Need help with first purchase of Ebike for my large man.

[dirtydeedsoffice]

Hi,
What to buy???? My man wants an Ebike with reg tires not fat tires. I bought him GoSpeed brand (750) super cool looking reg style bike in matt black with 26” fat tires from Costco at a good deal of $1500 (on GoSpeed website was $1800) but he wants to send it back because he says the big tires are too mushy and frankly look goofy, not his thing. My guy is 300ish pounds of awesomeness so I need to get him a good solid quality bike in matt black preferably. He will only be using it occasionally as we live in Arizona and he mostly goes off roading & boating in his off time. He will just use it when we RV to National Parks or cool towns to bar bar hop and maybe along the boardwalk at the beach. Budget would be around $2k but I can afford much higher for the perfect bike. I know there maybe shortages right now but I can at least preorder something I hope.
Thanks a bunch, Kelly

 

[RunForTheHills]

For his weight, especially if there are hills, you probably want a mid-drive bike. $2000 is on the low end and you will have a lot more choices if you increase your budget. What else are you looking for in the bike? You mention off-roading and RV'ing, will he be using it on trails or just road? Will he be using it for a car replacement when RV'ing and use it for shopping?

 

[dirtydeedsoffice]

Just road. No hills. My guy is a beer drinking, drag car racing, off-road racing type of guy if you get my drift. His knee is real bad from playing sports back in the day, why he needs an Ebike. Hahaha the bike will not be used for shopping at all lol, more like bar hoping!! Again, just looking for a basic bike he can use on occasion hard surface only short distances only, no commuting we tow Jeep with RV. Thanks again.

 

[zipur]

Looking at the GoSpeed Bike I thought it was pretty nice. He probably didn't like putting it together and the exposed battery aesthetics.
If you want a Noisy, jerky, apt to breakdown, poor experience, "Ya get what you pay for", so you may want to adjust your price range.
I suggest you go to a Local Bike Store, any store that's close, and let him try some bikes. Buying from a local bike store gives you the advantage of a technician who will support your bike and having a local shop means you may be able to ride your bike there. Maybe You could get a bike also and share the experience together. Then he can take you to a 5 star restaurant for a wonderful meal. (Bonus of shopping together). Here is a shop finder, but you can just GOOGLE "Bike Shops Near Me".

Find a bike shop near you | Trek Retailers

www.trekbikes.com

 

[RunForTheHills]

Well, for short jaunts to the bar, you could get away with almost anything and you probably want something low profile that won't get stolen locked up in front of the bar all night. Another option is the Brompton Electric. It is low power and out of your price range and the manufacturer recommends a maximum rider weight of 242lbs. However, it has a steel frame and it is a folding bike with one of, if not the, smallest folds available. You can fold it up and carry it into the bar with you and stow it under the table. I bought one for my wife and she loves it. I also have non-electric Brompton. The main problem will be the long seat post will be stressed under your guy's weight. The rest of the components should be fine. That and it will look like a clown bike with a big guy riding it. That sort of thing doesn't bother me and I have gotten a lot of positive comments when I ride the Brompton and no negative ones.

Here is one heavy guy's experience with a Brompton:

https://stupidfatbastard.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/heavy-rider/

 

[zipur]

Well, for short jaunts to the bar, you could get away with almost anything and you probably want something low profile that won't get stolen locked up in front of the bar all night. Another option is the Brompton Electric. It is low power and out of your price range and the manufacturer recommends a maximum rider weight of 242lbs. However, it has a steel frame and it is a folding bike with one of, if not the, smallest folds available. You can fold it up and carry it into the bar with you and stow it under the table. I bought one for my wife and she loves it. I also have non-electric Brompton. The main problem will be the long seat post will be stressed under your guy's weight. The rest of the components should be fine. That and it will look like a clown bike with a big guy riding it. That sort of thing doesn't bother me and I have gotten a lot of positive comments when I ride the Brompton and no negative ones.

Here is one heavy guy's experience with a Brompton:

https://stupidfatbastard.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/heavy-rider/

WOW! I love the idea of a foldable bike. That is so cool, but I also know that the more moving parts you have the more problems you'll encounter. Every fold or clamp could loosen or fail resulting in the introduction of "Road Rash". Big Guys need good solid quality frames, Riders need a local place to get their bike adjusted and worked on. Many shops will refuse to work on a Brompton nor will they have parts.
Shop Local, Support your city!

 

[RunForTheHills]

WOW! I love the idea of a foldable bike. That is so cool, but I also know that the more moving parts you have the more problems you'll encounter. Every fold or clamp could loosen or fail resulting in the introduction of "Road Rash". Big Guys need good solid quality frames, Riders need a local place to get their bike adjusted and worked on. Many shops will refuse to work on a Brompton nor will they have parts.
Shop Local, Support your city!

All true, but the Brompton design hasn't changed in decades and is very solid. You can only buy the Brompton from a local dealer and not online. I bought my Electric in Los Angeles and my non-electric in Oakland, CA. It is a UK company and has cult following. They came out with the electric version a couple of years ago, but it is the same design as the non-electric with a beefed up fork. You can also buy conversion kits for the non-electric Brompton. Grin sells one that I will probably buy soon for my other Brompton.

 

[dirtydeedsoffice]

Well, for short jaunts to the bar, you could get away with almost anything and you probably want something low profile that won't get stolen locked up in front of the bar all night. Another option is the Brompton Electric. It is low power and out of your price range and the manufacturer recommends a maximum rider weight of 242lbs. However, it has a steel frame and it is a folding bike with one of, if not the, smallest folds available. You can fold it up and carry it into the bar with you and stow it under the table. I bought one for my wife and she loves it. I also have non-electric Brompton. The main problem will be the long seat post will be stressed under your guy's weight. The rest of the components should be fine. That and it will look like a clown bike with a big guy riding it. That sort of thing doesn't bother me and I have gotten a lot of positive comments when I ride the Brompton and no negative ones.

Here is one heavy guy's experience with a Brompton:

https://stupidfatbastard.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/heavy-rider/

Appreciate your time and suggestions but he just wants a simple reg style guys bike bike. As I originally stated my budget is $2k but I can go much higher than that. So if someone has the perfect bike in mind and it’s $6k then I would totally consider that. I have money that’s not the issue….. it’s how much money is warranted for a bike he’s only going to use occasionally.

 

[john peck]

Hi,
What to buy???? My man wants an Ebike with reg tires not fat tires. I bought him GoSpeed brand (750) super cool looking reg style bike in matt black with 26” fat tires from Costco at a good deal of $1500 (on GoSpeed website was $1800) but he wants to send it back because he says the big tires are too mushy and frankly look goofy, not his thing. My guy is 300ish pounds of awesomeness so I need to get him a good solid quality bike in matt black preferably. He will only be using it occasionally as we live in Arizona and he mostly goes off roading & boating in his off time. He will just use it when we RV to National Parks or cool towns to bar bar hop and maybe along the boardwalk at the beach. Budget would be around $2k but I can afford much higher for the perfect bike. I know there maybe shortages right now but I can at least preorder something I hope.
Thanks a bunch, Kelly

It´s a dilemma for sure. most ebikes max at 275 pd. & don´t leave a guy a lot of wiggle room for
gear & accessories. Mushy tires can be a headache. To be honest, the only thing that really worked
for me was losing weight,(catch 22), the best way to do that is riding,(or some other ´disciplined´
exercise routine with no sugar, few carbs, only so much protein as one really needs.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Appreciate your time and suggestions but he just wants a simple reg style guys bike bike. As I originally stated my budget is $2k but I can go much higher than that. So if someone has the perfect bike in mind and it’s $6k then I would totally consider that. I have money that’s not the issue….. it’s how much money is warranted for a bike he’s only going to use occasionally.

$2000 will buy you a budget online order bike. If you go to a local bike shop, you will be looking in the $3K-$5K range. $6K-$10K are considered high end bikes. For your purposes, any bike that is rated for your guy's weight and frame size will work. You aren't riding it far, on trails, or on hills. I am not sure what the perfect bike would be for him. It is going to come down to personal preference. Maybe he would like a beach cruiser style bike or a mountain bike or a hybrid stile bike. My point was that I would worry about leaving a very expensive bike locked up outside and out of sight of a bar for hours. Unlike cars, the chances of getting your bike back if it is stolen are almost nil. Bike thieves operate with impunity in most areas. You can get insurance for it though and if you are in a remote community with no crime it might not be an issue.

 

[rich c]

I don't think you can have mushy tires if you inflate to the max recommended pressure. Sure he may want a narrow tire road bike, but there is a reality with his weight. Spokes will likely be his main structural issue. Cargo bikes are built to carry extra weight, some as much as 400 gross carrying weight on the bike. It's a fun idea to by him a bike and kind of surprise him, but having someone else pick out a bike for me would not turn out well. Take some trips to local bike shops and have him put a few miles on and really see what he likes. Everyone will be happen then, and your job will be cut in half!

 

[creativepart]

I'd say that the bike you got for him looks perfect. Yeah, I wouldn't like the fat tires myself - but if he gave them a chance he'd change his mind. That's the thing about eBikes. Once you start riding one you have such a good time that you really love the bike.

Next problem... finding a car rack that will support the extra weight of an eBike AND be rated for use on your flat-tow jeep. 90% of bike racks warn against using them on RVs or RV Toads (Flat-Tow vehicles). And this is for good reason. The RV and the Toad move differently down the road than if you were just using the rack behind a car/truck to tow it around. This plus the extra weight of the eBike make it difficult to find a car rack that works (won't fail) when used for RVing.

If you check out etrailer.com - an RV hitch and flat-towing online store - they list the bike racks suitable for fat tire eBikes and those that are RV approved and RV Toad approved.

 

[john peck]

I'd say that the bike you got for him looks perfect. Yeah, I wouldn't like the fat tires myself - but if he gave them a chance he'd change his mind. That's the thing about eBikes. Once you start riding one you have such a good time that you really love the bike.

Next problem... finding a car rack that will support the extra weight of an eBike AND be rated for use on your flat-tow jeep. 90% of bike racks warn against using them on RVs or RV Toads (Flat-Tow vehicles). And this is for good reason. The RV and the Toad move differently down the road than if you were just using the rack behind a car/truck to tow it around. This plus the extra weight of the eBike make it difficult to find a car rack that works (won't fail) when used for RVing.

If you check out etrailer.com - an RV hitch and flat-towing online store - they list the bike racks suitable for fat tire eBikes and those that are RV approved and RV Toad approved.

The stock tires on my moscow ´will not work for him´.. It´s a great bike for the price. but I´d recommend a
higher pressure tires with tougher sidewalls. I went through thru a number of mtn. tires trying
to solve the problem. Finally solved when I went 700/50, 70 psi Schwalbe marathon green guards.
Marathon + are too rigid at the tread; great puncture protection, but deform at sidewalls with a heavy rider.
The green guard are not mtn tires but excellent for general use. $46 ea., pricy but worth it.
Racks? Ya got me? the rack on my van is pretty secure, but recently noticed the tire straps loosen on windy
roads. ..not good!

 

[EmotionLynx6Pro]

Love the look of the Soul Sonic. My vague recollection of them was that they were a lot more money.


On a similar vein, look up Civi Bikes Cheetah. Saw one in person in FL recently and it has presence. He could always go to a local bike shop and have them replace the tires with some 3 inch wide tires. Put enough air in a wide tire and it won't be mushy. 330 lb capacity.

Bolton ebikes sells the same bike. They call it Revi Bikes Cheetah. 300 lb capacity.

Either one would look awesome in front of the bar.

 

[Rickman1]

Hi,
What to buy???? My man wants an Ebike with reg tires not fat tires. I bought him GoSpeed brand (750) super cool looking reg style bike in matt black with 26” fat tires from Costco at a good deal of $1500 (on GoSpeed website was $1800) but he wants to send it back because he says the big tires are too mushy and frankly look goofy, not his thing. My guy is 300ish pounds of awesomeness so I need to get him a good solid quality bike in matt black preferably. He will only be using it occasionally as we live in Arizona and he mostly goes off roading & boating in his off time. He will just use it when we RV to National Parks or cool towns to bar bar hop and maybe along the boardwalk at the beach. Budget would be around $2k but I can afford much higher for the perfect bike. I know there maybe shortages right now but I can at least preorder something I hope.
Thanks a bunch, Kelly

I’m a big guy and wanted a cool ebike to cruise around on. I found it...The Soul Sonic Saber, $1899. Upgrade to the Pro version you (he) will be glad you did. More range. High quality components and neat design. The perfect cruiser. Definitely has that “Cool Factor”. For his size the bigger tires will be a necessity for load carrying capacity and comfort. Not sure where in AZ you’re at but you can go their store/Shop/Showroom in Mesa at Soul Beach Cruisers. Very friendly, will answer all your questions and let you take a test ride.

 

[indianajo]

With that much weight on 2.1" tires, a stretch frame cargo bike has a lot of advantages. The extra frame puts a lot of the rider's weight on the front tire, which balances the load much more evenly than a conventional bike. MTB put 60-70% of the weight on the back tire. Stretch cargo bikes can be bought in aluminum frame with a 400 lb rating. They are not $2000.
Higher end ones for big people come from xtracycle, kona ute, yubabike, reiss & mueller. If your friend has issues lifting a leg over the saddle, drop frame ones are available with a significant weight rating. You can see my yubabike left in girlie green, perhaps a reason it hasn't been stolen yet. I'm pretty small, 160 lb but I carry up to 100 lb of cargo sometimes. There is no frame flex and the rims do not bottom out on bumps. I've got 7000 miles on it. I broke a fender once with my foot is the main issue other than normal supplies wearout. Tires (8) brake pads (1 set) chain (1). Saddles 5 and I'm still looking for the comfortable ride. Lights 4: 2 were stolen and one drowned in the bottom of the bag in a rainstorm.

 

[Art Deco]

Honestly, as many on this forum have tried fat tires and didn't like them as did like them. They seem best on sand and snow, not pavement.
If the bike's specs , quality, etc. are good, see about a return against a medium tire cruiser or skinny tire road bike for him from the same brand. IDK Costco return policy but I expect they are pretty liberal especially if you want an exchange not a refund.

 

[ActionJackson]

Hi,
What to buy???? My man wants an Ebike with reg tires not fat tires. I bought him GoSpeed brand (750) super cool looking reg style bike in matt black with 26” fat tires from Costco at a good deal of $1500 (on GoSpeed website was $1800) but he wants to send it back because he says the big tires are too mushy and frankly look goofy, not his thing. My guy is 300ish pounds of awesomeness so I need to get him a good solid quality bike in matt black preferably. He will only be using it occasionally as we live in Arizona and he mostly goes off roading & boating in his off time. He will just use it when we RV to National Parks or cool towns to bar bar hop and maybe along the boardwalk at the beach. Budget would be around $2k but I can afford much higher for the perfect bike. I know there maybe shortages right now but I can at least preorder something I hope.
Thanks a bunch, Kelly

Hi Kelly, I’m 280lbs and 6’0. I just bought a Specialized Turbo Vado SL, but that decision was largely based on it being light enough to load on a roof rack. In the buying process I also would have chosen a Giant Fathom E+ 3 Power (quoting the USA model name) if not for its weight. I’ve been renting a previous year Giant of that model and find it awesome for trail riding. It comes in an L and XL frame too. I think it would be best to have him fitted for whatever bike you decide on at the shop.