Fatbike for JRA???

[smartyiak]

Anyone own one for just riding around?

I went to the Salsa demo and ended up trying Mukluk just for fun. It was a total blast. I want it purely for fun while riding trails.

I guess the question is: does the fun last...or a couple rides on a 35+ pound beast and you're cursing it?

[stuckathuntermtn]

The only time I actually saw someone on a fat bike, they were jra and not moving very fast.

[TRON]

Super fun to ride all the time. Just a different experience. Oddly quick at times but mostly giggly fun. What size are you looking for?

[VTskibum]

If you're interested a buddy of mine is selling one very local to you. Surly Pugsley 16" PM for more details.

Idea is interesting, but I think it'd wear off quickly, especially if you're riding with others. I suppose you could throw some 29er wheels on there to make it more versatile during the summer.

I've got 500 miles on my spearfish and still loving it for all the riding in our area.

[smartyiak]

I would need a bigger size...either 20" or 22". The reason I'm shying away from the 'fish or Horsethief is that I had a very bad pulmonary embolism a few months ago...I'm taking a bunch of coumadin.

Anyways, the Dr. Said he didn't want me doing any "serious" mountain biking...but I could ride on bike paths, fields, beaches, and similar (basically anything w/ a limited risk of me endoing into a tree.

I thought a fatbike might be a good way to maximize fun given somewhat limited terrain.

[VTskibum]

Damn that's no fun, in that case sounds like fatbike might be nice for what you're describing.

You should get your Dr to write you a prescription, see if Garrison can run it through insurance

[SB]

Why not? Get some of the street tires and have fun.

Ride the beach and check out the girls checking you out.

[jm2e]

Considering the Coumadin regimen it sounds like finding a way to have fun on a bike is a pretty good plan.
Here in Raleigh NC there are a ton of guys buying fat bikes and as far as I can tell the only option here is just riding around. No snow ever, no sand dunes ever. Winding trails with unsustained climbs so I guess the weight isn't an issue.
If nothing else, you might spend less time riding bikes but at least there's plenty of room for geeking out with bikes. Build one up, ride it a little and if you're not loving it then move onto the next thing to geek out over and build up.

[Shredhead]

I've put at least 5k miles on my pug in the last year.

You can ride some serious shit on a fatty.

[wannabe]

For a JRA bike and a project at the same time I have been following some threads on MTBR fatbike forum on the wal mart Mongoose Beast. It is a $200 retail single speed coaster brake fat bike.

It has lot's of downsides to it but for $200 some people are using it as a townie and or a project to see how cheaply they can make it bad ass.

http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/

Good luck on the embolism my buddy just finished his drug regime with that and is doing well, a co-worker is on that drug for life and rides all the time just a bit slower.

[Telemahn]

That Beast looks like it would be a great excuse to add to the quiver. Cheap enough to lower expectations, different enough to justify another ride. I'm seriously tempted to get one, just to ride into the ground.

[smartyiak]

I'm a snotty douche and would never get one

I recall, as a kid, my dad telling me that you should always spend the extra $200 to avoid the box store.

Was he right? Wrong? Dunno...

Either way, I've always followed his advice...not gonna change now.

[SB]

Target is coming out with a Fathuffy soon, gears and a suspension fork for $250ish and 35lbs.

[scrublover]

I was really considering this thing - 1500 complete, seems built with a bias more on general trail riding vs. snow touring.

http://shop.titusti.com/product-p/cboofatx5.htm

Decided to just throw some 2.7 DH tires on the TransAM and call that good - not nearly as "fat" but a whole lot cheaper.

[Roxtar]

Don't most cruisers weigh in the mid 30s?
Look at it as a much more versatile (and much more $) cruiser.

[smartyiak]

I'm no expert on cruisers...but they have fairly standard size tires.

My understanding of these is that they have a 26" rim...but the tire is so big that they are equivalent to to 29er. You can run these with a standard 29" wheelset (although the 170 rear req the special hub).

So even if they weigh the same, they're very different...or: I'm totally wrong.

[Roxtar]

I'm no expert on cruisers...but they have fairly standard size tires.

My understanding of these is that they have a 26" rim...but the tire is so big that they are equivalent to to 29er. You can run these with a standard 29" wheelset (although the 170 rear req the special hub).

So even if they weigh the same, they're very different...or: I'm totally wrong.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that a fatbike is anything close to the same thing as a cruiser. My comment was for those talking about having to pedal a 35 lb fatbike around town. I don't think it would be any harder than riding around on a cruiser.

[DaHeel]

May wanna put this on your short list. Reviews make it sound like a great one. http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/ca...ampus-13-46694

[smartyiak]

So, rather rely on the bunch of knuckleheads that inhabit this place, I did what any right thinking person would do: I borrowed one for a couple of weeks. The Beargrease cannot be stopped:


Here's the thing about the Beargrease: it's light....as light as lots of mountain bikes. This one (it has some added extra zoot stuff traded out from stock) weighs in at 27pounds. It's weird in that it rides exactly like a hard-tail mountain bike (I don't know why I thought it would be so much different)...until you hit stuff: rocks: smash into them, logs: roll over them, mud: tracks straight through it, creek crossings: right this way sir. This thing is super fun.

The downside: as with all things bike related: light = $$$$$. The Beargrease is pretty spendy compared to other fat bikes....hell, other bikes generally.

I really want one, but this is definitely cost prohibitive.

[Roxtar]

knuckleheads that inhabit this place

Hey, I resemble that comment.

[Touring_Sedan]

So, rather rely on the bunch of knuckleheads that inhabit this place, I did what any right thinking person would do: I borrowed one for a couple of weeks. The Beargrease cannot be stopped:


Here's the thing about the Beargrease: it's light....as light as lots of mountain bikes. This one (it has some added extra zoot stuff traded out from stock) weighs in at 27pounds. It's weird in that it rides exactly like a hard-tail mountain bike (I don't know why I thought it would be so much different)...until you hit stuff: rocks: smash into them, logs: roll over them, mud: tracks straight through it, creek crossings: right this way sir. This thing is super fun.

The downside: as with all things bike related: light = $$$$$. The Beargrease is pretty spendy compared to other fat bikes....hell, other bikes generally.

I really want one, but this is definitely cost prohibitive.

I'll second everything that has been said here. I picked up a Pugsley halfway through the winter. The intention was to shred some white pow as it was shaping up to be another lame snow year. While it was fun on the white stuff, the majority of that fun was derived from the silliness of riding on snow. Other than that, it was pretty....... meh. Switch seasons. I've been riding it on the dirt for almost a month now, and it is by far the most fun I've ever had on a bike. I don't know if it's the fact that it's unstoppable going uphill, the limitless grip, or the fact that I feel like a complete retard. Is it heavy? Fuck yeah, it's heavy, but my Mach 5.7 weighs in at 32 and my single speed is pushing 26, man up. You don't need to spend $3k on a fatty. I found mine for under a grand.

[Daywalker]

I feel like a complete retard.

...so riding matches every day life?

[Touring_Sedan]

...so riding matches every day life?

If you need me, I'll be on your porch. Taking an enormous shit.

[SB]

First day on my Pugs, FKNA! Time to ride like a TARD!