Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Fat Bikes For winter use
Quote | Reply
Hey guys,

School me on fat bikes. I am looking at Bikesdirect and wondering which one looks to be the best for primarily winter use (through the snow). I have no clue on components when it comes to MTB bikes
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fat-bikes.htm


Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
M~ wrote:
Hey guys,

School me on fat bikes. I am looking at Bikesdirect and wondering which one looks to be the best for primarily winter use (through the snow). I have no clue on components when it comes to MTB bikes
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fat-bikes.htm


I would say go one of 2 extremes:
1. get something super simple - no suspension, basic components
2. get something more versatile that you can also use in summer. Fatbikes are a lot of fun on trails - I ride mine year round

I went with option 2 and I'm glad I did. I have a Borealis Echo with front suspension and I use it a lot in summer.
Looking at that site, that Titanium Motobecane Sturgis Bullet looks like a great deal at $1999!

____________________________________

Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
What's your budget? If you're going to spend $2000, the frame should be carbon and the components should be Shimano XT or SRAM X01 level. Tack on some alloy wheels and cheap components, and you can keep in under $2k with a significantly better bike than that god awful one Rob linked to above
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
M~ wrote:
Hey guys,

School me on fat bikes. I am looking at Bikesdirect and wondering which one looks to be the best for primarily winter use (through the snow). I have no clue on components when it comes to MTB bikes
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fat-bikes.htm


My winter bike isn't a fatbike, but then we don't get a lot of snow in Vancity
I use a single speed Norco roadbike with belt drive and touring tires, it works great in the snow.

If you get a mtnbike, find one with tires that will match your riding, and disc brakes of course

res, non verba
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
The Cannondale Fat Caad 1 might be a bit more than you want to spend but you could have a set of 29er wheels built up for it and have a serviceable XC bike should you choose to ever get into that as well. The q-factor on the Fat Caad is pretty close to "normal". IMO the biggest problem with Fat Bikes is that their Q factors are wiiiiidddee and you do notice it after riding for about an hour or so.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Do you already have a mountain bike?

What kind of terrain will you be riding on (snowmobile trails? singletrack that gets a lot of traffic?)
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [kdw] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I dont have a MB. I have a cyclocross (Motobecane from bikesdirect) that I use exclusively for commuting. It is a great bike.
I was thinking of doing some single track riding and just bombing around on the local roads with it after a good snow. :)

I guess I just don't know what the equivalent parts are for Dura Ace/Ultegra/Force when it comes to MB stuff.

I wasn't looking to spend a tonne of dough at this point. Under $1000 for sure
M~
Last edited by: M~: Dec 5, 16 11:15
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [PubliusValerius] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
PubliusValerius wrote:
What's your budget? If you're going to spend $2000, the frame should be carbon and the components should be Shimano XT or SRAM X01 level. Tack on some alloy wheels and cheap components, and you can keep in under $2k with a significantly better bike than that god awful one Rob linked to above

I'm sure you could build a carbon XT / X01 bike if you did an open mold frame and got a good deal on take off / used parts, but absolutely no way on a name brand bike anywhere near MSRP. Salsa made waves this year for offering the Beargrease carbon at $1999, but that's with SRAM NX drivetrain and garbage brakes, and they still sold out almost instantly with no stock likely to be available well into next year.

Moving up from NX, reputable brand carbon fatbikes with GX spec run 2400-2800, actual X1/X01 spec run 3k-4k+

To the OP, if you wan't to do some forum digging I'd start here: http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/

But if you don't want to spend all day, based on my lurking of mtbr over the past few months the current hotness in fatbikes is as follows:
  • Trek Farley - Farley 7 or 9.6 if you want carbon, keep in mind a lot of old school mtb people hate carbon
  • RSD The Mayor aluminum (even better if you can get a 2016 closeout frame)
  • Kona Wozo - definitely the new hotness due to great year round trail geometry
  • Salsa Beargrease - the 'fast' fatbike for years, but I think the Farley has started to edge it out
  • Surly Ice Cream Truck - not new per say, but some people just have to have steel
  • Salsa Mukluk - actually, almost no one on MTBR seems to care about this bike, but I do since this year's redesign checked a bunch of boxes for me. Coincidentally, that's what I have, so I'm biased.

Bonus round to quickly address some of the other standard major questions:


Q: Do you need suspension?
A: Probably not, but you may find you want it based on your age and the type of terrain you ride. For winter riding in snow you almost certainly won't, but if you are doing a lot of summer riding on single track and/or are a bit older then it goes a long way. Generally speaking I'd start rigid and think about adding a suspension fork later if/as needed.


Q: What size tires?
A: Generally speaking, 3.8-4" tires for summer riding and packed/groomed snow. For breaking new trails in fresh snow, bigger is generally better. 4.8" is a popular size, but for maximum float in remote conditions people are running 5"+ with almost no pressure.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
M~ wrote:
I dont have a MB. I have a cyclocross (Motobecane from bikesdirect) that I use exclusively for commuting. It is a great bike.
I was thinking of doing some single track riding and just bombing around on the local roads with it after a good snow. :)

I guess I just don't know what the equivalent parts are for Dura Ace/Ultegra/Force when it comes to MB stuff.

I wasn't looking to spend a tonne of dough at this point. Under $1000 for sure
M~

Should have refreshed before posting since every bike I just posted is way over your budget. You can start here, but you aren't going to get anything like the mountain equivalent of Ultegra/Force on a sub-1k fatbike as an FYI.

I know SRAM for mountain stuff a lot better than Shimano since almost everything offroad seems to be SRAM these days, but in general I'd say that Tiagra = NX, Force/Ultegra = GX, DuraAce = X1/X01. That's really kind of missing the point though, drive train matters of course but for off road I'd say it's comparatively less of a big deal. That's because in general, but especially for fat bikes you have so much rotating mass tied up in your wheels and tires that rim and tire spec can be huge for the overall performance. On a fat bike, the ability to run tubeless literally can save you pounds of rotating mass. Also brake spec is way more important off road than on.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [tgarson] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Thanks a tonne for the info.
Mark
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
no problem. In regards to the bikesdirect stuff, if you can stretch the budget even a little bit I think the best bet for your money on there is the Sturgis. They cut some corners of course but as a whole I think it's a lot of bike for $1099. The spec works out to be about 105 level, and most importantly it's the cheapest bike they have that comes with the MuleFut 80mm rims. Those are legit decent rims that can be set up tubeless which makes a huge difference in the ride for fatbikes.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [tgarson] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
check out the Framed and Charge fatbikes as well.

Buy a bike that comes with good tires. Otherwise, add those to the cost.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
If you're going to be spending most of your winter riding time in temps 0 deg. C / 32 deg. F or below, from personal experience, I would avoid any bikes with suspension. Suspension with air, oil, and various seals, especially bike suspension components designed for fair weather (which is most of them) tend to be highly problematic in the cold. Instead, save your money and use low air pressures on your fat tires as a suspension substitute. Because rigid bikes, all other things being equal, will be quite a bit cheaper than suspended bikes.

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook

--
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I have a Boris X7. Love it. I put on some better pedals and On One Floaters and beat the crap out of it in the winter. It's heavy as heck but it's held up great through two winters. I also ride it in the summer when riding trails with my kids.

Mine has sram x7 and bb5 brakes. Both work fine for the intended use.

Formerly DrD
Last edited by: Broken Leg Guy: Dec 5, 16 18:15
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Got my Surly Pugs for a little over a grand shipped. I have seen it listed cheaper once. It is heavy, steel and I really enjoy it.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
M~ wrote:
Hey guys,

School me on fat bikes. I am looking at Bikesdirect and wondering which one looks to be the best for primarily winter use (through the snow). I have no clue on components when it comes to MTB bikes
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fat-bikes.htm


The first thing you should do is test ride a fat bike, preferably in terrain you want to ride. Rent one or find one you can borrow. Some people like 'em, and some don't.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [Arch Stanton] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Arch Stanton wrote:
M~ wrote:
Hey guys,

School me on fat bikes. I am looking at Bikesdirect and wondering which one looks to be the best for primarily winter use (through the snow). I have no clue on components when it comes to MTB bikes
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fat-bikes.htm


The first thing you should do is test ride a fat bike, preferably in terrain you want to ride. Rent one or find one you can borrow. Some people like 'em, and some don't.

Good advice. I rode one at a Nordic Center before I bought one. Had a blast. That said I only spent $850 on bike and add ons for a very niche bike. It really is a blast in 4-6" of snow

Formerly DrD
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [tgarson] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tgarson wrote:
I'm sure you could build a carbon XT / X01 bike if you did an open mold frame and got a good deal on take off / used parts

Yeah, this is what I meant. I sold the below build for $1800 last winter, and the bike had literally never been ridden, except home from the shop. It's one of the lauded open mold frames, and I built it up with an XX1 drivetrain and XT brakes. GX crank and alloy bar, stem, and post to save on cost. I was genuinely shocked at how low my yield was, and it sat and sat, even though I was selling in the winter.



Given the OP's budget constraints, I would recommend this plus this plus this (except 1x to save on costs) plus some tires and a saddle and you're at $1500 brand new. You should be able to find something similar in good condition but used for $1000. I'm not trying to be condescending -- okay, yes, I am -- but nobody who knows what they are doing would pay $2k for those shit-mobiles. There are just too many deals to be had piecing things together smartly or picking things up in the classifieds.

Note: I don't want this to devolve into an argument about the wisdom of open mold frames. Just be prepared to pay 3x if you won't swing that way.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [PubliusValerius] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I don't have a problem with open mold frames at all, almost certainly that's the cheapest route to the lightest / best spec'd bike if you want to put in the legwork.

Quote:
but nobody who knows what they are doing would pay $2k for those shit-mobiles. There are just too many deals to be had piecing things together smartly or picking things up in the classifieds.


This applies to every type of bike, nothing unique about fat bikes. Always a chuckle though getting lectured on frugality from a guy who spent north of 3k on an aero gravel frameset.
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [M~] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I rode one around a Canadian tire store a couple of weeks ago. I thought it'd be a slug but the rims are pretty light! Sure had me thinking as the price was ridiculous. You could feel the low spec components tho. But pretty cool overall


Get your biggity on..


http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/schwinn-biggity-dlx-men-s-26-hardtail-mountain-bike-0711653p.html

Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
FM Sports: http://fluidmotionsports.com
Last edited by: SharkFM: Dec 5, 16 22:01
Quote Reply
Re: Fat Bikes For winter use [tgarson] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tgarson wrote:
This applies to every type of bike, nothing unique about fat bikes. Always a chuckle though getting lectured on frugality from a guy who spent north of 3k on an aero gravel frameset.

Agreed and admitted.
Quote Reply