Just joined the e-bike world - wow!

[Ringo9]

It all started 2 months ago when a buddy showed up on his newly bought e-bike. I hadn't been following e-bikes at all so I was amazed at the range/speeds/features available and knew I wanted one myself. I tested his but didn't really gel with the cadence rear hub setup. I kept on investigating and concluded a torque sensing motor would be the one for me as the purpose behind getting one for myself was to be forced to put some effort in, rather than get on a comfy moped (got nothing against whoever needs that anyway). Couple of weeks later a very lightly used Nireeka MEGA came on sale in my local marketplace, way more "bike" than the one I was after but the price made it make sense so I went for it and wow! what had I been missing all that time...
It's a 26x4.0" full suspension e-fat with a Bafang M620 in the middle and I love it already / i've done 300km in 2 weeks. I had read all the comments about how bad fat tire e-bikes are unless you are constantly riding on snow or sand (i'm not) but I think that they are both right and that they miss the point at the same time. Yes, they are heavier and they don't like to turn unless you use your entire weight to do it (which I love doing btw) but there's something about the way they ride and look that I wouldn't change for a regular e-mtb. The way it smoothens every terrain is hillarious and I don't race or do demanding/competitive trails to care about absolute agility over comfort. I live in a sub-urban/half-rural area and had almost given up on cycling due to the distance/time needed to get to city/work. Now I can ride there within just 20-30min while excercising at the same time and not feel destroyed by bumps etc. what's not to love?
I found I've shifted all my modding attention from my car to this I've already addressed some small issues (pads, screw torques, derailleur adjustment) and already planned my next upgrades like bigger rotors and sleek mudguards as well as maintenance steps , it's all looking very exciting so I plan to hang around this forum on a daily basis!

Pic of the bike:

 

[Chargeride]

Thats a hell of a styled bike, looks invincible.
If youre happy with the downsides of fatties, they do look the business and Bafangs are also built to last and be fixed

 

[Ringo9]

Exactly, it's not that I don't recognize their weaknesses, would be silly not to do so, it's just that I happen not to be impacted or care for them, over their positives. You can always sell and switch to a different bike anyway if you don't like it but after a month I can gladly say I did the right choice for me.

In fact I am already thinking about the future and prolonging its use and wondering If I should buy a spare battery while I still can (cost is 500$), who knows if the company is going to be around in 5 years? I mean cells are universal but I don't think generic batteries are compatible to specific form factors like this? Or I'd need to find some specialist to re-furbish my original one if/when it dies.

 

[Ringo9]

Thats a hell of a styled bike, looks invincible.
If youre happy with the downsides of fatties, they do look the business and Bafangs are also built to last and be fixed

was meant to reply to this ^

 

[Chargeride]

Looks like a short fat battery as well, easier to carry.

 

[stompandgo]

Before you spend a lot of money on accessories, I suggest that you figure out what kind of tire protection it already has (sealant, liners, fillers, etc.), if any, and create a plan for how you are going to address flats. That's not a bike you'll want to walk home.

Great looking bike. Mean.

 

[Chargeride]

Its a mid drive, so there shouldnt be any extra issues, you can make fat tires tubeless, but its more fiddly

 

[Chazmo]

Looks pretty slick, @Ringo9 !!!

As a fellow fatty rider, I can only say that I love mine! I haven’t had any flats yet, but I think it depends on where and how you ride it. Gravel trails and rocky/rooty dirt trails don’t seem to cause me any trouble.

Welcome aboard!

 

[JGcycle]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[harryS]

Nice bike for city traffic. Might get some respect from other drivers. That's when I like riding my fat tire 26 incher,

It's probably a generic battery in that frame. You can't make any money having to source a one-off battery case. If you buy a spare, make sure they use good quality cells.

 

[PedalUma]

Welcome. Your tastes will refine over time to find less is much more. It is so heavy and that motor eats drivetrains. It is nicer to dance with a ballerina than a sumo.

 

[PedalUma]

This is what a clean handlebar area looks like when putting in the extra effort to reach the zen garden of less.

 

[Gionnirocket]

M620 is an awesome motor... Enjoy!

And f*ck less.. Un_less that is you're going for tea and crumpets or in search of some Grey Poupon

 

[PCeBiker]

,.. I had read all the comments about how bad fat tire e-bikes are unless you are constantly riding on snow or sand (i'm not) but I think that they are both right and that they miss the point at the same time.

You might want to consider 26" X 2.4" Super Moto-X tires as a compromise ?
They'll fit up to 70mm wide rims.

The lower rolling resistance should make a measurable difference in your MPG, and your Beast looks Hungry !!??

Super Moto-X | GreenGuard | Black-Reflex | 26x2.40 | Addix | 11101381.01

WIDE, COMFORTABLE, SAFE! Whether travelling on asphalt or trail, the beefy Super Moto-X offers the best riding characteristics and plenty of comfort. The extra-resilient DoubleDefense construction lets you reach your destination safely, even in the tough…

www.schwalbetires.com

 

[PCeBiker]

,.. It is nicer to dance with a ballerina than a sumo.

View attachment 197261

A dancing Sumo is more impressive,..

 

[DaveMatthews]

Welcome!

 

[PedalUma]

A dancing Sumo is more impressive,..

It is true. I have done sumo in judo training. It is fun. I still would rather take a lithe minimal bike up a mountain. My good buddy always goes for the data sheet of more, more, more. And he ends up with very heavy complex bikes that are ugly and go through rear hubs and drivetrains. I am going for some African red herb tea, cream with scones. And later I will meet a friend for poulete a la mustard.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I am going for some African red herb tea, cream with scones. And later I will meet a friend for poulete a la mustard.

If I ever post something similar...
I'd hope that someone would have the decency to introduce my medulla to a 6" ice pick
Goes double if I have to ride their on my aunts bike.

 

[PedalUma]

My plan went to 5hit. I ended up with a huge hunk of double decker cholate cake, a large glass of milk, with blue burry ice cream, and a jalapeno corn quiche.

 

[Ringo9]

Nice bike for city traffic. Might get some respect from other drivers. That's when I like riding my fat tire 26 incher,

It's probably a generic battery in that frame. You can't make any money having to source a one-off battery case. If you buy a spare, make sure they use good quality cells.

Fortunately I have access to an extended bike road network around here so driving in city traffic is almost never the case, at least for any meaningful distance/duration. Still, I have found out that bike roads are not all "carpet-like" so on a bike like this you are able to maintain your speed without sacrificing comfort. Even more when starting to move out of those, like on local parks and off-road terrain, it just goes over everything so casually I love it.

What I meant by the battery was that sooner or later the battery will go bad, given my commute's length. Who knows if the company will still be around or will still provide a replacement so do I buy a spare original now and keep for the future or is it possible to refurbish it when it's time? My understanding was that the form factor is unique to the bike design so I won't be able to find generic replacements of equal quality (it's got LG cells).
+