Fat Bike

[westrnwild]

ive been doing a lot of research on just this. I have Felt Mountain Bike now and i some times have used my friends Kona full supspension, both great bikes. My buddy has a friend who does custom build Fat Bikes that he uses up in Silverthorne and i thought about buying one of his, however he told me to check out Salsa cycles. They make some awesome bikes from the ones i test rode, and even have some different designs then the the average bike companies. I have been impressed with Salsa and i think ill either go with the Beargrease, Mukluck or the Timberjack with 3+ inch tires. The timberjack might be the winner cause its more nimble, which would be nice here in Colorado for hunting and adventure.

 

[go4thegusto]

Thanks for all the responses. I really know absolutely nothing about bikes but have really been doing alot of research the last week. The more I read, the more I am thinking I may not really need a fat bike. I use my bike primarily to access deer and turkey spots in western Nebraska and eastern Colorado, and ride alot around town for exercise.
The more I read, the more I am thinking about a 27.5" tire, 2.8 or 3" in more of a "bikepacking" style bike. Anyone ever build a bike with the sole intention of it being a hunting bike? What kind of frame or geometry should one look for? For hauling weight wouldn't a slightly longer wheelbase be what you want?

I did the same research for same purpose. I believe the fat bikes are heavy and over-kill unless beach or snow riding. I bought a Surly Krampus with 29X3 tires and absolutely love it even on gravel and hard pack. You can run the tires around 10-15 psi and the bike is still quick and smooth. Some good racks and you are ready to go. I am looking into removing tubes and running tubeless next year to cut a couple more pounds.

 

[Lukem]

I don't mean to hurt the fatbikers feelings, but yea they have thier place, fast and efficient dry terrain is not it for me. When I bike I want to get the most out of my bike not be pushing heavy, energy robbing wheels just for the sake of it. And don't be brainwashed, if plus and fatties were more efficient everyone would be racing them.

Ha, you won't hurt my feelings. I never said they were fast and efficient, but if that's the route we're going we should sell him on a cyclocross bike for speed and efficiency, or bomber downhiller if he doesn't mind walking up hill, but those wouldn't serve the purpose that he's looking for. However, one cannot argue that all things equal, a wider tire has lower rolling resistance than a narrower tire. A wider tire will handle rough terrain better than a narrower one. Yes, there comes a point at which weight becomes an issue. But the rougher the terrain, the higher that tolerance goes. Why else do the hardcore narrow wheel guys call plus bikes "dumbing down" the trail? It makes the terrain easier, and for the most part faster for the average rider (that isn't taking corners at 45mph). Are 27.5+ wheels and tyres better than 29ers? - BikeRadar USA Full on racing downhill is entirely different (and really not comparable to this conversation anyway.)

Also, as to the climbing issue, yes fatbikes may climb slower, but that's due to weight. Buy a carbon bike and get it down to 24# (or less) and it'd climb fine. Additionally, due to the increased traction, with a fatbike and the gearing that most of them have, you can climb steeper grades than you can with a narrow tire mtb. If you find yourself walking a fat when you think you should be riding, it's because you're in the wrong gear.

I don't ride a fat for the speed, I ride it for the comfort and the fun of riding wherever I want without having to think about it. Like the borrow pile on the edge of a gravel road if I care to. Or the ditch, or a cornfield, or....

All of this to say he needs to pick the bike that will suit what he's doing. There's a reason that the bikepackers pick plus and fat bikes. We aren't riding packed singletrack. Unkept fire roads, pine duff, etc-larger tires will handle questionable ground better.

 

[Floorguy]

Ha, you won't hurt my feelings. I never said they were fast and efficient, but if that's the route we're going we should sell him on a cyclocross bike for speed and efficiency, or bomber downhiller if he doesn't mind walking up hill, but those wouldn't serve the purpose that he's looking for. However, one cannot argue that all things equal, a wider tire has lower rolling resistance than a narrower tire. A wider tire will handle rough terrain better than a narrower one. Yes, there comes a point at which weight becomes an issue. But the rougher the terrain, the higher that tolerance goes. Why else do the hardcore narrow wheel guys call plus bikes "dumbing down" the trail? It makes the terrain easier, and for the most part faster for the average rider (that isn't taking corners at 45mph). Are 27.5+ wheels and tyres better than 29ers? - BikeRadar USA Full on racing downhill is entirely different (and really not comparable to this conversation anyway.)

Also, as to the climbing issue, yes fatbikes may climb slower, but that's due to weight. Buy a carbon bike and get it down to 24# (or less) and it'd climb fine. Additionally, due to the increased traction, with a fatbike and the gearing that most of them have, you can climb steeper grades than you can with a narrow tire mtb. If you find yourself walking a fat when you think you should be riding, it's because you're in the wrong gear.

I don't ride a fat for the speed, I ride it for the comfort and the fun of riding wherever I want without having to think about it. Like the borrow pile on the edge of a gravel road if I care to. Or the ditch, or a cornfield, or....

All of this to say he needs to pick the bike that will suite what he's doing. There's a reason that the bikepackers pick plus and fat bikes. We aren't riding packed singletrack. Unkept fire roads, pine duff, etc-larger tires will handle questionable ground better.

Well said. I agree completely.

The slowness isn't the weight of the actual bike it's the tires and even that weight isn't bad what makes it slower is the rotational mass.

So how much does a krampus weigh and for those recommending it what is your recommendation now that surly has discontinued the krampus?

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[Lukem]

Yup, rotational mass. Self steer isn't preferable in downhill racing either.

Krampus is still in production line. ECR would be another good Surly option. A lot of good options out there with all the other brands. Salsa now has the Fargo as 27+ even.

IMO Buy fat and get an extra wheelset that might fit other conditions if you want. You can always fit skinnier tires on a fat frame, can't go the other way.

 

[Lawnboi]

I totally understand your reasoning behind the fatty but whole heartedly disagree on application and that's okay, that's why they make different bikes. I'm not anti fat bike I just greatly prefer what I like to ride, I don't like riding something I feel like I'm fighting with. I ride a lot and very little of it is with any camping equipment, just stating my preference. I also ride lots of gravel road, single track trails of all kinds and have ridden a bit in many different areas and Its just my opinion that the Fattie is not the best tool for the job if the ground is not covered in snow or sandy, comfortable yea maybe depending on opinion, but to me comfort is not having my legs screaming after a jaunt that would leave me fresh on my 29er. I still think the bigger 29er tires are the best all rounders.

And I'll end with this, go to local bike shops and demo the bikes your looking at, maybe a few different kinds, on the types of terrain you plan on riding and let your body decide what's best for you. Lots and lots of shops to demo bikes in co.

I won't even get into an arguement of dumbing down trails, I can save that one for another thread hahah.

 

[Floorguy]

Self steer is almost totally tire choice and pressure dependant. My panaracer fat b nimbles and my winter studded Dillinger 5's don't have it. Vee rubber tires do. Running low pressure on hardback or asphalt/concrete will give you self steer. Running high pressure in soft snow will cause you to fight as well.

Fat doesn't mean slow either. There was a team of fatbikers for the fireweed 500 road race last year that placed respectably, sure they would have been faster on road bikes but there were plenty of decent teams that finished behind them.

Again it's a tool pick the best one for your purposes. For some of the pics of trails I have seen you could almost be better served in some locations with a flat bar cross bike.

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