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Good Morning all,
I have been on a couple of off road bike packing trips on my trail/endure rig. Its worked well but wonder how much more suited the fat bikes are?
What are they like to ride? Would you recommend suspension or not?
Do they roll ok? They just look to lardy!!
Wondering if there is space in the garage for another niche bike.....
It's my "one bike to rule them all", I've blutos and some swept bars and a set of 29+ wheels on the way. So it can cope with cc, DH, enduro, trail and uplifts now. I swap the bits around to suit the sort or riding....
(Currently winter mode)
What are they like to ride?
Like er... A really grippy bike, yes the wheels are big and chunky, tyre pressures are really sensitive as to how they ride as is tyre choice. But there's not many bikes that will put such a big smile on your face every time you ride it....
Do they roll ok?
They do tend to drag a little more than regular MTBs due to the amount of tyre contact patch, but as a result you get a ton of grip.
Would you recommend suspension or not?
Depends on the sort of rideing, for bike packing prob not, but trail and bike park stuff yep.
They just look to lardy!!
Part of the appeal.. lots of "ooo mum/dad check out those tyres"....
Wondering if there is space in the garage for another niche bike…..
There's always space for n+1, however, mine was originally intended as a n+1 winter bike and I sold all of my other bike and kept this one within 6months as it's just a smile making bike. You've been warned.
I wish I had never asked. That looks like such a nice bike!! Lots 2nd hand too, guess some folk buy them and don't use them.
There's lots popping up now because people have them as n+1's and need some cash more than the bikes...
Pre covid, a high spec fat bike wouldn't sell for more than £1200, now even the low end are going for upto 80% of their rrp.
I love mine - cant see me selling it. Salsa Mukluk with aluminium frame, bought cheap off Merlin.
Last winter I ran it in trail mode with a dropper, short stem, flats (probably could have done with a Bluto but didn't have the cash). This winter its all about bikepacking with thudbuster, anything cages, slightly longer stem,spds
I can't think of a bike that has given me more fun for a while in such a variety of conditions with almost zero maintenance. I like my gravel bike but somehow knocking out the miles on that isn't such an event - plus nobody points at you
Get the right tyres at the right pressure and you are literally laughing
Get the right tyres at the right pressure and you are literally laughing
This....
Same as Winston, until recently I had a Salsa Mukluk. Loved it, used as my only bike, took it around the Lakes, Trail Centres. Could keep up with Full Suss bikes all day. Amazing thing, and always drew comments from folk. Mine had Mastodon's and 4.8 Jumbo Jim's. I really miss that bike but divorce meant it had to go. I would have another in a heartbeat. Smokestone would be my choice from Slam 69 or one of the Sonder For Fortis.
A simple Pugsley here. Its brilliant. Love it. Favourite bike. It's not as slow as people say it will be. On tarmac you need to pump.the tyres up hard. On anything soft it just rolls.
The irony is that fat bikes often make better 'mountain bikes' i.e. natural trails whereas what most people actually ride are 'trail centre bikes' for manmade trails. They will remain a niche, but for those that want to ride into the wilds, including cold and snowy places they're great, as well as being pretty good for everything else (except tarmac)
Salsa beargrease with blutos here. I love it. My only MTB atm. Just so much fun to ride. Yes its slow and draggy on road but its a hoot off it
I've done everything from a 5hr Wharncliffe winter tech sesh (rigid) to a 50 miles fully loaded (Bluto's) bike packing test ride on mine and along the way its morphed from a Dune into a Dude part by part and it always makes me smile.
I wouldn't have it as my only bike but I wouldn't part with it either. I would like some Mastadons for it as I suspect it would be an even bigger hooligan with a proper fork. As has been said, tyre choice and tyre pressure are key.
My bikepacking bike is a nice light Chinese carbon fatty frame/fork running 29plus and Jones(ish) bars. Thule rack on the back and a dropper post. 32t 11-50. It's a beast! Perfect for the job.
Prior to that it was 26x4" trail mode with 120mm Bluto and Stooge motos and that was a blast in the Alps and everywhere!
Can anyone let me know what they the steering is like on tarmac on a fat bike? The reason I ask is I have a Travers Rusti 29+ I find the front end very odd on tarmac. If I let go of the bars it just wants to snap the steering round immediately. If I lean into a left hand turn I have to consciously push the left had grip away from me so it doesn't just tuck under. Not a sensation I have had on any other bike. I suspect its a rake/trail issue but I don't know how to remedy it.
What are they like to ride?
Like a motorbike, noise and all. Feel slow but strava says they're not.
Would you recommend suspension or not?
I have one without and one with Blutos. The one without is as fast or faster for the stuff I usually do (Brechfa) but the one with Blutos is faster on the rougher stuff (Coed-y-Brenin).
Do they roll ok?
Oh yes. I can outroll XC bikes on the road. Which is odd.
They just look to lardy!!
Fattist.
Can anyone let me know what they the steering is like on tarmac on a fat bike?
Like a motorbike. You have to muscle them.
I've got a Dune. It rides fine on the road. You can feel the gyroscopic effect from the huge tyres but I can ride no handed without issue.
It's a very capable bike, unfortunately I don't have time to ride much at the moment so will probably look at moving it on soon. Guaranteed to have snow once I sell it...
On-one fatty here. Its really good fun. Rolls just fine and will blitz through berms like its a rodelbahn kart: there is SO MUCH GRIP.
The on-one wheels are crap though & I keep meaning to invest in better, but baulk at the price (it'll easily cost me £600). They need suspension. Only fork lifts and bobcats do not. If you're cruising along a fire road they bounce up and down like a JCB with each pedal stroke.
Got a Fatty, steering is a bit odd on the road but feels natural off road. It's hoots of fun and often you end up going too fast and then run into trouble as it's rigid. Leans like a bad thing into corners.
As a dissenting voice - I hated mine - Singular Puffin - it just felt too lethargic on anything except open country. It was long, it was heavy, it lost momentum like something trying to outrun a black hole when going uphill and needed quite some muscle to move it around when going downhill, The Q factor also drove me nuts.
I replaced it with a 29+ bike which (for me) was better in every single respect. It was shorter and more chuckable (it's a Stache, so was designed for this), significantly lighter, much faster up, down and around stuff, has a normal q-factor and takes standards parts (save for the tyres and rims).
My experience was that all round, 29+ could do 80-90% of what my fat bike could, but for 20% of the extra effort required by the fat bike. It even works well in snow, but not so good on sand.
Canyon Dude owner here. So a lightweight carbon frame with lightweight wheels and Jumbo Jim tyres (about 1100g each). With Bluto forks. Think it weighs about 13.5kg, maybe a bit more.
I can't comment on other fat bikes and I'm guessing they differ a lot but mine is a right laugh. What's it like to ride? A grin machine. Also across the flat and downhill it's very quick, once rolling it flies. Takes a bit more effort to get up climbs but keep spinning away and you'll get over pretty much anything. Although the J.J. tyres are crap in wet mud.
Does it look to lardy? Everyone who ever rides it says the opposite. To be honest, I bought it on a bit of a whim but it's turned out to be the most fun bike I've ever owned. And I'm having a set of 29+ wheels made up that can take 2.5-3" tyres so in that respect, it's a normal hardtail with 120mm front suspension.
Would I run a rigid fork? No because the bluto forks lockout whenever I want them to and I'd rather have the bounce when I want it. They're not that heavy anyway.
dovebiker, that's a really good point. Up here in the north of Scotland for the next
months is either man made, or its peaty and / or snowy!
I went from a bluto (80mm travel) to a carbon rigid fork, and I really don’t miss it. In fact, the bluto was so flexy, I prefer rigid with fat tyres.
Admittedly I’m riding it closer to the XC side of MTB than full gnar, but still.
Ironically, now that I'm living in the north of Scotland my fat bike is currently in storage as I only have room for one bike in current house. If we get any serious snow this winter, I'll have to swap them around.
You'd hate it, don't bother 😉
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Trek Farley - it was rigid, but after a few months I fitted some Blutos and much prefer it. Rigid forks + big, bouncy tyres (4.5" Barbegazi) + hitting bumps on a fast down-hill = a very wild ride.
Takes some effort to get up to speed, but once rolling, it sails through / over everything with less effort than a "normal" trail bike.
Make a noise like a landrover on the road, and the steering can be weird on tarmac if the tyres are very soft.
Would probably be the last bike I'd let go of.
Love my VirFortis - great for those wild but mild rides...
Can anyone let me know what they the steering is like on tarmac on a fat bike? The reason I ask is I have a Travers Rusti 29+ I find the front end very odd on tarmac. If I let go of the bars it just wants to snap the steering round immediately. If I lean into a left hand turn I have to consciously push the left had grip away from me so it doesn’t just tuck under. Not a sensation I have had on any other bike. I suspect its a rake/trail issue but I don’t know how to remedy it.
this is self steer. Its to do with tyre construction, tread pattern and pressures. Try upping the pressure. I get it at under 8 psi quite badly, go up to 9 and it disappears
Can anyone let me know what they the steering is like on tarmac on a fat bike?
My Voodoo Wazoo fatbike was used for tarmac for more than 90% of the time from Feb 2016 until the driveside crank sheared on me in June this year. As much as the replacement Voodoo Marasa is a far more sensible and cheaper commuter, I really miss using the Wazoo and must try and hunt down a replacement crank that doesn't cost a kidney.
In its stock form, it weighed ~16.5Kg. However, with a number of "upgrades" (including a pair of FatNotFat 29er wheels which still weighed ~2.3Kg rather than the fat wheels being ~4Kg), I got the weight down to ~10.5Kg and it was a surprisingly nippy hybrid.
In comparison, my stock Marasa weighs ~13Kg and feels a lot more sluggish, I must get around to weighing the wheels. It does help though that the Marasa is 3x9 compared to the 2x8 on the Wazoo.
When using the 26x4 Jumbo Jims on the road, it really helps to run them at higher pressure on the road, with tubes I was using 25PSI+ if not on the 29er wheelset. But I could still feel the extra rolling resistance, just without the weird self steering at lower pressures.
Literally just dusted mine off after a year's holiday (I broke my wist and couldn't deal with the rigid fork). Still love it, still great to ride, still makes your local trails feel new and easy trails a challenge and hard trails into a sort of riddle.
Have to admit, i do like that they've gone scarce again. It's not that I want to be niche exactly, I just like the reactions.
mine might be an exception to the fad, or rather, it might be the beginning of the end- it was the first really good cheap one. A lot of the joy went out of it for some people when you didn't have to have one welded together by a Canadian man with a beard then smuggle it back into the UK up your bum. Maxxis make fatbike tyres now and you can buy them on amazon? Ghastly.
I have a Genesis Caribou (Green one). Completely stock, weights 17.5kgs XL size. Absolutely love riding it. Rides really well, great fun. Downsides:- wish it was a bit lighter (will have to look at upgrading the wheels and go tubeless) Rear is only 170mm QR and has come loose from time to time.
I've just bought a Canyon Dude, they were on sale with a new model due out. Haven't ridden it yet but several friends have them and love them.
Looking forward to it being my main bike this winter.
Love my Dune. It's my funnest bike.
I had a Voodoo Wazoo first. The tyres on that produced really bad self steer.
I traded it in and got a Dune which is a way better bike in so many ways. The Jumbo Jims on that really don't self steer much at all.
It's rapid on the road if you pump the tyres up. Brilliant bikes.
Ignoring the n+1 rule, my fattie would be the One Bike; the Tallboys would go, the turbo training bike would go, the unicycle would go, etc etc. its just a riot of fun, its quick and deffo climbs so well - its just point and shoot cos you can ignore roots, rocks, small animals.
Such a shame its stuck in Fernie and nobody can fly to Canada.
Its only a Chinese copy covered in xt 1x12 kit, but it is superb!
Where are all these 2nd hand fat bikes of which you speak to be found?
Mildy fatty curious.
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Just heading out for a wee ride (see you in 5 days)
Just heading out for a wee ride (see you in 5 days)
Don’t look back, but you have a Koala stowing away for the trip!
That's his Davy Crockett hat
tillydog
You’d hate it, don’t bother
He's right, horrible things...
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They get you into all sorts of trouble.
it's a small dead Badger...
Another On-one Fatty here; agree, funnest bike out on the trails and mine often sees the summits of Munros on the east side of Scotland. It's got lighter wheels now, Halo Tundra rims on Hope Fatsno hubs. Nice, but not super light. Minion FBF/FBR. With a 4.8 front tyre, it helps to have 810mm bars as it takes a bit of extra leverage to overcome the gyroscope effect of a fast spinning wheel. Short travel Mastodon fork with the pro damping proved an excellent upgrade for the longer days in the hills and a big front disc is vital, as these things can travel a lot faster than you might expect... One obvious party trick is being able to climb very steep or slippery stuff that other bikes cannot look at. Less expected but great fun has been its ability to trickle down super steep, slippery muddy trails, often getting down stuff you'd really struggle with on foot. Happy days..
Something I forgot to mention yesterday regarding my fat bike was that as a bit of an experiment, last year I used mine in an XC race. I then did a lap on my 11kg carbon 29er hardtail. There was barely any difference in lap times on a 40 minute lap.
Also, as has been said, tyre pressures are everything to how they ride. If you're going to get one you must get a tyre pressure gauge. 8psi seems to be the sweet spot for me, Jumbo Jim tyres setup tubeless. Just don't use them in thick mud unless you like unpredictable handling!
Singular Puffin here (currently set up single speed to make a silly bike even sillier). Unlike the earlier poster I find it OK. Does drag on tarmac but then it also sounds like an approaching platoon of stormtroopers! Got a few PBs on mine, downhill obviously, and not too far off on quite a few other segments.
The worst conditions for them are a thin layer of mud on top of a harder substrate - they float on a frictionless layer rather than cutting through - you get very good at slow motion comedy dismounts!
I wouldn't have one as my only bike but they are sufficiently different to make sense for N+1.
I’m on a Specialized Fatboy, and whilst it’s not my go to bike, it does get used for bikepacking duties and when there’s snow on the hills. Like others, very sensitive to tyre pressure and self steer on tarmac. Definitely no plans to get rid either, great bike to have for the things I use it for.
Question re tyre pressure as it sounds like it's crucial to getting the best out of a fat bike. How do you measure the pressure? Track pump gauge, proper tyre pressure gauge or just feel and gut instinct?
Digital pressure gauge every time!
Which one? Topeak?
As I've said in another thread, I just a standard track pump for the tyres and go by thumb pressure.
Cheers Colin.
When you get down to these sorts of pressures, probably 2psi, it's more a sort of feeling than an accurate figure.
Though that's a bit low for conditions like this:
How do you measure the pressure?
Accu-gage [sic]
You need to be able to resolve to better than 1 PSI. 5.5 front / 6.5 back is my go-to, but reduced from that for soft sand of snow (considerably in the case of snow - maybe 2 or 3 PSI, but it’s trial and error in those sort of conditions!)
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My lads have the original On-One Fatty's &, whilst they ride well, they are not a patch on my second gen Puffin.
It was interesting to read the comments on the Puffin ^^ up there.
I must have low levels of expectations because mine is most definitely a keeper.
Mine is set-up with low rent On-One wheels & singlespeed drivetrain. Apart from the Cargo Bike, its the most grin inducing bike I've owned.
Regards pressures, the first year of ownership I used a topeek, now I use my thumb....
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50436716942_bc6d70dcbf_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50436716942_bc6d70dcbf_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2jQVmKY ]IMG_0120[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/184929344@N08/ ]Tony Hall[/url], on Flickr
Here's ours, Ice Cream Truck and a Wednesday, had them a few years now changed colour of the truck a couple of times, great bikes ride them at trail centres and in the Peak in winter.
I have a Lezyne digital track pump at home - once I'd ridden my fat bike a few times, I knew what tyre pressures worked and just go from there. The only time I've ever adjusted pressure on a ride has been in very soft snow i.e. let the tyre down until you've just got enough to stop the rim bottoming-out - if you're still slipping, see if you can let more air out; if you're bumping the rim, put some air in.
For pressure I bought a trials bike tyre gauge. My digital topeak only reads in whole psi, 1 psi in tyres that size is a lot of air.
For general biking I think I settled on 5.5ish front and 6.75ish rear.
I managed a 35 minute lap of Whin north on my fatty, so only 3 minutes off my best time and that was when I was quite a bit fitter.
Fraser - that shot above of my tyre is what I was running with in Rovaniemi last year, I might have been even lower. Soft, wet snow with ruts that was all but unrideable with "normal" pressures.
I think gauges depend a lot on the usage and tyre. Like, I had a big Surly on the front at one point, and if the pressure wasn't exactly right, it was horrendous- selfsteer all over the place. But if it was right- 6psi basically for me- it was awesome. half a psi either side, you just wanted to put it back in the garage after 2 minutes. That was all trail use, no doubt for proper snow or soft sand use your requirements'd change
Painey
Full MemberSomething I forgot to mention yesterday regarding my fat bike was that as a bit of an experiment, last year I used mine in an XC race. I then did a lap on my 11kg carbon 29er hardtail. There was barely any difference in lap times on a 40 minute lap.
I got my second best result at the glentress seven on the fatbike- basically ran out of time for one more lap, didn't run out of leg as I'd expected. But I am slow and shite.
Funny this thread has popped up as I’ve just been thinking about this. I’ve just moved to the Alps so I’m torn between getting a ‘normal’ full suss trail bike or a fat bike.
With all the snow over the winter I’m thinking I’ll get more year-round use out of the fat bike but I’m just not sure I’ll get frustrated next summer once all the runs open.
Fraser – that shot above of my tyre is what I was running with in Rovaniemi last year, I might have been even lower. Soft, wet snow with ruts that was all but unrideable with “normal” pressures.
I read somewhere from an experienced ITI participant that 2 creases in the tyre sidewall is for difficult conditions and 3 creases is for when it gets serious...
Sorry, but another fattie related question. Mud protection at the front, what do you use? Mudguards or one of those things that attach across the forks or what?
Cheers.
I use a Fathugger
Fathugger / mudhugger combo here
What are they like in deep snow, and why would you not xc ski instead? I’m tempted for deepest swedish midwinter
Depends on the quality of the snow. It really needs to be compacted or to have been through a few freeze/thaw cycles to firm it up. Once it's too deep you sink in and, firstly, reach a point where your feet are sinking in the snow as you are pedalling (pedalling will be tough by then) then you eventually just sink in too far and there's too much "bow wave". It can still be fun (thoigh sketchy) heading downhill when it's like this. It's the getting uphill that is the issue.
Snowmobile tracks are ideal. Pisted ski slopes work too.
Cheers @scotroutes , thought as much. Litany if snowmobile tracks here so could be worth a fat-dable
hot_fiat
Full Member
On-one fatty here. Its really good fun. Rolls just fine and will blitz through berms like its a rodelbahn kart: there is SO MUCH GRIP.The on-one wheels are crap though & I keep meaning to invest in better, but baulk at the price (it’ll easily cost me £600). They need suspension. Only fork lifts and bobcats do not. If you’re cruising along a fire road they bounce up and down like a JCB with each pedal stroke
My on-one fatty did that as the hopeless stock rims and tyre combo took 40psi to seat and then you couldn't go below 7-9psi as the beads would slip again and make the wheels oval.
My moonlander (that I just sold today, sniff) happily ran smoothly at 5psi and was comfier than anything I've ever ridden over stuttery bumps. The moonie surpassed the Fatty in every way. For a steel bike with huge wheels it didn't even feel that heavy.
If I lived oop north with more regular snow I'd not have sold it.
What are they like in deep snow, and why would you not xc ski instead? I’m tempted for deepest swedish midwinter
Once you get above 200mm you really need a firm base unless it’s fresh powder - a snow mobile track is OK but can be choppy. Having ridden alongside XC skiers a lot depends on track and snow conditions, but generally there isn’t a lot in it. The benefit of a bike for multi-day rides is you can carry your gear on the bike - with XC skis you’re looking at a pulk which slows you down a lot and even then in deep snow, it’s either skins or even snowshoes. On a multi day, I could ride for 16 hours and sleep/eat for 8 hours whereas the guys on skis were getting less rest.
Fathugger too. Fatbikes are horrendous in the wet and especially in snowmelt without a big mudguard, the tyres just throw so much water. I raced mine in the innerleithen Alistair Lees mountain timetrial, which is a sort of half XC, half enduro race, and people thought I was daft but literally the only thing I had a real issue with was water in my eyes on the final descent down the downhill trails, it was like a firehose.
Thanks for the mudguard tips. Will check those out.
I read somewhere from an experienced ITI participant that 2 creases in the tyre sidewall is for difficult conditions and 3 creases is for when it gets serious…
Ah, Mr M.C. 😏 I only got that low on the last lake you cross on the 150 before crossing back over to the river. I didn't realise I'd let so much air out until I got on the road by the lake and the back end went all over the place!
Interestingly on the first lake, Sinnetajarvii, there was a lot of fresh snow plus quite a bit of overflow interspersed with some short firmer sections. I kept getting close to a rider in front before they'd pull away on the firmer bits. Eventually I overtook her - her tyres were pumped up rock hard so she was walking quite a bit of the lake where she'd just dig in.
@howsyourdad1 - You do need a reasonable base to be able to ride but there's no hard and fast rule, you just have to try it to see what is rideable and what isn't. Snowmobile tracks are fine once they've had time to freeze up, they are like riding through soft sand and table tennis balls immediately after the machine has been through.
Mudguards, my favourite fatbike accessory.
When it's wet and slushy you risk hypothermia unless you can keep the wetness away.
This is my Pug set up for the StrathPuffer 24 hour a few years back. Those are motorbike mudguards, and if you look closely, you'll see I've extended them.
Edit: the red things sticking up on the handlebars are to hold the top of my pogies off my hands.
Pogies are another vital accessory.
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As for snow riding, once your pedals start scooping up snow it becomes seriously hard work. still fun though, but sweaty, and that can get dangerous if things go wrong.
When you get to the frozen north you soon understand why the Inuit have 16 words for snow as it varies so much depending on how fresh the snow is, ambient temperature, what's underneath, how windy it is etc. The winning times for the Rovaniemi 150 give an indication of how much it can vary from 8 hours to 35 hours for the exact same course in different years. For the latter, it's definitely type 2 'fun' like 2016 where I pushed the bike for nearly 100km - fresh snow and overflow are a fun combination
I've ridden one and really didn't get it for trail riding. The undamped nature of the ride was off-putting.
Would love to try one in snow or sand though...but living in the South of England...
From my very brief ride of a Genesis fat bike I couldn't see me trading in my 27.5 half fat Stooge for one, the self steering thing was not a trait I liked. Could see the appeal if I either lived next to the coast, a desert or glacier.
One time I was riding at the Whinlatter and there was this loud noise that suddenly up from behind me, it turned out to be a guy on a fat bike, after a chat, he said he was smitten and couldn't see himself riding anything else.
Coastkids videos are very good as well IMO
Self steer and bouncing mean your tyre pressures are wrong
I have a stooge ti fat bike, adore it when fit and Hale, handles brilliantly, set some descent times for me on it, makes me laugh and on a trial centre is really capable.
Downside well the attention....and witty roadie jokes... It handles rock gardens well but it still fatigue you over a day.
Speed on the road get the tyres rolling and it is fine - running a 30t front and 10- 42 rear, always nice to overtake a roadie and see them speed up PAST you
Love it and makes me smile.
From my very brief ride of a Genesis fat bike I couldn’t see me trading in my 27.5 half fat Stooge for one, the self steering thing was not a trait I liked.
That's understandable but not all fatbikes handle the same and tyres/tyre pressures have a huge effect on the handling too. Ideally, you'd get to try a few in various locations before making up your mind.
I had a half fat stooge before my full fat...no issues with self steer on either.
For those of you with Mudhuggers on the rear wheel, is the Medium Rear Mudhugger alone enough to cope with 4 inch tyres, or do you need the extension kit?
Reason I ask is that the extension kit requires drilling, and given my pitiful lack of mechanical ability I can only see it ending up in disaster.