A value priced electric fat bike with a six speed drivetrain, integrated headlight and optional fender + rack kit
Available in two flavors (350 watt motor or more powerful 500 watt motor), sold online only so there is some assembly required but Voltbike offers a one year warranty
Quality Samsung Lithium-ion battery pack, sturdy mechanical disc brakes with motor inhibitor, responsive 12 magnet cadence sensor (offers five levels of assist and throttle-only operation)
[UPDATE for 2016] Several improvements have been made to the VoltBike Yukon for 2016 and the price has remained. Those include: battery cells are now by Panasonic vs. Samsung, they were chosen due to the better discharge rate (c-level) which is important for zippy throttle performance. The tires have been upgraded to Kenda Juggernaut Sport 26″ x 4″ with wire bead for better seating. The disc brakes have been upgraded to Tektro Novella ebike specific for reduced squeal and smoother operation.
The Voltbike Yukon is a value priced electric fat bike that comes in two flavors, a modest 350 watt or powerful 500 watt capable of ascending moderate hills, slogging through snow or dealing with sand and other soft terrain. Fat tire designs have become popular in recent years because they tend to be very stable and capable off-road. You can inflate the tires to ~30 PSI for efficient use on road (or at least semi-efficient… the knobs definite produce some sound and drag) or you can drop them down to ~5 PSI for some cushion and improved traction. The tires on the Yukon are standard 26″ x 4″ but end up closer to 29″ in diameter when inflated, which is the size of many mountain bike tires. Voltbike is a Canadian company that sells several electric bike models direct online and they ship to America for ~$70 and offer an impressive one year comprehensive warranty. Given their more northern, coastal location (near Vancouver), Voltbike has designed each of their models to work in snow or rain. For an additional $150 they will toss in some matching extra-wide aluminum fenders and a rear carry rack with an integrated LED light for the Yukon! In my opinion that a pretty good deal. I could see myself commuting with one of these during the week and then taking it out on trails for some weekend fun. The biggest complaint I have with this bike is the lack of a suspension fork… but for the price I completely understand. You could always add a Thudbuster and comfort gel saddle to smooth out the ride and I’d probably also explore cruiser handlebars just to bring the seating position up and back a bit. As it ships, the bar is fairly far forward and only offers low-rise which is fine for off-road trail type of riding but can create some back and neck discomfort on longer rides.
Driving the bike is an internally geared 8Fun hub motor spoked into the rear wheel. It’s black, which matches the frame, battery and other accessories, and there’s a disconnect point in the power line which makes maintenance easier. 8Fun (manufactured by Bafang) is a higher quality part and one that I’ve seen on many ebikes over the years. It would have been nice to have matching black spokes and quick release on the wheels could be useful (the tires are so big, sometimes you have to take the wheels off to transport this thing unless you have a truck). As mentioned earlier, there are two motor choices. The standard version comes with a 350 watt motor which is enough for flat paved surfaces and a bit of gentle climbing (especially if you pedal along). For an additional ~$210 you can upgrade to a 500 watt motor and in my opinion it’s definitely worth doing. This isn’t the lightest ebike at ~56 lbs and with the knobby tread, fenders, rack and potentially some gear added on the larger motor will come in handy… but it will also drain the battery more quickly. To get the best range out of this thing I recommend riding in level 1, 2 or 3 pedal assist then occasionally boosting power using the trigger throttle. Pedaling along is fun and comfortable here because the Yukon has a six speed drivetrain. The components are definitely entry level (Shimano Tourney TX) but they’ll hold up if you keep them clean and occasionally lube the chain. I like that the bike ships with a metal derailleur guard, this part will help to protect the shifting mechanisms as you assemble the bike and also if it tips or comes into contact with terrain later on.
Powering the bike is Lithium-ion battery pack that uses higher quality Samsung cells. It offers 48 volts of power and 10.4 amp hours of capacity which is above average for normal sized e-bikes but probably just ride for the 500 watt version of this fatbike. The battery mounts to the downtube and includes a locking core for security but you don’t have to leave the key in when riding which is nice (some cheaper bikes don’t have this option). The pack can be charged while seated on the frame or separately if you want to store the big (potentially dirty) parts in your garage. I love that the pack has a built in strap for carrying and that it has an LED power level readout… this can come in handy if you haven’t ridden for a while, have the pack in your closet and want to know whether it’s full. If you do plan on storing the pack (maybe for the off-season?) I suggest filling it to 50% then leaving it in a cool, dry location. Just behind the pack (on the bike frame) is another black box and this thing is the controller. It receives, interprets and sends signals to the battery and motor. Often times controllers are integrated into battery mounts or sometimes even built right into motors but that’s not the case here. It definitely adds some clutter to the frame but it probably helps to keep that price low and at least it’s black. The battery, controller and wires all blend in with the frame and look pretty good in my opinion. I believe Voltbike does sell additional battery packs (to extend your range or as a replacement) and those go for ~$500.
Operating the Yukon electric bike is a cinch. Once the battery is charged and mounted to the frame you simply press the power button on the display pad. From here, you can see your battery level (with six bars for more precise interpretation), your speed and your assist level. The bike offers five levels of pedal assist along with a zero level for throttle-only operation. This is awesome! Basically you can operate the bike however you want without compromising… some of Voltbike’s other models do not have this zero level and that means you have to think about how your pedaling might impact the motor vs. just using the throttle. If you are in pedal assist mode here the control system responds very quickly (both to starting and stopping) because it uses a 12 magnet sensor disc. When it’s time to stop and you pull the brake levers another signal is sent to the system to cut motor power. I feel like they did everything correctly with this design and used good parts. in addition to the derailleur guard mentioned earlier, there is also a nice aluminum bash guard mounted to the front chainring and the pedals are decent Wellgo aluminum platform designs… maybe not quite as wide as I’d like. Consider these extra-wide grippy magnesium pedals with adjustable spikes also from Wellgo. I’ve purchased several of these for my bikes over the years and they come in a bunch of colors so you could get white or red to match the highlights on this frame as well.
They Yukon is Voltbike’s most popular model and I can totally see why. It looks good, delivers a lot of value and uses some high quality parts where it counts. You don’t compromise with a single speed drivetrain like the Sondors and you can easily upgrade the motor for more power without spend a lot of money or screwing around trying to do it yourself after purchase. You get a nice display system with lots of drive options. Safety is taken care of with the included LED headlight and really emphasized if you get the rack and have that second light. The optional fenders fit the frame (fat-bike fenders can be difficult to find and fit after-market) and you’ve got the necessary stopping power of disc brakes. I can’t really think of anything else you’d need to get here besides those ergonomic adjustments (seat post shock, saddle, bars etc.) and that’s just based on my own ride preference. I could see this bike being an awesome addition to a cabin or maybe as a Burning Man bike. I attended the festival for the first time this year and saw an amazing selection of bikes… with fat bikes being some of the most popular and comfortable for the sandy desert terrain. Keep in mind the Yukon frame is a bit large at ~20″ and you’ll have to swing your leg over (especially high if you get the rack, don’t hit your knee…) maybe in the future we’ll see more colors or a second size in this thing… or maybe a quick release on the front wheel ;)
Pros:
The matte black paint looks good, matches the large black tires, rims, hub motor, battery and controller box… it also helps to hide the wires and make the bike more stealth
One of the most affordable fat electric bikes I’ve seen, you can get the super-cheap 350 watt version or upgrade to a 500 watt motor for ~$210 more
Awesome extra-wide full length fenders and carry rack sold as a $150 option, they look great and add a lot of utility if you live somewhere that it rains or you plan on commuting with the bike, I like that the rack has an integrated tail light!
I really appreciate the six speed cassette, even though the component line is more entry level (Shimano Tourney) these gears will help you start, climb or keep up at higher speeds (especially with the larger front chainring, it’s nice to have some low gears), the large thumb shifter (SIS Index) is a bit easier to use if you’re wearing gloves… riding in the snow perhaps
The battery can be charged on or off the frame (and has an integrated LED charge level indicator!), if you’re transporting the bike it’s best to take the pack off to reduce weight by ~7 lbs, the pack includes a keyed lock for security (the key is not required to be in while riding)
The high-step frame offers a lot of strength and stiffness, this is good considering the larger, heavier tires and it also makes hanging it on some car racks easier
Voltbike has been in business since 2012 and has a decent reputation for replacing parts and offering good customer service, they are expanding the number of models and types of ebikes being carried
It’s neat that they offer a free helmet with the purchase of any ebike and that the helmets are Department of Transportation (DOT) approved, for me the helmet was a bit heavy but the straps were easy to adjust and felt secure
The disc brakes do a good job of stopping this bike and staying clear of mud and rocks vs. rim brakes, I like that the levers have motor cutoff switches built in
Cons:
The controller unit is not integrated into the battery mount and takes up some extra space on the downtube, adds a bit of clutter to the frame but blends in alright since it’s black (like the frame)
No bottle cage mounting points, pretty much all of the space on the downtube and seat tube are taken by the battery and controller, you can always upgrade with the fenders or rack and use a trunk bag for your water bottle or get a saddle adapter
Fairly aggressive stem, low-rise handlebars and saddle create a more active-forward ride that can be less comfortable going over bumps… there’s no suspension fork, seat post or springs but you can deflate the tires a bit (which will also decrease range) or add a basic seat post suspension of your own or a really fancy long-travel one
Only available in one color and one standard size at ~20″, you can’t adjust the stem or bar angle much… just the seat post height, I’d consider swapping out the handlebars for something with a little more rise and sweep back, this bike might not fit shorter riders (it felt alright for me and I’m 5’9″ tall)
There’s not quick release for either wheel (which would be handy for transport given how large the tires are) but there is a quick-disconnect point in the power cable for the hub motor making rear wheel maintenance easier
Only available online, you’ll have to do some assembly and adjustments yourself and you cannot try it before purchase, keep in mind it only comes in one size
The display panel doesn’t swivel very easily (to reduce glare) and isn’t removable (to deter theft or wear from weather) but it’s fairly easy to reach and is backlit
An ultra-affordable full suspension plus size tire electric bike sold online from Canada, comes with a full range of features including headlight, adjustable angle riser stem, and high capacity battery. 500 watt hub-drive, awesome hydraulic disc brakes, and you get 7 gears with a upgraded…...
An ultra-affordable folding electric bike sold online from Canada, comes with a full range of accessories including lights, fenders and a rear carry rack. Available in black or white but only one size, you get six gears with a…...
A lower priced folding fat-tire ebike at that comes in 2 colors (matte black or matte white) and features a new front suspension fork. 500watt Bafang fat-tire specific hub-drive, 48v 14.5ah high capacity battery, with throttle and 9 modes…...
A value priced mountain bike at $1,999 ($2,499 in Canada) with a mid-drive system, full suspension, integrated headlight, and hydraulic brakes. The 350 watt Bafang mid-drive is capable, smooth, and quiet, pedal assist, Class 1 means…...
A lower priced step-through commuter ebike at that comes in 2 colors (black or glossy white), included fenders, racks, integrated lights, and a suspension fork. Features a 500 watt Bafang hub-drive, 48v 12.8ah high capacity battery, a throttle, and 9…...
A lower priced commuter ebike at that comes in 2 colors (black or glossy white), included fenders, racks, integrated lights, and a suspension fork. 500 watt Bafang hub-drive, 48v 12.8ah high capacity battery, with throttle and 9 modes of…...
A lower priced fat-tire ebike at that comes in 2 colors (matte black or matte white) and 2 frame sizes; a smaller 17” frame as well as a 20” frame, optional fenders, racks, and waterproof panniers. 750 watt Bafang fat-tire specific hub-drive, 48v 16ah high capacity battery, with throttle and 9…...
An exceptionally affordable, feature rich electric bike, built around an approachable frame that's easier to mount and stand over, offers pedal assist and throttle override operation. The battery pack is protected by the top tube, positioned low and center along the…...
An affordable full suspension trail bike with quiet, but powerful, mid-drive motor and integrated downtube battery pack, full-sized USB charging port on battery, adjustable top speed. Integrated LED headlight, backlit LCD display panel, and standard reflectors for urban riding, high-pressure tires…...
A miniaturized fat tire electric bike that's sand and snow capable, you get fenders, a rack and integrated lights for utility and safety no matter the terrain. Mid-mount battery design keeps weight low and centered, it's removable for reduced weight (when folding…...
An affordable but surprisingly powerful and quiet electric fat bike, sells online only and ships from Canada with a flat rate $70 fee, comes with a comprehensive 1 year warranty. Upgraded Kenda Juggernaut tires that feel good on pavement, dirt, sand and snow, removable battery…...
An ultra-affordable folding electric bike sold online from Canada, offers a full range of accessories including lights, fenders and a rear carry rack. Available in black or white but only one size, you get six gears with a…...
A very affordable city style electric bike with lots of useful accessories including integrated lights, fenders and rack. Only available in one frame size ~19" but the adjustable stem and seat hight help…...
A value oriented electric bike available in one size (19"), one frame style (step-thru) and one color (black). Comes standard with lots of useful accessories including full length plastic fenders, a rear carry…...
I bought one of these for my son in college. I’ll let you know how it holds up. My decision was purely based on cost/ruggedness/and some cool factor. The upright, swept bars, step thru nanny euro style is comfy and very adequate, but uncool for a 18 year old male. BTW, he currently has a DIY cruiser, Wilderness Energy bike, which is getting some attention. I plan to sell that one to pay for this one.
Cool! I’d love to hear what he thinks about the Yukon vs. the Wilderness Energy bike. Thanks for chiming in. I agree that the fat bike style and this design in particular is pretty cool :)
Hi Court, How would you compare this bike to the Rad Rover you reviewed a couple of weeks back? they both rated 9.5 although this is slightly cheaper? thanks
Hi Todd! Great question… they are similar for sure but I think the RadRover is more powerful, I also like the suspension fork quite a bit, that’s a feature I’m willing to pay more for with my ebikes because I value the comfort. The extra power, larger battery and suspension all add to the cost (and I’m not sure about Hangtai vs. 8Fun on the Yukon here) they both rode well and had the lights and fender option which was cool. I think it comes down to personal preference at that point… Neither of these are like Haibike quality, they are more average in terms of weight and components (lower end Shimano Tourney TX for example) but they do a good job and are really accessible in terms of overall cost. So to clarify… they are both solid bikes with good warranties for cheap and I rated them as such, at this point it comes down to personal preference (if you want white, you can only get that on the RadRover, if you want more power… RadRover, if you want the suspension, RadRover… but if you don’t care about any of that then save the cash and get the Yukon because it’s solid too).
I received the bike yesterday and assembled the handlebars. Everything was in working order and no shipping damage!
I agree that the controller clutters the battery access. I took the battery off to charge because it was difficult to see underneath and connect the charge port.
The battery is quirky. My other bike has the standard dolphin-slide-in mount, with a blindmate, round, two pin connection, which is elevated.
The Yukon is blind mate into 4 blades, and they sit in a well. I am concerned that water may accumulate in the well and possibly short out the battery. I will address this with VB. I just question if it will shed the water like the other design does.
The bike is a BEAST. The geared 500W hub takes off strong in level 1, let alone level 5. I let my wife take the first test ride! I noticed the motor turn off delay is noticeable and those big wheel keep rolling. My son will have to be super careful on campus to not run over students! It has a throttle only mode, which may be the ticket when in congested areas.
The front light is great for being seen and has some low speed value. The rear tail light is only (1) LED and a reflector. Kind of disappointing. Ok for on campus, but not great for road riding. With all that battery integration, I was hoping for a bright functional taillight. It will do for the price and I can always wire in a different light.
I need to read the manual to change to mph. The display is small and to the left. You can toggle through volts/current/ and a couple other items.
Great feedback, well written! I agree with your concerns about how water is shed or held by the battery mounting bracket. The delay in cutoff is also an issue given the weight of the bike (as you mentioned) but it’s tough to beat the price of this thing… What kind of rear light do you plan to wire in if you go that route?
Thanks for your feedback. We carefully listen to all comments and make improvements over time. The main buying factor of this bike is power. All comments after first test ride is how powerful this bike is. It does use 500w rated 8Fun motor, with peak power over 750w. Regarding front suspension I don’t think of adding any one soon to our Yukon line, since the big oversized 4″ tires give enough suspension already. Also suspension add extra weight to move. As you commented this bike is Beast. I still remember when I first test rode it after our Yukon 350w. Also I want to mention that for shipping in USA we use YRC Freight which is custom LTL carrier with exceptional attention to packages. We tried Fedex and similar before which are cheaper, however the experience was awful. Almost 90% of the bikes got delivered with damage with Fedex.
I chose the 500w Yukon for several reasons. Shipping to Fairbanks, AK was reasonable via YRC and George had a better bead on that than lower 48 suppliers. Suspension forks on FB’s regularly fail in Fairbanks temps so I appreciate saving on a straight fork. For similar reasons, mechanical brakes are a plus in the cold. I’ll be switching out the tires for 45nrth studded tires as wide as the frame will allow — so the economical chaoyangs that came included are just fine. I worry about power not because I’ll be riding aggressively in steep terrain but because the drive train and battery will be less efficient in the cold. Probably build an insulated frame bag and bring the batt in at home and work. Looking forward to using the bike on a 15 mile commute, primarily in the dark — I’ve got some ideas on front/rear lighting from conventional biking/skiing, but need to work out how to tap the bike electrical system. LCD displays run slow or not at all in the cold – need to work that out as well. There’ll be experimenting/tweaking along the way — Finalists were RadRover, Yukon, and a conversion kit; Court’s reviews and comments were useful and enjoyable, as well as the many well-thought out posts in the EBR community forums. Thanks.
Wow, it sounds like you’ve really done your homework! I hadn’t seen the 45NRTH tires before but they look solid. Definitely good ideas regarding storing the battery inside when not in use. I just met someone who lives in Alaska near a national park and the talked about how it gets dark so early and for much of the year. I hope the bike works out great for you and I’d love to hear updates when it arrives and you can actually get out for some deep rides :)
Hi Vespo111, I believe the model I was testing had the 48 volt battery and 500 watt motor. I mentioned the motor spec around 13:15 in the video. Hope this helps! I was very impressed with how peppy it felt and also how well it climbed given the weight and larger tires :)
Absolutely, in my experience any electric bicycle that has pedals can still be used if the battery is drained (or even removed). There ere a few very heavy scooters (almost like vespas) that only have one gear which could be very difficult to pedal but that’s a rare exception. The Yukon would work fine if the battery ran out.
Hi Frank! I think you could manage on the VoltBike Yukon but the top tube isn’t quite as slanted as some of the others I’ve seen like the Biktrix Juggernaut but otherwise geometry looks similar. You could swap out the handlebars for something that sweeps back more so you don’t have to lean so far forward. Both bikes seem to have standard head tubes and I’m not aware of fat-bike specific forks with suspension that will work for this. RockShox has the Bluto fork for fat bikes but it only works with tapered head tubes. I think opting for a suspension seat post would be the way to go here… and maybe swept back or cruiser bars :)
Yes indeed, the fact that the top bar is so straigth makes me wonder if i’d be comfortable standing over the bike with both feet on the ground. That’s really too bad as this bike has everything I’m looking for at a very good price. I really wish they’d offer a smaller model as the surface604 boar does.
If I may ask you another question, how complicated is it to build a custom fat e-bike? And is it much more expensive (say, for about the same spec)? I’m starting to think it might be a better route to take as I could get the exact frame that I want and motor/battery. It seems every model so far has a drawback.
I’m from canada so we are more limited in what’s available. The surface604 has no throttle mode and is too expensive, and i’m a little nervous spending close to 2k on a bike (the volt) that I can’t even see or try before buying and that might turn out to be uncomfortable for me.
Thanks again!
Voltbike
8 years ago
Hi Frank, Our folding electric fat bike Voltbike Mariner would be great choice for your size. I am planning to send it to Court for review when it becomes available in July. You can reach me at my email at sales at voltbike dot ca.
Hi jordAn, the 500 is going to work better but with pedal assist, a medium/light rider and a bit of speed going in the 350 should do fine. I usually opt for the cheaper more efficient motors and feel that it works fine but I’m 135 lbs and pretty active :)
How long does it take get the Yukon bike I been waiting since August 8 and keep hearing that they will ship it out very soon. Also they say there backup with a lot of orders.
Hmm… I’m not sure Craig? Sorry to hear you’ve had to wait a week, hope it arrives soon! I haven’t heard many complaints about VoltBike shipping, they tend to be very fast and have good communication :) would love to hear how you like it once it arrives!
Hey Carlos! Glad you’re enjoying the reviews, thanks for the positive feedback. I’d recommend charging if you’ve used more than half the battery (or if you know you’ll need the entire capacity for the next ride). I tend to charge every other time I ride, with the newer Lithium-ion cells there isn’t an issue with developing memory or slow discharge and damage like there was with some older chemistries :)
Hi Barry, I’ve covered some of the newer models for VoltBike here, just not the Yukon… perhaps they haven’t changed enough to request an updated review? Try as I might, I cannot cover every model of ever new bike each year so I strive for a healthy mix :)
Hi, I have the Yukon fatbike 2016 edition 500W 48V but after 6 years of using it, I lost the motor. All the wires are old and some broken. I am looking for the exact specification of the back hub motor to buy it online. Voltbike is not answering phones. The mail box is full and 3 emails I sent in the past 3 weeks did not get answered. You seem to know a lot about this bike. Can you please give me all the specifications of the motor so I can buy it online. I live in Souris, PEI. a small rural town and I have no car or truck. This bike was my only vehicle and now it is in a bike shop waiting for a new motor and I cant find a way to find the motor. Voltbike buys the parts from somewhere so I should be able to find it too. All I need is the whole specification of the motor. You say it is 8Fun and what else? aliexpress.com has many of them. But what is the size, what is the brand, there must be many specifications. I dont have the bike with me to check what’s written on it. Please help lol I walk and carry groceries on my backpack and I am an old lady.
Hi Umit, depending on the model year you have and the capabilities of your bike shop, the answer will be different. Basically, the motor alone would have to be spoked into your existing wheel or a new rear wheel. That can be quite expensive. You might be able to find a kit that’s setup with a similar motor and wheel, but it’s not certain the electronics will be compatible. I think you’re much better off recycling the old one and buying a new model from VoltBike or other affordable company with more responsive customer support. Six years for a “cheap” electric bike is pretty great, especially if you used it regularly.
Bike_On
9 years agoI bought one of these for my son in college. I’ll let you know how it holds up. My decision was purely based on cost/ruggedness/and some cool factor. The upright, swept bars, step thru nanny euro style is comfy and very adequate, but uncool for a 18 year old male. BTW, he currently has a DIY cruiser, Wilderness Energy bike, which is getting some attention. I plan to sell that one to pay for this one.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoCool! I’d love to hear what he thinks about the Yukon vs. the Wilderness Energy bike. Thanks for chiming in. I agree that the fat bike style and this design in particular is pretty cool :)
Replytodd
9 years agoHi Court, How would you compare this bike to the Rad Rover you reviewed a couple of weeks back? they both rated 9.5 although this is slightly cheaper? thanks
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Todd! Great question… they are similar for sure but I think the RadRover is more powerful, I also like the suspension fork quite a bit, that’s a feature I’m willing to pay more for with my ebikes because I value the comfort. The extra power, larger battery and suspension all add to the cost (and I’m not sure about Hangtai vs. 8Fun on the Yukon here) they both rode well and had the lights and fender option which was cool. I think it comes down to personal preference at that point… Neither of these are like Haibike quality, they are more average in terms of weight and components (lower end Shimano Tourney TX for example) but they do a good job and are really accessible in terms of overall cost. So to clarify… they are both solid bikes with good warranties for cheap and I rated them as such, at this point it comes down to personal preference (if you want white, you can only get that on the RadRover, if you want more power… RadRover, if you want the suspension, RadRover… but if you don’t care about any of that then save the cash and get the Yukon because it’s solid too).
ReplyBike_On
9 years agoI received the bike yesterday and assembled the handlebars. Everything was in working order and no shipping damage!
I agree that the controller clutters the battery access. I took the battery off to charge because it was difficult to see underneath and connect the charge port.
The battery is quirky. My other bike has the standard dolphin-slide-in mount, with a blindmate, round, two pin connection, which is elevated.
The Yukon is blind mate into 4 blades, and they sit in a well. I am concerned that water may accumulate in the well and possibly short out the battery. I will address this with VB. I just question if it will shed the water like the other design does.
The bike is a BEAST. The geared 500W hub takes off strong in level 1, let alone level 5. I let my wife take the first test ride! I noticed the motor turn off delay is noticeable and those big wheel keep rolling. My son will have to be super careful on campus to not run over students! It has a throttle only mode, which may be the ticket when in congested areas.
The front light is great for being seen and has some low speed value. The rear tail light is only (1) LED and a reflector. Kind of disappointing. Ok for on campus, but not great for road riding. With all that battery integration, I was hoping for a bright functional taillight. It will do for the price and I can always wire in a different light.
I need to read the manual to change to mph. The display is small and to the left. You can toggle through volts/current/ and a couple other items.
I will do a good test ride tomorrow.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoGreat feedback, well written! I agree with your concerns about how water is shed or held by the battery mounting bracket. The delay in cutoff is also an issue given the weight of the bike (as you mentioned) but it’s tough to beat the price of this thing… What kind of rear light do you plan to wire in if you go that route?
ReplyVoltbike
9 years agoThanks for your feedback. We carefully listen to all comments and make improvements over time. The main buying factor of this bike is power. All comments after first test ride is how powerful this bike is. It does use 500w rated 8Fun motor, with peak power over 750w. Regarding front suspension I don’t think of adding any one soon to our Yukon line, since the big oversized 4″ tires give enough suspension already. Also suspension add extra weight to move. As you commented this bike is Beast. I still remember when I first test rode it after our Yukon 350w. Also I want to mention that for shipping in USA we use YRC Freight which is custom LTL carrier with exceptional attention to packages. We tried Fedex and similar before which are cheaper, however the experience was awful. Almost 90% of the bikes got delivered with damage with Fedex.
Replybwitte
9 years agoI chose the 500w Yukon for several reasons. Shipping to Fairbanks, AK was reasonable via YRC and George had a better bead on that than lower 48 suppliers. Suspension forks on FB’s regularly fail in Fairbanks temps so I appreciate saving on a straight fork. For similar reasons, mechanical brakes are a plus in the cold. I’ll be switching out the tires for 45nrth studded tires as wide as the frame will allow — so the economical chaoyangs that came included are just fine. I worry about power not because I’ll be riding aggressively in steep terrain but because the drive train and battery will be less efficient in the cold. Probably build an insulated frame bag and bring the batt in at home and work. Looking forward to using the bike on a 15 mile commute, primarily in the dark — I’ve got some ideas on front/rear lighting from conventional biking/skiing, but need to work out how to tap the bike electrical system. LCD displays run slow or not at all in the cold – need to work that out as well. There’ll be experimenting/tweaking along the way — Finalists were RadRover, Yukon, and a conversion kit; Court’s reviews and comments were useful and enjoyable, as well as the many well-thought out posts in the EBR community forums. Thanks.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoWow, it sounds like you’ve really done your homework! I hadn’t seen the 45NRTH tires before but they look solid. Definitely good ideas regarding storing the battery inside when not in use. I just met someone who lives in Alaska near a national park and the talked about how it gets dark so early and for much of the year. I hope the bike works out great for you and I’d love to hear updates when it arrives and you can actually get out for some deep rides :)
ReplyVespo111
9 years agoIn the review video here it looks like the bike has some pretty good power up hill. Is he riding the 500 Watt or 350 Watt variant in the review?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Vespo111, I believe the model I was testing had the 48 volt battery and 500 watt motor. I mentioned the motor spec around 13:15 in the video. Hope this helps! I was very impressed with how peppy it felt and also how well it climbed given the weight and larger tires :)
ReplyChris
9 years agoWill it pedal like a standard bike if the battery dies?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoAbsolutely, in my experience any electric bicycle that has pedals can still be used if the battery is drained (or even removed). There ere a few very heavy scooters (almost like vespas) that only have one gear which could be very difficult to pedal but that’s a rare exception. The Yukon would work fine if the battery ran out.
ReplyFrank
8 years agoHi. I’m really considering getting this bike, but I have two questions:
Thanks you very much for your review!
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi Frank! I think you could manage on the VoltBike Yukon but the top tube isn’t quite as slanted as some of the others I’ve seen like the Biktrix Juggernaut but otherwise geometry looks similar. You could swap out the handlebars for something that sweeps back more so you don’t have to lean so far forward. Both bikes seem to have standard head tubes and I’m not aware of fat-bike specific forks with suspension that will work for this. RockShox has the Bluto fork for fat bikes but it only works with tapered head tubes. I think opting for a suspension seat post would be the way to go here… and maybe swept back or cruiser bars :)
ReplyFrank
8 years agoHey thank you so much for you quick answer!
Yes indeed, the fact that the top bar is so straigth makes me wonder if i’d be comfortable standing over the bike with both feet on the ground. That’s really too bad as this bike has everything I’m looking for at a very good price. I really wish they’d offer a smaller model as the surface604 boar does.
If I may ask you another question, how complicated is it to build a custom fat e-bike? And is it much more expensive (say, for about the same spec)? I’m starting to think it might be a better route to take as I could get the exact frame that I want and motor/battery. It seems every model so far has a drawback.
I’m from canada so we are more limited in what’s available. The surface604 has no throttle mode and is too expensive, and i’m a little nervous spending close to 2k on a bike (the volt) that I can’t even see or try before buying and that might turn out to be uncomfortable for me.
Thanks again!
Voltbike
8 years agoHi Frank, Our folding electric fat bike Voltbike Mariner would be great choice for your size. I am planning to send it to Court for review when it becomes available in July. You can reach me at my email at sales at voltbike dot ca.
ReplyJordAn
8 years agoHow well does the 350 climb hills?
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi jordAn, the 500 is going to work better but with pedal assist, a medium/light rider and a bit of speed going in the 350 should do fine. I usually opt for the cheaper more efficient motors and feel that it works fine but I’m 135 lbs and pretty active :)
ReplyCraig
8 years agoHow long does it take get the Yukon bike I been waiting since August 8 and keep hearing that they will ship it out very soon. Also they say there backup with a lot of orders.
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHmm… I’m not sure Craig? Sorry to hear you’ve had to wait a week, hope it arrives soon! I haven’t heard many complaints about VoltBike shipping, they tend to be very fast and have good communication :) would love to hear how you like it once it arrives!
ReplyCarlos Lomba
8 years agoShould I charge my Yukon 500 after every ride ,also love watching your reviews .thanks
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHey Carlos! Glad you’re enjoying the reviews, thanks for the positive feedback. I’d recommend charging if you’ve used more than half the battery (or if you know you’ll need the entire capacity for the next ride). I tend to charge every other time I ride, with the newer Lithium-ion cells there isn’t an issue with developing memory or slow discharge and damage like there was with some older chemistries :)
ReplyBarry O'Neill
5 years agoWRITE A REVIEW OF THE NEW BIKES! THIS IS YEARS OLD………………..
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Barry, I’ve covered some of the newer models for VoltBike here, just not the Yukon… perhaps they haven’t changed enough to request an updated review? Try as I might, I cannot cover every model of ever new bike each year so I strive for a healthy mix :)
ReplyUmit
2 years agoHi, I have the Yukon fatbike 2016 edition 500W 48V but after 6 years of using it, I lost the motor. All the wires are old and some broken. I am looking for the exact specification of the back hub motor to buy it online. Voltbike is not answering phones. The mail box is full and 3 emails I sent in the past 3 weeks did not get answered. You seem to know a lot about this bike. Can you please give me all the specifications of the motor so I can buy it online. I live in Souris, PEI. a small rural town and I have no car or truck. This bike was my only vehicle and now it is in a bike shop waiting for a new motor and I cant find a way to find the motor. Voltbike buys the parts from somewhere so I should be able to find it too. All I need is the whole specification of the motor. You say it is 8Fun and what else? aliexpress.com has many of them. But what is the size, what is the brand, there must be many specifications. I dont have the bike with me to check what’s written on it. Please help lol I walk and carry groceries on my backpack and I am an old lady.
ReplyCourt
2 years agoHi Umit, depending on the model year you have and the capabilities of your bike shop, the answer will be different. Basically, the motor alone would have to be spoked into your existing wheel or a new rear wheel. That can be quite expensive. You might be able to find a kit that’s setup with a similar motor and wheel, but it’s not certain the electronics will be compatible. I think you’re much better off recycling the old one and buying a new model from VoltBike or other affordable company with more responsive customer support. Six years for a “cheap” electric bike is pretty great, especially if you used it regularly.
ReplyUmit
2 years agoIt wasnt that cheap. It was over $2500 with taxes and shipping. I sent you a text.
Reply