My Big Fat E-Bike Tires
Why do e-bikes have such fat tires? Are they necessary?
We’ll cover all the details below.
Intro
Electric bikes with fat tires simplify travel over rough terrain. Riding on sand, mud, or snow can be a challenge for standard bikes. Wider tires make conquering rough, loose, and uneven terrain a breeze. As a result, fat tire bikes are now wildly popular, with a massive following. And bike frames and forks are now designed to accommodate larger tires and wheels.
At Open Road Motosports, we consider a "fat tire" to start at a 3 inch width—but are more commonly 4 inches wide. A few are even wider, up to 5 inches. The fat tire rim sizes we offer are 20”, 24”, 26”, or 27.5", with either 3" or 4" widths.
Advantages of fat tires
The primary advantages you'll experience with a fat tire e-bike are more traction through increased surface friction and increased stability through a wider and stronger air cushioning effect. There is simply more tire on the surface the bike is riding on, and the plush ride feel is certainly appealing. A beginner bike rider can feel greater control and stability with these bigger tires when compared to the waggle of narrower tires.
Tire pressure
Riders also have the option of adjusting tire pressure to suit the current weather and terrain. Lower air pressure provides a softer, bouncier ride, while greater pressure can decrease surface resistance on a paved trail and provide greater battery range. In comparison to traditional bike tires, fat tires are typically inflated at lower pounds per square inch (psi) when compared with their narrow tire cousins. For reference, usually fat tires are inflated between 15 psi to 30 psi, depending on your preference. While a 30 psi fat tire works well on paved trails, lowering the psi can improve trail contact and provide more float on soft surfaces such as wet sand or snow.
Regardless of tire size, tire pressure should be regularly checked. A bike sitting for a long period of time will lose air pressure, and you want to start a ride with properly inflated tires. Also, we recommend tire liners to protect against nasty stickers (aka goat heads), which can penetrate the tire and tube, regardless of tire size. We always rave about Tannus Armour, a very effective solution that protects against goat heads, screws, or other sharp objects—which can't penetrate through to the tube. This is one of the most common services we offer—upgrading tires for our customers’ peace of mind. We highly recommend you do it yourself, or have us do it for you.
Need help with your tires, tire pressure, or tire protection?
Contact us here. You can also give us a call or stop by the shop!