Trying to decide

[Chainplate]

I am definitely going through ‘analysis paralysis’. I’ve spent hours analyzing thousands of ebikes but have been unable to get myself to ‘pull the trigger’ (possibly a poor choice of euphemisms these days). Perhaps someone more experienced could help me.

I rode a bike extensively as a child but never had great balance and, now at almost 68 years old, it hasn’t improved. I’m looking at a fat tire bike mostly because I like the looks but I doubt that I’d ever take it off-road. Is the increase in rolling resistance between a 4-inch tire and a 3-inch tire significant or even noticeable? I have read that wider tires offer more stability which can assist older people - is that a fact?

Currently, my wife and I walk about 4 miles a day, both as a form of entertainment and exercise. I’m concerned that if I get an ebike, I won’t walk as much. My wife supports me buying an ebike but has said that she doesn’t want one.

The ebike that has the most of my interest is the Eunorau Fat-HD https://eunorau-ebike.com/collections/frontpage/products/fat-hd even though it’s more than I want to spend. There are lots of steep hills where I live and I like the idea of 160n•m of torque. Also, the mid-drive seems like a more efficient type of drive.

Many thanks in advance for any advice. Stay safe and healthy.

 

[Member 4888]

I am definitely going through ‘analysis paralysis’. I’ve spent hours analyzing thousands of ebikes but have been unable to get myself to ‘pull the trigger’ (possibly a poor choice of euphemisms these days). Perhaps someone more experienced could help me.

I rode a bike extensively as a child but never had great balance and, now at almost 68 years old, it hasn’t improved. I’m looking at a fat tire bike mostly because I like the looks but I doubt that I’d ever take it off-road. Is the increase in rolling resistance between a 4-inch tire and a 3-inch tire significant or even noticeable? I have read that wider tires offer more stability which can assist older people - is that a fact?

Currently, my wife and I walk about 4 miles a day, both as a form of entertainment and exercise. I’m concerned that if I get an ebike, I won’t walk as much. My wife supports me buying an ebike but has said that she doesn’t want one.

The ebike that has the most of my interest is the Eunorau Fat-HD https://eunorau-ebike.com/collections/frontpage/products/fat-hd even though it’s more than I want to spend. There are lots of steep hills where I live and I like the idea of 160n•m of torque. Also, the mid-drive seems like a more efficient type of drive.

Many thanks in advance for any advice. Stay safe and healthy.

I pulled up to a cop car the other day and held my camera up and asked if he minded if I "took a shot". I didn't "hear" it until the words were coming out of my mouth, he just laughed a little and nodded. It's weird to have lived "through" the best of times huh?

Before you buy a fat-tire bike go ride one. They are great on soft surfaces but not the bike you will probably want to ride all the time and especially on hard smooth surfaces. YES, the rolling resistance gets worse and worse as the tires get bigger. 2" to 2 1/2" rubber is a nice size to feel stable but still lets you roll with great efficiency. As important as the tire size the wheel size is just as important for ride ease and comfort (I like 26"). Again, go ride a few different types and sizes of ebikes before you spend any money.

I think the mid-drive is a better choice too, for lots of reasons, just ask anyone here that owns a Maytag hub motor. Torque is important but not as much as you think. If you slam 160Nm of torque into the chain and drivetrain bad s**t is going to happen. I use a BaFang BBSHD 1000W mid-drive, 1.34h.p. with the ability to use up to 160Nm of torque. The cool thing (one of the cool things) about the BBSHD is that you can set both the amount of torque and how fast the torque ramps up for both the PAS and the throttle independently. I set my motor to 9 levels of assist so I can use the absolute minimum amount of assist whenever possible, trying to extend the range and it helps reduce wear-n-tear. The only time I have used close to the max wattage and the max torque is when the bike is already flying and I know that it can't over-torque the drivetrain. Mid-drives do cause more wear to drivetrains. If you are able to use the gears like God intended 160Nm of torque is way more than you will ever need. Remember an ebike is a bike not a mini-motorcycle, less is more.

Now that you've looked at all those special new ebikes flooding the market take a look at adding a BBSXX to a standard bike frame. There's lots of info to watch and read. Before buying a big SUV fat-tire ride one side by side with a 26" X 2 1/2" and feel the difference. I have had two guys in the last week tell me they bought the wrong ebikes and both were riding fat-tire bikes.

Take your time and find the right bike and you might actually find that your wife is out riding your ebike. Nothing has changed since you and I were kids... if you ride a bike you are going to end up on the ground some, so ride safe.

 

[Chainplate]

I pulled up to a cop car the other day and held my camera up and asked if he minded if I "took a shot". I didn't "hear" it until the words were coming out of my mouth, he just laughed a little and nodded. It's weird to have lived "through" the best of times huh?

Before you buy a fat-tire bike go ride one. They are great on soft surfaces but not the bike you will probably want to ride all the time and especially on hard smooth surfaces. YES, the rolling resistance gets worse and worse as the tires get bigger. 2" to 2 1/2" rubber is a nice size to feel stable but still lets you roll with great efficiency. As important as the tire size the wheel size is just as important for ride ease and comfort (I like 26"). Again, go ride a few different types and sizes of ebikes before you spend any money.

I think the mid-drive is a better choice too, for lots of reasons, just ask anyone here that owns a Maytag hub motor. Torque is important but not as much as you think. If you slam 160Nm of torque into the chain and drivetrain bad s**t is going to happen. I use a BaFang BBSHD 1000W mid-drive, 1.34h.p. with the ability to use up to 160Nm of torque. The cool thing (one of the cool things) about the BBSHD is that you can set both the amount of torque and how fast the torque ramps up for both the PAS and the throttle independently. I set my motor to 9 levels of assist so I can use the absolute minimum amount of assist whenever possible, trying to extend the range and it helps reduce wear-n-tear. The only time I have used close to the max wattage and the max torque is when the bike is already flying and I know that it can't over-torque the drivetrain. Mid-drives do cause more wear to drivetrains. If you are able to use the gears like God intended 160Nm of torque is way more than you will ever need. Remember an ebike is a bike not a mini-motorcycle, less is more.

Now that you've looked at all those special new ebikes flooding the market take a look at adding a BBSXX to a standard bike frame. There's lots of info to watch and read. Before buying a big SUV fat-tire ride one side by side with a 26" X 2 1/2" and feel the difference. I have had two guys in the last week tell me they bought the wrong ebikes and both were riding fat-tire bikes.

Take your time and find the right bike and you might actually find that your wife is out riding your ebike. Nothing has changed since you and I were kids... if you ride a bike you are going to end up on the ground some, so ride safe.

Thank you very much for the helpful and detailed reply. Everything you said makes a lot of sense and I’m going to take your advice.

My best regards and warmest wishes.

 

[Member 4888]

Thank you very much for the helpful and detailed reply. Everything you said makes a lot of sense and I’m going to take your advice.
My best regards and warmest wishes.

Right back at ya dude.

 

[XxHaimBondxX]

If you're riding on smooth trails, fat bikes are definitely overkill, plus if you have to haul one, forget it, they weigh a ton. However, I still love mine and probably never ride a regular ebike. Roads are poor here in North East.

 

[Member 4888]

If you're riding on smooth trails, fat bikes are definitely overkill, plus if you have to haul one, forget it, they weigh a ton. However, I still love mine and probably never ride a regular ebike. Roads are poor here in North East.

Except for soft surfaces like sand, deep loose gravel, and snow I ride everywhere with 2" rubber. The rolling resistance of a fat bike just means I'd cut my range in half.