The Pros & Cons of Electric Tricycles: Do You Need Fat Tires on Your ETrike?

The pros and cons of fat tires on an e-trike.

Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I have nearly 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry. Today, we're going to talk about the pros and cons of fat tires on an e-trike. All right, I've got our lineup of some of our e-trikes here. I've got some fat tires, medium fat tires, and some thinner tires, and we're going to talk about the pros and cons of fat tires on an e-trike. Now, there's this, I believe, obsession with fat tires in the industry. Everyone wants a fat tire or a fatter tire. Now, again, there are different versions of what people refer to as a fat tire. I tend to prefer to call a four-inch wide tire a fat tire, but over here on our Relaxed body, we have a three-inch, which is, you know, wider than standard, but not as wide as a four-inch. Then we have our narrower tires, which are two inches wide, which in the bike industry is still a wider tire, right? That's like a cruiser balloon-type tire, two inches wide. So a lot of people love the Fat Tire. I think they're great. And like I said, there are pros and cons. So let's start with what I believe to be the cons. Um, number one, the wider tire is going to create more drag, which is ultimately going to drain your battery quicker.

Now, you can make up for that obviously by having a larger battery. So typically when you have a fat tire e-trike, you will have, or most times you'll have, a larger battery. Now, not always the case, but oftentimes. Now, a larger battery also means increased costs to make up for, to give the rider the kind of range that they want. So, just expect a fat tire version, most likely a bigger battery, and most likely a little bit of an increased cost. Now, the other thing with that drag of a fat tire is going up hills. Now, if you are buying an e-trike by law, which most laws in the country state you can't have a motor bigger than 750 watts, when you're going up a serious hill with a four-inch wide tire, it creates a lot more drag. So even if you're in pedal assist five, you're gonna have a lot more drag versus if you have a version like these with a thinner tire. Going up big hills can actually make a big difference. So if you do a lot of pavement riding primarily and you're gonna do a lot of hills, opting for a thinner tire may be a better choice because you'll roll smoother and have less restriction. Now, on the hills, it has a bigger impact if you're heavier. So while a heavier rider may like the foundation and the cushiness of the fatter tires, if you have these fat tires and you're like me, I'm over 200 pounds, and you go uphill, there's gonna be a lot of rubber on the road, which again, makes it harder to climb those hills.

So, all these things to think about. If you have a fat tire 750 watts versus a thinner tire 750 watts with a 230-pound guy, 100%, it's going to be easier to go uphill with the thinner tires. And I'm telling you from firsthand experience. So, something to think about as well. Now, you'll be able to still get up the hill with either of them, but probably a little less effort with the thinner tire. Okay, so what else? So two of our cons are that the battery drains quicker and the restrictions. I think those are the two, and then a little bit higher priced, most likely. Now, let's get into the pros. The pros of a fatter tire are a wider wheelbase and more stability. Definitely, a wider tire is going to add stability to your ride. When you talk about adding a four-inch wide tire, you're talking about adding a lot of stability to the ride. The other benefit of a fatter tire is better traction, both on-road and off-road. So you've got more rubber on the road. If you've got wetter conditions or loose gravel or dirt, having that wide knobby tread like that is, of course, gonna be much better for off-roading than it would on a thinner tire. The other benefit of the fatter tire is the cushioning it provides. So the tires, when they're four inches, can basically act as your suspension, and you can lower the tire pressure in the tires to create a softer, cushier ride, and the tires will absorb the bumps and bruises. So if you do a lot of off-roading, lower the tire pressure in the tires, it's gonna make those trail riders nice, smooth, and easy on your body.

So if you're somebody who maybe just wants to cruise slowly on pavement, you could lower the pressure in the tires. And again, it's gonna be a nice cushy ride. It's gonna absorb it. So huge benefit in that case to having the bigger tire. Another pro, I think a lot of people like, and this could go either direction, is that a lot of people like their appearance, right? It creates a big, beefier look to the bike. A lot of people prefer that. Some people may prefer the thinner tire, but it just makes it look like a bigger piece of machinery. Now, on the flip side of that, on the con side, I will say if you are navigating indoors or small spaces, going in and out of elevators, then having something with a thinner tire, maybe more compact, like on the end there, also could be a better option. So yes, you're gonna add not only a little bit of weight but a little bit of width and a little bit of height as well. So that is something to think about as well. I've said as well now about 100 times, but you've got the Simple Glide 750-watt fat tire, and we've got our 500-watt version here. This is a four-inch-wide tire. This is a two-inch-wide tire. So by increasing the width, you are also increasing the height. So this seat is about two inches higher than the seat of this one. So, from a mounting and dismounting standpoint, that is something to consider as well. Also, the step-over height of the frame, because now you're lifting the frame off the ground, bringing that bar up, and for a lot of people, that two inches higher than the frame could be a big difference. That could be the difference between being able to get on your trike and not getting on your trike. So, remember, if you have a thinner tire, it's going to keep it lower to the ground fatter tire is going to bring it higher.

Now, manufacturers could adjust for that by lowering the platform on the fat tire version and accommodating those things. But not always. Oftentimes, you see the fat tire, the frames are higher, and they are a little bit more difficult to mount and dismount. Now, not necessarily. Now, with the Simple Glide, it has this chair-type setup. So both are easy to mount and dismount, but on a trike like this, where you're, and this is a recumbent style, but a trike like this, where you're talking about needing the seat to go up and down, and it's a pedal position right below your body, raising that makes it more difficult to mount the fat tire versus the thinner tire version. Doesn't have as much of an impact on a recumbent-style e-trike. So, something to think about. So I think that covers the majority of the pros and cons. If I missed anything or you have any thoughts, please reach out to us at theteam@sixthreezero.com or call us at 310-982-2877. Don't forget, we offer a 30-day test ride, your e-trike policy. If you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back. No questions asked, no money out of your pocket. Also, we warranty everything for one year. If anything goes wrong in the first year, we'll take care of it, parts and labor. And if you wanna come for a test ride, we're here in San Clemente, California, at 1046 Calle Rocoto. Come test-ride all of our e-trikes before you purchase. And join our community. We have a Facebook group called Sixthreezero Pedalers. There are thousands of members in the group. Join before you purchase to talk to existing riders to ensure you're making the right choice. Then, when you have yours, post in the group, make friends, and finally download the app to track your rides and compete on the leaderboard. So thanks for sticking around, and don't forget, it's your journey, your experience. Enjoy the ride.