Spherik SEF, a new eFattie on the block!

[Guyt]

Like I said in my newbie introduction post, I started fatbiking this winter. I soon found out that biking on snow is a lot of work, so using my age as an excuse (soon to be 67) , I decided to get a eFat for the next season. I wanted a good quality eFat, so that eliminated a lot of eCrap on the market. It actually narrowed the selection to four eFats available in my region: Fantic Fatboy (Italy), Moustache Samedi Fat (Fance) and 2 Canadian brands, Norco VLT and Spherik SEF,

Ended up buying what I think is the best for the buck, the Spherik SEF 6:

Price tag is in Canadian dollars, so it would be around $4,400 USD with the standard fork. Add, $560 USD more for the Manitou suspension fork. Compared to the other three on list, it's the cheapest, with no compromise on the components: dropper seat, Shimano Deore 12 speed, Shimano MT401 Disc brakes and probably the best snow tires of the pack, TERRENE Johnny 5, 26" X 5" .

The mid-drive motor on the Spherik SEF6 is the new Shimano EP8 and it comes with a 630 Wh external battery, I like the idea I'll be able to sleep with my battery to keep it warm, while the rest of the bike freezes in the garage.

Will have my eFat 2022 in September, can't wait.

 

[R120]

Nice, I think they have made a great choice in going with the external 630WH combined with the EP8, save weight and on a bike likely to be used in cold climates a no brained to have easily removable battery.

Look like it will be a lot of fun!

 

[Jackware]

Like I said in my newbie introduction post, I started fatbiking this winter. I soon found out that biking on snow is a lot of work, so using my age as an excuse (soon to be 67) , I decided to get a eFat for the next season. I wanted a good quality eFat, so that eliminated a lot of eCrap on the market. It actually narrowed the selection to four eFats available in my region: Fantic Fatboy (Italy), Moustache Samedi Fat (Fance) and 2 Canadian brands, Norco VLT and Spherik SEF,

Ended up buying what I think is the best for the buck, the Spherik SEF 6:

View attachment 54037

Price tag is in Canadian dollars, so it would be around $4,400 USD with the standard fork. Add, $560 USD more for the Manitou suspension fork. Compared to the other three on list, it's the cheapest, with no compromise on the components: dropper seat, Shimano Deore 12 speed, Shimano MT401 Disc brakes and probably the best snow tires of the pack, TERRENE Johnny 5, 26" X 5" .

The mid-drive motor on the Spherik SEF6 is the new Shimano EP8 and it comes with a 630 Wh external battery, I like the idea I'll be able to sleep with my battery to keep it warm, while the rest of the bike freezes in the garage.

Will have my eFat 2022 in September, can't wait.

Nice , did you stretch for the Mastodon or stay with the Spherik option?

If you get a set of 4.0 Jumbo Jims you'll be set for summer as well

 

[Guyt]

Nice , did you stretch for the Mastodon or stay with the Spherik option?

If you get a set of 4.0 Jumbo Jims you'll be set for summer as well

I got the plain fork, snow terrain usually require a suspension and you want to keep the bike as light as possible doesn't stall in the snow. But I'll get the suspension for spring and autumn, when there's a lot of mud in the MTB trails.

I think Spherik did a good choice with the Mastodon. From what I have read, the Mastodon supposedly behaves better in cold weather than the RockShox Bluto that comes with the Moustache Samedi or the Fantic. The Norco VLT comes with the Mastodon too.

 

[Guyt]

Nice, I think they have made a great choice in going with the external 630WH combined with the EP8, save weight and on a bike likely to be used in cold climates a no brained to have easily removable battery.

Look like it will be a lot of fun!

I was wondering about the extra weight depending if the battery is internal or external. I would think that an internal battery requires a bigger frame, so there could be extra grams added to the bike, but I am not too sure. I'll compare my Spherik with a Norco VLT when I get it.

Actually, the external battery is a selling point for Spherik. When I asked one of the co-owners at Spherik why I should select their brand over the Norco VLT, he told me "because of the external battery" . According to him, an internal one is more prone to corrosion in winter use (freeze/thaw) and it's better to charge the battery inside a warm house.

To my eyes, I prefer the look of the Spherik with the external battery, as it closer to a non-electric fatbike with its standard frame.

 

[R120]

I would agree with the chap you spoke to - lots of advantages to the external batteries, but market forces have meant that most brands have gone down the internal route now - its a great move for a Fat Bike for use in the cold.

The external batteries weigh less, and you can swap it to a 504wh battery too with no mods, frames with internal batteries that can be removed tend to weigh more due to the reinforcement needed to accommodate the opening in the frame. - The Shimano 504wh battery is also very compact and relatively light at about 2.6kg, meaning easy to carry as a spare in a backpack - this would give you a hell of a range! The external 630 weighs 3.2kg

Heres some pics of one of my 504's and the 630 for comparison

 

[Zimmerframe]

Interesting. 23% weight gain for 25% increase in capacity. I guess we can't really overly complain there, though you'd have thought they might have been able to use higher capacity cells. Presumably there's reasons not to - or they would have !

I guess due to it's shape (square and battery storage efficient at the bottom, rounded and inefficient at the top) it ends up looking more like 40% larger, but I guess that's an optical illusion.

Maybe you can stick them both in freezer bags, drown them, and measure displacement ?

Well done Shimano for giving existing users options.

 

[Guyt]

By the way, Spherik also makes road, gravel, mountain and urban eBikes, you can check them out here:

Products - Spherik Bikes | Vélos Spherik

www.spherikbike.com

 

[Guyt]

So I did 1,115 km (692 miles) with my Spherik SEF8 this winter, mostly on packed snow and sometimes icy terrain:

No issues to report with the EP8, except the occasional rattle when not pedaling on rough terrain. Good to hear that Shimano addressed the problem in their latest version of the EP8. The 630 Wh battery was more than enough except for one time when there was a lot of climbing in a rather cold temperature (-20C).

To extend the usage range, I will get a Mastodon fork to ride on rougher terrain before the snow comes, and probably the 504 Wh battery, to reduce the weight.

No complain going downhill on curvy trails, my Spherik is as good (if not better) as my acoustic Norco Bigfoot. In fact, I am pretty convinced my SEF6 is the best eFat around. I would recommend it in a glimpse...if it wasn't for the downgrade that followed.

Unfortunately, the newer version of the SEF6 comes with a Bafang 510 motor and battery (696 Wh). Gone also are the Shimano derailleur and brakes, replaced with S-Ride and Jagwire components. I think the changes might have something to do with the fact that Spherik had issues with getting Shimano parts during the covid era.

Of course, the newer version, comes with a cheaper price tag and may be as good as the Shimano version, but hey, I am a snob, can't live with the idea of riding a bike with a Bafang motor