[Closed] Would you buy a (new) fatbike for ~£1k?

What's recommended for beaches then?
Shall forget about using it for road duties as it will be easier to keep my current roadster. Was trying to streamline my bikes but I guess that will never happen!

@firestarter - be interested to see Mike/Caibre;s reply. For me it needed two spacers on the drive side which didn't leave enough thread on a std BB for me to be happy (esp as the BB shell has two cutouts to accept the front mech bracket). So we stuck a Saint BB in there which worked well. Chainline then was spot on with 1x10 XT.

I put a Nate (tan sidewall, apparently won't go tubeless) on the front and that combo with the H-Billie in the rear is great for current conditions. Rear is quite square, front is rounder. Also with my new TopPeak gauge I found my track-pump guess of 10psi in each tyre was actually 14 in the front and 6 in the back.

Oh and rode my Bird Aeris at Afan after nothing but a months fat biking. First descent was interesting 😉

Ideally, you want something that's not too knobbly when in wet sand as churning it up just adds to the effort involved.

In dry sand, you want something a bit more knobbly to get some traction.

FWIW, I have a couple of (pretty much unused) Larrys sitting in my garage............

What's the opinion of Dune verses Voodoo?

you can buy a Dune, whereas you can't get a Voodoo?

You want Voodoo? Click here.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VooDoo-Wazoo-Fat-Bike-Bicycle-26-x-4-Tyre-16-Speed-Alloy-Frame-Mud-Snow-Sand-/201373335552?var=&hash=item2ee2c94000:m:mmBdR9cEaUiiaxYfwSdV3yQ

That's what I'm wondering - £500 16.4 kg Wazoo vs (now) £600 14.5 kg Calibre Dune (now? Hardly any in store, none mail order)?

Reports that the Wazoo might be 13.3kg, plus it has hydraulic discs, whereas the Dune has a 1.5" tapered steerer and 'proper' 4" tyres....

Colour scheme's personal preference - don't like the yellow with green rim tape, but yellow generally more cheery than black.

Anything else to consider?

J

I love the yellow, yeah it's bright but in person I love it. Photos don't do the dune justice.
The dune is bluto ready as well, only display ones so 10% off or they always do 15% off codes then it covers the brake upgrade.

I'm 2 hours away from any Go Outdoors store, and from the telephone response the 'display model' 10% was going to be a struggle, so I've resigned myself to £500 eBay Wazoo, £600 Dune with a drive, or waiting and seeing what crops up - secondhand Fatboy, discount Dune when mail order stocks improve or whatever!

TBH the Voodoo looks great too and was what got me looking at cheap fatties in the first place... but for me the Dune would probably still get my money- you can upgrade everything that the Dune doesn't do well out of the box but the Voodoo's drawbacks are more permanent- seems not to be bluto compatible, has QR wheels which is a bummer for upgrading (or for transferring to another frame)... The Dune feels like a classy bike built down with cheap parts, the Voodoo feels a bit more like a cheaper package overall. Maybe a better package out of the box? But more limited.

Whether that matters to you, I don't know, but the Dune kills it on upgradability and current-standard-ness I think

Having upgraded mine, I'd agree with NW. Just need an oval ring for it now. And maybe a bluto in the spring. I've loved riding it so much, I'm going to see if I can cash in a couple of bikes not getting ridden for a new Stache in a 27.5+ config. Gone from being a bit fat curious to wanting to ride the fat bike everywhere even when it's clearly going to be very compromised.

It's a struggle tho going back to my 'normal' FS. Anyone else get this? I thought switching between 26 and 29 used to take a bit of recalibration, but fat to thin is just a whole different ball game...

Thanks Northwind

My only remaining issue is weight - on the Wazoo thread there's a recent purchaser with a claim that the 16.4 kg quoted weight is as shipped, including the box, and built up the Wazoo is 13.3 kg.

At 14.5 vs 16.4 the Dune gets my vote, but not at 14.5 vs 13.3!

Break out your scales Voodoo/Dune owners.
Having said that I will be loathe to spend any money on a bike that won't get ridden that much. I,d like it to be as usable as possible now. Brakes excepted.
It will be used as more of a tool than a bike. To get me places my perfectly good normal bikes can't.

You want Voodoo? Click here.

I want it in store with 10% BC discount 😉

thanks NW and others for the comparos, only discovered yesterday I get 10% discount @ Go Outdoors through employer staff benefits.

There's no chance at all that the Voodoo weighs 13.3kg. That's more or less what my Dune weighs with 1x10 drivetrain, and all my lighter finishing kit and brakes (and a gravity dropper but that only adds about 250g). I think their 16.4kg is probably pretty realistic. (The Dune as it comes out of the box is just under 15kg, their claimed weight on the website is a straight out fib. Stripped of reflectors and pedals etc it's 14.6kg)

So add 600g per end for the tyres, probably the best part of a kilo for the cromo fork, the drivetrain and wheels are going to be pretty much the same (same rims I think) though maybe save a little by avoiding the Dune's heavy thru-axles. I'd not be surprised if Voodoo's finishing kit is lighter too, they're clever about that on other models

Course, there's a fair chance you're going to change those tyres, and the tyres on the Dune for that matter, since neither is good for January in the UK.

Thanks Northwind, I was thinking that, but would be good to check before the stock runs out!

Calling Voodoo Wazoo owners - how much does it weigh in real life?

I hate you all, I want a Dune now 😆 .
N+1 aaarrrrrgh

I managed to get a display model Dune for less than £400 before Xmas 🙂 It's a lot of fun to ride.

Less than £400 is fantastic Huwzy. My local store have agreed to keep the 15% discount available until they get them back in stock. Then I can join the fat club...

Thanks to the guys here who have posted their mods and what's possible

£400 is amazing. That must really have made second hand fat bikes worthless. 😀

On the off-chance any of you are Scout Leader's, Go-Outdoors will apparently give a 15% discount if you show proof of your Scout permit; or a necker. Not sure if this is on top of any other discounts, but worth knowing.

As requested link to picture of a Dune with dirty White OO Floaters
[url= https://flic.kr/p/CCGgsR ][/url]

[url= https://flic.kr/p/CCGgsR ][/url]

[img] https://flic.kr/p/CCGgsR [/img]

Or not.......?

Here you go

[img] [/img]

@huwzy
How did you manage that price?

I'd be tempted to buy one for my son and wife to share at that price.

Thanks for the pictures mate, actually quite like the look of that with the White.

How do you find the floaters compared to the jims?

As much as I slag off On One, their coloured tyres are glorious. No exception there.

@huwzy
How did you manage that price?

I'd be tempted to buy one for my son and wife to share at that price.

15% off voucher and had a £100 off a damaged display model, the damage was minimal and I repaired it within 5 min of getting it home. I couldn't wheel it out of the shop fast enough after paying for it.

Ok. Cool thanks for the reply. Is that voucher still valid?

The only issue is the 60+ mile round trip to my nearest store with one in stock.

The floaters are heavier by about half the weight again of the Jims but the trade off is much better grip on clay mud trails (my local trails). On a mixed beach ride the Jims are fine for everything except areas of mud flats but we both sank over the rims in those quick sand/mud areas 😆
The floaters have a thicker carcass and feel more sturdy but then the Schwalbes are very much the same as all the others in their family sidewalls.
The extra knobs and sipes within the tread blocks of the Floater give more resistance to sliding sideways on any steep off camber trails over the Jims in my experience. As for tread tackyness/compound I was expecting the coloured tyres to be inferior but they're actually tackier to the touch.
Climbing grip on Cannock Chase gravel climbs appeared the same but slightly better climbing grip on mixed surface was evident with the Floaaters as to be expected. On proper full on muddy climbs they didn't spin out until I was right on the nose of the saddle to keep the front wheel on the ground (I'm 17 stone).
Mounting the tyres post punctures was easier with the OO Floaters again I think down to the thicker carcass.
I only got the white because I'm tight fisted and don't mind wearing the knobs of them at that price.
I've been running them at 8psi front and rear a and didn't find they dragged massively over the Jims. As for acceleration it doesn't slow down for anything so no need to accelerate. 😆

Thanks for taking the time write that Suggsey very helpful. I'm tempted to just get a black one for the front I find that wanting to wash out

So what's people's views on the jumbo jims on sand? Would it be a good tyre choice for battle of the beach? As much as I like the grip nates offer I am thing something a little lighter? But I am a battle of the beach virgin so would love others thoughts!

Is the now £703 On One Fat Bike a better bike than the Dune?
By the time I,ve factored in the 130 mile round trip for the Dune and possibly new tyres, there's not a lot in it price wise.
Is the carbon fork worth upgrading to on the On One?

That Dune looks awesome with the white tyres 😛 8)

I've got an On One and I'd get the dune if it fitted. 190 rear and bluto spaced front gives you more options. The tyres are a neutral cost as you'd easily sell some jumbo jims for the price of something nobblier.

Just to add that there seem to be a lot of fatbikes in use at Banff (Canada). These are mostly Norco, but I have seen a Surly knocking around town and, according to the bloke downstairs at the hotel, they are pretty popular for the local trails.

Any fellow Dune owners had issues with the left hand crank bolt?
Mines coming undone 5/6 times a ride!

I loctited mine on the back of Northwinds experience along with the hanger bolts which finally undone themselves after a couple of months.
As for the Jims on sand they are the ideal racing tyre, light perfectly grippy enough in all sand types and shingle and ver fast rolling. I only swapped them out because of our local mud.
I should also point out especially for mamadirt that I also went fir white for extra being seen on road sections on night rides.....positively glows in the dark 8) 😆

Swapped out the jumbo Jim's for a pair of H Billies. More draggy and heavier but fantastic grip in the mud.

Got them for £40 an end and quick delivery (they still have 6 left)

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=141846897791&alt=web

Def 26" and 4.25 even though they are incorrectly listed.

nickgti - Member

Any fellow Dune owners had issues with the left hand crank bolt?

I do... But I reckon I didn't torque it up right tbh, and once you damage a taper there's not much to be done about it.

ahh, square taper. Those were(n't) the days..

Yup. TBH I could throw another arm on it, I'm pretty sure I've got an exage arm from about 25 years ago in the garage, or a cheapy modern shimano one in the attic, but I'm sticking new cranks on it anyway so I've not bothered. I took the bike all to bits to weigh and lube which is why I'm blaming the mechanic not the parts- the DS wasn't tight either.

ST is pretty much the name of the game at the cheaper end of the scale these days- at least bloody powerspline seems to be dying out.

Think that's the trouble I've had wasn't torqued up right from the get go and now it's slightly rounded, so just wobbles it's self loose

Now do I take it back or bugger it and stick some Raceface stuff in it.

Got my Dune yesterday, the mechanic had been struggling fitting the BB so I'm not holding out much hope...

Can I ask what spec BB and cranks you are using? Mine looks iffy on the Dune and this is from the GoOutdoors setup. Just so that I know what to buy 🙂

Thanks

Mine with added mud protection 😉
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Holly Crap fully loaded that! do you even get dirty any more on a ride 🙂

I've just added the two black ones this morning not had a chance yet. But the big tyres sure do throw up some mud

Yeah I've got no guards at all on my Dune, feel like I'm being shot at sometimes

nickgti - Member
Yeah I've got no guards at all on my Dune, feel like I'm being shot at sometimes

When I first got my fatbike one of the regulars on UK fatbikes told me if I didn't like mudguards I might have a change of mind, as the big tyres can act like a muck spreader!

Sure enough, after a week I had purchased a rear 'guard and a couple of rides after that a front one was on order!

I stuck a topeak defender 29 rear guard on mine, it's really good- big and wide and a good shape. I had a crudcatcher rear on it for a ride or two but it wasn't really big enough. Riding it in slushy snow without the guards was bloody awful 😆

Not got the front sorted yet. Had a wee bender fender type but it wasn't long enough. Shockboard is doing half a job just now but it's not fat enough really. Might get a Grand DAD.

rezis - Member

Got my Dune yesterday, the mechanic had been struggling fitting the BB so I'm not holding out much hope...

The BB should have been fitted at the factory, something a bit odd there.

There's a useful link and template [url= http://fatbikerepublic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/fatbike-fenders.html ]here[/url] for DIY fatbike fenders. Plan on trying to fashion something between that and the [url= ]Mucky Nutz fat face XL[/url] for the little fatty 😛

^ that Fat Face XL I'd what I have, with the same brand under the saddle rear version.

Is the now £703 On One Fat Bike a better bike than the Dune?
By the time I,ve factored in the 130 mile round trip for the Dune and possibly new tyres, there's not a lot in it price wise.
Is the carbon fork worth upgrading to on the On One?

6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

O-O has the better cranks, brakes and gears, Dune has the cheaper price. Carbon fork is nice, but I never rode the steel one.

Thing is, I hinted at selling my fatty a few pages back and got an inbox full of offers, so If I wanted to upgrade it to something else I could without losing more than about £200. Ok you could sell the dune for probably a £200 loss too, but you'd have a better bike in the meantime on the O-O (and if you do replace the cranks, brakes, etc on the dune the cost is probably much closer).

NW - I think they'd robbed this BB to repair another bike a customer had brought back...

mamadirt - Member
There's a useful link and template here for DIY fatbike fenders. Plan on trying to fashion something between that and the Mucky Nutz fat face XL for the little fatty

Or you can use your old muc off bottles ...like me...
[URL= http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t324/cheekyget/Aug15/66837ACC-50DF-49F5-BEFC-59D57DE39BDF_zpse72odgjc.jpg [/IMG][/URL][URL= http://s512.photobucket.com/user/cheekyget/media/Aug15/48765F3A-021B-4981-A136-8A498E12FAB8_zpsevwm8rsy.jpg.html ][IMG] http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t324/cheekyget/Aug15/48765F3A-021B-4981-A136-8A498E12FAB8_zpsevwm8rsy.jp g" target="_blank">http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t324/cheekyget/Aug15/66837ACC-50DF-49F5-BEFC-59D57DE39BDF_zpse72odgjc.jpg [/IMG][/URL][URL= http://s512.photobucket.com/user/cheekyget/media/Aug15/48765F3A-021B-4981-A136-8A498E12FAB8_zpsevwm8rsy.jpg.html ][IMG] http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t324/cheekyget/Aug15/48765F3A-021B-4981-A136-8A498E12FAB8_zpsevwm8rsy.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

liking the old muc off bottles, I used a cheap ring binder folder from morrisons

Do you guys find those little guards useful on the fatbike? I tried one but the bigger tyre just seems to throw too much crap past it. I like them on a normal bike so I was a bit surprised...

I haven't tested mine out yet but it's massive compared to the one on my other bike, so I'm hoping it works.

@calibrebikes any date as yet for the Larger sizes of the Dune, my mate is chomping at the bit for one.

Northwind - Member
Do you guys find those little guards useful on the fatbike? I tried one but the bigger tyre just seems to throw too much crap past it. I like them on a normal bike so I was a bit surprised...

Well I would be lying if I said it stops all the crap being flung around....but it does cut it down by say 50%.
My main reason for having them was doggy doo.....3 X's last summer I had it on me arms , cheek....so I needed to put a end to it...lol

But I don't like big mud guards...and if I brought some I would only cut it down ....so the muc off ones are a good trade off......and free...ha ha ha

Do you guys find those little guards useful on the fatbike? I tried one but the bigger tyre just seems to throw too much crap past it. I like them on a normal bike so I was a bit surprised...

get a mudhugger 29r rear

Rocketdog recommended one to me, best thing my fatbike has ever had fitted!

Epicyclo has full guards. Not sure where he got them from.
I did look at generic motor trials bike guards on ebay. Should be able to bodge them on.

trial bike mudguards for full coverage - from sammy millers

heat em up and bend em if needed

just got a 29er rear mud hugger to fit to my fat bike (waiting on them to do an actual fat guard)

I bought this one on a whim from SLAM69 cycles

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/662/23844675486_1ee739ede9_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/662/23844675486_1ee739ede9_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Ck5chA ]It'll only be like this for another three months ;)[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

It's an old DH one. A bit flappy so with the old 4inch tyre it was like riding with a woodpecker on board. Now I have a nate on there, it;s a lot better. Looks stupid but sort of works. The rear crud catcher did nothing!

I've got a MuckyNutz fat front to fit and I might use one of my old ones to fashion a rear. I know MudHugger are going to make 'proper' fat guards front and rear so I'm waiting for those. MH on all my non fat bikes and I reckon they are the best out there.

Ok more questions!
It's between an On One and a Dune.
I'm assuming the OO takes a conventional BB with a fat crank. The Dune is a square taper, how difficult will it be the find a replacement BB in 2 years time? Is square the default BB for fatties?
Same question for wheels . What hypothetically will Superstar be offering in 2 years time , qr or bolt through?
Are the Dune and the OO the same hub width?
Is the fork on the OO a 4 LB job like they used to put on the Inbred?

Dune is 150/190 hub, OO is 135/170 both are screw in (old fashioned) BB. There are a lot more HT2 type BBs than ST ones available
OO steel fork is no light weight but it's not bad & works well

Dune will take a bluto fork without changing the wheels or hubs, where as the OO will need wheels.

OO also has a straight steerer I think?, Dune is tapered

Raceface do a crankset and BB for £100ish that will fit either bikes

Dune will take a bluto fork without changing the wheels or hubs, where as the OO will need wheels.

OO also has a straight steerer I think?, Dune is tapered

zippykona - Member
Ok more questions!
It's between an On One and a Dune.

I hope you're better with sticking to a budget than me. That is where I was at, debating those 2 but for perhaps different reasons and then I bought a Surly 😆

@cheekyget Muc-Off guards look good! Just bought a fluoro orange plastic folder from the pound shop for mine 😳 Watch this space . . .

Just put my 8 week old XL Trek Farley 5 up for sale on the classifieds if there are any fatbike curious reading this thread...

mamadirt - Member
@cheekyget Muc-Off guards look good! Just bought a fluoro orange plastic folder from the pound shop for mine Watch this space . . .

Did you get a fatty in the end?

Yep, got a Baby Fatty on order- build is scheduled for next Thursday though 🙁 . . . oh the impatience.

Cool. Congrats and enjoy mamadirt

mamadirt - Member
Yep, got a Baby Fatty on order- build is scheduled for next Thursday though . . . oh the impatience.

i give it 2 months before something is sawn off it 😉

That long RD? 😆

zippykona - Member

I'm assuming the OO takes a conventional BB with a fat crank. The Dune is a square taper, how difficult will it be the find a replacement BB in 2 years time? Is square the default BB for fatties?

Easy to find square taper fatties but tbh they're pretty cheap cranks so when the BB goes it might make more sense just to upgrade.

The on one is SRAM so doesn't work with standard ht2-style BBs. Unfortunately SRAM BBs are awful but you can buy compatible alternatives, Hope and a few others.

I bought a 2nd hand Caribou - really pleased with it, but having developed ungrade-itis I've run into a problem!

Picked up some 2nd hand OO carbon forks of here, but having fitted them there isn't enough clearance between the front brake adapter (IS to post mount) and the rotor. The wheel is centered in the forks exactly as in the Caribou forks, but the IS brake mounts are much closer in towards the brake disc on the OO forks.

There is clearly something different, but I've never come across anything like this before on any bike - any thoughts from the fatty experts?

Probably one of them is rear disc spaced and the other is front disc spaced. I'm guessing it's the fatty forks that are rear spaced

Probably one of them is rear disc spaced and the other is front disc spaced. I'm guessing it's the fatty forks that are rear spaced

Thanks Guys - I guessed it must be something like that.