You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
My second hand Dune frame has cracked around the chainstay.
I've really enjoyed riding it for the short time I've used it.
Looking for alternatives as I fancy another Fatty.
Happy to look at budget or more upmarket options.
Is going for a Bluto worth the extra ?
I'd be looking at a carbon frame and forks from someone like Ican and transferring the parts across.
My fatbike has rigid forks and that works well for my purposes. I could never really see the need for suspension but having ridden B+ with 120mm forks I sort of get it now. I reckon it mostly comes down to what and where you ride.
I've not ridden blutos but have got some cheap air forks of amazon. Put them on didn't really notice much difference, took them off didon't really notice much difference.
The frame only option was one thought I had in my mind but was thinking I would need to upgrade a number of components so maybe a full bike would be a better option.
A 2017 Kona Wozo is looking attractive....
To my mind a suspension fork totally transforms a fatbike. It goes from being something weird to a perfectly viable trail bike. Whether that is a good thing or not I don't know. I kind of liked the weird and I've already got a trail bike. So, I've currently got a trail bike (Five), a rigid fatty (Surly ICT) and a Blutoed fatty (Dude), while I try to make up my mind which one(s) I'm going to keep. If the fatty is your only (or main) bike I'd put a suspension fork on. If it's something that you ride from time to time for a bit of a change I'd stick with rigid as it's more different. My problem is that I can't work out which camp I'm in 🙂
Roverpig, I already have a 5/6" travel trail bike, and a short travel full suspension XC bike.
This is just the fun bike at the moment but has been my go to bike since I got it.
kona wo can be had for 1150. mate has one. looks like a great bit of kit if that's your thing.
I bought fairly cheap trek Farley 5 a few months ago and after all the fatties I've had it ticks a lot of the boxes for me. I did have a carbon beargrease which I blutoed which ruined it for me as rover pig says so I'm happy back to rigid and the riding characteristics.
if you want a great trail fatty, i can recommend a smokestone henderson from www.Slam69.co.uk avaliable as a frame or various full builds
[img] 
[/img]
i natural, trail centre and 24hr races on it, really comfy, point it downhill and it's a giggle!
I wondered where you got your frame.. £450 not a bad price.. 177mm rear dropouts. Which dropper are you using? Crank Bros highline? If so how's it been?
If the OP rides a 19.5"
There's this [url= https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/fat-bike-frames-c119/farley-alloy-fat-bike-frameset-p18662/s55952?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=trek-farley-alloy-frameset-size-19-5-quot-colour-dnister-black-size-19-5-colour-dnister-black-523649&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAjw64bPBRApEiwAJhG-foVHiQq0KRWYyaejtuben6IG9cRyXsLew9GZbNhu0ktveCy8Gvl1JBoCdc8QAvD_BwE ]Trek Farley[/url] frame with forks going for £500
197mm rear dropouts.
Not sure which size dropouts the dune has, but something to consider if your planning to use your old wheels.
The Dune has 197mm rear dropouts.
Unfortunately that Trek is too big. I would be looking at 17.5 or 18" frame ideally.
If it helps, Smokestone Bikes make bespoke fatbikes, any colour, any spec 4 sizes, prices are very competitive. Bikes are trail mountain bike orientated. 66 degree head angle. [url= http://smokestonebikes.com ]SmokestoneBikes.com[/url]
Highline has been absolutely flawless for 3 months so far
Dune has 197mm rear
Canyon Dude ftw /
Gotta say I've got my eye on the Smokestone Henderson as an upgrade for when my Wazoo dies. One of them with a set of Manitou Mastodon forks is my plan. That or go the whole hog with a Salsa Bucksaw as a replacement for my Stumpjumper if hits mtb heaven.
Think I miss my Dune on tomorrow's ride !
80mm of travel on my Hei Hei won't bring the same smiles per miles.
The Smokestone is certainly interesting but unfortunately the rear dropout is smaller......
Every time I go to my garage I ride out on myTrek Farley 9 , from a choice of 6 various bikes,where I ride it I’m kind of glad it’s got Blutos on
It the tradition of recommending what you own the Felt DD70 is great to ride and good looking. Merlin are still doing them for £750 (reduced from £1000).
I'm building a Chinese one. Beargrease geometry and lighter/cheaper than a Dude 8. It'll start sub 10kg rigid SS but might add gears and a fork later. Encouraged that a 34 B+ will fit a 26x4" tyre.
I'm hoping the Smokestone chap does a run of 197mm frames for all us Dune owners.
Mugboo - have you broken your Dune or just anticipating it ?
I don't recall cracking issues in the really thread that has run on here for about 2 years.
Is the cracking issue just a batch? Or more recent models?
Splash man, no but my mate has broken two and Postierich has a mate who has broken two too.
Mine is just out of warranty and despite me riding it as you would a hooligan hardtail it remains intact.
My mate who broke two is a serial bike breaker... His ICT is still in one piece for the moment.
My has gone on the drive side chainstay where it meets the bottom bracket. I've heard of others going in the same place.
Real shame as I've really enjoyed riding it.
Normal Man - there is definitely a number of frame failures around on them.
Agreed the Smokestone looks great if you could just swap everything across.
Just checked my 12 month old(nearly to the day) Dune around the chainstay & it's cracked ! :|. Anyone know how long the warranty on the frame is ?
12 months I think but they might be understanding if it's a common fault.
The first time my mate broke his they replaced the frame. The 2nd time they just took back the bike and gave him his money back.
They claimed that his was the only one they'd had back...
Whereabouts are they cracking by the way?
My mate who broke two is a serial bike breaker... His ICT is still in one piece for the moment.
I'd be interested to hear if he manages to break the ICT 🙂 I reckon he'll have to go some to manage it. It's the proverbial tank, so fair play if he does !
Drive side chainstay, just behind the BB on mine
my canyon dude might be for sale in a week or two.
Mine was also where the drive side chain stay meets the bottom bracket 🙁
Clearly a common fault.
He is smashing Strava KOMs on his ICT and its lapping it up!
Checked my Dune, so far so good but I rode my FS all summer so its had one winters use. Warranty has just run out.
Could the broken frames be repaired and strengthened?
He is smashing Strava KOMs on his ICT and its lapping it up!
Up or down? Rigid or Bluto? Enquiring minds want to know 🙂
Zippykona - I had a basic TIG repair done on my frame but without proper heat treatment etc it didn't last long before the crack grew.
Unfortunately the cost of the frame doesn't warrant spending too much on it.
Its looking like a Kona Wozo is top of my birthday list at the moment.
[url= https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/sonder-vir-fortis ]https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/sonder-vir-fortis[/url]
If mine died, I'd look at this frame and fork. I believe everything should swap over... although I'm not sure if its a 1x specific frame or not.
Chapeau 🙂
2017 WoZo looks good for the money
@ Jeff - yes the 2017 WoZo is looking good value at the moment unless I can find a frame only deal with the right dimensions to swap components over with.
The WoZo keeps appearing in my advert feed just to remind me.......
one's coming my way at the mo 🙂
i found the Wozo very old school XC geometry when i tried one, which maybe exactly what you want, be perfect for long tours/bikepacking. for smashing singletrack and trails not so much fun
The newer Wozo is supposed to have shorter chainstays, more trail friendly so unwilling in interested to hear feedback from jeff
Cool
Rocketdog - which model year did you try ?
Psa -there’s a calibre dune in go outdoors in Southampton for £480 at the mo. It was used once but returned as the bottom bracket needed replacing so it comes with a new bb.
I don’t work there, just noticed it recently.
Looked like a medium.
OK, so its at a different point on the pricing spectrum, but this Canadian bike is awesome - if I was forced into having ONE bike and one bike only, it would be this. I would have to sacrifice two Tallboys (one LT and one xc) etc just for the amount of fun this gives!
http://www.kermodebikes.com/
@robcolliver - nice looking bike that, not sure about the name but I chuckled to see it comes with the same tyres as the Dune.
Hoping to swing my leg over a Surly ICT this week and see what they feel like.
How can you tell? I couldn't find a pic of the whole bike.
What are they trying to hide 🙂
Looking for some fat bike guidance.
To be used for Scottish trail centre's, natural local stuff including the Pentlands.
Thinking that at about 5'7" a small in either a Surly Ice Cream Truck (with or without Blutos) or a Cannon sale Fat Caad 1.
Interested in qualified opinions.
Speak to Roverpig from this parish.
He has both an ICT and Canyon Dude and had them rigid and Bluto equipped.
He should be able to give expert, unbiased opinion. Whereas my reply would always be 'get the Surly' 😆
No experience of the Casd though. You need Sanny for that! I’ll type more later though.
Sorry. I read Cannon as Canyon.
Then thought of 3 bikes!
My bad, should have been Cannondale Fat Caad 1, comes with the Cannondale Lefty Olaf fat fork.
Sweepy, you are right - I'd not noticed that (but I got mine straight from the company so didn't study the website).
Kermode may be a funny name over here, but in Canada it is a semi-mythical white bear, found in the coastal rainforest zone of British Columbia.
[img] https://wordpress.com/post/robcolliveradventures.wordpress.com/1513 [/img]
Kona wo is ace. Just spent the last few days throwing mine at Dartmoor. In my opinion sus forks are pointless when you have the pressure right on a 5 inch tyre...
well, that didn't work..... can't remember how to post a picture of my bike.
[img] 
?w=1254[/img]
Thinking that at about 5'7" a small in either a Surly Ice Cream Truck (with or without Blutos) or a Cannon sale Fat Caad 1.
cannondale will be massively lighter if you can find one, not sure CSG are importing the fatcaad this year although there are some 2017 bargains about as they got rid of their stock to dealers over the past couple of months
Ontor - which year is your Work ?
The 2018 model looks good value.
Mines the 2016 version. It's not the geometry you might think is right but it's a real blast- and quick enough.
Really need to test ride a few bikes I think.
I need to get my fat bike grin back.
For Kona Wozo money you should look at the Cube Nutrail Pro. You can pick them up for £1400 new. Just bought one a few months back; its grin inducing and with the bluto out front you can smash the trails. Super quick and easy to set up tubeless.
As I said, I can't compare the ICT with a Caad, but I can compare it with another, lighter, "better" fatbike in the Dude and make a few comments about the Bluto.
I bought the ICT around 18 months ago. Rode it for a year (mainly rigid and a bit with the Bluto) and loved it. It's just a big lump of fun. No getting away from the fact that it's a heavy old lump though. Around 35lb with tubeless jumbo jim 4.8 tyres. Probably 36lb with the Bluto and god knows what with the Bud/Lou winter tyres on (never weighed it in either configuration). I must admit I never really notice the weight when riding. I can still get up climbs that I can't on other bikes, just because of the traction. How fast I am really depends on my fitness and how much effort I'm prepared to put in. Both of those vary far more day to day than the few percent extra in total weight. Still, I certainly notice the weight when lifting it onto the roof rack or carrying it for any distance. So, this year I "upgraded" to the Dude.
The Dude is a better bike in all respects. Lighter, stiffer, faster etc. But for some reason I still haven't sold the Truck!
It's worth pointing out that I bought a Smuggler to replace my old 26" Five. The Smuggler was also better than the Five in every respect. But after a year I sold the Smuggler and went back to the Five as it was simply more fun. I'm not at that stage with the the Dude and the ICT. I still think the only sensible thing to do is sell the ICT, but I've not listed it yet and I just went on holiday for a week and elected to take the ICT. I tell myself that's because it was setup rigid and I was on a Hebridean island where the only riding option was beach. So I was just saving the Dude from the ravages of the sea. Well that's my story anyway.
[img] 
[/img]
As for Bluto or not: that's an easier decision. If you are going to use a fatbike as a trail bike and as your main (or only) bike, then get a suspension fork. It allows you to g faster over rough ground. OK if you don't want to go fast over rough ground that's fine, bit not being able to can get a bit annoying in my experience. If the fatbike is just something different to your normal bike then rigid probably makes it more different.
@roverpig - thanks for the feedback. Just the sort of insight I was after.
I'm torn over the Bluto as there are some deals to be had with them on but then again I rarely missed them on the Dune other than really fast lumpy descents where I could have my hands bounced off the bars.
My concerned about speed as my riding mates struggle to keep up on the rough stuff regardless of what I ride.
However, having had 2 back operations the Bluto might provide some extra protection for me.
Decisions aren't getting any easier !
Great pic btw, looks a lovely place o get away from it all.
L and XL Charge fat frames £79 on ebay
Offset 135mm rear end tho, straight steerer