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Flippin' Fatbike
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roverpigFull Member
Last week I took the fatbike out for a bit of an explore (along the Spey from Fochabers, along the coast to Lossiemouth and back). A ride with a bit of everything: roots, roads, loose rocks, singletrack and beach. I had a great day out, but the fatbike was (naturally) slow on some sections (e.g. roads) and (being rigid) beat me up a fair bit.
So, this week I took the Smuggler (short travel, FS 29er) back and did the same route. The Smuggler cost twice as much as the fatbike and sure enough it was (objectively) better in every way. I was a fair bit faster and finished the ride fresher. A clear win for modern technology. Except for one tiny niggling problem. I didn’t actually enjoy the ride ! I’m still not sure why. The weather was fine and surely if you are going faster with less effort and in more comfort that has to be better, right? So, why would I want to hang the far superior bike up in the shed and get back on the tank?
NorthwindFull MemberI enjoy my Remedy for its gnarness, my XC bike for its fastness, and my fatbike for its shitness. The only trick is riding the right bike at the right time, ime it’s as much about mood as anything else.
But one thing’s for sure, the fatbike’s the best bimbling bike I’ve ever owned. And I used to think the XC bike would be best for easy, low-tech riding but actually the fatbike can find fun where nothing else does- the XC bike just gets it over with faster and frankly, if that’s the attitude you have to a ride, why do it at all?
MugbooFull MemberI fitted a Shorty to my FS for winter but it hasn’t had a look in. I’m going to service the fork and fit a Minion back but I’m not sure how much use it will get locally.
Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition
Latest Singletrack VideosFresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...rocketmanFree MemberIt’s just how it is with fatbikes
I’ve stuck to a rota with my other bikes this year and although the others are technically better I look forward to the fatbike ride the most
With the other bikes it’s all about the moments whereas the fatbike is good to ride inbetween those moments i.e. most of the time. The simplicity means it doesn’t have to try too hard.
steve_b77Free MemberI raced mine yesterday in completely inappropriate conditions for a fat bike, loose and sloppy mud, it was bloody hard work, there were absolutely no advantages to doing so, but it was a right hoot.
mcnultycopFull MemberI hardly ride my FS now (although I’ll always have a FS).
Rigid fatbike is less maintenance, excellent at techy climbing (yesterday on wet roots it was superb) and means you get a break on the climbs as people want to talk to you about it.
The FS will be getting a few outings soon though, as I’ve got an Antur Stiniog booking coming up so I need to remember how to use it!
mcnultycopFull Membersteve-b77 I don’t race but the wet slop was a proper challenge yesterday, fun though, just spinning the back wheel on the spot trying to move.
legendFree MemberI didn’t actually enjoy the ride ! I’m still not sure why.
It’s because only Fatbikes come with added Grinz(trademark) obvs!
LawmanmxFree Memberfor me, cycling is all about fun, performance aside Fatbikes are fantastic fun and not as slow as people think! ride for smiles and be happy 8)
phiiiiilFull MemberLast week you were having an adventure, exploring new trails and new ways to link trails together, not quite knowing what you’d find;
This week you were just following a route, knowing what to expect, exactly where you would go, discovering nothing new or surprising along the way.
I’ve had similar experiences with the same bike before, I doubt it has all that much to do with the bike…
metalheartFree MemberSometimes, less is more.
As I’m planning riding the Moray Way shortly on the new Chubster I’m hoping the fun translates to half-fat bikes… 😀
PS I really need to get your forks back to you rp!
molgripsFree MemberYou aren’t doing the right ride on the FS.
Different rides suit different bikes. If I take my rigid bike to a trail center, I won’t enjoy it so much. If I take my FS over the mountain, I won’t enjoy that so much either. My FS needs to be thrashed along rough singletrack, otherwise there’s no point.
NormalManFull Memberphiiiiil – Member
Last week you were having an adventure, exploring new trails and new ways to link trails together, not quite knowing what you’d find;This week you were just following a route, knowing what to expect, exactly where you would go, discovering nothing new or surprising along the way.
I’ve had similar experiences with the same bike before, I doubt it has all that much to do with the bike..
I would have agreed with you in the past on this. However, late last year this was flipped on it’s head for me. I planned to try some new trails, just follow and see where it led type thing. I took my 29er HT. The ride was good and I found some interesting bits of singletrack, a bombhole and even some dirt jumps that local kids had put together. BUT, kept missing being on the fatbike. So much so the next day I did exactly the same route on the fatbike and enjoyed it more.
I am not saying fatbikes are some panacea but I think they really do ‘hit the spot’ for some riders. I reckon RP is one. I know I am.
paladinFull MemberLots of routes in that area where I’ve wished I had a fatbike (the sandy MX trails), and i’d far sooner have a fattie for the beach if the tide was in.
jonnyboiFull MemberI didn’t actually enjoy the ride ! I’m still not sure why
Maybe because you followed the same route, so it had lost its uniqueness. pick something new, ride it on the FS then follow up with the fatbike and see if you feel the same?
roverpigFull MemberThanks folks. I knew that, if I posted something rambling, you’d help me to clarify my thoughts. Lots of good points, some of which I’ll try to respond to below:
the XC bike just gets it over with faster and frankly, if that’s the attitude you have to a ride, why do it at all?
Bingo 🙂
It’s not just that though. Although the Smuggler was undoubtedly better for almost all of the ride, it wasn’t as good on the bonkers bits, like riding across a stony beach or the sandy trails in the woods. It’s the bonkers bits that stick in the memory.
Last week you were having an adventure, exploring new trails and new ways to link trails together, not quite knowing what you’d find;
Maybe because you followed the same route, so it had lost its uniqueness. pick something new, ride it on the FS then follow up with the fatbike and see if you feel the same?
This was my first thought too. It’s not new so it’s not as much fun. But I don’t think that’s it. I can think of plenty of rides that I’ve done before which became fun when I tried them again on the fatbike. In fact that was part of the reason for doing it on the Smuggler this time. It’s a different bike so the route will feel different. I also explored a few new bits that I’d seen last week. But it just wasn’t happening. Of course, one can’t read too much into one ride, maybe it was just one of those days.
Lots of routes in that area where I’ve wished I had a fatbike (the sandy MX trails)
Ah, so they are MX trails. Initially I thought they were MTB trails. They were a right laugh, but I couldn’t get them to flow. I thought I was riding them backwards or something, so tried them the other way round this week. I must admit, I was thinking that what they really needed was an engine !
Send me your smuggler. I’ll show it a good time.
Make me an offer 🙂 No don’t. I probably should keep it. It’s an amazing bike. Easily the most capable bike I’ve owned. But other than the very rare occasions when I ride in a group (and appreciate the fact that it allows me to keep up) or the occasional (short lived) thrill as I move into a semi-respectable position on a Strava leaderboard, I’m struggling to think of a ride where it really made me grin. I suspect I just don’t do the sort of rides for which it was designed.
roverpigFull MemberAs I’m planning riding the Moray Way shortly on the new Chubster I’m hoping the fun translates to half-fat bikes…
PS I really need to get your forks back to you rp!
Look forward to hearing how that goes. There are some fun bits once you get away from the dog walkers (i.e. as soon as you are half a mile from a car park!).
Must admit, I forgot all about those forks. Don’t suppose you know anybody who wants them? If not, I’m just as happy for them to be cluttering up your shed as mine 🙂
vondallyFree MemberI spent mistime in the last seven months on a half fat rigid stooge, so much so that my yeti SB 95 spent it’s time in the shed waiting for new bearings.
Finally sorted the Yeti out and rode it last couple of weeks and have beaten some personal Strava times by 20 seconds or so on the down and pretty quick on the ups.
So riding a rigid has made me faster BUT I did enjoy riding the rigid more.
motormanFree MemberThese are my local trails and I can confirm that a fatbike is the correct choice for riding between Lossie and Fochabers. Take a slower pace of life and be rewarded by infinite route choices. I am currently rattling around in there on 29+ but even that is no match for the plushness and float of full fat when tackling the rooty/sandy/shingle sections.
metalheartFree MemberLook forward to hearing how that goes.
Ha, you think I’m not going to post up about that one? Oh, I’ll keep you informed… 😆
epicycloFull MemberRoverpig has just discovered that if you enjoy doing something, then the option that lets you do it for longer is the best one.
Wham, bam, thank you ma’am is generally not satisfying. 🙂
roverpigFull MemberI got a chance to test both the familiarity and weather hypothesis yesterday, by riding the same route again on the fatbike, in the steady rain and stiff easterly wind. Loved it 🙂
Weirdly I was also faster than I was last week on the Smuggler, which doesn’t make any sense.
NormalManFull MemberNice one RP and great picture.
Somehow fatbike pictures really do work for me.
It is funny how fatbiking can ‘change’ your riding for some. I did write a piece about this (not a great piece admittedly) for one of fatbiking sites a while back.
As I said before, for some riders, it just hits the spot.
dobiejessmoFree MemberSimple Fatbikes make you smile so before you start riding it you are in a good frame of mind yes you right about it being slower but they are great handling bikes for a rigid bike have a 27.5 one great in mud that’s all I use it for best handling bike over tree roots I have ever owned that’s all about the tyres and pressures I expect.
MoreCashThanDashFull MemberI would love to try a Fatbike on our local routes to see how it compares. I’m a wheels on the ground kind of guy, not tried to ride anything too gnar and techy for years, I think it may suit me.
Or it might be an annoying and frustrating slog. But it would be nice to try.
retrorickFull MemberI’ve just gone 650b+ ht for a change from 29″HT and having ridden it in the puddles, mud and slime for a huge distance of 5 miles I did enjoy the experience. Plenty more grip and I was able to ride muddy tracks which would of otherwise been impossible for me due to the lack of grip on the other bike. I’m hoping to ride it on all the short rides that I’d normally do, then when I return to the xc bike for the longer rides I will probably benefit from being slightly fitter. Time will tell I suppose.
nickscots1Free MemberWhat are fat bikes like on steps/drop offs ?
Do you get pinch punctures with low pressures or not.Muddy trails, fat bike better ?
SuggseyFree MemberI’ve just sold all my MTBs and purchased a Specialized Fatboy as an upgrade from my Claire Dune that I found I was riding everywhere in preference to any of the other bikes. Even when I was riding say the Orange Five at Hopton Woods a couple of months ago in the slop and rain I found myself actually wishing I had the fatbike with me instead. Maybe it’s my age and lack of ability but I just find the fatty the most pleasurable ride for the majority of the ridding I do. If I do an uplift day in the future I’ll book a sled to ride too.
NorthwindFull Membernickscots1 – Member
What are fat bikes like on steps/drop offs ?
Do you get pinch punctures with low pressures or not.Muddy trails, fat bike better ?
Like any bike, pressures need to be high enough… It’s the reason I stopped using 4 inch tyres, if I wanted to keep the air in them I had to run 9psi which at 10 stone, is too high for the thing to really work. But more volume means you can go lower, just like with normal bikes. Minion 4.8s with 6psi have been spot on for me- racing innerleithen dh trails today, not at full speed mind but never missed a beat.
Mud though? Depends on the mud but with sloppy mud, the bigger the tyre the more float you have, and that’s generally pretty terrible. Several times today I just lost a wheel from under me almost like I was on ice. Also, today was a masterclass in how unpleasant it can be to pedal a wide tyre through porridge mud- you’re basically pushing your way through it all the time so wider tyre = more pushing.
Still, it was all pretty entertaining so it was more not-good than bad, I never wanted to get off and shout at it.
LawmanmxFree Membernickscots1 – Member
What are fat bikes like on steps/drop offs ?
Do you get pinch punctures with low pressures or not.Muddy trails, fat bike better ? ….
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better than you would think!
sometimes yea (2 in 18 months) but don’t all tyres?
mine was great in the mud yesterday, a proper laugh sliding through the corners and never felt like i was on the wrong bike 🙂 HTHCaptainMainwaringFree MemberLike any bike, pressures need to be high enough… It’s the reason I stopped using 4 inch tyres, if I wanted to keep the air in them I had to run 9psi which at 10 stone, is too high for the thing to really work. But more volume means you can go lower, just like with normal bikes. Minion 4.8s with 6psi have been spot on for me- racing innerleithen dh trails today, not at full speed mind but never missed a beat.
Mud though? Depends on the mud but with sloppy mud, the bigger the tyre the more float you have, and that’s generally pretty terrible. Several times today I just lost a wheel from under me almost like I was on ice. Also, today was a masterclass in how unpleasant it can be to pedal a wide tyre through porridge mud- you’re basically pushing your way through it all the time so wider tyre = more pushing.
Still, it was all pretty entertaining so it was more not-good than bad, I never wanted to get off and shout at it.
Northwind, I’m surprised you need to go that high with 4.0″ pressures. I’m a bit over 11st and run 7/8.5 psi F/R on my Surly Wednesday using 4.0″ 45 Nrth Van Helgas. Having said that, I am running tubeless on wide rims so perhaps that’s the difference?Agreed that hitting mud at any speed on fat tyres can be a bit heart stopping as they just tend to float across the surface without digging in and finding grip. I find that a few rocks and small drop offs are fine, but repeated continuous hits on rocky descents and it all starts going pear shaped.
FS bikes are great, but we go riding to have fun and I reckon most of us like some little challenges along the way where we have to use some skills. If you are doing simple terrain, a good FS will remove the need for skills so the ride becomes less challenging and therefore less fun
NorthwindFull MemberI’m tubeless on 80mm rims. It’s just rocks tbh, you can ride one or two rocks with care but once they start piling up it was tiptoe or puncture.
At the risk of sounding like a dick, it gets ridden harder than most fatbikes do. Not because I’m awesome but because I’m stupid 😆 Some of what I ride on it is hard on normalbike tyres even with 150mm of travel so it’s a very harsh test.
rocketmanFree MemberWhat are fat bikes like on steps/drop offs ?
Mine lulls me into a false sense of security because it seems to absorb one or two quite easily and then gets totally out of shape like a Spacehopper down stairs.
Do you get pinch punctures with low pressures or not.
Erm no, not for me anyway. The bike squirms and falls into corners when the pressures are too low but at my usual 6-7-8 psi the tyres seems quite effective
Muddy trails, fat bike better ?
Nope it’s like a cow on ice which is even more of a surprise considering how much grip it has in the dry. I guess it could be made to work but I CBA I just get the thin bike out
dovebikerFull MemberI’ll attempt far more techy stuff on my fatbike than I would an MTB because it is far more forgiving of errors and I have so much more grip that I can simply roll-down stuff – a 5″ tyre and 26 chainring gives massive ground clearance too over logs and ledges. If you ride a fatbike like a skinny through mud, it’ll slide but take it steady, enjoy the float and you’ll probably progress quite well – a bit like riding deep snow. I normally run 5/6psi and never come close to bottoming-out or having a pinch puncture
roverpigFull MemberI’ll attempt far more techy stuff on my fatbike than I would an MTB because it is far more forgiving of errors and I have so much more grip that I can simply roll-down stuff
Yes, if I’m honest, I think that’s why I keep reaching for the fatbike. It just gives me so much more confidence. I’m not going to be breaking any records on descents (never was), but I’m not going to be breaking anything else either. I particularly like it for exploring new routes where I don’t know what I might encounter. If I find a sweet descent I may well go back on the “proper” bike and usually do it a bit faster. Although I often find it’s not as much fun on the proper bike as I thought it would be, which brings us back to the start of the thread.
I’ve not found steps/drops to be any more of a problem really. It’s still a hardtail (or fully rigid, depending on your preference) so it’s not going to soak up repeated hits like a full-suss, but the odd step/drop is fine. Repeated hits do require you (or at least me) to back off a fair bit though.
Mud is a strange one as everyone seems to agree that they are crap and they can’t all be wrong, but I much prefer my ICT with Bud/Lou tyres to my skinny bikes with Nic/Dampf when it gets slippy. That is on Aberdeenshire mud though, not the clay-based stuff you get down South, which is a whole other ball game.
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