Bikepacking

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

The surly Wednesday is pretty reasonably priced and I think it can.

The Wednesday is designed around a 4" tire but I think you can stuff up to a 4.5 with wheel pulled back in the dropouts. 27.5+ would be the option for the Wednesday. For 29+ the Ice cream truck is perfect as it's designed around 26 x 4.8. So any fat bike that is designed around a 4.8 should be perfect for 29+.

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by GoldMember

Can you get a 4" wide fat tire in 29"? I only see them in 26". For 29", it appears 3" wide is about the fattest you can get.

27.5 x 4" are available. 29 x 3" is a whole lotta traction patch, stability, and speed.

**evdog** · 10-09-2017, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

That bike is way out of my price range. Not buying bike until I'm working my regular job again. Broken legs are expensive.

Carver 420Ti is what I have, it was built frame up with some existing parts for a reasonable price. That or Motobecane are the cheapest production Ti bike you'll find that are good quality. http://carverbikes.com/bikes/titanium-420/. Lynskey is good too but more expensive unless they're on sale, which they often are. Ti is nice but isn't necessary at all.

Originally Posted by reckless toboggan

Completely disagree. Fat can go up, down, snow, mud, ice, bushwack, animal trails, and just putt putt along.

Yeah my regular tire bike can do all that too. Not as well in snow/ice but there's not much of that in socal. I get the change in traction/rolling resitance vs tire pressure. My point is the vast majority of riding conditions don't require the extra traction that a fat tire can provide. So for me, the extra rotating weight isn't worth it. Remember a few years ago when all the cool kids started showing up on local rides with fat bikes because they were apparently so much fun to ride? Well, I don't see fat bikes much on the trails anymore. Wonder why....

Originally Posted by DIYSteve

The bike in the pic posted by Goldmember is a more logical way to pack vs. a big bag tied to the seat. COG

You can still achieve favorable COG by putting heavier stuff low in the other bags you have and lighter stuff in a seat bag. I wouldn't want panniers for most of the singletrack bikepacking I do. Too easy to get them hung up on rocks, trees or other obstacles. And they would be a pain to HAB with. The seat bag is narrow and stays out of the way. FWIW I consider touring to be mostly on paved/dirt road, and bikepacking mostly on dirt with the goal of riding singletrack when possible.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 03:47 PM

Yeah in the PNW there are lots of narrow, brushy trails. Maybe farther east in the rockies or southwest that's less of an issue.

**reckless toboggan** · 10-09-2017, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

Yeah in the PNW there are lots of narrow, brushy trails. Maybe farther west or southwest that's less of an issue.

Exactly.

That's why I mentioned the East and West Kootneys in B.C. in one of my previous posts. Very similar geography/climate to where you are in B'ham.

Fat frame is the way to go, and it gives the versatility for different wheel and tire setups to suit any purpose.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 04:10 PM

The kona wo has similar geo to the honzo. I'm not sure it's the best option, why is it more expensive than the Wednesday?

We don't have a surly dealer and I don't like the salsa shop in town. That leaves kona or one of the big brands.

**reckless toboggan** · 10-09-2017, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

The kona wo has similar geo to the honzo. I'm not sure it's the best option, why is it more expensive than the Wednesday?

We don't have a surly dealer and I don't like the salsa shop in town. That leaves kona or one of the big brands.

Surly and Salsa are very overpriced. They are the OG brands which I respect, but there are plenty of good options from Kona, Specialized, Norco, Framed, etc.

Best bet is to check Kijiji, Craigslist, Pinkbike, or whatever the local classifieds are.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 04:35 PM

Not many ride fat bikes here.

Surly Wednesday is 1500

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 04:37 PM

Kona wo is the same and they will likely give me a discount. But I still wonder if the 27.5+ honzo might be more versatile

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 04:51 PM

Kona WO same price as Wednesday with nicer spec it seems. The WO comes with Shwalbe 4.8 lite skin tires which I would never trust for bikepacking so that kills quite a bit of value there.

Check out the Kona Unit X. Not full fat but a very nice setup for bikepacking to me. Good price point.

You may prefer the Unit geo over the Honzo for bikepacking pedaling. Bit more neutral/balanced. Less light/higher front of the Honzo.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 04:56 PM

I sorta feel like why not go big honzo versus unit x.

Also, I like a long top tube. I ride a medium process because I felt cramped in the small. I can do that with the process because the small and medium have the same standover. The new honzo has the 2017 geo, so it looks like I'd be in a small. I'd have to do medium on the unit x probably.

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

I sorta feel like why not go big honzo versus unit x.

Geometry. Rigidity. Simplicity. Big Honzo is a great capable bike, a good friend has one and I've ridden his. I've owned a regular Honzo with same geo as the Big Honzo. Feels great for tech and DH and pedals just fine, but I'd much rather pedal all day on mixed terrain on my Old 2013 Unit due to its more traditional balanced geometry.

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 05:08 PM

Ha I just read your 1st post where you mention the Unit X. Doh!

Rigid bikes are great for putting away wet. That thing would be a commuting beast.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 05:21 PM

I hate pedaling my old pahoehoe

**reckless toboggan** · 10-09-2017, 05:21 PM

E.G. Framed Minnesota or Alaskan

http://www.the-house.com/qfrmin2w15w...med-bikes.html

On sale, and comes with a free pair of 29" wheels, along with the fats.

Check out the rest of the site. They have a pretty good selection a t a bunch of different price points.

The one in the link is 33#. You can drop 1# by getting rid of the front derailleur, cables, hoses, shifter, and ring. You can drop another 2.5# by taking out the stock tire tubes and replacing them with specialized 24" x 3.0 DH tubes.

That gets you down to about #30. Plus you can replace heavy pedals, cassette, chain, derailleur, etc when they wear out.

That'll get you to 28 or 29#, depending on how weight weenie you want to go.

Plus you have the versatility of 26 x 4" rims and tires, and the 29 x 2" rims and tires. It comes with both. Plus free shipping.

Eventually you'll replace the tires, and that'll drop another pound.

Not affiliated in any way whatsoever, just trying to help a mag out.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 05:23 PM

That thing weighs 34lbs.

**reckless toboggan** · 10-09-2017, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

That thing weighs 34lbs.

Yah. Look above post on how to drop 4 pounds for about $10.

You could drop it down to #28 for about $250.

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 05:45 PM

I don't wanna do that. I think the unit x might be the way to go but I think it's kinda ugly. The surly karate monkey is way sexier.

**reckless toboggan** · 10-09-2017, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

I don't wanna do that. I think the unit x might be the way to go but I think it's kinda ugly. The surly karate monkey is way sexier.

Well then check out ChroMag.

http://www.chromagbikes.com/

Plus you'll save about 30% because of the exchange rate alone.

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

I don't wanna do that. I think the unit x might be the way to go but I think it's kinda ugly. The surly karate monkey is way sexier.

Get out of my head! I was going to suggest the KM but we were in Kona mode. Kona frame/fork could very well be a good 1-2 pounds lighter then the KM frame/fork. And a bit less expensive. Plus local Kona dealer. Spray paint could take care of the ugly Unit. Go camo!

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 06:04 PM

Yeah plus kona people are good people. I think kona unit x wins

**mtngirl79** · 10-09-2017, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by reckless toboggan

Well then check out ChroMag.

http://www.chromagbikes.com/

Plus you'll save about 30% because of the exchange rate alone.

I don't see any rigid bikes?

**MrMan** · 10-09-2017, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

Yeah plus kona people are good people. I think kona unit x wins

They really are. The Unit's sliding dropouts are another positive. So easy to adjust forward for a more snappy agile ride, or slide the wheel way back for bikepacking stability. Or if you bust your rear derailleur, just shorten the chain, slide the wheel back to tension chain and ride, smile, and SS her home.