Seems like the fatter-but-not-quite-fatty tyre movement could be gathering momentum. It strikes me as a sensible and logical progression for trail bikes, but of course the bike industry could be spotting another opportunity to extend product and keep the maturing MTB from declining for a few years more. Will it catch on around these parts?

No. Too heavy. If you want more grip than 2.3 run Procore.

I should think not, I thought fat bikes were for wallys. (Run away)

I hope so. I had great fun on a Krampus out in the States. Looking forward to picking up a cheap one when the next “next greatest thing” is declared.

Anything is possible these days. Marketing men are constantly bringing out new stuff that we don’t need but have to buy.

I blame the internet…

Pretty sure Bikeradar had an ‘article’ recently on how 27.5+ would be the future and was the perfect middleground between 27.5 and 29.

Personally, I just built up another 26″.

It’s the 650b way- first fatbikes create great interest in a new thing, but lots of people are scared off because it’s too big a change for them. So along comes a new standard that offers a fraction of the benefits, and most of the downsides.

The ideal biking “innovation” provides novelty but very little actual change, because that scares people off, but yet has to deliver the industry’s need for maximum new parts. Notfat bikes tick all the boxes.

Are we?

Meh. I remember nokian gazzaloddis

I’m currently pondering a custom B+ frame. I reckon it would be my ideal bikepacker.

It’s the 650b way- first fatbikes create great interest in a new thing, but lots of people are scared off because it’s too big a change for them. So along comes a new standard that offers a fraction of the benefits, and most of the downsides.

The ideal biking “innovation” provides novelty but very little actual change, because that scares people off, but yet has to deliver the industry’s need for maximum new parts. Notfat bikes tick all the boxes.

I think that’s being a little harsh.
I own a Krampus, and also being tempted by a fat bike I’ve ridden a couple. IMHO they’re very different beasts, aimed at doing very different things.
I’d never think that a 3″ tyre would give the same float on snow that a 4″+ tyre would, but I live in Devon where snow is a rarity! I’ve ridden the Krampus on sand, and with the pressure down at 8-9 psi you get a decent amount of grip, but again a fatty would do better.
However, take it on tight, rooty singletrack and it comes into it’s own. On the same trails a fatty felt cumbersome and slow. The 29+ tyres also roll surprisingly well on road and I’m happy doing 35+ milers of mixed road and trails, something I suspect would be a lot harder work on a larger, lower pressure tyres.

scotroutes – Member
I’m currently pondering a custom B+ frame. I reckon it would be my ideal bikepacker.
POSTED 37 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

I’m a bit further on that that 🙂

Did hear the other day in the LBS from a Trek rep the next thing is going to be 29ER+ that’s what he call it.Bit strange when MTB sales are declining.

Is “the next big thing” down to logical progression or salesmen clutching at straws.

People are actually quite bizarre …

A tyre width a tad wider than the norm and its comments in the streets (‘FK. Me what the fks that ‘) from a bloke with a pushchair an kid.

Can’t be assed to ride me windcheetah any more that would probably stop traffic. Or theyed get the pitchforks out.

Anybody actually tried Procore yet? It’s 179 Euros for a kit for two wheels on the Schwalbe website and then of course you have to buy two tyres so I don’t think I will be among the earlier adopters!

The Krampus has been out for nearly three years, it’s hardly the new and latest thing (it is great though 😀 ). A small number of other manufacturers have brought out their own 29+ bikes that’s all, and many of us have been experimenting in our sheds and garages to see how big 3″ tyres will work with our various weekend rides. Have we as an MTB community seriously become that cynical that any new design feature that might create a new standard is seen as marketing bullish!t ??!?!

As usual, I expect the fat bike haters will be out to hate the semi-fatty’s too though.

In my experience it’s not the extra half inch tyre width that makes the difference with 29+ / 3″ tyres, it’s the huge volume they have compared with their 2.4″ brethren. The extra air volume gives a completely different ride feel over big 2.4″ tyres. They are also a simple swap for many 29er hardtail owners and can be tried and tested for a relatively small outlay.

As always, if you don’t like it don’t buy it, and just ride your bike.

Procore works with any tubeless tire and a 23mm+ IRD.

People I know who have tried it say it’s like going from a single ply 60a to dual ply 40a.

@Paceman I seriously don’t get the fatbike haters. What is their deal? I mean it’s one thing to not like the ride of the bike, it’s another to just keep bashing the bike online. Just what is the point???

I’m a bit further on that that [/quote]Cool. What tyres/rims are you planning for? Having seen how long it’s taken for a selection of 29er+ tyres to be made available I was reckoning I was in no hurry for a frame 😉

I’m working from the Vee Rubber Trax Fatty 3.25in and smaller.

For the love of God. Buy a fatbike or a bloody motorcycle. Well be at 40lb trail bikes before the decade is out !
Then the marketing guys will “invent” the 22lb bike and off we go again !

P.s I’m not a fatbike hater !

scotroutes – Member
brant »
scotroutes – Member
I’m currently pondering a custom B+ frame. I reckon it would be my ideal bikepacker.
POSTED 37 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

I’m a bit further on that that
Cool. What tyres/rims are you planning for? Having seen how long it’s taken for a selection of 29er+ tyres to be made available I was reckoning I was in no hurry for a frame
POSTED 11 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

brant – Member

I’m working from the Vee Rubber Trax Fatty 3.25in and smaller.

Sounds interesting Brant

26er + anyone? after the arrival of surly’s instigator 2.0 i’m tempted to stick a trials rim and a 2.75 dirt wizard on the old inbred i’ve got knocking about….

Spesh Enduro 29 er with 650b wheels and 3inch + tyres. It rode like a trials bike…loads of grip especially on rocks and roots, climbing UP techy trails was amazing. Very light (bike weighed 28 pounds), rolled fast on the roads.

Bike was very quiet on the descents in Molini, the tyres ran 0.9 bar so small bump was taken care of by the tyres and the forks were wound in a bit harder…. only thing I didn’t like that’s its near impossible to make the rear end drift.. (which can be a good thing for trail preservation)

So now seriously considering this setup, with a standard set of 29 er wheels too. I am a an MTB guide in the Italian Alps and I don’t get sucked in by fads but this seriously impressed me..

nasher – Member

Very light (bike weighed 28 pounds)

No it didn’t

nasher – Member

Very light (bike weighed 28 pounds)

No it didn’t

Errrm ok I was wrong it was about 28.4 without pedals but inc a coil shock… It was lighter than with the 29er wheels.. the tyres were about 900 grams each, thin side walls… they were proto so dont know if current tyres come out that weight

weighed with a set of park scales… do you know any different?

To channel a little Kevin keegan, I’d love it, love it if all those marketing is evil fat bikes rule brigade end up driving a new standard ?

Weighed a 650b Enduro at a shade under 29 pounds the other day, on Park scales, with pedals (similar to the ones above).

It didn’t have 3″ tyres, a coil shock or 180mm 36s though. Or a 29er frame, or the heavier Evo rims.

Thats the S works, with carbon rims, and weighed it without pedals (a pound in weight)

The 29er frame is exactly as the 650b so its just elongated rear end, so little difference in weight.

Forks are the new fox 160mm, so are same weight as RS Pikes

The ohlins shock is not much heavier than the DB air can… so without pedals it was 28.4 pounds..with those tyres…. so with pedals about 29.4 pounds…

honourablegeorge – Member
Weighed a 650b Enduro at a shade under 29 pounds the other day, on Park scales, with pedals (similar to the ones above).

It didn’t have 3″ tyres, a coil shock or 180mm 36s though. Or a 29er frame, or the heavier Evo rims.

Maybe saying that in the first place and being a little bit less abrupt and slightly confrontational may have been a more helpful post honourablegeorge…

I think that looks interesting Nasher. Reminds me of when 24″ conversions were being tried on 26″ DH bikes but with much higher profile tyres to make up the size difference.

We didn’t ask to be cynical, it was forced on us by the marketing people.

28lb bah thats nowt my 29er weighs 12lb if i take most of the stuff off it

This however weighed as much as the earth

26er + anyone? after the arrival of surly’s instigator 2.0 i’m tempted to stick a trials rim and a 2.75 dirt wizard on the old inbred i’ve got knocking about….

In the US Surly sell a 26×3.0 Knard, which internet wisdom says will fit my Surly 1×1.

BUT.
When those tyres do make it to the UK market the combined cost of them and suitable 50mm rims to mount them on is likely to be pushing £400, so for the foreseeable future I’ll stick with the 2.4s on 30mm rims I’m currently running.

Just an fyi, Marge Lites somehow fit on my 1×1 with room to spare! Currently running stretched nobby nics (:

I miss my very old proto inbred

We didn’t ask to be cynical, it was forced on us by the marketing people.

😆

The ideal biking “innovation” provides novelty but very little actual change

this unfortunately seems to be the case