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  1. #1
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    Anybody ride/use fatbikes for snow?

    The local shop here is making a big push this season. He's got a bunch for sale and rental, he's got the local XC trail organization to allow them on a very limited, (12K), amount of trails, and got some State Park trails in the works.

    Where I live in winter, I kinda want to put the bike away, or ride the rollers in the basement. If I'm heading out like that, I'll skate ski or go BC.

    I'll prolly try it once or twice as a rental, why not, but buy one to ride a lot on such limited terrain?

  2. #2
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    With the almost zero snowpack under 7k here, I think they are way more fun than skis. Because skiing on dirt Sux.
    Last edited by rideit; 12-04-2012 at 11:07 PM.

  3. #3
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    There's a slow grind to riding a fatbike through snow you either have patience for or you don't. I would rather go faster on any type of skis when there's any real snow on the ground (and I have a Fatback that I love and ride regularly - just not as much through the winter).

    Here in MN, lots of XC ski and winter bike tracks intersect, and the XC skiers fly on the groomers past the fatbikers who slog through ungroomed trails at 5 mph. Once the bike trails are packed it can be fun enough, but it's still rare that it's more fun than skiing for me. But different strokes - the best way to tell which one's for you is to try it. If you already like XC, I don't see a couple rides changing your mind, but who knows?

  4. #4
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    I get some snow rides on my fat bike, usually I am more concerned with skiing. I use it way more as a trail bike the rest of the year.

    If I lived where there was snow on the ground more I would probably roll it in the white more often.
    watch out for snakes

  5. #5
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    Fat bike in snow is faster than any other type of bike in snow. Not as fast as a mountain bike on a paved surface. They don't have to be 'snow' bikes - they're go-anywhere, do-anything, nothing-gets-in-their-way machines.

    Snow, sand, mud, big chunky loose gravel, river banks, dried up creek beds, bushwhacking, etc. Plus the fun that can be had in urban areas - including smashing into, then riding up, a flight of stairs.

    Gotta change your thinking - it's not a snow bike, it's a fun bike.

  6. #6
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    I've been riding a fat bike for three years now. As said before - they're pretty versatile if you don't mind the plodding (mine checks in at a svelte 36 lbs!). I trained on rollers and a trainer one winter and it was way too boring - I much prefer getting a workout outdoors. Keeps your bike skills sharp too and acts as a kind of resistance training.

    Around here (Fernie) there are more and more guys (and gals) riding them all the time. The fun factor is highly dependent on conditions ... I went for a two and a half hour suffer fest last weekend in the wet snow and rain ... mostly hike-a-bike. But when conditions are good it can be deadly - we ride the local mountain bike trails (if they have had enough snowshoe/hiking traffic) as well as the XC trails, snowmobile trails and even the ski hill after hours (although you have to be a bit stealthy for that).

    The golden time is during a melt freeze cycle where everything is solid enough to stay on top and you can literally pick any line you want through the snowy woods - magical. Those are the "pow days" of snow biking. Which is kinda neat - when it's snowing lots I ski pow and when we're going through a dry spell the biking gets good. Win-win!

    And on a packed XC trail I pass tons of XC skiers. Not sure how quick the pro XC guys are but you can motor pretty quick on a solid groomed trail...

  7. #7
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    Read this thread for some insight. My thoughts rest on page three - for ease of reference just look for the Barney, the hideous purple dinosaur avatar:
    https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ght=moonlander
    The future sure ain't what it used to be.

  8. #8
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    WB4F has it correct.

    Snow is just one aspect of fat biking. The traction these things have is redonkulous. Mud boggin takes a whole new meaning. That trail full of babyheads and puzzles is now ride able. Trip down by the river or creek, check.

    You are only limited by your imagination.
    watch out for snakes

  9. #9
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    I have a stable full of bikes and ride everyday. I ride my fat the most. They are all terrain bikes!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shredhead View Post
    I have a stable full of bikes and ride everyday. I ride my fat the most. They are all terrain bikes!
    That's exactly it - I remember in the early days of mountain biking the term "all terrain bike" or ATB was being thrown around. Fat bikes indeed are ATBs.

    Another benefit of the wide footprint is a Lower impact on the trails (4.0 tires at 8 psi don't leave more of an impact than a hiking boot). I don't feel as guilty about riding in the wet or the occasional off trail adventure...

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by plugboots View Post
    The local shop here is making a big push this season. He's got a bunch for sale and rental, he's got the local XC trail organization to allow them on a very limited, (12K), amount of trails, and got some State Park trails in the works.

    Where I live in winter, I kinda want to put the bike away, or ride the rollers in the basement. If I'm heading out like that, I'll skate ski or go BC.

    I'll prolly try it once or twice as a rental, why not, but buy one to ride a lot on such limited terrain?
    Totally with you.

    Even if there is no snow, a fatbike sucks on dirt.

    Diversity and well, when in Rome. The limits are pretty huge considering where you could take one in lets say, NCNP?

    But then again, you live in Winthrop!! With the Nordic you have and arguably the best mountains(NorthCascades) in the lower 48 for skiing and mountaineering, I can see where you are coming from.

    I'd rather light my hair on fire and beat it out with a stick.

    Multiple seasons, multiple activities!!
    Squeezin' a little more every other day

  12. #12
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    ^^Well I think that's it. Now that I've read the Moonlander thread etc. I think riding a fatbike is in my future. Shit, I like riding bikes, whatever. I also ride a lot in the fall on crunchy snow and the grip is great, I imagine w/ one of these it would be silly.

    But the nearest "sanctioned" fatbike trail is 13 miles away, (and it's a nice 12K skate trail anyway), while the nearest skate trailhead is 2 miles away, and it connects to 200 KM.

    For here it seems like a lot of hassle for a 6 mile bike ride on what amounts to a white bike path. This picture the LBS posted from a non-groomed road sure didn't do it for me:
    Last edited by plugboots; 12-05-2012 at 03:49 PM.

  13. #13
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    i just got a mukluk2 (Rolling Darryl rims with Larry/Endo tires). Due to ullr being a big faggoty cunt we don't have any snow, but riding it on dirt is fun as a motherfucker.

    that probably doesn't help much.

  14. #14
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    for some stoke:

    Global Fatbike Aftermath


  15. #15
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    Yeah, wasn't trying to talk you out of a fat bike, just trying to realistically answer your question that I understood as "would it really be more fun than skate skiing?" Too often the "snow bike" nickname oversimplifies what people use fatbikes for. People expect to ride on snow like they're riding on dirt and are disappointed when they learn that fatbikes are not equally capable or easy to ride in all snow/dirt/terrain conditions. Doesn't make them any less fun on the right day or in the right frame of mind, and you'll probably find yourself riding it for a lot of reasons/situations you didn't anticipate.
    Last edited by wurst; 12-06-2012 at 09:53 AM.

  16. #16
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    When are we going to start seeing these rides on the second-hand market? I'm guessing since the technology hasn't changed much since the original Pugsley, no one upgrades that often? And any upgrades are probably components?

    On the Front Range I'm seeing more and more fatbikes, on dirt and snow. They can climb like a cat. At the ski hill, I'm seeing 'em poaching at night, pedaling straight up steep groomers. But really, how much difference if there between a 2.4" at low psi on a standard ride and a 4" fat bike? I ride all winter in the FR with my tires pretty much flattened and I don't have huge issues. Sure, hiking some on the steep icy stuff.

    At that race at Copper last year, whoever was fast and in front did well. But even the fatbike dudes in the back wallowed once the snow was churned to sugar by 500 bike tires.
    A good resort business idea would be to start renting these things for night rides once the area is closed, especially if we have a repeat of last year's suck.
    On first

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by wurst View Post
    Yeah, wasn't trying to talk you out of a fat bike, just trying to realistically answer your question that I understood as "would it really be more fun than skate skiing?" Too often the "snow bike" nickname oversimplifies what people use fatbikes for. People expect to ride on snow like they're riding on dirt and are disappointed when they learn that fatbikes are not equally capable or easy to ride in all snow/dirt/terrain conditions. Doesn't make them any less fun on the right day or in the right frame of mind, and you'll probably find yourself riding it for a lot of reasons/situations you didn't anticipate.
    I rode my MTB in the snow for 6 years before I finally skied and when I go out nordic/xc skiing and encounter the fatbikes, I don't see them going much further than we did on our MTBs. Yeah, I don't mean to poo-poo them at all but just think there is hella more hype than reality out there. I ran Gazzaladi 2.6s and with low pressure they did well. For me, I just can't imagine not taking advantage of the snow on skis. I also wouldn't order a burger at a ChineseRestaurant! To each their own..
    Squeezin' a little more every other day

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by quienes? View Post
    When are we going to start seeing these rides on the second-hand market? I'm guessing since the technology hasn't changed much since the original Pugsley, no one upgrades that often? And any upgrades are probably components?

    On the Front Range I'm seeing more and more fatbikes, on dirt and snow. They can climb like a cat. At the ski hill, I'm seeing 'em poaching at night, pedaling straight up steep groomers. But really, how much difference if there between a 2.4" at low psi on a standard ride and a 4" fat bike? I ride all winter in the FR with my tires pretty much flattened and I don't have huge issues. Sure, hiking some on the steep icy stuff.

    At that race at Copper last year, whoever was fast and in front did well. But even the fatbike dudes in the back wallowed once the snow was churned to sugar by 500 bike tires.
    A good resort business idea would be to start renting these things for night rides once the area is closed, especially if we have a repeat of last year's suck.
    That race course was quite possibly the dorkiest ever.

    Golden Bike Shop has a rough metric shit ton of them, I think I heard 40 or something? They must be planning on doing some hearty rentals. I like the idea of night riding the resort more than anything else with them.

    I've ridden a regular Pugs and a conversion of Pugs front with studded regular rear on normal bike that I preferred over the full Pugs even in deep snow. Just felt less tanktastic. We were night riding with a guy one a full Pugs, you could hear the tires howl when he was coming down a fairly smooth trail.

  19. #19
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    I'm definitely noticing an uptick in the used market this season locally, but I'm in the back yard of Surly/Salsa and there were lots of early adopters here in MN. The most common move is from the heavy steel Pugs to the lighter, non-offset Mukluk or to one of the smaller makers like Fatback or Six 1 Six.

    As the popularity increases, more used fatbikes now seem to be from people who rode one for a few weeks and then parked it in the garage when they realized winter riding was more work and mess than they expected. With the big sales push in more shops and more cities this year, I imagine there will be a lot more on the used market come next year.

  20. #20
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    I got mine used off ebay, but they still sell for a premium. I'll eventually upgrade, but not till I beat the shit out of my pug.

    Nothing's going thru deep powder. But I can ride snowmo trails pretty much right after a sled packs it down. My MB1 with with studded tires is almost as good on packed trails and better on ice. But unrideable in mud and I can see all three in a single ride.

  21. #21
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    It's when the surface is real loose that the difference between a 2.4" and 4" tire is HUGE. Taking it a step further, the difference between a 4" and 5" tire is also incredible.

    Maybe it would help to think of them in terms of skis. A 2.4" tire could be similar to a ski with a 2.4" (61mm) waist. Great for, well, wait. Who skis on a 61mm-waisted ski any more?

    A 4" wide tire may be similar to a ski with a 4" (102mm) waist. Great all-around ski - something that while not ideal for East Coast ice, is still manageable, typically does pretty well in mixed/variable conditions, even with some freeze-thaw, and while not the optimal powder (sand, snow, mud, in the bike world) tool, will get you through all but the deepest of days.

    A 5" wide tire would measure out to 127mm - skis with a waist closer to this width are typically a conditions-specific ski. For most users on here, if you could only own one pair of skis, it'd likely be in the ~100mm-ish waist width. Adding a second pair, and (users on here) tend to go with a pow tool - be it a fun shape, a fat ski, etc - something to play in the deep (soft) snow.


    My 29x2.2" tires are great, when the trails are hardpack and the goal is going fast. If I want to have a good time, in similar conditions, I can slow things down a bit, hop on a bike with a bit wider tires, and bushwhack through the trees, rather than staying on the trail (such as a groomer at a resort). Sound like your skiing preferences?

  22. #22
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    So, Let's say i was gonna get one of these bad boys. How to choose?

    I want it for everything, mix things up, ride snowmobile tracks in winter, ride sandy trails in summer.

    the salsa mukluk has a geo and frame that looks more like a traditional mtn bike, while the moonlander looks more like a commuter bike that has modified for fat tires.

    thoughts?
    "A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles."
    — Edward Abbey (Desert Solitaire)

  23. #23
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    I don't have much input. about 15-20 rides over the last ~month on my Mukluk2 (on dirt) and maybe 20 minutes pedaling around on my buddy's pugsley

    The mukluk with Rolling Darryl Rims (Holey) and Larry/Endo tires seems like a good combo for dirt riding. I don't think I need the BFL's or Bud/Lou for singletrack riding. Really the only real "problem" (for lack of a better word) with this bike is a butt-load of rotational weight when trying to accelerate or hammer up something steep. I haven't had an opportunity to ride it on snow (FU winter) but my guess is I'd be looking to step-it up to one of the ~5" tires unless it was well packed out.

    The pugsley I rode had non-holey rims and same tires. Considerable weight difference...not to mention the steel frame.

    I found my Mukluk 2 for insane deal from a local guy wanting to get a beargrease (I think he ended up with a Ti muk). But, it's spec'd super nice (all salsa bits...bars, hubs, stems, seatpost, etc) and x.9 drivetrain. I've never had a bike that was a package from a bike company and it's pretty blingy to have every little bit of the bike matching (even the seat! the hubs! everything is black and red).

    do it

  24. #24
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    tech tonics, honestly, i think i would ride it on dirt more than snow. particularly some desert riding, so that helps. I really prefer the geo on the 2013 mukluk 2 to the pugs/moonlander and I think it looks more like a traditional mtn bike.

    sizing seems a bit weird. the reach and ETT both are almost an 1" more than my large turner 5 spot. my downsize a bit to a medium. anyone have any thoughts on sizing these bad boys?
    "A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles."
    — Edward Abbey (Desert Solitaire)

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by lph View Post
    So, Let's say i was gonna get one of these bad boys. How to choose?

    I want it for everything, mix things up, ride snowmobile tracks in winter, ride sandy trails in summer.

    the salsa mukluk has a geo and frame that looks more like a traditional mtn bike, while the moonlander looks more like a commuter bike that has modified for fat tires.

    thoughts?
    Best thing you can do is find a shop that has both big brands (surly and salsa), and test ride options from both.

    In general, I'd suggest the Mukluks are more upright and more stable than the Pugsleys. For just dirt riding, I might prefer a Pug. However, I feel as though it requires less effort to keep a Mukluk going in the direction you want it to at lower speeds or in really loose terrain.

    Rims with cutouts save about .75 lbs PER WHEEL. That's really substantial when looking at rotational weight, acceleration, etc. Making a ghetto tubeless setup on my Muk saved additional weight as well.

    At the shop (we sell quite a few fat bikes) we seem to have come to the consensus that the Necromancer Pugsley has the best bang-for-the-buck of the fatties. Don't get it for that reason alone though, if you want to get a bike, regardless of the type, ride a few an get the one that feels right.

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