Originally Posted by
Darth Lefty
What a weird bike. The chain rubs and it won't fit 4" tires, and they got their paint color from 1989. But it's still 135/170 with a wide BB and the parts spec doesn't seem objectionable. It's like they failed their first attempt at a fat bike and they're selling it anyhow. I wonder how bad the rub really is, if it would be a problem at all if it were a double or 1x.
Yes, that is a complete design fail. Both on the tire clearance department and the drop out design. But the OP is getting a 26+ bike for cheap, so there is that.
Using a different hub or a narrower q-factor crank may help with the rubbing, but it is hard to tell if anything can be done without seeing the bike.
I'd recommend swapping the tires, as they are likely to be heavy, hard rubber items with high rolling resistance. Something like the Surly Knard or Dirt Wizard or WTB Ranger would improve things. The tires would cost about half what the OP paid for the bike though.
Also, if the OP decides to upgrade the wheels they should figure out if the fork is set for front or rear brake spacing. Most 135mm front hubs use front brake spacing, but there were some for rear brake spacing. (Confused yet?)