Quite a few folk running tubeless now.
For the back-story, you could mibbe try this thread on mtbr..
http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/fat-bike-history-498002.html .. but basically, it's come from the snowy wastelands 🙂
[quote=Mal-ec ]So how about riding to + from trails I'm guessing linking sections are a bit of a drag + what about moorland boggyness?
How about average weights (thinking more about lifting over fences/gates e.t.c. )?
To-from trails on hard surfaces (roads) is draggier than your normal MTB knobbly. You just have to take that in your stride. However, there are fat slicks available that run remarkably easy if road-riding is your forté.
On soft stuff it's normally easier. This might sound counter-intuitive, but consider that a large tyre spreads the weight over a larger area and does not cut "into" the surface so much. That means you're not expending energy re-arranging the local topography. As a by-product, it means fat tyres are also less damaging to bogs etc. so they are the low-impact answer.
My 9zero7 is a fairly lightweight build and comes in at a smidge over 30lbs. There are folk running singlespeed etc with bikes in the mid-20s.
Do you have the option of tube/less as in ornery MTBing? Or is it tubes all the way.
There's alway options if you're prepared to try stuff for yourself.
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7090784141_a29acdfe47.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/7090784141/ ]tubeless Nate on Large Marge.[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/stu-b/ ]singlespeedstu[/url], on Flickr
Picture taken before flapage was trimmed down to size.
flapage
will try and use that word tomorrow.
will try and use that word tomorrow.
The world would be a better place with more use of the word flapage.
Cheers Druidh, thats helpful.
Back to the snow question,
Only if its the right type, lucky enough to have mine during the two coldest winters since Mammoths were wandering about...
I had a great time riding what really should not be possible, dry snow i could ride until the BB grounded as pedals punched through the snow - but it was still hard work and i was roasting even at -18C 😀
Wet snow at milder times it was useless and my regular bikes were better,
Amazing grip on ice for non studded due to the contact area 🙂
On the ungritted snowploughed roads it rolled faster than on tarmac, must have been less friction, i did 50 mile loops from home up into the hills on car free roads and it was amazing...
I am no snow riding expert and you need Shaggy and co who have ridden abroad to comment on what these bikes can do in the countries where they were desgined, i wouldnt hold out for another ice age UK winter to get one, may be a while... 🙂
My bike iced up at -18C while i stopped at a friends house up in local hills for a warming brew, he said i was a nutter for being up there in those conditions... 
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2628/4201306982_203aab404a_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/4201306982/ ]sat snowride dec09 pics 041[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
Some snow films i did...
Never forget this!, coldest commute ever done, It was -10C when i left home but time i got to work it was baltic and it was -18C at work by 8am 😯
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5240657863/in/set-72157625354108987/ ]Winter commute at -18C [/url]
Snow report going home midday...
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5238828466/in/set-72157625354108987/ ]Snow report...[/url]
Commuting home on ice
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5223423941/in/set-72157625354108987/ ]Fatty bike on ice[/url]
Eah it wer that cold ah had to put anti freeze in ma cider and carry extra bottles of the stuff.
The Glenmorangie never froze though at -18C, not cheap anti freeze even when on offer at Tesco... 😉
Another point...fat tires have light carcasses so roll pretty well. Not as fast as 2" tires but not as slow as you'd expect.
I do not premote my fatbikes as great xc bikes, they are good with their grip on roots and loose rocks, and their go anywheare ability but my fat rim 29er is better for regular road/ trail riding and climbing with its weight/roll esp now with these Gato tyres fitted running at 20 psi...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7913823546_23959b056d_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/7913823546/ ]Karate Monkey 001[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8460/7939970246_6d05d614cd_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/7939970246/ ]Harvest cycle, North Berwick 023[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
Sadly the fatty scene has become marketed now like the rest of the MTB scene and at the end of the day a 3.7" tyre drags more than any 2.35" tyre set up 26" or 29" due to its contact area on tarmac and dry trails...
Horses for courses and take them to the right areas and they are ace 🙂
For me thats the beach...
The pugsley is a great example of a frame set made well from day one...
despite all the latest new "must have" fatbikes it still does whats written on the box and rides closest to a regular MTB - if you could call a ridged 29er that, I have the Karate Monkey and both bikes fit like a a glove 🙂
Now a Reynolds 831 inline fat bike frame (170mm Hope rear hub 😉 ) capable of a 80mm rim with 3.7" tyre and a 135mm hub front fork ala Moonlander with clearance for the 4,7" BFL tyre would be nice... 🙂
Er... Genesis is it true your building a fatty bike? 🙂
Fatbikes are shite. There's no point in getting one. They are blatantly boring to ride. They are really heavy too. I mean sure, riding a heavy bike with really heavy wheels will increase your strength and fitness no end but where's the benefit in that!?!? Better off with a superlight xc bike with a compliant rear end I say.
do I ****.
Nice vid mista.