[Closed] Steel fatbike frames - what's out there?

Charge Cooker Maxi (like what I've got). They don't make them any more but there appears to be stock knocking about.

Singular Puffin, no idea if it's light or not but it's probably one of the more 'Boutique' steel options and looks like a steel bike should, not sure if it's still available new.

Anything by Surly, the Wednesday is their 'trail' fat bike (the rest being more 'expedition' biased).

The Stooge looks cool, dunno if it'll ever see production, seems like the Fat bubble has passed and there hasn't been much in the way of new frames from anyone for a while.

What's your budget? Shand and BTR have both done custom builds. If I had the money I'd really like to see if Curtis could do one!

The Stooge is a thing of beauty (friend is lucky enough to have a ti one), the Surly ones all tend to be steel also.

LHT will allow almost complete swap of Dune parts, I think, but ain't light.

(I like steel too but there's a lot of metal in a fatbike...)

I had my Chinese-built custom titanium frame built for less than the price of a Surly ICT. At least standards have settled down in terms of 150mm fork and 197mm through-axle rear that copes with all available tyre sizes.

[s]LHT[/s][b]ICT[/b] will allow almost complete swap of Dune parts, I think, but ain't light.

FTFY (I presume?)

Surly ICT. Steel, a bundle of laughs and uses the same 197/150 "standard" and the Dune. Mine (Large) is also probably going up for sale soon after I upgraded to a carbon fibre Dude. No, you're right, it wasn't really an upgrade, but it's done now 🙂

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Crap, yes, that's what I meant. ING at TLAs

http://webshop.singularcycles.com/en/Products/Singular-Puffin.html

I've got a mk1 Puffin. I like it. Not super light, but about what you'd expect from a steel fatbike frame.

Ritchey Commando, I think there were some discounted recently.

@ RP - I still think you should swap back and sell the Dude 😉

@ RP - I still think you should swap back and sell the Dude

So do I, some days. That's why I never actually get round to listing it 🙂 The Dude would be worth more and if I spent that on some trick parts for the Truck the weight difference would be smaller. Plus, I still think the truck looks great. I'll probably just do my usual trick of swithering on here until somebody makes me an offer for one or the other and makes my mind up for me though 🙂

I was out on my Pugs yesterday. Yes it is heavy but I always come back smiling. Surly seem to have that effect on me.

(I like steel too but there's a lot of metal in a fatbike...)

I thought it was a similar amount, just further apart... 😀

I like the look of the Surlys, but they look very expedition orientated, the ones I've seen at least with hundreds of luggage mounts.

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What's your budget? Shand and BTR have both done custom builds

Well, I'm just pondering so don't really have one however, my budget is usually interest free credit 😉

I've not seen the BTR but if it's like their hardtail with the mahoosive brace at the headtube, I'm not really a fan.

Cannot recommend my Ice Cream Truck enough, can't believe roverpig wants to sell his.

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Shand and BTR have both done custom builds.

Oh, who hasn't? 😉

[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/23436653013_1a5f71dd75_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/23436653013_1a5f71dd75_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

oddity make lurvely* fat bikes

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* if you have taste 😉

Re surly bikes,
Ive recently bought a surly karate monkey and the frame finish is superb, certainly the best ive seen, properly rustproofed.

tazzymtb - Member

oddity make lurvely* fat bikes

In this case, I think they've made 2 and then crashed them together

I like the look of the Surlys, but they look very expedition orientated, the ones I've seen at least with hundreds of luggage mounts.

I think, I may be wrong, that the ICT is the expedition one and the Wednesday is the trail one, it's geometry quite close to the On-one bikes? But yes, a bazillion bottle mounts to gouge yourself on in a crash!

ICT is slightly slacker HA actually but 5" tyres compared to the 4" ones on the Wednesday (complete builds). Both are Bluto ready so to speak, which would lose some of the 'expedition warts'

The truly more expedition focused ones are the frameset only Pugsley and Moonlander.

the Singualr puffin was one of the most funnest fat bikes I've owned.

It's still fun, taz! Did postierich's Lakes jennride on it earlier in the year. Perfect for the job!

Keep resisting upgrading my Dune frame to an ICT...

Still liking the Dune overall though, but think those stock tyres are ready to go, they aren't the best in general mud. Good for deep, wet bogs, but not shallow slippery stuff.

Cannot recommend my Ice Cream Truck enough, can't believe roverpig wants to sell his.

Well I thought I'd resigned myself to this, but I'm having second thoughts now 🙂

^ my (biased) advice:
Put the ICT back together and go for a spin or two and see if the smile is greater than the Dude induced grin.

Cheaper end of the spectrum is the Genesis Caribou, which ain't a bad bike. I had a go on one and it was great fun, and framesets can be had cheaply.

@Taz - stop it ...... I'm doing my best not to email them about some a handlebar and a squid fork 😈

@letmetalktomark - hang fire if I were you chap, some exciting things coming soon from the owestry based old punk geezer 😀

Ooooh.

They would be for my Stooge too.

I did try to get a bi plane fork from Andy but they didn't make it into production it seams 🙁

The ICT is something of a trail hooligan. I will ride stuff on it that I would struggle to do on my Turner Sultan. It is a very capable and fun bike. It's not light but by jove, it makes me smile!

I have tried the Ti Stooge - great bike. Very rapid and comfy.

If he did it, I would love a Ti Jones spaceframe fat bike.

A Surly is for life, not just for Xmas - they are really good bikes, very well finished and fun to ride.

http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/surly-ice-cream-truck-long-term-review-no-4-time-to-give-it-back/

Ahem!

Pugsley and a Ritchey Commando here - the Ritchey is like a zingier, lighter, faster Pugsley. Sizing wise the large Ritchey was almost identical to the 18" Pugsley. The finish and level of detail on the Ritchey is incredible but it isn't one of your 'fast trail' geometry frames. Love them both.

^ my (biased) advice:
Put the ICT back together and go for a spin or two and see if the smile is greater than the Dude induced grin.

That's not bad advice. It would require a bit of shed time to make the comparison fair and time is tight so I'd usually prefer to be out there riding whatever works. But you are right, there is no rush, so I could give it another go.

Ritchey isn't cheap 😯

Not a fan of the top tube bend but nice otherwise.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/32663331893_0a0c411c7f_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/32663331893_0a0c411c7f_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

[url= https://flic.kr/p/RLm7AH ]Ice Cream Truck[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimbosussexmtb/ ]Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4250/34725710852_6e7a859e72.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4250/34725710852_6e7a859e72.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

[url= https://flic.kr/p/UUAm1C ]Got a bit tweaky on the #icecreamtruck this afternoon ** ** @intergalacticsurlybikes @surlysociety @surlybikesuk @surlysteel #surly #icecreamtruck #ICT #fatbike_29plus_life #fatbike #fatbiker #fatbiking #fatbikeworld #fatbikedotcom #26aintdead #itjustgotf[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimbosussexmtb/ ]Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Love the ICT, lots of fun to ride, you can do whatever you want on it!

I do like the look of the ICT I have to say, and this is probably not a phrase you should use in relation to fatbikes, but I wonder if it's a bit 'overbuilt'?

The Dune is light for what it is and again, inappropriate phrase for a fatbike, but I wouldn't want to think I'd lose that nimble-ish kind of feeling on it.

How does the Wednesday compare? Anyone ridden both?
I like the simplicity looks-wise of the Wednesday, so long as I could lose a few bottle mounts. 🙂

time is tight so I'd usually prefer to be out there riding

😆 RP that is my excuse for avoiding DIY etc

Mentioned it before, but have you had a look at the Puffin? Rides really well, and it's got as clean a set of lines as you're likely to find.

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I've always wondered what the difference was between the various Surly fat bike frames, there's so many!

That Puffin is nice actually 🙂

Edit: But 27.2 seattube is a pain when you're invested in bigger.

Surly Wednesday here, it's deffo trail oriented if you want to be, sure, it's got the standard rack mounts all over the place for bike packing & wotnot, but you don't have to use them, stick a dropper on it & even set up rigid I hit the same local jumps/berms/drops on it as I do on my Stanton switchback (mk1) and it never feels out of shape, better sometimes as cornering grip and speed on the local loam is better, it's longer in the top tube so runs really well with a short stem, it's well balanced for getting the front wheel up & bunny hops too.

My Pugsley is steel but with 4.0" tyres I'm not sure how much of that flex and zing is apparent tbh. The only time I've felt it was when I was fully laden for a road tour on it and it hogged like mad going down hills.

the Ritchey was £425 for frame & forks 🙂

I have a mk1 Puffin.

It's an absolute hoot to ride.

Currently running 4.8" tyres front and back at the sacrifice of the largest rear cog but fatterer is moar betterer 8)

I did look at a Wednesday and still look at the ICT as I am a serial frame swapper but I've read that the front ends are quite low by comparison plus the Puffin is all the (fat) bike I'm likely to need 😆

That mk2 looks great with the skinwall Nates 8)

That Singular is a thing of beauty; I have no need for one, but doesn’t stop me wanting one.

I reckon the puffin is the best frame Singular has made... and I've had a few...

A hoot in fat bike mode and serious mile cruncher in 29+ mode... Sometimes run it fat front and 29+ rear...

It is nice. Just wish it would fit my Reverb.

I got to be honest. I thought there'd be moar niche in this thread. I've actually heard of most of these... 😀

The ICT is a big old lump for sure, mine weighs 39lbs with a dropper post and a Bluto fork. That said it really doesn't feel like it. It's way more nimble than it has any right to be in singletrack. It does feel like it will be around longer than me though! Definitely overbuilt, but very confidence inspiring.

I thought there'd be moar niche in this thread.

Vagaberrrhnde?
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Edelbikes?
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That Vagabonde looks super nice..

The ICT is a big old lump for sure, mine weighs 39lbs with a dropper post and a Bluto fork.

Is that with the stock wheels and tyres? I reckon my Large came in at around 35-36 lb, but that was with DT Swiss wheels and Jumbo Jim tyres. I never had the nerve to weigh it with the Bud/Lou tyres on 🙂

Weight is a funny one though. I certainly noticed it when carrying the bike or lifting it onto the roof of the car and it was the main reason for "upgrading" to the Dude, which has similar geometry but comes in at 31 lb with dropper and Bluto. However, if I'm honest, I never noticed the weight when riding it and strangely there are still some climbs where I was faster on the ICT than I seem to be on the lighter and stiffer Dude. They are mainly the super steep and more technical ones (the Dude wins on long steady drags), which is a bit of a mystery to me.

Interestingg info on Wednesday/ICT comparison:

http://surlybikes.com/blog/post/wednesday_faq

And a v cheap ICT in medium here:

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/fat-bike-frames-c119/ice-cream-truck-frameset-p17173

Have a look at Marino Bikes on Facebook. I have just had a full system frame built by him, and I'm very happy with the outcome. He can custom build you a frame, to your spec for around 250 pounds! Full choice of colours, dropouts etc.

shermer75 - Member
That Vagabonde looks super nice..

I conker.
And the Edelebikes below it 🙂

I've a Mk1 Singular Puffin, my wife has the Surly Wednesday.

The Puffin is around 15Kg with 120tpi Vanhelgas the Wednesday is a little heavier with low tpi Nates. Both ride a lot lighter than their weight would suggest.

A hoot in fat bike mode and serious mile cruncher in 29+ mode... Sometimes run it fat front and 29+ rear...

Surely that's the wrong way round? You'd wan the tractor like fat bike rear grip and a narrower front tyre to dig into corners?

That said we've hit that scary bit of the year where the trails are still running really quick, but the thin layer of mud offers sod all grip to fat wheels! Compounded by the fact I've got only a bar light so keep having to twist my bars round to see the exit rather than counter steering!

Wednesday owner here too, Love it but if im brutally honest it doesn't ride as light or fast as my OO Fatty trail but i do prefer riding the Wednesday, and considering it aint made for it, its a great jumper and descender 🙂

In line with what RP stated regarding weight, my Pug is heavier than either of my 29ers. Yet I have one short climb that the Pug roasts the other 2 bikes on.

It isn't an overly technical climb but is short and steep with little in the way of traction at the bottom of the climb and has some rocky bits in the middle (steepest section). The Pug just monsters up the climb, refusing to get knocked off line.

we've hit that scary bit of the year where the trails are still running really quick, but the thin layer of mud offers sod all grip to fat wheels!

True dat!
Nearly ate gravel last night after a fast section into a muddy section 😯

So, I took NM's advice, built the ICT back up and did some back-to-back testing with the Dude. If I had my time again I wouldn't bother with the "upgrade". The Dude looks better on paper and is better in some (but not all) situations, but overall it isn't any more fun. However, it's not really any less fun and you do really notice the lower weight when you have to pick it up (although, surprisingly, not when riding). Since I tend to use the fatbike for exploring and many of those rides end up with extensive sections of hike-a-bike I think I'll keep the Dude.

So, if anyone is interested in a large blue ICT (frame or full build) let me know 🙂 I'll probably get round to listing it in the classified section one day, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

Seeing as you listen to me 😉 (congrats you are the first) but how about winter / summer fatbike?

Dude with Bluto and dropper etc.

ICT rigid and all guarded up?

Just a thought...

Another vote for the Puffin - bloody love mine

3 years old and its brilliant!!

Does everything from rapid hooning around the woods to major bivi adventures

Incredible machine 🙂

Got an "as new" SS Surly Pug in large ( under 20 miles) if anyone wants one ..bought an XL amost immediately after purchase ( actually 2!).
mail in profile

how about winter / summer fatbike?

That thought had crossed my mind 🙂 Dude with Bluto and 4.4" Jumbo Jim tyres for the summer; ICT rigid with 4.8" Bud/Lou for the winter.

If I were purely riding fatbikes that would be perfect, but I spend as much time on my Five as I do on the fatbike(s) and with winter tyres on that copes with the slop just as well. Plus I don't really want three offroad bikes. Having said that, I'll probably end up taking your advice. If only because selling it takes actual effort and keeping it doesn't 🙂

Plus I don't really want three offroad bikes.

😯

Burn the heretic!

[url= http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/ ]See rule 12[/url]

@kayak23

I had exactly that moment on Monday night. Ever so slightly downhill corner, thin layer of mud over hardback, front end then back end, then grip, the back end came all the way round! Not a very confidence inspiring start to a ride...

^ 😀

@ RP
I was meant to sell a 29er HT as I'd bought another.

Guess what? I now have 3 off-road bikes 😳