Fatbike Tires Compared to Not So Fatbike Tires

I have been riding a full-suspension Haibike with 27.5" X 3" tires for 4 1/2 years and over 11,000 miles. I love it! Previous to that I rode 2.2" mountain-bike tires on 27.5" wheels conventional mountain bike, and 30mm X 700C tires on conventional road bikes. The 3-inch (or Plus-size) tires allow me to take the bike offroad and even on sand, while still riding quite well on pavement. So I think a 3-inch tire makes a lot of sense, especially on an e-mountain bike. I tried a fat tire (4-inch) e-mountain bike at a dealer and did not like its sluggishness.

I also like the 27.5" size wheels over the smaller 26" wheels. They are easier to ride over rocks and other obstacles. Most 29" bikes do not come in my (small) size, so I have never ridden them. But I am sure a 29" X 3" bike would be great if you are tall enough to ride them.
 
Bicyclista said:
I also like the 27.5" size wheels over the smaller 26" wheels. They are easier to ride over rocks and other obstacles. Most 29" bikes do not come in my (small) size, so I have never ridden them. But I am sure a 29" X 3" bike would be great if you are tall enough to ride them.
Click to expand...
Agreed "tall enough to ride them", and I would add (from a 70 year old's perspective), young/fit enough to swing your leg over them! Even the 26x3 and 26x4 bikes are pretty tall.
 
I have a ride1up 500 (commuter style) with 27.5 x 2.2 inch tires at 55 psi and an Ecotric Hammer (cruiser style) with 26 x 4 inch tires at 18 psi. I ride mostly for exercise. I prefer the ride1up on smooth pavement because I can pedal with no assistance on level ground and burn more calories on my 20 mile loop. The Hammer is an absolute blast on dirt trails, and I tend to ride it much faster than the ride1up on dirt, as it smoothes out the proud rocks, very trustworthy in sand patches and generally makes me feel more secure and stable. On pavement, the fat tire Hammer is fine, but pedaling at zero assist is rare, and I use a lot more battery because of the weight and larger contact. Still, I love riding the Hammer everywhere, as it feels like a giant SUV ... sit up high, stable and impervious to the ground below, LOL. If I was strictly commuting, I would definitely go the ride1up and it's 2.2 inch, high pressure tires.
 
Bicyclista said:
I have been riding a full-suspension Haibike with 27.5" X 3" tires for 4 1/2 years and over 11,000 miles. I love it! Previous to that I rode 2.2" mountain-bike tires on 27.5" wheels conventional mountain bike, and 30mm X 700C tires on conventional road bikes. The 3-inch (or Plus-size) tires allow me to take the bike offroad and even on sand, while still riding quite well on pavement. So I think a 3-inch tire makes a lot of sense, especially on an e-mountain bike. I tried a fat tire (4-inch) e-mountain bike at a dealer and did not like its sluggishness.

I also like the 27.5" size wheels over the smaller 26" wheels. They are easier to ride over rocks and other obstacles. Most 29" bikes do not come in my (small) size, so I have never ridden them. But I am sure a 29" X 3" bike would be great if you are tall enough to ride them.
Click to expand...
You have just prompted me to go back and look over my Hydra order. I'm just 6'2" but like big bikes. XL for the Hydra is special order so I went with L. Maybe I should think about 29" tires. :) Don't know but wondering if taller tires are a way to get off the ground a bit more without getting more 'reach' which I do not need.
 
I have bikes from 2.5 to 4.5 and from my opinion if you run out of battery and have to peddle home the skinnier tire the batter . The rest of the time I'll take the big betha fat tires any day of the week . I love noisy tires , they keep me from falling asleep .
 
jangles said:
I have bikes from 2.5 to 4.5 and from my opinion if you run out of battery and have to peddle home the skinnier tire the batter . The rest of the time I'll take the big betha fat tires any day of the week . I love noisy tires , they keep me from falling asleep .
Click to expand...
Yep, as soon as the power goes out it's like pedaling in wet cement.

But when thinking about tire width it's just not width alone. It's more a combination of tire pressure and width.
I pump up my 4" tires rock hard on pavement.
I air down to as low as 2 PSI on snow.
Different conditions require different PSI.
 
After riding my 2.8" tires a bit it's a whole other world than my 2 x 26 MTB. Really like the ride. The plus size tires eat up the bad spots and the extra diameter rolls better over rough stuff as well. I could never go back to the smaller wheels and tires again I don't think. 👍 I need to do some testing with tire pressures. I just give the tires the old 'squeeze test' to where they feel pretty firm but not really hard. Need a pump with a gauge.
 
I was watching a video of people that owned 26" X 4.9" Ebikes and then tried a 27.5" X 3", (Same brand different Ebike) they liked the smaller size better for it's quicker acceleration and more nimble handling.
It seems that 3" is the sweet spot for semi-fat tires. Also the Ebike is lighter less rubber and rim weight.
 
Ebiker33 said:
I was watching a video of people that owned 26" X 4.9" Ebikes and then tried a 27.5" X 3", (Same brand different Ebike) they liked the smaller size better for it's quicker acceleration and more nimble handling.
It seems that 3" is the sweet spot for semi-fat tires. Also the Ebike is lighter less rubber and rim weight.
Click to expand...
Yep. But it's all about where you ride. If I rode on much paved surface it would be a totally different story. Back in the old days I only rode on paved surfaces and I put slicks on my MTB that I had switched to after my road bike accident. ( had to sit less bent over ) If I ever find myself riding bike paths ( I will never ride the street again ) I will have to have two different bikes.
 
TForan said:
I have never ridden my Fatbike without someone commenting on it. "What a cool bike" is the usual response. I like my 3.5 Inch Speedster pumped to around 18-20. Lower and you get some self steer
Click to expand...
this is true lol, i get more compliments on my Juggernaut than any other bike even though to me its no where near as beautiful as my cruiser,not even close but people really seem to like the look of that massive beast!
 
AHicks said:
After riding nothing bigger than a 2.3" width, I decided I wanted to try 26x4" tires - mostly for the ride, but I do have to deal with occasional loose stuff as well. I bought an Ultra powered Rize Rx Pro. Bike is used as a hybrid with 60% pavement/40% dirt use. I rode the stock knobby tires for about 50 miles to get a good feel for them (Kenda Juggernaut). They were not as noisey as I thought they would be on pavement (until you get over about 12mph), and there was a very noticeable vibration caused by the knobs. So off they came and I installed some 26x4 Origin 8 street tires using the stock rims. I had heard about self steering, but never experienced it, until I installed these. Bike looks huge, felt very heavy as there's was suddenly a LOT of rubber in direct contact with the road. Very noticable self steering (big time unpredictable over steer for those that haven't had the pleasure) was brought under control with very careful 1lb adjustments to air pressure. Max inflation was 20psi and I ran 16 in front 18 in back. Still felt big and heavy but with minimum self steer. So off came the 26x4" and we went with a 26x3 pavement tire (Kenda Flame). Now we're talking. The 3" tires look great on the wide rims, I get a pretty darn decent ride on surfaces that would make me crazy to the point of avoiding with 2" tires, and the self steering issue is gone. The Flame's max inflation is 30psi, and I'm using 25 in back (remember, I'm 300lbs) and 15 in front. Rolling resistance isn't bad, unless you're comparing it to a 2" tire.

Clearly, you are paying a price for the ride. For that reason, if somebody is looking for a commuter that will spend the majority of it's time on pavement, I would NOT recommend a fattie. -Al
Click to expand...
AHicks....Any idea the width of the rims on your Rize that you have the 3" Kenda Flames on? (are the Flames a current tire? I could not find them on the Kenda site)
I am giving some thought to a Fatbike but would want to put the narrowest tire I could on Day 1.
Anyone have an idea how slim a tire will fit on an 80 mm wheel. 80 mm seems to be what most 4" Fatbikes are running. I would love to be able to put a 3 tire on an 80 mm wheel. I'm not keen on having to re-lace new rims that'll take 3" tires. Thanks. CN
 
I'm thinking the rims I have are 80 or 85mm. I love this site for tracking down a size tire I'm interested in without wading through a bunch of other "stuff". They're showing a couple of state side suppliers at the moment....

Tires - Fat Bike 26" x 3.0" - Trainers4Me

trainers4me.com trainers4me.com
 
I ride different size tires depending on the task at hand... an EMTB hardtail with 2.2" vs. full-suspension with 2.8" tires.
Each has distinct advantages when going off-road on various terrain types... different horses for courses as they say.

For road cycling, I ride on 2" Schwalbe Big Bens for a combination of low rolling resistance and durability/reliability.
 
FlatSix911 said:
I ride different size tires depending on the task at hand... an EMTB hardtail with 2.2" vs. full-suspension with 2.8" tires.
Each has distinct advantages when going off-road on various terrain types... different horses for courses as they say.

For road cycling, I ride on 2" Schwalbe Big Bens for a combination of low rolling resistance and durability/reliability.
Click to expand...
I agree. Tire size is a huge compromise. You aren't going to find a size that will do everything well.

I will say that 4" pavement tires are something to be approached carefully. You should know that "self steering" will likely be an issue on pavement....
 
ruffruff said:
I put these on for the summer. I like them on the tar trails.

ARISUN INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.

ARISUN INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
www.arisun-bicycletire.com www.arisun-bicycletire.com
Click to expand...
Nice find... looks like a moto tire. ;)

1612822482087.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

new2thegame
So an interesting development .. Already getting a new bike
Replies
2
Views
573
February
February
S
About to buy Biktrix Stunner LT 7 24" tires
Replies
1
Views
950
Nvreloader
N
RCG
Velotric Summit 1 - My first 1000 Miles
Replies
5
Views
618
PedalUma
PedalUma
Doggyman1202
Evelo Omega and Priority Current compared
Replies
3
Views
3K
tgianco
tgianco
Catalyzt
First (Slow) Blowout 5+ miles from Home
Replies
13
Views
1K
Mr. Coffee
Mr. Coffee
Back