fat bike on a budget.

I’m thinking of going fat.

But on a budget.

I reckon my options are:
On one fatty
Charge cooker maxi
Genesis Caribou

Looking for a general trail use.

Which should I get?

spec wise I prefer the Genesis, the brakes on the on one put me off that

One option is I get a rolling chassis and retire my orange 5.

genesis is the best spec

Are on one doing that chassis deal for 500? You could go for that and spec the rest how you please.

Have you considered 2nd hand? I know someone selling an excellent condition Mukluk

LBS has a Caribou in their sale…..(Wiltshire)

Built my on one up for £700. Depends how deep your spares bin is. Chainset was 50 from Merlin, bb was 40 from Germany, everything else was spares for the initial build.

However, it now has upgraded brakes with big rotors, carbon bar and fork. My steel fork is on ebay now…

I sell the charge and the genesis, the maxi 1 would be the cheapest option but i don’t like the ride, it feels heavy and slow handling. Personally if you had to have one of the three I would get the genesis plus it looks prity pimp for a of the peg fatty.

My surly ice cream truck should be in next week 🙂 will also be my 1st fatty and I can’t wait. A heap of trick bits are sitting at work waiting to be fitted 😀

I know someone who has a complete On-One for £600 … almost new.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26er-Fatbike-Carbon-Frameset-16-Snow-Bike-BSA-120mm-Max-Tire-4-8-Matt-1260g-/121414533129?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Fragrances_Women_s_Fragrances_PP&hash=item1c44dec009
Just seen this .

The Charge geometry is not good. The tyres need to be replaced out of the box. I like a lot of what they do but they didn’t try with this one.

The Genesis is hard to fault, but IMO the On-One has better handling. But I would say that as I was one of the designers. I have no affiliation any more, but, having ridden all three, I would get the On-One. Then I would put Shimano brakes on and a 120tpi Nate on the front.

Don’t touch the Chinese cheap frame sets there death traps. They look good, sound good all at a cheap price but there is good reason as they don’t go through the testing like the big brands. One of our local riders had a cheap Chinese frame set, he was on a club run and had do hope a pot hole. On landing the head tube snapped off clean and he ended in hospital with a spinal fracture and was told if it had been 2 mm bigger it would of been game over.

Nasty.

On One Fatty is perfect for trail riding over the classic double triangle framed fat bikes.

Now as good on beaches though.

@rickmeister have they got it advertised anywhere ?

have you seen this blog post on sub £500 build.
It worth keeping an eye on on-one ebay account, they have had cheep wheelsets and cranks on there recently.

Thanks all.

@rickmeister,I can do the cycle to work scheme so I’ll do that.

Have seen the Wiltshire deal.
That’s what go be going.

Got to be a fatty for the money. Brand new frame carbon forks and wheels and tyres is about 600. Should get a good build for about £800. Or check ebay etc should get a 2nd hand £500-600 original build.

You will either like it or not but only one way to find out

supersixevo – Member

Don’t touch the Chinese cheap frame sets there death traps. They look good, sound good all at a cheap price but there is good reason as they don’t go through the testing like the big brands. One of our local riders had a cheap Chinese frame set, he was on a club run and had do hope a pot hole. On landing the head tube snapped off clean and he ended in hospital with a spinal fracture and was told if it had been 2 mm bigger it would of been game over.

There is is nothing wrong with Chinese frames as long as you give them a proper look over and test before/during use.
Ive had my Chinarello for about 3 years and I haven’t died yet, same with quite a few other people I know too.

Trying to make a point by one persons rare (and horrible) experience, is just silly.
There are lots of pictures on the web of brand name frames that crack all the time, the only difference, you have paid a lot more money and apparently they have been tested!

Here is a Chinese Fatty thread on mtbr.

On-One Fatty in the classified forum here:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/one-one-fatty-and-genesis-core-20

@lightman

testing a frame by riding it to see if its going to break is the same as just riding it out the box, your going to get hurt either way. The majority of carbon frame problems will start from the inside of the frame so the issue wouldn’t be noticeable from looking over the frame before riding,

Yes big frame manufactures get problems with there carbon frames but not with a catastrophic failure. I have seen plenty of carbon frames with cracks in seat stays and bb shells ect. send it back under warranty job done. i am sure you could have a cheap carbon frame and be ok but the big frailer rate is not worth the risk.

the manufactures of the cheap frames haven’t got a image or a name to hold up they will just re brand and carry on selling at cheap prices hence why they cut corners. iv been working with bikes for a long time and over the last 5 years the market has been saturated with these frames the odds are not in your favour when using one

Shields and Mad Bill.. just tried to contact you through the forum but failed.

Bike is in Edinburgh… contacted the owner with a link to this thread… or contact me through the forum.

Rick,
what size ?

so if I was to buy a on One Rolling chassis & butcher parts from the spares cabinet am I right in thinking the only special parts I need are a bottom bracket & a special extra wide chainset as well ?

What do people suggest ?

Large…. I’ve contacted the owner with a mail and a link to this thread …

Bill, you will need the bb and chainset… The rest is normal stuff. I have hydraulic brakes, most riding beaches use mechanical as easily rebuilt after salt immersion etc…cassettes are all usual stuff.. As is stems, bars.

For the cranks you can either get internal bb (square taper etc) then find some cranks to suit off ebay or go for external. Internal bb and cranks gonna be a lot cheaper than even the cheapest external bb setup.

doh, correct me if im wrong but the only bit thats different with the 100mm external bb id the internal tubular spacer ? the bearing cups being the standard 15 quid items ?

The axle is a lot longer on the cranks too.

Sorry guys, its sold. Went for £530 in the end… incredible.

I clearly need to do some FAT learning.

I will probably do the cranks on the cheap but just seen these RaceFace Turbine cranks & do not understand what the options are.

It is available as ‘standard and 190mm dropout spacing’.

What’s that about & which would I want ?

Please explain.

There is standard fat bike rear dropout of 170mm or there is 190mm for I think the ones that run 5″ tyres rather than 4″, like the surly ice cream truck. .
explanation of 170mm hub
One think you’ll need is a longer quick release if you don’t get them with the wheelset

One of the issues about buying cheap / self build is that there are many non-standard standards with fatbikes. Crank spacing, brake rotor spacing and rear end width are the main ones that will lead to a world of pain for the unknowledgeable buyer.

As I said above, try to find a complete 2nd hand bike.

beginning to think you are right scotroutes – certainly a lot simpler at first.

And definitely take note of what Shaggy says above – the On-One is a great all-round trail bike, the Genesis is a bit more ‘traditional’ fat bike ie touring/sand, and the Charge is a right handful even with better tyres.

PS the Avid DB brakes on my Fatty have been great, maybe look at them as a future upgrade if you’re not an Avid fan, but certainly don’t discount the bike because of them.

PPS if you are going self build and running a front mech you’ll need a spacer gubbins for that too.

Have a look at http://www.ukfatbikes.co.uk/%5B/url%5D for info and classifieds

Or wait til Nov or so and get the new Rose. Or Canyon, depending on price.

Eurobike on Friday, I could hardly believe that Silverback had two fatbikes, one for under a €1k, the other €1.5k, both fully built and kitted out, ready to go with 5″ tyres, drilled rims, hydraulic discs. Difference being components….

Thats Euros not pounds.

http://www.silverbacklab.com/bike/mountain/silverback-scoop-fatty-double-scoop/

Having just built a fatty up from scratch, his advice to get a full bike makes both economic and stress free sense. At least you start with a full working bike and know what to get as stuff wears out.

The silverback certainly looks Great value for money.

Looking to buy it on the cycle to work scheme.
My work runs an independant (self run) scheme – I wonder if they will buy a foreign bike ?

2nd hand Fatty or old Pugsley should be able to be had for £600 upwards.
I don`t believe the Charge Fatbike handling comments as Charge are a company who build great hardtail frames, comments were from a pro OO Fatty designer 😉
Like to see a rider with other UK fatbike riding experiance`s views on them…
Charge`s complete bikes are a good specced steel option to the alloy Fatty

I emailed Charge on the possibility of a frame set to buy to try out as i have spare 17mm offset wheels and 100mm cranks but have had no reply… 🙁

On One Fatty frame half-price, £149: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOFAT/on-one-fatty-frame

Forks are half price too – which I used to offer a really cheeky price on some on eBay earlier for a 29er Fat Front conversion

coastkid, where are you? If you’re nearby you’re welcome to see how badly my charge handles…… and whatever else you wanted to do