Steel fatbike frames – what's out there?

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?

Edelbikes?

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!).
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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!

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 😳