Genuinely interested in people’s thoughts and if possible experiences of the above.

I’d been contemplating a Krampus build for a while. I have all the bits for a build sans frame, fork and tyres.

I have a pair of Hope Hoops Flow wheels to get me started until I buy some Rabbit Hole rims.

It seems that, whilst a compromise, the Knard can be run on a Flow with little issue.

So far so good and simple enough.

Then there is the On One Fatty kit. Even with the need to buy a new chain set its a cheaper option than then Krampus.

That said the wheels could present a bigish future cost especially with the 170 rear hub.

The plan would be to build a fun bike rather than über serious bike.

As I say keen on people’s thoughts and experiences of the two options.

I know I should really save and buy one of those Nicolai fat bikes but that’s another storey ….. 🙂

I’d be looking to build a bike around a frame that would take either set of wheels. Coastkid is running a Pugsley with Rabbit Holes. A Mukluk might work. On One are also supposed to be coming out with a 50mm rim so I would expect that to be a cheaper option (though I don’t think the current Fatty would take a 29+ tyre?)

Do you plan to use it mostly on trails? If so I’d go for a Krampus, they look a hoot!
If you’re planning on using it at the beach a lot as well as on the snow when it comes I’d say fat bike.

I have a fat bike as it’s great fun on all trails but really comes into it’s own on the snow.

You’d be happy with either IMO

[edit]An extra set of rabbit hole wheels to fit in my Mukluk is something I’m considering too[edit]

Sadly the Fatty won’t take a 29+ rear wheel – as it had crossed my mind to try and run both.

I did read Coastkid’s blog about his Krampug. I like the look of the Pugsley’s but a self build makes them a far more expensive option.

I couldn’t say their wouldn’t be any beach riding but it would be highly unlikely.

I thought the On One was designed to be more trailsy than pure sand/snow bike?

I agree with the above comment – have a think about what type of riding you’ll be doing.

For snow, sand, etc, then a fat bike makes sense.
Faster trails, singletrack, etc, then the Krampus comes into it’s own.

Not too say you can’t ride a fatbike on singletrack, and a Krampus will be better than a normal bike in soft conditions.

Have a look around for a little used, second hand Krampus. Quite a few people seem to have bought one and are then selling them on, without (IMHO anyway) giving them enough of a go to get used to them.

That’s what I did anyway, and I got frame, fork, headset, and wheels built onto Pro 2 hubs, for less than the frame bundle price.

I would also say for vernal use, a Krampus. I’m pretty fit and longer rides on my fatty on the trail with a mix of hard pack fire road as well as singletrack is really really hard work. As soon as you point down, everyone catches you cos there’s so much grip it slows you down…awesome in corners though, but as a compromise, the fun quickly tailed off for me. snow and really soft stuff was a different matter, it was lovely in that stuff and rolls more easily.

I had the OnOne its geo is trail bike as most are now, so handling is really good, its the rolling resistance on tyres that work in mud and softer conditions that’s the killer. Not a problem if you aren’t trying to exploit the grip in corners, but that’s half the point and the fun…..small blasts on a fatty as a trail bike, loads a fun, longer rides, purdah unless on snow/sand.

Try a test ride at Bothy Bikes. Dave loves his Krampus!

I very briefly tried it and thought, yeah, it’s fun, but it didn’t wow me in the way that a Diamond half fat Jones did………..maybe I need to give it a proper go! 😀

Oh and I run a Fat Bike as a regular trail bike and I love it. I was out for several hours on mine on Saturday and it just makes me smile every time I ride it. A lovely climb and traverse of the Kilpatrick Hills and the Whangie north of Glasgow before heading back in on tight woodsy singletrack. I run Rolling Daryls shod with Husker Du’s – they are light for a fatty and roll really well to the extent that the extra weight compared to a regular mountain bike doesn’t bother me as it’s all about the big smiles! I would expect that the On one wheels are a fair bit weightier.

Thanks guys.

As it would be more play bike I couldn’t see me riding for longer than a couple of hours. I would hope I have the fitness for lugging around the extra weight.

Hmmm.

FWIW, I take my fatbike on bike packing trips. Those are definitely longer than a “couple of hours”. I can’t say I ever feel it’s slowing me down and I’ve yet to hear anyone I ride with say “I’ll wait for you at the top of the hill” 🙂

Yep, they do ride lighter than they actually are, dunno how but they do 🙂

RH rims and Knards are still an expensive option this now for a second 29+ wheelset, no doubt more makes will be available,
Pity they do not fit the OO Fatty as you could have one with the Surly rim/tyre set for the price of a stock Pug. Still loving my 29+ set for trails and road as faster for less effort. But 4″ tyres are still more grin factor as such a giggle, rode my Nates shod Pug to work then did 9 miles round trip after work to North Berwick just for the hell of it, mostly on the quiet country roads here with a few stubble fields, why?, cause i just love riding the thing 🙂 and thats what cycling for me is all about, riding where you want, when you want and having fun 🙂

I wasn’t trying to put fattys down. I was riding with my mates on normal bikes. Very hard work trying to keep up. Out on my own, no problem, but its a social thing for me as much as anything, so I don’t tend to ride on my own.

My half fat jones space frame was grat and. Superb compromise. I rode the TransProvence race on that bike, which while punishing, was great fun. Massively less rolling resistance than full fat.

As with many of these things it depends what you want and what you like. If I lived near sand, I’d have one again for sure or if it was regularly snowy. I suspect I’d whack a normal rear tyre on or a 47mm rim and 2.5 like I used to have on the Jones. For the Summer though. It did indeed makes me smile, but so does my bonkers full suss. All bikes innit!

Buy a fatty and a pair of 4.0 knards?

I have them on my fatback, it’s very sprightly and doing a car park pickup test it actually feels lighter than my blur lt carbon

^^

All bikes innit!

Exactly 😀

If you need a large frame/fork/tyres, give me a shout, I’m thinking of going fully fat!

A guy at Forth Fat has a Krampus, said it was terrible on the sand.

@bdb a large Fatty or Krampus?

My take on this is similar to some of the views already posted.
For real soft stuff you can’t beat a full fat.
For faster trail riding the 29+ seems to have the edge.
I’m faster on most trails on my ss jones with RH rims and knard front 2.4 rear than i am on my fatback even though the fatback feels lighter.

a large krampus

Hmmm.

Was your Solaris a L or XL?

Could you email over some details?

I’m off to the LBS tomorrow to price up a Krampus FF package and was thinking XL.

@sss where are you in the country?

I’m in the midlands.

cynic-al – Member
A guy at Forth Fat has a Krampus, said it was terrible on the sand.

Quite agree I had mine down on Putsbourgh sands/Woolacombe beach last month. Wet sand was OK but dry sand I may as well been on my cross bike but it was a hoot. Its horses for courses and the Krampus is a great trail bike for having fun on and rolls deceivingly well. Just need the Dirt Wizard tyres now – Surly Dudes you LISTENING! 😀