Full-sus Fatty

[Zippy]

I wouldn't fancy taking this full susser fat bike anywhere near a sandy beach, once the sand gets in the moving bit's it will just eat it away. Rigid only on sand.

I took my full susser on the beach once (there is a certain moisture content level of sand that makes it possible to ride on quite well with normal tyres).
I then spent the following months replacing all my bearings (pivots, headset, BB, wheels). Ooops!

[johnnystorm]

I wouldn't fancy taking this full susser fat bike anywhere near a sandy beach, once the sand gets in the moving bit's it will just eat it away. Rigid only on sand.

From the development web page:

What we didn’t know was just how far this fatbike thing was going to go.

The attachment and passion for these bikes had many people, including us, using them in the summer on “normal” mountain bike trails. The fatbike’s incredible capabilities and confidence-inspiring nature had several of us verbally contemplating riding a fatbike exclusively, year-round. Riding a fatbike year round meant that rocks and roots, which were usually hidden under a layer of snowpack in the winter, were now exposed features that needed to be negotiated. Firm dirt made for higher speeds, and folks were finding they could quickly outride their ability to keep the front end in control. Many started experimenting with various ideas to add front suspension to their bikes.

We’ve come a long way to get here. Where will Bucksaw take you?

I don't think they expect you to want 100mm travel to ride on a beach. There's plenty of sand in that picture, it's not at the seaside though!

[johnnystorm]

I wouldn't fancy taking this full susser fat bike anywhere near a sandy beach, once the sand gets in the moving bit's it will just eat it away. Rigid only on sand.

I took my full susser on the beach once (there is a certain moisture content level of sand that makes it possible to ride on quite well with normal tyres).
I then spent the following months replacing all my bearings (pivots, headset, BB, wheels). Ooops!

Is that the sand, or the salt water that goes with it though?

[jameso]

Some bikes do stump me at first and this is one of them.. thought it was only half-serious when the protos were online a while back. Then I thought about how MTB rides are time+effort not distance, and if you lived somewhere where the trails were ridiculously loose and rocky and this let you ride for longer, faster, having more fun, so you got fitter, then the weight and squidge didn't matter.. it'd be a brilliant bike.
I am thankful that I don't live somewhere like that though : ) and fair dues to Salsa / QBP again for doing what others don't. I hope they sell loads of them.

[Ian]

Fat bikes are really for snow or sand and not for going up and down hills, there are many other bikes for that job.

I think that depends on where you ride, how you ride and your fitness level.

MTB rides are time+effort not distance, and if you lived somewhere where the trails were ridiculously loose and rocky and this let you ride for longer, faster, having more fun, so you got fitter, then the weight and squidge didn't matter.. it'd be a brilliant bike.

+1

[Zippy]

I wouldn't fancy taking this full susser fat bike anywhere near a sandy beach, once the sand gets in the moving bit's it will just eat it away. Rigid only on sand.

I took my full susser on the beach once (there is a certain moisture content level of sand that makes it possible to ride on quite well with normal tyres).
I then spent the following months replacing all my bearings (pivots, headset, BB, wheels). Ooops!

Is that the sand, or the salt water that goes with it though?

I suspect sand as it appeared to be abrasion rather than corrosion damage.

[JohnClimber]

Is that the sand, or the salt water that goes with it though?

Once wet sand get's between the moving joints it will all got wrong, the extra moving joints will be higher maintenance to replace, hence why rigid's are better for beaches IMHO

I think that depends on where you ride, how you ride and your fitness level.

I'm fairly fit (not up to your standards) but I would take my Rumblefish up and down mountains rather than a full suss fat bike.

[johnnystorm]

I don't disagree rigid is better for beaches as by and large they're flat & soft. I'm not convinced wet sand is significantly more destructive than all other soil types save for it's salt water content. All this is moot however, I don't think Salsa are expecting you to take a Bucksaw out to the beach.

To give one example of where it would be vaguely exciting is coming down the rangers path off Snowdon. It's rubble strewn so full suss is a bonus. I think 4" tyres and 100mm travel would fare better than 2.5" tyres on a DH bike with 200mm travel as there aren't big drops as such.

Which would be best to pedal up there in the first place is another matter!