A bit of history? Or not.

[M_A_Martin]

I post for your consideration a Yo Eddy Fat Chance in lovely purple and orange. The somewhat worn light blue sticker on the seat tube just below the top tube says "Made in Saratoga". The guys at the bike shop alluded that this was a Serotta-built Fat Chance.

Can you tell me the story of how Serotta came to build Fat City Cycles mountain bikes? Just what is Chris Chance doing these days?

I'm looking forward to riding this bike, its been hanging around the basement for a while and I'm just getting around to cleaning and building it up. The Yo Eddy has quite a reputation.

Thanks!
Ginger

P.S. For those climbing in the way-back machine, that's a Nuke Proof headset.

[pale scotsman]

Hi MA, check out http://www.firstflightbikes.com/fat.htm for a little history.

Fat City went into a "partnership" with Serotta starting in '94 for a few years.

Cool Frame! :beer:

[M_A_Martin]

Thanks!

I knew that information had to be out there somewhere. It "appears" to be a '98, or possibly a '99. The information isn't incredibly clear if when Chris Chance split his company whether "frame production remained in Saratoga" means it was still with Serotta or not... but it appears that it is perhaps a Serotta-built Fat Chance.

tee hee...

[stackie]

I'm talking of the top of my head on this, so if I've made a mistake, please don't crucify me.

The original Fat Chance bicycles (and Slim Chance for the roadie) were built in Somerville. When Fat City was sold to the same corp who once owned Serotta, their production was moved to Saratoga Springs. Any Fat bike with a Saratoga Springs sticker should be a Serotta produced model. I don't think Chris Chance is in the bike industry anymore, unfortunately. However, I think almost everyone else from Fat went on to form Independent Fabrication. At least, all of the founding fathers of IF, save one, were from Fat City.

Check out www.ifbikes.com and look at their section on who we are. Neat story.

Chris Chance is certainly a tragic loss to the bicycle industry as is Tim Isaac of Match. I truly wish these two were stilling torching frames.

Still kicking myself for losing an ebay auction for a NOS Fat Chance in my size last year and for losing an ebay auction for 1979 Trek (Joe Stark/Tim Isaac era) about a month ago. I've got to learn to stop being a cheapskate.

Jon

[PhatMatt]

Jon...if you ever find my old Wicked Fat Chance, stolen by Christian Jones, ex-Rhygyn builder, snap it up! It was a sweet old bike...steel-blue to silver fade...sigh.

Anyway as I understood the Fat Chance/Serotta move in the mid-90's was that both Ben and Chris sold their controlling interests in their companies to the same company but continued to work independently from each other. I was under the impression that a Serotta built Fat Chance isn't even a thing that ever existed or happened.

Is that wrong?

[Smiley]

Ginger, Archie Cox Jr had owned Serotta and then bought Chris Chances business to merge them both into one production facility NONE of the employee's of Fat move to NY to work here other than Chris and His wife Wendyll . Anyway the thought was to build MTB under the Chance name and road bikes under Serotta and the business would level out seasonally having two distinct brands. I rep'd both Serotta and Fat during these times and got to know Chris and Wendyll at this juncture. Chris is out of the bike biz and so is Wendyll . Yo Eddy frames typically had a long TT and were built in the manner that Chris liked and when they started building in Glens Falls with Serotta hands the truth was the frames fit and finish was much better . Chris though did not want to use Reynolds tubes or any tech ideas Ben had and thats were both companies failed to capitalize on cross pollination of good technology. Heck the last attempt of Chris Chance to build a full suspension MTB was the Shock A Billy incase anybody remembers the 10 or so that were sold. Call me if you want any more low down and good stuff on FAT .

[zap]

Hmm, so I should feel special as I rode a Shock a Billy when Chris came to town back in '96. PPTC's annual meeting if I'm not mistaken.

Sweet bikes. A shame to see Chris leave the biz.

Doesn't ToooTalll have a Fat Chance?

[bulliedawg]

I know this: My 1993 Yo is the best riding bike, mountain or road, that I've ever thrown a leg over. It's collecting dust in my garage, and every now and then Wifey flicks her wrist in its direction, "You never ride that bike anymore. Why don't you just get rid of it?" And I bow my back!

[M_A_Martin]

Bulli,
If you ever decide to give in, I know several people who would give it a good home. Plenty of people ooo and ah over the dirty little thing.

If only I could find one of those sweet Fat Chance rigid forks for it.