I Want A Fattie ...

[tlarwa]

Bike, that is

So I've really gotten into this gravel thing, after being pretty much a dedicated roadie for the past 25 years. In fact, the last mountain bike I bought was a Stumpjumper, and that was in the '80's. Anyway, I'm jonesing for a fat tire bike, but I don't know much about them. So I'm looking for some advice. My plan would be to use it for some singletrack riding (there are some good trails that my club hit up, and I can never join them), but primarily I want to be able to ride through the WI winter (on my Marin gravel bike when it's dry and the fattie when it's snowy). I don't want to spend a fortune, and am more than happy to buy used (would prefer it, if I can get more bike). Let's say the budget is $1000 (used or new), give or take a bit.

Suggestions so I can start researching and looking for a deal? By the way, I ride a 58 (6'0).

[Jaybee]

Should be a variety of used large Surly’s or Salsas in your neck of the woods. The Farley line is solid too.

My specific advice would be to go with 150mm front spacing, 197 rear, as this is what the industry seems to have setttled on.
My Salsa is 177 rear and it’s a bit of a pain to find aftermarket wheels.

Depends on your trails, but may want to think about a Bluto or Mastodon fork.

Snow, like trails, is highly regional. Ask around in your area to see what width tires and tread patterns are the ticket for your specific conditions. If you are going to be almost exclusively on groomed tracks, 27.5x4” is the way to go, IME

If you haven’t figured out tubeless, figure it out. Fat tires are 100% better without tubes.

[TBLS]

Plenty of options out there. Great time of the year to find a used bike to try

I bought a used specialized fatboy that takes 4.6 tires. Works better in the snow than a 4.0 I rode before. In the Michigan area can always find one 700-1000


I am cheap so went used first. My standard mtb has been collecting dust since as I am riding fatty year round. If you go new think about getting a pair of boost wheels to ride 3.0 in the summer

[tlarwa]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Should be a variety of used large Surly’s or Salsas in your neck of the woods. The Farley line is solid too.

My specific advice would be to go with 150mm front spacing, 197 rear, as this is what the industry seems to have setttled on.
My Salsa is 177 rear and it’s a bit of a pain to find aftermarket wheels.

Depends on your trails, but may want to think about a Bluto or Mastodon fork.

Snow, like trails, is highly regional. Ask around in your area to see what width tires and tread patterns are the ticket for your specific conditions. If you are going to be almost exclusively on groomed tracks, 27.5x4” is the way to go, IME

If you haven’t figured out tubeless, figure it out. Fat tires are 100% better without tubes.

Great info ... thanks. And I am running TL on my gravel bike so I did manage to figure that out!

[tlarwa]

Originally Posted by TBLS

If you go new think about getting a pair of boost wheels to ride 3.0 in the summer

Can you explain a little more about this? All I know of boost is how it related to my gravel bike as I was looking for a set of 650b wheels. I know the spacing changes between standard and boost (110 vs 100 and 148 vs 142, I believe it was). My Marin is non-boost. Is there more to it when it comes to fatties?

[awdwon]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Should be a variety of used large Surly’s or Salsas in your neck of the woods. The Farley line is solid too.

My specific advice would be to go with 150mm front spacing, 197 rear, as this is what the industry seems to have setttled on.
My Salsa is 177 rear and it’s a bit of a pain to find aftermarket wheels.

Depends on your trails, but may want to think about a Bluto or Mastodon fork.

Snow, like trails, is highly regional. Ask around in your area to see what width tires and tread patterns are the ticket for your specific conditions. If you are going to be almost exclusively on groomed tracks, 27.5x4” is the way to go, IME

If you haven’t figured out tubeless, figure it out. Fat tires are 100% better without tubes.

This exactly. My first fat bike was an Ice Cream Truck and rode it for a few years then went up to a carbon Salsa Mukluk that I got for a steal as it was last years stock from Tree Fort bikes in Michigan. This is the time of year that they start getting new stock so look for last years models or try Craigslist or Pinkbike if you're going used. Surly and Salsa have been doing the fat bike thing for quite a while so they've got it all figured out. Most of their offerings can run 27.5+ or 29+ as well so I bought a second set of 29+ wheels for the summer and ride that bike more than my all-road Mason Bokeh. Absolutely love going for night time rides in fresh snow or on Lake Huron shorelines, so serene and peaceful.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by tlarwa

Can you explain a little more about this? All I know of boost is how it related to my gravel bike as I was looking for a set of 650b wheels. I know the spacing changes between standard and boost (110 vs 100 and 148 vs 142, I believe it was). My Marin is non-boost. Is there more to it when it comes to fatties?

You won’t need Boost, per se, but rather hubs that match the spacing of your new fat bike. This is why I recommended 150/197 above - many more aftermarket options for a summer wheel set. If you end up with something designed around 26x4.6 tires, 29x3 will best approximate that geo in the summer. A fattie with 2 wheelsets (and maybe a sus fork to swap if you want) is all the MTB most people need for year round riding.

[Jaybee]

Another additional item - just like MTB geometries have been getting longer/lower/slacker, fat bike geometry has modernized recently as well. Especially if you are going to use this on dirt, don’t get stuck with something super steep that will limit you on more technical trails. I also wouldn’t get enduro-crazy, you’ll need a decent amount of weight on the front wheel because flop in the snow is usually unrecoverable (but the landing will be soft).

[boomforeal]

a surly wednesday should fit your criteria nicely. they're cheap/good value, wheels are tubeless ready (echo what was said above: this is very important on a fat bike), have pretty progressive geometry for fatbikes, and ride really nicely imo. if you ride more technical terrain i could consider the ice cream truck, but the wednesday is lighter and the ride is a bit more neutral

[William]

~Little guy on a fat bike, little guy on a fat bike...".








William

[shoota]

Originally Posted by tlarwa

Bike, that is

So I've really gotten into this gravel thing, after being pretty much a dedicated roadie for the past 25 years. In fact, the last mountain bike I bought was a Stumpjumper, and that was in the '80's. Anyway, I'm jonesing for a fat tire bike, but I don't know much about them. So I'm looking for some advice. My plan would be to use it for some singletrack riding (there are some good trails that my club hit up, and I can never join them), but primarily I want to be able to ride through the WI winter (on my Marin gravel bike when it's dry and the fattie when it's snowy). I don't want to spend a fortune, and am more than happy to buy used (would prefer it, if I can get more bike). Let's say the budget is $1000 (used or new), give or take a bit.

Suggestions so I can start researching and looking for a deal? By the way, I ride a 58 (6'0).

I have the exact bike you need, I will PM you.

[Clydesdale]

You can shop the closeout stuff from Borealis and get a ton of bike for the money. I paid just over your budget for a brand new carbon Yampa and it is awesome and well outfitted. I replaced a Pugsley and you can't really go wrong there either but not the bike a modern carbon fattie will be (in my limited experience and opinion).

[JAGI410]

There are 2 standards, 177mm for 4" tires, and 197 for 5" tires. Most everything with a 197mm rear will have a wider bottom bracket than a 177 bike. Some people are pretty sensitive to the wider Q factor and that limits their bike/tire choice.

I've had 4 fatbikes, and I've ridden nearly every out there, and my Surly Wednesday remains my favorite. Mine is on 4.3" tires and handles all seasons well. Hard to beat for the money!

[SpeedyChix]

+1 on the Borealis bikes. Rigid fork.