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

Northwind, when you got your Aeffect cranks I assume you got the 100/190 option but still had to space of out for good chain line? Think my drive trains dying fast today had massive chain suck issues and all sorts of grinding noises and rear mech where it rotates sound the hanger bolt has about 1mm movement in it.......alas I note that stock is rare as hens teeth until mid January 😯

Or Maybe I should be asking Alex, think it was actually you that's fitted yours?

Yeah, Alex has his up and running. Delay on mine because absoluteblack turned out to be out of stock of chainrings, despite saying they had stock 🙁 But should have em in a couple of weeks.

I couldn't find the 170 spacing version in stock anywhere outside of the US but a few euro shops have the 190.

I'm now part of the gang! Just got this and it's got all the upgrades I wanted to do already.
Surprised how well it rolls on tarmac. Shall have my first outing on Monday.
[img] [/img]

Nice colour coordination going on there! Thanks for the reply Northwind. I'll wait for UK stock to appear......

Looks good ZippyKona - won't be white for long...

@suggsey - I had to push the cranks outboard with two spacers on the drive side. Even then the chainline wasn't great, so we flipped the ring round (and have done so with the Oval I fitted today) to give it a few more mm. Happy with the chainline now and no issues in use at all.

I've had to tap out the thread for the rear axle. Have a replacement on order as well. Hope I don't have to take the rear wheel out too many times. Otherwise it's down the tool shop to find a bolt with the same thread!

Cheers for the reply, so was it the 190 version you fitted, just wondering if the 170 Q factor versions caused the chain line issues (I know it shouldn't make a difference because of the mounting point of the ring on the crank arm) but if you've used the 100/170 versions wondered if that was the issue.
As for the rear axle I must agree caution in installation and tightening etc is done with caution. 😆

I just went back and checked. Mine with the 100/170s. Don;t think 190s were in stock and I was impatient 😉 It's not really any issue, easy to fix and works fine in use. Just needed a bit of lateral thinking. Seem to be so many standards flying about for fat bikes, hard to know which one to follow! Back in the day of just deciding 68 or 73mm bottom brackets things were much easier!

Another new Dune owner here 🙂

It's very interesting reading about all the various upgrades as I've done a few basics to mine and looking to do a few more soon. So far I've fitted a set of hydraulic brakes I had laying around and fitted a spare set of pedals I had. Yesterday I fitted a pair of On One Floaters as the Schwalbes really are pretty useless in the mud although it kept my riding friends entertained watching me slip sliding away.

The next thing I want to change are the gears and I could do with a few pointers. Is there a complete 2x10 set up that will bolt straight on, ie both derailleurs, changers and cassette. Is it possible to just change the front chain rings and use the original crank arms or is it better to go the whole hog and change the lot. I had considered 1x10 but it's a bit hilly here on the outskirts of Sheffield/Derbyshire and I thought I might miss the lower gears.

It's funny how the Dune has now become my go to bike, my Canyon hasn't had a look in recently.

We all know what a Dune looks like but you can never have too many pics and here it is on Bridlington beach on NYD

[img] [/img]

Not sure how 2x10 would work as the current setup has all that bracketry for 8 speed. So you'd need some kind of e-type mech. Pretty sure 10 speed chainrings wont' be compatible with those cranks so hard to see how a mix and match would work. Can't use std cranks as you need 100mm BB shell... so I think that's a no unless I misunderstood what you were asking!

For this still looking for mudguard options, i gave up with the flappy DH one and switched to a Fat Face from MuckyNutz and a ghetto rear made up of an old MN front and rear.

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1461/23669503993_05a7448c07_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1461/23669503993_05a7448c07_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/C4AoUr ]FoDing Muddy[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

Surprisingly effective. Absolutely filthy in the Forest today. Reverb stayed mostly dry (that's my key requirement for the rear) and reduced splatter from the front even tho there's some clearance between tyre and guard. I might add a crud-guard as well but cables will get in the way.

Cranks and chainrings are unfussy about compatibility, you'll probably be fine to do 2x10 with the existing rings. The cranks themselves are 100% compatible if you wanted to change rings but the standard rings should do the job (I reckon you could find the exact same rings OE on bikes with 9 and 10 speed if you look around).

Mech, I don't know about. Though, again the original one will most likely do the job with a little tweaking- it's doing the same job regardless of the number of rear gears.

Thing about 1x10 is range really and to me, the fatbike doesn't really need high gears as much- keeping it going at high speed is redonkulously hard work, rolling resistance seems pretty much exponential. So if you gear down, ie stick a 30T on the front and an expanded 42T cassette on the back, you've got bottom gearing almost identical to a traditional 22 front, 32 rear 2x setup. (I'm going down to 28T on mine but you can't do that on the stock cranks)

The DORC speaks 🙂 Right then I was talking nonsense. I thought the BCD was different but clearly not.

I run mine 32 Oval front, 40T on the back. So far so good, see how it goes longer term..

Thanks fellas 8)

A heated up Mudhugger seems to be the way to go for the rear is a heated up front one any good?
I've got one on my normal bike and it's brilliant.

@johnnygb - maybe I'll see you on Brid beach on mine sometime.

First ride out on mine yesterday, mudguards arrived today and floaters are on order. Thanks to the recommendations on here.

Those of you that have fitted the rear mud hugger. Does it ever clog up with mud or is there plenty of clearance?

loads of clearance and I didn't even heat mine to fit.

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/24210886912_fb2675fcbe_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/24210886912_fb2675fcbe_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Alex and others too it may be of interest to you that Wolf tooth components have just introduced a reverse dish direct ring. You do need a direct fit crank but it allows you to run a 170 crank with a 190 rear end and have correct chainline and and so you get a narrower q factor than if you used a 190 crank 😉

Thanks for that Firestarter!

Oh ta, Firestarter. Mine reversed ring seems to work pretty well - except you can't quite get it 'top dead centre' in terms of the best spot for the oval. I'll take a look at the WC one as I could 'save' this one for my Aeris which has the same chainring fitting.

Edit.. You need the raceface cinch type crank btw sorry.

http://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/chainrings/products/elliptical-reverse-dish-direct-mount-for-race-face-cinch

Go Outdoors have 10% off again from 14/1 bringing the Dune back down to £521.99.

Any word on when the large version is due out?

I just picked up a Dune last night, it seems great. Re brakes, is it just the levers that are rubbish or are the calipers bad too? I am torn between just sticking on some xt levers and calipers or trying some TRP Spyke levers. What's the best way to go tubeless with the current rims and jumbo jims?

Cheers

Duncan

I found the brakes to be crap full stop
Swapped them to Deores soon as I could

I think the calipers are crap I stuck on some deores as soon as I could and some on one floaters

Considering the price of a set of basic hydros I wouldn't piss around with the cables, just not worth it this decade...

10% off in Halfords if you want a Voodoo.

Any recommendations for spare tubes for the Dune?

http://nextdaytyres.co.uk/details.aspx/SV13F-26-Schwalbe-InnerTube-Presta-FreeRide/31/555

Nice and light to carry about.

Anyone?

Or just more stock - I'd love to get a Dune but its a 150 mile round trip to my nearest store from the south coast, doesn't make sense adding £50 in travel costs to my cheap winter bike when an (undefined) bit of patience will bring more stock that I can mail order, 10% sale or not!

That's a fair old drive - sure there will be new stock but knowing what I know now, I'd drive and get one 🙂 And we have snow! Only a tiny bit but I'm slacking off for a ride in it. Not on the fat bike counter-intuively because I appear to have bought a chubby!

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1603/24282351762_389643316d_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1603/24282351762_389643316d_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CZKpch ]There's a chubby in the shed![/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

I *hope* this has 90% of the grip/fun of the fatty and a bit more all round usage as I've a few road section to do today...

Nice looking bike Alex!

I have had similar thoughts - Scott 720plus (actually started with Spesh Fuse in LBS) have the 27+ wheels and tyres for the slower, shorter winter rides and swop over to 29s for the faster, longer summer days! One do it all bike or two? Hmmmm

I hope you are not going anywhere muddy with that chronicle on the front!

FYI weighted my Dune last night 15.35kg
Floater on the front
Deore Brakes
Specialized bars
On One grips

So not loads changed from standard.

After having the fat bike a Plus sized full sus bike seems more and more tempting now.

Have to let us know how you get on with that Alex nice looking bike

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1478/24368038636_72529b59b5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1478/24368038636_72529b59b5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/D8jyVb ]First ride of the Chubby![/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1481/24311649941_82834588d6_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1481/24311649941_82834588d6_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/D3kywi ]First ride of the Chubby![/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

@nick - I'm with you on the chubby. I love the ride of the fat bike, bought it for a laugh and hardly ridden anything else. My mate has a Stache and he is the same. Not seen his full suss for months. One ride in with new bike glasses on, hard to do a proper review but it put a massive smile on my face.

Lovely frozen condition tho. It's insanely fast once it gets up to speed and the words 'monster truck' absolutely do apply here. It'll roll over anything. Those short chainstays means the handling is surprisingly snappy (not over slack either on the HA) and it changes direction quickly. Comfier than my old non chubby stache and faster downhill and generally more fun. Noticeably slower up hill. Glad I had the wide cassette range. But yeah so far love it 🙂

I must weigh my Dune, I reckon it's a bit lighter than that as I ditched all the 2x8 bracketry. Still the Nate on the front is pretty weighty.

@RD - that's not the issue, it's the standard bonty on the back that's beyond aspirational for UK conditions. The rear would be more scary than the front I reckon in muddy conditions. Sure I'll find out Sunday 😉

Anyway don't want to derail the fat bike thread so as you were....

Any word on when the large version is due out?

Anyone?

+1 Suspect we're not the only people waiting on this

May have to have some test rides later in the year of some Plus size bikes, they do in theory at least combine the best of both.

I've got a 1x10 setup on the way for my Dune so hopefully knock some more weight of it.

Mate has just bought a VooDoo wazoo in 20" and has weighted that at 17kg!! not sure how correct that is

The thing I would say Nick - although need to ride it some more - is the Chubby feels more like a beefed up version of my older non 29+ stache rather than a scaled down fat bike. I think I prefer that. There's something so ridiculous about riding the fat bike that I think would get diluted if you reduced the tyre size.

That ^^ stache feels like a hardtail but way faster (downhill) and far more comfy. And with more grip. The only time it feels EXACTLY like a fat bike is uphill 🙂

Apologies for rubbish picture.
Had a quick spin just to check it goes up the slope of slop. It does easily.
That has justified it's purchase.
I'm really surprised how well it rolls on tarmac. Shall have a proper ride on Sunday and shall be seeking sand. More fun than any other £500 bike.
[img] [/img]

thenorthwind - Member
Any word on when the large version is due out?
Anyone?
+1 Suspect we're not the only people waiting on this

Plus when mail order will be available again!
I emailed Go Outdoors and they couldn't say yet.

In replacing the JJs for the bargain Floaters on my Dune, I noticed that the rear hub was really grumbling. Stripped it all down but for the life of me I couldn't get the bearings out of the freehub. Have I missed a circlip? Any advice greatfully received.

Hey Dune owners, what size is the seat clamp?

Cheers

d

It's a 31.6 tube so I assume 34.9? Can check for you tomorrow

I wrote up first ride on the chubby here: http://pickled-hedgehog.com/?p=3630 - if you're expecting some kind of proper review tho, you might want be disappointed 😉

I've got a 1x10 setup on the way for my Dune so hopefully knock some more weight of it.

Slx mech chain and cassette from the for sale section narrow wide ring and cheap deore shifter from Planet X. Really wasn't going to upgrade till it wore out but all that cost me £50!

Also, can anybody tell me what make and model the hubs are? The rear skewer is marked as QR264r-en-sb, which I think could be Novatec, but I cannot see a hub from them or KT that looks the same.

Cheers

d

According to the spec sheet on the website they're KT, but I don't know if that's correct.

bakey - Member

In replacing the JJs for the bargain Floaters on my Dune, I noticed that the rear hub was really grumbling. Stripped it all down but for the life of me I couldn't get the bearings out of the freehub. Have I missed a circlip? Any advice greatfully received.

There's one circlip in the freehub, but you can't get at it without shifting the other bearing. I just brute forced it- supported the hub and tonked the middle of the bearing with a socket and coarse grade hammer to create a little slack (it's a pretty standard bearing-spacer-bearing deal so once you have a little slack you can get a tool to the inner race of the other bearing and take it out. I've a sneaking suspicion the circlip is doing nothing btw but I put it back on general principles.

Anyone know what size the headset is? (nothing wrong with it, just that I'm about to have a spare angleset and I'm wondering if it'll fit...)

Hey Northwind, its a FSA No. 57

1.5in-1-1/8in Steerer

Weight 124.6g

Cheers! and curses, too big.

Hey Dune owners who had/have Jumbo Jims, where pressure's are you guys running?

Cheers

It going to depend on where your riding and your weight really.
Muddy natural stuff I can get away with 8-12psi, hard packed stuff at a trail center and it's too little for me and can often hit the rim

Yeah, I'm having to run more air than I want to really in the Jims- I'm only 10 stone but I have to run 9psi in the back or it'll definitely flat. But the tyre feels so much nicer with less pressure, it's a bummer. Just upsized to a 4.8 JJ on the back, hopefully I can go lower in that- I've got 5psi in the front Bud and that's been fine.

(oh aye- 4.8 JJ fits in the back, I think it's a little bigger than the Bud though so the clearance is tighter, maybe 5mm or so. First impression is JJ doesn't seem to grow as much with pressure as Bud does though.)

Not bothering reading back through the many pages on this thread so sorry if it's been done.

I don't know how long the deal is on for (as I don't work for them) but using code PXLIQUID25 gets a very nice 25% off the original On One Fatties
With Carbon fork
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATX52/on-one-fatty-fat-bike

and with the original fork
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATX5STL/on-one-fatty-sram-x5-classic-fat-bike

Are you still riding an On One Fatty John? What's it like in the Pine woods?

Being in Crosby id imagine I'd ride similar area's to yourself & I was originally waiting for a large Dune, this could be the instant answer!?

No, I sold it on, it was a great bike for trails, rides up in the hills and the said Pine Woods, but with it's rounded profile tyres I found that it wasn't as good at beach riding as my other Fat Bike with a flatter foot print.
I've gone up to 4.8" tyres on 100mm rims now for the sand around here.

Good to know, thanks John, guess i should only worry about that once i get out & decide its for me 🙂

The Floaters (if fitted correctly) are great trail tyres, simply fitting different tyres such at Surly Larry's on the Fatty would be a great help for summer beach and dunes riding

Cheers Guys, I'll start with 10psi and go up and down from there.

Should you have less psi in the front?

Dune Tubeless...

So I totally copied Coastkid's tube-and-foam tubeless method, and it worked really easily, seems reliable after a couple of rides. I was nervous I'd roll the tyres off the rim at first but I've not had any trouble.

I used jiffy foam (£3 for 5m, enough to do most of a Forth Fat rideout- you could buy a smaller roll but I like having uninterruped strips rather than several 1m strips). Then roughly cut strips about 70mm wide, so that the foam doesn't cover the edges where the tyre will eventually sit. Doesn't have to be too precise... I made a wee cardboard template for ease but maybe you could eyeball it.

Three wraps seems to be the right amount- that's about 2.5 metres. 2 worked initially but the foam compressed under the pressure so after a day or so it was impossible to re-inflate. 4 might make it easier to inflate, or better with baggy tyres, but would also make it a wee bit harder to get the tyre on and off.

Then, 24 inch tube, split down the middle. I did one end with the schwalbe downhill tube most people recommend, the 24 inch Schwalbe AV10D 3.0. But it's pretty heavy, and also not that cheap- I think I paid £9 delivered online.

So I've just done the rear with an AV10, which is a narrower 2.5. I didn't actually weigh but it's thinner rubber and claimed weight is 100g less (you can trim the bigger tube down but it'll still be heavier). You don't need toughness in a tubeless tube, you just want a seal so that sounds fine to me. It's pretty much exactly the right width, which does create a bit of extra faff, it needs to be central and you have to be careful not to squint it when you fit the tyre.

Basically, tl;dr- apparently 100g lighter per end, far cheaper- £3.10 each at Halfords, and they're doing a 3 for 2 mix and match so you can get a spare or a tyre for another bike, nice. And seems exactly as good in use. I'll come back to this once I've tested it a bit more with exact measured weights.

But yeah. Inflated easily and stayed up. I used 120ml of sealant, that's not very much, maybe more would be a good idea. My Bud and both a 4.0 and 4.8 JJ sealed up easily

The weight reduction isn't vast- the Maxxis tubes are about 450g each. The foam doesn't weigh much at all, the tube is claimed 165g and the sealant about 100g. I've also replaced the stock rim strips (65g) with a double layer of wide PVC tape (bugger all g, and yellow). I want to recap it and weigh the new rim tape and foam but there's at least a 200g an end saving here. And hopefully less bloomin punctures.

Cheers Northwind interesting read, luckily for me (touch wood) I've not had a puncture yet, seems a bit of faff for 200g and to be honest I could do with losing more than 200g off my belly first before the wheels 🙂

where did you get the jiffy foam from and can you get a proper tubeless rim strip instead of using the 24" tube?

Got to be honest the tubeless weight saving on Fatty's is not worth the bother. However I think tubeless is a must if you are to run them at the correct pressures. I know my wheels have double the sealant NW's do (at least) But the fact i no longer puncture and can run the correct pressures is reason enough for me. I'm sure there are loads of folk who will say they have never punctured a tube at 5psi after 10 years and 20k of fat bike miles, but for me tubeless is the only way to roll. My setup is BR710's with Nates.

I havent managed to find an answer or get a respons yet - I'm keen on the Dune in its supposed new large sizing but have no idea if there has been an update on release date yet?

Whilst the O-O fatty is currently 25% off i'd like to get a better idea of timing..

I've heard March mentioned from someone for the Large Dune, but unsure of the source etc. I'd get the On One fatty with the 25% off

I'd get the On One fatty with the 25% off

+1

By the time you've added more wintery tyres, maybe gone 1x10, fitted hydraulic brakes, it's probably so close in price it doesn't matter.

I was thinking of selling mine (stock except 1x10, carbon fork, tubeless front, carbon bars, reverb, have a bosch hole saw and cutting fluid to drill the rims which I'll throw in), but with those On-One prices I doubt anyone would be interested at a price I'd accept.

@russy, yeah I agree tbh, I reckon I might need to add more sealant and if I do, it'll weigh about the same as a specialized dh tube all in. But it's not so much for the weight, reinflating fat bike tyres with a portable pump is sisyphean 😆

nickgti - Member

where did you get the jiffy foam from and can you get a proper tubeless rim strip instead of using the 24" tube?

Ebay, I'm lazy- you can probably get it in b&q as underlay, or in stationery places but it was so cheap I mail ordered it. No tubeless strips as far as I know?

I like the idea of the Calibre offering up more standard axle spacing tbh, plus easier to upgrade wheels in future. Plus im secretly hoping the large version will be s fluroescent as the medium..

just had a look around only one I can find is american
http://orangesealed.com/shop/fat-tire-kit

I love my Dune but sometimes a wonder if the money I've spent on it already I would have been better off buying an On One fatty.

I think my foam was sold as window sill underlay or something like that. Came on a huge roll but I think I binned the rest.

IME a better option could be double-bubble bubble wrap. It's usually foil backed and made of two layers stuck together so the bubbles interlock and form an almost solid sheet. The foam packs down after a while, and if the bead does come off the hook unevenly it crushes it.

You guys seem to go through an awful lot of hassle to go tubeless when you can just use a dozen wraps of packing wrap and thats it done!
Ive done both my OO Fattys wheels and just did my Clownshoe wheel without any problems and its all done in a matter of minutes, I dont even need to build up the centre as the packing wrap already does that.
[url= http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/fatty-tubeless-summary-methods-actual-weights-847560.html#post10292858 ]Tubeless, the easy way :)[/url]

There's about 5 different methods in that link, which did you use?

The method I listed is actually really simple btw. Can't say it's the [i]best[/i] but it's certainly not a lot of hassle.

Can't remember if I've said earlier in the thread, I went down the slime inner tube gloop in the inner tubes.........but what I've found with it is you need 20psi+ to get it to seal and if you get five thorn holes in one go you're screwed (as I found out even using CO2 cartridges back to back).... So new tube had to be installed....however proper puncture patches on the tube and whacked it back in.
My mate did a similar thing on his fatty but mixed (contrary to slimes website) the Pro tubeless sealant and the inner tube sealant 50/50. His sealed up a treat.....
I may switch to the slime pro sealant in entirety or at least 50/50 mix as the inner tube version has bigger rubber particles in it or maybe even risk Stans in the tubes and not use CO2 at all.

To be honest, there doesn't seem to be much in it between the Dune and the Fatty for me.

Both come with 2x10 stock so if you want to go 1x you need to upgrade either way.

Drivetrain and brakes don't seem to be much higher spec on the Fatty (yes it's got hydro's, but SRAM, which everyone's always moaning about on here, and entry-level at that).

The ali fork, overall weight difference (3.5kg on paper), tapered headset, bolt-thru dropouts and marginally less offensive colour are pushing me towards the Dune.

What am I missing?

I am a bit odd in that I get calf rub on bikes that no one else does. On my OO I just miss. The Dune with its wider hub probably has wider stays and I reckon I'd rub on that.

I am a bit odd in that I get calf rub on bikes that no one else does

Looking at the different sizes of Big Jon in the shop they all had the same chainstays but the seatstays varied a lot. The M - and to a lesser extent the L - had crammed the rear wheel in (4.8 JJ) whereas on the XL there's an easy gap between the wheel and the seat tube.

So riding it my calves are forward of the seatstays and there's no possibility of contact but someone on smaller bike would be that much closer

The Dune has the more "standard" hub spacing so easy upgrade to a bluto.

Depends if you can get away with the size of the Dune? I'm just under 6ft and with a correct length seatpost it works, although I like a smaller frame to start with.

Drivetrain and finishing kit is better on the fatty

[u]Northwind[/u], I linked to the exact post.
This one -
[img] [/img]

[u]thenorthwind[/u],the Dune is 2x8, not 2x10.
I've had my OO Fatty for just over a year and have put 5200 miles on it with the standard DB3 brakes, and have never had any problems. I do try and look after my stuff though.
I am actually still on the original chain/cassette and chainring!

The only reason to go for the Dune would be for the hub sizes which gives you the bigger availability of upgrades should you want them.
With the OO Fatty 135/170 QR, you are very limited in that department, especially in the secondhand market, although, I was very lucky to eventually get myself Rolling Daryl & Clownshoe built wheels secondhand that had the correct hubs and spacing 🙂