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So as promised I thought I would get a thread going to see what fat bikes people are loving at the mo.
Waiting for my Marge lites with Alfine to be built up this week to complete my pugsley build, will post some pics to show the build story when I can remember how to post pics!
I’ve become a little fat bike obsessed at the moment and with global fat bike day around the corner it gives an excuse to get some readers rides pics on the forum to ogle over as well as advice/experiences.
Dont leave me hanging✊
Another Pug owner here. I will have had mine 3 years tomorrow.
I haven't got a picture to post but it was on fat-bike.com a while back.
not got a fat bike.
lusting after this tho.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/fatboy-comp-carbon/p/154358?color=236321-154358
I think I've changed every component on my felt dd other than the frame......

Singular Puffin

Oh, there's something fat bike related in the pipeline 😉
Foto link fail
Deleted

???
I keep swithering between my two. I really can't justify keeping them both, but I transfer the wheels and various components onto one frame, ride it and think it's brilliant. Then transfer them back to the other frame, ride that and think that's brilliant too. Luckily the fatbike bubble has burst and nobody is interested in either of them, so I can play this game for as long as I like 🙂
In the blue corner we have the ICT. Heavy, flexy, possibly a bit short for me, but looks great and so much fun to ride.

In the green (and a bit orange) corner we have the Dude. Lighter, stiffer fits me better. In fact better all round really, but never feels quite as fun or looks as good (to my eyes).

Salsa beargrease here. Only mods carbon bars ( narrower) and seatpost, shorter stem, hope brakes, full mudhuggers front and rear, tubeless. Ends up same weight as stock but has pedals which the stock weighed one does not 😉
PSA: Anyone beargrease curious
https://www.merlincycles.com/salsa-beargrease-alloy-x5-fat-bike-2017-108268.html

Super-cold -25C on the Ounasjoki River, Rovaniemi earlier this year. Barely a breath of wind and blue skies but stop for a minute and you could really feel the cold - fortunately the ski-tracks were solid and we were barely marking the surface. Bike is custom titanium frame and forks, 90mm carbon rims.
I won this Swiss Transalpes... so Ms Rickmistress got it. I prefer the 9:Zero:7 frames
https://www.flickr.com/photos/musselburghbikers/24938713908/in/dateposted-public/
I've had my Salsa Mukluk 5 years now and the Salsa Bucksaw 2 years. Both are great!
Go on then, I love posting my pics of my fat bikes!
This was from Saturday morning:
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4909/44104929800_484525aefe_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4909/44104929800_484525aefe_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2acpi39 ]20181117_074858[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/150809418@N08/ ]Jeff Price[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/972/42000321331_d8ce909f69_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/972/42000321331_d8ce909f69_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/26ZqCge ]20180507_080052[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/150809418@N08/ ]Jeff Price[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1724/40685883090_8f7020a143_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1724/40685883090_8f7020a143_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/24ZgMyW ]20180529_084756[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/150809418@N08/ ]Jeff Price[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4418/35969474040_4afdf375e1_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4418/35969474040_4afdf375e1_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/WNuXtw ]20170728_114452[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/150809418@N08/ ]Jeff Price[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4263/35720920461_1dabb1ec5f_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4263/35720920461_1dabb1ec5f_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Wqx49Z ]DSCN4244[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/150809418@N08/ ]Jeff Price[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4216/35853253755_12eb4bf6aa_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4216/35853253755_12eb4bf6aa_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/WCeiev ]20160529_182228[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/150809418@N08/ ]Jeff Price[/url], on Flickr
For me fat bikes are friggin awesome!
My current debate is about future upgrades to the Calibre Dune. Either upgrade all the running gear, 1x11 or 1x12, hydraulic brakes, second set of tyres. Or, get some sort of suspension fork, i.e. a Lauf Carbonara, just to ease the chatter. Or, go all in on some snazzy bike packing kit. Choices, choices…

Rick - do you still have that green carbon frame ?
Wozo
Loving my ice cream truck. I now think of it as my bike rather than my fat bike. Put 29+ tyres on it once. Don't know how people get around on something so skinny. 

Specialized Fatboy for me; great fun and only minor changes since new, dropper post, SLX brakes and tubeless set up.
Colin, PM sent
My Dune recently.
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1746/28629747838_834136a008_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1746/28629747838_834136a008_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/KBUWA3 ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/79912681@N06/ ]kayak23[/url], on Flickr
I've kept it 100% original, except for carbon bars, new grips, 1x11 with a Sunrace cassette, different pedals, Reverb post, different saddle, hydraulic brakes, tubeless, Jimbo Jim 4.8 tyres and a Gusset stem. Apart from that, showroom spec.
Ah, Trigger's Broom 🙂
Had, OO Fatty trail, Loved it!
Had, Surly Wednesday, Loved that too
Currently, Canyon Dude carbon, Totally in Love with it 🙂
Sonder Vir Fortis, now with Surly Edna 4.3 on the front and a 4.0 Nate on the back .
On One Fatty Trail, now with 4.8 Minion FBR on the front and 4.0 Nate on the back and rear Mudhugger to go with a Mucky Nutz Fat Fender up front .
https://instagram.com/p/BZgPl_7DPx4/
https://instagram.com/p/BQsOxbADsVj/
I bought a Felt DD70 on a whim but it's the most fun bike I own. It's standard apart from deore brakes and 1x11 gears.
Only made it out in the snow once.

Primary bike for towing the kids around in the bike trailer (although not usually on a pump track!)

That half pricep Beargrease on Merlin - why did I click on that link!?
That half pricep Beargrease on Merlin – why did I click on that link!?
Go on, you know you want it! That's exactly how I ended up with the Felt DD from Merlin
Salsa Bucksaw ownership imminent as a result of the Merlin site.... 😄👍🏻

Mine s an On-One Fatty Trail. It’s a cracker
Spesh Fatboy - heavily upgraded - for summer hooning around

And the ICT for sand, snow and shit. Weighs a tonne but sooo nice to ride.

Any excuse to post Fatty photos...
Love my Puffin. Its just bloody ace.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4181/34320966602_0f5b660ceb_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4181/34320966602_0f5b660ceb_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/UhPVDu ]Puffin - just getting on with it. No colour matching here. Or tartan. :-)[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr
My lads eventually muscled in on the scene too.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4460/38021583116_3afd69eb33_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4460/38021583116_3afd69eb33_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ZVQy1u ]FoD Fat[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr
It wasn't that steep, I can assure you.
Stupid bloody forum. 🙂
Behold! Freshly repainted and blinged, should have the finishing touches (Alfine on Marge lites) added by the end of the week. Serious pug love going on.
Just bought a Mukluk.....combination of half price and 0% was just too much.
Am I mad?
Just bought a Mukluk…..combination of half price and 0% was just too much.
Am I mad?
Probably. I’ve just done the same. Great spec for the price with the exception of brakes.
Yep. Alternate drop outs , internal routing and carbon fork swung it for me over the beargrease despite my slight reservations on the 4.8 tyres!
Still I'm thinking that a pair of 27.5+ wheels might make a good alternative wheelset somewhere down the line for summer riding
Haven't been this excited about a bike for a while hope it isn't a let down...
Chinese carbon fattie here. I've thought about b+ wheels, but 4" JJs on 45s did such a fine job this summer I'll not bother.
120mm Bluto and dropper.
South Downs, Wales, Scotland, Alps, been a fun year 🙂
I've got an Ican Chinese full suss fatty I use it all year round and for everything, I love it and wouldn't want to go back skinny again. The one thing I would like to try is a skinnier rim I run 4 inch tyres on 80 mm halo rims which have been great just curious as to how skinny I could go maybe a trials rim. I don't ride beaches very often it's mainly xc and trail centre stuff every now and then so a bit lighter rim tyre combo might be interesting. I think fat bikes have died off a bit but still great fun

Just bought a Mukluk…..combination of half price and 0% was just too much
am I mad?
Certainly not! Or, at least, if you are then I am too
20% off at Go Outdoors from 21st - 27th Nov.
£480 for a Calibre Dune has to be a bargain.
🙂
Have just built some Hope Fatsno and Nextie 65mm rims for my 2015 Trek Farley. Stuck with a 4” tyre with the frame so made sense to save some weight on the rim.
Along with a Trek Haru carbon fork off a later model it’s transformed the steering and eliminated any self steering which I got once below about 8psi.
Conditions aren’t good at the moment but expect it’s quite a bit faster too. Atleast 1.5lb off rotating mass, and another lb from the fork
Just a quick one... Why are my pics not showing? I've copied the BB code from Flickr and pasted it into the text box. The preview is just showing the text from the BB code.
It's the editor used by the new forum code, you have to use the "insert picture" tool at the RH end of the toolbar. Paste the Flikr BB code but then you have to remove the [ img ] & [ /img ] around the URI of the picture.
Still doesn't seem to be working. Thanks anyway. It's not even a decent picture!
Or just copy/paste the url of the Flickr page in to the text box. This what I do. Don’t worry about what shows in the preview
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4841/32161718008_2b8d18cd40_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4841/32161718008_2b8d18cd40_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/R12dgs ]New bike day![/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61823713@N06/ ]andyflaw[/url], on Flickr
Success!
So this arrived today. Sorry for the terrible pic. First job is to have a go at tubeless. I'm expecting to swap the mechanical brakes out but i'll give them a chance first.
Dropper and bluto for the future maybe.
Dropper and bluto for the future maybe.
Definitely dropper, but I didn’t fit my bluto to my mukluk when I got it, and I really don’t miss it, so much that I sold the bluto.
Tubeless and dropper first then. I'll give it some thought before I splash out on the Bluto. Would be nice to keep it simple and save a bit of weight if I can.
Custom made out of 853 for its previous owner, who thankfully has the same taste in bikes and the same dimensions as me. It’s based on a Stooge but slightly higher up front, can run a Rohloff but I’ve not bothered with swapping it over yet. It’s my go-to exploration bike, good for everything although other bikes are faster on actual trails.
Ti truss fork from XACD, Salsa Salt Flat Ti bar and now sports a Kent Eriksen sweetpost from the classifieds. Very comfy
I assumed I'd fit a bluto, it was one of the selling points for me with the dune. Never will, though.
@andyflaw got mine today as well!
Deffo don't rush for a Bluto the oem carbon forks are a real plus on this bike from what mates in us have told me. But I've already ordered some new brakes....those hayes are comedy crap.
How is your 1 x11? If you back pedal when on the lowest gear (large sprocket) does the chain drop down the cassette to a smaller sprocket?
Hi,
Very interested in the Mukluk, can anyone give me feedback on how it sizes up. At 5"10" is the medium a good fit?
Thanks
I’ve got a Bluto in the shed if anyone is interested. I’ve fitted it to an ICT and a Dude. Even bought matching stickers for it each time (so currently orange) but found I actually preferred both bikes rigid.
I’ve already ordered some new brakes
What did you go for?
Very interested in the Mukluk, can anyone give me feedback on how it sizes up. At 5″10″ is the medium a good fit?
I’m 5’10” on a medium. According to the size guide 5’10” is bang in the middle of a medium. I’m sick of being in between sizes so I’m hoping that the mukluk will be a good fit. Not ridden mine yet so I can’t give you any more info other than it feels ok when riding it up my driveway.
I'm 6ft and bought a large. Not ridden in anger but riding round my unit it feels perfect as I like a bike slightly sized up rather than down with quite a long effective tt at 636mm
@andyflaw SLX from Merlin
Behold! The pug is finished!
And the reason i 'needed' (i.e. justified to myself) her:
Very pleased, loving the mukluks by the way.
Large with a 170mm reverb. I’m 6’ and a bit
Dunno, LBS did it 😉 there’s two ways of doing it, there’s a hole in the seat and downtube so you can route it that way, or you can go through the BB shell, which is what the LBS did, so no protruding hose 😊 they did mention it being a tough job though, and had no problems in the 10 months I’ve had it.
Thanks. Was thinking bb shell for mine but wanted you to say - yeah piece of cake....
On the other hand, having a rigid ss 29er I'd thought a Bluto would be a heavy waste on the fattie. Nope, with dropper it turns the fattie into a trail warrior. So it stays on, except for long xc adventures where I put the carbon back on and it's like having another bike.
*didn’t, too late to edit, didn’t say it was hard to do.
How is your 1 x11? If you back pedal when on the lowest gear (large sprocket) does the chain drop down the cassette to a smaller sprocket?
Just tested this. Seems to change up and down the block smoothly but it does change when back pedalling. I can't see it being too much of a problem and maybe won't happen when the chain loosens off a bit?
@richardthird Yes, I think it probably depends what else If anything) you ride. Sticking a bluto* on a fatbike does make it a much better trail bike. But I have a (full-suss) trail bike so quite like my fatbike to be something different. If it were my only bike, or my other bike was rigid I'd probably feel very different about the bluto.
*and dropper of course, but I wouldn't (or rather can't) ride anything without a dropper offroad these days.
@moorsey72 Great looking bike. Did you actually enjoy the beach ride though. I've tried a few times, but just can't seem to feel the love. I know some folk love it though so I guess I'm just not trying hard enough.
Had a Mukluk for 9 months now. Got mine from Merlin when they were reduced. Got the medium (5'10) and it fits perfectly. First to go were the brakes. Just terrible. Fitted hope x2's.
Mastodons up front. Far better than Bluto's. Dropped post. Jumbo Jim's 4.8. Amazing bike. Love riding it.
First outing today. Local trails (friston woods) were not unexpectedly a swamp.
Really positive first impressions. Seems to be the ideal bike for winter with almost unlimited grip but not a pig to handle. Climbs better than I thought it would and while its not fast it is faster than I would have been on my normal hardtail as it didn't keep spinning out.
Downhill its faster in these conditions too as it just doesn't care about muddy roots or deep rutted sections - rides over everything!
Got some self steering issues which can probably be cured by fiddling with pressures and clearly the brakes were put on as a joke and it needs a dropper AND mudguards....but wow how much fun on a wet rubbush day when I woyldn't have bothered normally
Roverpig - thanks mate. Yes loving the beach thing, its quite varied on the wirral coastline though, sandy, pebbles, then goes to marshland towards the end of the estuary. Stunning sunsets and sunrises if you time it right, can also just hop off onto the Wirral way (bridleway) if it gets heavy going. I also spend a bit of time on the road bike so its a nice alternative. Looking forward to taking it over to north wales for some trails though.
Whilst all the fatties are here, does anyone have a set of forks going spare?
I've been short of a set to finish a build for ages!
150x15, and as tall as possible to match a 120mm bluto.
Ta.


I love my Ice Cream Truck, it's a tank, but you can pretty much do whatever you like on it.
That beargrease on Merlin...
According to Salsa you want to be 175cm for a medium, I'm only about 173.5ish, so it'd be too big yeah...though it does come with a 70mm stem which is quite long nowdays? Not sure if I want talking in or out of it.
@Winston I'm a Friston local too. There's only a couple of us fatties I see in there. JJs are terrible in the slop though so I'm on the rigid SS until it's either frozen or dry.
Enjoy!
another truck...love it, its my second one,
the first was an M..this is L, im 6 and a bit
M was fine but seatpost extension was ..mmhh.."impressive"..(long legs)
just changed to ednas for the winter...
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It all depends what you want a fatbike for.
If you are going to use it around your trail centre just look for a fat version of your trail centre style bike (although plus sizes make more sense than fat for that IMO).
If you are going to use it for going into places where other bikes can't go, or find it hard to go, eg snow or bogs or deep sand or icy ruts, then it's all about the characteristics that make it handle well in those situations. I prefer the early models of fatbikes because they were built for that with little concession for other uses (eg steeper HAs because no need to provide for suspension). I have several fatbikes, and I still pick the early versions, ie Pugsley or 1st model 907 for what I call proper fatbike riding.
That said, first consideration on a fatbike should be the tyres and wheels. Tyres should be as supple as possible for ease of pedalling.
I prefer the early models of fatbikes because they were built for that with little concession for other uses (eg steeper HAs because no need to provide for suspension).
That is certainly where I am at with my fat bike. Kind of reminds me of the freedom my very first MTB (ATB) gave me.
According to Salsa you want to be 175cm for a medium, I’m only about 173.5ish, so it’d be too big yeah…though it does come with a 70mm stem which is quite long nowdays? Not sure if I want talking in or out of it.
If I was buying that frame I'd buy a medium and I'm 172cm. That's based on my current fatbike having an ETT of 602mm, only 3mm shorter than the Beargrease.


