Does Fat Biking Suck?! | The Harsh Facts About Fat Tire Bicycles
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ค. 2024
- 6 months ago I moved to Vermont and I learned very quickly that the mountain biking season ends very abruptly up here. Once the mountain bike trails are shut down you basically have two options, hit the slopes or get a fat bike. Since I am a mountain biker, the fat bike made the most sense, but there are generally two very different opinions of fat bikes out there. Either fat bikes rule, or fat bikes suck! It was time to figure it our for myself, so I linked up with Matt from Bootlegger bikes and hit the trails!
Enjoy the video and be sure to leave a comment below and subscribe for more!
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Got my 1st fatbike in 2010. It's a great compliment to xc-skiing. When there is lots of fresh snow the skiing is great but that fatbiking not so much. Conversely when there's been a thaw/freeze cycle the skiing sucks but the fatbiking rocks! Perfect winter combo 👌
exactly ...you have to live in a mountain town to know that
“It’s a blast” couldn’t agree more.
Love the music, and for a bloke from the land down under, I wish we had snow, looks like total fun, thanks for brining us along👍
Cheers mate!
I just bough my first fat bike today. I live in Calgary, so we have a long winter. I have an e-mtb for the summer. You did a great job on this video.
Thanks!
the q factor or width of pedals just hurt my knees.
Fun video!! Yup the snow isn't like it use to be. I live in New Brunswick Canada and the last few winters have not been normal at all. But you get out on the snow when you can. Cheers.
Thanks and agreed! Hoping winter will pick back up, but the future is grimy. Still a good bike to have in the garage!
Very cool video! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us! Welcome to the FAT life, I hope you stick around for a while brother!!!!
Cheers man! Fat life is definitely something I will keep living now that I’ve tried it! Appreciate the support.
Fat bikes are 4-season riding machines, I enjoy mine all year long here in Central Kentucky!
Love to hear it!!
It's been really hard to find them for the past 2 years because bike manufacturers are prioritizing their top selling bikes but if you can find one snag it! I was lucky and picked one up a few months ago. I'm in Michigan so it will get used. I also plan on riding it during the summer as many around here do. It's a good way to switch up your normal trail rides.
I was just at the bike shop and you can't find anything right now! Won't get better for at least another year. Such a bummer! I agree though, if/when I can afford one, I'll def be getting one because I love having options to mix things up! Any time on two wheels is a good time, IMO.
I picked up a Malus off of Facebook marketplace just the other day for $175. It was missing the water bottle and one of the stickers was all torn up, but was otherwise in excellent shape(after giving it a nice bath). Considering that these things are going for $450 online right now, I was incredibly pleased.
Hey there! I recently came across a new project that might interest you. It's called the Freebeat Morph 2-in-1 eBike, and it offers some outstanding features that I think you'll love. One of the coolest things about this eBike is its dual modes, allowing you to use it both indoors and outdoors. Plus, it's equipped with an indoor recharge feature, so you can charge it while riding indoors. How awesome is that? I've been using it myself, and it has completely transformed my cycling experience. Definitely worth checking out! Keep up the great content, and happy riding!
for most people a fat bike just doesnt make sense
Looks like fun with the "slow and steady" and trying to find grip rather than just blast through a trail. I'd love to try one really aired down on some sand.
I’ve never ridden one on sand, so definitely provide some feedback if you try it!
I am getting old and can’t hike like I could when I was 50.I need to get one of these bikes for hunting.I have used regular mountain bikes in the past for hunting and they work great.Only problem was going over soft stuff.This is where the fat tire comes in.I bet I can swap out rims and tires to be the most useful on the terrain I am in.I ain’t in no hurry unless I got meat in hot weather or am worried about bears on my kills.
Get a fat tire E bike
Agreed, I see it more as an expedition vehicle. I can go on trails (or no trails terrain) where I'd have not a lot of fun on my 29".
I just got a e-fatbike in June, cant wait to try it on snow. Ive ridden a standard hardtail with 2.4" tires for 20 years in the snow just fine cant wait to see the hype. Its been a great bike on gravel and pavement so far this year.
Ohhhh, e-fatbike sounds dope! Keep us posted. 👊🏼
@@MTBTravelReview finally got it out in some snow th-cam.com/video/jpgK2V_z1BU/w-d-xo.html
They're fun, good way to keep riding during winter, but they have their limitations, I would never ride the trails I ride in the summer snow covered on a Fat Tire Bike, the trails need to be kind of tame.
Been hooked since 2014, gotta love Crispy Moonscape™ conditions. Kingdom trails has some awesome terrain, but blessing of all blessings VT has so many places to go!
So many magical spots in the North. Good on you for making the best of it!
Haven't been back to KT since the start of Covid, but skydive is one of my favorites.
beware about the q-factor. or width of pedals. they can hurt your knees if you spin alot.
It’s the most fun! My full suspension bike is on the chopping block as a result!
But, but what about summer time?! Remember N+1
@@MTBTravelReview I think that’s one of the big misconceptions about fat bikes, definitely not snow only! I am definitely due for some n-1 these days😬😂
Residing in NH , we have many gnarly rooty trails with granite rocks scattered about everywhere on the trails and its very hilly . If you're not riding in a bike park , mountain biking really can be a chore in NH . That being said , I often see a man in his late 50's riding a Fat Bike on a trail system that I visit often as I often see him climbing a few of the small hills that are steep and covered in large roots and rocks as its is quite a sight to behold as most people can't climb these as they were originally made for hiking . The Fat Bike tires are able to grab onto the roots due to being so squishy and he's got the skills .
All of New England is known for its gnar. Best part about this place! Crazy how good some people are though. Sounds like a fat bike master!
No snow here but plenty of bush (forestry) trails. I only do EASY stuff so I stick mostly to the Council bike trails with a little bit of forest each time. As a daily ride I loved it but since I got Covid I'm only just back in the saddle. Did about six miles today for a first up but will do a daily twelve miler soon. I really enjoy it. After using one I almost feel like a cheat using my Giant and Trek. No speed records though.
All about enjoying the ride. Thanks for sharing! 👊🏼🤘🏼
Super fun bikes, scored one off Craigslist because they are that hard to come by. Tried looking for tires lately?
Looking for anything is a nightmare haha
I own both a Vamoose Super Mammoth 500w and a Norco Bigfoot 2!
The Super Mammoth has AWD and it's a blast to ride in deep snow I have a favourite trail that's near by my apartment it's fun ripping on a trail at 20km/hr on 26x4.8" tires.
The big foot has 27.5x4.5" tires I love this bike because of the workout I get riding it!
AWD?!
Depends what your intentions/terrain are. I use a fat bike for 365 day commuting. Most times it's 3.8 tires on the Blizzard carbon 30. Packed snow or unplowed roads, it's the reliable studded 4.5 tires. have even taken her down steep trails of the Adirondacks in autumn. The annoyance of tire pressure can be irking, as is this video, which vexingly pops-up no matter what fat bike model is searched for.
I like how you started by sharing your opinion on fat bikes and then called my video annoying. Interesting approach, but great vocabulary!
Good video. Not only are Fat Bikes fun, they look cool af. I have a motorcycle back ground, so fat tires look normal to me lol.
Haha makes sense!
Nothing but love for fat bikes and funny thing is mines lighter that my full squish specialized mtb lol. Great vid guys thanks!
Cheers man! Featherweight fat bike for the win!
Awesome...wonder how a fat bike would perform in a desert where it's largely dry and sandy....good channel...subscribed n watching...👍
Appreciate the support!
They work great but you have to have either tire liners or tire sealant to protect against thorns. I ride at about 8 psi to smooth out the bumps and improve grip.
This video helped me feel better about buying my Kona Woo!
That’s what I like to hear!
Bought one 12 years ago and thought it sucked. LITTLE DID I KNOW that you don't just ride in the snow... ideally you need groomed trails and studded tires, then it is fun. Sold the old one and upgraded to a carbon higher end one last year - dilly 5 studded tires, heated gloves and socks and ample groomed trails make it a blast.
Huck ya!
As the saying goes, know it don’t not know it.
Fellas, keep it rubber side down! Awesome content!!
Cheers!!
reading comments it seems like fat bikes are somewhat making a comeback. great to hear, love those fun bikes :)
I have one and my main issue is that many of them are heavy. Otherwise if you have the proper tires for the terrain and the bike fits you, they are fun.
Like anything else, they can be lighter, just get more expensive.
My 4.8” fat bike is on a full suspension carbon frame and wheels weighs 38lbs. That’s about a four pound penalty over not-a-weight weeny full sus bike and perhaps 8lb penalty over a hyper light full sus bike.
Not unless it is electric! You can easily blast through trails with extra power!
I've ridden fats (4 & 5 wide tires - studded) not just in snow (4 to 5 in w/o deflate) mainly waiting to ice/hard pack & have to say it's a blast, having on a few rides in morn side to side side walks icing (peeps having a time getting around) & have to tell U its an head turner (wondering how in the hell am I riding that thing - needing some ice straps or whatever for u're shoes). Have done mtb patrols (IMBA BP) on 1 as well. Just got a AWD fatty tho snow/ice round my area that's another (if we get 5" around here during the season we're lucky)......
Very cool. Thanks for sharing!
Fatties rule.
Got a leftover '16 Mukluk that benefited from trickle down component economics. She got an upgrade from 2x10 to 1x12 and some fancy brakes with a Hope R hub in the mix for XDness and many other tasty bits.
I am praying we get some rideable snow this year in N DE.👍🏼
Good you got to have that fun on those prime trails.
Sick setup!
These days, with constant freeze/thaw, it can be the best! Ideally when the pow turns to rock hard crust.
Gotta have options!!
I ride mine from fall to spring, until it really dries out
is this bike good invesment i am doing normal mtb and the specialzed bike for open road
I’d call this a bonus bike. Not necessary, but fun if you can afford it.
I have one as all day bike. Its pure fun to ride it. Every day starts and ends now with a smile.
Love it! 🤘🏼
My year round daily driver is an XO1 Salsa Bucksaw and I love it. Not much interest in going back to riding 2.35" wide tires.
And no fatbiking doesn't suck.
Same here, I ride my Ican full sus in summer and my Kona Wo in winter. No more skinies for me.
@@koenpauwelyn ❤
Loved the soundtrack....can you give us the artists & tracks?
That general store at the end has wicked good pizza too
Everything in the place is delicious!
Fatbike is a lot of fun. Love my cannondale fatcaad.
Funny I came across this video, I live by kingdom trails and was thinking about getting a fat bike.
Ayyyy, if you are near kingdom, I’d say it’s well worth it!
I have a slim tire ebike, do you think fat tire is better on winter
Generally speaking, yes. But you need packed snow trails.
In MN fat bikes are great our trails are groomed mostly which makes things way easier, fat bikes are all pedal and very little rolling here in the flat Midwest… great to get out in the winter! Nothing like riding in the summer, more of a serious rider thing than something casual…. Bike setup is specialized, lights to see and dress for riding temp not sitting temp is a bit tricky…. I love the technical features in the winter, it makes everything harder, which is good in my opinion!
Sounds like a good time to me! Thanks for sharing
Fat biking in the snow and ice is very fun, but I will say it really isn't my can of Red Bull in any other season.
I agree there. Winter only for me!
Why winter "only"?
@@thespartenkid summer is regular mtb season. Fat bikes will never replace that.
@@MTBTravelReview if you have or want multiple bikes and the storage and bullshit to go with it then sure.
Skinny tires suck as a bugout rig. -shrugs-
Horses for coarses.
Awesome!
That was awesome!
Cheers! 👊🏼
I love riding fat all year long here in Michigan the fat life is the best
That’s sounds like a good life to me!
Only those who have or have tried a FatBike know the unique experience of cycling on all surfaces without ever putting the fun aside. The trails and mountains take on another charm when we pedal a Fatbike. First it's strange, then it sinks in. It's a real addiction. Keep enjoying your fatbike. Happy cycling. Greetings from Portugal.
Greetings and thanks for commenting!
When you are confused, how theres snow with 10 degrees and than you realize, they probably mean fahrenheit :D
Haha yup!
Kitchell (not sure how it's spelled sorry) is one of the best. I need to try it in winter.
It’s a blast!
I have one need better kickstand I Aldo have bike trailer two senior dogs
I will never go on another tipe bike, fatbiker forever. Love my Surly ICT. But that Salsa Mukluk is siiick!
Huck ya!
Just try it yesterday.... Its heavy lol .. need a strong leg n hand to handle it.... Well good for your cardio
They are heavy!
Please answer your rhetorical question about whether fat bikes suck or not. I do want to hear this. But I'm not scrubbing up and down 9 minutes of video, hoping to hit upon a place where you might actually answer your own question.
The whole point of the video is to show you the experience, so you can ultimately decide for yourself. Watch the whole video and you won’t have to scrub up and down. 😉
I love fat bikes is the way to go, thank you for your video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love my fat bike. So much so that I rarely touch my cross country skis during the winter anymore. We have well maintained and consistently groomed single track where I live and also great country roads to ride in the winter. I’ve learned to dress for cold days. Although anything approaching -20 Celsius is my limit.
Only hard part where I live is consistently groomed and rideable trails. Weather conditions change drastically and trails aren’t always open.
Just bought a NEW 1000w /75 n.m/31mph/30 grade/disc brakes/26x4 fat tire bike for $690 to my door,great deal
Nice!
@@MTBTravelReview put 300 miles in to it in under 2 months holding up great it's colder now I don't use it as much
It’s like asking if hot fudge sundaes suck.
Hahaha. Love it!
Riding MTB in Muks? Ouch, my arches are killing me just thinking about it
Haha. Matt is a savage
@@MTBTravelReview I live in the town those are made.
Зимнее фэтоводство - это круто!!! Спасибо!
Sorry, I only speak English.
Great bike but get a comfortable seat and grips
Always want to have a comfy bum bum!
Fat bike every day on Texas trails! No snow and I keep up with all the skinny bikes until they get on pavement and smoke me.
Solid!
Four finger braking?
Bahaha. Skiing mitts for the win! Good catch.
music is cool
Cheers
Fat biking is awesome. I have 2 of them. 1for winter and one for summer.😎👍
Noice!
Yes.
Yes is a powerful word
throw a 1,000 watt hub motor on the back and suddenly the rolling resistance of the fat tires doesn't matter going uphill.
You ain’t wrong there, but I prefer bikes without motors.
@@MTBTravelReview As an old fart, I have heard from many friends that the e-bike got them back outside, back on the road, and back in better shape. That's my current build, a recumbent trike and a hub motor. Best of both worlds. And you can dial down the assist as much as you want. Also great for people who would like to ride together, but have very different abilities.
Total respect for those who don't need or want the assist though. Everybody is different, thank God!
@@solarguy6043 oh for sure!! I have no issue with e-bikes for those that have a use. Anybody on a bike is a good day in my book!
I think it does unless your only riding wooded trails. I am taking my fat bike for a refund tomorrow, got it home road it 10 miserable miles, very slow, had to work very hard to maintain about 10 mph on a paved surface. Have never had a mountain bike, but with their 2.20" tires it seems to me that anything wider is just adding on weight and rolling resistance without adding much to traction or ability to ride over rough terrain. I might just put studded tires on my hyrbrid bike, was thinking of a mountain hard tail just for the snow, only way for me to know that is to actually try it as I did the fat bike.
You will never get the same experience on a mountain bike on snow packed trails, studs or not. Mountain bikes actually should not be ridden on any snow packed trails, because the skinny tires will make ruts in the snow and ruin the trail. That’s why fat bikes exist. The wider tires allow the bike to float on top of the snow without making ruts.
Fat tire bikes are awesome I have two of them farley.🚴♂️
Nice!
Fat bike or not trees don't move!
I don't get the glove things.. I'm always sweating like a mf on my hands
Have you ridden in sub zero temps? Trust me, there is no hand sweat. Haha
Does fat biking suck? Yes and no on the same trails on consecutive days. If the trails are groomed or well packed, it can be amazing. If there is a lot of fresh snow or the sun softened the surface, it can be impossible. And on any day, you have to be a strong rider.
Well said!
EVER since they came out with the FAT BIKES . I have wanted one. !!!!!
It's not bad, if you don't mind going even slower.
Fat biking is great if you're near groomed trails or forest roads. Otherwise, they suck in deep/unpacked snow
True. They are impossible to ride on deep unpacked snow.
Yeah it dont suck ! I use my ebike to go up the hill 😁😁😁
E-fatbike?! 😝
While fat bikes are fun to ride the fact is that it Takes a lot of work to create trails at a resort like this. After a large snowfall the average person has to go snowshoe a couple miles of trails to pack down so they can then ride. It's the only sport I know were you have to do one sport (snowshoeing) so you can do another one (fat biking) and then hope the next day it's not a sheet of ice or a post hold unradible mess because of people walking over the trails. It seems like every year I hear people complaining that that nobody has packed out the trails yet or or do not ride after a certain time of day for fear of causing ruts.
It just seems like with the inconsistent snow and the rare times that it is good conditions versus the cost of a fat bike and studded fat bike tires it just doesn't seem worth it to me. For a set of fat bike studded tires alone you could almost buy a set of xc skis and snow shoes that will work in virtually any snow conditions.
Next while I love cycling just as much the next person it is good in the off season to mix up your sports to use some different muscles. Some weight bearing exercises such as snow showing and cross country skiing Is very beneficial to your body. Finally you are transporting and riding your bike in wet trails and salt Laden roads which is very hard on your bike components. I think I will just stick to renting a fat bike once in a while when I go cross country skiing when the conditions are good instead of Putting out a huge amount of money to purchase one.
So, fat tire bikes are fun on downhill groomed trails, got it.
I’m glad we had this talk.
Fatbikes forever! 🎉❤
Fat Bikes 4 life!!
Your name makes me believe you are biased… 🤣🤘🏼
@@MTBTravelReview maybe just a tad 🤏🤣
Squeals=fun
Yessir!
🤣🤣😭😭😂😂😭😭💀💀
😵💫👽🦵🏼🫁🧌
Fat biking is great on many l
Agreed!
CANT UNDERSTAND TAILGATING ON THE HIGHWAY OR OF THE TRAIL -- UNZ LV THE ASS VIEW?
I have no idea what you just said.
like every other fat bike video... nothing a normal MTB couldn't do with good with 2.4 tires
False. Fat bikes have the clear advantage in snow. It can be done, but not as efficiently depending upon conditions.
Kenny keeps dying
Who killed Kenny?
im a fat man no need for a fat bike
🤣👌🏼
Yah fat biking is much harder and slower
Slow cooked brisket for the win!
Only in soft conditions. Groomed , solid base fat biking is fast fun and flowy.
@@user-kb7ij6ye8u like a brisket sandwich!
Fat biking is awesome! Your headline for this video sucks. That is the harsh fact.
It would appear the headline worked… 🤣
I wanna point the fact that you do a very unprofessional show while you drive: Watching tha camera while you drive. That is not a good modell for anybody
Thank you for pointing out this lack of safety on my part. I will try to do better.
You will not like fat biking if you are lazy E biker, that’s for sure
Not all people who use e-bikes are lazy.
What joke I rode my fat bike threw 6 inch virgin snow not a packed trail like that amateur's !
I’m sorry, what?
mask = unsub
Bye!
Step 1: Buy a fat bike
Step 2: Regret your decision and sell it on facebook (seriously there are so many slightly used fat bikes for sale)
Step 3: Put the correct tires on your real mountain bike and pass all the fat bikers with ease.
Interesting perspective. That said, regular mtb don’t always work unless the trails are super firm. Regular mountain bike tires can ruin soft trails that would otherwise be fine on a proper fat bike tire.
Step 4 - try to cycle in soft sand with the MTB, and realize it sinks in while the fat bike will even cross a desert
@@simonm1447 You clearly skipped step 3
@@iknowzeverything2740 no, I have just a couple of bikes
Totally clickbait, dislike. And you don't need any different bike to ride tracks you showed.
Just remember, hugs are free.
It's not electric?
Some are, most are not.