Choosing an e bike

[Tim Skafidas]

I’m looking at the 2019 juggernaut classic fat Hd 1000 watt, the 2018 big bud pro (in frame battery for more battery life) and the Haibike 2018 s Duro full fat six. I will be using it to commute on pavement and dirt, doing some bumpy dirt roads and single moderate track and riding snow packed trails. The big bud pro has no suspension (could add a seat shock) but is all wheel drive and has a weather proof battery in the frame $3700. The juggernaut has a powerful 1000 watt engine, and a 52 volt battery with a nice front shock and a seat post shock. Biktrix let’s you coustimize your build 3300-4200if you get best shock and seat shock and 52volt battery. The Haibike is stock with great suspension, a 500 watt motor, and is only 52 lbs or so. I can get this $5200 bike for $3750. It’s really cold here at 9,000 feet so battery life is a concern. The juggernaut looks excellent for power and many other features, but does not have full suspension the Haibike does. The big bud looks to be the best for the winter but has no suspension. I have a carbon mountain bike for most of my rides on fast challenging trails. What should I get

 

[rich c]

I’d eliminate the awd Big Bud Pro. I rode one, then rode the model with Brose mid drive. The Brose model was smoother and actually would climb better. I’m a huge Haibike fan. Hydraulic brakes, suspension, and all high end components would make it my choice. That said, a fat bike would not be my choice for commuting. My Haibike XDURO Full Seven S RX with oversized Schwalbe Super Moto X tires is far superior. Incredibly nimble compared to fat bikes I have ridden. Full suspension and 28mph. Look at Bulls bikes as well. More 28mph options. Really cold weather is going to cut range almost in half. Fat tires don’t make ridding in snow any easier. If fact it’s worse in slush as they want to snowplow. Fat knobbies on pavement are so darned loud. They scare dogs and puzzle hikers. They turn around and stare at you as you rumble by.

 

[mrgold35]

I've been riding my two Class II Radrover 750w/80nm tq rear hub, 4" fat tire ebike for 365 days of work commuting and fun rides for 2 years and have around 5600 miles between them. The changes I made was switching to Vee8 120 tpi tires when the Kenda tires wore out, upgraded to Spyke TRP brakes, Cloud-9 12.5X11.5 cruiser seat, adjustable handlebar stem, and bodyfloat v2.0 420mm seatpost suspension. I like the Class II classification because our local laws treat Class I & II ebikes just like any other pedal bike.

I'm only at 5000-5500 feet for my 13 mile roundtrip ride between home and work. I can get up to 25-27 mph on some downhill runs if I push it and average around 15-17 mph on my commute (lights or headwinds slow me down. I found the fat tires make for a very comfy ride compared to my old 700X40C pedal bike. I can take bumps, rough terrain, and transition between road, concrete, dirt lots, sandy/rocky conditions, and single track trails at higher/stable speeds. I can hit all that on my work commute depending on which way I go and also on after work fun ride detours. I really haven't notice a drop in range during winter commutes between 15-35 degrees; but, I also have a triangle bag over my battery (store ebike indoors at home and work). My range can vary depending on the headwind; but, 28-32 miles at 15-18 mph in PAS 3 with throttle across intersections is about my max range.

I would lean towards a fat tire or plus size tire ebike if you traverse a lot of different terrain on your work commute OR like to take rough terrain detours. I sometimes hit the+30 miles of Paved, hard packed , and single track trails near the Rio Grande river before heading home; which, i couldn't do with my old commuter only pedal bike.

Work commuting is really boring. Having the advantage of peeling off the paved roads/paths and getting covered in dirt is 100X times more fun.

 

[Tim Skafidas]

I ended up with the classic Hd juggernaut 1000 watt fat bike. I really liked that I talked directly with the owner. My friend ordered the ultra full suspension. They gave us a discount. I got the best battery 20ah, best front shock, a lt seat post shock. I will still use my carbon fs specialized as my main trail bike, but use my new one on roads, easy trails and snow rides. Will probably get some spiked tires

 

[gyroron]

I would have picked the Haibike.

 

[Tim Skafidas]

I almost did. I went with the much more powerful battery and engine as the climate is very cold here and mountainous