Evelo Atlas vs. Dost Drop CVT vs. Biktrix Juggernaut Duo 3

[rmykmr]

Hi,

I've commuted short distances before (2 miles each way) but on a regular bike. I'm looking at commuting 11 miles each way at my new job in Denver (mostly along a paved bike path) with a 600 ft climb to work. I thought an e bike might make more sense. I won't carry more than some food, a book or two, and a laptop. I'm 5 8, 62 kgs and in fairly good shape. I'm primarily looking at a reliable no-drama commuter (hence prefer a belt-driven ebike with internally geared hubs) that cuts my commute time and is good with occasional snow/rain. I see the all-weather advantages and overall safety/stability of a fat tire ebike and hence considering the Biktrix but I am not really into mountain biking (at least not yet) and I wonder if a fat e bike is wasted on me. I really really love the idea of not having to lubricate the drive train and perform periodic cleaning/maintenance and hence shortlisted both the Dost Drop CVT and the Evelo Atlas but it's a lot of money to drop for bikes that won't even ship right away. It would be nice to have a step through but it is not a deal breaker. I have plenty of space to safely store my bike both at work and at home and my budget is around 4k. Another option is the Londonderry from fatte bikes, a Denver-based company that makes hub-drive fat e bikes. This way I could support a local business. My questions are:

1. Do I really need a mid-drive? Or is a hub drive enough for a beginner like me who wants to travel at 20 mph or slower?
2. Are fat e bikes painful to ride on in good weather?
3. Is Biktrix a good option for commuting?

 

[Kcmusa]

I’m curious what you got and your review.

 

[Ebike Skibum]

I have had the Evelo Atlas for several weeks now and I must say it is a great bike. TIRES: The 2.8" tires are a really great size. They handle all kinds of terrain very confidently, the ride is super comfortable and they don't have as much drag as the 4" + fat tire ebikes. BRAKES: The zoom dual piston hydraulic brakes stop this e-beast really well. It is very easy for me to skid this baby to a stop!!! MOTOR: The Bafang M600 is quiet and powerful. It rocks on the hills with it's 120NM torque and is more efficient than the bigger motors with 140nm+ The M600/120nm motor is used on many e mountain bikes & it does the job and it is lighter & gives you better battery life than the bigger motors. FORK: The air suspension fork is heavy, like most others, and it is top notch quality. it is not a flimsy fork at all!!! Very nice feel and lots of adjustability!!!. HANDLEBARS: The sweep back handle bars are easy on the hands. You don't get numb like you do with the straight mountain-bike handlebars: SEAT: The seat is basic. You probably will want to upgrade the seat. For the price, I think they could've given you a better stock seat. HANDLING: The bike corners like a dream. The sweep-back handlebars takes a little getting used to if you are used to the straight bars, but that has not been a problem for me. I like the comfort-factor. ENVIOLO/GATES CARBON BELT TRANSMISSION: I love this transmission. It is so easy to shift & to find the right gearing for the terrain. BATTERY LIFE: I have gotten as much as 70 miles on one battery charge!!! I pedaled maybe 10%-15% of the time without the motor, but that was all. I used mostly PAS 1 and 2. I should be able to get 100+ miles when I get my secondary battery/rack system. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.