Alpkit Sonder Fatty

[johnnystorm]

Ooh, I like that!

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... s-sram-gx1

virfortis_gx1_angle.jpg

You're the one for me fatty

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[GregMay]

No

[voodoo_simon]

No

Dare I ask?

Personally, I think it's an amazing value fat bike. Doesn't look too bad either, not make colour scheme but certainly wouldn't put me off it

[ianfitz]

No

Look May. Imagine we've all clubbed together to buy you a gift and its either this or a stooge. So you'll need to choose one of them. What'll it be?

[GregMay]

No

Look May. Imagine we've all clubbed together to buy you a gift and its either this or a stooge. So you'll need to choose one of them. What'll it be?

Oddly, Stooge.

Need a nice windchime

Nah, I jest. I just don't get the whole fat thing. Not unless it's for racing in cold places. Which I can't do very well.

Also, the newer version of the Stooge makes more sense, hussah for that.

[GregMay]

No

Dare I ask?

Personally, I think it's an amazing value fat bike. Doesn't look too bad either, not make colour scheme but certainly wouldn't put me off it

Don't see the need for what riding I do, tis all. Don't particularly like the look of it, not entirely sure why.

[Alpinum]

Hello KHS Four Season 5000...

By
"we have left clearance for 4.8” tyres should you need them"
Alpkit must mean KHS. Look up their Four Season 5000. Nothing wrong with Alpkit 'relabelling' things, but then acting/claiming as if it was designed by them is weak.

Price is extremely competitive. My girlfriend uses the Alu version and it must be one of the best bikes for explorative snow biking in this price range without any mods. The carbon frame used by Alpkit lacks the sliding dropouts of the alu version to take up tires beyond 5" like Snowshoe XXL. The Alpkit bikes comes with narrow rims and narrow tires, probably to suit a wider range of riding (which beyond snow I - after 3 years fat biking in snow - still don't get). Still, at this price a very minor niggle in a what seems to be a fantastic package.

Nah, I jest. I just don't get the whole fat thing. Not unless it's for racing in cold places. Which I can't do very well.

Why races?
As soon as snow levels don't allow regular mtbiking, I switch to the fat bike.
You'd be amazed what can be done with just enough pressure to keep the tyre in shape.
But of course, if it's not your type of biking it's - in my pov - obsolete.

[johnnystorm]

Hello KHS Four Season 5000...

By
"we have left clearance for 4.8” tyres should you need them"
Alpkit must mean KHS. Look up their Four Season 5000. Nothing wrong with Alpkit 'relabelling' things, but then acting/claiming as if it was designed by them is weak.

I'm not going to suggest they mould the frames on site but the frames aren't the same:


Seat-tube/top tube junction, internal cable routing, etc

[Alpinum]

Seat-tube/top tube junction, internal cable routing, etc

The KHS I'm talking about: http://www.tandemschweizag.ch/blog/2015 ... s-sind-da/
Junction looks pretty much the same I'd say.
KHS has internal routing too. Can'recall if all cable/housing run internally, but it'd be an extremely quick process. That photo you show has a build I've not seen at the KHS distributor and thus maybe a preproduction one.
KHS makes frames for many big and small companies. There's nothing wrong with that, I just dislike when a KHS model is chosen from the catalogue, very little if not none changes have been made and then claimed it was new designed by oneself.

[Cheeky Monkey]

As soon as they started using fancy, branded boxes they list all integrity, sort of

[Richard G]

Hard to fault the price on that really. I guess a lot of it comes down to how good those wheels are though.

[whitestone]

While a fat bike's natural habitats may well be snow and sand they are surprisingly capable in other areas. I noted that PostieRich of this parish had considerably less trouble on the pile of rubble known as Garburn Pass than those of us on "narrow" tyres. (There may have been some skill involved as well )

When it comes to carbon frames, in particular at the lower end of the market, there are very few makers. Look at low end carbon road bikes, the only differences in the frames are the colours and the decals, they all get churned out from a handful of factories. (It's not just carbon - my Solaris frame might be designed in Sheffield but it's built in Taiwan.)

£1600 for a carbon fat bike is a good deal, the On-One Fatty is £900 upwards but that's steel as is the Calibre Dune at £570 which now appears to be the go-to entry fat bike. Alpkit quote just over 2Kg for frame and fork which is pretty incredible, my Solaris frame is 2.2Kg on its own, the quoted weight for the full bike is under 14Kg a full 2.7Kg lighter than the OO Fatty.

Would I have one? No. Too niche for me, I wouldn't use it enough

[johnnystorm]

Seat-tube/top tube junction, internal cable routing, etc

The KHS I'm talking about: http://www.tandemschweizag.ch/blog/2015 ... s-sind-da/
Junction looks pretty much the same I'd say.
KHS has internal routing too. Can'recall if all cable/housing run internally, but it'd be an extremely quick process. That photo you show has a build I've not seen at the KHS distributor and thus maybe a preproduction one.

My bad, the pic I found was a 2015. The 2016 is indeed identical! Shame really, the other Sonder's appear to be unique.....

[ScotRoutes]

Looks OK that. Not sure I'm yet thinking about replacing my 9zero7 but that would certainly be in the mix.

As for fatbikes in general, there are times when they are the only option, times when they are a better option and times when they are a more fun option. That's enough to ensure I'd always have one in my "quiver".

[Alpinum]

My bad, the pic I found was a 2015. The 2016 is indeed identical! Shame really, the other Sonder's appear to be unique.....

No bother. Doesn't make it less what seems an incredible value for money.

[voodoo_simon]

No

Dare I ask?

Personally, I think it's an amazing value fat bike. Doesn't look too bad either, not make colour scheme but certainly wouldn't put me off it

Don't see the need for what riding I do, tis all. Don't particularly like the look of it, not entirely sure why.

Fair one, have had a fat bike for a few years now but it's my least used bike. Sure it's fun but not as fun or useful as my rigid 29er. It gets on my tits on many of the Facebook groups where a lot of people preach on about them and say how amazing fat bikes are, when in reality it's just horses for courses.

Was thinking of selling my fat bike but as I want to do the Rovaniemi 300, I think I'll stick with it for now.

[Alpinum]

Fair one, have had a fat bike for a few years now but it's my least used bike. Sure it's fun but not as fun or useful as my rigid 29er. It gets on my tits on many of the Facebook groups where a lot of people preach on about them and say how amazing fat bikes are, when in reality it's just horses for courses.

Was thinking of selling my fat bike but as I want to do the Rovaniemi 300, I think I'll stick with it for now.

Imagine a place you can't ride your bike for months each year. Then along comes pegasus (all other horses simply don't get you anywhere in deep snow) and off you are. That's what fat bikes to me and a few friends are for the snowy season. And that's why >5" is the future imo for those who seek mountainbiking in winter sans tracks.
I used to believe knee deep or deeper snow is a no go. Now I know it's not. Run no pressure and the fattest of fat tires and you can go biking in wintry Alps where you go summer biking. Not on facebook but here I too use the occasion to preach how rubbish they are on trails and how feckn great on terrain any rider gets stuck with a regular bike.
I absolutely share Gregs pov, but as we live about 1000 km apart and the lowest backyard hills I ride on are yet another 100 m higher than Scafell Pike I can't imagine a biking life with out fat bikes. I'd not wait a second if I where looking for a carbon fat bike and get the Sonder.

[thenorthwind]

the On-One Fatty is £900 upwards but that's steel as is the Calibre Dune

The Dune is ali. It's a steal, but not steel.

[whitestone]

the On-One Fatty is £900 upwards but that's steel as is the Calibre Dune

The Dune is ali. It's a steal, but not steel.

My mistake - not seen (although not looked) anything to suggest otherwise.

[Bearbonesnorm]

The Fatty is also aluminium, only the fork is steel ... unless you go for the carbon option.

[fatbikephil]

Lets not get into the fat or not debate again..... To quote an old beer add (possibly only ever aired in the North East of England) 'theres those who know and those who don't know' or something

I'm a carbon fibre luddite so its of little interest to me but at that price and (presumably) weight it could sway a few folk. Just ditch the weedy Kendas for JJ's and it'll be sorted (until you hit the frame off a rock)

[voodoo_simon]

Totally agree Alpinium If you liv in the right place for them, then they are vaguely exciting but living in Cheshire, I have less of a need for it

In fact, in 3 winters, mine has only seen snow twice in the UK but a few more beaches

[johnnystorm]

Not just KHS and Alpkit.....

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Cookie cutter

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[mountainbaker]

Hmm, alpkit done a shandy.

[Lawmanmx]

not a racer, i don't ride in snow or sand very often either BUT im a happy Fatbike rider, its probably not the best tool for the distance stuff but it puts a smile on my mug! and thats what really matters innit? there's no right or wrong in this game, just preference