Are you fat? Do you like it? What would you do different next time?

[ironhippy]

https://www.framedbikes.com/products/minnesota-fat-26

So I’m slightly fat bike curious. Night rides during the winter months seem like fun. How bad/good are these super cheap framed bikes? The house has them on sale for like $480.

I figured they would be very bad, but the specs seem to match a typical fat bike from 5 or so years ago. Probably a bit heavy, but if you don't care about performance it'll work just fine.

[Touring_Sedan]

https://www.framedbikes.com/products/minnesota-fat-26

So I’m slightly fat bike curious. Night rides during the winter months seem like fun. How bad/good are these super cheap framed bikes? The house has them on sale for like $480.


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I rode a Framed Alaskan for a number of years. Great bike for the price. The frames on the first generation of Minnesota broke like a cracker. I'd stay away from those. If you can find a 26 inch wheeled Alaskan, I'd go for that. There's a bunch more tire options in that size. I think this is one of their only distributors.


https://www.the-house.com/fat-bikes

[altacoup]

Yeah. I was going to buy from the house. Just have no idea about Geo for a fat bike, didn’t know if these were horribly out dated. I’ve got a xc and enduro bike. The fat bike doesn’t need to be high performance at all. Just looking for something to do during winter evenings. Don’t want ti spend much but also don’t want to just throw money away on junk.

[altacoup]

The wheels on the framed Minnesota aren’t able to be set up tubeless. On a regular mountain bike, that would be an absolute deal breaker. I haven’t had tubes in a bike since 2014 and hate dealing with flats. How do fat bikes generally run with tubes, reliable?

[hick]

The wheels on the framed Minnesota aren’t able to be set up tubeless. On a regular mountain bike, that would be an absolute deal breaker. I haven’t had tubes in a bike since 2014 and hate dealing with flats. How do fat bikes generally run with tubes, reliable?

I tried to set mine up tubeless a couple years ago and gave up and just run tubes. It’s been fine. I’m only riding a fat bike for fitness anyway so what’s some extra rotational weight. Still getting away with running 5-7# of pressure without flats on the snow.


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[altacoup]

Do you own a framed Minnesota? Satisfied with it ? I’m not super concerned about weight, after all it’s a fat bike. I just don’t want to throw money away on junk. I hate dealing with flats. This would purely be a winter machine. Might use it on the Oregon coast when visiting my parents. Riding from the south jetty to necanicum mouth on sand sounds awesome.

[ironhippy]

The wheels on the framed Minnesota aren’t able to be set up tubeless. On a regular mountain bike, that would be an absolute deal breaker. I haven’t had tubes in a bike since 2014 and hate dealing with flats. How do fat bikes generally run with tubes, reliable?

I've run tubes in my fatbike since I purchased it in 2017.

I had my first flat in 2020. I haven't had one since (so one of my tubes is 6 years old)

I will only run tubes on winter bikes, I don't think it's worth trying to keep the sealant flowing when it's below freezing with zero humidity. However my bikes are kept out in the cold, you may have better luck if it's stored inside.

[jackstraw]

I have a few friends running Framed bikes and they've been fine. No real issues. Decent components is really what you're looking for imo.

Here, with our mixed conditions, running toobs can suck on the fatty. Fat flats are especially annoying.

[Kootenai]

I went tubeless with mine, newer wheels are already easy to tape (Mulefats), older wheels you may want to run fatty strippers (fattystripper.com) which are ultimately PT exercise bands. I store my bike outside and refresh my sealant annually, no flats. The rotational weight of the wheels means tubeless is a nice advantage. do it. Also, you can get a steel Surly or Aluminum Spesh and be fine for $1500 Used. But if you are on this thread, you will like fat biking, want more performance and better geo. So just get a carbon Fezzari fat bike, tubeless, GX specs for 3K new and don't look back. You will ride it more than you think.

[Shredeagle]

Fat bike stoke incoming!!

I rarely find fat biking to be fun. It mostly sucks and is good for commuting or exercise. But man did we have some ideal conditions this weekend. I warmed up with a couple of laps on a local trail and it was ripping Friday and Saturday. Super fun drifting the rear tire everywhere. About 3 inches of snow on not quite frozen ground. Primo traction. Now I was warmed up for the Cannonball Run. Hiked my bike up the local ski hill on Sunday. A blue trail was nice and packed down by all the skinners/skiers. It was just packed enough that you could float on top and carry speed but still be on the edge of control. I got up there and my rear brake was totally gone. I was pissed. I pointed it down the first steep pitch anyway trying to use only the front brake. After stopping to swear, I tried the rear brake again and it was back! Oh boy here we go!! I started the bomb straight down the ski slope, and I gotta say, this was some of the most fun I've ever had on a bike. Straight down the steep hills into the long flatter run outs. Ass way out over the back trying to stay aerodynamic. Wheels skittering around underneath you hoping you don't have to turn. I bet I hit 25 a couple of times. Still stoked about it a couple days later and plotting my return.

Anyone else into this? What are the optimal conditions? Obviously it would be sweet to have a nice groom, but I don't think that is happening. I feel like I hit it pretty good. Wait a couple days after the first snow to let the skinners pack it down. Gotta be early season so the skiers concentrate in a little area. Now I'm checking the forecast hoping for that magic inch on Friday, cuz it seems like an inch of heavy on top of the pack would be epic.

[Shredhead]

I’m into it big time. Mostly because my trail dogs need an incredible amount of exercise year round or they drive me crazy.

A few inches of fresh, over a consistent well packed base is best.

[XXX-er]

Fat bike stoke incoming!!

I rarely find fat biking to be fun. It mostly sucks and is good for commuting or exercise. But man did we have some ideal conditions this weekend. I warmed up with a couple of laps on a local trail and it was ripping Friday and Saturday. Super fun drifting the rear tire everywhere. About 3 inches of snow on not quite frozen ground. Primo traction. Now I was warmed up for the Cannonball Run. Hiked my bike up the local ski hill on Sunday. A blue trail was nice and packed down by all the skinners/skiers. It was just packed enough that you could float on top and carry speed but still be on the edge of control. I got up there and my rear brake was totally gone. I was pissed. I pointed it down the first steep pitch anyway trying to use only the front brake. After stopping to swear, I tried the rear brake again and it was back! Oh boy here we go!! I started the bomb straight down the ski slope, and I gotta say, this was some of the most fun I've ever had on a bike. Straight down the steep hills into the long flatter run outs. Ass way out over the back trying to stay aerodynamic. Wheels skittering around underneath you hoping you don't have to turn. I bet I hit 25 a couple of times. Still stoked about it a couple days later and plotting my return.

Anyone else into this? What are the optimal conditions? Obviously it would be sweet to have a nice groom, but I don't think that is happening. I feel like I hit it pretty good. Wait a couple days after the first snow to let the skinners pack it down. Gotta be early season so the skiers concentrate in a little area. Now I'm checking the forecast hoping for that magic inch on Friday, cuz it seems like an inch of heavy on top of the pack would be epic.

Compared to normal mtn biking I find FAT biking highly dependant on the snow conditions, a few inches of fresh pow is gona be good but ice is gona suck unless I spend a bunch on studs

My take is that I have lots of ways to get out in the snow here other wise I might be more stoked on trying to ride in snow,

but knowing what I know I wouldn't buy it again

but I got it so ... I got it

[sb]

Yanno they ride great on dirty trails like the terra firma oar even them sandy beach places.

[XXX-er]

well buddy is asking if anyone else finds them fun or not so he is asking for a fun-value judgement and so that is my opinion what and why

I was even suprised I wasn't that crazy about FAT bike after a season, sure it would be be good on a sandy beach or anywhere the conditions warrant 4 inch + wide tires but thats not here, I don't have that need

when i sold my yeti I was gona be MTB-less for a whole week or more so I tried the fatty at the bike area, grunting up the single track and wallowing down the banked corners I found myself wishing for a real mtnbike and fortunatley another more appropriate bike came along a week later

[Touring_Sedan]

Fat bikes are stupid on dirt. There, I said it. The only people who ride them on dirt are doing it for the 'gram (which I've been guilty of.)

[XXX-er]

i had sold my yeti to a doctor ( who else ) before i had another bike so I tried out the FAT bike on dirt,

i could say it was interesting but I didnt find it fun and i only did it once

They seem pretty popular in alot of Canada that is flatter than piss on a plate for winter snow riding

to answer the original question asked in thread title I guess i wouldn't do it again

[Shredeagle]

I wanted to share a little stoke and see if anyone else was into riding down the ski slopes. It wasn’t really something I had thought of before but was excellent fun. I got to do an 1800 vert bomb down a blue square ski run. So I’m interested if others are into such a thing, what they find to be the best conditions for it. It seemed to be kinda rare to get the opportunity to have a good run like that. I know my friend said Big Sky let them do the lifts one early morning and he still raves about it. It’s probably lucky to get one good run a year I guess.


I would agree the bike is not much fun on dirt!!


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[Powder Ho]

I ride mine in the shoulder seasons early in the morning when things are still frozen. Is it as fun as my other mtb bike? No, but I'm riding and outside and I'm good with that.
Fat biking on snow when conditions are primo is pretty awesome.

[Shredhead]

Riding the groomers on the hill is great, but frowned upon by Skico.
I’m allowed on the groomed MUT’s, but not all of the XC trails.






While I was in exile in Chicago, my place backed up to the largest equestrian area in the Midwest. Riding turf kept me sane.







I ordered a carbon FATe off eBay three years ago, just before QuietKat started importing their Jeep clone.
I put studded 45North Wrathchilds on it and I hardly ride the pedal fatty anymore.

https://quietkat.com/pages/the-jeep-...ed-by-quietkat

[Touring_Sedan]

Riding the groomers on the hill is great, but frowned upon by Skico.
I’m allowed on the groomed MUT’s, but not all of the XC trails.






While I was in exile in Chicago, my place backed up to the largest equestrian area in the Midwest. Riding turf kept me sane.







I ordered a carbon FATe off eBay three years ago, just before QuietKat started importing their Jeep clone.
I put studded 45North Wrathchilds on it and I hardly ride the pedal fatty anymore.

https://quietkat.com/pages/the-jeep-...ed-by-quietkat

Do they make a men's version? You know, without a battery?

[Shredeagle]

Those electric Jeep bikes look fun AF. Rode my neighbors electric fat bike and had a hoot, even just shredding around the hood. I’m fired up for an ebike but prob not in the cards for me until the kids ship out of the house. I got a fully rigid Rocky Mtn Blizzard. I seem to get pretty good suspension by just deflating the tires. I mostly ride it to work and back all winter and it gets pretty trashed from all the grime and sloppy days. A front fork would be sweet but I wonder if it wouldn’t just get trashed from all the dirt and me only cleaning it like once a year.


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[hick]

Those electric Jeep bikes look fun AF. Rode my neighbors electric fat bike and had a hoot, even just shredding around the hood. I’m fired up for an ebike but prob not in the cards for me until the kids ship out of the house. I got a fully rigid Rocky Mtn Blizzard. I seem to get pretty good suspension by just deflating the tires. I mostly ride it to work and back all winter and it gets pretty trashed from all the grime and sloppy days. A front fork would be sweet but I wonder if it wouldn’t just get trashed from all the dirt and me only cleaning it like once a year.


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I just ordered a new Carbon Blizzard fully rigid for just that reason. My last Blizzard had a Bluto and just seemed like more trouble and weight than it was worth. The conditions I use the fatty in are so awful that I think keeping it simple is the way. Not even sure I’ll put a dropper on the new one.


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[ironhippy]

Fat bikes are stupid on dirt. There, I said it. The only people who ride them on dirt are doing it for the 'gram (which I've been guilty of.)

agreed, with the caveats being riding very muddy trails and beaches, both can be very fun or very frustrating.

[Thaleia]

I've been saying for years that with the right conditions and bike set up (mainly tire pressure) fatbiking can be as fun as mtn biking. That said I've never had the pleasure of bombing down a ski hill on one.

[XXX-er]

A front fork would be sweet but I wonder if it wouldn’t just get trashed from all the dirt and me only cleaning it like once a year.


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I don't know if I would find a fork of much use for several reasons

IME my lowest spec Norco Fat bike is 37 lbs so its slow & heavy but also the tires are SLOW so the speeds are slow, the low inflation of the FAT tires gave me enough suspension even on eal mtnbike trails as I wallowed from berm to berm to berm

I probably should have pumped the tires up more for the dirt

slow speeds also means I found cable operated discs are enough brake for me, cheap n easy to work on and they don't care if its reaally cold