How to buy a Fat Tyre Ebike in Australia without getting ripped off
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2022
- Many of the fat tyre ebikes that we see on youtube are available in America, but not in Australia. So how do you get a decent one down under?
You buy it from China of course!
But do you get anything decent, and can you get anything fixed if it goes wrong?
I bought a 1000W fat tyre ebike for just $1640 AUD (about US$1140) and it's as good or better than many of the name brands that sell in America for a lot more money.
The link is www.aliexpress.com/store/9122... and the ebike I bought is very well built, and the customer service was excellent.
Check out the video for the features.
Please click 'Like', subscribe if you haven't already, and even buy me a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/gregcarrick
After watching so many American reviews. Its refreshing to see a fellow true blue aussie that takes no nonsense xD
Well, maybe just a little nonsense when assigning "watts" to a motor output, when it is the Controller that is rated for watts produced. If people are going to pretend that they understand basic electricity, they should not expose this lack of understanding in public.
Great video my man! Cheers from Canada! I got this bike yesterday thanks to you and I love it.
Great video. Heaps of info
Me and the missus both ordered one
Arrived today.
Can’t wait to charge abs have a ride
You are the first person I’ve heard talk about the names verses these bikes basically being the same bike. I found my bike with no less than 8 different company names but I find reviewers talking about the bikes as if they are different or that the bike they are talking about is the only one.
Pretty much... most of these ebikes are built up from a stock supply of frames and parts. So the performance across brands are identical, so your choice comes down to price and after sales service if you are lucky.
Boy howdy the algorithm has me pegged solid. Literally my two hobbies are photography and cycling and I've been looking to get a fat tire ebike for some time now
Looks pretty cool mate, finally an Aussie review I can trust
It's been over a year, so there may be other options available nowadays
Awesome video need to see more Aussie reviews for sure! I would of loved to see more riding otherwise great video thanks. Yea we have some weird named ebikes
Good video an beautiful property an area, enjoy an thank you for video
Awesome bike Greg… sorry to bring up the microphone issue again but it sounds so much better when it’s attached to you outside. That microphone stand that you use in your house sounds distorted and muffled
Yeah, still playing around with it.. could be inside I'm surrounded by hard surfaces, or I need a better mic inside that old casing I'm using.
Great review thanks, as with all these bikes it would be interesting to know whether the battery cells are proprietary or a standard size for replacement further on.
I've only ever seen the AA sized batteries, so all standard.
In my years of riding road legal ebikes here in Australia, I have found that there is a good reason for NOT using "fat" tyres on ebikes. If you increase the rolling resistance of a tyre it requires a lot more effort to go up hills. So, the slimmer the tyre the better, if the area in which you ride is hilly. Furthermore, if the tyre pressure is too low, good luck trying to get up a hill without risking a coronary, no matter how slim the tyre may be.
Horses for courses (so to speak). I ride along gravel trails (rail trails) so the fat tyres do well there, and there's no hills on rail trails, just very gradual slopes. If I was riding along roads, then that would be different. Personally I wouldn't do my commute to work along roads, I don't find it safe at all.
Much softer ride with 4 inch tyre's
Totally without doubt, true.
I put a small 250-watt friction drive on a Giant road bike . So I know for sure.
It’s a 1000w powered bike… stops better the more resistance u have
Hi mate enjoyed your video thanks mate
Great video . I just want a seat to fit my Kaabo Skywalker, instant bike .
Wow that answers my question
Exactly what I'm doing. I'm buying from a shop mainly so I can test ride a few but to do so I'm flying to Brisbane from near Cairns. I have a seriously steep hill right outside of my front door.. steeping I take a longer route to get home from the bottom.
I'm looking at a 750w mainly made for hills. I well may buy a 2nd bike nearly identical other than with a larger battery and has AWD. Sadly it's almost cheaper to get a 2nd bike than just a second battery. I won't know for sure till I test ride a few I think I like.
With hills, it pays to get the largest amp battery you can afford. It will give you that extra grunt.
I know it's only small things. How good is having an on/off switch in the handle bars? An actual switch dedicated to the head light.
That's a great bike. What a price. Awesome.
Mt Evelyn? I'm not far from you, in Cranbourne. 😊👍🏼
Also fantastic to see a decent length video of an Australian reviewing eBikes.
I'm trying to glean some good info from the Americans, but most of it is irrelevant.
Hi Greg, great review, I am thinking of purchasing one. I would like to know how much resistance do have when pedeling on flat battery? Cheers Shane.
It's a work-out. These ebikes are at least three times the weight of an ordinary bike. I've ridden this one with a flat battery, and I was in a low gear on the flat and only doing about 5kmh.
Hi Greg, just wondering how you went about the charger? As I’ve received the US plug for my charger and am unable to plug it in
Crazy value for money for 1000w. The Fiido fat tire bikes now sell in JBHIFI for $1600, but it only has a 250w motor.
That's interesting, they should sell well for christmas... The downside of buying like I did is the long delivery wait.
JB were selling the 250W for $999. They sold out eventually. JB had to replace the 500 watt versions with 250W motors, as the 500W motors are illegal on public roads. So the 1,000 watt Greg uses on his bike (thanks for the review Greg) is illegal on our roads. NSW in March I think, upgraded the limit from 250 watts to 500 watts. All being a maximum of 25 KMH. I don't know where the speedo is operated from - there are kits or fiddles to upgrade the speed where the motor cuts out. Personally I think a limit of 25 KMH is dangerous in traffic. One should be able to keep close to the pace of cars. However - these E-Bikes are not viewed by the authorities as being bikes. Technically, they are scooters. And a scooter at over 25 KMH is deadly. Well, they are deadly at 20KMH if one falls off, which is easy to do with a scooter. By the way, the Fiido 500 Watt sells for around $2,300 at JB. No doubt in time such prices will come down a lot. The good news for Greg is that he can easily get a replacement battery. It will cost him $600 to $700 for one. But such bikes are useless IMO when the battery wears out. I presume the 1000 watt will wear out the battery quicker too. But not by much IMO. It also puts more amperage through the controller. It really depends on the quality of the motor I guess ... which means, how good its rare earth magnets might be ... And also, the big question besides amp hours in the batteries, is the quality of the batteries. They do vary quite a lot. Some have 300 cycle lives. Some have 3,000 cycle lives. As a major issue with an E-Bike, it seems there is very little focus on the batteries with most sellers. Good luck with your fun bike Greg. They look great to me, but I want to fit two into the back of my Land Rover Discovery. Which also has other stuff in it, and a caravan behind. Plus a dog and a fridge in the Disco. I reckon the fat bikes will be too big for me ... otherwise I'd have bought two from JB for $999 each. Which gives us an idea of how much these bikes really can be bought for, if one has some retail muscle behind you. Which small bike shops cannot have. Besides their fellow partners in bike shops, they have to handle a huge range of different bikes. Alarmingly too, it costs more per hour to have a pushbike service, than it does to have a Porsche serviced. That is where I reckon the bike shops are hanging their survival on. Not all of us are handy with tools, and many of use these days don't have a garage or a shed to work on a bike.
@@douglaslin5469 Here is your PHD. COngrats.
Just researching ebikes and came across this. Maybe a bit late, but Dr Douglas has some good input and I accept his evaluation. I am thinking of a ridstar q20 2000w. Gregcarrik if you are still online and if so I would love your opinion. Also I would love comments or recommendations from anyone who has knowledge of what to buy if you are looking for a sudo motorcycle that is like the q20?
Hi Greg, awesome vid! No issues with customs? I heard there were a bunch of regulations on ebikes being shipped in to Australia?
I could tell customs had openend the box, had a look and resealed it. But, it still got through withoiut issues.
@@GregCarrick was it airfreight as I thought they were strict with batteries?
@@johngreydanus2033 It came by boat as far as I could tell. Took about 6 weeks and ended up in Port Melbourne before it got delivered to me.
Nice review. I like your helmet. Where did you buy it and how much?
www.bicyclestore.com.au Savara full face helmet A$89.99
The display, at night, do you find the light off the display a problem? I would have thought it would blind you to what’s in front of you even allowing for the headlight.
What about spares availability?
You can adjust the screen brightness (that's the first setting that comes up you can change). Most spares are things that just attach to the frame, so I'd just source what you wanted from Amazon....
Hi Greg, enjoyed the video ended up purchasing the same model. Also got the same problem you had. It won't power up. Sent emails to seller but no help so far. What did you do to yoirs to get it working? Thanks
My issue was I'd sliced some wires while unpacking the box. I had to find which wires I'd cut and fix them up again.
@@GregCarrick I carnt get any help from the seller yas they do not respond to my messages. No customer service.
Turn the box upside down, cut the bottom (now the top) then turn over and pull the box off 🏴👍😇
Your battery rattle is best sorted with some insulation tape wraped around the furthest end .........leave it rattling like............... that it eventually self destructs 😬
I learnt that the hard way on me Fiido M1 3 years ago 😱...
......
Good vid & review 👍
Thanks. I think most of the clunking is coming from my front shocks. They are pretty basic.
@@GregCarrick it was the battery rattling on me Fiido M1- regonised the noise on your video 🙄
I'll send you some more hard earned tricks - re 20x4 fat tyre puncture elimination & 20x4 motor failure in rain & wheel collapse off road ..... hopefully save you bit of hassle 🤞had 2 Fiido M1s- & a Mate X last 3. Years.......
Now using a Engwe X26 👍
@@fenflyer What do you think of the Engwe?
@@GregCarrick lot more robust than MateX or Fiido M1s which rated @ 90 kg Engwe X26 rated 150kg + 👍
The Engwe use magnisum alloy wheels 💪
Any problems with duties? I saw a video of two younger Aussie guys that bought two non road legal bikes from China. I can't remember exactly what it was but they had some dramas because they didn't do some import approval as off road bikes before they got here. I need to re-watch that video. I just bought an Engwe 750w for 1399 + 98 delivery to SA. I wanted a full suspension bike but didn't want to spend more money so I'll put a suspension seatpost on it later.
I had no trouble. I know mine was opened by customs on arrival in Australia, but it was packaged back up and delivered.
Good video. Im planning to buy Dual motor fat tyre, 2x 1000watt through aliexpress. I live 2 hours south from Melbourne. Will it arrive at my door? or It may get stuck in customs?
I haven't purchased through Aliexpress. I see no reason for it to get stuck in customs though.
How do you get past the ebike laws of 250w power and pedal assist and max speed of motor cut out? I see some shops in Australia selling motors with 750w out out. I can only find laws putting the in the motor vehicle category. Do you know the answers before I buy a couple for our caravanning.
The law is 250w max. If you want to stay legal, stick with that. That's plenty of power for flat conditions.
Greg, how does it compare to your Fortis? I’m still loving mine and am happy not having a throttle. How often do you use yours? (Percentage). I like the idea of getting exercise while I ride but still curious about the throttle. Also, anything over 250w in NSW is illegal.
Really, if the places you ride on are fairly flat, 250W is fine. I wanted to experiment with a bigger motor, a throttle, and full suspension. There's no perfect ebike :) This one needs the handelbars raised, a better seat, and these things add to the cost. It's not streets ahead of the Fortis, just has a few nice extras. Cheers
That's not strictly true; you must be specific as that law doesn't apply to private property
@@GregCarrick Hey Greg, how hard would it be to raise the handlebars on this bike? Did you end up doing yours?
@@petermac8094 I thought I could attach a photo here, but I can't... I have installed some extenders that bring the bar up about 200mm. You can see it around the 3:30 mark in this video: th-cam.com/video/wBWsjkpP3w0/w-d-xo.html
@@GregCarrick Thats great cheers Gregg. Wow what an amazing transformation .
Mt Evelyn!! have you taken it to the red robin for some lollies
And a pizza
Thank you. Great info. I'm looking on eBay for a fat tyre mountain e bike for under $2k. I don't think 250 watt will cut the mustard. Any comments on this please. Thanks mate. Glen
I think 750W is the sweet spot.... More important is the battery. I would suggest a 48V with 17Amps or above. Mine is 14Amps and is a bit too short on range.
@@GregCarrick Thanks Greg, I'll start searching with that criteria in mind. You are also swaying me towards a foldy too. Cheers mate.
How about importing one from Japan? Their frames are better but may not be customizable.
Greg,
was it a 20" or 26" model you got?
I got the 20" fat tyre.
Can you please make a vedio,how to order and how to handle shipping please....i wanna also buy this type of e bike......
That doesn't need a video... you just order from the supplier, payment covers shipping, and the supplier ships it. All you do is purchase, everything else is looked after by the supplier.
Did yours come with the battery in the box or delivered seperately? Mine arrived yesterday without the battery. I contacted QIYOU & they said due to Australian policy the battery has to be shipped seperately. Also, my front wheel has one of the axel bolts tightened so firmly that I'm finding it impossible to lossen as it just spins the axel when I try. I tried holding the other end of the axel with leather under pliers but the axel still spins when I try to loosen it.
Mine did come with the battery seperate. My battery turned up before the ebike. Mine also came with a quick release front axle, so I have no issues with the bolts.
@@GregCarrick Thanks for the response Greg. In my case the bike arrived first but I'm happy you were able to confirm QIYOU do in fact ship the batteries seperately to Australia. fingers crossed it's still in the mail. Mine also has a quick release front axle but the mechanism came seperately in the box & has to be installed through the axle which is hollow. Anyway, hopefully the battery arrives soon & I can work out the axle situation.
Hi I heard you need a vehicle permit for anything over 250w and if is not compliant must be stated that it is intended for use on private property. Did you have any issues getting it in?
I think in America the bike needs a label on it for class 1, 2 or 3. In Australia, most states are 250W and PAS only for legal riding.
@@GregCarrick Yes there are restrictions for road and use in public spaces in Australia. I was more wondering about importing a bike with a motor over 250w without a vehicle permit. I'm guessing these bikes fly under the radar because they don't look like a motorcycle.
@@ivana6141 Importing was no issue. Customs even opened up the box and resealed it.
Quick question from another Aussie “where do you get your Fortis serviced (I am not confident to do myself) I am in Brisbane
I know of no official service centres for the Fortis. An ordinary bike shop can look after all the normal bike parts - brakes, tyres etc. The electronics may be able to be looked after by a shop that does sell ebikes. nI did all the brake and tyre servicing myself, as they are pretty basic.
@@GregCarrick thanks 👍🏼
Did you say that was a Bafang 1000w? H550? Looks like it really struggled from half way.
No, I didn't say brand of motor.
Would be a great option for commuting but unfortunately it is illegal to ride these bicycles on any Australian roads or public spaces ATM as it’s restricted to approximately 250 W in many places and think it’s just been increased to 500 W in NSW ( so still illegal for this bike 😢). It probably won’t stop people from buying and riding them but you carefully need to consider the ramifications if you get caught or are involved in an accident- as you won’t be covered and could be up for huge $$$ as a result .
Hi Greg, have you worked out the range on a single charge? Seems a good buy and I'm in the market....
I just did short runs for this video. I'm doing a range test tomorrow, to work and back. I shall report :)
OK, with highest PAS setting and using throttle only for 75% of the trip, (in other words, flat out the whole way) it covered 30k's. So that left me the last 2 k's to pedal without a battery to get home. If I backed off just a bit I could make it the 32 k's to work and back.
@@GregCarrick Cheers Greg, much appreciated.
@@GregCarrick hi Greg great review mate very helpful. Whats the charge time from dead to full please
@@luke_campbell7528 About six hours.
Which one performs a little better, this one or the Rundeer Attack10?
I would have no idea, I have never even seen a Rundeer to make an assessment of.
The Fiido you can get in JB HiFi
That's good to know. They seem to only have 250W versions at the moment.
@@GregCarrick Not strictly true, its branded as 250w to comply with the regulations here. its well and truly a 750w motor. in fact any ebike motor uses 48v battery cannot be 250w.
ToallyAgree With Ya Bro , Yank Reviews Its the Size of there Market There got a HUGE Market In everything with 350 000 000 Millions people Compaird too our population and Market
Economy of Scale I Suppose , There Bikes are made In China Too , Like every thiny else
I kive in the Mountains Mine is 750 watt heaps of Hills but gets up them all , Forget 250
I am guessing the shipping costs a lot? The cost of owning this e-bike in China definitely wouldn’t cost more than $1100 AUD. You can also customize a lot.
There was no extra shipping cost.
go you live in victoria because i bought a similar one and want to avoid the police
Best way to do that is not draw atention to yourself.
The product is not available on AliExpress anymore. Help! :(
Disregard I found the same thing, different listing, bought one!
This or engwe ep2 pro???
Bmx handelbars!
That's my goal
Can you ride this throttle only?
Not out of the box, but the new owner has made that happen.
Couldn't tell what brand the bike was. You're so far away from the camera I can't make anything out. 😁
Look up the Kristall RX20 yours looks exactly like it. 😂
Hi Greg, I saw we are from the same state and I am curious if you've had any trouble with police as the specs for your bike exceed the laws here.
I would like to know because I'm keen to get an ebike of my own and this one looks like a ripper.
I haven't *yet... I believe the police will only bother ebike riders if 1) The riders are being stupid in public 2) The Police are bored and you drop into their lap or 3) If there's a push from higher up to 'clean up the trails of dangerous bikes'. I'm just going about my business, being polite to people I meet on trails, slowing down or even stopping for horse riders etc... So at the moment, so long as I don't upset people, I don't think I'll be a target. But yes, our laws are way behind what's happening, and I expect some changes will be made. Cheers
@@GregCarrick Sweet bike mate! I've got a Kristall KS26 on the way with a 750W motor.
Here's hoping they get rid of the 250W law, change it to 1000W or so and just keep the 25kph speed limit for public roads.
If this were the equivalent of a law for motorcycles it's like saying you can only ever ride a 125cc despite being able to ride a 1000cc at the speed limit as a sensible human being.
I wish common sense applied to Australian laws 😔
@@sandbag7846 Our laws are way behind what is happening on the streets.
@@GregCarrick The Sturt piggies stopped me on a 1000w bullet stealth scooter, I was riging on econo mode and the bastards still pinched me, that was 4 years ago, the crappy TEBCO bike I got off dad crapped out, loose spoke pierced the tube and diecast rim cracked up a day beforehand. that TEB bike started playing dead at random, repeatedly shitting me off, I looked at ebikes on YT, ebay then found the Fortis, mine has done 7000km fairy reliably, only minor elec trouble, the speedo pad isn't IP65 rated and gets dew inside if rained on, upon returning to Adelaide the bike wouldn't switch on, so opened up the display pad, bridged a screwdriver across the solder joints on the power switch and it turned on. some WD40 got the switch working again. After looking into the controller box, the 3 thick motor wires developed a bad connection and got error 21 after climbing Kensington Rd East of Adelaide. I got on YT to research the fix, I pulled the 3 bullet connectors apart and push back together, no further trouble
Does it require assembly
Minor - put on the front wheel, seat, pedals... Battery will be sent separately by post.
What is it’s load carry capacity?
150kgs. You can find all the info here: ridstar-ebike.com/product/foldable-ridstar-electric-bike-h20/
What about the Earth Ante 4 inch bike ?
Nice bikes, although more than $1000 more expensive, and with a 250w motor for that price. That's one of my arguments, basic bikes in Australia nare very expensive.
@@GregCarrick Yes ....I agree with that . Yet it is ok to sell e- scooters here in nanny state Australia that can travel up too 100 kmh.
Can u ride this on public roads ?
Here are the current laws: www.dirodi.com.au/blog/electric-bike-laws-road-rules-australia/
I git the same exact bike but when I finished assembling it it wouldn't turn on. Anyone know what could be happening. Checked all cables and they seem to be fine. Please help.
Get onto their customer service.
Did you get it running
?
@@deedyau12 oh yes, once I'd fixed the cuts it was fine.
Not strictly true, i bought a fiido m3 from JB hifi last year for $1499 when it was on special. The motor is branded as 250w but its well and truly 750w. I personally would not buy this bike from Ali due to the warranty issue.
From what I can see it peaks at 500w. Even so that's a good price.Well done.
@@GregCarrick the Motor's 750w, but the actual wattage is determined by the battery+controller. It can go up to 40k/h when unlocked, What more could you ask for? the best thing is the torque sensor it comes with, which is only seen in 2k+ bikes.
@@DM-sc4zy A torque sensor would be awesome :)
@@DM-sc4zywhats a torque sensor for, if i may ask
You forgot the KRISTALL ebike
They aren't bad, they come with the 750X motor, and are between $150 to $500 more expensive. But you'll probably get one delivered quicker :)
not true. i have a super73 and it woops all the specs of any legal ebike in Aus
Interesting. At nearly three times the price ($4390 and up) I would hope it did something special. But that was one of my points - importing American ebikes is very expensive. benbucklerboards.com.au/collections/super73
Obviously haven't researched AMPD BROS bikes
Wow $1600 what? Same ebike on ebay $800 today
Then buy it :)
@@GregCarrick negative no thank you
Just go jb hi fi the same exact bike but cheaper
The only one remotely similar is the Fiido, and it's only 250w. The 500w version is over $600 more.
1,000 watts....NOT in QLD
Just like numerous other e-bike hawkers, you describe the Output of the motors in terms of "watts",as if it is a direct measure of TORQUE "produced" by the motor. It is Not. You deliberately avoid describing the torque produced in Newton/Meters ! Amazing. Here is your lesson for today: The motor will operate on whatever the CONTROLLER Provides to it, in terms of Watts. Whether it be "250 watts" or "350 watts" or "500 watts" "750 watts" or 1000 Watts. the CONTROLLER IS IN CHARGE, not THE MOTOR. Your inaccurate assertion as regards e-bike systems is called into question. When sales promotion people get involved in stating mechanical and electrical ratings of specific machines,the result is bound to be inaccuracies such as yours. Avast with your nonsense.
2 points for 'Avast'
@@GregCarrick Ah, yes, avoiding the issue of controller as dispenser of electrical energy. Motors produce "watts"? NO. Motors Consume watts Bass Ackwards.
@@dehoedisc7247 do you do stand up comedy?
@@GregCarrick Heck yah, I'm a headliner at the little pub at McMurdo. Do Drop In.
Bikes are illegal. Injure someone and you will lawyers will be knocking on your door.
eozzie.com.au/blogs/news/a-beginner-s-guide-to-electric-bike-laws-in-australia
So sorry buddy but if you are buying a horrible overweight badly equipped clunker bike like that from ANYONE you are already being ripped off!
Check out AMPD BROS right here on TH-cam for information on Australian ebikes.
Good to have suppliers in Australia. Being a retail shop, their prices are a lot higher than buying direct. The upside is you don't have the long wait for delivery, and they can service what they sell.
@@GregCarrick Oh yeah, I never said they were cheap, but same as any recent technology, will become better over time. I had been looking at the imported Super73 before I found AMPD BROS; now there is expensive bikes. And all are made in China, so I should not have said Australian bikes; they are distributors and have many models.
@@johngreydanus2033 Now we just have to wait for our laws to catch up with technology :)
@@GregCarrick Yeah, they are late to the party, only have to see how UBER got going even though everyone was saying, "Oh, that's illegal" LOL
@@GregCarrick AUS should ditch the stupid UK/EU laws and permit the US standards
This is what I built five years ago and used every day: Marin Pine Mountain with Bafang 1,650w central motor driving through 12 gears (climb any hill and top speed 64+ Km/hr), steel frame, Thule cargo racks, Maxis 17.5" x 2.6" tyres, Shimano Hydraulic brakes with upgraded Hope 203mm discs and other goodies. See: www.digitalmasters.com.au/My_Marin_eBike_V5.jpg
Looks good