Hi everyone. I’m looking for an e-bike. I’ll be riding about 40 km over varied terrain, including both forest and city roads. I’ve been looking at the Himiway Cobra and really like the look of it, but ChatGPT advises against it because it’s a fat bike and says it’ll be too heavy for me to ride over
Posted by patriot_an225@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 18 comments
DJinKC@reddit
I've been riding a fat bike for the last 2 years (Aventon Aventure 2) and I don't love it. It operates fine on city streets and fire roads, but it's big and unwieldy and doesn't maneuver well. I live in a hilly area, and sometimes getting up the hils takes everything I have even in Turbo mode. Getting it up onto my car bike rack is a major challenge, as it weighs 77LB.
I'm moving to more of a true eMTB soon
i_am_a_mammal@reddit
I have the same gripes you do with the level 2! But, I still love it as a commuter. Level 4 Advanced solves all problems but introduces two new ones...price, and you have to buy the throttle if you want it.
Relative-Display-676@reddit
what country are you in and what is your height?
patriot_an225@reddit (OP)
Germany, 172 cm
Relative-Display-676@reddit
i don't know your budget, but upway.be has a ton of good new mountain ebikes on discount. i'm jealous of european selections.
DJKaito@reddit
Upway.de (corrected url, be = Belgium)
Relative-Display-676@reddit
Thanks! Didn't know that Germany has its own site.
DJKaito@reddit
Their German website is still at Christmas 2025 when I visit them via a Google search. Your sure about this?
DJKaito@reddit
Oh and with 40kg / 35 without the battery this is very very heavy. While other bikes from store brands will be at 25-29 ink. the battery's weight. Also look up the next dealer for when something is wrong with it.
i_am_a_mammal@reddit
I agree. I have an Aventon Level2, and it's tires, 27.5 x 2.3. are fine for both road and gravel, and I'm big guy, and often commute with two full panniers.
Ebike tires under 3" wide have stiffer side walls and casings which help smooth things out, and avoid punctures. They are meant to have more pressure so they can bear the additional weight and speed. More than 3" is overkill. Fat tires trade off performance for looks (which you mentioned, and I agree they look cool)
Fat tires (wider than 3") pros and cons.
Pros: bigger contact patch (especially on lower diameter tires) = better traction, more comfort at lower PS, especially off road , flat resistance.
Cons: more rolling resistance hurts range and efficiency, awkward steering in tight corners or low speed, and the extra width/bulk is a real pain in daily handling — loading on a rack, hauling up stairs, squeezing through doorways, fitting in a car. On an already-heavy ebike, fat tires will have you muttering, "what a pain in the ass."
Unsprung weight (the wheels) are the single biggest factor impacting performance. Ebike wheels with motors in them are bad enough (which is why mid-drive is better). Unsprung weight is why cycling enthusiasts spend 1.5 to 3K on wheels and carefully consider tire and even tube weight. Downhill MTB tire width is typically around 2.6". These bike often exceed 28 MPH, go insanely airborne, and smash into roots and rocks, etc., and 2.6 has them covered. Why would ebikes need more than that? You have already answered that question - people like how they look.
stillyoinkgasp@reddit
Himiway Cobra is okay, but has pitfalls tied to its pricepoint. Cheap bearings, connectors, etc. throughout. I've had the entire Himiway range in my garage at one point and currently have a Zebra ST mid-drive.
For the price, they are pretty good. However, you can tell that Himiway is not a "bike" company. It's a D2C tech company that sells bikes. Granted, the newest Cobra is well equipped, you have a lot of options at that price point. Also, it's heavy.
For that money, I'd be looking at the Aventon FS Adventure or whatever their FS mid-drive was just released. 30 lbs lighter, big battery, easier to maneuver. No throttle, though, and tangibly less power (but that's like going from 500 hp to 350 hp).
Also consider that the giant fatass tires on the Cobra make it harder to transport; most racks won't support the tire size. Lastly, the 2-piston brakes maybe aren't up to the task considering its \~88 lb curb weight.
My two cents.
RodsofGod2350@reddit
Since when has GPT ridden a fat ebike!!
AirlessDragon@reddit
If you use and trust an AI, why are you asking for human opinions? Just go back to your bot; it scrapes Reddit answers already.
Overdrive2064@reddit
Isn't confirming with real people and not just blindly trusting AI what you'd want to encourage people to do?
present_love@reddit
While I am also hostile to using AI, this is not a very helpful response to an earnest question.
fhwoompableCooper@reddit
https://eskute.com/collections/best-sellers/products/eskute%C2%AE-c200-so-electric-bike-for-adults
BadgersAndJam77@reddit
I was about to get a Quietkat Apex XD, but didn't need that much off-road ability. My needs are mostly local errands (PNW burbs on the edge of rural) and then some laps around nearby trails, at parks in the river. I ultimately went with a Puckipuppy Rottweiler. I LOVE it, but it's probably not suited for your use. I also looked at their (Puckipuppy) off-roadish bike the Golden Retriever R. I was close to getting one of those before going back to trikes.
Terrible_Ad3574@reddit
Fatbike with a proper battery and motors , and you wont even feel the weight of the bike. Dont listen to chatgpt.