So i am looking to make a purchase and have a 2500$ cad budget. I am 6'2 and 345 pounds. I am trying to join my sister and other friends on their 50 to 90 km rides. So i am looking for a bike that could support my size but also have good range. If needed i am open to the idea of buying a secondary battery. One last thing .... i don't believe that we go off trails much.
Big guy looking for good range ebike
- Thread starter Vellexar
- Start date
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Most e-bikes (except cargo e-bikes) handle up to 300 lbs...
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
IMO, your best choice would be a cargo bike, or even a trike, with a dual battery. Carrying a second battery as a spare is also an option.
When you look at a bikes weight capacity, keep 2 things in mind. Does the rating include the weight of the bike plus rider? Also, you need to think about the weight of the gear you plan to carry. Longer rides can mean more gear, and the weight can add up.
There are many cargo bikes that will suit your needs. Unless you're a DIY'er and can do your own repairs, buy local from a shop that will service the bike for you.
Most important, TEST RIDE as many bikes as you can! Visit all the dealers in your area and pick the one that fits you best. One size does not fit all and the best bike is the one that is most comfortable for YOU to ride!
Welcome to the forum and good luck with your search!
When you look at a bikes weight capacity, keep 2 things in mind. Does the rating include the weight of the bike plus rider? Also, you need to think about the weight of the gear you plan to carry. Longer rides can mean more gear, and the weight can add up.
There are many cargo bikes that will suit your needs. Unless you're a DIY'er and can do your own repairs, buy local from a shop that will service the bike for you.
Most important, TEST RIDE as many bikes as you can! Visit all the dealers in your area and pick the one that fits you best. One size does not fit all and the best bike is the one that is most comfortable for YOU to ride!
Welcome to the forum and good luck with your search!
mrgold35
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- ABQ, New Mexico
I'm another big guy like you at 6'3" and 330lbs. I purchased a Himiway ebike back in 2023 and they are all rated for 80 mile max range (around 120km) and can handle between 330lbs-400lbs depending which ebike you purchase. I would save a bit for a really good saddle. My butt starts to give out after +30 miles (50km).
A Himiway D5 ST Zebra would be in your price range with 80 miles of range, 400lbs max payload (you, rack bag, extra accessories, water/snack), built-in rear rack, and 960wh battery. Not 100% sure if Himiway sells in Canada and restrictions on motor power? A smaller motor wattage might not really matter too much. I'm usually between PAS 2-3 when riding on hard improved trails or bike lanes on paved roads. I'm down to PAS 1 if on twisty and bumpy/rocky trails with single track paths.
himiwaybike.com
A Himiway D5 ST Zebra would be in your price range with 80 miles of range, 400lbs max payload (you, rack bag, extra accessories, water/snack), built-in rear rack, and 960wh battery. Not 100% sure if Himiway sells in Canada and restrictions on motor power? A smaller motor wattage might not really matter too much. I'm usually between PAS 2-3 when riding on hard improved trails or bike lanes on paved roads. I'm down to PAS 1 if on twisty and bumpy/rocky trails with single track paths.
Himiway Zebra | All Terrain Electric Fat bike | Himiway E-bikes
Himiway Zebra equipped with 26-inch tires, quaternary battery, upgraded frame and intergrated battery design.
himiwaybike.com
I am gonna go check Himiway right now.I'm another big guy like you at 6'3" and 330lbs. I purchased a Himiway ebike back in 2023 and they are all rated for 80 mile max range (around 120km) and can handle between 330lbs-400lbs depending which ebike you purchase. I would save a bit for a really good saddle. My butt starts to give out after +30 miles (50km).
A Himiway D5 ST Zebra would be in your price range with 80 miles of range, 400lbs max payload (you, rack bag, extra accessories, water/snack), built-in rear rack, and 960wh battery. Not 100% sure if Himiway sells in Canada and restrictions on motor power? A smaller motor wattage might not really matter too much. I'm usually between PAS 2-3 when riding on hard improved trails or bike lanes on paved roads. I'm down to PAS 1 if on twisty and bumpy/rocky trails with single track paths.
Himiway Zebra | All Terrain Electric Fat bike | Himiway E-bikes
Himiway Zebra equipped with 26-inch tires, quaternary battery, upgraded frame and intergrated battery design.
But what do people think about the Velotric Discover 2, it says 440 pounds limit with a 75 miles range. I could have some water with me and a spare battery. We would stop for food and all on the way and my sister is like 100 pounds wet so she can carry everything else lol.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
It's a great bike. Range is variable depending on many factors.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
In your case, I think the Velotric Discover 2 (VD) would be a better choice than the Himiway Zebra (HZ) on many fronts — despite the smaller VD battery. Details coming soon.
In fact, I'll go farther: Since you foresee mostly pavement riding, a fat tire bike like the HZ (26x4" knobbies) is the last thing you want for your stated range goals at your size and weight. Way too much rolling resistance for starters.
I'll explain later. Meanwhile, 2 key questions:
Q1. You haven't mentioned topography — a key factor in any range discussion. Will your target rides be mostly flat, gently rolling, moderately hilly, or even more strenuous? Will there be one or more big climbs at any point along the way?
For anything beyond moderately hilly — say, above 50 ft of elevation gain per mile on average — you should strongly consider a mid-drive instead of the hub-drives we've been discussing. On long or steep hills, your weight will be a serious challenge for a legal 750W hub-drive, with a risk of thermal shutdown or damage.
Q2. How fast does your sister's goup typically ride on this terrain? Air resistance has a big impact on range above 5 mph or so — especially for a big guy.
Finally, forget about the 75-80 mi range estimates cited for the VD and HZ. They were determined under ideal conditions with a much lighter rider. Count on your actual range on one battery being a good bit shorter. Seriously doubt that you'll get a reliable 60 mi out of one battery on either bike.
Last edited:
Q1 Answer : I will be mostly on manicured road as we have here a trail called '' le petit train du north " that is 234km long. It is mostly flat with a few hill but nothing i can pedal up myself.
Q2 Answer : My guess is they go around 20km cruise speed but with lots of pedaling assistance. I might be big but i am still very athletic and my legs are my strong point... so i am not afraid to pedal and just use the battery and motor as a assist.
mrgold35
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- ABQ, New Mexico
I have a Radrover 4" fat tire with 750w cadence sensor and my Himiway Cobra Pro has tq sensors. I have a difficult time matching her speed with the Radrover/cadence sensor when riding together. My Radrover PAS 1-5+7 speed gears don't really match up to her PAS 1-5+/7 speed gears. I'm either having to pedal with A LOT of effort in PAS 2 or it feels like "ghost pedaling" in PAS 3 to match her speed (no gears or power level to meet in the middle).
My tq sensor Himiway can match her speed perfectly every single time as it changes in riding. Having a tq sensor feels so natural to ride and I don't have to be constantly changing gears and/or PAS levels.
My tq sensor Himiway can match her speed perfectly every single time as it changes in riding. Having a tq sensor feels so natural to ride and I don't have to be constantly changing gears and/or PAS levels.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Excellent! A hub-drive like the Velotric Discover 2 (VD) will definitely work well for that.
I suspect that you'll need a 2nd battery to go 90 km at low but constant assist on that route with either the VD or the Himiway Zebra (HZ). But either might go 50 km on one battery.
If so, I'd recommend the VD. It will likely burn significantly fewer Wh/mile — especially at your weight, and that will at least partially offset the HZ's advantage in battery capacity.
The VD will also be much easier to pedal with the motor off. Do enough of that on the flats, and you may well get 90 km from one battery.
Other reasons to prefer the VD (or a similar commuter) over the fat-tire HZ...
Weight: The VD weighs 16 lb less than the HZ, and the 2nd battery will probably weigh ~2 lb less for a total weight saving of ~18 lb when carrying a spare. That will increase your headroom for cargo on the VD, improve handling and agility, and reduce your total resistance (Tr), especially on hills.
Reduced Tr = lower battery consumption in Wh/mile. And better handling and agility make any bike more enjoyable.
Tires: The VD's 27.5 x 2.4" commuter tires will have a much lower coefficient of rolling resistance than the fat knobby 26 x 4" tires on the HZ. That will further reduce Tr at all speeds and on all grades, with range increasing accordingly. The VD's tires will also improve handling.
This is why I recommend against any fat-tire bike for your purpose.
Drivetrain: The VD has an 8-speed drivetrain with a lower bottom gear. The HZ is a 7-speed with a much lower top gear.
Since you'll be pedaling to meet range goals, that makes the VD the better choice on hills, both up and down. And one more speed means a better chance of pedaling at a comfortable cadence.
Assist type: Already mentioned the VD's SensorSwap feature in my last post. After thinking more about it, may not be all that beneficial with your strong legs, and it WILL burn more battery in cadence-sensing mode. But it's a cool feature that you may find uses for when range isn't a concern.
I've given you a lot of educated guesses, but only testing will tell for sure. Good luck!
Last edited:
I found this local place that has a few VD for sales, he got a use one with 450km and he told me if i leave him my drivers license and a deposit on Sunday i could go for a few hours test drive. So i am gonna do that and see how it feels. Afterwards if everything is good i will get myself the bike brand new and it will help me stay active in my weight lost.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
You would love my dual battery Tesoro.
model name ?
Gonna keep that as a backup after my test drive.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Cannondale Tesoro Neo X Speed. It uses the older Bosch System 2 drive unit which supports multiple large batteries. I bought it on sale for just over $2KUSD with the 625Wh battery. I added a second 500Wh battery later.
Similar threads
