With people nowadays advocating an environmentally friendly lifestyle, coupled with the spread of the epidemic COVID-19, traveling by ebikes, especially the ones with wide tires, has become a trend recently. Because of its many irreplaceable advantages, big tire bikes will inevitably be favored by more and more people. Wide tire ebikes are known for their excellent traction and support, which can bring riders a more stable and comfortable riding experience and allow them to ride on more complex terrain, such as snowfields, beaches, and rugged mountain trails. There are currently two types of big tire bikes on the market, fat tire ebike and plus tire ebike. The two are roughly similar, but there are still some differences between them. Follow us and we will show you how they can bring you an unparalleled riding experience on a conventional tire bike.
The Pro and Cons of Fat Tire Electric Bikes
With the general size of 3.8 inches and above, fat tire ebikes have gained a large audience in recent years. Wider tires correspond to more contact area with the ground, and more tire patterns could come into use, which will bring the rider a stronger grip during riding. Therefore, fat tire electric bikes usually have better safety performance than traditional thin tire bikes and are definitely suitable for middle-aged and elderly bicycle riders. In addition to their excellent safety performance, fat tire electric bikes can also bring you a fantastic riding experience. When these fat tires are inflated with enough air, they can contain about 3 to 4 times the amount of air of a thin bike, which will have a good shock absorption effect. Coupled with a bicycle suspension, riding on a fat tire ebike is as comfortable as riding on a soft sofa! We believe that once you have tried to ride a fat tire ebike, you will never forget the wonderful feeling! More importantly, riding an ebike is an ideal exercise for many seniors, especially the ebike with both pedal assist and pure electric mode. If you want to do some exercise, you can choose to turn off the power and use the pedal assist mode; and when you feel tired and want to have a rest, please just make the motor work instead of the pedal. It is an ideal fitness machine that combines work and rest. In addition, wide tires are not easy to be caught by small sharp objects such as gravel, branches, glass slag, etc., which prolongs the service life of the bike and reduces the maintenance work of the owner. In this regard, you can spend more time enjoying the journey instead of wasting time on bike maintenance. In summary, the fat tire ebike is suitable for almost all kinds of terrain, definitely suitable for middle-aged and old people, as well as some novice ebike riders.
The only disadvantage of a fat tire is that due to its strong grip and relatively heavy weight, it requires the rider to spend more effort to achieve some actions like steering. And if your ebike runs out of power, you'll need to pedal harder to move your bike forward, so a spare battery is a good solution to this.
The Pro and Cons of Plus Size Tire Electric Bikes
The size of a plus tire usually ranges from 2.5 to 3.25 inches, and some of them are lighter than fat tires. As a matter of fact, both in terms of appearance and performance, plus size tires are similar to fat tires. Although a plus tire cannot contain as much air as a fat tire, it still provides considerable stability and comfort to the rider. What's more, when you start the bike or go uphill, plus tires can provide more powerful energy than ordinary mountain bikes, which will make your riding easier.
As for the cons of plus size tire ebikes, for some seniors, plus size tires may increase the weight of the bike while ensuring excellent puncture resistance, which will bring some difficulties to going uphill and lifting the bike. Of course, there are also lighter options, but just as the saying goes, you can’t have your cake and eat it too, the puncture resistance of them may not be as satisfactory as the heavier ones.
How to Choose?
Now it’s your turn to make a choice, fat tires or plus tires, which one caught your attention? Whether it is a fat tire or a plus tire, their price will be different because of the difference in quality. Customers should make a decision based on their budget, though the tires matter a little on the price of ebikes. For big guys who are relatively heavy, fat tires will definitely make your riding more comfortable. If your living area has complicated terrain, or you want to experience cycling on various terrains, then fat tires are still your first choice. However, if you just want to use your bike for commuting, or riding on some flat trails, then plus tire ebikes can absolutely meet your needs. If your friends happen to have fat tires and plus tires bikes, you can ask them about their feelings when riding on these two kinds of tires, and it's best if you can have a test ride on your own.
All in all, fat tires and plus size tires generally have a similar appearance and even performance, both of them can satisfy most of your requirements. On the whole, fat tire ebikes can contain more air, which will bring the rider a more comfortable riding experience. But please don't over-inflate the tires in case there will be a flat tire. Plus size tire ebikes may provide more power to the rider, which requires less effort when going uphills. Each of them has its own pros and cons, you can just make your purchase based on your situation.
