At Delfast, we always consider the feedback from our customers when developing new models or enhancing existing ones. A significant portion of our customer base resides in the United States, and it was their requests that led us to create our previous model, the Top 2.0. This version is more powerful than its predecessor, the Top 1. The Top 2.0 is an electric bike designed for long-distance rides and off-road adventures. However, like any mountain bike, it has its limitations, and despite being heavy and powerful, it leans more towards light enduro than traditional mountain biking. Yet, this wasn't the primary reason behind the development of our latest model.

The main driving force for creating this off-road bike was the diversity of climates and terrains where our U.S. customers reside. Delfast bikes have been tested on mountains, beaches, snowy plains, forests, and deserts alike. Given that we have clients in over half of the U.S. states, we knew we had to launch a model that could thrive outside urban areas and remain active throughout the year, including snowy winters. After thorough research, we decided on a design featuring low-pressure tires. These bikes, often referred to as fat bikes or snow bikes, are essentially the SUVs of the cycling world. Their standout feature is their ability to handle rough terrain without roads and perform exceptionally well on ice and snow. For instance, riding one of these bikes across a frozen lake to go ice fishing is a common scenario. They also excel on sandy surfaces, allowing users to attach a surfboard and reach remote beaches unreachable by foot or car. We’ve covered this topic before in a previous article about fat bikes.

Making this decision wasn't straightforward. Initially, we thought combining a heavy-duty electric bike with impressive range would suffice, but it turned out to be a more complex challenge. The capabilities of the Top 2.0 platform, which we used as the foundation for our Delfast Offroad TOP 3.0, are ten times greater than what even the strongest athletes can generate. This meant the loads on the bike increased exponentially.

Adding uncompromising off-road performance to this equation made the task akin to designing a lightweight off-road electric vehicle from scratch. We had to determine whether a suspension was necessary, how much load the tires and structural components could handle on various terrains, and strike a balance to ensure our bike remained as versatile as possible. For example, in the pre-production prototype, we utilized the popular and high-quality Rockshox Bulto front fork. However, we discovered that this fork offered no practical advantage over using our own custom rubber. In extreme conditions, it acted as an additional shock absorber, but under normal circumstances, the rubber absorbed shocks effectively on its own. Consequently, we opted for rubber with a metal casing, which can withstand much higher loads than standard bicycle tires.

Throughout the process of refining our off-road solution, we noticed a slight decrease in speed and overall range compared to the Top 2.0. However, the versatility, "all-weather" capability, and cross-country performance on loose soil and snow improved significantly. Additionally, our model, like all fat bikes, offers enhanced carrying capacity. We’ve illustrated these improvements in the chart below.

Overall, this project taught us that while the combination of power and range was essential, creating a truly versatile off-road electric bike required addressing unique challenges. We’re proud of the result, which we believe will meet the needs of our diverse customer base.