There is this local diehard that does epic rides on his fatty. I see him during the summers riding it like a road bike. Maybe he's headed to the trails, but I've never seen him at any of the "usual" spots.

I would like to try one.

Huh?

One of the LBS started carrying Surly fatties and I took one out for a quick spin. Though it was just down the alley (with the damn pot holes, its almost a technical trail as I had to navigate around the tail end of an F150 that was sticking out of the ground) when I got back, I was grinning ear to ear & the gal behind the corner laughed and said that was the most she'd every seen me smile. Can't really justify the price tag nor convince domestic management (my wife) but if I could find one deemed cheap, I'd jump on it. I wouldn't sell my regular MTB for one though as I see them as having two different purposes.

However if you're not real concerned about quality or weight and just want one to play with:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Mongoos...-Bike/22861845

has anyone tried to put a fattie fork and wheel on a 29er frame? Maybe a 2.5r/3.8'f setup?

Hey if it's good enough for Manuel Beastly, it should be good enough for the rest of us, right?

Ok, so I've been riding a buddies Krampus w/3" tires for a few days. It's got a niche, for sure. The geo is almost perfect for my preferred application, which might be considered on the aggressive side of things. It's not quite as fast as my 26" sus, but totally predictable, and quite playful in the chunk. Where it does excel is on the climbs and in kitty litter/sandy. It's not the best application for rock crawling or slow plunking maneuvers, nor would does it really shine in tight singletrack.

I really liked the time I spent on it, and it would be a nice addition to the stable if I'm ever seriously start considering a 29'er for more backcountry applications. I did get in trouble with the mud as this frame was not meant to accommodate a 3" tire, and there were some chainline issues due to the tight tolerances. I snapped a rear d'er and had to make due with a single speed for the majority of the ride, but it was fine.

I'm going to have to try this with the GT Karakoram frame for next winter. I see the older offset fatty forks for practically nothing these days. Maybe add some Tektro brakes and Nashbar components and have a cool winter beater.

Add 3-4 inches travel out back, and that might be fun too!

I like the idea. Save the weight and complexity of shocks and gain the simplicity of bigger rubber and the added benefit of more traction.

Yeah but you really aren't saving any weight. Most fat bikes are well very fat.

A lot of curiosity about Fat bikes these days. On problem is they are tough to find to demo for any length of time, and they are not cheap so making the leap of faith is tough to swallow.

It's a shame because assume all you want about Fat bikes but, until you spend some real time with one you can not truly understand just how versatile they are, how much fun they are, or whether they deserve a spot in your stable.

I have a Salsa fully I normally ride but came across a deal on a Pugsley with a cracked frame for insanely cheap, so I bought it. I upgraded the rear tire to a Nate and replaced the leaky rear brake caliper, and I haven't stopped riding it yet. It is WAY different from riding the Salsa, even with studded tires on it, and a whole lot more fun. Fun to the point I am considering selling the Salsa and staying Fat this summer as some local guys did.

The closest thing I can compare it to is driving a 4x4 truck vs driving a tractor. Yes, the 4x4 will get you there faster but on the tractor you just point and drive and it'll go through or over anything you want it to. Such is the way on the fattie.

My Pug weighs in at 38 pounds and the Salsa at 31 pounds, but you honestly don't notice the difference. Despite it having no suspension, I feel less of the trail and obstacles on the Pug than the Salsa, probably because the rolling diameter is a cushy 29+.

So it may replace my fully, I will make that determination this summer, but for the winter and spring (mud season) riding, there is no question it'll be the most used bike in my stable. I like it so much I haven't even been on the trainer at all this winter. We have a bunch of people locally that ride them, much more than used to go out in winter. The guys on the skinny tire bikes struggle a lot of the time.