The Swagtron EB8 gives you just about every reason to take it off-road: a Shimano 7-gear transmission, beefy tires, and a good suspension system. Not only does that place it under the umbrella of best electric fat bikes, but its foldable design makes it easy to carry, transport, and store. Looking for the best electric bike? You can rate this one after reading what its users are saying about it.
Why We Like It – Swagtron EB8
In addition to a smooth ride across various terrain, thanks to its Shimano 7-gear transmission, the Swagtron EB8 is a lightweight, foldable electric bike that’s easy to carry, transport, and store. Also, read the Swagtron EB5 review for another foldable bike for the urban commuter.
- Shimano 7-gear transmissions
- Motor shuts down when braking
- Foldable design; easy to carry/store
- Equipped with reflectors, not headlights
- Travels 21 miles on a single charge
Durability & Build Quality
To make this bike portable, the Swagtron EB8 was given a lightweight, but durable aluminum alloy frame, which also has two folding points for carrying, storing, and transportation. Locks are in place to keep the bike from buckling. Its fat tires, however, are excellent; air filled, 20-inch wheels that are 4-inches thick. With its front and rear suspension, tackling off-road terrain is a breeze. But in case you are searching for the ideal cargo bike, check out our Tern GSD S00 review.
Performance (Speed & Acceleration)
The Swagtron EB8’s speed and acceleration bounces back between 18 to 19mph, usually 18.6mph is the average. That’s good, though just behind the Addmotor Motan in terms of speed. Its 7-gear Shimano transmission is the MVP, however, providing a smooth ride no matter the terrain. For tackling steel hills, however, the DJ Fat Bike has 1000W peak power.
Range & Battery
Since you’ll be zipping around at nearly 19mph, having a good battery is ideal. Unfortunately, the Swagtron EB8 has a battery that can only eek out 21 miles on a single charge. You’ll be lucky to get an hour on this multi-terrain e bike, if you use power assist.
Safety Features
Unlike other entries on our list, the Swagtron EB8 has a unique feature that shuts the motor down when braking, preventing you from taking off when letting off the brake. This is in addition to a battery lock, front and rear brakes with good stopping power. We would’ve preferred rear and front lights instead of reflectors.
Value
The Swagtron EB8 is more than capable of being your favorite off-road eBike—especially with the tires that are strapped to it. It’s durable, lightweight, easily portable, and comes with its own unique safety features. And it’s only $800! That easily puts it under the category of “budget” and “affordable”. If mountains are your thing, and you’re on a budget, the Aceshin 26 is $600.
Swagtron EB8 Wrap Up
Despite its low battery performance, you’ll still get an hour of fun—and we can overlook the reflectors since you’ll carry out off-road activities in the light anyways. Its foldable design is appreciated for storing and transporting. And the 7-gear Shimano transmission and motor shut-down feature is a nice safety feature.
