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Connoisseurs of fat tire ebikes need to pay attention to SWFT. While some of their products are pricey, they make some of the most well-reviewed ebikes these days. So today, I’m going to go in-depth on their SWFT Zip ebike and figure out if it’s the best fat tire electric bike on the market today.
There’s no denying that the SWFT Zip is a powerful bike with specifications that would attract even the most hardcore ebike fans.
The Zip has a max speed of 20 mph and can go up to 37 miles on a single battery charge. While not the longest range ebike, this is still a decent distance. It fully charges in about 5 hours.
The tires are 20 inches tall and 4 inches thick, giving them that extra girth needed to traverse as many terrains as possible. There’s also a 6-speed gear shifting system that allows you to have total control over the inclines and surfaces you cycle over.
This ebike also has an equipped headlight, an LCD display, and a detachable battery. It’s not full of bells and whistles, but it has all the essential features that one would want out of a high-quality ebike.
It also has a weight limit of 265 lbs while weighing 66 lbs itself, so while it’s not quite a heavy weight or heavy duty ebike, it still holds more than the average model. It’s recommended for people no shorter than 5’ 5” as it sits pretty high.
After-sales service has been second to none. The SWFT customer support team is responsive and answered all my questions without a problem.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into the SWFT Zip ebike review!
The Swft Zip came in an enormous box which is understandable as it’s pretty much fully put together. But it’s really well wrapped which provides lots of protection from damage in transit.
This ebike only required minor assembly and it is by no means a tedious or lengthy process. It took me no more than 15 minutes to fully assemble the bike and was pretty straightforward. All the necessary tools and hardware were right there in the box.
The only things that needed doing was unwrapping and attaching the pedals, handlebar, electronic parts and headlight.
I took some time at this point to adjust the handgrips and LCD display so they were perfect. The handlebars themselves also required a small adjustment which was an easy job with the allen key provided.
I recommend fully charging the battery before going for a ride. And like a standard bike, it’s always a good idea to check the tire pressure.
So if you’ve never put an ebike together before, you have nothing to worry about with this model.
Sitting on the bike made me instantly realize how spacious the banana-style seat is. Many ebikes aren’t very comfortable to lean forward or back on because of limited seating, but the Zip ebike allows you to sit close or far from the handlebars.
Even though the seat is fixed it’s long so you can easily move forward or backward to get comfortable. It somewhat resembles a motorcycle seat and could hold 2 smaller people pretty easily.
It’s also a wider seat than a regular ebike so can accommodate larger backsides. On the flip side, the spacious width can make pedaling for a long period a bit of a challenge for smaller individuals due to the potential for thigh chafing.
I wish the padding were a little softer, but like many ebikes, I did become more accustomed to it over time.
The SWFT Zip frame is a simple retro design that some might find pretty basic. But if you like to do some customization, the simplicity of this ebike frame makes it easy.
People who like a more tough black look will probably find the frame aesthetic of the Zip bike appealing. Its utilitarian style is distinctly different from regular ebikes like the Addmotor Motan for example.
The unique frame design means that the Zip ebike may not fit on most standard bike carriers. If you need to transport the bike, you’ll need to double-check if your carrier is compatible.
If you drive a truck, the bike can be transported in the back bed but being fairly heavy, it can be a challenge to load for some people. Removing the battery might help with taking off some of the weight.
The Zip ebike can reach 20 mph, and it sure feels great to blast away around town at max speed. I do wish the acceleration was a little faster, though.
The 500w brushless rear hub motor means there’s plenty of power to tackle hills. The pick-up on the ascent is impressive.
The battery clips off and on really quickly for recharging – very convenient. The charger itself has an indicator light so you can see the level of battery charge.
I could get just under 2 hours of use on a single charge, mainly riding at max speed, and the charge time for me usually came at around 6 hours. I didn’t hit the 37 miles of range but with some hard-core pedaling, it seems possible.
The stability of this thing is a different story. I tested it on dry and wet surfaces, sidewalks and roads, dirt trails, and bumpy hills, and the results were always the same: the SWFT Zip ebike fat tire definitely has exceptional traction and stability.
If you’re looking for a good balance between power and handling, I can see this bike being a great buy. This ebike is sturdy and can handle both urban and off-road environments easily.
Although the brakes were a little squeaky to begin with, they settled after a couple of hours use. The disc brakes are on both front and rear wheels and were able to easily pull me up without locking. Pretty impressive for a heavy bike and rider.
Due to the Swft Zip being on the heavier side and have heavy-duty off-road tires, it takes a bit of work to get rolling initially. But once you’re going along, it rides pretty much like a normal bike. The weight actually keeps you propelling forward nicely when you’ve got a bit of speed up.
You could opt to remove the battery to lighten the bike up somewhat if you feel like pedaling from time to time.
The front forks have great suspension and can take on bumps easily giving a smooth ride.
The Zip comes with a functional LCD screen that displays your speedometer, mileage, and other tracked stats.
It’s a simple layout with a power on/off button and buttons for increasing or decreasing the pedal assist. The pedal assist feature has options from no pedal power to level 3 power.
The buttons also have the option to turn on/off the headlight and taillight as well as setting the cruise control.
Besides that, the SWFT Zip ebike lacks extra features, which is odd for an ebike of this type. But as mentioned, this can be a real game changer for those who like to make a bike their own by adding their own touch with customization.
The SWFT Zip ebike is specifically designed as a fat tire model, which puts it in a particular category of ebikes.
Fat tire bikes are unique because of the extra stability they offer. Your average bicycle, standard or electric, will typically have a tire width of 1 inch. Sometimes it will be 1.5 or 2 inches depending on the model.
With fat tire bikes, you get a tire width that’s usually 4 or 5 inches wide. These extra inches add a lot of functionality to your bike that one might underestimate or overlook if they’ve never used one before.
Fat tire bikes offer better traction and stability on a wider variety of terrains, including bumpy dirt hills. They can go deeper into the dirt, giving you a firm, planted feel. This characteristic gives them stability even when riding fast and turning suddenly on rough terrain.
The SWFT Zip ebike is a great beginner’s fat tire ebike with substantial tread to grip in sand, rocks, and snow. The tires are wide enough to get through the thickest mud.
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Now that we’ve reached the end of the SWFT ebike review, is this electric bike the best fat tire ebike money can buy? The jury is still out on this one.
Others may have a longer range or more inclusions, but the SWFT Zip ebike offers some fast fun, durability, and a distinct style.
So while I wouldn’t give the SWFT Zip the title of best fat tire ebike ever, it’s still an excellent all-around option worth considering for its price point.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
