I feel pretty safe with all this but it still honestly scares the crap out of me riding at 30+mph with cars.

30mph is pretty cooking. I only get up to those speeds when I’m riding downhill (thanks 18% grades). If you can, especially when not on the road with cars, try slowing down a bit. A 20mph collision (or allision) is much safer than at 30.

At 30mph speeds, definitely look at motorcycle gear. Illuminate your bike (good rear and front lights). Consider a mirror on your handle bars or helmet. Maybe take some online courses on how to ride a motorbike and translate it to your fat bike.

FortNine did a nice little short about this space, though mostly so folks stop pestering motorcyclists about the danger on the roads. The reality is the cars are the danger for both motorized bikes and pedal bikes. Defensive techniques are your only option.

What bike and what tires?

I’d go with full SNELL/DOT/ECE rated gear though, dress for the slide and all that.

Be careful of the sellers you go with too, Amazon sellers may or may not be reputable but some have been known to sell expired gear (helmets have a shelf life), used gear as new (never buy used safety gear), or outright counterfeit gear that will not keep you safe.

Quality safety gear has saved my life, it is not worth taking chances with.

Context: riding s-Pedelec through a European city for 25km each way on commute several times a week over three seasons at any weather. Been doing since 3 years now. Majority of the path is cycle paths, lots of crossings and entrances that have cars coming out on the way.

Helmet:

• NTA8667 certified
• with MIPS
• integrated lighting
• windshield

(e. G. Lumos ultra ebike smart helmet). Mine is a bit older, that’s the one I’d get now.

Vest: high vis with reflectors and good air circulation. Small rain jacket in the bike bag.

Trousers: reflectors there as well, always carry rain-proof trousers in your bike bag. 30mph make you freeze to your bones even in summer if you get wet and have wind running through your cloths

Gloves: depending on the season, high summer none, when temps are below 18degC light mountain bike gloves, when temps are below 12 thicker gloves. Beginning and end of the biking season skiing gloves.

Bike:

• spoke reflectors
• really loud horn. You want a car driver to jump when you press the horn not to be annoyed by you
• additional lights for driving in the rain

I never had an accident in three years but lots of close calls and I really try to save time on my commute, so I don’t go slow. However, that being said I think similarly important to the right equipment is the mindset.

• Plan your route so that you avoid any tricky spots. E. G. My old route went on a stretch of road through the woods. I hated it bc the road turns meant car drivers could potentially not see me in time.
• be paranoid about car drivers
• be double paranoid about trucks. There’s no do over after a truck accident, no matter what you wore.
• be paranoid about pedestrians. They’ll randomly veer off path.
• never believe that a car driver will not just cut right across your way only bc they looked at you 1 second before. They do not understand how fast you are.
• I’d rather get sued than killed. There are spots where it is illegal to drive my bike on a cycling path (stupid laws). Same spot has a really tricky and dangerous stretch of road. I’m happy to pay the fee for having taken the bike path illegally, a lot cheaper than an accident.
• take care of others, be prepared to break. Normal cyclists are like turtles when you’re riding an s-Pedelec. Keep proper distance and just factor in the few minutes extra for staying in line behind them for a mile each way
• Train braking from full speed in emergency mode. It’s not that easy with such a heavy bike. Keep your emergency brake path also in mind when choosing your speed.
• assume they don’t know you’re there until you honked them.

That last one combines great with the paranoid rules above, don’t honk in anger, honk to make others aware you’re there. Also when driving in the rain in the dark you unlock a new mode! You’re completely invisible, no matter how much lights you carry. That assumption saved my ass twice last season.

I don’t ride that fast, but if I did, I would not be getting PPE off Amazon. Get DOT/SNELL rated full gear, full face protection, same as you would wear riding a motorcycle because those are motorcycle speeds but on a fatbike that isn’t designed to stably go those speeds.

Get spoke reflectors. Super cheap, super easy to install, and your wheel lights up in the dark.

Get a more high visibility jacket.

I used to love riding my bike in traffic, until I started taking driving lessons.

I was looking for the bikers and missed them pretty often.

You have a good start.

Steel toe boots and motorcycle pants. Dress for a motorcycle.

I’m lucky enough to not have to ride with cars. That being said, I don’t ride at that velocity either

Maybe some padded pants?