[Closed] Who still rides a fatbike 2021

About 3k in the UK fat bike club atm and you must know Judy & Roy if you ride in the Surrey hills?
https://flic.kr/p/2iQATo2

Yep - 🙋

& I'm not on the ukfatbike club FB page. If you don't promote safe cycling as part of the ethos of the page I leave.

Yep, mainly in the winter

Me too, it’s my bikepacking bike. Doesn’t get ridden too much but still great fun when I do.

10 of us out riding last Sunday.

Quite a common site around here.

I still see several fatbikes riding around Edinburgh city centre, complete with spotless tyres.
Struggling to see the point in those conditions tbh, but the riders all look happy enough.
Plenty on view when i drive through aviemore however.
I have a half fat surly karate monkey, 29x3. I can easily roll through stuff that my mate on 700x40s has to walk. That’s the whole point of them imo, suitability for the terrain you ride.
I doubt anyone would take one for a road tour in Europe.

It's only the Neds I see riding em now.

Not very often but I enjoy it when I do.
It is bloody lethal in the mud so it is mainly for hard pack and scary stuff.

Mine is all dressed up for bike packing which I will do one day...

Previously it was a hardcore winter hardtail but I've got to the age where I need a full suss for agro duties.

Yep, just bought a new (to me) smokestone henderson this year, ride in the FoD mostly...

Lots here in Norway! I mainly use mine in the winter as I have a plus bike for summer bikepacking.

Use my Surly Wednesday for commuting and for off road stuff for the last 5 1/2 years, don’t have a usable mtb anymore, mtb moved in a different direction to me and I’m not into the whole enduro thing, so it’s fatty for fun and the gravel bike for “cycling”

When riding it is the bike of choice

yep, still use my Mukluk. fat tyres for winter and a set of 29+ wheels for summer.

I use mine for gravel riding \o/

Yep. I have a Fat-e for year round and a non "e"-version for longer trips away or holidays.

In Canada, nearly everyone

Susan Tully still rides hers I believe.

I've just popped into Synergy Cycles in Auchterader.

One fatty inside, one e-fatty in the window. 🤘

I do, bought my first fatbike this year, a 2021 Surly ICT and I absolutely love it. Hadn't even rode a fatbike before buying mine, I'd been wanting one for years so decided to treat myself. Every ride on it puts a massive smile on my face!

Genuinely think that if I had to get rid of all my bikes and only ever have one bike, it would be the fatbike I'd keep.

Mine's having a rest after doing kind of heroic duty over the winter, only had it out once since March or so. I did finally take it on a beach, though, first time ever.

Me and my buddy have fattys, his an one one and me a singular puffin. Absolute hoot and turn the dull into hilarity.

and you must know Judy & Roy if you ride in the Surrey hills?

Would they be the 50+ couple that look like a pair of chilled out Hells Angels?

Certainly sounds like Roy & Judy.

I still see several fatbikes riding around Edinburgh city centre, complete with spotless tyres.
Struggling to see the point in those conditions tbh, but the riders all look happy enough.

Anti-tramline measure?

I do. This thread inspired me to re-assemble mine as it’s been in storage for 13 months. It would have been great this last winter in the Cairngorms when we had snow for the best part of 3 months. I like mine for the fact you can ride almost anywhere, not restricted to manmade trails like “mountain bikes”

Judy and Roy McNeil are your “chilled Hell’s Angels” aka Beerbabe and Beerbiker

Me…. Coastal, bikepacking and around Edinburgh sometimes.

Use mind in the mud only which is coming again in Gloucestershire so have got it ready hardly ever see them in Gloucestershire or Wilts.

Does anyone still ride theirs?
If not…why not ?…

I don't own one, but could suggest from a non-buyer perspective that new sales have dropped off as the bubble of full fat bikes got tied up with the boom-and-bust of "plus".

Everyone got excited by the prospect of grip, but then decided the compromises were too great with plus (and I'd suggest by association, fat bikes). The main killer was I reckon the perception and shared internet wisdom that big tyres couldn't be ridden fast without collapsing in corners or puncturing. And whilst it probably wouldn't have been an issue for many, many riders in reality, most people like to think they are fast. End of boom, except for those who had tried and liked them or sand, snow etc.

Obviously I couldn't have plus or fat, because I genuinely am fast and the tyres would pop in the corners, oh yes 😁

I don’t but I often think that I probably should. I bought a Surly ICT in the boom and loved it. It’s heavy though, so I “upgraded” to the carbon Canyon Dude but never really felt the love and went back to a “normal” trail bike. For the sort of exploring and bimbling I do a fatbike is ideal though. I also enjoy climbs and have never found anything that climbs as well as a rigid fatbike. All that traction and the ability to stand up and really honk on the bars without turning the bike into a pogo stick.

Ride mine (Salsa Mukluk carbon) when local riding has lost its appeal a bit. Modern full sussers make it a bit easy so a rigid, with massive undamped tyres make it more of a challenge/laugh. Also have some regular sized 29er wheels for when I need to re learn line choice.

That and the occasional snowy commute.

I do. I really enjoy riding my Pugsley. Nothing quite like it. I use a 29er for some of the riding I used to use the Pugsley for, but for some rides it’s definitely the only bike to use.

I was looking for a winter bike to keep the crap off my trail bike. Ended up getting a Norco Bigfoot and glad I did. It’s sufficiently different to other bikes in the stable that I can’t see myself getting rid of it any time, and whilst it’s perfect for winter, it’s a riot in the summer too.

The only thing that makes it slow is having to stop all the time to talk with people who want to ask how wide the tyres are / how low I run them / are they expensive / isn’t it slow with all that rolling resistance.

I often ride my Trek Farley in the Surrey Hills - basically winter/wet conditions, so it was out this afternoon on a tour of Leith, Holmbury and Pitch.

A few years ago it seemed like half the bikes at the Peaslake bus stop were fatties, but now they’ve been replaced by hoards of gravel and E-bikes.

Never heard of Judy or Roy.

Similarly to roverpig, I reckon if I hadn't missed out on a stunning looking classifieds 9zero7 I'd have really taken to that bike, ended up with a pugsley, and it was just okay.

I have every sympathy with anyone who tried a Pugsley and then decided fatbiking wasn't for them.

That's why I had to import my 9ZERO7.

The Cube Nutrail I've replaced it with is more like a big, fat, trail bike though. I wasn't sold with the idea of suspension on a fatbike until I tried it.

Umm me obviously;)

OwenP
Full Member

Everyone got excited by the prospect of grip, but then decided the compromises were too great with plus (

The demise of "plus" was mostly because manufacturers realised they could just fit 2.6 tyres instead and still ride the same wave. Kind of like how boost and 650b were mostly about making something that was different enough to sell new bikes, but similar enough to be easy to implement and less scary.

Except that 2.6 isn't anything like Plus.

(Rather like full fat, I suspect that "proper" Plus is a bit of a niche most don't need or want).

I’ve just popped into Synergy Cycles in Auchterader.

One fatty inside, one e-fatty in the window. 🤘

Yeah but you can't draw any useful conclusion from the bikes on display in Synergy, the rest are either carbon French track bikes or 10k titanium gravel custom builds 😁

scotroutes
Full Member

Except that 2.6 isn’t anything like Plus.

I know it's not, but since when does how things really are affect the marketing man and the easily-excited buyer? 2.6 is just a normal tyre that fits in most well designed bikes but that's the dream isn't it, something you can sell as a novelty without actually having to break out the pencils.

Last time I rode mine was to the beach for a swim on New Years day...

However as I can't seem to find any parts to repair my gravel bike I suspect some summer fat will be on the menu as its now my only working bike!

Only really ride anything else if its broken, or boilerplate ice.

I still love riding my fatty, it’s the bike of choice when I’m out with the dogs and kids as my slower speed really suits them. Perfect for the local woods, beach and river bank, had it seven years now and never thought about getting rid.

I have every sympathy with anyone who tried a Pugsley and then decided fatbiking wasn’t for them.

Weird. Pugsleys just work as far as I can see. Ridden thousands of miles on mine.

My only bike is a Stooge Dirtbomb with 3” tyres. So plus rather than fat but it covers pretty much all riding with ease. Nice and chilled when on the roads and bridleways yet still hugely capable off road.

Pugsleys just work as far as I can see. Ridden thousands of miles on mine.

Sure, but they're definitely not for everyone, especially those looking for something a bit more like a standard trail bike.

Sure, but they’re definitely not for everyone, especially those looking for something a bit more like a standard trail bike.

Well I guess I’m all old and stuff, but part of the reason I like it is that when I got my Pug it felt like the way bikes used to feel before suspension, just with the ability to ride over all kinds of stuff very fast. I commuted on it, bike packed on it and rode it on our local trail centres. I have ridden other fat bikes since but I still rate the Pug. The best thing is it’s really comfy… for me.

Right, I’m off on ride on it right now.

Edited to stop the tears of internet wisdom.

Only sad ****ers !!

I ride mine a lot - it does everything well enough and is lots of fun. My better half uses one as her main mtb. It's amazing how much attention the bikes still get, it seems like they are a niche item once again...

addy6402
Full Member

It’s amazing how much attention the bikes still get, it seems like they are a niche item once again…

It feels like you get more now than a few years ago... I got mine 5 years ago just at the point where they were starting to get more mainstream, turning up in Halfords and the like and a year or two after that was probably Peak Fatbike, it was definitely less of a novelty for folks. Now it seems like we're back to the point where they're oddball. Not sure if I prefer it or not but it'd been ages since anyone shouted WHAT ARE THOSE at me

If you want folk to ignore the tyres, just fit Pogies.

I ride my stooge MK3 with a 3.8" up front and 3" in the rear for all my riding. I'm no Joe Barnes, but it's not really my intention. I truly believe the majority of weekend warriors only need a rigid fat or plus bike for the majority of the riding they do but unfortunately fall for the marketing of long, low, slack and lots of travel. Its probably the same for a lot of gravel riders, They'd probably all be more comfortable and have more fun on a rigid plus or fat bike bike in my view. Each to there own...

Guilty. Although I am living in the US so it may not count….

I bought a new Farley this year as it seemed most options were being discontinued.
Definitely bikes that add some fun to any ride. Wouldn’t be too upset if it was my only mountain bike, although I would likely add some front suspension at that point.

Me. Mine is being repurposed as an expedition bike ie tying my camping kit on it. Its still the most fun bike I have ridden.

Yup, still use mine regularly, plus wintertime it's my main bike for most riding.

It's the bike I reach for, for anything local. Love it.

Kona Wozo here Really good confidence inspiring bike compensates for my lack of skill well. Not so good at compensating for my lack of fitness though.

Ooooooh! Me!

Riding my 2015 Ice Cream Truck and it is very much my mountain bike of choice. It is super comfy, handles well and is terrific on steep and techy mountain terrain. It is still the best climbing bike I have ever ridden. It is definitely niche but it makes me smile every time that I ride it.

I'm still on the original drivetrain despite thousands of kilometres under its' belt. The outer chainring is more round than pointy though.

It even fixtures in the next issue of the mag for a piece I did about bikerafting in Knoydart which was an absolute hoot!

Cheers

Sanny

And me.

Me too. Sometimes I skinny down to a 29+ stooge but mostly the ICT or Fatboy.

Just fun to ride, not serious. Spent plenty of years being serious and racing and stuff. Not any more!

And still quite a bunch of us around the New Forest on fatties all the time - about a dozen if everyone comes out to play 😁

I don't even "still" ride a Fatbike... I came to Fatbiking during the pandemic, saw a cheap Specialized Fatboy in my size in nearly new condition on Facebook classifieds whilst there was snow on the ground and a brief travel window just after Christmas, and snapped it up!

I've spent years riding with people who'd all jumped on the bandwagon, mostly trying to understand why they were riding bikes that were adding a huge amount of uncontrollability into the riding that we were doing (fast paced trail riding, bordering on more "Enduro" type of riding) and seeing them mostly cause a lot of issues, but the riders usually with a huge grin on their face. I'd ridden various fatbikes briefly, and dismissed them as merely a toy.

However... Given the opportunity and plenty of snow on the ground, I bought mine as a temporary "adult sledge" effectively, to get my jollies on for a few weeks whilst there was plenty of snow about, and had every intention of selling it when the snow melted.

I still own it... OK, I don't ride it all that often, but I use it like others use a gravel bike quite a lot (local gentle XC loops, especially if they go via a pub), and have found it's genuinely a lot more useful than I thought it would be. Mine's a rigid "full fat" (it'll take 4.8" tyres) which helps (I'm not sold on narrower tyres for FatBikes, or suspension necessarily, the bigger the better!), as does the fact my mate I ride with locally on his super light and fast Niner SIR9 we built him as a "flat bar gravel" bike effectively isn't quite as quick as me (despite my current lack of fitness), so riding 4.8" Jumbo Jim's when he's on 2.25" Thunder Burts is fine as its a good leveller for the two of us.

I even found an old externally routed Reverb that was 90% of the way to the bin and got it rebuilt and refreshed, and have fitted it, so it's actually half decent off road now too!

For what it owes me, I'll probably hold onto it indefinitely. It could go in the loft until the next snow storm comes and I wouldn't miss the cash, but as it is, I've been genuinely surprised with how much I've wanted to ride it and how much fun it is to ride, even when it's not snowing! 👍🏻