Why you need a Fat Tire E-Bike
You can ride a Fat Bike Year Around
You can ride a fat bike all year. Do you live somewhere where it snows? Fat bikes were originally built for riding on snow, and sand, but these big tires give you the float and traction you need on soft terrain. You could ride on a trainer bike in the winter or stick to the road, but if you like to be outside and can't imagine spinning indoors, a fat e-bike lets you stay outside all year. Do you live somewhere where it gets muddy? The low pressure and float of a fat tire actually kind of keeps you from sinking into the mud and won't leave ruts.
You still need to obey normal trail etiquette and rules, but when the trail is open and has some muddy sections, you'll find you can ride through the messy spots without really causing any rutting or getting too dirty yourself. What about the rest of the year, when you could ride a normal mountain bike? You can still ride a fat bike and you'll find it's incredibly fun. These bikes are kind of the monster trucks of the mountain bike world and make you feel like you can charge through rock gardens and gnarly stuff with reckless abandon.
Fat E-Bikes Are Great For Beginners
Fat bikes are great for beginners. A common complaint about first-time mountain bikers, that they tend to always comment on how unnerving it is to feel the bike moving so much underneath you as you ride. The fat bike smooths out the trail. You don't get all the feedback or feel the bike moving side to side as you ride over loose or rocky terrain. This can really help beginners to feel more confident and focus more on what's coming up on the trail. Fat bikes also provide a ton of traction while climbing, descending, and cornering, and that added traction makes up for the lack of technique a new rider has and allows them to get comfortable with all the other aspects of riding a bike on the trail.
Great One Bike Options
Fat e-bikes are a great one-bike option. You can ride the fat tires year-round in all conditions, but the great thing about all of that clearance in the frame is that you can also run an alternative narrow tire and wheel sizes if you want something a little quicker. Fat bikes that are designed around narrower four-inch tires work well with a 27.5+ wheelset or a normal 29er wheel, while the bikes with larger clearance work great with a 29+ wheelset.
If you don't want to ride a fat bike all year, you can still have fat tires for the winter and a 29er, 29+, or 27.5+ bike for the rest of the year.
Fat Bikes Help You Get Into Shape
Fat e-bikes help you get into shape. Fat bikes tend to be heavier because they need more frame material to clear the big tires. The wheels and tires are also just a lot heavier and slower rolling than a normal bike, so turn off the e-bike assist if you really want to burn some calories. This doesn't make it any less fun to ride, but it does make it more of a workout. I had a friend who used to say, "Ride fat to get fit," and I definitely think that's true. When I ride my fat bike consistently, I find that I get in much better riding shape and have more endurance than if I just ride my cross-country bike all the time. Riding in the snow or on sand is also no walk in the park. You may be floating on top, but that stuff is still soft and makes each pedal a little more difficult than on a hard surface. Some of the most physically demanding rides I've ever done have been on snow.
Fat E-bikes are just Fun
The last reason you should get a fat bike is that they're just fun. Yeah, this is basically just our opinion, but I know a lot of other people feel the same way. The loud hum of the big tires, it just takes you back to simpler times and makes for a weirdly fun experience. Like I said before, it's like driving a monster truck. It makes you feel a little bit invincible. You really need to ride one to understand what we are talking about, but there's definitely a fun factor that comes into play when you ride a fat bike.
So, if you're in the market for another bike, or looking for your first one and don't know what to get, check out our e-bike selection on our site. Many of our riders use them as their primary bike. It allows them to ride all year, no matter the conditions. It keeps the number of bikes you need to own to a minimum, helps you get in shape, and most importantly, it's so fun to ride.