Comparison LikeBike Fatty vs LikeBike Laguna

Type of Electric Bicycle — a structural class of model that defines the seating position, frame geometry, wheels, suspension, and main purpose of the bike.

— Mountain (MTB). An electric bicycle for rough terrain, dirt roads, forest trails, and moderate off-road conditions. It usually has a strong frame, wide tires, a suspension fork, or full suspension, and the motor helps to climb hills and navigate difficult sections of the route more easily.

— Downhill / freeride / enduro. Reinforced mountain e-bikes for aggressive riding, steep descents, rocks, roots, jumps, and complex trails. These models often feature powerful brakes, long-travel suspension, and robust frames but are heavier, more expensive, and less practical for regular city rides.

— Trail. A versatile type of mountain electric bicycle for forest trails, hilly terrain, dirt roads, and moderately difficult descents. Compared to a regular MTB, it is often better prepared for active trail riding, and compared to enduro or downhill models, it remains lighter, more practical, and more convenient for everyday routes.

— Urban. A model for daily city rides, bike lanes, and smooth asphalt. For this type, comfortable seating, fenders, a luggage rack, lighting, a kickstand, and convenience are more important than maximum passability or sports speed.

— Road. An electric bicycle for riding on asphalt, in parks, along...embankments, and on suburban roads. In essence, it is closer to a universal bike for smooth surfaces: faster and lighter than an urban bike but usually not as sporty and demanding in terms of seating as a road bike.

— Touring. A bike for long trips, cycling journeys, and routes with baggage. It is usually designed for stability, comfortable seating, range, and mounts for racks, bags, and fenders, making it well-suited for trips outside the city and multi-day routes.

— Cruiser. A comfortable electric bicycle with a relaxed seating position, wide handlebars, and a design for leisurely rides. This type is convenient for strolling, resort areas, and smooth city routes but not intended for a fast pace, steep climbs, or sporty handling.

— Road bike. A lightweight high-speed e-bike for asphalt, long distances, and sports riding. It usually has narrow tires, aerodynamic seating, and a minimal set of extra equipment, with electric assistance used not for “moped” riding but to maintain pace on climbs and long routes.

— Gravel. An electric bicycle for mixed routes: asphalt, dirt roads, packed forest roads, and light off-road. It is faster and sportier than a touring bike but more stable and versatile than a road bike thanks to wider tires, baggage mounts, and a relaxed geometry.

— Fatbike. An electric bicycle with very wide tires for sand, snow, loose terrain, and rough roads. The large tires provide good passability and absorb bumps, but they increase weight and rolling resistance, so the motor is particularly useful here.

The positioning scheme of the motor and power transmission to the wheel, which affects the behavior of an e-bike during acceleration, climbing, riding on rough terrain, weight distribution, and maintenance complexity.

— Mid-drive. The motor is installed around the bottom bracket, near the pedal area, and usually works as a pedal-assist: the rider pedals, and the motor adds effort through a chain or belt. Thanks to using gears, this drive is well-suited for climbs, trails, touring, and riding with a load but puts more strain on the bike's transmission and generally requires the rider's participation in pedaling.

— Front Hub. The motor is installed in the front wheel and pulls the bike forward. This configuration is usually simpler and cheaper, well-suited for calm urban rides on asphalt, bike paths, and flat routes, for example, trips to work or the store. On wet roads, sand, snow, or steep climbs, the front wheel may have less traction.

— Rear Hub. The motor is placed in the rear wheel and pushes the bike from behind. This is one of the most common options for everyday city and suburban routes, light dirt roads, and active rides when confident acceleration and a more natural feeling of traction are needed. This drive is well-suited for trips with a backpack, small luggage, or frequent starts at traffic lights.

— Full Suspension.... Two motors drive both wheels. This solution is beneficial for snow, sand, loose ground, steep climbs, forest roads, and heavy fat bikes, where one leading wheel might not be enough. Full suspension provides better passability but increases weight, cost, and battery consumption.

The wheel size of an electric bicycle in inches affects compactness, stability, rolling, and passability. The larger the wheel, the easier it rolls over bumps and maintains speed, but the bigger the bike itself becomes.

Small 20″ wheels and below are typical for folding e-bikes, 26″ is well-suited for city rides, leisure, and basic off-roading, while 27.5″, 28″, and 29″ are often chosen for mountain, road, touring, and high-speed models.

A system of spring, air, or elastomer elements that softens bumps and makes the ride more comfortable. Suspension affects the purpose of the bicycle.

— Front. The suspension fork is installed at the front and softens impacts on the front wheel. This is the most common option for city, recreational, mountain, and touring e-bikes: it helps with curbs, potholes, tiles, gravel, and light off-road without making the bike too heavy and complicated.

— Front and rear. Suspension is available both in the front and rear, so bumps are absorbed by both wheels. This setup is better suited for trails, forest roads, rocks, roots, descents, and active riding but makes the electric bicycle more expensive, heavier, and more demanding to maintain.

— Rear. A shock absorber is installed at the rear, softening impacts from the rear wheel or the saddle part of the frame. This option is less common than front suspension and can be useful for enhancing comfort on rough roads, especially if the main load falls on the saddle and rear of the bicycle.

— None. A rigid design without shock absorbers is simpler, lighter, and cheaper to maintain. It is well-suited for smooth asphalt, bike paths, and calm urban routes, but on potholes, tiles, dirt, and curbs, it will transmit more shocks to the hands, back, and frame.

The type of front fork describes the internal construction: how the unit compresses upon impact and how it absorbs rebound. In e-bikes, this aspect is essential not only for comfort but also for handling on rough terrains, as the heavy e-bike places more stress on the suspension.

— Spring-elastomer. A metal spring is used inside, with an elastomer that helps soften impacts and limit sharp vibrations. This is a simple and affordable solution for city rides, leisurely outings, and light off-road, but it lacks the smoothness and adjustability of oil systems, and the elastomer may become stiffer in cold conditions.

— Spring-oil. Elasticity is provided by a metal spring, while oil dampens oscillations and makes the suspension operation more controllable. This option is heavier than the air-oil type but generally more reliable and stable than the spring-elastomer version, making it suitable for versatile e-bikes, poor roads, off-road, and moderately active riding.

— Air-oil. In this suspension, air acts as the elastic element, while oil ensures smooth operation and damping of oscillations. It is lighter and can be more precisely adjusted to the rider's weight using air pressure, making it well-suited for mountain, trail, and more advanced e-bikes, but usually costs more and requires more attentive maintenance.

The braking mechanism on the front wheel, which is responsible for a significant portion of the bike's deceleration. For an e-bike, this component is particularly important due to the higher weight and speed: on descents, wet asphalt, dirt, and during sudden stops, the type of brake affects not only comfort but also safety.

— Rim. The pads are pressed against the wheel rim and slow down the bike through friction. This brake is simple, lightweight, and inexpensive to maintain, but performs poorly in rain, mud, and under heavy load, making it more suitable for calm city riding and budget models.

— Mechanical disc. Brake pads clamp the disc on the hub of the wheel, and the force from the handle is transmitted via a cable. Compared to rim brakes, the disc brake performs more reliably on wet roads and is better suited for heavy e-bikes, but requires periodic adjustment of the cable and pads.

— Hydraulic disc. The force from the handle is transmitted to the brake caliper through hydraulic fluid. This brake generally provides the most powerful and precise stopping, making it well-suited for mountain e-bikes, fat bikes, descents, high speeds, and riding with loads, but it is more expensive and complex to maintain.

— Roller. An enclosed hub brake where deceleration occurs inside a special mechanism with rollers. It is well-protected from dirt and rain, requires infrequent adjustments, and is convenient for...city bikes, but is less powerful than disc brakes during active riding and long descents.

— Drum. The braking mechanism is located inside the hub, where the pads press against the inner surface of the drum. This design is protected from moisture and contamination, durable, and low-maintenance, but typically heavier and less effective in sharp stops compared to disc systems.

The braking mechanism on the rear wheel, which helps control speed, stabilize the bicycle, and safely modulate deceleration. On an electric bike, it is especially important when riding downhill, on rough terrain, wet roads, and with additional load, although the main braking force is usually on the front wheel. — Rim. Pads press against the rim of the rear wheel and slow the bike down through friction. This brake is simple, lightweight, and inexpensive to maintain, but performs worse in rain, mud, and when the rim is worn, so it is better suited for calm city rides. — Mechanical disc. Pads clamp the brake disc on the rear wheel, and the force from the handle is transmitted by a cable. This is a more stable option for an electric bike than a rim brake: it handles moisture and dirt better but requires periodic adjustment of the cable and pad position. — Hydraulic disc. The brake disc is clamped by a caliper, and the force is transferred through hydraulic fluid. This rear brake is well-modulated, requires less effort on the handle, and is suitable for heavy e-bikes, mountain routes, fat bikes, descents, and active riding. — Roller. A closed hub brake, with a mechanism containing rollers located inside the housing. It is protected from dirt and rain, requires almost no attention in daily use, and is convenient for city models, but is less powerful than disc brakes during sharp deceleration and extended descents. — Drum. Pads work inside a drum in the hub of the rear wheel. T...his design is durable, protected from the environment, and suitable for leisurely rides, but usually heavier and less effective at intensive braking than the disc system. — Coaster. Braking is activated by pedaling backward, and the mechanism is usually located in the rear hub. This is a simple and dirt-protected solution for city and leisure bikes, but it is less suitable for high-speed electric bikes, steep descents, and situations requiring precise modulation of braking force.

The number of gears indicates how many mechanical shifts are available to the rider for changing the pedaling effort. Simple transmissions with a small number of gears may suffice for city e-bikes, while a wider range of gears is more convenient for hills, long routes, off-road terrain, and riding without active motor assistance. However, a large number of gears does not always mean a faster e-bike: it primarily affects the convenience of riding in different conditions, not the maximum speed of the electric motor.

This point should not be confused with the motor speed modes: gears change the operation of the chain and sprockets, while modes change the level of assistance from the electric drive.

The closed gear shifting mechanism is integrated within the rear wheel hub. Unlike the conventional system with an external derailleur and cassette, the gears are concealed inside the casing, providing better protection against dirt, water, and impacts. The hub gear is convenient for city e-bikes, daily commutes, and leisurely rides but usually has a smaller gear range and is more challenging to repair compared to the classic external transmission.