KJL

I saw how much fun my friends were having and got one this last Fall. Most fun I've ever had on a bike period. They can be ridden in so many places you never thought possible. Groomed snow single track is where they shine. The key is tires- in the Winter go Big and low psi - in the Summer get smaller like 4.0's or less - Sure, I am not going to commute 17 miles on my Fat Bike - but most of the time when I am going to trail head I choose the Fat bike. I also have a 29er that I like but not love like my Fatty! Depends on where you live and style of riding you like if you will benefit from one. There are no signs of the market slowing down. One of the best days I ever had on a bike was this Winter - Crust Biking on the snow - when the snow crust is just right it is just like crust skiing. It was the most amazing feeling just going anywhere in the woods. Thye are here to stay and the market is not going away anytime soon.

Bike Lover

Interesting. The original post asks about utility. Unless you are commuting or using the bike to haul stuff, are any bikes really about utility? I suspect most bikes are used for fun, particularly mountain bikes. That being said, the reason I got a fat bike is pure fun. It has nothing to do with getting around the trail faster, unless it's heavy snow wherein a fat bike will get you around a trail faster, then this is where the utility comes in, but purely fun. I plan on using my fat bike all year just because I'm enjoying it so much. It's the reason I've started riding so much again.

Daspydyr 

25 years ago we all loved the stability of the 1.85 tires. But change happens. I live in the desert SW 2.35 is all we really need, but you see fat bikes everywhere. Maybe it attracts babes or something, I don't get it~

trainsktg

I have a 29+ ECR. Its not fat, but I think it's fat enough, though at times I wish I had looked at a regular 29 bike too. But, I did buy it more or less for bikepacking old logging road country comfortably, and for that it has excelled.

Keith

Hiro11

I thought i'd only use my fattie as a snow bike and occasionally as a hardtail trail bike. I got one I could easily afford as a "fourth bike". Surprisingly, I've found myself doing 40 mile rides on my fat bike on gravel in nice weather. I also use it to ride downtown to get coffee wearing jeans, I use it on 4 hour winter rides in 5 inches of snow, I use it on long days on single track networks with my friends, I use it on 6 mile rides with my kids, I use it as a rain bike etc. The fat bike has turned out to be the single most versatile bike I own. It's just so much fun to ride and has such a fantastic feel. It's slow, but that just makes for a better workout. I friggen love that thing.

Hypno Toad

HA! Round here, the babes are riding the fatbikes. And the reason... they are just that much fun!

I know very few people that have actually ridden a fatbike that haven't fallen in love with them. Read Hiro11post - that's exactly my story too. I put 1,000 miles per year on my Pugsley.

corrado33

I know I'm late to this game, but here's my take. I HAVE actually ridden a fat bike. I've rented one a few times to take on a day of riding (4-6 hours of solid riding each time.)

Fat bikes excel at one thing. That one thing is trails that are covered in semi packed snow. The type of snow that would simply bog down a skinnier tire bike. (And I would assume sand as well.) They are apparently fun to mountain bike with, but I have no experience with dry mountain biking with them. I will say that they feel EXTREMELY stable in the turns. You can lean forever with those bikes. I'm not saying they're not GOOD at other things, but some of my other bikes are BETTER at those things.

Fat bikes are GOOD at many things. Mountain biking? Sure. Cruising? Sure. Muddy riding? Sure. Gravel grinding? Sure. However my other bikes (mountain bike, CC bike, etc.) are better at those things. Fat bikes are certainly FUN. But for me the weight got to me quick. Any sort of flat riding and it'd be tiresome. I commuted with the bike a few times to return it and wow, that's not an experience I'd like to repeat.

I've rented a fat bike a few times and for me, there's not enough that they are better at other bikes at to justify the price tag. They'd make GREAT cruiser bikes though.

EDIT: If I lived in canada? I'd probably own one though. The winters just haven't been bad enough in Montana for me to have to buy a specific winter bike to satisfy my biking needs. (My commuter MTB with studs does that just fine.)

EDIT2: If I found a decent used one for ~$400, I may buy one, but I can't see spending $1200-$2000 just for, what I consider, a novelty.

FrozenK

Fat bikes excel at riding on snow covered trails. There are very few snow conditions where a regular mountainbike wins. There is a reason fat bikes have taken over winter riding in places like Anchorage, and absolutely dominate winter endurance racing. Just look at the Arrowhead, Susitna 100, Iditarod Invitational, etc... Regular mountainbikes don't even show any more.

On packed snow a fatbike will roll with significantly less effort. On loose snow, a smaller tire will sink and lose traction. Only on light (powder) snow over a firm base will a skinny tire outperform a fat bike.

corrado33

Agreed. And even on a small amount of crusty snow (3-5 inches) the fat bike sucks. You simply can't push through it. For me I was disappointed by how little the fat bike could do over a normal bike.

FrozenK

No, we don't agree. On snow covered trails, be it crust, be it fluffy snow a fat bike will outperform a skinny bike 9 times out of 10.

Riding on ****ty snow sucks. But it sucks way less on a fatbike. Again, there is a reason they have taken over winter endurance racing.

gsa103

Larger footprint is better for hitting all the cactus and goatheads.

garysol1 

?? You say Fatbikes excel at one thing and that one thing is riding on semi packed snow trails then you go onto say that you have never ridden one on a dry trail so how can you judge what and what not the bike is good at? On top of that typically the rental bikes are not bikes I would be judging an entire category of bikes with. My fatbike excels at having fun. Its not a race machine but damn if it does not put a smile on my face no matter the conditions. I liked my fattie so much I went and sold my Epic 29er and replaced it with a 29+ bike so now even my skinny bike is a bit chubby.

Daspydyr 

I am typically pretty good at clearing the paths of sharp stuff. Either by tires or forearms. Biking is about smiling and having a good time.


Last Saturday had this lady show up post ride.

corrado33

You virtually repeated what I said. Fatbikes are good at snow. However, even THEY are very limited when it comes to the type of snow they can ride in. Anything can ride through extremely fluffy snow. The range of snow that the fatbike can ride through is VERY limited however, it is still much better than a mountain bike is at snow. The only type of snow that a fatbike excels at is semi packed, 2-5 inches deep of snow. On this type of snow a skinny tired bike would simply wash out. They can't do crusty snow over 3 inches deep, they can't do LOTS of snow, they can't do deep snow. They're basically the gravel grinders of wintertime, as that's the type of trail you'll be riding on (unless your local MTB trails get so much snowmobile action that a nice packed path has been developed.) You can't easily blaze your own trail, regardless of the bike you are riding. They suck at commuting compared to a normal bike with studs on it. They suck at riding on anything smooth and flat compared to almost any other bike. They suck at going uphill for any long period of time(other than they have all of the grip in the world,) compared to any normal mountain bike. They're only great at 2-5 inches deep of PACKED snow. That range wasn't enough for me to justify buying a $1500+ bike.

That's great that you enjoy fat tires. However, I like to go fast up and down the hill. I'll be you all the money in my bank account that you'd do that faster on a normal mountain bike than a fatbike. Fatbikes are SLOW. Sure, they can be good at relatively smooth downhill trails simply because of the grip, (and you don't have to lug all that weight up the hill) but a normal bike would do it better! That was my point. They don't excel at mountain trails. They are not the best bike for the job. They are only the best bike for ONE job, and that's snow/sand. And even that job is very limited. And again, you virtually repeated what I said.

So please, tell me what the fatbike is better at than any other bike in their respective fields? Are they better mountain bikes than mountain bikes? Are they better gravel grinders than gravel grinders? Are they better road bikes than road bikes? And if you answer yes to any of those questions, then why haven't fat bikes taken over in those respective fields? Why aren't the pros riding them? It's because they're HEAVY and they're SLOW. That's what they're supposed to do! Go slow and conquer anything! And you have fun doing it.

Did either of you actually READ my post? Or are you randomly attacking anyone who hates on fatbikes?

bmthom.gis

From my perspective fat bikes were marketed as the do everything bike, and I thought that was pretty cool. After a while though, that do everything part didn't really seem to be true. I had visions of going out after a snow storm and blazing your own trail with relative ease. Now I think they are great for people who see a lot of snow and have groomed trails, but having nothing that I couldn't do better on a regular bike around here, I think fat bikes are just a niche market. I've seen one on the trails around here, and occasionally the owner of one of the Trek stores brings one out to ride around in parades or other events.
Seems people like going fat/big to roll over everything, and I'm over here going from a 29er to a 26er and enjoying having to pick my lines a little more carefully. Ride what you like, but I am not convinced that spending a large amount of money on a fat bike will improve the fun I have.

Hypno Toad

I don't see any attacks here. It's opinions. You are stating strong opinions against fatbikes, and others are rebutting your opinion with their experience.

I must agree with garysol1, rental bikes are rarely an example of lightest/best. Our first rental fatbikes were Origin8 Crawlers - HOLY TANK BATMAN!!

I'd think snowy/cold Montana is the perfect place for a person to own a fatbike, and not a "novelty", but that's my opinion as somebody that lives in snow/cold Minnesota. It is true that Minneapolis trails are well maintained all winter (& summer). The trails at my favorite single-tracks park are "groomed" by the first fatbikes to arrive after the snow; or during the snow. These trails do not have any snowmobiles, just lots of snow-loving fatbikers.

Going fast on a fatbike is like nearly every other bike, work on the engine. I spent my winter riding the Pugsley up all the steep/long hills in my area. I can pass most riders on other styles of bikes (except that guy on the e-fatbike, I hate that guy).

To your point about gravel grinding on a fatbike, I'll post my results in May after the Almanzo. Why would I use a fatbike for the Almanzo? Because the Pug excels at descending on soft gravel, and I'm a wimp at descending on soft gravel with narrow tires. Plus I excel at climbing, so the "extra weight" on the climbs shouldn't be an issue for me. We'll see.

BTW - All this 'extra weight' talk... a fatbike does not have to be that much heavier than a comparable mountain bike: https://fat-bike.com/2013/05/fat-bik...ike-diet-plan/

I'm no weight weeny; however, I will get new tires and tubes prior to the Almanzo, both to shed weight and to get a better tread pattern.

bmthom.gis

Well, we can all agree with that!

corrado33

How else is one to try out fat bikes before they buy them? Should they be bought sight unseen?


You'd think that, sure. But LIVING in montana tells ME something completely different. We've had 3 VERY mild winters here for the past two years. And when we don't have a mild winter, we have a crap ton of snow. Fat bikes can't ride through a crap ton of snow. They just can't. When there is barely any snow then a mountain bike does fine. So, no offense, but I'm going to trust my FIRST HAND experience over your opinions of whether or not Montana is currently the perfect place for a fat bike.

Sure, of course it is. But if you take the same engine and do a mountain bike trail on a fat bike compared to an normal MTB, the MTB will be faster, almost every time.

I never said fat bikes WOULDN'T be good on gravel, in fact I'm sure they'd do fine, and give you a nice soft ride while you're doing it. However, a properly setup gravel grinder would do it better. Yes, fat bikes are good at loose stuff (snow/sand) we've established this already. In fact, if you want me to be more general, I'd say fat bikes have the best grip of any bike out there, regardless of surface. However that grip comes at a cost, and that's the cost of speed and liveliness. And on normal surfaces trails, you'd rarely, if ever, use that extra grip anyway. If you can't make it up a hill on a MTB then you need to get more experienced at riding mountain bikes. It's a skill that must be learned. And in all honesty, your preference for riding fat bikes on gravel over a normal gravel grinder hardly qualifies the fat bike as the "best gravel grinding" bike. So once again, it falls short of a bike built to do the job. It's GOOD at it, but not GREAT at it, which is the point I've been trying to make for 3 posts now. If you WANT a jack of... most... trades bike. Sure, a fat bike will do that. But if you want the bike that will do it very well, you're going to have to buy the right bike for the job.

Sure, I'll buy an overpriced bike so I can sink MORE money into it to make it more like the bike I could have bought for $500 less...

garysol1 

AND....... What is a fat bike? Is a fat bike a 35 pound Moonlander or a 20 pound S-Works Fatboy? Both are considered fat bikes but with 2 completely different experiences. Is a 3.8 tire considered fat? 4"? 4.6? 5.05?

Hypno Toad

First of all... LOL!

For the record: MN = Minnesota & ME = Maine, I live in Minnesota without any mountains.

Replacing tires and tubes isn't a big deal. If you ride regularly, you need to do it every year or two. I have used my stock tires to the point where replacing them is a good idea, and with this replacement I will shed weight. No big deal.

Lastly: Opinions ... I stated my opinions and you are totally entitled to your opinions. IMO you clearly should not have a fatbike in your garage, that's cool. I clearly love having a fatbike in my garage and I will continue to keep one.

bmthom.gis

Since we are on opinions , it's my opinion my gravel grinder is the best one ever (yes, I know the bars are at a weird angle...the bolt was just a tad loose). I don't know what kind of gravel y'all are riding on, but 32c wide Maxxis tires seem to offer me plenty of grip in gravel or mud. Okay, really it was just an excuse to post pictures of bikes. Some 1970 something Royal Regina (on the headbadge) with a Made by Superia sticker on the seat tube. Modernized and single speeded.

corrado33

What are you talking about? I never commented on where you lived? I was capitalizing the word "me" not trying to talk about a state...

So yes, I will agree with your last statement. Fat bikes are GOOD. If you're the type of person who wants to simply have fun on a bike and use a single bike for most things offroad. Then yes, like I said in my first post, a fat bike is fine. You certainly won't be the fastest, but you'll have fun doing it. However, if you want to excel at any of the things you're doing, you're going to want to buy the right bike for the job. The fat bike is only the right bike for ONE job, and that ONE job is a very small window of snow/sand. For me, that's not worth $1500 + whatever extras you buy to make the bike lighter, even though I live in an environment where one would think a fat bike would be good. Now, if I lived in Canada or alaska? Heck yeah I'd have a fat bike.

If the question is "Should I buy a fat bike to add to my garage next to my really nice mountain bike." The answer is no. If the question is: "Should I buy a fatbike to introduce me to off-road riding because I'm a roadie and have no experience off road." Then sure, a fatbike may be a good choice for you, until you figure out what kind of off road riding you like and buy yourself a bike for that discipline.

EddNog

Or get a plus bike for that instead (roadie new to MTB).

Hypno Toad

I need to repeat myself: LOL! - Love the use of caps for "ME" but not on "montana"!

"no experience off road" - nope, not me. I ride off-road a lot, summer and winter.

You continue two themes:

Speed - I enjoy 'fast' but it is far from the only thing I like about biking. The fatbike is not the 'fastest' bike, but it's is the funnest*.

Cost - I have enough disposable income to own a number of bikes, and including a fatbike is a good idea. If you can only afford one or two bikes, than a fatbike is a luxury that you likely can't afford.

I think you have made your opinion very clear and I feel that I have done likewise, time to stop ....





* intention use of a non-word.

FrozenK

@garysol1 The original Endomorph and Large Marge are the frame of reference, so 3.7and wideron a 65mm or wider rim is the most commoney way to define fat bikes. A 19lb Fatback Corvus (yes, they put together one that weighs 19lb. Don't ask how much it costs) and the 40lb Bikesdirect special are both fatbikes.

I've been riding fatbikes since the days of Endomorphs and Large Marge when rims weighed well over 1,000 grams and the tires well, they were Endomorphs. Why did people ride them? Because it allowed us to ride in the winter. Yes, some days it is type 2 fun. But I also get to ride places I couldn't in the summer Swamps, lakes, winter only trails, trails that are such a rooty mess in the summer become fun rides with a foot of snow. And on days when you get hero-snow... the riding is glorious. And crust riding? You can ride ANYWHERE.

Now we have more tires than I can count, some hitting the 1,000 gram mark. Tubeless is easy, you can get 700 gram rims for less than Large Marge used to cost. Is a good time to fat bike. Tires have gotten wider and pressures lower, which makes riding soft snow a lot easier. And there are so many fatbikes the trails get nice and packed in a day after a big storm. Snowy singletrack after it has been groomed by fatbikes is amazingly fun.

Still, would I own a fatbike if I lived in Florida? Probably not. As regular mountainbikes they are fun, but not my style. I still ride my fatbike in the summer, and enjoy it. It won't replace my Yeti. But for those of us who see snow regularly? Hell yeah they are worth it. They aren't a novelty, they are a necessity.