Gen3's OutCross Electric Fat-Tire All-Terrain Bicycle

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GEN3 is no longer in business. If you are interested in a Fat Tire e-bike, we recommend the RadRover 6 Plus from Rad Power Bikes.

When I recently had the chance to try out the GEN3 OutCross, I was stoked. The GEN3 OutCross is an electric fat-tire all-terrain bicycle that combines off road capabilities with a sleek and sporty design. This good looking electric bike has 4-inch fat tires that provide a smooth ride even in a variety of conditions for year-round fun. This article reviews my experience and observations while riding the GEN3 OutCross.

The GEN3 OutCross electric fat-tire all-terrain bicycle. Photo by Skyblue Overland.

The primary benefit of a fat-tire bike like the OutCross is its ability to travel over diverse terrain, from snow to sand, better than regular bicycles. The wide tires provide you with extra grip and traction, and combined with a low tire pressure, you are able to pedal over soft terrain would make conventional tires sink. This opens up lots of possibilities for everyday adventure, from riding to a favorite hunting or fishing spot to going for a ride on a trail with amazing views or riding around the city park after work.

The GEN3 Outcross is a good looking bike with a beautiful, red paint job and an integrated battery. The 500Wh integrated battery is easily removed so you can charge up overnight or bring a spare for extra-long rides. The OutCross is a Class II electric bike, meaning it has pedal assist AND throttle that will both max out when you reach top speed. The speed limit of the OutCross is capped at 20 mph (32 km/h).

For the past few weeks, I’ve been riding the OutCross some of my favorite trails near my home in Boulder, Colorado.

About GEN3

GEN3 was a leading electric mobility manufacturer based in Bellevue, Washington with a mission to promote active and healthy lifestyles, invent new forms or micromobility and create a carbon free world. They envision an all-electric world and are doing their small part to make this reality.

From the earliest stages of the design process the GEN3 team seeks the perfect balance between design, performance and value. Their products are safe, fun and backed by their industry leading quality and safety standards. They build some of the best bikes on the market that are designed to be comfortable and functional without compromising quality or durability. GEN3 wants your bike to last a long time, so they make them as high-quality and long-lasting as possible!

Features of the GEN3 OutCross

GEN3 OutCross is a great looking electronic with bike fat tires.

GEN3 OutCross is a great looking electronic with bike fat tires that can conquer sand and snow year-round. The 500W rated/1000W peak motor with it’s 500Wh UL-certified battery can deliver up to 35 miles of range.

Battery

GEN3’s OutCross has a 500Wh battery integrated into the frame

The OutCross has a 500Wh battery integrated into the frame that is a little below the ebike industry average. The primary downside of fully integrated battery is that it is limited in size. It is common now days to find fat tire e-bike batteries in the 650Wh range or more. Fat tire e-bikes will require more power to get their large 4-inch thick tires rolling in loose terrain.

GEN3 estimates a range provided by the battery is 35 miles, but distance will vary based on rider weight, wind, hills, and how much pedal assist (or throttle) you use. The GEN3 display has a power meter to help you estimate how much juice you have remaining. Depending on the terrain or trail conditions, you can select the pedal assist intensity and go full throttle it out if you want an easier ride.

The fast-charging 54.6V/2A wall supply has a LED Charging Status Indicator and can fully charge the battery in 6-hours (0-100%).

Tires and Suspension

The OutCross has 4-inch CST tires from their BFT series. CST are the world’s largest manufacturer of bicycle tires. These tires are designed combine with the fork mountain bike suspension to provide a smooth ride on almost any kind of surface. The BFT (Big Fat Tire) has it where it counts – meaty center and side knobs to dig in on tight turns and tough climbs.

These BFT tires come with a folding bead with EPS (Exceptional Puncture Safety) puncture protection. EPS offers an added layer of proprietary rubberized poly-fiber material between the tread and the casing. The tight weave of this lightweight, puncture-resistant layer prevents foreign objects from penetrating the casing and damaging the tube.

This Easy (Green Circle) difficulty trail has some areas with cobbles along the trail that was the perfect testing ground for the OutCross. The trail has several interesting viewpoints through the trees as you cruise through the woods.

This Easy/Intermediate difficulty trail has some areas with cobbles along the trail that was the perfect testing ground for the OutCross. Photo by Skyblue Overland

Dispite the cobbles, the OutCross’ tough 4-inch tires offered great control. Although I wouldn’t called it a bump-free ride, the aired down tires and the front fork does smooth out the ride. The electric motor cut effort by what felt by half, making the experience on this electric bike even more enjoyable. The bike gave me nice control to add or subtract the gears as I rode the trail, adding extra boost on the hilly portions, as needed.

The front suspension shocks offer a lot of cushion for off-road and bumpy ride conditions. Riders can easily dial the compression up or down to customize the feel of your ride. The OutCross worked well for me, but it does tend to stick when hitting a more challenging trails where the obstacles require a longer travel on the front fork suspension.

My assessment is that the GEN3 OutCross is great for trails rated as Easiest (white circle), Easy (green circle) and perhaps some easier More Difficult (Blue Square) trails per the IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System. The GEN3 OutCross was never designed for the more challenging trails at its price point.

It should be noted that everyone should check their local ordinances to find out where you can and cannot ride a Class II electric bike.

500 Watt Rated/1000 Watt Peak Power Motor

The 500W rear hub motor plenty of power for my recreational riding on flat and rough trails.

The OutCross has a surprising amount of power from what I anticipated with its 500W rear hub motor, which is where the motor’s peak-rating. The motor’s 1000 Watts peak ratings deliver plenty of hill-climbing torque and acceleration. This was plenty of power for my recreational riding on flat and rough trails near Boulder, Colorado.

The OutCross’ speed limit is capped at 20 mph (32 km/h), which keeps the bike legal as a Class 2 electronic bike. This also allows the battery to last longer by not using more power.

Electric Bike Controls

You can select the pedal assist intensity and max it out if you want an easy ride.

Use the 5-level Pedal Assist System (PAS) to give you added power while pedaling the bike. Push the thumb throttle forward to propel the bike without pedaling at all! The Shimano shifter, derailleur and freewheel set on The Outcross provides 7-speed, smooth and confident shifting from the #1 most trusted brand in bicycle components.

Mechanical Disc Brakes and Levers

GEN3’s custom mechanical disc brakes and stainless steel rotors are designed for reliability and ease of service. The 160 mm rotors maybe on the small side, but they worked just fine for me. I’m not the type of rider that bombs downhill and probably wouldn’t ride like that on a fat tire bike anyway. I could still easily lock the wheel up when I wanted to. Just remember, the OutCross is designed for the recreational riders. Competitive cyclists will need to look for more expensive bikes that are specifically design for their needs.

Bike Assembly

I found the GEN3 OutCross to be well packed in it’s box, which is important. You’d be surprised how many bike companies put so little thought into the packing of their bikes, which can cause some damage to the sensitive components during shipping. Thankfully, none of this happened here since GEN3 clearly invested lots of time and energy into packing the bike.

I found the following video to be very helpful when starting the assembly:

In my case, I chose to work with Velofix (Skyblue Overland has no affiliation with Velofix), mostly because I want to discuss the assembly with the highly experienced technician. Velofix has network of trained technicians are deeply knowledgeable of all electric bikes and service a wide range of electric bike (e-bike) brands.

Velofix has network of trained technicians are deeply knowledgeable of all electric bikes and service a wide range of electric bike (e-bike) brands.

I made an appointment to assemble my OutCross e-bike online and had it fully assembled and tuned directly at my door by one of their professionally certified technicians. I was impressed by their same day service by their technician, Gary, who answered all my questions about the setup.

My only questions really was the tire pressure required for the 4-inch tire. Gary noted that many people pressure their tires all the way up to the maximum 30 psi and they bounce hard off all the rocks on the trail. Gary recommended airing down to 20 psi. This made total sense to me, since when I’m driving my Jeep Wrangler off-road, I always air down to a similar tire pressure.

GEN3 Service and Product Support

One of the aspects that really stands out to me about GEN3 is the effort that they put into their online support portal. GEN3’s support portal has lots of articles and videos that answer common questions about their products. Their growing library is available 24/7 with information on recommended maintenance to deep dives into the components of your electric bike.

They also have an in-house GEN3 support team that is ready to talk their riders through any question or issue you have with your ride. If you have purchased a GEN3 product and would like to open a ticket, you can do so at their website. You can also start a live chat online with their support team, or alternatively you can call or email them with you have a challenge with one of the bikes or have questions about maintenance.

The GEN3 support team is available to help, if there are assembly questions at the numbers below:

Call 888-884-4363 (8am-5pm Pacific Time, 7 days a week)
Email support@GEN3Ride.com
Chat with us at www.GEN3Ride.com (8am-5pm Pacific Time, 7 days a week)

Conclusion

The GEN3 Outcross is a good looking bike with a beautiful, red paint job and an integrated battery. The 500Wh integrated battery is easily removed so you can charge up overnight or bring a spare for extra-long rides. The Outcross will appeal to both mountain bikers and casual bike riders. It’s equipped with a powerful motor, has an excellent battery range, and provides a smooth ride regardless of the type of trail you’re on.

Get it now!

See the GEN3 OutCross In Action

Sometimes known as the “quiet side of the Tetons”, the Teton Valley offers epic mountain bike trails that are perfect for The OutCross. With knobby fat tires, a 35-mile range, you can conquer sand and snow for year-round fun. Watch the GEN3 OutCross in action in the video below: