How to Power your EBike in the Backcountry
Our fat tire bikes are built rugged with a huge motor to get you wherever it is that you want to go. Whether that's a short ride around the local trails or going deep into the backcountry, these bikes are built to handle it. And for those who really want to push the limits and explore the depths of a new area that means that the limiting factor can be the range of the bike...but it doesn’t have to be.
There are quite a few options to charge up your bikes motor when a typical wall outlet isn’t readily available. In this post, we will go over some of those different options to get you power when you are far from home. These different options all have there benefits and drawbacks, so read on to see what option will best suit you and your backcountry style.
One option that many of our customers and some of our employees utilize is a portable generator. A generator is something that an avid camper or hunter will often already own, so it can be a great and cost effective option. As long as the generator can output 120 volts (the same as a home outlet) you can simply plug in your battery as you would at home and get it charging when you come back to camp at night. The obvious downside to this method is that you aren’t feasibly going to lug your generator around so this option works best if you have a base camp that you are coming back to each day.
Another option that will work well if you are coming back to the same camp each night is using our DC car charger. This charger will allow you to use the DC outlet in your car to charge up your bike’s battery. The downside to this option is that you will have to run your car if you are going to do this for a long period of time or else you risk draining your car's battery. But this is another very affordable option and if you are driving between locations anyway it is great way to get a little more juice during that down time.
But let’s say that you would like to be more location independent, moving from one camping spot to another each day with just yourself, your gear, and your bike. Then a solar panel may be a great option for you. We sell a 220 Watt solar panel. In full sunlight it is capable of charging up your battery at the same speed as a standard wall outlet. The solar panel is a great option because it works anywhere there is sunlight. And unlike a generator it can be easily taken with you and is silent.
Another option that is more easily transportable that many of our customers already have taken advantage of is buying an additional battery. When leaving with two fully charged batteries you now have double the range with the added benefit that you don’t have to wait for anything to charge. Simply put the extra battery in a pannier bag or our large top bag and then when your first battery is drained, swap in the additional battery and be on your way immediately.
An additional battery is great too because it can be combined with any of the previously mentioned options. With two batteries you can have one battery charging while you are out using the other. This is a favorite method because you are able to keep moving with very little down time. Imagine using a solar panel and an additional battery, there is virtually no limit to where you can go and what you can explore at this point. What is your favorite method for powering your eBike while away from home? Where would you go if you didn’t have to consider battery range?
