RN, neither do I but… lace them up ant take to LBS for a quick spoke key dance. Or talk to CRC, they might do it (they built my regular wheels and I’ve had nothing but praise for them).

It does seem to be a problem as most of the ‘fat guys’ seem to be able to build a wheel without a second thought (and have personal engineering workshops 🙂 Not sure about the UK but a Surly dealer should be able to get Pugsley wheels…eventually and there are plenty ready built wheels in the USA.

MTBR wheel link

Alternatively source the rims/hubs you want and any decent wheelbuilder or shop will build them up for you. Sandman Bikes will also be doing wheel and parts options soon. I ended up buying 2 rear wheels with trials rims for my 1/2 fat but you would need a different axle for the rear depending on what fat frame you have or are going to buy.

Woody, if the rear wheel for a Salsa needs to be offset and for a Surly doesn’t, how will a different axle allow the same wheel to be used? Curious as I’m undecided as to what frame I will buy but would love to get cracking with the wheels.

Hairychested

I’m probably the wrong person to ask as it was doing my head in last night and I’m at the point where I’m going to go back to scratch and try and work it all out again. I’m looking at the Sandman Atacama which is non-offset but 165mm axle, so it would need an adaptor similar to the Salsa one to make the wheels interchangeable…..but how would that affect it if it was non-offset…..? aaaaagh!

Coastkid et al have been up and running with this for ages and I’m still at the point where I have just finished my 1/2 fat without any of these problems, so they will be able to give you a proper answer from their experience…hopefully. Might help me understand it better too.

I’m starting to get the bug what with all the snow and living near the beach/sand dunes it wouldn’t be a clothes horse in the summer.
Been looking at these… CLICKY

Right….coffee and a fag later my head has stopped spinning!

I was getting confused as the Pugsley has 135mm rear hub spacing which is offset 17.5mm. This means that front and rear wheels are interchangeable with the Pugsley offset fork but wouldn’t work with my Surly fork as it is 135mm non-offset.

Mukluk has the option of 170mm non-offset or 135mm 17.5mm offset with adaptor.

So, forgetting wheel interchangeability (only possible on the Surly as both wheels have same offset/axle length) you could build your rear as 135mm with 17.5mm offset and that would work with either frame but would need the adaptor for the Mukluk. Doesn’t really help you much until you decide which frame and fork option to go for!

I can’t afford either at present 😀
My thinking is to get the wheels so automatically it’ll stop my frame-related headaches.
I like the Pug as it’s steel and SS, but Salsa is so pretty. I know it’s unmanly to admit it but I do care what my bike looks like. The other thing is I want it to last for years so it’ll be a singlespeed. The idea of two rear wheels with different cogs makes sense of some sort I suppose.
Choices, choices, too many of them.

Choices, choices, too many of them.

At least you know that you’ll need a 100mm bottom bracket but will it be isis, sq.taper, external……….

Kalahari is steel and with custom options – Atacama is ali with custom options

[img]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5248768935_518ed34a34.jpg[/img]

half fat is a world apart from even a wide downhill tires …..

built that while waiting for my rear hub for the sandman to come out of the postal service ether

its night and day – did a direct comparison with my merida race bike on the same terrain …. pushed the merida most of the way round …. the even hills dont phase that beast – just floats away … got a 2.5 tioga white tiger on the rear and upfront is a larry on a 100mm arctic cycles rim in a sandman fork !

if full fat is even quarter as good again ill be impressed – not sure if i want to go SS on the fat bike though – 1 x 9 maybe

oh and yes thats a ragley TD-1 with a pair of 26 inch wheels in it …..

havnt been bothered to strip down and rebuild the rear wheel so just stuck on the fattest tire i could find !

i think i will have a spare 100mm FSA isis bb as i have a 100mm taperlock left over from my DH days ….

all going well i want to use that with some blue turbines i bought 😀

Intereesting TR – I can see my expt (2.5″ tyre & 50mm rim on front to start) prob won’t tell me much about even half fat riding.

I don’t think I’d go singlespeed on a fat bike – surely you want maximum versatility and some going will be hard and slow.

yeah we will see

i was running a 2.5 mud tire on a dt5.1 on my thorn and it was pathetic compared to that larry on 100mm rim

that has a rohloff – although the cables aint connected as i need to nip to the shop for new inners – 8mm spanner shifter it is

My folks appear to have a bit more snow than you TR – they reckon 14″-16 in the past 2-3 days.

Dibs if you sell the isis bb – my finger was hovering on THIS ONE last night

thats the south side of my house ….. its sheltered by the house and shed and neighbours house …..

its been thunder snow all morning- its falling like balls of polystyrene ! havnt had the car near the house since i got home !

If not singlespeed, what’s the point in having two wheels you could swap? Which is the really appealing option the Surely has.
BTW How much are the Sandman frames and do they come in more civilised colours than your white/orange/etc bike? Plain is good 🙂

restlessnative

For pre built pugsley wheels try highintensitybike.com. They’re in America but would probably get you the wheels quicker than you could get hold of them in the uk.

Thought about it 😉

That’s a proper fat tyre 😀

It’s not my Sandman just a couple that Conrad (Sandman) sent over as examples. He should have his website up and running soon with build options so you can spec. whatever you want.
from email “In januari production will start on a batch of complete Gobi bikes, available by the end of that month. Those bikes will be spec’ed “high end”: Hope, XO, Race Face, Joplin seatpost…
Apart from that we’ll offer loose frames in the 4 versions: Gobi (light alu), Atacama (normal alu), Kalahari (Steel) and Outback (alu tandem). You’ll be able to tick off a whole list of options: rack bosses, number of bottle cage studs, type of headset, EBB option for single speed, standard colours or special paint, any special wishes… “
Sandman Bikes

Prices for frame will be around 500 Euro for the Kalahari, Atacama a bit less and Gobi a bit more. Not bad for what is pretty much a custom frame.

Fatwheels:
The rims are wide. If you can’t get a good wheel build with the existing spoke holes, simply drill a new set. There is plenty strength in the rim and you will be using low pressures in the tyres. One advantage of drilling your own is you can angle the holes.

Singlespeed:
I’ve been running around with an Alfine in the back and trying out different ratios. If the trails are clear, then 42 gear inches works for me, but muddy and/or depth of snow I find about 32″ is high enough and possibly even down to 30″.

If I run the Pugsley in the ‘Puffer it will be as a singlespeed and geared as low as possible.

Woody, why the hell did you mention a tandem? Do you know how much I miss my tandem days? With a bit of luck I’ll have one when my daughter is old enough to ride with me. Fatbike tandem? Nichetastic!

I have a photo of a Black Sheep Tandem fatbike but cant find it this now…but im on an early booze sesh as work tomorrow 😉
Out in the snow today with mates, they were on regular bikes and snow was powder dry about 3-4″ deep so still ok for them but when i gave them a shot of the pug they all had big daft grins and loved it!,good to spread the fat love!
check out this baby!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r79Auazbplo[/video]

epicyclo, what hub is there on the back of the Pug you’re riding in the 1st clip?

Wow – that Moots is quite something, thank god it would be too expensive even to be tempted. Like the idea of 165mm front and rear spacing too.

My Pug is SS. Started with 32 X 18 too high, I’m running 32 X 20 on sand and now snow, which is fine, I manged to get up evryting I wanted to over the last few days. I’ve now got a 19t freewheel which I’ll fit when the snow goes.

It’s been a great few days……

That’s my man!
Flashes, could you please tell me what fork it is so I know what I need to be saving up for? Pugsley frame with what fork (looks like you can swap wheels and that’s what I really want)?

Just posted on Vimeo by friend tscheezy this must be one of the best fatbike films yet!

[video]http://vimeo.com/17968756[/video]

It’s Surly forks;
http://surlybikes.com/parts/pugsley_fork/

Love the camera circling round him shots.

Superb video and great angles and as SSS said the circling shots are really clever.

Quite inspired having the Iggy Pop soundtrack too – not one that would have sprung to mind 😀

For singlespeed gearing, I run 32:18 unladen and I ran 22:18 at the Iditarod. It’s do-able, but probably not a good idea if you’re used to riding geared bikes.

I’ve had a go on the Moots, and it was NICE 🙂

Aidan – Member
For singlespeed gearing, I run 32:18 unladen and I ran 22:18 at the Iditarod….

Did you do a blog on that? I’ve always wanted to do that race.

Just read through Aidan’s account of the Iditarod – full marks on the awesome meter 🙂

Thanks, epicyclo 😀

Everyone else here seems to know more about fat bikes than me (seriously) so I only commented on the bit I know about!

I think I’m going ok if I survive the ‘Puffer solo – and that’s with warmth and services available every lap.

There’s a big difference between knowing how to build a fatbike and actually using it as it is meant to be used!

Half my Mukluk’s arrived.

Just need the rest of it now…

2010_1220fatwheels0025 by singlespeedstu, on Flickr

slooooow on the road – wowzer took me 5 hours to cover 50 miles this morning – good workout though !

was hilarious the looks off folks as you ride past them on virgin snow without any problems !

Knocked this up earlier not sure if its a baby pug or a semi-skimmed fat bike 😉

It’s a ChubbyBike 🙂