Riding rigid Fatbikes on rough stuff . They say stay loose but ….

How loose is too loose !! ?

I’m actually referring to gripping the bars mainly as my riding seems to have gotten a lot more comfortable recently….simply by loosening my grip so much that the bar moves around freely  inside  my unclenched hands and results in  far less of the juddering being  transmitted to my aging arms .

I am gradually  beginning to love the fattie…whereas at first it seemed an uncontrollable beast in some conditions. Obviously tyre pressures are important but this simple action of almost creating an open circle with my thumb and forefinger have increased the fun factor immensely . I feel far less shaken and so far not had any scary moments but do wonder if a moment may come when that very loose grip will let the beast shake it’s head too much and I will regret giving it too much freedom ?

I guess I’m letting the front end do what it wants to a certain extent rather than fighting it and holding back .

The fattie has such confidence inspiring handling and a sure footed grip that it has encouraged me to “let go” so as to speak .I’ve even been considering adding a visco headset to add further dampening and a slightly higher safety margin . Anyone want to sell me a hopey steering damper too !

So ..what do you think . Is this asking for trouble or a common technique that’s fairly safe ? Basically ..how loose is too loose ?

Is that exactly how we used to ride before suspension? I remember it!

When your face hits the bars you’re too loose.

Yes, just what us owd ‘uns did before suspension, let it find it’s own way to some extent. I’m loving my fatbike I bought in April, it’s simple and fun!

Love my rigid Fatbike on a decent descent.

Like a basketball being thrown down a mine shaft. 🙂

Road bikes, you never, ever death grip it. Same thing really.

I don’t ride mine loose at all, fatbikes get knocked about more. I mean, I’m not deathgripping either but I reckon my grip is pretty much identical to any other bike I ride. But I ride much softer- more knee bend, more elbow bend, more general monkey pose on the back of the bike. Basically the bike is rigid and I am suspension. I’m riding light not loose, I suppose.

(but I do have 4.8s and a really soft bar)

As per Northwind I’d say it’s more about the knees and elbows than the hands. The ideal is that your body stays in a straight(ish) line while the bike moves beneath you. Same applies to a rigid non-fat bike, I used to ride rigid single speed on 2.3s and that was my technique