turning is harder. I wanted to add, on road, I feel better in rain or with strong wind with the fat tyres. More friction, more stability. Great explanations overall, thank you.
Secret number one, they are slow. Secret number two they are ugly as hell. Secret number 3 they handle way worse than a normal sized tire. There is virtually no advantage whatsoever to these sluggish ugly fat tire bikes.
@@GNMi79 - It's a custom Matchless 'Urban E-Bike' A bike that Matchless markets as "A two-wheeled SUV" - which pretty much sums up the mentality behind the fat bike market.
As a new rider to the world of 4" tires what are proactive steps we can take to reduce flat tires? As always thanks for all information you give us newer ebike riders.
Don't forget to familiarize yourself with changing a fat tire which is significantly more difficult than a "normal" sized bike tire. It's also a good idea to carry a spare tube and a way to pump up the tire.
@@ferguson8143 Well if its a quick release front wheel but other then that you need tools to take wheel off. I have never done the rear so worried when that happens with the hub motor wires and locking stuff but only worried because I haven't done it yet and sure its me making it seem way more difficult in my mind and probably no big deal. What bike do you have? I have a wired freedom.
You won't see them in China either. This is purely to satisfy the obesity loving, SUV-craving North American market, which strives to take anything elegant, aesthetic and efficient, and make it none of those things.
As far as tools, i have a knife on my left lower leg pocket, and a multitool & lighter on my right lower leg pocket. I also have a bag mounted to my bike with a set of tools. A wrench, vice grip pliers, a full set of hex wrenches, screwdriver with removable bits and a full set of bits, zip ties, a box cutter, and some epoxy. I also keep a lock on a sock in my right pocket for self defense. I also have thigh pockets. One pocket has a bunch of paper towels for blowing/wiping my nose and when its hot, the other one has a small towel for wiping sweat. My pannier also has a jacket for when its colder than expected, 2 spare inner tubes, a flat repair kit, fully-charged inflation device, chain+lock, anti-fog spray, alternate glasses (i have clear, yellow, dark variations of the same model that i can swap based on need), bungie cords, a spare powerbank with microusb and usbc cables. I also have 4 water bottle mounts. 2 on my extended handlebar stem, and one on each side of the lower frame near the front that I will be installing soon. My frame has an extra battery mounted on top, with a power bank mounted on top of that, fully sealed to be waterproof with cables going to a control panel I made that lets me toggle the charging of each device (headlight, rear view camera, speaker, and phone). I have also made a cable that I call "the hydra" it connects to the power bank and has its own own on/off switch then splits off to the 2 rear turn signals, 2 front turn signals, turn signal controller, and 2 hanging microusb ends for charging the turn signals that are mounted to my helmet, with rubber covers attached for when not in use, as the bike and every device mounted to it has been sealed airtight to make everything waterproof. The charging cables are also bonded to each device with epoxy. Since theyre always connected, the control panel lets me decide when to charge them with the push of a button. I also have a custom made usb dongle connected to the power bank which briefly draws 5 volts of power every few seconds to keep the power bank from shutting off. This always-on device prevents the power bank from turning off. I have built up this loadout based on need for tactical preparedness and bad experiences.
Great video. Thank you for what you do. I've never had an e-bike, but would really love to one day. And if I ever can, I would be getting a fat Tire bike. Watching your videos, and seeing the passion in what you do is awesome. Keep up the great work.
What do you think about 24x3 fat-tire e-bikes? Have a 20x4 right now but have been wondering if that's maybe the sweet-spot for me. Since you like the 20x3 so much was wondering what you think about that?
My name is Harland; I'm 69 and I no longer have a car. No one around here has financing for ebikes and I cannot afford to buy one outright. I have a mobility scooter but it only goes 4 miles on a charge. I have copd am on oxy so I cannot walk far, can you help me
Can a 3" tire be used on a bike designed for 20 x 4"tires? How wheels designed for 26 x 4" tires? I'm looking for easier pedaling and longer range for mostly pavement and possibly a little dirt and gravel riding.
good tips as always dude. I totally dig what you said about that sweet spot with the tires. I ve got a 20' bmx that I converted to e-bike. as someone who's always preferred bmx because they are more compact and nimble than mtb but also, like mtb, capable of jumps and bunny hops for fun. I only ride pro grade bmx for quality and endurance. I wouldnt trust a Walmart bike as a frame for an ebike. anyways, I got the widest I could find that would fit the fork, wich was 20x2.75. makes a big difference as far as shock absorption since I have no shocks. If I'm going the distance on smooth road, I raise the psi closer to the stated max to reduce rolling resistance. You're channel has been a great reference for me over the years. Keep rolling brother! 👍😎👍
My friend bought a similar bike like this. Problem is. The front tire when you air it up the tire seems to big for the rim and allows the tube to stick out from between the rim and tire. Rear tire doesn't have this problem. Any ideas?
If you aint willing to pedal/walk your way back out then don't be willing to ride that battery in. See guys all the time stuck because they ran their 4 wheeler out of gas. Can''t walk out because they are out of shape but were willing to depend on that gas engine to get themself into the issue.
I found that the problem with my pedal powerered fat bike is that the 26"x4" tires are very thin and fall victim to "puncture vine" / "caltrop"; an invasive weed. The spikes easily penetrate the tires as I discovered when crossing some grassed park and then found more along the beach dunes. I had to use "Slime" to seal the multiple pin holes. This is the biggest problem, here in tropical Australia: caltrop vine lurking in the sand dunes along the beaches. After much experimentation, I found tire pressures between 12 and 18 psi were best for hard road surfaces. A compromise between drag and comfort. Lower pressures on beach or mud were always offset by the need to traverse many km on bitumen. So: carry a small pump and pressure gauge.
I've got a big tire on the rear as in my case - a foldable bike - that's where all the weight is: hub motor, big battery, rider. In the front I get away with a thin road tire and it helps with handling and feeling the road better.
I got my Juiced Bikes RipCurrent S Fat Tire E-Bike in November 2019 (a "Black Friday" sale) and have averaged about 5K miles on it each year since the 2020 riding season according to my Riding App's. I'd like to add a couple of things to this "Fat Tire" E-Bike subject. About 95% of my riding is on improved Biking Trails or Roads and for that reason I run "Street" 26" x 4.0" Fat tires, usually Origin8 Supercell's or VEE Tire "Zig Zag's". both are Excellent Street Fat Tires. You mentioned that the "rolling resistance" is quite high in E-Bike Fat Tires and therefore your Battery Watt/Hrs consumption rate is going to be higher than standard Street Tires, this is Very True. It's True because your "footprint" of Rubber in contact w/ the Road/Trail is much larger than standard tires, weights & tire pressures being equal. Ever tried riding your Fat tire E-bike w/o Power assist ? You'll be lucky to get past 5th gear, it's Very much a Workout. So, the other side effect of having a Larger tire "footprint" on the ground is that you WILL pick up more Flats. It's pure physics, the more area your tire puts to pavement, the more likely you're going to pick up a nail or wire or whatever can get thru to the Tube (or No Tube for those who like to experiment). I Hate Flats, even though I'm fully tire assemblies start to prepared to deal w/ them on the Trail. Yes, I've tried every sort of Tire Sealant out there and I have my favorite, but, you're STILL going to get those bigger punctures that nearly All sealants just bypass. This gets into my second point. Fat Bike Tires are More Likely to run out of Ballance, simply due to all that added weight of the Wheel & Tire. I've felt badly unbalanced Wheel/Tire assemblies start to Shake & Vibrate around 20-22mph. If you're Lucky, the Tire/Wheel assy will somehow come out closer to a decent Balanced condition and these Vibrations might not be felt until you get over 25mph. So, adding the appropriate amount of liquid Tire sealant, usually around 6 to 8 oz for 26" Fat tires, Will go a Long ways towards "auto-balancing" your Fat Tire assy. I was getting a Flat 2 or 3 times a month, all on the Rear Tire (w/ only one slow leak on the Front tire in 20K miles), and so I invested in a Tannus Armour Tire Insert for the Rear tire only. It Works, as I went an entire season, about 6K miles, w/o a flat and finally got a slow leak that allowed me to make it home. These Tannus Armour Inserts are NOT maintenance free but w/ proper care, you will avoid the vast majority of Flats. There's a tradeoff w/ these Inserts and Most people who've reviewed these foam Inserts have nothing but Bad things to say but in nearly Every Case, they didn't read the instructions fully.
I am unable to master tight, turns with my fat tire E bike. I’ll either almost fall over or sometimes when taking a right turn it doesn’t feel like I have control over it, and I go off the curb onto the side of the road.
That is often a sign of underinflated front tire. When fat tires are too low pressure, they make it hard to turn. But turning your head to look in the direction you want to go can also help by subconsciously forcing the steering even further.
Re pressure, I live in the north north, where there is a mix of asphalt, gravel, sand, and tundra, with snow and ice much of the year. How can I realistically change the pressure so often?
