Yes, I got from the other thread you were a Surly fan

The local shop is getting a Wednesday in for me, though I am not obligated to buy it..... but I probably will unless it does not fit. Though in that case I would probably just get the next larger size of the same bike.

Will do for sure. Won’t be until end of next week, though. Anticipation is killing me. Bike should be in tomorrow, but the shop is only open a couple hours each evening Mon-Thur, and I have obligations each night this week and then leaving town for 5 days.

I’ve actually done two demos on Fat bikes on dry trails in the past. To be honest, I did not think either was particularly fun compared to my AM FS bike or my 29er HT.

However, those demos were 3 and 5 years ago, and it may be that a bike with more progressive trail geo (like the Wesnesday) may seem like more fun.

My thinking on this has changed a bit since I posted this. I decided that I actually DO care how it rides in the dry.. It would be nice if it could fill the niche that my Karate Monkey (rigid/HT 29er) has for many years; something to keep things interesting when the 6” AM bike starts to feel too easy and high-tech. I pulled a lot of parts from the Karate Monkey (including wheels) for my gravel bike build, and will pull even more to put on the Wed, so the reality may be that the Karate Monkey may be out of the picture for a while. Plus, I would like to keep my bike stable down to 4, and that means just two mtbs.

Got the bike in!

I was a little unsure of the sizing. My height (5’-10”) indicates a Med or Large, but going off the published geo numbers, I would fit the Small with a 50-60mm stem (based on how all my previous mtbs have fit). Interestingly, the only mtb I’ve ever owned that was a small - rather than a Med or Large - was another Surly (Karate Monkey).

The shop ordered a Small and let me take it out for a week to see if the fit was right. I just had to return it clean and unharmed.

Turns out the Small with a 60mm stem and a 720 - 750mm bar fits like a glove. I tried a longer stem to see if a Med might be worth looking at, but it was too long. The only thing that gives me pause is the 10-1/2” of seat post showing, but I am within the minimum insertion.

Did a number of rides around the neighborhood over the course of a few days as I messed around with stems, spacers, bar width, and saddle position. After settling (for now) on a 750mm bar width and the stock 60mm stem, I took the bike on a real ride on some real trails. Mostly old-school stuff with lots of rocks and roots with some climbing and descents. It was 32 degrees and the trails had a lot of leaves and partially frozen mud.

This bike was a blast. I don’t remember to many specifics about the fat bikes I demoed in the past, just that they were not particularly fun. Like driving buses. This was not like that at all, even though it is pretty slow pedaling compared to me standard mtbs.

I was really amazed how this just climbed through mud and muck with leaves without slipping, and - more importantly - not tearing up the trail.

So I will continue to mull this over for a couple more days to see if there is good reason to consider a Med (with a 40mm stem I should have the same fit), but otherwise I am going to buy this.

Here is a pic. The dork disc and reflectors have to stay on until I decide to buy it. The tennis ball is covering an uncut steer tube (need to leave that uncut for now as well).

Well I ended up buying the Small. At 5’-10” it seemed odd that a small would fit so well, but the more I ride it, the more I know I made the right choice in size.

I did replace the stock 700mm bar with a 750mm Answer Pro Taper CF bar I had on another bike. It is a 20mm rise which means I don’t need so many spacers under the stem. Stuck my 13 year old Gravity Dropper post on it, and took off the reflectors and dork disk. After a few cold rides with some metal pedals, I bought a set of Chromag Synth composite pedals.

I am really quite happy with the bike. The only thing I see myself upgrading are the tires. These are very heavy and - unlike the rims - not tubeless compatible. I am eying a set of 45NTH Vanhelgas to set up tubeless. Between the tires themselves and the tubeless conversion, I’ll be saving almost 3lbs of tire/tube weight, or 2.5lbs if you factor in the sealant. I am not a weight weenie, but 2-3 lbs tire weight makes a noticeable difference.

For those who care, the bike stock was around 36lbs (with pedals), and is about the same now (the weight gain of the Dropper post must have been offset by the CF Handlebar). That is 6lbs heavier than my 5.5” FS All Mt bike (Turner 5-Spot), but I really don’t care. For me, it is not about going fast, but rather going at all.

I looked into those. Did not exite me very much. And for $1,200, I just was not seeing a compelling alternative to the Wednesday which I actually got to ride and loved.

In any event, the horse has long left the barn.

Ha! That’s the way it went for me too.

I get grumpy when I can’t get outside and exersize for long periods of time, and these winters in Upstate NY were killing me since we moved up here a few years ago. I think I was starting to drive my wife crazy this winter, because when I got the idea to get a fat bike, she was all for it. She calls it my “Clown Bike”.