E-bike fat tires and suspension considerations for a bigger guy

[BigGuy]

Just wondering, most fat tire e-bikes usually have a front suspension fork.   Would rear suspension be a good consideration?   I read that fat tires itself do the absorption, so why is it that they add the front fork?

[Thorn]

If the rider is leaning forward, more of the weight naturally shifts to the front wheel, so the front gets more load than the rear. on a fat bike the tires do a lot of work absorbing bumps, especially the small stuff like cracks, pebbles, or sidewalk expansion joints. the tires feel like they smooth out everything and make it more comfortable than most suspension forks alone. 


But fat tires aren’t a full suspension replacement. when the bumps get bigger, like rocks, roots, or really rough trails, the whole bike starts moving and that’s where front or full suspension really helps. the front fork helps take the edge off hard hits even with fat tires, and rear suspension can be nice if you ride really chunky terrain, but it adds weight and complexity. 


So leaning forward gives more weight to the front, the tires handle the small bumps, front suspension helps with bigger hits, and rear suspension is optional depending on how rough your ride gets.