Saw many fat tire ebikes this weekend

[MikeSSS]

Sand Fest happened in Port Aransas, TX this past weekend. Many sand sculptures are built before the opening on Friday, the event continues through Sunday.

We went on Friday and Saturday, Friday has more locals and fewer tourists. We saw a lot of fat tire ebikes on Friday, most looked like factory built and there were a variety of frames. Vehicles drive up and down the beach on packed sand but it's easy to get into loose sand, so fat tires are a good idea. This is a salt air environment, we didn't see any high dollar ebikes. There are a lot of golf cart type vehicles, some gas, some lead acid and some lithium ion.

Saturday was different, lots of tourist vehicles, lots of golf carts and only one or two ebikes.

Sunday was slower paced than Saturday, but only a couple ebikes seen.

I don't remember seeing beach cruiser ebikes, only fat tire rides.

The sand sculptures look impossible, but there they are and for three or four days. Amazing stuff.

 

[calab]

Interesting observations and it all makes sense. Fat tire bicycles are becoming popular, but why arent plus sized tires more popular because its a better trade off coz you riding 80% on asphalt, I dunno how often a local would ride on hard beach sand. Wouldnt there be more scenic places to ride then a busy beach. I dunno.

 

[Chalo]

Something like half of the e-bikes I see in Austin TX, not near and coast or sand, are small wheel fat tire e-bikes. This tells me the riders have no adult experience of bicycles.

 

[docw009]

Many people, who haven't ridden a bicycle in +30 years, are buying fat tire 20" folders. They think the wider tires are more stable, give them the option for snow and dirt, and that they can fold these baby whales and toss them in their cars. Lectric is an overnight success, having marketed their $999 bikes to this crowd.

You also got a fair number of would-be riders in their 70's yearning for e-trikes, after they fell down.

Younger urban types seem to like full face helmets and bikes like the Ariel and Super 73, which look like mini motor bikes.

I think the 40 lb ebike with road tires and high bars has yet to be fully appreciated, but that will happen as more bike enthusiasts get older and give in to the electrical biking.

All of above from online observations. We got two ebike stores in my town now, but so far, we never see ebikes when we ride.

 

[CVillalobos]

I feel like all those fat tire ebikes are for people who want the world to know they are riding an ebike. I see people riding them all around Boise, ID.... you can't miss them. Not my cup of tea but as long as they aren't being obnoxious about it I think it's good more people are out biking.

 

[E-HP]

I see this look a lot more. Upright seated fat folder with full faced helmet. Say that five times fast. I'm not sure if it's a safety or fashion decision on the helmet, but I think it's a good idea to have extra protection when riding a folder at ebike speeds.

Last year, I'd say the mid drive 250W 26" factory ebikes were the most common, but the fat folders have been growing in numbers this year. The 26" fat bikes seem to be less popular now though. I see one every couple of weeks, pretty rare, but not rare as a SurRon, Stealth or any DIY ebikes around here.

 

[Eastwood]

, pretty rare, but not rare as a SurRon, Stealth or any DIY ebikes around here.

Yeah all I see are 20” fat tire bikes in my city. never have seen any DIY or stealth etc. Seen one SurRon before by that was pre Covid. The ebike I see the most is the Lectric xp.

 

[dogman dan]

In my neighborhood, still near where they are building houses, a fat tire can pick up 50% more staples and sheetrock nails. :thumb:

Lots of deep dry sand around though, so when I go dirt riding on the mesa with the gas 250, I see guys with big wheel fat tire bikes, some electric, most not. Young strong guys of course. The old farts ride street on the fat tire 20" bikes, with a poodle in the basket.

Im not 70 yet, but I do fall down and go boom on the dirt bike often enough. I dress for it, and ride like an old fart, so crashing is about the same as crashing the e bikes was. But on the gas moto, I'm a lot more armored up.

When I need a trike, I'm getting a convertible.

 

[Simonwwfc]

Love my fat tyre ebike lol 20x4” tyres and it’s a folding one only had it about three weeks now only runs a 500 watt motors lacks speed and power

 

[Chalo]

Love my fat tyre ebike lol 20x4” tyres and it’s a folding one only had it about three weeks now only runs a 500 watt motors lacks speed and power

The same power would get you a lot more speed if it were applied to a real bike.

 

[xylene23nyc]

Most Ebikes by me are delivery Arrow 10 types (about as common as cabs in Manhattan now) but this year I noticed many more commuters and leisure riders on fat tire ebikes.

Aesthetics are a big deciding factor behind many if not most vehicle purchases. I believe many new riders don't want anything that looks like a traditional skinny tire bicycle. I'm sure fat tires can offer extra comfort for crappy inner city roads especially on a sub $2k Ebike with less than ideal suspension.

 

[99t4]

One useful benefit to fat tire bike in an urban setting is better safety if the urban setting has many railway tracks embedded in the roadways, especially if they run parallel to the roadway or at narrow angles, especially even moreso in a frequent rainy environment.