The Truth about FAT Tire Ebikes: Sidestep the Bullsh💩

The pitfalls and deception to look out for when buying a 750w fat tire electric bike, and whether or not you should buy a fat ebike in the first place is the topic of this video. There are definitely some solid reasons and benefits to buying a fat tire ebike, but there are certainly downsides and things to take into consideration before you open your wallet and drop $1,000 to $2,000 on an electric bike. This electric bike video should help clear up some of the confusion when shopping around for a cheap ebike for this riding season.

My favorite "cheap" fat tire ebikes:
Strengths: Top speed 💨, agility
weakness: throttle lag, a few more

Strengths: Hill climbing 💪, comfort
weakness: it's not perfect

👀 My Ebike Reviews worth watching 👀
Fat Tire E-Bikes:
😏 other ones...

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😏 other ones...

✅ Foldable Fat Ebike:

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[jacobcarter]

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.

[davidwhittington]

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.

[smirkingdevil]

"...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.

[GrnArrow]

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.

[dbfcrell]

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.

[manhandler]

I built my own ebike using a Walmart mountain bike for $120 and parts from ebay. Didn't change anything but added a rack to hold controller and battery. Cost around $600 total and it runs great, I get about 25 miles a charge and tops out at 35 mph with a 1500 watt wheel. Did this for my son also on a 20" park edition BMX from Tony hawk. He gets about the same speed, but if your not careful it can throw you off easily on take off. Also got new brake handles with cut off and throttle. His cost a little less cause I already had the bike (which cost $50 at a yard sale). We ride whenever we can and have gotten great enjoyment out of them for about 2 years now. Peace

[MrMann]

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

[riseabove]

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.

[chrissinclair]

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

[mackinnon]

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!

[smflatt]

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!

[tompondolfino]

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.

[jadecalamityjadis]

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!

[JamesStevensonPhoto]

First time ebike owner here. I bought a Radster Trail, arrived last week! It's not quite a fat bike but it may as well be with 3" tires and weighing in best part of 80lbs.

I want to be able to tow / carry my son on short commutes and fun rides and figured this a good blend of fun / practical use.

It's really good fun - you're absolutely right though, the weight is no joke!! It's going to be a real pain in th ass to get this beast in and out of my condo lock up every time I want to ride it... a garage would be ideal but living in the city, I'm stuck with this upright lockup bay.

Time will tell if it's a good choice - I do wish I'd had a chance to try before I bought though as I might've landed on something lighter.

Another thing to keep in mind for all Canadians is that you'll be capped at 500 on the motor and 20mph top speed assisted. You tend to hit that quite quickly, then you can really feel the pull when the bike stops helping you, it feels like someones pulled the brakes on a bit with all that extra weight to move on your own.

All good things to consider, thanks for the helpful video! I doubt this'll be my forever bike but it'll be fun to spend the next year getting a feel for it!

[jimbo]

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

[exgenica]

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.

[coreymiller]

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.

[asarogers]

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

[rafalico]

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

[PalindromeDesign]

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.