2019 Rattan Fat Bear Plus Review

Video Review

Written Review

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike is a powerful, full-suspension folding electric bike that’s ideal for travelers and those with limited space who need a capable e-bike to tackle the city and the trails alike.

Power — 500 nominal watts, 1,000 peak watts, 65 Newton meters

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike has a fairly powerful 500 nominal watt gearless hub motor motor with 1,000 watts of peak power and 65 Newton meters of torque. Per Rattan, this motor has been optimized with their patented IPAS (Intelligent Power Assist System) technology to make the motor 83% more efficient, saving more than 50% of the battery power. Rattan doesn’t give much detail on the tech, but claims their motor is able to passively convert downhill kinetic energy back into usable juice for the battery. We tried researching IPAS technology and the company Reibok to look into this tech further but were not able to find anything.

Speed  — 28 mph

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike has a top speed of around 28 mph, which can be reached using the throttle or pedal assist. However, out of the box, the Fat Bear Plus has a top speed of only 20 mph to keep it at a class 2. 

Battery and Range — 48 volt 11.6 ah, 60 miles

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike runs on a 48 volt system and has an 11.6 amp hour battery for an estimated max range of 60 miles, according to Rattan’s website. As with all range estimates, there are a variety of factors that impact the max range, including but not limited to rider weight, rider style, terrain and the elements. Even with Rattan’s IPAS technology, the real world max range will likely be quite a bit less than the advertised max range. 

The battery for the Fat Bear Plus uses Samsung cells and is located inside the main tube, and is also able to be removed. This keep the bike well balanced and also allows for the battery to be charged separately from the bike, which is ideal since this electric bike is geared towards those with limited space.

Pedal assist sensor — Cadence sensor

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike is equipped with a cadence sensor that measures the rotation of the cranks. Like most cadence sensors, this one has a slight delay from the time the cranks start and stop moving and the motor activates and deactivates. 

Display — LED/LCD

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike has an LCD display with all the essential electronic feedback, including current speed, average speed, top speed, odometer, tripometer, pedal assist level and more.

Frame and weight — Aluminum alloy, 55 pounds

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike comes in one frame size and three different color options: silver, green and black. At the time of this review, the blue and green colors are not available. It’s made from aluminum alloy and weighs in at close to 55 pounds, which isn’t bad considering it has full suspension and a 500 watt motor. The Fat Bear Plus also has a max load capacity of 330 pounds.

Suspension —  Rattan, 100 mm of travel front, 

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike has Rattan-branded suspension with approximately 100 mm of travel. These suspension forks have preload adjust and lockout and do a good job of minimizing small bumps and road noise, and can even handle some light off-road trails, but these aren’t intended for huge jumps or seriously technical terrain.

Gearing — 8 speed, Shimano Altus

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike uses a Shimano Altus derailleur and has eight speeds which can be selected through the Shimano trigger shifter on the right side of the handlebars. 

Brakes — Hydraulic disc, 160/180 mm rotors

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike uses Logan hydraulic disc brakes with a 160 mm rotor in the front and 180 mm in the rear. This feels like an odd choice given the front brake is normally the primary braking source, so it might be a good idea for Rattan to swap the larger rotor to the front brake assembly. Still, the braking power on this bike is great, thanks in large part to the hydraulic brakes but also the 4” wide fat tires. The brake levers also have motor inhibitors built in, which instantly cuts power to the motor whenever they are depressed, ensuring the shortest possible stopping distance. This is a great safety feature, especially for an electric bike with a cadence sensor. 

Warranty — 2 year comprehensive, 3 year battery

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike has a 2 year comprehensive warranty and a 3 year warranty for the battery, which is pretty incredible considering the price point. 

Price — Starting at $1,499.00

Starting at $1,499.00, the Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike is a good value buy for what is being offered. The hydraulic disc brakes, integrated headlight, 500 watt motor with IPAS tech and full suspension setup is a pretty sweet deal.

Who’s it for — Commuters on with limited space and budget

The Rattan Fat Bear Plus folding electric bike feels like a good choice for riders with limited space and budget. This would work particularly well for travelers, and RVers and campers come to mind as this bike would be ideal to stow away and then take out for some trail riding when the time comes. The full suspension makes this a comfortable ride for light trails, but it’s still not really built for serious off-road use. The hydraulic brakes offer more than enough stopping power, the IPAS tech helps extend the range and the integrated light offers some illumination for darker areas. Overall, the Fat Bear Plus is a fun ride with plenty of power and range, and it’s not just a good value buy, but it also looks good too.