Fatbike tires for commuter e-bike

[Shaister]

Update: I ended up going to a bike show this weekend and walked out having purchased a new bike. The risk you take going to these events I guess!

In the end, I decided against fatbike tires for reasons very similar to Smaug’s above. 30-40% of the route is in parks, but my plan is to circumvent them in winter to save time. In this case, studded normal tires would work fine.

That being said, the tires on the e-bike I chose are still beefy (2.4 inches) to provide extra traction and better comfort on Montreal’s cracked roads.

Fatbikes are still great for off-roading.

 

[Smaug]

Going to a bike show was a smart move.

Which eBike did you end up with?

 

[Shaister]

https://igoelectric.ca/products/rosemont-ls

On the pricy side, but I chose it because it's from a local bike company and I wanted good support in case of problems. I initially wanted a hub drive motor but after talking to the people at the show and trying out a mid drive on a test track, I became convinced mid drive is better for my needs.

 

[CWebike]

Hello,

Fatbike tires vs. normal tires for a commuter bike. Do fatbike tires really offer more capability than normal bike tires in an urban context? In my case, I live in a snowy/cold city and my commute to work is about 23 km mostly on roads, bike paths, with the option to go thru some parks.

Fat tires are safer, and I vote for safety. I run 24" X 4" on my Magicycle Cruisers, and it is a very quiet ride with a good road tread. 90% of my riding is on pavement, and several forum members pointed out that it made no sense to use off-road tires. They were correct. The road tread is adequate for trails, gravel roads, etc. and I really enjoy the quiet when on pavement.
More importantly, the fat tires provide exceptional stability and better traction. Think about how many more square inches of tread are contacting the pavement as compared to a 2" tire. And then there's the comfort factor. The cushioning effect of the big tires is very helpful. Yes, there is greater rolling resistance, but it's worth it. With the big 52 volt 20 amp hour battery, range is more than adequate. https://ebikesforum.com/threads/syvrac-road-tire-review.3719/

 

[Shaister]

Fat tires are safer, and I vote for safety. I run 24" X 4" on my Magicycle Cruisers, and it is a very quiet ride with a good road tread. 90% of my riding is on pavement, and several forum members pointed out that it made no sense to use off-road tires. They were correct. The road tread is adequate for trails, gravel roads, etc. and I really enjoy the quiet when on pavement.
More importantly, the fat tires provide exceptional stability and better traction. Think about how many more square inches of tread are contacting the pavement as compared to a 2" tire. And then there's the comfort factor. The cushioning effect of the big tires is very helpful. Yes, there is greater rolling resistance, but it's worth it. With the big 52 volt 20 amp hour battery, range is more than adequate. https://ebikesforum.com/threads/syvrac-road-tire-review.3719/

To be a little nit picky, I remember from physics class that friction is proportional to weight rather than surface area. Not to say fatbikes don’t have better traction, but I’d prefer to see some evidence. I won’t argue with you when it comes to comfort.

People say there are no downsides to fatbike tires on e-bikes (other than cost perhaps), but it’s worth pointing out that higher rolling resistance could impact not just range, but also top speed and hill climbing abilities. To what degree is an open question.

 

[Smaug]

To be a little nit picky, I remember from physics class that friction is proportional to weight rather than surface area. Not to say fatbikes don’t have better traction, but I’d prefer to see some evidence. I won’t argue with you when it comes to comfort.

People say there are no downsides to fatbike tires on e-bikes (other than cost perhaps), but it’s worth pointing out that higher rolling resistance could impact not just range, but also top speed and hill climbing abilities. To what degree is an open question.

Let me be nitpicky too then. Maybe I'm wrong, but I recall that total friction is proportional to weight AND surface area, as well as surface friction.
I think you made a wise choice, Shaister.

 

[hsdrggr]

Hello,

Fatbike tires vs. normal tires for a commuter bike. Do fatbike tires really offer more capability than normal bike tires in an urban context? In my case, I live in a snowy/cold city and my commute to work is about 23 km mostly on roads, bike paths, with the option to go thru some parks.

You didn’t mention wheel or tire size. Fat bike tires are mostly knobbies. They wear out fast. Also suck in wet conditions on asphalt. Schwalbe makes a fantastic asphalt ebike tire. It’s the Schwalbe Pick-Up Super Defense ebike cargo tire. It’s max width is 2.35”. If you need fatter tire stop reading now. I have it on both my street e-bikes. One I have set up for Touring capable of 100+ mile days. I run them at 40psi and cruise smoothly over all irregular surfaces. Another plus is that they are virtually flat proof.

Schwalbe Pick-Up | Super Defense | Black-Reflex | 26x2.35 | Addix E | 11159260

SCHWALBE‘S FIRST TRUE CARGO TIRE. Due to its extremely stable double carcass, the Schwalbe Pick-Up becomes a real packhorse and at the same time offers excellent puncture protection. In addition, the ADDIX E-Compound ensures exceptionally good riding per…

www.schwalbetires.com

 

[Shaister]

Let me be nitpicky too then. Maybe I'm wrong, but I recall that total friction is proportional to weight AND surface area, as well as surface friction.
I think you made a wise choice, Shaister.

I looked this up and came across this interesting explanation for car wheels, but probably applies to bike tires too.
https://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae200.cfm

Basically the composition and structure of fat tires are completely different than normal ones. So there are factors other than just width to consider.

It’s fun to nerd out sometimes.

 

[Shaister]

You didn’t mention wheel or tire size. Fat bike tires are mostly knobbies. They wear out fast. Also suck in wet conditions on asphalt. Schwalbe makes a fantastic asphalt ebike tire. It’s the Schwalbe Pick-Up Super Defense ebike cargo tire. It’s max width is 2.35”. If you need fatter tire stop reading now. I have it on both my street e-bikes. One I have set up for Touring capable of 100+ mile days. I run them at 40psi and cruise smoothly over all irregular surfaces. Another plus is that they are virtually flat proof.

Schwalbe Pick-Up | Super Defense | Black-Reflex | 26x2.35 | Addix E | 11159260

SCHWALBE‘S FIRST TRUE CARGO TIRE. Due to its extremely stable double carcass, the Schwalbe Pick-Up becomes a real packhorse and at the same time offers excellent puncture protection. In addition, the ADDIX E-Compound ensures exceptionally good riding per…

www.schwalbetires.com

Thanks for the tip. The bike I got comes with MTB GROOV-E 27.5x2.4 tires, but maybe Ill change them down the line. Schwalbe makes great tires.

 

[Smaug]

You didn’t mention wheel or tire size. Fat bike tires are mostly knobbies. They wear out fast. Also suck in wet conditions on asphalt. Schwalbe makes a fantastic asphalt ebike tire. It’s the Schwalbe Pick-Up Super Defense ebike cargo tire. It’s max width is 2.35”. If you need fatter tire stop reading now. I have it on both my street e-bikes. One I have set up for Touring capable of 100+ mile days. I run them at 40psi and cruise smoothly over all irregular surfaces. Another plus is that they are virtually flat proof.

Schwalbe Pick-Up | Super Defense | Black-Reflex | 26x2.35 | Addix E | 11159260

SCHWALBE‘S FIRST TRUE CARGO TIRE. Due to its extremely stable double carcass, the Schwalbe Pick-Up becomes a real packhorse and at the same time offers excellent puncture protection. In addition, the ADDIX E-Compound ensures exceptionally good riding per…

www.schwalbetires.com

Unfortunately, none of those are "fatbike size". Fatbike tires are 4" wide.

Too bad, because Schwalbe tires are the BEST.

 

[Snoop]

Thanks for your observations, “A”. I weigh about 200 lbs and battery range is definitely a main concern, since the whole reason for getting an e bike in my case is to increase the distance I can travel. Frequent starts and stops at intersections will be inevitable. I suppose one can always buy a bigger battery to compensate for the rolling resistance of fat tires but not sure it’s worth the extra cost.

A tip I’ll share as a commuter….if you’re concerned about range, you can always pop your charger in your cargo bag and (assuming your battery is removable), charge it during your work shift. Probably want to check with the boss first.

My commute is short enough (about 6 miles each way) that it’s never an issue, but I’ve done it if planning a lengthy ride midday during a lunch break or if starting the day on a low charge (forgot to charge the night prior, etc).

 

[Snoop]

https://igoelectric.ca/products/rosemont-ls

On the pricy side, but I chose it because it's from a local bike company and I wanted good support in case of problems. I initially wanted a hub drive motor but after talking to the people at the show and trying out a mid drive on a test track, I became convinced mid drive is better for my needs.

I like the blood red.

 

[Smaug]

A tip I’ll share as a commuter….if you’re concerned about range, you can always pop your charger in your cargo bag and (assuming your battery is removable), charge it during your work shift. Probably want to check with the boss first.

<snip>

...or take the battery AND charger in, and then permission probably isn't needed. I guess not all eBikes have easily-removable battery packs, though.

On my 3 eBikes:

• Lectric XP Lite - Slight hassle
• heybike Ranger - Easy
• Aventon Level2 - Easy

It's good that you point it out though, we get used to leaving the charger in the garage and forget that it is portable.

 

[John English]

Thanks! I've done other accessorizing and small improvements to my Gin X. So, those that get serious enough to order one, I can offer lots of advice on what I've done to the bike and why. I should have mentioned that the 2 co-owners of Gin, Rahul and Marina, have consistently responded to my emails on small issues, questions and suggestions for improvements I've communicated to them over the last 6 months. They REALLY DO believe in customer service!

Sounds brilliant.

How long was it from ordering that you received the Gin X bike?

 

[hsdrggr]

Thanks for the tip. The bike I got comes with MTB GROOV-E 27.5x2.4 tires, but maybe Ill change them down the line. Schwalbe makes great tires.

They make a 27.5”x2.6” in the Schwalbe Pick Up cargo tire. Also a 2.3”. When your WTB’s wear out swap out for these and you will be very pleased. It’s the most bomb proof tire I have ever used. Just FYI they can be a bear to install on some rims. They have a really stiff sidewall due to the multi-ply sidewalls to handle heavy loads.

 

[snipechief]

I'm 220 6'-1" and ride on 20x4.0 fat knobbies inflated to 20 psi, and I can tell you the rolling resistance sucks. As soon as I stop peddling it's like I put the brakes on. I'm going to switch to a 20x4.0 street tire with not much tread to see if it helps. I like the way the big fatty knobbies handle everything they encounter, but I think a tire with less tread is going to be better. I may be crazy I dont know, but when I win the lottery I'm buying a set of street tires.

 

[hsdrggr]

I'm 220 6'-1" and ride on 20x4.0 fat knobbies inflated to 20 psi, and I can tell you the rolling resistance sucks. As soon as I stop peddling it's like I put the brakes on. I'm going to switch to a 20x4.0 street tire with not much tread to see if it helps. I like the way the big fatty knobbies handle everything they encounter, but I think a tire with less tread is going to be better. I may be crazy I dont know, but when I win the lottery I'm buying a set of street tires.

The Schwalbe pick up cargo tires are very nice. Very low rolling resistance for a moderately wide tire. My wife and I rode the other day and I started laughing at her. I said “do you enjoy riding your bike with it turned off?” She was manually pedaling the first mile or so beginning the ride and it didn’t even faze her. She has the 2.15” width. Running at 35psi.

 

[hsdrggr]

Even though I don’t have a fat bike. The Origin8 Supercell 26x4.00 Fat Bike Street Tire looks like a pretty sweet street tire. Even nice for hard pack. Wondering if anyone has experience with them.

 

[hsdrggr]

I finally do have a fat e-bike. I have settled on getting the CST Big Boat 26x4 when I wear out the original knobbies. It looks like the best fat road tire that I have been able to find so far.
CST Big Boat

 

[Smaug]

View attachment 8910I finally do have a fat e-bike. I have settled on getting the CST Big Boat 26x4 when I wear out the original knobbies. It looks like the best fat road tire that I have been able to find so far.
CST Big Boat

I think you should buy them now and save the knobbies as spares.

You’ll be surprised how much more efficient the bike rolls on pavement without the knobbies.

I think the knobbies are provided just so the manufacturers can disavow, by saying; “It was intended for off road use, that’s why we let it go over 28 mph.” ;-)