Continuing our Best Of Competition Series, we're diving into the world of Fat Tire Ebikes. Which one of these popular EVs will take home the goose?
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Introduction
Welcome to Ride Review, your ultimate destination for everything EV! Today, we’re diving into the world of Fat Tire Ebikes. These beasts are designed for all terrains and offer unparalleled stability and control. We’ll be putting these bikes through a series of rigorous tests to see which one truly stands out. Stay tuned to find out which Fat Tire Ebike takes the crown!
TL;DR
In our latest Fat Tire Ebike competition, we tested a variety of bikes across several rigorous challenges to determine the ultimate performer. The AIMA Sport and Big Sur bikes showcased impressive agility and pulling power, with the Sport narrowly edging out the Big Sur in the agility test. The Lectric XPeak stood out for its affordability and solid performance across multiple tests, including a notable second place in the water retention test. However, it was the Himiway C5 Ultra that stole the show, clinching first place overall with top scores in the pulling, water, and braking tests, proving its superiority with exceptional torque and stability.
Despite the strong performances across the board, the Tahoe models struggled with agility and pulling tests, while the Mod Easy 3 impressed with its side-car readiness and torque but fell short in other areas. The Aventon Aventure and AIMA bikes delivered strong showings, but the Himiway C5 Ultra emerged as the clear winner with its well-rounded capabilities and consistent top-tier results. For a comprehensive view of how each bike fared, be sure to check out the full breakdown of scores and performances.
Meet the Contenders
Before we jump into the competition, let’s meet our contenders:
1. Mod Easy 3
Motor: 750W
Battery: 15Ah with Samsung cells
Brakes: Hydraulic
Price: $3,999 ($2,999 without sidecar)
Unique Feature: Only side-car-ready Ebike in the field
2. Tahoe GT ST
Motor: 750W (peaks at 1,375W)
Battery: 20Ah with Panasonic cells
Brakes: Quad-piston hydraulic
Price: $2,695
Suspension: RST Guide fork and Suntour NCX seatpost
3. Tahoe GT SO
Motor: 750W (peaks at 1,375W)
Battery: 20Ah with Panasonic cells
Brakes: Quad-piston hydraulic
Price: $2,695
Additional Feature: Color-matched fenders, and comfortable suspension setup
4. AIMA Big Sur
Motor: 750W
Battery: 15Ah
Brakes: Large hydraulic
Price: $1,899
Highlight: Smoothest riding torque sensor
5. AIMA Sport
Motor: 750W
Battery: 15Ah
Brakes: Large hydraulic
Price: $1,899
Feature: 20-inch wheel setup with BMX-style bars
6. Himiway C5 Ultra
Motor: 750W
Battery: 20Ah
Brakes: Hydraulic
Price: $2,499
Unique Feature: Only true full-suspension setup
7. Aventon Aventure
Motor: 750W
Battery: 15Ah
Brakes: Hydraulic
Price: $1,999
Configuration: Step-over and step-through options
8. Lectric XPeak
Motor: 750W with M24 technology
Battery: 14Ah
Brakes: Hydraulic
Price: $1,399
Highlight: Most affordable Ebike in the field
Agility Test
The agility test challenged the bikes on a demanding course, highlighting their maneuverability and control.
The Tahoe ST tackled the course first with a time of 1:04.89. Its larger wheelbase and overall design, more suited for stable, smooth riding, didn't quite handle the rugged terrain efficiently. While it didn't excel in this off-road setting, it’s important to note that this bike is designed more for comfortable, on-road use rather than aggressive trails.
Next up was the Mod Easy 3, finishing at 1:03.81. Though not built specifically for off-road conditions, it managed reasonably well on the agility course. If you have a small MTB park or occasional trail in your routine, this bike’s performance, though slower, demonstrates its versatility—except when it’s towing the sidecar.
The Himiway C5 followed with a time of 1:03.65. Despite its powerful motor and full-suspension setup, it didn’t quite land higher in the rankings as expected. All bikes were closely matched, and the minor differences in times reflect their overall consistency on the course.
The Aventon Aventure came in at 1:03.32, securing 5th place. Its more MTB-oriented design helped it outperform some of the beach cruiser-style bikes. The robust design contributed to its better performance in this agility test.
The Lectric XPeak achieved a time of 1:02.84, placing 4th. The motor’s impressive performance and consistent torque throughout the run gave it a slight edge over the Aventon. The XPeak showed promising results, suggesting great potential for its category.
The Tahoe SO edged out its ST counterpart with a time of 1:02.71, landing in 3rd place. It narrowly beat the XPeak by just 13 hundredths of a second, showcasing a slight improvement in agility over the Tahoe ST.
The AIMA Big Sur zoomed through the course with a time of 59.89 seconds, earning 2nd place. Despite its refined appearance, it delivered strong performance on the agility course, proving that looks aren’t everything.
Taking 1st place was the AIMA Big Sur Sport, with an impressive time of 59.08 seconds. It outperformed all other bikes, demonstrating exceptional agility and control. Despite the narrow time margins separating the top performers, the Big Sur Sport stood out as the best in this challenging agility test.
8. Tahoe GT ST: 1:04.89
7. Mod Easy 3: 1:03.81
6. Himiway C5 Ultra: 1:03.65
5. Aventon Aventure: 1:03.32
4. Lectric XPeak: 1:02.84
3. Tahoe GT SO: 1:02.71
2. AIMA Big Sur: 59.89
1. AIMA Sport: 59.08
Pulling Test
This test measured the bikes' ability to handle low-end torque, simulating scenarios like towing or heavy uphill starts.
The Tahoe SO struggled in the pulling test, finishing with a time of 1:41.72. This performance was unexpected given its agility results. It seems this bike, which is geared more towards high speeds, lacks the low-end torque needed for strong pulling performance.
The Tahoe ST performed slightly better with a time of 1:23.57, placing it in 7th. The difference in torque between these two models was evident, reinforcing the idea that they are optimized for speed rather than low-end pulling power.
The rest of the field displayed significantly better results. The AIMA Big Sur Sport completed the test with a time of 39.81 seconds, showing robust performance. The Lectric XPeak narrowly edged out the Big Sur Sport with a time of 39.38 seconds, highlighting its impressive torque and speed capabilities.
The AIMA Big Sur came in 4th with a time of 38.7 seconds. The Mod Easy 3, which is the only bike with a sidecar, finished at 35.75 seconds, placing 3rd. Its design made it well-suited for low-end torque tests, proving our expectations right.
The Aventon Aventure surprised many by finishing in 2nd place with a time of 33.57 seconds, despite some mishaps with the tow setup. The Himiway C5 dominated the test with an outstanding time of 29.14 seconds, achieving 1st place. Its exceptional low-end torque made it the only bike to finish under 30 seconds, showcasing its superior pulling power.
8. Tahoe GT SO: 1:41.72
7. Tahoe GT ST: 1:23.57
6. AIMA Sport: 39.81
5. Lectric XPeak: 39.38
4. AIMA Big Sur: 38.7
3. Mod Easy 3: 35.75
2. Aventon Aventure: 33.57
1. Himiway C5 Ultra: 29.14
Egg Test
This whimsical test involved riding with an egg on a spoon, testing the bikes' smoothness and stability.
Spoiler alert: None of the bikes managed to keep the egg intact, but it was a fun and challenging test for all.
Water Test
Each bike started with 800ml of water, and we measured how much was left after navigating the course.
Each bike started with 800ml of water, and we measured the remaining amount after completing the course. This test was particularly grueling, as we pushed the bikes hard, especially compared to the agility test. Here’s how each bike fared:
The Tahoe ST struggled the most, retaining only 45ml of water. Its larger wheelbase and design didn’t handle the terrain well, resulting in the lowest score.
The AIMA Big Sur was slightly better, with 60ml of water remaining. Despite its off-road-ready tires, it didn’t perform as well as expected in this test.
The Mod Easy 3 had 75ml of water left, placing it in 5th. Although it lost a lot of water, it still outperformed the previous bikes, showing decent handling for off-road conditions.
Both the Tahoe SO and Aventon Aventure finished with 90ml of water, tying for 4th place. Their performance was solid, considering the challenging conditions of the test.
The AIMA Big Sur Sport impressed with 105ml of water remaining, placing it among the top performers. Its performance was notable given the typical jostling expected with 20” wheels.
The Lectric XPeak finished in 2nd place, retaining 115ml of water. Its effective front suspension helped it handle the terrain better than most.
The Himiway C5 excelled in this test, holding onto 150ml of water and taking 1st place. Its full suspension proved highly effective, retaining the most water and demonstrating why it's a top contender in this category.
7. Tahoe GT ST: 45ml
6. AIMA Big Sur: 60ml
5. Mod Easy 3: 75ml
4. Tahoe GT SO & Aventon Aventure: 90ml
3. AIMA Sport: 105ml
2. Lectric XPeak: 115ml
1. Himiway C5 Ultra: 150ml
Braking Test
For this test, each bike was evaluated on its ability to come to a rapid and safe stop in an off-road setting. Since fat tire bikes are designed for rugged terrain, we chose an environment that emphasized their braking capabilities under challenging conditions.
The Tahoe ST and Tahoe SO, both featuring street-centric treads, performed the worst with stopping distances of 30 feet and 27 feet, respectively. Their design is more suited to pavement, which affected their performance in off-road braking.
The Lectric XPeak came in slightly behind with a stopping distance of 25 feet, placing 3rd with a score of 8. Its performance was commendable but just short of the top spots.
The Mod Easy 3, AIMA Big Sur Sport, and Aventon Aventure all tied with average stopping distances of 24 feet, earning them 2nd place with a score of 9. Their braking was solid, though not the best.
The Himiway C5 and AIMA Big Sur excelled with stopping distances of only 21 feet, tying for 1st place and earning a perfect score of 10. The Big Sur's 203mm rotors and the C5’s off-road tread contributed to their exceptional braking performance. Both large rotors and appropriate tread are crucial factors for maintaining control on varied terrains.
5. Tahoe GT ST & SO: 30ft
4. Tahoe GT SO: 27ft
3. Lectric XPeak: 25ft
2. Mod Easy 3, AIMA Sport, & Aventon Aventure: 24ft
1. Himiway C5 Ultra & AIMA Big Sur: 21ft
Hill Climb Test
The Tahoe SO didn’t do too well on the hill climb, only making it through the less steep section of the hill. Now, I know what you’re thinking, they probably weren’t in power mode, but we made sure they were. So, again, just showcasing that the motor was tuned for higher top speeds, and less about low-end torque, which may not be a big deal to people in relatively flat and on-road areas.
The Tahoe ST made it a bit further up, but not by much.
The Mod Easy 3 made it a bit further up, earning it 8 sweet points.
The Aventure was actually pretty darn close, and we were all shocked it couldn’t overcome the hill.
Another shock was the Himiway C5 not making it up the hill. With its powerful motor, and low-end torque already being proved to be pretty spot on, it blew our minds that it came up short.
There were 3 bikes that did make it all the way up, and those were the AIMA Big Sur, Big Sur Sport and Lectric XPeak, all cruising up the hill with relative ease, earning them joint first place.
6. Tahoe GT SO: Did not complete
5. Tahoe GT ST: Did not complete
4. Mod Easy 3: Made it a bit further up
3. Aventon Aventure: Almost made it
2. Himiway C5 Ultra: Did not complete
1. AIMA Big Sur, Sport & Lectric XPeak: Completed with ease
Final Scores
8th Place: Tahoe GT ST - Total Score: 23
7th Place: Tahoe GT SO - Total Score: 30
6th Place: Mod Easy 3 - Total Score: 34
5th Place: Aventon Aventure - Total Score: 38
4th Place: Lectric XPeak - Total Score: 40
3rd Place: AIMA Big Sur - Total Score: 41
2nd Place: AIMA Sport - Total Score: 42
1st Place: Himiway C5 Ultra - Total Score: 43
Conclusion
In conclusion, our comprehensive test of Fat Tire Ebikes reveals a diverse range of performance levels across various categories. The Himiway C5 emerged as the overall champion, showcasing exceptional results in both agility and water retention, thanks to its superior full-suspension system. The AIMA Big Sur and Big Sur Sport also demonstrated impressive capabilities, particularly in agility and hill climbing, while the Lectric XPeak proved its worth with remarkable torque and a solid showing in water retention. On the other hand, bikes like the Tahoe ST and SO, with their street-centric designs, fell short in off-road tests, highlighting the importance of selecting a bike suited to your specific riding conditions. This competition underscores the vital role of off-road features like suspension, tread, and braking in achieving peak performance in diverse environments.