The best fat tire bike Ecotric 500W fat tire electric bike

After spending a month or two locked up throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people have turned to e-bikes en masse as a method to get out of the home and have interaction in social distancing enjoyable. Whereas lots of the greatest electrical bikes on Amazon have been sold out for weeks, one of many few remaining good choices remains to be hanging in there: the Ecotric 500W fat tire electric bike.

Now I need to be clear from the beginning: This isn’t a high-end electrical bike, although you most likely guessed that from the $850 price tag.

However what stunned me was that it isn’t a low-quality e-bike both. Whereas the Ecotric fats tire bike has its shortcomings, it truly gives a good vary of components and specs that far exceed its modest value.

For anybody trying to find an reasonably priced fats tire bike that they’ll thrash round on with out babying it or worrying about their funding, this could possibly be a fantastic choice.

Take a look at my video evaluation of the Ecotric 500W fats tire e-bike under, then hold studying for the total particulars.

Ecotric 500W fats tire e-bike tech specs

• Motor: 500W geared rear hub motor
• Prime velocity: 32 km/h (20 mph)
• Vary: 25-50 km (15-30 mi) relying on throttle or pedal help
• Battery: 36V 12Ah (432Wh)
• Cost time: 6 hours
• Max load: 120 kg (265 lb)
• Body: 6061 aluminum
• Suspension: None
• Brakes: Tektro mechanical disc brakes with 160 mm rotors
• Extras: LCD show with speedometer, battery gauge, PAS stage indicator, odometer, tripmeter, half-twist throttle

What are its strengths?

The Ecotric fats tire bike’s largest power is that it really works simply fantastic. I do know that sounds underwhelming, however stick to me right here. There’s nothing fancy concerning the bike, but it surely works.

It’s not fairly, but it surely’s a heck of so much higher trying than some other ultra-budget e-bikes we’ve tried.

The fats tires provide you with loads of grip and cushion, making up for the dearth of suspension. And reality be informed, generally I desire a inflexible fork over an el-cheapo suspension fork that appears like it’s going to disintegrate.

The pedal-assist is cadence-based and so it has that telltale delay for the primary revolution or so earlier than it kicks in, however as soon as it does it feels a lot robust.

I did some climbing on dust hearth roads and located that between me and the pedal-assist, there was no hill I couldn’t climb. Nonetheless, the identical hills had been a lot harder on throttle alone. The Ecotric might do it, however boy did I decelerate. That’s typical for a 500W system with a 36V battery – they merely have a way more highly effective really feel on flat floor than when climbing large hills.

The bike additionally feels surprisingly nicely designed. And positive, which may be as a result of body being ripped off of another bike, however no less than they ripped it off nicely. Meaning the geometry truly feels comfy and never sketchy like some funds e-bikes.

The bike elements aren’t wonderful. We’re speaking the bottom of the Shimano drivetrain components and Tektro brakes. However no less than it has model identify components, proper?!

Primarily, the bike didn’t blow me away in anyone class, but it surely did nearly every little thing I requested of it apart from climbing large hills on throttle solely. And maybe I used to be asking an excessive amount of there.

What are its weaknesses?

So the place does the Ecotric lag behind?

Principally in options and equipment. It doesn’t have any LED lights or fenders or a rack – all issues that I like to see included on a motorcycle. Certain, I can add all three of these myself, however I don’t need to! I need a bike to come back with them – is that a lot to ask?

At this value, maybe it’s an excessive amount of to ask.

The opposite sticking level is the vary. With a 432Wh battery, I wouldn’t name the vary underwhelming, but it surely’s actually not spectacular both. Most e-bikes include no less than a 500Wh battery as of late. The Ecotric can get you round 30 miles of vary in the event you’re pedaling however anticipate to get round half of that on throttle solely.

Meaning it could be good for a Sunday afternoon pleasure trip, however not a prolonged tour. At the least not with no spare battery.

What’s the decision?

Regardless of the Ecotric’s downsides, I nonetheless give this bike a thumbs up. However not an unconditional thumbs up.

It’s important to go into this e-bike understanding that you simply’re getting average energy and a scarcity of any fancy options.

But for $850, you get a full-size electrical fats tire bike that can have you ever flying via the park and across the trails with out breaking a sweat. It’s an e-bike that works and does its job – it simply doesn’t provide you with something further in the way in which of creature comforts.

If you happen to’re ready to make that sacrifice to get on an reasonably priced e-bike, then this could possibly be the proper bike for you. You probably have only a bit extra to spend, I’d advocate the Lectric XP fat tire e-bike that provides extra energy for just $899. However if you wish to stick with a full-size and ultra-low priced electrical fats tire bike, the Ecotric has the proper stuff.