Have Fat Bikes Jumped the Shark?

[Kirk Pacenti]

As seen in Toys-R-Us last night...

[thirdgenbird]

Walmart too. Kind of looks fun.

[fiamme red]

A 1949 Triumph Trophy TR5 was more Fonzie's style. :)

http://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/upload/public/docimages/Image/o/q/v/fonz-motorcycle-bonhams410.jpg

[Richard]

I think they were born halfway across the tank!

[avalonracing]

That 40lb fat bike isn't jumping ANYTHING!

[Black Dog]

What is the intended purpose of this bike.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DnPwaEn8aGE/TM61Qc-ZuEI/AAAAAAAAMB8/TqkH-Er_SUA/s1600/fonzie.jpg

[jds108]

What is the intended purpose of this bike.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DnPwaEn8aGE/TM61Qc-ZuEI/AAAAAAAAMB8/TqkH-Er_SUA/s1600/fonzie.jpg

To have fun!

[thirdgenbird]

I would have one if I were a few miles from a beach.

[stien]

I've seen lots of discussion about upgrading the single speed Walmart fat bikes. Pretty cool.

[fiataccompli]

I wonder what the weight difference is between the walmart fat bike vs. the boutique fat bike

[fiataccompli]

..not that it matters...

[Keith A]

Don't know if you guys saw this, but here's a guy racing one of those bikes at the 2013 Sea Otter Classic...
http://www.bikemag.com/news/news-fat-and-furious/

[Fishbike]

Ya know that hunk of metal and rubber may be fun for a few rides a year when the winter is making you stir crazy. I would not likely invest $1500 or more in a fat bike. But $250?

And rider height 5'3" to 6'2"! And to think you silly folks fret over a centimeter here and there!!!

[druptight]

Don't know if you guys saw this, but here's a guy racing one of those bikes at the 2013 Sea Otter Classic...
http://www.bikemag.com/news/news-fat-and-furious/

Kieth beat me to it. Hilarious that this guy tore it up on a wallymart fat bike.

[Kirk Pacenti]

You know that is funny, but would be even more hysterical if Manuel Beastly wasn't Adam Craig! ;)

[Kirk Pacenti]

Ya know that hunk of metal and rubber may be fun for a few rides a year when the winter is making you stir crazy. I would not likely invest $1500 or more in a fat bike. But $250?

After some consideration, maybe this is where these bikes make the most sense?

For the record, I've got nothing against fat bikes. I think they are pretty neat, but not something I'd seriously consider buying. I could see having one at $250 to mess around on... for $1,500+, not so much.

[fourflys]

I was just out the other day with no snow in sight on my fat bike and had a blast... will I be doing a century on it anytime soon? not on your life, but that isn't the point of the bike... this bike takes me back to when I was 10 y/o and ripping around the neighborhood on my BMX bike... just a totally different feeling than my road or MTN bikes... it just won't make sense until you ride one...

https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1.0-9/10246245_10202630671902434_7445059941991780737_n.j pg

[BumbleBeeDave]

Enough other people will . . . then ride them twice and throw them in the garage . . . then put them on eBay! :p

BBD

[fiataccompli]

Yeah, as a 25$ garage sale find, I'd enjoy the heck out of one. Unfortunately, I'm probably out riding on most Saturday mornings, so I doubt I'll find one

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

[BumbleBeeDave]

Guys get the bug, go out and buy a bike, do two races, decide this is not fore them, and off to the 'Bay they go!

BBD

[pavel]

just in case the shark has not been jumped over sufficiently:

http://luxurylaunches.com/transport/made-from-solid-gold-the-worlds-most-expensive-extreme-mountain-bike-costs-a-staggering-1m.php


http://luxurylaunches.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/24k-gold-extreme-mountain-bike-3.jpg

[thirdgenbird]

Enough other people will . . . then ride them twice and throw them in the garage . . . then put them on eBay! :p

BBD

Around here its cheaper to buy a department store bike new from the store than it is off craigslist. Or at least it seems that way...

[JAGI410]

I agree with fourflys, it's the fat tire fountain of youth! But the prices are ridiculous! As someone with a spendy boutique fatty, the $250 versions do annoy me. But at the same time, I kinda want one to do dumb stuff on that I don't want to subject my fancy fatty to.

[jr59]

You know that is funny, but would be even more hysterical if Manuel Beastly wasn't Adam Craig! ;)

Didn't somebody say, it's not about the bike?

[93legendti]

I have been eyeing this one...http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1159582_-1___000000

[pinkshogun]

a 650b fat bike is the next big thing

[victoryfactory]

...

[dogdriver]

I have been eyeing this one...http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1159582_-1___000000

Sweet. As long as the components are good enough quality to not self-destruct on the ride, I think its perfect.

As for me, I'm on my fat bike for the heartbeats and to be outside rather than in the garage on a trainer, so could care less about weight or zoot factor (disclaimer-- my current chubby is a stock Moonlander with an upgraded handlebar and seat). If you have the coin to drop $7000 on a 22 pound fat bike, more power to you-- after all, anything worth doing is worth over-doing, isn't it?

The presence of a cheap knockoff in WalMart tells me nothing but the acceptance of the style across the spectrum of consumers. After all, WMT also has cheap mtb and road bikes, and I've never heard anyone declare that this proves the passing of Moots or Turner. I get more of a giggle watching a guy go around Central Park at 14mph on a $20,000 road bike than seeing a $250 Pugsley imitation in a big-box store...