Charger Vario or Charger Vario GH/GT?

[James1489]

Hi everybody.

I am planning to buy my first ebike. I will use it mainly for daily commuting all year round in Oslo (Norway).
My idea was to buy a Charger Vario but I would like to consider the GH/GT version too.
As I understood the main difference is the tire size.

The normal one mounts these tires: Schwalbe Big Ben Plus 50-622 Reflex instead the GH/GT version these ones: Schwalbe Super Moto-X 62-584 Reflex.
I guess that wider tires are more comfortable and probably I would go for the GH version if I was not living in Norway.
I didn't look so accurately but so far it seems that there are not 27.5" studded bike tires suitable for daily commuting on paved roads.
Here I have to mount studded tires for 4/5 months per year and I don't want to ended up not finding proper winter tires...

The only ones I found that maybe can be suitable for paved roads so far are these ones:

Søk - Spinn.no

spinn.no

In the other case if I will go for the normal one I can rely on the Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus 28". I have always used these ones and they work fine.

Do you have any advice? Which are pro and cons for GH/GT version?

Thanks for your help and have a nice day!

 

[Chris Nolte]

I would highly recommend GH or GT, ideally HS if possible, not sure how the restrictions are by you. I understand Oslo has a growing contingency going with Speed Pedelecs. You could run the Schwalbe Ice Spikers in the winter. I’m a big fan of wider tires, more comfort and more traction. They might be slightly heavier and less efficient, but you have an ebike for that right? They stopped selling the non-GT version in the US it was so unpopular compared to the standard version.

 

[Chris Nolte]

Does your shop have a recommendation for studded tires? I imagine they have experience with that.

 

[James1489]

Hi Chris.
Thanks for your advice.

Maybe it's because I still have a normal bicycle mindset, to me rolling resistance is essential.
But as you said an e bike can make up for that, especially on icy/snowy roads when traction is important as well.
I haven't been at the shop yet but as soon as I go I will ask them too.

About Speed Pedelecs here they are considered 100% moped. So you have to wear a proper helmet, have a moped insurance, driving licence, plate and no cycle paths, sidewalks...just normal roads. Instead a 25 km/h one is considered a normal bicycle and you can go everywhere, sidewalks included.
So I guess here in Norway you should have a pretty special situation to think about a speed pedelec.
How about US?

By the way I would like to try also a full suspension model. I guess that can help a lot in terms of comfort even in the city environment.
What do you think about that?