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My fat bike has been consigned to the shed since the weather changed (March ish time) and since than I've been riding my other bikes
The fat bike was great during winter and did everything I hoped it would - as it was bought as such
It's just sort of, well... everything happens a bit slow on a fat bike
Anyone else had the same?
it is quite obvious why it is so.
1 bandwagon I would never jump onto I am afraid.
I found my fat bike no better or worse than my normal bike for my general riding so got rid
I love my fatbike but I'm certainly a member of the "[i]I don't need any other bikes now[/i]" faction. There are still routes where it makes a lot of sense - beaches obviously, but there are lots of very "soft" tracks around where a fatbike makes better progress and causes less erosion/trail damage. Plus, it's sometimes quite good fun to take a more[i]in[/i]appropriate bike around. I've ridden mine round Glentress and been overtaking folk up and down the trails due to grip and traction (and I'm overweight, 56 and not particularly fit).
I reckon the B+ standard that we're now seeing might be a great compromise, certainly for the type of XC/bikepacking I do.
Sold mine ages ago, holding out for 650+. Currently rumbling around on a 29er with 35mm rims.
Embarrassingly I'm faster downhill on the fatty & can keep up with the youngsters uphill on it too. Also I can wheelie further on it. All year round for me
Would love one, but know I'd only use it twice a year.. which on reflection isn't that much less than my MTB ;o(
Another excuse to post this, Eddie masters gets fat
Suspension (front- or full-) should add to the fatbikes versatility too so I'd be surprised if we don't see more out on both "natural" and man-made trails all year round.
fergal - Member
Another excuse to post this, Eddie masters gets fatBrilliant - love the Crocs
I'm with Cupra - wide 29er rims and 3" tyres
Good in-between
I'm with scotroutes - sometimes, the least appropriate bike you have is the most fun. I've really enjoyed my fat experience so far. Whilst it may not be the fastest bike I own, it generally tends to make me smile the most.
Not me!
I got mine in November and have never been off it since as its my do everything bike, which now includes chaingangs.
Riding the fatty for the last 6 months has made me fitter than I have been in years, so there is no way Im going to stop now just because the weather isn't quite as shitty!
Built mine last May and its probably been used 80 to 85% of the time
Use my 160mm full susser for extreme stuff and the nasty 29er for ultra fast training rides
The fatbike is training in its our right and makes me smile every time i ride it, be that on local singletrack, epic all dayers, bivi trips or beach riding - it rocks!! 🙂
yeah still use mine for walking the dog or pulling the tag-along. we have some disused railways lines nr us that are now a network of wooded footpaths. not much fun on your super bling bouncy enduro bike but amazingly heaps of fun on the fatso! tbh i got it a bit late and missed most of the snow we had this year, it has been on the sand dunes of north wales a few times but well looking forward to the next snow!... love it.
Fatty is still my go-to bike. Used for the lot and just pressed the button on some new wheels to improve further.
Full susser and SS's still get occasional outings for specific reasons but Fatty remains as do-it-all bike.
Pink tyres remain for total smilability 😀
I've only just got mine back from On-One (complete with bonus carbon bars)!
Still rocks!
I'm not racing anyone, it's an absolute hoot to ride, it's not so tiring that I can't do 30miles off road without getting too tired. What more could you ask for?
I'd like [s]lighter[/s] [i]better tubeless[/i]* wheels, but that's not an imediate worry.
*carbon, not sure the weight will affect it much, but reliable tubeless would be nice.
Out of genuine interest - why are they a hoot to ride / fun to ride ?
Is it the same sort of reason that fully ridgeds or SS fun to ride ?
Out of genuine interest - why are they a hoot to ride / fun to ride ?Is it the same sort of reason that fully ridgeds or SS fun to ride ?
Nope, it's because:
1) They look like monstertrucks
2) Small children point you out to their parents like they've just seen their idol, adults just gawp.
3) They ride over stuff like monster trucks
4) The cornering* grip is out of this world. And when they do break traction they throw up huge clods of earth like a MX bike!
5) Like a rigid bike they bring a new dimension to relatively** tame trails.
6) They make trails that were unrideable for various reasons***, rideable, more trails = more fun.
*and braking, but as a result of '4' you rarely have any need to call on it.
**relatively, the only thing holding you and your bike back is your skill/balls, I'd attempt most things on my rigid bike and my big FS, I'd just be faster on the FS.
*** mud, sand, strewn with fallen branches, not a problem on a fatty.
Out of genuine interest - why are they a hoot to ride / fun to ride ?Is it the same sort of reason that fully ridgeds or SS fun to ride ?
I have no idea but I've heard it referred to as 'the fatbike smile', and have seen so many people come back grinning like idiots having taken one out. For me there's something which just makes me feel like a kid again, and I can't quite put it any other way. Some people don't get that and that's cool, I can understand that viewed against a hardtail 29er without that feeling they're not as good but I wouldn't be without one in my stable now. When they're light (I don't like heavy fatbikes) they're bloody playful and I just go bouncing off things I'd normally avoid - hell, I took my mukluk to the local jump park last week and had a blast.
On a side note, when it floods there's something very satisfying about cycling through foot deep water and leaving a wake like a jetski.
I like the way that if you over cook a corner it doesn't matter, it'll just ride over or through anything
yeah its the go-anywhere-ness. just turnoff the footpath and plough through the undergrowth for the hell of it!
I only have fat bikes now 😆
I,m a fat bike convert after slagging them off for years but tried one and was hooked! 2nd ride at the weekend @ the Dyfi 4hrs 20 without really trying to hard.Looking forward to picking up my new wheels tomorrow!
Rich
For me it was a bit of a fad/phase I went through a couple of years ago. They have their place and are indeed fun but, as others have said, they aren't the be all and end all of bikes by any means. For an off-road bike trip carrying camping gear it was awesome and if I were to do another trip it's the bike I'd use.
Tried selling my Mukluk last year but the bottom seems to have dropped out of the market since On-One started selling them so cheaply brand new. It's hanging up in the eaves of the garage now!
There's been one in the window of an lbs for a good six months now, and another lbs is of the opinion that a lot of manufacturers have stopped bothering. 650b+ does seem a more reasonable option.
Never ridden one, so talking pants really. I'll come back in two months when my own fat bike build is complete
Just got back from an all dayer on the fatty, I now use it more than any other bike off road.
Last week I finally went tubeless and this gives more grip and also feels faster also, so not just for Christmas for me.
Pretty much the only bike I've ridden for the last 18 months. Ride lots of different things and it just handles the lot. I'm still ok going out on group rides with non fattys, just have to work a little harder on the up. Not a problem though and no worse than being on a single speed.
I'd never bother with anything else now. I built up a pair of nextie 29+ rims to add versatility to it and it rides amazingly in 29+ guise. Not as floaty as full fat but super fast for less knarly trails. Just did over 250 miles on it this weekend. Stockport to snowdon on mostly cyclepaths, up snowdon was a breeze and down was great fun!
Lots more stuff coming out for fattys now, tyres, cranks, rims etc and prices getting more reasonable so fattys def here to stay!
Really enjoy mine, if I'm not riding that it's a single speed 29er, which is fun in a different way. Going for a ride should be about having fun, not which is quicker in my opinion. They look great as well, it's almost as good as having an unimog in your drive 🙂
Of anyone fancies a control test of these unused fatties, just send it to me for a year and I will confirm if it gets used or not...
From my contact in one of the large bike companies...
2013: Couldn't persuade their dealers to take them.
2014: Couldn't get them into the country fast enough to keep up with demand.
2015: Lots of stock sitting around in the warehouse not going anywhere.
Yes, but it's nearly summer, come November they'll be moving again, not everyone is enlightened/has tried one & seen the AYR potential
Saw someone riding through Liverpool city centre on a fat bike with full face on and all the gear. Bike was clean as a whistle. Oh how I did laugh.
Was riding through town the other day on my clean prepped fatty to meet my mate for a lift to 'degla.
Saw some bloke laughing which only added to my day of awesome riding on my favourite bike.
The 'why' question
Totally agree with all of the above - its just like being a kid again riding a big BMX - bouncing over things and clinging on for dear life
They ride up anything, can ride down anything - not stupidly quickly - only as quick as your skills can handle
Their growth has probably peaked though as all the big brands throw their weight behind 29+ and 650b+
I'll not be sad if descends back into niche/obscurity
Despite owning several fatbikes since 2010 i've not bothered to even get mine out of the garage so far this year.
I think it may be something to do with not being able to ride it without having to keep answering the same stupid questions.
Either that or a got bored of all the grinning i had to do. 😉
Tried a few hated them, but im also in that camp with dropper posts. and 27.5inch wheels and 29inch wheels, but there because i couldn't tell the differance so couldn't justify the cost.
I saw my first one in the wild last week.
Jeez ,the tyre noise. It must be like riding behind a land rover.
I like mine all year round. Got a 29+ too but am not using it much as I prefer the full fat. It's much faster and funner at the same time.
Nothing else comes close for riding out in the wilds with iffy trails.