Well hello again, my fellow e-bike friends and welcome back to Electrified Reviews. For today’s review we’ve got the Maxfoot MF-30 fat tire electric trike and I’m going to be completely up front and just let you know we had an absolute blast filming this review.
When it comes to functionality, it’s hard to beat the MF-30, and just trikes in general. This fat tire ride has a front basket, a spacious rear rack and a huge payload capacity of 450 pounds. And it’s got the power to pull it, and the range to make it matter. Honestly, if we had more time with the MF-30 we would definitely put a cooler in the back and picnic at the nearest lake.
The MF-30 has a starting price of $2,599 and comes in one color, black. It’s a fairly heft price tag, but not surprising given it’s a electric trike. These things just cost more and there’s really no way around it. The good news is, Maxfoot offers financing. They’ve also got a 1-year warranty, and free shipping to the contiguous United States. Thumbs up, Maxfoot.
Right then, let’s dive into the specs.
The Bafang 750 nominal watt front-wheel hub motor is extremely powerful. It’s also got a tire melting 85 Newton meters of torque on tap. And look, since this motor is in the front wheel, there is definitely going to be some wheel slip from time to time, especially when going up hill on loose terrain. We noticed it during testing, but it was pretty minimal.
This monster motor will bring the MF-30 up to a top speed of at least 20 mph with the throttle or cadence sensing pedal assist, but at those speeds this three wheeler is going to become a two wheeler with the slightest turn.
Look, the MF-30, like all trikes, is the absolute essence of duality. At slow speeds, this three wheeler is as stable as an aircraft carrier. Except, unlike an aircraft carrier, the MF-30 can perform some seriously tight maneuvers. It’s got a turning radius like a top. It makes navigating crowded spaces delightfully easy.
But take a few turns while riding above 12 mph and you’ll quickly discover this three-wheeler has a tendency to become a two-wheeler. It’s tippy is what I’m saying. Again, this is perfectly normal for trikes, and if you’ve ever ridden one you know exactly what I’m talking about here, but it’s worth mentioning for the uninitiated.
When it comes to big, heavy trikes, battery size matters, and Maxfoot didn’t skimp. The MF-30 is equipped with a 48 volt, 16 amp hour battery that offers an estimated max range of 65 miles in the lowest pedal assist setting. Here’s the deal, just like with cars, e-bike — or I guess e-trike max range estimates — are heavily impacted by at least several different variables like rider weight, how much gear is loaded in that massive rear rack, steep hills, all that good stuff. A good rule of thumb when estimating real world max range is to cut the estimated max range in half.
This is a silverfish style battery by the way, which means it’s located behind the seat post, which has to be completely removed in order to take the battery out. Not really a deal breaker or anything, but it does add a few extra steps to the process. The upside with this battery, besides it’s huge capacity, is the location. With e-bikes that have the hub motor in the rear wheel, silverfish style batteries can make the ride back-heavy. With the MF-30, since the hub motor is in the front wheel, it actually balances it out quite nicely.
Speaking of the seat, it’s comfy. The backrest is a nice touch and it’s got some good give to it.
The MF-30 also has front suspension and three big old 4 inch fat tires with a lot of air inside. This makes for a soft ride on pavement, and offers enough suspension for some light trail use. But again, trikes are tippy, so stick to graded trails if you can.
When it comes to stopping power, the MF-30 has mechanical disc brakes with 180 mm rotors in the front and both rear wheels, for a total of three disc brakes instead of the normal two. But even with that extra disc brake, the stopping power here is a little underwhelming, and I think hydraulic disc brakes would have been a better choice. On the plus side, these brakes do have motor inhibitors built in, which instantly cuts power to the motor whenever the brake levers are activated. This is a hugely important safety feature and we’re happy to see Maxfoot using it here.
When the MF-30 is loaded to the hilt, you’ll appreciate the Shimano Tourney 7-speed derailleur. In the lowest gear and the highest pedal assist mode, there’s really no hill the MF-30 can’t conquer. Like most tires, the derailleur is located beneath the frame and hangs pretty low to the ground. Keep this in mind for trail riding, as this derailleur may be more prone to strikes.
On the electrical side of things we’ve got an integrated headlight and tail light, which helps to increase visibility in low-light conditions. Another excellent safety feature.
On the adjustable, swept back handlers we’ve got the display, the independent button pad and the throttle, which, I am happy to report is live from 0 mph.
Overall, the MF-30 is a super sweet ride that will perform best on flat ground at low speeds. If you plan on loading up a cooler or just tons and tons of gear, the MF-30 has the storage capacity to hold it, the power to tow it, and the range to make it worth it.
