Reviews of Christini Awd Electric Fat Mountain Bike

Concluding winter I had the pleasure of reviewing a Christini Fat-E BBSHD AWD ebike for about 2 weeks. For those of you who know me, yous know I rarely review annihilation I don't throw my leg over and thrash in the woods with. I brutal in honey with the Christini AWD organization and told Steve that if he came upward with an ebike that would concur 2XL Snow Shoes and my Ludicrous Ultra Max that I would buy it. Steve is the kind of guy who listens to his customers so he reworked the front end fork to support the 2XL and then designed a new frame from the ground up to support the Bafang Ultra Max motor. I decided to plunk down my ain hardly-earned cash to have him build the biggest frame that he could perchance imagine ever building to lug my lanky ass around in a foot of powder. The end result exceeded my every expectation for what was possible out of his AWD setup besides as the Ultra Max motor. Riding this build in the woods in 6-eight″ of snow is the closest I'grand probably e'er going to become to pedal pushing Nirvana while nonetheless I'chiliad inhabiting this body.

I'm not i for selfies, but I wanted to capture the feeling I got after my first ride, pure bliss and an icy beard

At Christini bikes, they custom build the entire AWD system from scratch. The gears for both the front and rear hubs are machined out of aluminum or steel (buyers choice). For my build, I opted for steel because I wanted them to concluding through serious abuse. On their website you can order bikes with electrical motors (Fat-East) or without. Starting this jump they are even building 29er/27.5 bikes with hardtails or full suspension.  There are fat bikes with iv or 5 inch tires in a GX or X01 groupset, but I would simply go with the five inch tire version and brand certain y'all get it with the 5.05″ Snowshoe 2XL PSC which I believe is the best snow tire currently on the market. The bikes are not cheap, just Steve is keen to piece of work with throughout the build process and keeps you updated with pictures on a weekly basis or so. Await several weeks from the fourth dimension yous identify the order till when y'all get your wheel. My only regret nigh this bike is that I didn't order information technology sooner. I would have loved to have it all wintertime to thrash around in rather than just the concluding calendar week of February.

I opted for steel AWD gears for durability and forcefulness, if you lot get a Fatty-E then steel is the only way to go

Normally when riding in the snowfall with a rear bike bulldoze fatty bike my weight and body position is about as far dorsum equally I can get it. Since the front tire doesn't do much of anything but slow me downward I endeavor to ride with equally trivial weight on the front bicycle as possible. At that place are a couple of tricks to doing that, using a Thudbuster LT helps keep your weight back on the frame a couple of inches as it compresses. During big climbs through deep snowfall, I volition pull my feet off the pedals and put them behind me well-nigh as if I'one thousand doing a 'superman' and flight along on the bike with the throttle pegged. Information technology looks ridiculous but it gives more than weight to the rear wheel thus increasing your traction.

I really like the super short stalk and the SRAM Level hydraulic brakes

With the Christini AWD system you actually want weight on the front end tire because information technology actually is turning at the exact same rate as the rear tire. When riding my Christini AWD ebike I observe myself continuing up on the pedals and shifting my weight frontwards as much every bit I can. It'south nice having a very large frame because the long wheelbase helps cutting downward on the accidental wheelies and makes the wheel feel more controlled.

My monstrous 25″ custom frame existence built, the aluminum welds were pinnacle-notch

Y'all immediately notice that the front wheel on the AWD doesn't just drift all over the place, just really tracks extremely well in the snow. When riding my normal rear wheel drive ebikes I'm constantly having to put my foot downward equally the front wheel spits out on turns in the deep powder and the bike starts to fall. With the Christini AWD ebike I nevertheless accept to put my foot down in farthermost situations, but the number of times I have to save the bicycle with my pes is a small fraction of what I have to do when compared with rear bicycle drive ebikes. The AWD organization on ebikes is a total game changer in deep snow and in icy conditions.

The front fork is carbon and the AWD gears and drive shaft simply plow when the AWD organization is engaged

I've experimented with several AWD systems that used 2 different electric motors, one for the front end and i for the rear. My conclusion with these systems is that unless the front end wheel and the rear wheel are spinning at nearly exactly the same charge per unit, y'all end up having even more issues with traction than without an AWD system. The problem is that the front wheel has a lot less weight than the rear bike, so if you apply the same amount of power to both wheels, even if they both have the exact aforementioned motors, the front wheel is going to spin out first because it has much less weight on it than the rear wheel does. Unless someone figures out how to add electronic traction control to the motors, a 2 motor electrical AWD ebike is never going to outperform the Christini mechanical AWD system. On top of that, I'm a firm believer that hub motors absolutely suck for trail riding although they are decent for commuting.

The Christini arrangement of gluing the magnet to the rim is much ameliorate than using a spoke magnet

I had my build made with GX components because I am poor and the X01 gearset is likewise pricy. I love that the wheel comes with the XD driver rear hub and an all steel 11 Speed 42T-10T cassette that has so many steel pins tying all the cogs together. Although I prefer the X9 derailleur, the GX 11 speed arrangement is decent and with the short muzzle setup, I really like the fashion information technology works with the cassette. Everything feels solid and the gears don't jump once information technology is adjusted properly. Since the Christini organisation does not come up with a spoke baby-sit on the cassette you'll desire to make sure that the Low gear stop aligning is correct or your concatenation can get stuck behind your cassette and wreak all kinds of havoc with your spokes.

The GX derailleur works well with the 42T granny, improve when it's covered with snow and ice

The Christini frame has four mounting screws for frame packs that await way beefier than your normal h2o bottle mounting systems. They accept also designed a custom subclass to hold your frame packs in place and to go along them from wobbling. Since I always ride with a backpack battery and I preferred to have a 2000W+ Ludicrous Ultra Max instead of the stock 1500W meridian Ultra Max I sent the bulldoze unit off my crappy total break Rebel Scum II build to their factory in PA to be installed professionally on the frame. They did an amazing job routing the cables through the frame and making everything look pretty. I tend to be more than of a duct tape and zip tie kind of guy, but it's nice having a build that looks a little more than professional.

The frame freshly painted merely before decals were put on

There is a pop-lock style release for the AWD system and then you can plough the AWD organization on and off on the wing. I always just leave it in AWD way unless riding on pavement without snow and water ice on information technology. The AWD organization makes a bit more noise than the Ultra Max motor lonely. It sounds well-nigh as loud as a cellphone on vibrate mode. You hear it and notice it, merely someone 20 feet abroad from you probably won't. When compared to annihilation with a gas motor on it, the wheel is darn near silent. The BBSHD has a nylon gear and information technology is much quieter than the Ultra Max which all have three steel gears in it and no nylon gears. The BBSHD y'all tin can ride right past someone with it in PAS mode and unless they see a battery or wait at the motor so they probably won't notice you accept a motor. If you ride right by someone with an Ultra Max and the Christini AWD system they will probably find something is up.

This ebike eats upwards snow like cipher I've ever ridden before, the 2XL PSC tires shed it just as fast

One of my biggest complaints about the AWD arrangement is that information technology increases your level of confidence in what is substantially marginal conditions. The bicycle tracks much better so you tend to go much faster. This puts you even more at risk of taking a bad autumn or hitting a tree because you really have to exercise restraint when riding these bikes. The faster you become, the more fun you're having then you end up in this fun addiction loop where you're going faster and faster and having more fun until yous accept a close call or dump the cycle, then you dull manner down again and the process repeats itself.

The torque sensing system is overnice in the woods, and information technology allows you to actually get some exercise instead of just going in the woods and pegging the throttle the entire time. One of the dangers of the torque sensing organization is when you lot dump the cycle a lot of time there will be pressure on the pedals and the wheel volition spin the tires a couple of times. This is non a big deal if you can separate yourself from the bike, but it is something to exist aware of. You too MUST turn off the bulldoze unit of measurement anytime you touch the chain or the derailleur at all. If y'all treat your mid drive like a chainsaw then you probably won't lose whatsoever fingers. The Endless Sphere Facebook page is littered with pictures of people with giant scars on their easily who got them stuck in a mid drive while playing with the chain while the system was powered. Torque sensing makes this problem fifty-fifty worse because if you tug on the chain or press on a pedal accidently then your fingers can go stuck in the gear before you tin can say "What the fu…"

My fancy new bike getting built up at the mill

There are two distinctly unlike ways to ride the Christini AWD ebike in the forest. The start manner is to ride it like I usually ride my BBSHD builds which is to put it in the lowest granny and only ride the throttle the entire time. Since you are in such a depression gear the motor is under the least amount of stress and there actually is no mode to keep up with pedaling since the crank is spinning and so fast you merely can't go along up. Y'all spend all your time trying to keep yourself upright on the bike while the trail and the snowfall attempt to knock you off. This is the most fun but also the about dangerous and you get very picayune exercise.

With the Ultra Max and the AWD Christini organisation, you can also set the gear to a comfortable pedaling RPM and and then use the torque sensing system to pedal around. This is more of a dance where you lot try to set your help level high enough that it overcomes the resistance of the snow, but not and then loftier that information technology's too easy to get effectually and doesn't experience right. This is the style of riding that virtually sane people will probably opt for and with the correct programming on the Ultra Max it works incredibly well. I'm a business firm believer that the Ultra Max is an evolutionary stride beyond the BBSHD, but has failed to proceeds market place traction due to the lack of frames and commercially available ebikes on the market place. What ebike dealer wants to deal with the liability of selling a bicycle that has height power of double the legal limit in the US? Not many, apparently.

The Christini AWD fork had to be redesigned to accept the 5.05″ Snowshoe 2XL

I bought my Bafang Ultra Max from Lunacycle when it first came out because it came with the extra $250 Ludicrous controller (the listing on their website no longer includes this option). This Ludicrous controller has been hacked to produce a lot more than power than the stock Ultra unit and the Ultra Max units that Lunacycle stocks are as well made out of magnesium so they are almost three lbs lighter than the normal Ultra Max units that you purchase from anyone else. They aren't cheap, but I've ridden the stock Ultra Max and the Ludicrous Ultra Max and the Ludicrous one produces around l% more peak power. I tested the Christini AWD system with the Ludicrous BBSHD so I knew the AWD organization could handle the power, even with aluminum gears. As a side notation, it is of import to keep the AWD gears lubed, but the rear gear is located inside the rear brake rotor so be careful not to get any lube on the rotor. If you do, and so wipe it off carefully before you ride so you don't destroy the brake pads.

Christini sells a lubricant that is all natural and not-toxic called "Earth Oil". I've been testing it for nearly a yr now and may write an article on it. This lube seems to work well for the AWD gears and not only lubes them but keeps dirt, mud, and grime from building upwards on them as well. If you lot're not concerned virtually dirt and mud buildup you could use grease, but I wouldn't recommend it. My experience is that grease tends to concenter everything that is bad in the world and holds onto information technology.

The AWD system goes through the handlebars and downward the fork which causes a slight pull when the system is under full load. This can make the handlebars pull slightly to one side, but the sideways pull is easily overcome. It might be unsettling for people the offset fourth dimension they ride the AWD bike, but y'all quickly abound accustomed to it and compensate appropriately.

My merely complaint most the Ultra Max organization is that the BCD130 front chainring is just also large. It turns out that Bafang is releasing a BCD104 adapter for the Ultra Max that volition be steel and volition be way too heavy. Steve Christini is also going to machine an aluminum chainring adapter for BCD104 that will probably be much lighter and volition work just likewise if not better. Bafang's continued insistence of making chainrings and adapters out of steel instead of aluminum will continue to be one of their biggest mistakes. The 5 hole BCD130 adapter is just too big, and although it works well with a 42T granny, if yous utilize it with anything smaller yous won't be plowing through deep snow with it, you just won't have the torque. The larger chainrings work well for 40mph commuter bikes, only suck for depression-speed snow sloggers.

I was able to unpack the bike and build it up in 12 minutes apartment, just put on the front wheel, pedals, seat post, and handlebars

Pros

• Traction is insane, zilch else compares
• Torque sensing with two-3 hp of power with full power bachelor at zero RPMs
• AWD gears can be made of steel or aluminum
• Snowshoe 2XL practise non rub the frame or the fork, plenty of clearance
• Custom frame congenital from scratch merely the way yous want information technology
• Steel 42T-10T XD drive cassette and GX derailleur/shifter
• Proficient hydraulic brakes without ebrake cutoffs which I absolutely hate
• Glued magnet on rim instead of spoke magnet setup
• All steel gears means it will probably exist more than reliable than the BBSHD nylon gears (I've melted 2 this season already)

Cons

• Expensive, but non when compared to a custom fat bike like a Carver
• The Ultra Max drive unit is heavy which makes for a heavy bike
• Most frame packs are simply going to get you lot about an hour of riding in deep snow, I use a dwelling-built 25Ah 52v backpack bombardment
• You lot cannot use but the front brake or you will thrash on the AWD system, rear brake simply or if you utilize both yous MUST use more pressure on the rear brake than the front brake
• Torque sensing system is dangerous, fingers, pants and shoelaces beware
• A slight pull on steering cycle under severe load of AWD system
• Take to lube the AWD gears occasionally to prevent excessive wear
• BCD130 chainring is too large for riding in deep powder
• If you want to shift gears in the deep snow from a standstill you have to pick upwards the whole bike a couple inches with ane paw and spin the throttle with the other so both wheels can spin freely

No regrets, simply unpaid debts

I accept about 12 ebikes kicking around the house in diverse states or repair. Now that I've gotten and rode the Christini AWD system I feel completely unmotivated to ride anything only the Christini. The feeling you lot get when you ride something that you built with your own two hands is something actually special. Steve has that kind of pride and love with every single AWD drive organization that leaves his manufacturing plant. At that place is a level of attending to particular that you merely don't see with Chinese products, you can feel the passion that went into the design of this bike every time you lot ride it. This idea of a mechanical AWD bike was just an idea in Steve's head, and with lots of time and try and money, he has created a viable product that completely blows away anything else out there right at present on the snow and ice. If Steve can but become this bike into people's hands to try out who really ride in the woods in the winter, at that place volition exist no end to the potential sales. The Fat-E 5 Ultra is bachelor for buy on their website here for $5895 with the stock 1500W Bafang Ultra drive unit of measurement and a frame pack.

He sold me, and all information technology took was a 2-week loan of one of his bikes, and I've never bought a factory custom-built ebike in my life.

The Christini AWD drive arrangement completely changes the rules of the fatty bike game.

Ride On.

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Source: https://electricbike-blog.com/2019/03/05/everything-i-own-is-now-obsolete-christini-awd-fat-e-ultra-max-2xl-snowshoe-ebike/

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