Fat bike - anyone regret it?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Years ago I always wanted one although the only one available was a Pugs, then I rode a few and changed my mind. However, the deep seated hankering is still there and my finger keeps hovering over the buy button. I'm under no illusions about it, I'm not going to use it much and I know it'll roll like a pig on a skateboard but I still think I might like one ... so my question is, have you bought a fat bike and regretted it?

Ta.

[composite]

Paging Nigel.

[voodoo_simon]

Not at all

Negatives;
Only one, road sections! I feel suicidal on road sections with low tyre pressure

Positives;
You can ride it anywhere, deep mud, sand, trail centres, rock, gravel and they're particularly good on boggy ground (which I believe you have plenty of your way).

They're nice and stable to ride, you can track stand all day long etc etc

I bought a singlespeed last year for the winter but my fat bike is so capable, I've not bothered with it. The fat bike comes out all the time now (singlespeed will be converted to a touring bike), just fit gears to them and you'll use it loads

[Solo]

Will this help?

http://youtu.be/EygF8Cu4hj4

[ScotRoutes]

I used to sell Pugsleys and found them a bit leaden. However, I knew I had enough use for a "snow/sand" bike so invested in a 9:ZERO:7. It's hardly seen any sand and snow is, after all, only seasonal. However, it gets lots of use as it's great on soft ground, has amazing traction and is just comfy to ride.

I reckon you should be able to pick something up second hand if you just want to scratch an itch. If you're not in a hurry, wait until spring when all the folk that bought them as a winter bike get fed up of them and there are loads about.

[JohnClimber]

Not at all I still love and ride my mark 1 Mukluk, but I do live only 25 minutes of off road trails from a big beach and long sand dunes and can do a 50 mile loop without tarmac from home. If I lived where you do I don't think I'd be getting one unless it's more trail orientated.

I bought an On One Fatty as my fun trail fat bike (on cycle to work) but found I wasn't using my SS Fat fronted Jones as much as I should have been doing as the gears won on most ride, so I sold the Fatty (the week before On One slashed their prices) and put the money towards an Rohloff on the Jones.

[summittoppler]

Well as you've probably seen from my video's I really love riding mine. It really is a go anywhere bike, from riding my normal mtb stuff, racing the Dyfi Enduro (last May), loading up for bikepacking or popping down the beach, it is just sooo much fun to ride. The worst thing has to be as V-Simon says is any tarmac riding just drains yer, but I suppose with the right tyre choice that could be overcome. Another thing that I still haven't got used to in nearly 12 months of riding is the comments from folk saying 'look at the tyres on that' or 'you forgot to put the engine on your motorbike'!!
If you do buy one, you will easily sell it on...
So to answer your question, no I don't regret it but my hardtail and full susser do as they haven't even been looked at in 12 months

[johnnystorm]

My only regret was not buying a larger one. Did my local trails back to back with the OOF and my BILs El Mar and the Fatty felt so much better. Having a medium meant I was running a 410mm post at full extension and it still wasn't enough.

I'm tempted by another but it won't be an OO as I never really liked the looks (sorry, it matters to me!) and I think that with Charge doing a Cooker Maxi in Alloy for £850 & the Silverback Double Scoop retailing at £750 it's not the deal it once was.

God knows how Salsa can get away with charging £2k+ for the Blackborow.

[johnnystorm]

Oh, and now I've sold it I fully expect this year to be Snowmageddon. Unless I get another of course.

[barney]

I got a Mukluk last year from Shona & Rich

After my crash payout Mrs Barney suggested I buy myself something that was a "wish list" bike as oppose to a "normal" 26/29er HT/FS

Never regretted it once, similar to John I live close to a beach so I do sand rides 2 or 3 times a month but also ride it on local trails.

I'm looking at selling my beloved SS as I've not ridden it this year!

[Ian]

Haven't regretted building mine up yet. It has undoubtedly opened new trail opportunities with it go anywhere abilities. I have to adopt a different attitude when riding it, namely I'm not going to get where I'm going as quickly, but some of that stems for choosing more difficult trails in the first place.

[mountainbaker]

I had a Mukluk, and sold it. Now I wish I hadn't. I hate being skint!

[Dave Barter]

Paul at the Shindig convinced me that they can do anything normal. Did not seem to slow him up the hills or on the road.

[Alpinum]

Absolutely not.
Love mine, but dislike riding it on dirt. My Muru Witjira with decent componentry is faster and more nimble (and lighter at 13.5 kg, including 2 x 450 g tubes) than by the looks of it. But compared to a regular bike; too bumpy (rooted corner and speed - meh), tractor like, bad acceleration and stupid expensive tires (at least the higher performing ones). Some tires self steer on harder grounds (On-One and Vee Mission).
What I love is it's floatation on snow. And we get loads of it.
But I probably wouldn't want one if I where living in the UK.

Another place I can see them is traversing sand (next to snow&ice) deserts, beaches and bush whaking.

It's funny to ride fat on dirt, but funny as in a clown show - that's also my first answer when people come up to me and ask what the bike's for.

I fully expect this year to be Snowmageddon

Yeah, can't wait for it

[Mandicky]

I'm another with a finger hovering over 'checkout'. Surly have a demo day today in Pembrey (South Wales) as part of the Tide2tide event so I'm hoping to get my leg over

Another video of typical fat bike capability http://vimeo.com/107826210

[johnnystorm]

Stu, Which fatty are you thinking about?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Stu, Which fatty are you thinking about?

On-One ... I've enough stuff laid about that I could probably piece one together for £400.

[Zippy]

Another video of typical fat bike capability http://vimeo.com/107826210

It's a Chris Akrigg video where I think most of us are actually capable of doing the first 50% of riding in the video

Thanks Stu, after you've mentioned it, and that video, I feel like I should get one now, been resisting the urge for a while. I do know the reality is that I should really be fixing my current bikes*

actually I should be doing more pressing things, but bikes are more fun

[Keiracon]

I recently got a second hand on one fatty. Reckoned if I don't like it I can sell I on without losing. Only ridden it a few times and the jury is out for me. Compared to my perfect singlespeed karate monkey I'm finding a big difference. Fatty is heavier, slower but fun. I think it's more a mindset thing and need to accept that I'll be slower on the fatty. More testing on the moors tomorrow.

[gairym]

I've loved every single ride on mine (snow and trail).

Got a bargain, added/swapped some bits out (came singlespeed) and it's a great little bike.

If you're looking for something to compete with a regular MTB on regular trails then you'll likely be disappointed with its handling etc... (though mine holds its own on technical singletrack) but if you're looking for a fun bike that can handle conditions that regular bikes can't then they're brilliant.

As with riding something like a fully rigid singlespeed it's a different beast and requires a slightly different mindset but they are bloody good fun bikes to ride in my experience.

If it's only going set you back 400 of your English squids then got for it and sell it on of you're unconvinced.

[RayKickButts]

Since i bought my yellow Pugs i haven't ridden anything else in fact when i do ride any of my other 3 bikes i'm a bit bored with them

In fact i love fattys so much ive just invested in a Nine Zero Seven custom build so i have two.

As for road sections i don't have a issue like others i just stop and pump up to around 20 psi

I also ride it on sand dirt mud bog or any trail type the only stuff i haven't tried yet is SNOW! I find the pugs is great on single track and picks up speed on the downhill sections faster than any of my other bikes, you can wheelie them after a bit of practice and jump them without to much hassle... i'm praying we have snow in wales this year.

For me i found the pugs really excelled on my last 3 day trip going over wet boggy ground my companion was struggling sinking in and cursing where i was floating over the stuff and had enough time to get cooker out and brew up while waiting for him to get across.

A lot of lads in my local club were all why have you bought that pile of crap! once they all had a play on it they all agreed it was a little special and 3 i know of are looking at buying one of the more mainstream fattys that have just come out, spesh,trek etc.

The Chris Akrigg Mongoose promo vid was filmed 10 mins from me and i took a mate down there yesterday and we took it in turns on my pugs to ride down the BIg Dipper and play on the rock sections.... we video'd are efforts and all you can hear is us laughing like school boys

FACT: Fat Bikes make you smile more and laugh more and are great for Bivi adventures ive now done 4 3 dayers on mine and a few overnighters

BUT you do have to put up with comments from passers by ... "Wow are those motorbike wheels" "Mate you've lost your engine" "Do the fat wheels mean you cant ride a normal bike" etc etc

[RayKickButts]

You may have seen this before makes me smile

WARNING....
The 12 Stages of Fat Biking
By Charlie The Bikemonger

Fat Curious Phase: See pictures of fat bikes, which stimulate fatbike-brain-worms to niggle away at your brain until you just have to actually get a ride on one.

Discovery Phase: Throw your leg over a fatbike and be pleasantly surprised. This feeds the brainworm until its powerful enough to take control of your wallet.

Buying Phase: you now wont a fat bike

Disinformation Phase: Lying to your wife about the true cost of the fat bike phase: it’s ok we all do it.

Getting To Know You Phase... Get yourself stronger and proving that fat bikes are best by beating geared folk up and down hill.

Modification Phase: where you just have to tweak the spec for really specific condition, even though it will be fine without the mods. There is a sub-phase of 7.1 called “bloody purple anodising phase”, but we won’t go there.

Beard Phase: you will now have a beard.

One Love Phase... Ignore your other bikes

Evangelist Phase... Become a fat bike evangelist and bang on about it on internet forums. Get angry at people who refuse to accept your offer of a ride on your fat bike. Moan about how skinny tyres destroy the trails. Heckle people whose bikes make them look fat, rather than thin.

Crusading Phase. Take the fat bike battle to the normal bike heathens by racing fat bikes in normal races.

Sloppy Emulators Phase: complaint about all mainstream brands building fat bikes, all the new people... “They are nothing more than sloppy emulators at best, who are all these new people, they weren’t there when it was cool, he doesn’t even know what an endomorph is FFS”.

Getting Over It Phase: Get over it, and quietly ride your fatbike while quietly mumbling it isn’t like it used to be.

[Ian]

I'm on stage 7

[Keiracon]

just got in from riding on the moors. My fatty did not disappoint. Even overtook a roadie at 70km/hr coming down Holme Moss. We were late!

[voodoo_simon]

Stage 9 for me, although being a singlespeeder, stage 7 was already ticked off before I started