Fat bikes

p nut

butter
It seems fat bikes have hit their peak about a year ago. I see far less interest this year. Sales seem to be down, and generally not as much enthusiasm from the biking communities. I find this interesting, because (at least in my area) winter cycling support seems to be as big as ever. Bike specific trails, local and fed government agencies promoting winter trail use, maintaining access roads as well as grooming local trails, etc. It has been awesome. I was out on the national fat bike day a couple weeks ago, and a USFS guy walks up and starts talking about all of the trails they maintain/groom in the area. They were passing out flyers and really advocating winter trail usage. They are also fighting for funding to keep up on trail maintenance and support for other winter related sports.
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I am very excited about this, especially as a year-long cyclist living in a 4-season state. I will not be caught dead on a trainer, so more trail access works out for me. I see more and more people out there with fat bikes (albeit a relatively small number), which hopefully will continue to grow. I will admit it's sometimes hard to justify keeping the thing as it sits 8 months out of the year, but one snow ride changes all of that. No, I will not choose to ride it during the summer like some of you, except on very rare occasions, but I am very glad to have it when the snow flies.
 
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Co-opski

Expedition Leader
In a way I agree with you, here is my Alaska perspective.

My observations from last year on global fatbike day Anchorage had over 100 people come out and ride, this year maybe 75 tops. There were other smaller organized events, crit races and demo rides around town. We now have a shop sponsored group ride, race series or meet-up group ride 3 to 4 times a week all winter.

I see most of the big manufactures with fatbikes in their line (Cannondale, Specialized, Trek) many quality no-name China knock-offs (Bikes Direct and others) and the big box store toy bikes (walgoose) around. My peers (mid-30s career professionals) are going two ways in their fatbike purchases, most started with Surly Pugsly, 1st gen Salsa Mukluk or early 9zero7 or Fatback (Anchorage here) back in 2008, some are upgrading to more modern fatbikes by Trek, Salsa, Borealis or Specialized, and others are settling in on used high-end bikes (Ti fatbacks, Ti 9zero7) and up grading them to 1x11 and better wheels.

These bikes are still a specialty tools in the bike stable, best suited for soft conditions like beach rides, slow tundra crawls, or rainforest boondocking. Much like a pack raft is nice for the wilderness mariner, it can do a lot but not the best tool for everything.

I'm glad we got winter this year in South Central Alaska and have been hitting the trails as much as I can.
 

p nut

butter
Plus bikes are stealing a lot of thunder. I had a friend buy a fat bike earlier this year, went on one ride, then promptly traded it for a Plus bike. The sheer weight and awkward handling is a big turn off for a lot of people. Plus the whole too-much-specialized gear thing is stymieing growth. But with big companies continuing to improve and innovate, growth is still there. I really like Trek's latest offerings, no only in fat bikes, but other models as well. Same with Specialized. Exciting time for us as cyclists.
 

jayspies

Adventurer
I would agree that the fat bike feeding frenzy is over, or at least diminishing, as the latest flavor-of-the-month supplants it (currently plus-bikes, it seems). I ride my fat bike year round, as I only have the spousal consent for one bike. Perhaps it's just that I'm super slow, or that the fat bike is a blast to ride, but I don't feel the least inclination to get a FS trail-ripper or a second bike. I think the current offerings are getting closer and closer to the geo of a true short-stay trail bike (compare a first-gen Pug to a Farley), which can only mean good things for the category as a whole. Fat bikes have the unique property of being able to become almost another bike entirely with a wheelset swap, which can't really be said of skinny-tire bikes. If they have adjustable dropouts like my Muk, they can alter geo as well. Not many other bikes can be as versatile. I'm also glad to see more winter trail-advocacy going on; the more we can spread the word about what fat bikes are capable of, the more everyone will benefit.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I never got the fat bike thing. I look forward to ski season and sprinkle a few MTB rides in when the weather is nice and trails are not muddy. They make sense up in AK or in the mountains where the snow is consistent, but I'm not going to drive into the mountains and /not/ ski when there's snow. In the summer I ride the bike as much as possible and at the end of CX season I'm ready to hang it up for a couple of months. I haven't got the space and money for a quiver of bikes and I don't see them being a benefit for the way I ride. Different strokes.
 

p nut

butter
I would agree that the fat bike feeding frenzy is over, or at least diminishing, as the latest flavor-of-the-month supplants it (currently plus-bikes, it seems). I ride my fat bike year round, as I only have the spousal consent for one bike. Perhaps it's just that I'm super slow, or that the fat bike is a blast to ride, but I don't feel the least inclination to get a FS trail-ripper or a second bike. I think the current offerings are getting closer and closer to the geo of a true short-stay trail bike (compare a first-gen Pug to a Farley), which can only mean good things for the category as a whole. Fat bikes have the unique property of being able to become almost another bike entirely with a wheelset swap, which can't really be said of skinny-tire bikes. If they have adjustable dropouts like my Muk, they can alter geo as well. Not many other bikes can be as versatile. I'm also glad to see more winter trail-advocacy going on; the more we can spread the word about what fat bikes are capable of, the more everyone will benefit.

One bike stable has been a life-long goal for me, but just isn't going to happen anytime soon. Too many open roads (asphalt and dirt), coupled with my laziness in the desire to change out wheels for every other ride keeps me from that goal. But if I did end up with one, it'd be a fat bike. The only thing that bothers me is the wide q factor. But I spoke to a local frame builder who can keep a standard 73mm BB and get a fat tire in the back. I'd be restricted to a single gear (I mainly ride SS anyway, even on the fatty), or a SS hub with 6 gears (i.e. King SS hub can fit 6 cogs). I'd be fine with that.

I never got the fat bike thing. I look forward to ski season and sprinkle a few MTB rides in when the weather is nice and trails are not muddy. They make sense up in AK or in the mountains where the snow is consistent, but I'm not going to drive into the mountains and /not/ ski when there's snow. In the summer I ride the bike as much as possible and at the end of CX season I'm ready to hang it up for a couple of months. I haven't got the space and money for a quiver of bikes and I don't see them being a benefit for the way I ride. Different strokes.

Definitely different strokes. Fortunately for me, I am 2 miles from local trails that are typically snow covered the majority of the winter, unlike you folks on the front range that have to drive a while to get to snow trails. I love year-round cycling, so fat bikes make sense for me. If you haven't tried it, I'd at least do it once. Rentals are cheap and maybe there are even demo days. But it's like my friend who telemark skis says, "either you get it, or you don't." I don't, as far as telemark goes, but fat bikes are uber fun.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I have demo'd them. Just not for me. I don't get it and definitely can't see one being a mainstay or anything other than a curiosity. I also tele, so I'm a glutton I guess. Not to mention I still use a film camera (this is getting extraordinarily difficult though), drive stick shift, run vinyl records and tubes. "I understand there's an easier way World and, well, nope. I'll take the long cut." Using film is like EFI and plastic ski boots to me, I didn't buy one because I disliked carbs but that I didn't want to spend every night wrenching on a worn out truck anymore and by that point nothing less than 15 or so years old didn't have EFI. Don't mistake my ownership of a Tacoma as anything other than reluctant realization that the world has past on my desire and I had no practical choice otherwise. I was born about 20 years too late. Maybe 100. Not sure.
 

Christophe Noel

Expedition Leader
With any new platform there is always a rapid ground swell, then a plateau, and an inevitable fall-off. Around here ten years ago it was singlespeeds. There were hundreds of them. Now I only see a few here and there. Plus sizes have eaten into the fatbike turf, which makes sense. I just sold my much loved Beargrease for a new full carbon Mukluk with the intent of fitting it with two sets of wheels, both a full-fat 4.8 wheel and a 27.5+ wheel, both in carbon to avoid the sluggish handling that plagues plus and fat bikes.

We're definitely in the era of the many niche bike platforms, which I think is fine. For me it breaks up the monotony, keeps things fresh and fun, and allows me to reinvent my riding style, route options and overall bike fun.
 

p nut

butter
I have demo'd them. Just not for me. I don't get it and definitely can't see one being a mainstay or anything other than a curiosity. I also tele, so I'm a glutton I guess. Not to mention I still use a film camera (this is getting extraordinarily difficult though), drive stick shift, run vinyl records and tubes. "I understand there's an easier way World and, well, nope. I'll take the long cut." Using film is like EFI and plastic ski boots to me, I didn't buy one because I disliked carbs but that I didn't want to spend every night wrenching on a worn out truck anymore and by that point nothing less than 15 or so years old didn't have EFI. Don't mistake my ownership of a Tacoma as anything other than reluctant realization that the world has past on my desire and I had no practical choice otherwise. I was born about 20 years too late. Maybe 100. Not sure.

I see. But you do realize biking down (or up) the mountain is the "long cut" compared to skiing, right? :D I was out there during Thanksgiving and rode Heil Ranch and Devils Backbone. Cool to have nice and clear trails in the middle of winter.
 

rruff

Explorer
Plus bikes are stealing a lot of thunder.

Plus bikes are actually faster over a wide range of typical MTB terrain than regular sized wheels, which is why they probably won't be a fad. Fatbikes are a small niche for soft surfaces, and aren't that fun on anything else. Bouncy, sluggish handling, heavy, and slow on most trails. The Q factor bugs me too, I like them narrow.
 

p nut

butter
We should race. Or not... :D I think I averaged 3 pedal strokes per minute.

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bhguy

Observer
I would agree that the fat bike feeding frenzy is over, or at least diminishing, as the latest flavor-of-the-month supplants it (currently plus-bikes, it seems). I ride my fat bike year round, as I only have the spousal consent for one bike. Perhaps it's just that I'm super slow, or that the fat bike is a blast to ride, but I don't feel the least inclination to get a FS trail-ripper or a second bike. I think the current offerings are getting closer and closer to the geo of a true short-stay trail bike (compare a first-gen Pug to a Farley), which can only mean good things for the category as a whole. Fat bikes have the unique property of being able to become almost another bike entirely with a wheelset swap, which can't really be said of skinny-tire bikes. If they have adjustable dropouts like my Muk, they can alter geo as well. Not many other bikes can be as versatile. I'm also glad to see more winter trail-advocacy going on; the more we can spread the word about what fat bikes are capable of, the more everyone will benefit.

I feel the same way as you do. I ride .my fatbike year round and often to work, a 66km round trip.i have had tri bikes, lots of f.s and hard tail mountain bikes and i feel this is the best for me. People think that they are snow or sand only but the comfort of those tires is awesome. Im shootin to do the ride from Banff canada to mexico in 2018 on it , i see no reason to use anything else. Also to be able to finally ride my bike across a sand pit takes a childhood dream off the bucket list
 

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