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If you’re a fun pig like me, you’ll find nothing more fun than sprinting down snow-covered trails on an electric fat bike. Battery and motor technology has reached a tipping point where anyone can buy a fat bike for less than $3000, equip it with a decent motor and battery, and ride it almost all winter, no matter where they live . Over the last 5 years I’ve wrecked a lot of bikes, motors and batteries to find out what works and what doesn’t. This article will give you some great tips to get you started.
1) Take the biggest battery you have
dark pink insatiable appetite for watts. I never bring a battery smaller than 20Ah when I go out in winter.if the snow is thick <6 英寸，這個功率通常可以讓我騎行 90 分鐘到 2 小時。 如果雪量比這個多，那麼騎行時間就會很快減少。 我發現唯一可以處理 >Drivers for 6 inches of snow are Bafang Ultra Max and BBSHD (preferably 2500W ridiculous version). Both drive units are stocked for 1000W continuous or 1500W peak power. Make sure you have a small 30T or smaller sprocket up front.For the Ultra Max you will need to purchase a custom BCD 104 chainring adapter from Christini (see here).If you’re running a BBSHD, I highly recommend replacing the nylon gears with $42 steel gears (check out here).
2) Point the e-bike in the direction you want to go, but don’t be obsessed with getting there
Riding the eFatties in the snow is more like pulling a sled through the woods than riding a bike. Assuming you’re on a bobsled track, just point the bike in the direction you want to go. Sometimes, often not. It helps to not get too attached to getting where you want to go. If you’re having trouble moving between trees, your best bet is to slow down. I go as fast as I can without hitting a tree and generally only pedal on flats and uphill. I rarely change gears, so I tend to not pedal when going downhill and just try to keep my balance. It’s easier to keep your balance when you’re not pedaling.
3) Most slides can be grabbed by just putting your foot down
When going down rough stretches, I put my outside foot on the pedal and my inside foot on the pedal. This makes it easier for me to put my foot down to grab the bike when the e-bike starts to slide out. When the rear is washed away, you have to turn in the direction of the wash or put your foot out to keep the bike from falling. Often, it’s better to put your foot down.
4) Snow does conduct electricity after it melts
Make sure your e-bike connections are sealed and no snow or water can get into them. I used heat shrink tubing and silicone to make the connector more or less waterproof. Fill the heat shrink tubing with excess silicone and use a heat gun to squeeze it out. Wipe off any excess. Riding an e-bike on salty roads will damage any e-bike battery on the market. Do not do this.
5) Keep the electric bike inside when not in use
Buy three cheap $5 luggage trays and line them up to catch all the junk that will melt your e-bike after every ride. Everything on your e-bike will last longer if you don’t let the water on your bike freeze. My brakes, axles, derailleur and chain are all frozen. When water freezes, it expands and builds up enough pressure to crack an engine block.
6) See where you want to go
If you didn’t take anything away from this list, take number 6. Wherever you look, your body follows. Don’t look at the trees, look between the path and the trees. Your body will figure out how to get you there. Look straight at the trees and you will die. It really is that simple.
7) Learn to fall, you will definitely fall
I wrote a great article on learning how to fall. Make sure you know how to dump the bike, and if you have a backpack battery make sure you have a breakaway connector that can be disconnected without ripping the battery connector from the battery. I use tiny Velcro One tape to hold the connectors together, but when I fall, the pressure quickly overwhelms the Velcro and the connectors come apart easily.
8) Tire pressure is everything
When I ride in the snow, I usually run as low as 5 psi in the front and 8 PSI in the rear. Anything below that and I start risking flattening. polystyrene tire In the snow it seems to outperform regular silicone rubber, so I’m leaning towards using PSC tires on the rear at least. Studded front tires are great when there is a lot of ice. When the rear wheel slips out, you can usually catch it with your foot, but when the front wheel is swept away, you’re on the ground before you have a chance to react.I found nothing better than Snowshoe 2XL PSC dark powder.
9) There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes
When I go out I usually carry a used $40 purple Goretex ski bib I bought off eBay that has straps on the front and back. This keeps the snow from getting on your shorts if you fall (don’t worry, you’ll fall). Gloves seem to be the most important piece of clothing, and I recommend some decent gloves with a removable liner in case it gets too hot. A decent non-vented ski helmet will keep your head warm and be able to withstand repeated impacts (god forbid).
10) Try to ride every day, you will be surprised how most days you can actually ride, even if you think you can’t
There are almost always one or two days of the year when conditions are too bad to ride, or you can ride but not have any fun. I try to ride every day in the winter no matter what’s going on outside. Morning seems to be the best time because the snow is more fun when it’s not muddy, but if I can’t go until the afternoon then I’ll go in the afternoon.
I’ve written a lot of other articles on snow electric fat bikes that you should probably take the time to read. This article This is the first article I’ve written about how BBSHD performs in the snow.i wrote about How to Avoid Rangers and Locals While Riding also This article There are also 14 riding tips.I also wrote an article 15 More Tips for Electric Fat Bikes and This is an article about general e-bike safety. Riding an electric fat bike in the snow is one of the most rewarding and strenuous exercises I’ve ever done. Anyone in good health can learn it with a little trial and error and a roomy e-bike and a big battery. I’ve never heard of anyone who started riding in deep snow who didn’t think it was definitely a good thing.
I’m too addicted to stop, and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.
ride.
