Anyone Ride Fat Bikes?

small sample size admitedly, but the weight issue on fat bikes is overblown I think. i'm in pretty rough shape right now, and was half expecting the 1500g tires to kill me. but it wasn't nearly the chore to wind them up and keep them rolling that I was expectng. i imagine your talking from experience though garret. you getting some fat bike time on them thar icy plains?

I only rode three fatbikes in Regina, two aluminum Salsa Mukluks (one with 4.8's and the other with 4.0's), and an old steel Surly Pugsley. I think I put over 60km on each though.

The geometry and spec of the steel Surly was so much different than the two Mukluks that it's hard for me to make any comment on the material. It's just my general feeling that the benefits of the steel frame wouldn't be enough to choose it over another materiel. You're going to be sacrificing both weight and money (money would be relative to the On One frame you posted).

I'm not saying weight is super important. Geometry will probably be the biggest factor in how much fun you have on your fatbike, followed by tire choice, followed by other component choice, followed by overall weight. Also extremely important is the area you live in and whether or not your friends have them.

Regardless of its level of importance, a lighter weight should make the bike a little more maneuverable. A fatbike isn't agile by nature, but I think lightening it up might make it a little more playful. I'm not saying sink thousands into saving a few grams, but if the price was the same I'd go for the lighter weight over the more forgiving material on a fatbike. Especially since fatbikes have big squishy tires, hoards of grip, and are generally ridden less aggressively on softer soils (snow, sand, mud).

article says frame only starting at $1550..little too pricey for this guy when Surly is putting out some nice completes for not much more

Or just do what I did in 2007. Buy what I could afford at the time instead of what I wanted. And when I finally had the oppurtunity presented itself to get a frame second hand. The one I had originally wanted mystically appeared.

Though I am curious about Surface and Rootdown and the spacing of the chainstays. I say this as apparently on some 29er frames you could build up a 650b wheel and mount the new 2.7 650b tires available.

Gots me an icecream truck. More better for general bashing around than Moonlander. It just wants to GO. Feels much lighter than the moonlander, but is "only" about 1kg less hefty.

I rented some of those for a buddy and I to rip around Edmonton for the last few days - they're awesome and just get better as you get used to em. Both him and the guy we took out for a quick lap are getting fatties right away. I really really want one but will take my time and do it as cheaply as possible as it'll just be my "Edmonton bike". a small bit of air at the Edmonton ski club.

No. Nobody rides fat bikes, ever.

My sister was riding a Bluto equipped Bigfoot E-Fatbike over the Xmas break :cry:

we just did a friday ride up the callaghan valley on groomed xc ski trails on fat bikes and it was surprisingly kind of fun. as long as you're on firm snow they rode great. the are a chore to climb, but they get up just about anything if you've got the horsepower. the climb to journeyman cabin was surprisingly painless, and the rip down was very amusing.

the surly bud/lou combo was vastly superior over the various other combos in the group. no reason to go under 5". some of the 3-4" tires were breaking through the snow and bogging down.

fat bikes have a very narrow spectrum of functionality, imho. this is the first ride i enjoyed them on. i don't understand their appeal on dirt, nor in fresh snow (where they are very nearly useless, especially compared to skis, etc).

we just did a friday ride up the callaghan valley on groomed xc ski trails on fat bikes and it was surprisingly kind of fun. as long as you're on firm snow they rode great. the are a chore to climb, but they get up just about anything if you've got the horsepower. the climb to journeyman cabin was surprisingly painless, and the rip down was very amusing.

the surly bud/lou combo was vastly superior over the various other combos in the group. no reason to go under 5". some of the 3-4" tires were breaking through the snow and bogging down.

fat bikes have a very narrow spectrum of functionality, imho. this is the first ride i enjoyed them on. i don't understand their appeal on dirt, nor in fresh snow (where they are very nearly useless, especially compared to skis, etc).

You can ride them in fresh snow… at least I do. Mostly singletrack. You just have to keep on top of pushing in fresh tracks so the snow doesn't get too deep.

yes, they can indeed be ridden in fresh snow, so long as its light and not too deep.
but to me it feels kind of silly, and i'd rather go skiing.

Times like this when there's no new snow and skiing isn't great seems like the time to take them out. Might go again tomorrow on a rental again.

I had my buddy build me this one. It's low, slack, and strong for riding in snow and dirt and rock. The frame is steel and the total bike weight is 32lbs. I was kind of expecting it handle and ride sluggishly but I couldn't have been more wrong. The bike pedals surprisingly well and the tires just plow over chunk.

For my maiden voyage I did a long ride in the snow with a bunch of different conditions from super packed to 5" of fresh. We also hit some pretty steep climbs and descents that got the bike up to speed really quick. Overall I came away with big grins on my face from a killer ride in the snow.

I did a ride last night on my local rocky technical trails and was blown away at how well it rolled over the chunk and how much traction I had for climbing. The slow technical stuff was more of a challenge but once you got your momentum going it would plow over things that would bottom out the shocks on a skinny bike. I felt like I was just as fast and maybe faster than on my skinny bike.

I just rode one for the first time. I have to say, I don't get what the hype is all about.

Instead of getting into it, just read this: http://factionsk8.blogspot.ca/2015/01/fat-bikes-hmm.html

It was only one ride, although I did come back with a good sense of how they perform because conditions were varied.

I just rode one for the first time. I have to say, I don't get what the hype is all about.

Instead of getting into it, just read this: http://factionsk8.blogspot.ca/2015/01/fat-bikes-hmm.html

It was only one ride, although I did come back with a good sense of how they perform because conditions were varied.

Thanks for sharing the review Wayne.

I had my buddy build me this one.

looks pretty sweet. edit: i didn't know wraith did custom work - nice! i get a solid vibe from their stuff

I did a ride last night on my local rocky technical trails and was blown away at how well it rolled over the chunk and how much traction I had for climbing.

yep!