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Serious question:
What's it like riding a fat tyre mountain bike, and what are they for? Do they ever have suspension? What are they like to ride on the road?
I quite like the way they look, but I don't actually know anyone who rides one; nor have I seen anyone on one out on the trails.
try to get a ride on one - charlie the bikemonger and sideways tim both have demo bikes I think
don't let the haters put you off 😆
riding them
bit harder work than normal, but worth it
good for snow, sand, soft stuff, mud, a lot depends on which tyres you select
the majority are hardtail / rigid front
most fun iv'e had on 2 wheels
As this is the second time this has come up in a few days, I'll give my take on it...
1/ They are primarily designed for use on snow. Not that soft, fluffy stuff, but the sort of hard-packed, pisted trails which are common in the likes of Alaska.
2/ They are pretty adaptable and are being used to great effect on (certain types of) sand. If you are careful which part of the beach you ride on, they do much better than a "normal" wheel. However, they can still sink/spin-out on the wrong consistency of sand and water.
3/ The high-volume tyre works well on soft terrain - bogs, certain consistencies of mud, peat etc. and also on rocks and boulders. You will "float" over more surfaces than a skinnier tyre AND you will cause less trail damage, so fat tyres are actually a more environmentally-friendly option 🙂
4/ The low pressure/large footprint gives some amazing grip while climbing and traversing loose terrain. You'll find photos and videos of the tyres deforming a massive amount to maintain the large contact patch. The original tyres were aimed at snow/sand and work well, but we are now seeing some proper knoblies for them too and they work like velcro!
5/ The bikes generally steer a bit "slower" than most bikes you will have ridden. However, they come in a range of geometries, so don't think they are all the same. My 907 is much more "flickable" than a Pugsley and I believe the Fatbacks are even more so (head angle/short chain-stays).
6/ There are some tread-less tyres now available which apparently handle road riding pretty well - at the right pressure. I've not tried these yet.
7/ I don't ride much on the beach and, even where I am in Scotland, snow is a temporary feature. Therefore, mine gets ridden on all sorts of trails. Rough tracks and trails can be hammered over as the tyre will soak up lots of the bumps (someone on a "normal" bike actually reckoned this was a problem for him when he was following me last weekend). There is also really good grip on gravel and other loose surfaces. Consider the difference between a 26x2.0 tyre on an XC bike and a 25x2.5 tyre on a DH bike and extrapolate that.....
what druidh said but with loads of fun and added smiles.
whereabouts are you located, Im sure you can blag a go on one
I'm in Cardiff.
thats only a 3.5 hour drive if you want a spin on my Fatback 🙂
Sorry Im not closer, but im sure someone must ride one in your area
I'd be interested to see if you could get up Machen Mountain any easier on one.
Thy these for further info...
http://www.pugsley-on-patrol.org.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/user/garybuckham
http://coastkid.blogspot.co.uk/
http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/
Sorry, blatant plug for self but I hope these help.
Gary
You're all missing the most important point about fatbikes.
They sound freaking awsum when you get up to speed on a descent. 😀
what speed do you have to reach to get an awsum noise from these here tyres then ssstu ?
The noise Max's out at 104mph
Some of those shots on the 'pugsley on patrol' site so make me want to get one.
And I haven't even seen one in real life yet.
If I don't have any luck this summer, I might just make the drive.
Depends if you're using larrys or nates.
Saxon.
If you're visiting the midlands you can take a spin on mine.