Originally Posted by
Maelochs
What’s Not wrong with this picture.
A person says honestly he has never ridden one. I’d say that is true for most of the cycling community. But ... immediately the conversation goes from fat bikes to personal assault. An dumb assault, at that.
Amen. As for the lamen on the attack..grow up.
I find the fat bike thing humorous. They do look cool..in a novelty-act sort of way. I can say I'll never ride with anyone that has one..not because I'm snooty..but because they'll never be able to keep up with me, and I'm much older and slower than I once was. I hike local MTB trails (dual use) and see maybe 5-10 bikes in a hundred MTB are FT bikes. I can't imagine why anyone riding off-road would want to lug...all..that..up and down craggy trails. It's so much more fun on a nimble MTB bike. I may rent one when traveling..I think they might be fun to slam in..maybe 4 or 5 miles on a beach-trail-town somewhere to get the flavor of local environs.
Why do (kids..young adults..early adopters) buy them?..they're "new & trendy & hip"..and, as mentioned, will eventually find their way to CL along with paisley hip-hugging bell bottom pants. Or they'll find an urban niche where "lookin' good" ranks higher than actually riding anywhere...in a sideways baseball cap, nose-ring, pants dragging sort of way.
More importantly..why do they exist & marketed?.. It's what manufacturers & marketeers do to sell new bikes to people that already have other bikes..or grab sales that can only be motivated to buy through "trendy..hip..". It's an age-old marketing standard..how do you sell more Allman Brothers CDs to the entire population that already owns Allman Brothers CDs? You come out with a new remastered box set with two "previously unreleased..low-quality outtakes" and people gobble them up..replicating what they already have. The women's fashion industry takes this to it's highest art-form. ..."it's just business..foisted on a gullible consumer...insert product here___________..cha-ching$..NEXT..."