I got a fat tire bike because I got back into biking at 400 lbs (down from 490 and now at 360.) I look forward to being able to ride more traditional bikes as I lose more weight, but that’s not something that can be done overnight or even within a year (safely and healthily) I love the fact that my bike was able to get me back into something I loved doing as a kid/teenager.

I bought a RadRover fat tire e-bike four years ago. I now have 5,000 miles on the odometer. I am 75 years old. I rode standard mountain bikes for many years, but going UP steep hills and the severe muscular agony involved seemed to cause me to ride my mountain bike very infrequently as I got older. Fat Tire e-bikes simply remove the agony of traveling uphill. The electric motor can be engaged when traveling uphill, and when traveling downhill or on flat ground the electric motor need not be engaged at all. I also have a cargo trailer for my RadRover for trips to the grocery store. I would recommend ALL people getting on in years to buy a fat tire e-bike. The fat tire e-bike will cause elderly people to get out of the house and exercise - and daily exercise can add years to the life expectancy of the elderly. Fat tire e-bikes can become a 'fountain of youth' for the elderly.

I 'm 62 @ 250lbs and I've ridden my entire life. Had great bikes in all categories. I LOVE MY FAT EBIKE, more than any other bike I've ever owned. No down sides that bother me at all. It's a different thing and I ride within my parameters. Love the bike, the gear and the tools. I have a 52V 21AH battery and a Grin charger. Endless range. Incredible metrics on the LCD. So here's 1 vote FOR fat ebikes.

I've had my Aventon Aventure since July of 2022. The reason why I bought that particular model is that it can carry up to 400 lbs. When I started biking, I was over 300 lbs and I dropped down to 286 lbs. Most ebikes I found had the weight capacity of 300 to 330 lbs and at my weight, I was afraid that the bike would actually break down prematurely. Given that bit of reasoning, I was happy to find a bike that could carry more than my own weight because I knew the bike would hold up to my weight and whatever I needed to carry on my trip. Another thing I really enjoy about my bike is that the 750 watt motor it has can easily help me get uphill because I live in a city that was built on a hilly terrain. I also hated having to strain myself to get my bike up a hill. Having to get off of my bike and walk it uphill was always my solution for hills. That just took the fun of bike riding away for me. My bike has even allowed me to leave my car at home when I have somewhere to go. For all the things this bike has done for me, I have no regrets buying one.

I have been riding my Himiway step-thru cruiser for two years. It's a perfect fit for a three hundred pound old dude, I enjoyed over 1600 miles of a combination of on and off road. I did change the forward chain sprocket to deal with ghost peddling issues at higher speeds, put a nice comfortable saddle, and upgraded to hydraulics brakes. I average 48 to 60 miles on one battery depending on the terrain. {Riding it like a bicycle, not a moped} I carry an extra battery to give me the extra range. Batteries are not cheep about 500 bucks{US} All in all very happy with it, totally agree they are not for everyone.

"...monster truck for the street." That is exactly what I want. My last bike accident landed me in the hospital for 4 days because my road bike's front tire slipped into a concrete expansion space here in SoCal, sending me over the handle bars. I no longer ride, but if I did, I want the widest tire.

I'm a 50 year old man, 6' 3/4" tall and 180lbs who's first ebike will be arriving in the beginning of the new year. I appreciate the knowledge you're sharing in your videos and your take on fat tires. I dont know yet how much winter riding I'll do once it arrives, we're having a mild winter here in Alberta (-14C as an overnight low, which is very warm for this time of year) so far, if it keeps up i may do more riding than I'd normally even consider. I went with the eahora hedonic cupid that was just released which comes with 20"x 3" tires, been binge watching your videos to glean some knowledge, get some ideas for a second bike down the road and along with those reasons it scratches the itch while i wait for my ebike. IMO you are the best reviewer of this type of product and i appreciate the way you present your videos, thank you

LOTS of good info here, and the part about factory range testing being done by a little dog had me dying! You can calculate the battery watt hours and divide that by the range estimates, and no e-bike is going to use only 8Wh per mile. 20 to 30Wh per mile is more realistic for the typical stock 750 watt fat tire. On my own bike I can get the power usage down to 18Wh per mile, but that's with pedaling instead of throttle. I found that, on my particular bike, 150 watts compensates for the extra weight of the bike, and makes pedaling effort the same as my regular bikes. I guess I'll be the oddball and say I ride my fat tire e-bike on actual mountain bike trails regularly, with drops and climbs up to 38%. My front wheel is surprisingly light at 7.4 pounds, and that includes all the axle hardware, upgraded floating rotor, and at the moment, some mud. It's only 3.3 inch wide tires though, so that helps with the weight and nimbleness. Is a Sur Ron better for off road? Of course, but then we're comparing an electric motorcycle to an e-bike. Torque is wonderful, and I was reminded of this on a group ride in Maryland. The lead riders were taking the "Seven Hills" in Endicott at 40mph, while some e-bikes couldn't even MAKE it up the hills and had to be walked. I'm glad I was in the first group, but felt bad for the second. My bike is an oddball because fitting IN my trunk was a requirement. It's a RadMini running Tesla batteries and a 96amp Phaserunner feeding a 3kw hub motor, and it has crashed a few times due to flipping, but it still looks stock. A fat tire works as a good all-rounder for me: I can ride state parks and bike paths in true class 2 mode, go on group rides with gas mopeds, PEV's, Sur Ron's and Onyx's, and also hit the trails. (PS: I'm not normal 🤣)

Assistance going up hills is the main reason I bought my fat tire Lectric 3.0. So, your recommendation on comfort and inclines tells me I bought just the right thing! I love it.

I got the Himiway Cruiser over a year ago and it's my first ebike but it came with everything I need to be mobile around town without a license, gas and car insurance. I loaded up the rear with a trunk & pannier bags and do grocery shopping & deliver orders to the post office from my small business. IDK if it was the best choice but the speed and acceleration make things feel a lot safer when I can get past busy roads as fast as possible

I found this very helpful. I was buying an Amazon e-bike based on the motor, and overlooking the type of breaks. Surely, it had mechanical disc brakes on a big heavy bike. Thanks for the save!

I bought a used 26 inch mt bike from around 2003 and put a brand new air fork on it and a 750 watt mid drive kit and its freaking crazy cool. I got about $1800 total in it. I had a fat tire 750 watt bike it it was cool but I prefer the mt bike set up better. I also have a step through frame with a little smaller motor rear hub its cool and great for the wife but again, the conversion mt bike is the way to go for me.

In a small to mid size city like Madison Wisconsin with many hills at various inclines, as well as winter and terrible roads, my new haro skwad was the correct choice. It's a much smoother ride and while the mileage isn't great, it's more than sufficient. The extra torque and comfortablility on this bike and of course, the fat 4" tires, makes this ride much better than the other ebikes I've had the privilege to ride in the same locations. Admittedly, the extreme torque at lights and stop signs allows me to feel safe and comfortable on roads during rush hour because I don't fall behind traffic whatsoever and have complete control. The control and agility during these times because of the 4" fat tires makes this bike extra special. I also want to mention that the agility and control on heavier fat tire bikes comes from quicker initial speeds as well as speeds over 15mph. Agility and control. Fat tires aren't for everyone or all environments. I'd recommend torque for hilly locations and cities, I'd recommend fat tires for anything other than long-distance competitions. A few years from now, battery power, range, and weight of bikes shouldn't be an issue, so ride what you enjoy, get comfy, and wait for the ebike revolution you already prepared for. It's coming. Lastly, the mostly objective or "true" points you made about "fat tire" bikes are also mostly irrelevant and these issues are subjective ones based on many other factors, some I listed already.

Why not get both and weld them together and make an e-bike battleship?

I see your points, and would still take the comfort of the tire size any day. Aventon's Aventure is actually balanced much more considerately of the added drag/resistance, and with decent hip strength it can be made to maneuver as one would expect and want it to. However, the tire pressure is something of a touch-and-go affair vs. other cycling modes, as you'll want less pressure off of the pavement to preserve trails and increase grip on iffy terrain. It also looks mean, and my bike always receives compliments where I stop.

Hey! What a thorough video. Thanks! Just thought I'd mention something which I was specifically looking for: adherence during rainy days. Thin tires really worry me during rainy days since it's much easier to lose grip than on cars or even motorbikes... I also think there is rarely any kind of braking assist on e-bikes, which motorbikes always have. I think fat tires might be really advantageous in this regard, and even the increased bike weight! Correct me if I'm wrong! Cheers

Many good points here. For my second bike I somewhat reluctantly went with another fat tire bike. Virtually every value priced bike meeting your other criteria has fat tires. It’s probably become a marketing issue because it reminds many people of motorcycles and they’ll look cool. I went with the Kepler. Fast, excellent torque, Bafang hub motor. Is it perfect for everybody? No, but what is? My other comment is sort of obvious-the more you pedal the greater the range. Most bike monitors show you the watts you’re using as you go. Sort of the equivalent of mph.

I've had my Aventure fat tire about a year now. Love it. No maintenance issues. SMooth powerful ride. I unlocked mine to get 30 mph speed. Hills don't exist unless I'm feeling masochistic for some reason. They are heavy as hell, so riding without motor assist is a dirge. If you want "exercise" you can get it by pedaling yourself, but it's not enjoyable like a lightweight geared bike. Definitely replace the seat column with a piston-style for 40 or 50 bucks and a more padded seat - WELL WORTH IT for the comfort. You can take the fat tires through just about anything - mud, sand, snow, gravel, potholes, over curbs, up grass hills, through neighbors flower beds - they're awesome.

I've watched tons of ebike reviews and imo yours are in a class above the rest. Always super informative, clear, concise, with a smidge of comedy, plus your 20% hill climb test is so revealing, really separates the wheat from the chaff if you catch my drift. Most reviewers barely cover any significant hills, and that to me is mind boggling. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience! Great job!

I've run a rad city 3 step thru for 4 years with 26x2.3 inch tires with the red foam tire armor, modified front suspension (air instead of spring) zoom hydronic disk brakes, sr suntour suspension seat post and some other mods. The 750watt direct drive motor offers acceptable performance in most flat areas but with incredible efficiency. Even with my old battery I get 60 miles to a charger on eco mode. It's a super comfy ride and we'll performing. Running strong after 4 years and 12,000 miles

Since I use a mix of ebikes and city buses and trains, I make sure my tires/wheels are thin enough to be secured in the wheel brackets provided for that purpose on the city vehicles. Fat tires may limit your ability to use city buses or trains. A large percentage of the time I've found a fat tire will not fit in the wheel brackets often provided on these vehicles, and most vehicle operators will not let you take your bike on board if they don't fit those brackets. I've found SOME city trains allow one to keep the bike on its wheels as long as it's not too crowded and one stays with the bike...but they may make you get off the train if passenger conditions change.

I’ve had an electric bike I bought 7 years ago, and the weight of the bike with the battery plus my range was less than 20miles wasn’t what I wanted so I sold it.Starting to look around again, but I’m 63 years old,and I do appreciate the excersize get from my Mongoose Rockadile. Thanks for the informative video,Tim from Southern Oregon😊 PS. Be safe out there!

Great video with honest insight and experience! Thank you! I opted for a non-fat tire bike mainly for better agility, less attention getting, and no issues fitting in bike racks for parking when required. Have a 1000W motor with lots of power, so no issues there.

I once rode a fatbike alone for the last kilometer because the battery was dead, with a trailer and a total weight of about 45-50 kg and my 65 kg. Through the woods and on the road, it was disgusting. But when both batteries work, both 48v 18 ah, they are enough for about 100 km and drive quite with a smile.

I rode a fat tire bike once. It made me get rid of my regular bike and I now have a fat tire bike of a very trusted brand. It is far superior to any traditional bike I’ve ever ridden in comfort, stability and power. I'll never own a skinny tire bike again!

For me, the commute forced me to choose a narrower tire for greater speed with less effort. Having a fat tire e-bike gives me the versatility of a MTB with the added benefit of powered drive. I just did 60 miles on a 14AH battery with a mix of pedaling, pedal assist and pure throttle. My Wallke X3 Pro is a blast and makes short work of hills and any kind of terrain. It also turns heads anywhere I go. I don't recommend taking any kind of bike into soft sand.

Happy subscriber and especially for reviews like this. I'm 70 and got the Rad Rover 6 Plus Step Through to help me recover from cancer surgery. I added the large basket on the back so the total weight is about 90 lbs. It is a beast but I love it and your in depth reviews led me to this choice. Thanks.

Some good points made here. I have a fat tire bike. The biggest improvement I have made is to get rid of the knobbies (I do not ride sand or very loose dirt) and put on some Origin 8 Supercell tires. Incredible change! Now there is NO whiney tire noise and the ride is much much smoother. I can still ride dirt trails, grass, light sandy stuff and do not need some kind of offroad grippy knobbies. The best thing about fat tires though is how comfortable and plush the ride is. I run about 15lb and it just cushy and plush. Awesome.

When I was young, living with my parents, I had a thin tyred street bike. Then we moved to a semi rural house on 20 acres with a gravel road. I got about 2 feet past the front gate whereas the tires sunk straight into the gravel - the end of my bike days. The only answer I could see was fat tires, however fitting them to my street bike was not on, it would require so much work that it was ridiculous. Nice to see the downsides of them, I didn't think there were many, as they seem so popular.

Your reviews are the BEST. Thank you for explaining everything about e-bikes in such detail and honesty. The mid drives are far more natural feeling to ride but way too expensive.

I think it depends on the kind of beach you intend to ride on. I took my Segway ninebot max scooter to the central Oregon coast last weekend. It was amazing on the sand. This beach had a very gradual slope, almost flat. The hard pack surf sand extended a good 50 ft up from the surf. Even with 10x2.5" tires, it just glided over the sand with ease. Barely left a mark behind me. The cold headwinds were the only downside.

One thing that seems to only exist on fat tire ebikes for some reson that I really want to see more is a step through design. It just opens up more usable scenarios where you can use it

In central Canada our roads are really, really bad So if your bike tires are not relatively fat and run at low pressure, you will get your nads rattled And sometimes your rims will suffer terminal impact damage A carbon fiber fatty is a good compromise

The biggest issue is that most manufactured complete fat Ebike are garbage. They are cheaply made and the motors are not sufficient for the bike itself. Now I personally built myself a Ebike. I did tons of research I wanted to be able to ride it all year round including winter with snow. Fattire bikes are better in winter your not sliding all over the place and have more stability . I built mine with 52v 24ah battery and have 2 with my complete build cost me $1700 with 2 batteries included and I have done some long tours and have gotten from 35 to 45 miles per battery. My advice is do not waste your money on prebuilt fat tire ebikes your going to get garbage and pay a premium especially if your heavy set and are getting the bike for health reasons. Your better off buying something a ebike kit and slapping it on a decent fat tire bike you will pay less and get better bike for your money.

I recently got a fat bike on sale, about $1150 US and it is pretty smooth shifting and accellerating. As the video says it weighs over 60 lbs. and feels pretty sketchy on a moderately technical trail, but it can be done. Since a Turbo Levo is $8000, for someone who wants to ride easier trails through the woods, for fun and a bit of exercise, or to work on sunny days this is a very viable option. It came with a defective battery but the company looked after me quickly and I can get over 30 miles on a charge pedalling steadily but not working too hard. I was disapointed the fat tires didn't get me through snow any better than my 2.6 mountain bike does, (it's acoustic). But less air and a more aggressive tread could help.

Ive been riding a 21' Specialized Turbo Vado SL for 2 years and its their lightest ebike at 33 lbs , its a blast to ride and you can pedal it anywhere even with no assist at all because its so light

Great advice!! I also agree, make sure you have good brakes!

Thanks big guy!! I have been looking at the different models available and now because you have gone into details I didn't realize were would be issues for me specifically, I can weed out a lot of the models. Keep up the awesome content and I can't wait to check out more on your channel because this review got me to subscribe. Stay safe, healthy and as happy as you possibly can be. 🤘😁👍

I love my 26" Fat Ike. They are more cumbersome. Especially after mounting 3 batteries, but I'm used to the turn radius and extra inertia.

One thing not mentioned is bike racks. Those 4" tires are not going to fit on my bike Rack and I don't think they will the City bus rack. But then I haven't tried it, as I haven't bought an E-bike yet. I may just wait for thinner tires

1 word: SNOW...it's winter A LOT up here...

You also helped understand better whether or not i need fat tires. Not. You saved me some serious money with this 1 tip, explanation. Thank you.

I ride my Rad Expand 5 off road all the time, I enjoy going slow so I don't need more than 750W. My fat tires are the most useful when commuting in the snow or when I'm on a street that's under construction, which is pretty much every street in my city at all times.

Wow. Thanks for the review. Still trying to choose an E-bike. This helps a lot.

I agree with you about the brakes both with type and disk diameter. Though, knobby tires and low tire pressure will likely slow you down and lessen your range than the width of the tire, which might slightly affect air resistance. The tire diameter might also affect range more than width. It takes a lot of power to make a little low-pitched noise. The noise one hears from the knobby tires--is your battery energy being turned in heat--that makes the tires wear faster. Part of the reason why they put fat tires on large motor'ed bikes likely has a lot to do with the additional battery weight. If you put a say, a 20-30lbs battery on a skinny tire'ed bike with no suspension and short spokes from the implementation of a hub motor, you will more likely break spokes than a fat tire'ed bike. When you hit a bump, the energy has to go somewhere. If it can't lift the bike, bend the tire or the spokes, herniate your back and neck, then it might break a spokes. Though, if you had dual suspension, you could run a more skinny tire with a heavy battery with fewer problems. The lingering detail is: now you have a faster, heavier bike with a small tire contact patch, so it might be best to slow down for the corners, and now braking distance is an issue because of the weight. In a velodrome, suspension doesn't make sense for bikes, but the real world has pot holes, speed bumps, and curbs. Also, chronically compressed cartilage doesn't really get better as one ages. Sometimes it rains, and I would rather have a fat tired bike than a skinny one when someone makes a left-hand turn in front of me. I have once had a snakebite (rim contact pinch-flat) on a street tire. I should think that they come up more in skinny tired ebikes. Though out in CA, it's glass, nails, and even goathead's (twin thorned seeds), on the street. Because there are tradeoffs, it's easier to make a skinny tire handle high pressures. Something like 26" Maxis Hookworm can handle 60lbs of pressure. I don't see that happening to a 4" tire, any time soon. If you have a lot of riders who ride at the beach, perhaps you could make a video on how to safely clean the salt from the bikes without damaging them. On the cheap, something like fluid-film can be dabbed on screw heads and sprayed on derailleurs to keep them from rusting, which looks really bad. There are other brands of rust-preventative. Personally, I've been testing it on a lock that's been outside for year so far. I really wish all bike fasteners were stainless steel. Oddly, I have seen a pro bike mechanic use...wax on the screw threads. Anti-seize might be save for some screws. In other places thread-lock might be safer. Ebike wiring should be protected from salt spray. Such protection in ebikes never seems adequate. Diaelectric grease might help protect connectors, as long as it plays well with the plastic in the connectors. Water intrusion will ruin even a Bosch mid-drive. There are videos on how to rebuild them. Replacement parts are an issue for most ebikes. We need an all-American ebike company.

1:25 I'm curious how you feel about the 3 inch tires in the 26 to 29 inch range? (5'11" / 175 lbs) I'm asking because I'm a little older and I've heard that tire bikes are little more stable and offer a little more shock-absorbing ability which sounds good to somebody who in his mid 50s isn't quite as resilient as I once was and I don't just bounce back up instantly like I used to so ideally I'm looking to avoid taking a spill as long as it doesn't compromise the bikes ability to handle effectively and maneuver like a regular bicycle and still have enough balls to give me the thrill of going fast but doing so safely

It's so refreshing to hear about your honesty about the pitfalls of fat tire e-bikes. Not everyone is clued up!

I actually appreciate my fat tire. I have taken it on dirt walking trails, and my wife's normal-width tires struggled in some of the softer parts of the trail.

Please consider the merits of using them on dirt roads or the difficulty transporting them on bike racks. The fat tire bikes are appealing when dealing with course gravel roads in low density population areas, but range is a serious issue. Thanks for the video! It is helpful.

Great information thank you. I'm looking for an ebik that does real good on steep Mountainee terrain. What bike have you noticed that climbs the best, Low end torque And the most battery life in doing so. Thank you in advance.

hi, I need your opinion on what size of wheels are suitable for fat tires? 20", 24" or 26"

My wife bought me an ev Fat bike for Christmas. I kept my Kestrel Talon full carbon road bike. I have to say, the Fat bikes are great all terrain vehicles but not for everyone. I also use my Fat bike to do HIIT. To do this, just don't use the battery assist. Ever tried peddling a 70lb bike without assist? It's a workout. The only other advantage of those big tires is that they cushion the ride substantially.

Its quite simple to loose 5-10 pounds off them, yes it requires more money and investing in lighter parts but being Canadian fat bikes are a must have in the arsenal for snow. I do love all the reviews, keep up the amazing content.

Great decision making guidance depending on individual needs and preferences. Thank u!!!!

I did start to wonder why I started seeing these everywhere on the streets; seven years ago I'd only see a fat tire bike like, once every few months. I immediately understood that these would be great for keeping grip in off-road biking; but also that they'd be heavier, the increased contact with the ground would increase friction, and as a result would require more effort to pedal. This video mostly confirms the same, but now I also understand that they can be more comfortable to ride. Now that we have electric bikes, the downsides (additional effort compared to thinner tires) are mitigated for most casual purposes; they don't get as good mileage, but most people aren't going for high mileage and so can enjoy the comfort. I will say that any benefits that have to do with torque/battery capacity aren't a benefit related to the fat tires; they're obviously related to the motor and battery, and any thin tire bike with the same motor/battery will perform better in climbing and battery life. I personally won't be using a fat tire bike anytime soon; for one, I just got my first new bike (my first electric) in 7 years and I have no intention of getting another one for another 10. I also more heavily prioritize efficiency over comfort; not to say that I live a spartan life, but I'm use to the comfort level of thin tire bikes and have no desire to sacrifice performance for comfort. And finally, I don't really like the aesthetic of a fat tire bike. No shade on those who use them; it's not like I'm judging you based on your bike preference. I just personally prefer the look of thin tires with large diameters.

Well Said! They are a pain to transport in any car rack as well.

I have owned the Aostirmotor A20 foldable ebike for a little over 2 years now and its been amazing. Cant speak for other A20 riders tho. I live in a sailboat on the east coast. This bike folds nicely into the dinghy and stores in my cockpit. It has absolutely been a blessing. Fat tire bikes ride well and because mine doesn’t have shocks the fat tires act as shocks. I ride over steep bridges, worn out wooden docks and piers. All kinds of terrain including sand where its really good at. My ebike is essential to my traveling because it is my “car”. They’re extremely fun to ride so quit ragging on them because they aren’t efficient enough for you.

Rode one once and l can definitely relate to the fun factor. But l keep thinking that after the thill is gone aren’t a lot of the benefits of ebikes offset by the extra weight, which kind of puts one back to square one again. Plus with a regular bike one never has to sweat lifting a ebike, battery charging, batteries going dead, ride planning ,shorter rides, and maybe health benefits if one is inclined to use a lot of electric assist. Obviously they do make sense for many, for many others maybe not so much.

Lol i was going to say, list all the downsides of fat tires then recommend dropping pressure below 12psi. Run them just below their max pressure and it helps a little, also if you have everything well tuned and reduce friction you get something else. Inertia that you can use to coast up small hills just get going as fast as you can before you start climbing then start pedaling in high gear at high speed you fly up the hill, and then as you approach the top just let yourself gradually slow down while still pedaling, you might be going very slow at the top of the hill but if you time your shifts correctly you should be able to make it to the top without much effort and not much battery. I drive my v8 the same way to save gas. Hills and heavy acceleration are the range killers.

Good info, but for me, I am 64, I like the fat tires and heavy bikes. I am not going to mountain bike but I will do trails. I love these bikes, my knees are not what they used to be and having the electric assist is awesome.

I bought a fat tire ebike and I've tried thin tire ebikes from friends. The biggest difference I noticed was the fat tire ebikes are generally way smoother, like way smoother feeling. But thin tire ebikes generally feel flimsy and cheap. However my next ebike will likely be a thin tire ebike since I have to carry mine up and down the stairs every day, also I can buy child tires for like $20 each instead of having to spend $80 per tire. I have the DJ folding ebike and it's been amazing so far (1600+ km). I'll probably build my next one.

Great video and very helpful in deciding which bike to go for.. for my own needs

Good review of the concept. The specter of a flat tire and fact that I don't ride on sand deters me from them.

If you ride through a lot of sand which is basically all of Florida a fat tire is the only option you should consider. Also that’s all I see on trails in Florida, a lot different than Cali.

This was actually a pretty good video. I feel like you might have under-emphasized rolling resistance as a factor, but otherwise it felt very informative. Your real world numbers were especially welcome. I've been wanting to mid-drive my bike for a while now, and this added motivation.

I've only ridden one ebike and it was a fat tire. I was surprised how easy it was to pedal. Thinking about it, it's rolling on a few treads. There is very little road resistance on pavement. Thubs up for the video.

Starting my 2nd summer with a Doheny EZ folding fat tire bike. 750W motor, 48v/15Ah battery, fenders, hydraulic brakes w/motor cutoff, integrated head & tail lights, spring loaded luggage rack, front suspension. A little heavy, but overall a solid buy. Caveat: I initially bought the twist throttle for the cool factor, but have noticed that squeezing the right brake inadvertantly moves the twist throttle - two conflicting interests. Buy the push-level throttle.

Lucky we mostly see smaller tires, These fat ones make too much noise. With in our country (netherlands) now more electric bikes than normal ones and most will go for road aimed tires max 2.4" Good compromise. popular here i mid drive, 2.4" and good breaks.

one thing you left out was cost of tires, i found my fat tire bike tires to be double the cost of the old thinner ones, some tires are $90+!

I live in Vancouver and we have a lot of hills so which voltage system would you recommend? As i also want to use it for food delivery, will be needing more range

Great breakdown. I was worried you were just going to bash, bu you played it very fair. I’m in Sa Diego and am older so fat tire means comfort and I don’t have to fear the soft sand. Only one downside is I wish they made a cafe (Amsterdam) style wheel lock that fit fat tires! I use them on my wife’s bike and they are THE way to go for short little “lock it while you duck into 7-11 for a quickie” or bathroom break. Yes, I know that lock style isn’t as good as some, but if my bike weighs 75# I’m not too worried about someone carrying it away anyway and the convenience of a circle lock that you can literally lock in 3 seconds with a flick and yank the key out and walk away makes it 20x better than the lock you don’t use because you don’t want to hassle with it because you gotta pee (for example). Fat tire fans need to tell Abus and other lock companies to make a fat tire circle wheel lock. Spread the word. Great video

I think they are especially designed for the American market where riders tend to be a little on the large side. (putting it as delicately as possible) 😊 Having said that, this is a great explainations of all the pros and cons that go with fat tyre ebikes. Some of them weigh almost as much as a moped. And why would you need suspension forks when you have that much rubber on the wheels?

Well you got me thinking... I converted my old Cannondale M500 to a mid-drive electric with a Bafang BBSHD kit about 3 years ago and at the time I bought the biggest battery they had. The bike originally weighed 28 lbs and after conversion it was just under 50. Now, after 3 years of use I've found it wonderful for getting up into the mountains but I have never come close to being worried about the range. So I'm thinking I may have been better off with a battery about half the capacity and half the weight. FYI: the battery I got is half the weight of the kit.

Do you have any recommendation for taller riders. I am 6'7" and want something that is going to allow me to pedal comfortably and sit upright. I am debating whether to buy an entry level XXL bike frame and build it out myself....then converting it to an e-bike. If I am going to spend 1,500 dollars on an e-bike...I want it to last a while. I am skeptical of pre-made e-bikes in that price range....you get what you pay for....usually.

Very insightful video! I had my suspicions about the pros and cons, but it's good to have the opinion of an expert!

I bought an EMMO EWILD 2 Fat Tire bike. She’s definitely heavy at 100lbs. I gave it a tough test the first day I had it. I’m 280lbs. I loaded 40lbs of groceries on the cargo rack. From 0km/h I pressed the throttle and with all that weight I accelerated up a snow & slush covered 20°incline for about 100m at 28km/h. I remain impressed.

A fat tire bike without suspension can be lighter than a regular tire bike with suspension. The 20 inch fat tires keep the bike from being too humongous and still provide the cushy ride and good traction.

Interesting POV on fat tire ebikes. I have a couple of ebikes and a few more in the works. One is a fat tire lower end bike with 4" knobbies, fenders, front suspension, 750W sustained hub motor, hydraulic discs and a 48V 15Ah battery. All-in it weighs 73#. The lighter ebike I have weighs 35#, has a 350W hub motor, sub-inch tires on 700C wheels, rigid forks, no suspension and a 36V 7Ah battery. My riding style is gentle on boost (never throttle, low PAS 1-2 other than on the largest grades), big on effort (I easily exceed the manufacturers' rated range on any of my bikes - example Aventon rates the Aventure at ~45 miles, but I generally get ~75 miles per charge in mixed terrain and elevation riding) and If I am going to be covering over 50 miles+ of mixed terrain - hills, pavement, graded dirt, etc. - such as I do when I travel from the valley I live in (Napa) over to visit friends or hike in the adjacent valley (Sonoma), and then back again, the larger the tires, compliance of the suspension and power of the motor (mainly in torque terms) makes the brawnier bikes (the ones with fatter tires, suspensions and larger motors) much, much more pleasant options. On the other hand, if I am headed down to the Oxbow (covered farmer's market) to snag a coffee or a quick bite, or to meet friends in town for dinner in downtown, I grab the Roadster V2 for the reasons you state - more maneuverable, easier to carry to a lock-up location, stealthy and doesn't really look like an ebike. I'm in the process of adding 2 more bikes, mainly for (1) using a bike rather than a car for weekly grocery shopping and (2) to have a couple of extra, comfortable bikes for visitors to use for touring/wine tasting. Both will have fattish tires, but probably not knobbies if I can find what I want. My criteria on eBike bike buying are: $2k or less, direct-to-consumer business model, larger batteries and torquier motors are preferable, company must have some track record and a lot of units in the field. I am looking at Lectric's new 2-battery cargo bike (20" wheels, rigid forks, low center of gravity, 4" smooth tires, beefy frame with integrated rear rack, dual batteries, stated 150 mile PAS 1 range per charge, 750W/85nm rear hub motor, as one of the two, but am on the fence on the other. I'd like something with larger width (3-4"), smooth tires, 55+ mile mfr. stated range, front suspension, load handling capable (wine bottles are pretty heavy in larger quantities), and a step through frame for smaller rider versatility. Any suggestions from among the bikes you've reviewed?

I have dual battery freesky fat tier bike I do both on and off road road dirt and gravel I spent a day out on it to see how long it would last? After 5 hours and around 45 miles with 3 bars left I went home and gave up. It does about 31 mph and it handles perfectly fine. It is heavy but I never need to pick it up for any reason so does it really matter? I also have engwe 750 pro folding bike 48 volt battery charged seat post seat that gets 15 -30 miles depending on how I ride it? I most chill and cruise the engwe with the cloud 9 seat it s just comfortable slow and steady on this one still handles really well tho

Can you put narrower tires on it?

Well that’s just great. Obviously you live near the beach. With flat bike trails. You don’t need a fat tire bike. For those of us living in cold climates with lots of varied terrain and hills, snow, mud, gravel, etc., Light weight skinny tire bikes just won’t cut it.

What a well-informed and unbiased guide that was. Subbed. I bought a Lankeleisi MG740 Plus last summer F+R 1000w each. After cycling for more than 40 years then being attacked and disabled 6 years ago, then falling off an eScooter and braking a hip. I had to upgrade to a fat-bike. I haven't looked back. As a disability aid, it helps to know I can go anywhere, as I have 2 x 20ah 48v batteries and so a comfortable range of 70-100 miles. The inertia of a fat-bike is definately a factor (mine being nearly 90 pounds), but it is manageable with 180mm discs, fluid brakes and a little lower air pressure in the rear. Beware the trivial kickstand doesn't give way and crush a child or puppy. Also the weight can topple the rider and brake a hip (don't ask how I know). Most fat-bikes have the aerodynamics of a bulldozer, so not ideal for touring, mine is no exception. Even so, the benfits of a bike that was able to get me to the shops but also climb any hill in 50 miles meant that a fat-bike was for me. Also it was a rare treat to be able to get to the beach and use the dual motors to waft along the soft sand, throttle only, with a cold beer in the spare hand. My MG740 does have issues, the slight throttle-delay and the fact that I can't yet pedal, means I have to coast when cornering or at least not expect acceleration to keep me upright. Also the cheap shocks rust in a wet climate (mine in the UK, are spotty already) I have done 3000 miles in 8 months. I've gone from couch-bound to being able to explore beaches & quarries. I probably wouldn't be here without my trusty steed. There's nothing special about it, yet to me it was both cheap and priceless.

After testing all these bikes-what mid-drive bike do you recommend (260lbs 6'5' senior - in a very hilly area). Thx bill

If most people with those big battery fat tire bikes would lose 25 lbs then it a mute point. My bike can go the claimed 75-80 miles. It's average around 12 mph on flat ground. It goes about 25 miles at over 30 mph on flat ground. 👍 52V 20 ah Ariel Rider Kepler, with 1,000 watt nominal rear hub.

This guy just dislikes fat tire bikes. My wife and I own a Rad Power 6 and we love them. They are like the Lexus of electric bicycles or bicycles in general. They are smooth, easy to handle and have great range (despite what this critic charges, pardon the pun). They are fairly easy to transport to riding trails provided you purchase the correct hitch mounted rack. Lastly, we get compliments from nearly everyone we run into on the trails and greenways. We just couldn't be happier with our Rad Power bikes. They are an absolute joy to ride!

In the e-bike video world, this is one of the best I’ve ever seen in 2 yrs.

You selling any of those bikes you reviewed? I'm just starting to look at ebike and see so many , I know some are probly not too great... before I watch all your video ,,, what ebike would you recommend.. budget friendly or a little better? Thansk

Fat tires are noisy, power robbing and EXPENSIVE! - like buying motorcycle tires... I seek range and speed, as we are quite rural and 30 miles round trip from stores/town.

Thanks for the truth brother!!! 😉✌

I live in minnesota and the main nice thing about fat tire bikes, it can run through snow real easy. It’s one of the best ways to have a year round transportation option. Yeah, a mountain bike can get through, but there’s nothin like ripping through several inches of snow on what is essentially a tank.

I do a lot of off-road and off-trail in mountainous colorado. Which would you choose, Ride1up Rift or Aventon Aventure2?

I love my fatty mid drive..1500w I can climb hill with the lowest pas1

The extra battery doesn’t take up much weight at all. Your bike will thank you and you will thank your bike, especially when you don’t have to pedal your fat tire through town to make it home because you ran down to 0% 😂

Very true, I’ve never seen one of these things on an actual mountain bike trail, only paved ones. I think there’s an assumption by non-bike people that it’s going to be like a dirt bike, but it’s really just a really heavy fat tire bike.

I'll send my friends here to this video for an introduction. I love my Ebikes, I watch Matt, both on TailHappyTV and Juiced Joyrides and it's great fun to see the new bikes and scooters coming out. I own 3 Ebikes and I've been shopping Matt's reviews for a 4th. I'm looking at folding cargo bikes I can put in the canoe for a low cost (and fun!) shuttle vehicle. Thanks for posting all the great reviews Matt!

Ever thought about reviewing folding e bikes??

I feel like 2.4inch MTB tire ebikes are a pretty good middle ground. Its wide enough for just about anything but maybe sand. Also lots of good companies make 2.4 tires

I live in a hilly rural area and want to be able to commute both on hilly roads and on class 6 roads + wooded trails. What would you recommend in that scenario? I was looking at the nomad 1 and aventon adventure 2 before stumbling onto your video.

I completely agree with your opinion of fat bike tires. I have several e-bikes and none were purchased with fat tires after having tried one with 4x26 tires. Love your reviesws!

got 4 flats in 3 months with my fat tires