Fat Tire E-Bike Kits

A fat bike is excellent for a beginner in that it’s extremely forgiving if the beginner rides it on unstable or over bumpy terrain. Note, though, that these bikes are heavy and slow, so they’ll require more effort to pedal. 

Fat Bikes are exactly what their name suggests – bicycles with really fat tires. If you’ve never come across one, you can rest assured that your first viewing will be mildly astonishing. They look like children’s bikes that have been enlarged for adult use.

That said, despite these bikes’ unorthodox appearance, fat bikes (in their current iteration) have been around for over a decade, and the fact their popularity keeps soaring indicates they’re here to stay.

Regarding how fat their tires are, most retail with tires at least 4 inches wide, roughly two times the width of standard mountain bike tires and approximately four times as wide as road bike tires. How ‘fat’ can they get? The world’s widest fat bike tire, the Snow Shoe 2XL, is a whopping 5.05 inches wide.

In addition to their tire width, fat bikes are also designed to operate with lower tire pressure than conventional bikes. Most cars require a tire pressure of between 30 and 35 psi, while mountain bikes operate best between 35 and 70 psi.

However, with Fat bikes, you’re looking at something between 10 and 20 psi, and at times even lower. These wide low-pressure tires provide extra traction when riding, implying the fat bike should easily deal with even the most challenging terrains, like snow, sand, and mud. It’s similar to the distinction between walking through the snow with regular boots, where every step causes you to sink through the surface, vs. walking on the same snow with snow boots that spread your weight over a large area and allow you to remain on the snow’s surface.

While a fat bike’s big tires offer riders much-needed extra traction, they come at the expense of weight. Fat bikes are approx 15 percent heavier than mountain bikes and are about double the weight of road bikes. This extra weight decreases the cycling speed, which, in turn, lowers their stability. 

Also, mechanical issues like flat tires on fat bikes may be more stressful to deal with than on regular bikes, so ensure you always keep a spare and a tool kit when riding out in the wild. 

Do you avoid riding your fat bike on some days because it makes you sweaty, or perhaps hate the thought of repeatedly tackling your neighborhood’s version of heartbreak hill? You may be tempted to consider investing in a fat tire e-Bike.

Fortunately, though, there is a way to convert your current fat bike into a power-assisted one without having to spend your hard-earned money on a new, dedicated e-bike. This section of the guide will look at five additional reasons you may want to convert your fat bike to an e-Bike.

1. Added Peace Of Mind

While fat bikes are a lot of fun to ride in the snow and sand, the high rolling resistance caused by their extra-large tires and heavy, beefed-up frames can make pedaling borderline impossible when you’re on some of the most volatile and rugged terrains. 

Adding the electric option lets you rest assured that the fat tire e-bike can easily brush off the ‘extra elements,’ such as rugged trails riddled with too many rocks.

2. Electric Power Eliminates A Fat Bike’s Drawbacks

As we’ve repeatedly seen, one of the most common disadvantages of fat tires is they can quickly tire you out, even on ‘not so hilly’ roads and flat areas. When this occurs, and you’re out in the world, a fat bike with an electric fat bike conversion kit installed will allow you to switch on the assist setting, take the edge off the workout’s intensity, and give yourself the chance to relax and breathe. 

Also, when it’s getting late, and you’re in an off-road location, the e-Bike assist mode can offer you the significant speed boost required to get you back home in time.

3. A Fat Tire e-Bike Brakes Better

There are several braking safety concerns you should watch out for if you’ll be riding your Fat bike in the winter, particularly in the snow. Snowmelt and water can accidentally enter your fat bike’s brake housings and freeze, reducing the braking power. Add to that the fact mechanical brakes are naturally susceptible to winter effects, and you’ll see how dire the situation can get. 

Fat tire e-Bikes with hydraulic brakes do not face such braking issues. 

4. Do You Like Attention?

Another attractive feature of fat bikes is that they will look rather cool and will certainly turn heads wherever you go. This is solidified by the fact that when ridden on tarmacs, a fat bike’s tires tend to make a fair bit of road noise, akin to a Land Rover!

5. Easier to ride after an injury

My friend, Jake, originally bought a top-of-the-line fat bike, and he loved it. He had tons of fun riding it for several months until he slipped a disc in his back. He had his dream fat bike but couldn’t ride it. 

Even after going to physio and things improving, he still couldn’t make it across some of the steepest hills he would easily ride across before his injury. And so, Jake started looking into e-bikes that could help him conquer such terrains. Unfortunately, he had already spent a pretty penny on his fat bike, and a new fat tire e-bike would cost a small fortune, so he settled for the next, best option, converting his regular fat bike into an e-bike.