FREY Bike, the Jinhua, China-based excessive finish electrical bicycle producer, has simply launched a fats tire model of the corporate’s standard CC full-suspension electrical consolation bike. The brand new FREY CC Fats takes the laidback and relaxed driving type of the unique CC and opens the door to extra off-road path rides and various terrain with its huge tires.
FREY Bike is understood for constructing top quality and excessive powered electrical mountain bikes that compete with $6-$8k European fashions, but at round half the worth. In contrast to a lot of the firm’s mountain-oriented e-bikes although, the CC mannequin is all about snug cruising.
The unique FREY CC electrical bike, which was launched all the way in which again in 2019, turned one of the vital standard high-end full-suspension electrical consolation bikes available in the market – although the dearth of rivals actually helped.
Positive, electrical consolation bikes are a dime a dozen. However almost all use decrease tier elements to realize finances costs. That’s as a result of most consolation e-bike consumers aren’t searching for elements designed for ruggedized downhill bikes.
However overbuilt excessive finish electrical mountain bikes and downhill bikes are precisely the sort of two-wheelers that FREY Bike makes a speciality of, and so the corporate utilized their distinctive tackle full-suspension e-bikes to a comfort-oriented mannequin. The tip outcome was the commuter-friendly FREY CC.
Now the corporate has returned with an up to date mannequin that doesn’t simply tear up the streets, however is able to tackle the paths too. The brand new FREY CC swaps the road rubber for aggressive Maxxis 4″ fats tires which might be designed to deal with nearly any terrain.
The consolation body and relaxed geometry stay although, providing a mid-step full-suspension body with top quality suspension. The entrance air fork options 140 mm of journey, whereas the rear will get a RockShox Monarch RL shock. Braking is achieved by way of 4-piston Magura MT5e stoppers – a number of the highest high quality and highest energy brakes within the e-bike trade. And a Shimano Alivio 9-speed drivetrain brings a mid-tier transmission to the bike with a wholesome providing of substances ratios to assist commuters and leisure riders alike discover the fitting gear for every hill.
However the true prize right here is the Bafang Extremely M620 mid-drive motor, which is extensively recognized to be highest energy retail mid-drive e-bike motor available on the market. Some specialty mid-drives are within the works that would take its crown, however till they attain manufacturing, the M620 is the king of the hill for prime energy. It peaks at 1,500W on the FREY CC Fats, although comes with a extra modest 1,000W steady energy score.
To feed that energy-hungry motor is a frame-integrated 1,000Wh battery rated at 48V and 21Ah. An enormous battery like that’s the solely approach to get respectable vary out of such a robust motor, except riders can resist temptation and maintain it in a decrease energy setting. In that case, ranges of up 100 miles (160 km) will be potential on pedal help. If tapping into max energy on throttle although, even 30 miles (51 km) will be moderately obtained – which continues to be fairly a feat for such a energy-guzzling motor.
FREY hasn’t printed a prime velocity for the CC Fats, although lots of the firm’s e-bikes utilizing this motor handily exceed 30 mph (51 km/h). I’ve personally hit over 35 mph (56 km/h) on FREY bikes earlier than, although the CC’s fats tires would possibly make the low 30’s of miles per hour extra seemingly.
The FREY CC Fats is now taking pre-orders forward of manufacturing commencing this July, nevertheless it doesn’t come low cost. The MSRP of $4,980 is knocked to only $4,480 for the primary 50 bikes and $4,680 for the following 50.
Whereas that worth is actually a lot increased than most extraordinary budget-level consolation e-bikes, the CC Fats is something however extraordinary. This motor mixed with the higher-end suspension, brakes, battery and different elements price considerably extra with many different manufacturers, to not point out the wave of worth will increase we’ve seen lately across the trade as a result of pricing pressures within the e-bike market.
Hopefully we’ll get to check considered one of these beasts in some unspecified time in the future. Within the meantime although, you possibly can try my evaluation of the usual FREY CC beneath to get a way of what such a high-powered full-suspension consolation e-bike can do.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for unique movies and subscribe to the podcast.