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Power — Bafang hub drive, 500 nominal watts, 750 peak watts, 80 Newton meters of torque
Speed — 20 mph stock, 28 mph unlocked
Battery and Range — 48 volt 14 ah, 45 miles or 20 ah, 65 miles, Samsung cells
Pedal assist sensor — Torque sensor
Display — Surface604 3.5” Color LCD, micro USB port, upgraded from 3.2”
Frame and weight — 6061 Aluminum alloy, 50 pound curb weight, 285 pound weight capacity
Suspension — Custom aluminum fork, tapered steerer with thru axle
Gearing — Shimano Alivio, 9 speed
Brakes — Tektro Auriga, hydraulic disc, 180 mm rotors
Tires — Maxxis Colossus 27.5” by 4.5”, EXO Protection
Warranty — 1 year comprehensive, 7-day money back guarantee
Price — Starting at 2,699 USD
Hello again and welcome back to another episode of Electrified Reviews. I hope you’re having a beautiful day, and a happy holiday season. Christmas is literally upon us.
Today we are reviewing the Surface 604 Boar Explorer and let me just tell you right off the bat here that this is the champion of fat tire e-bikes. Not just because of the quality, and there’s a lot of that to be had here, but because at 4.5 inches wide, this is literally one of the fattest fat tire e-bikes we’ve tested to date.
The Surface 604 Boar Explorer excels at wet, soggy terrain. Swamps, grasslands, streams and brooks. If there’s standing water, the Boar Explorer wants to wade through it, and that’s where these absolutely massive tires really shine.
The Surface 604 Boar Explorer is currently available in one frame size, 19.5 inches which is good for riders from about 5’8” to 6’6”, and one color — green, although it’s really more of an olive drab.
The Surface 604 Boar Explorer has a starting price of $2,699 USD and comes with free shipping, a 1 year comprehensive warranty and a 7-day money back guarantee. There’s also plenty of upgrade options if you want to deck this water bear of a bike out even more, including a huge 20 amp hour battery for an extra $300 USD, a Suntour NCX seat post suspension for $119 USD, and an Ergotec rear view mirror for $40 USD, just to name a few. You can also vastly increase the functionality of the Boar Explorer with the optional front and rear racks for $119 USD each.
Over the years we’ve reviewed most of the ebikes that Surface 604 has to offer and each time we do, it’s honestly just a lot of fun. These guys know their e-bikes and they know how to make them stand out from the pack. So, let’s see how the Boar Explorer stacks up!
In the rear wheel, the Surface 604 Boar Explorer has a powerful 500 nominal watt, 750 peak watt hub motor that’s custom wound for extra torque. And let me tell you, at 80 Newton meters of torque it is noticeably more aggressive. When we were slogging through some shallow lakes during our test ride, we hit some deeper-than-expected sections, but, thanks to the motor and the massive 4.5” tires the Boar Explorer pretty much just swam itself to shore. So, ya, impressive stuff.
Now, this motor will bring the Surface 604 Boar Explorer up to a top speed of 20 mph out of the box or 28 mph in the unlocked configuration, changing it from a Class 2 e-bike to a Class 3 e-bike, which are a bit more restricted in some areas. You can reach the top speed using the thumb throttle or the torque sensing pedal assist. It’s a bit uncommon to have a torque sensor on a hub drive, but it is just so smooth! The power output precisely matches how hard you’re pedaling, so it ends up feeling like the motor, and the bike itself really, becomes an extension of yourself.
For the battery we’ve got a 48 volt, 14 amp hour with Samsung cells for a max estimated range of 45 miles in ideal conditions. Real world, back woods exploring, you can probably expect about half that range. But, for those who plan on truly leaving civilization behind, there’s that 20 amp hour battery upgrade for an extra $300. And the cool thing about these batteries is that they are cross compatible with all of Surface 604’s line. For example, we used the same exact battery for the Boar Explorer review as we did for the Werk review. That adaptability can come in serious handy if you’re going out with the family and have multiple Surface 604 e-bikes and a few spare batteries.
And the Surface 604 Boar Explorer is impressively lightweight at just 50 pounds, although it still boasts a hefty 285 pound carry capacity, which you will definitely appreciate if you plan on loading up the optional front and rear racks. The lack of suspension means it can be a bumpy ride, but it also means serious strength and reliability. When it comes to ruggedness, simpler is usually better. And again, the Boar Explorer isn’t designed for gnarly trails filled with redwood size logs. It’s meant for the bogs, for the flat, muddy terrain that most other e-bikes simply couldn’t cross.
One more thing to mention about the frame is the bosses. I love how much forethought Surface 604 puts into their e-bikes. The Boar Explorer frame is dripping with bosses from the forks to underneath the downtube. At the bottom of the seat post and at the rear drop out. This just gives you flexibility to modify the Boar Explorer in whatever way best suits your needs.
At the back of the Surface 604 Boar Explorer we’ve got a Shimano Alivio derailleur with a 9-speed cassette paired with trigger shifters. This is a super snappy derailleur and because it’s a hub drive, you can flick through entire cassette without worrying about putting too much stress on the drive train.
To bring the Surface 604 Boar Explorer to a stop we’ve got Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors in the front and rear wheels. Together with the gargantuan Maxxis Colossus 27.5” by 4.5” fat tires this ride has huge stopping power. These tires also have a puncture protection lining by the way, which is great because who wants to get a flat in the middle of nowhere.
The Buchel headlight on the Surface 604 Boar Explorer is mounted directly to the handlebar stem which means it’s always going to point exactly where you’re steering, and it’s high enough off the ground that it won’t get caked with mud. This is a fairly bright headlight with a decent throw, but not much spill. You could probably use headlight to ride at night in a pinch, but additional lighting would be optimal.
Wire management on the Surface 604 Boar Explorer is excellent with everything bundled up nicely, and they’re internally routed as well. This is especially important for a bike that’s geared for wet terrain. Internally routed wires are protected from the elements, and it keeps the e-bike looking good as well.
The cockpit is nicely laid out with the thumb throttle and independent button pad on the left side of the handlebars, and the trigger shifters and bell on the right side. The 3.5” LCD display is bright and easy to read in direct sunlight, and it’s also a step up from its predecessor, which was only 3.2.”
Overall, the Surface 604 Boar Explorer is an absolute beast of an e-bike, especially in its element. For those who need a powerful, functional, top shelf, fat tire electric bike that can float over even the nastiest of trails, well, this is a solid option.
See more of the Surface 604 Boar Explorer:
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