Fat Tire Electric Bicycle Is The Ultimate City Cruiser

The fat tire has transformed the world of bicycles. The big, soft tires roll over bumps and potholes without a whimper of protest. They handle sand and snow with equal ease. Besides that, they just look so darned cool! Slap a set of fat tires on an electric bicycle and you have what may be the ultimate city cruiser.

A year ago, Lithium Cycles started a campaign on Kickstarter to fund manufacture of their Super 73, an electric bicycle with fat tires and an attitude. They expected maybe 50 to 100 people to sign up for the $2,000 bike that retails for $3,000. To their surprise, they raised over half a million dollars as the Super 73 quickly became the darling of clued in, cool people everywhere.  The bikes were all over Instagram and even made an appearance at the NY Fashion Week event.

The new Super 73 Scout is a scaled back version with fewer features but also a lower price. The introductory price is just $995, which is pretty reasonable for an electric bicycle with a 500 watt motor,40 miles of range, and a top speed of 20 miles per hour that looks for all the world like a small motorcycle. After one month, the price will go up to $1,399, so early adopters can get the bike at nearly a 30% discount. It comes with a super bright headlight, taillights that glow when you brake, a small cargo rack, and a display on the handlebars to show speed, range, and other information.

Sean O’Kane writing for The Verge got to test drive on in New York City recently and says. “It was one of the more fun experiences I’ve had on an e-bike. That’s probably because it’s the least like an e-bike of the myriad other options — carving through NYC traffic on the Scout really makes you feel like you’re on a small motorcycle.”

The seat is comfortable and the riding style is more laid back than most bicycle riders are accustomed to. It’s more of a small motorcycle like the popular Honda Ruckus than a Tour de France machine. The riding position actually makes pedaling a bit of a chore, although the company is considering moving the seat back a skoosh to deal with that issue. The Super 73 Scout comes with smooth functioning disc brakes on both wheels that have confidence inspiring stopping power.

The Super 73 Scout offers a cross between the utility of a traditional bicycle and the status conscious  world of personal urban transportation. The bike rack makes it possible to carry some stuff with you while you ride and the battery detaches so you can bring it inside to charge it up. That being said, it may be too bulky and heavy to fit easily into an elevator or lug up stairs.

What is has going for it a a cool factor that easily surpasses most other similarly priced electric bicycle choices available today. Do you need one? Probably not. But you known you want one!

Source and photo credits: The Verge