Best Electric Fat Bikes of 2024
These are our recommendations on the best fat electric bikes of 2024. These top five fat ebikes offer the best combination of features and value today, but you can see all 147 of our detailed electric fat bike reviews listed here. Reviewing electric bikes is what we do, EBR has the industry’s most wide-ranging and impartial reviews. Since 2012, we’ve helped millions of people discover the best ebike for their needs and budget. Let’s go!
Table of Contents:
- Best Premium Fat Electric Bike
- Best Value Fat Electric Bike
- Best Affordable Fat Electric Bike
- Promoted Fat Electric Bike
- Honorable Mention Fat Electric Bike
Things to Consider:
- Intended Use. Do you only want the rugged looks, comfort, and flexibility of an in-town fat ebike? In that case, a less powerful, heavier, cheaper model will do. However, if you plan to climb mountains, cross sandy beaches, or carry heavy loads, then you’ll want a more powerful motor, larger battery, and upgraded components. Look and pay for the things you will actually use.
- Throttle. Depending on your location, throttles may or may not be allowed. Most North American countries allow them, while European countries do not. If you plan to ride on dry sand, packed snow, or soft damp forest trails, a throttle can help you start and balance more easily.
- Motor. Think about the total combined weight of your body, bike, and cargo. Next, think about the terrain. Will you be riding off-road, navigating through soft terrain, or climbing steep mountains? Get the right type of motor with enough power to meet your needs. Motors can range from 250 to 750 watts depending on the laws where you live, I consider a 500 watt nominal motor to be very powerful. Mid-drive motors tend to be more efficient and make servicing the drivetrain and fixing flat tires easier. However, mid-drives usually cost more than hub motors, and rarely offer throttle operation.
- Battery. Match the needs of your motor and type of riding with battery power and capacity. 36 volt battery systems are typical, but 48 volt batteries are efficient and improve power output. When sizing batteries, think about total weight, terrain, and distance. You want enough capacity to get there and back, even if it means buying a second battery. Fat ebikes are heavier, and the tires produce more drag, so it’s no fun if you run out of power and have to pedal back unassisted. Consider bringing a charger along, just in case you hit a detour or want to ride farther.
- Brakes, Frame, and Suspension. Hydraulic brakes are easier to use but mechanical brakes cost less and are easier to adjust. Large disc brake rotors improve stopping power and maximize cooling. This is important as fat ebike wheels, tires, and frames are all bigger and weigh more. Planning to climb mountains, go off-road, or carry cargo? Then look for a stronger frame, nicer components, and perhaps a suspension fork and seatpost or full suspension.
- Wheels and Tires. Larger wheels ride smoother, smaller are more maneuverable. Most full-sized electric fat bikes use 26″ wheels because the extra-wide tires add additional height to the wheel. You may see 20″ wheels with fat tires on folding fat ebikes. Select a tire size and tread that suits your terrain. Use knobby tires for climbing, smaller knobs or checkerboard for cross country, and lower tire pressure when riding on sand. For city use, consider smoother tires which are quieter and have less resistance.
Best Value Fat Electric Bike for 2024
If you’re looking for the best value in price, performance, and features in an electric fat bike for 2024, I feel that the iGO Electric Core Extreme 3.0 is a clear winner. It comes with everything you might want or need for both off-road and urban riding! You could remove the rear rack and fenders to help reduce rattling noise and weight for pure off-road fun, or load them up for bikepacking trips or all-terrain rides to the office and back. This thing has integrated lights, an adjustable suspension fork and stem for comfort, a fully purpose built frame with lower standover top tube and unique electronics controller box at the bottom bracket. This is a concept they introduced in 2018/2019 with the Core Extreme 2.0 as a way to better protect the electronics while making them easy to access and replace. iGO is a longtime leader in the ebike space, dating all the way back to 2006. I visited their headquarters in Montreal, Canada in 2013, before they offered any sort of fat-tire ebike product. To see their diverse collection of models today, and see how quickly they innovated with a fully integrated battery pack for this model is very impressive! For a bit more money than the affordable winner in this list, you’ll get a more refined aesthetic, wider 4.5″ off-road oriented tires (that lack reflective stripes and puncture protection but do rest on lightweight punched out rims), and a fully integrated battery. Both iGO and Rad Power Bikes are essentially tied with their integrated lights, upgraded drivetrain (although iGO has an 8 speed here vs. 7 speed, the gear spread is the same 11-34 tooth), rear racks (though Rad charges extra for this), and fenders. iGO Electric has chosen aluminum alloy for their fenders vs. plastic, which adds some weight but tends to be fairly sturdy. Their extra-sensitive 32 pulse cadence sensor is well protected inside the mid-frame box and the nine levels of assist provide more nuance in pacing and ride comfort but more clicking on the display. Like Rad, they are offering a throttle that overrides all levels of assist for instant help getting started, ascending hills, or catching up with friends. New for the 3.0 is a USB charging port on the display panel! Like many of the other affordable or semi-affordable electric fat bikes, it only comes in one size and color… but the paint job is excellent in my opinion. This is a truly great electric bike that blends value with performance.
iGO Electric Core Extreme 3.0 Review
A hardtail electric fat bike with extra large 4.5" wide tires that improve float and traction. Gnarly Kenda Juggernaut tires feature bigger knobs spaced further apart that dig into loamy, snowy, or sandy terrain. Redesigned hydroformed aluminum alloy frame is sturdy but approachable with lower standover height, due to aggressively sloped top tube, and fully integrated downtube battery pack. The bike is feature complete with alloy fenders, rear rack, and integrated lights.. Advanced 32 pulse cadence sensor is responsive and durable. Unique "Electronics Access Port" bottom bracket…...
Best Affordable Fat Electric Bike for 2024
And now we come to the RadRover… one of the best and most affordable fat ebikes around. This is a long-running product that I credit with helping to start and mainstream the whole electric fat bike movement. The first time I covered any model from Rad Power Bikes was back in 2014, and it was indeed the original RadRover. Based in Seattle Washington, not far from Vancouver, Rad Power Bikes now offers a whole range of products, but the RadRover and RadRover Step-Thru remain very popular. This product uses a hub motor and mid-frame battery, much like the Surface 604 Boar Hunter, but the battery box is not sunk into the frame. It comes with durable plastic fenders, but front and rear racks are sold separately. You get a full sized USB charging port on the display, but not on the battery pack. No hydraulic disc brakes here, but the large 180mm rotors match the BULLS and Surface 604 picks above, and the brake levers are rubberized for comfort and to be less cold to the touch. Unlike the Boar Hunter, this electric fat bike comes with an adjustable suspension fork. They also sell suspension seat posts, and the tire pressure offers 5 to 30 PSI for great comfort. Notice the checkerboard tread pattern here vs. the deep knobs from BULLS and Surface 604. This makes it smoother and quieter for around town riding. Just like the Boar Hunter, the RadRover offers pedal assist and throttle on demand, but it does not have a torque sensor. This means that the motor won’t kick on as smoothly or quickly… and it may continue for a moment after you stop pedaling. Thankfully, both brake levers have built-in motor inhibitors to cut power quickly and keep you safe. To me, this is the best option for people who want an SUV type of ebike for rides around town and light off-road and gravel. It only comes in one frame size and one color (black), but the company also sell a step-thru version that comes in white. It’s hard to go wrong with this product, but the ~70lb weight makes it less nimble in technical conditions and the spring fork isn’t as adjustable or responsive as the air forks that BULLS chose for their MONSTER models. I think the biggest wins are the front and rear integrated lights (with brake light activation when you pull either brake lever), the reflective and puncture resistant tires, and the mid-rise handlebar with ergonomic grips… It’s a fun bike to ride with a less aggressive geometry and seating position, and it comes at an excellent price with top-notch customer service.
Rad Power Bikes RadRover 5 Review
An updated 5th generation full sized, high-step, fat tire electric bike from one of the originators in this category; Rad Power Bikes. Features comfortable 4" wide knobby tires with puncture protection and reflective sidewalls. It's stable and capable in soft terrain like mulch and sand if the tire air pressure is lowered. Features a curved top-tube, short sturdy stem, and mid-rise handlebar for approachability and comfort.. Adjustable suspension fork offers preload adjust for heavy loads and lockout for smooth terrain. Upgraded…...
Promoted Fat Electric Bike for 2024
Hey look, it’s Rad Power Bikes again! They pay us to promote some of their ebikes here, but we only offer this service to companies that are genuine leaders. You might noticed that we don’t have a lot of ads around here… that’s because we are trying to be as honest and independent as possible. Okay, so since the high-step RadRover already won a spot here, I thought I’d describe the new RadRover Step-Thru for the promoted spot. This ebike offers all of the same benefits and trade-offs as the high-step, but is much easier to mount. Rad custom designed the frame to stay stiff, while offering a low-entry for petite riders, or those with knee and hip sensitivity (like myself). This is an especially good choice if you plan to add a rear rack with lots of gear, because trying to swing you leg up and over can be very difficult… and leaning the bike to the side could require extra muscle or result in some gear falling off. What you trade in approachability is frame stiffness. All of the step-thru and mid-step frames I’ve tested over the years tend to feel flexy vs. rigid and stiff. It’s not a huge issue here, and I didn’t experience speed-wobble while riding, but it’s just not as rigid as the standard diamond high-step RadRover. Notice that the battery pack was mounted in front of the seat tube vs. behind it or on a rear rack. This greatly improves frame balance and handling. As with all RPB products, the battery pack is interchangeable, so you might get a high-step and step-thru RadRover for you and your partner. Or, you could get black and white, both in step-thru frames! Yep, this model comes in two colorways. While white isn’t quite as masculine to some people, I find the white to be very appealing because it increases your visual footprint, making you much easier to spot when riding in traffic. Whatever you choose, enjoy the happy sounding bell that’s built in to the left brake lever, the easy-to-reach bottle cage mounts, metal chainring guide and rear derailleur guard, and impressive 11-34 tooth cassette. No, it’s not quite as wide as the 11-40 tooth on the BULLS MONSTER E FS, but it’s above average for cheaper fat bikes, which tend to use 14-28, making it harder to start and climb.
Rad Power Bikes RadRover Step-Thru 1 Review
An approachable step-thru version of the renowned RadRover full sized fat tire electric bike. Features comfortable 4" wide tires, an adjustable suspension fork, short sturdy stem, and mid-rise handlebar. Available in matte white or satin black with matching faux-leather grips and saddle. Excellent puncture resistant tires with reflective sidewall stripes for safety, great headlight with outer "be…...
Honorable Mention Fat Electric Bike for 2024
Completing this list is the uniquely awesome Surface 604 Boar Hunter, featured as an “honorable mention”. This electric fat bike comes with extra large 4.5″ fat tires, a Kryptek branded camouflage paint job that runs all the way down through the fork, a bright integrated headlight, and optional steel fenders. It really packs a punch for $2.5k, as long as you’re okay with the camo look. This ebike foregoes a suspension fork in favor of a stiffer thru-axle and sturdy front rack (as compared to the Core Extreme 3.0 from iGO). This allows the paint job to cover more of the frame and reduces shiny reflective surfaces like fork stanchions… Note that almost all of the other hardware is black vs. silver. This would be an excellent choice for hunting, bikepacking, or multi-surface touring. Note that the front and rear racks provide solid mounting points for panniers on the sides and duffel bags on top. It’s a very capable hauler but only advertises a 300lb max load capacity, which surprised me a bit (perhaps they are being conservative). I love that they reduced the overall weight of the bike with punched out rims, because this also makes them easier for the motor to get rolling. And while it only comes one frame size, the top tube is sloped for easier mounting and stand-over, which is critical if the bike is loaded up and the terrain is uneven. S604 did not choose an adjustable angle stem, which reduces complexity and failure points. They did opt for a torque sensor vs. cadence sensor pedal assist, and it also comes with a throttle! This is an ideal setup for heavier loads and off-road technical handling. The headlight is mounted below the front rack, so it won’t get blocked by cargo, and it runs off of the main battery pack, which also powers two USB charging ports (on the display and on the battery itself). The battery pack can be used as a portable power back when not mounted to the bike, which is great for camping. Powerful hydraulic disc brakes, a large color LCD display, and rugged thru-axle front fork set this electric fat bike apart from the rest… but it’s not perfect. Surprisingly, there’s no rear light included and the optional steel fenders introduce the possibility of rust. For improved comfort, consider lowering tire pressure or adding an aftermarket suspension seat post. Surface 604 is a Canadian company based in Vancouver, where the phone numbers start with 604. The name was chosen because Vancouver has beach, forest, and mountain terrain… and the first product they designed and sold was a fat bike much like this one! I trust this company, especially for this category, having seen them grow and adapt over time. I know the know the original founder personally, and he is still in an ownership/leadership position today. We first covered their products back in 2014, and they remain a standout in the fat bike space today.
Surface 604 Boar Hunter Review
A purpose-built fat tire electric bike designed with hunters and campers in mind. The frame and fork are painted with matte Kryptek camouflage to blend into wilderness environments while nearly all accessory hardware is black. Comes with a sturdy rear rack and front basket system, both capable of supporting pannier bags (up to four in total). Extra large 26" x 4.5" fat tires provide traction and float, lower the PSI to…...
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