[Closed] PSA: Fatbike is no longer niche, I've bought one (also PSA Fatty's are £640)

When mine arrived I pumped the tyres up hard as mentioned above and left them at 40psi until I went out on it a few days later. Try some soap on the beads to help them pop into place.

Still waiting for mine, being built in the 22nd so not getting my hopes up for a Xmas fat ride on the Quantocks.

tinas - not a problem with Surly rims. I'll leave you to ponder whether or not you maybe get what you pay for.

I don't think the rims are an issue (though they are very basic). It's the baggy fitting tyres that seem to be to blame.

tinas - not a problem with Surly rims. I'll leave you to ponder whether or not you maybe get what you pay for.

Haha, I have a cunning plan.

I might be in the minority here but after a few months of oo fatty ownership I just found out both my hubs are convertible to 12 mm rear and 15 front with the supplied adaptors.

That's new then as the front axles on mine are 10mm id. The hub width and disc offset is also unsuitable for a bluto.

I think it's what the V2 bit is all about. 🙂

Slightly OT but .....

I ordered a On One fat front wheel (V2) to use in a On One segmented fat fork for the front of my Inbred - I already had the fork and the wheel was from when they were doing their 20% thing.

I run Schwalbe free ride tubes on my Puffin when using Marge Lites and Nates. Using the same tubes for the On One wheel and Floater tyre just didn't work, tyre kept popping off of the rim.

Tried a Surly toob and the tyre went on first time with no hassle.

Might just have been luck.

Haven't use it in anger yet as the wheel doesn't fit in the forks 😯 But on One are sorting that out for me 8)

I think it's what the V2 bit is all about

Ohhhhh, mine were labled as V2 on the spec sheet, didn't come with any addapters though? Presume I can just check by pulling the ends off and measuring the ID of the bearings?

The front is a simple pull off and check and the rear is too on the non drive side. I've found the drive side unscrews and then removes. I think the wheels are excellent for the money with adaptable hubs.

Fatty's are back to £699 on the Planet X site, too.

Get ready for the snow!

I got some of the purple skewers ordered @16quid shame not too......should go well wiv the pink tyres 🙂

I had the wheel undock once on my previous fatty but after I'd really cranked up the skewer it didn't do it again and also had the tyres sliding around the rim but that settled after pumping them hard then they were fine at 5psi..

Now about that snow 🙂

I've just converted the front wheel to tubeless, went up first time without sealant.

Materials:
1.5mm underlay foam (also sold as jiffy packing foam).
50mm Gorilla tape
Tubeless valve (cut from an old tube in my case).

Method:

Remove everything from the rim including the tape.

Cut the foam into 5x ~3.3m strips 60mm wide. Or try and buy some foam 60m wide if it exists, or some ~7.5mm thick foam would need less strips.

Starting just after the valve tape a bit of the foam to the rim and wrap it under a slight tension, the foam was slightly waxy so doesn't slip around. If you're using multiple strips like me, tape each one to the end of the last one. Untill you have 5 layers, stop just before the valve (same as all tubeless systems they work best if it's a bit thinner at the valve). This was enough to get the rim level across it's width inside with the step at the edges which is what was needed.

Then add a layer of gorilla tape, one on each side, making sure it goes slightly up the wall of the rim so that it's sealing the rim, I guess if it didn't you'd pump sealent/air through the foam. A bit of tension helps it stick to the rim and the sidewall without creasing.

Poke the valve through and do the nut up.

Stick the tyre on, it'll now be quite tight, but it'll still go on with just fingers and thumbs as the foam's squidgy enough.

Inflate with a track pump, got it upto 20psi and it stayed up for 20min so should be good with sealent, certainly a lot rounder than it was before 🙂

Total weight was 10g more than the original rim strip according to my kitchen scales.

Any photos

I'll stick some up as I do the rear.

Just stumbled across this site - http://sand-bikes.co.uk/#!home £399 for a fattie!

Local and tempting - anyone got one?

Sand bikes are pretty much the same as the other fatties around that price.
If you want a fattie to just play on occasionally and you have no intention of upgrading, then thats your bike.
It has a 7sp screw on block, so you would need a new wheel if you wanted to fit a cassette.

Here you go:

The 'problem', the rim has some box sections which catch the tyre bead as it's inflated and stop it poping up onto the rim, especially with the tube pushing it against the rim. The original idea was just to get it working properly with the tube, wasn't too fussed about tubeless.

[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8641/15876062518_d84683f18a_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8641/15876062518_d84683f18a_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qbUYgQ ]20141220_113436[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7614571@N05/ ]thisisnotaspoon[/url], on Flickr

The foam, in retrospect ~55mm might have been better, but I had a 30cm ruler and was being lazy, it might come back to haunt me if the gorrilla tape doesn't quite hold as it didn't leave much rim either side to stick it to:
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8669/16062813132_ddb76c472d_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8669/16062813132_ddb76c472d_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qtq7J1 ]20141220_134819[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7614571@N05/ ]thisisnotaspoon[/url], on Flickr

Finished the tape just before the valve hole so there's about a 1" gap as I've found in the past that the area round the valve struggles to seat as it's too bulky if I don't trim the tape in a bit.
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8646/16037719086_cb2e092129_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8646/16037719086_cb2e092129_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qrcv93 ]20141220_135203[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7614571@N05/ ]thisisnotaspoon[/url], on Flickr

Pressing it in with the blunt side of the scissors:
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7554/15441208124_a80df9afa3_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7554/15441208124_a80df9afa3_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pwuedh ]20141220_135619[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7614571@N05/ ]thisisnotaspoon[/url], on Flickr

Valve added, pressed it into the rim and nipped up the nut on the stem. You can see how tight the tyre is on the rim now, it's not difficult to get the tyre on and off, but it's definitely not going to fall off again! It's not so tight that the tyre's pressing into it but with a track pump it went up with no effort at all without sealant.

[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7485/15876056728_a462597bed_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7485/15876056728_a462597bed_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qbUWy1 ]20141220_141109[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7614571@N05/ ]thisisnotaspoon[/url], on Flickr

Good work TINAS that could be my next tinkering session (or shouty sweary session)

I've already fitted lighter tubes so how much extra weight do you think this will lose me ?

Here's some weights:

On-One tubes: a small moon (about 580g)

Schwalble FR tubes: 195g

On-One plastic rim tape: 80g

Foam + Gorilla tape + valve: 90g

Sealent: Not tried yet, but most seem to suggest 100g or so (about double a normal 29x2" tyres worth).

I suspect there's probably a way of saving more weight by using normal ductape or even something lighter (parcel tape?) as the Gorilla tape was 85g (according to my scales, yes this adds up to more than 90g when you add in the negligible weight of the foam and 15g for a valve, blame the scales, everything was weighed on the wheel so 1800g +/- 5g isn't to bad for accuracy!).

So ~100g less than lightweight tubes, but really I wanted reliability, I chuffin hate punctures, and there was the unseating issue.

TINAS, that's a good guide you've done there, thanks 🙂
I intend to tubeless my Cooker Maxi at some point, I've heard the foam thing mentioned, but that's the best explanation I've seen, cheers.

Thanks for the weights mate that makes interesting reading. I can get the foam and tape free from work so I might well give it a go over the hols.

PeterPoddy

I once rode a fatbike round a carpark and it was shite.

I don't see the point in them. 😉
2010 is calling they want their predictions back. 😆

TINAS.
No need to get the tape up the side of the rim.

Streched tight up to the side works just as well.

There's something not quite right in the front, added the sealent and there's some leakage through the joint where the rims pinned but odly it comes out in the middle of the rim, hopefully it'll seal but it does imply that air/sealant is getting round somehow. Might be worth adding a layer of electrical tape around the seam if I was doing it again as well as slightly under sizing the foam a bit more. Currently holding 40psi though so it'll seal up as the sealent dries in the crack.

Rear sealed perfectly though.

That's me Def on it then ? well done Tinas.

First ride on the tubeless wheels, it survived! 35psi for the first few miles to be sure they'd seated then down to the 11-9 psi Id been using with tubes. It's definitely different, felt like there was more spring to it, presumably less 'damping' from the tube? Ended the ride (deliberately) a few psi less and found there was quite a narrow sweet spot between too bouncy and draggy but it's there and it's even quicker than with tubes! Surprised how many top 3's it got on Strava despit me being so unfit and really just bimbling, it really does just grip tenaciously so you never need to brake for corners!

And met someone who'd ridden his Fatty all the way down the French and Spanish coast including every little headland to Portugal! Apparently the rear tyre was a little slick by the end!

they fly quite well
[img] [/img]

To everyone who has bought a Fatty, can you check your drive side BB seal and see if it has moved?
It seems the shaft/spindle is too long and the plastic bearing protector moves outwards exposing the bearing to the elements!
I have used a zip tie to act as a spacer to keep it in, but I am not really happy about having to do it with a new bike!

there's some leakage through the joint where the rims pinned but odly it comes out in the middle of the rim, hopefully it'll seal but it does imply that air/sealant is getting round somehow.

Sound like air/sealant is getting passed your tape. All the tubeless guides ive read suggest you need multiple wraps of gorilla tape (in one constant run) to get a full seal. Also, gorilla tape is cloth based so will absorb the sealant. Saw one guide where they suggested some new fancy transparent gorilla tape, but you cant get that in the UK. Wonder if some decent vinyl tape might be a suitable alternative? Packing tape dosnt seem to have the stretch required for fatbike rims with cut-outs apparently.

Hi
Is this the clear gorilla tape you mean?
http://www.toolstation.com/m/part.html?p=57078
Looks up to the job, and you only need to spend a tenner with them
To get free next day delivery!

Obviously not interested at all - but anyone over 6' riding one? At 6'2" presumably a 20" frame?

Did my tubeless conversion on drilled On-One rims with Floaters using just a split bmx tube. No problems at all. No flats, no air loss and tyre still on at 7psi. The only thing I had to do was put a strap around it to pinch it down on the rim to start with.

Must admit to being a bit nervous as the tyres felt loose to fit, but in 10 months it's been fine.

Obviously not interested at all - but anyone over 6' riding one? At 6'2" presumably a 20" frame?

6ft 1in and a bit here and I went for 20". Seems okay so far but I haven't had chance to ride it properly, that will have to wait until Sunday.

Obviously not interested at all - but anyone over 6' riding one? At 6'2" presumably a 20" frame?

Same height here, test rode 18" a few time but plumped for 20" and it's spot on. All sizes have the same stand over anyway. Running a 65mm stem with Carnegie's bars

6' 1" here on a 20" happily.

I did consider the 29", glad o didn't buy it.

Thanks chaps! Clearly, just a hypothetical question from me.

Happy Christmas, all!

5' 11" on a 20" here. I had a medium and sold it as it was too small.

6'2 on an 18 - with the standard short stem and wide bars.... 🙂

@Lightman.

My Fatty had the same problem. I spotted this on the UKFatbike forum...

"Just to let you folks know.
Any one with a on one fatty.
There is a problem with the bottom bracket .
The crank on the drive side doesn't butt up to the bottom bracket if you look you will find a 3 to 4 mm gap.
Because of the gap your drive side bearings are getting full of crap .
To solve the problem you will have to fit 2 to 3 spacers on the drive side bottom bracket
Hope this helps ......"

Who designed these On One fat rims? Just had to do the soapy water thing for the second week running to get the tyres seated properly. Seriously not enjoying pumping a 4" tyre up to 40psi with an Aldi track pump either, that'll teach me for being a cheap sod. Going to have to take note of that tubeless method once I get some tyres other than the self steering tat that's on now.