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I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

Why You Need to Try Fat Biking

December 3, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

Do you remember the first time you saw a fat bike? On first impression, it is easy to think they look like some weird fad that will come and go. However, the past few years have proven that this isn’t the case. Gaining in popularity, fat biking has become a category all in its own.

The obvious advantage of a fat bike is the ability to ride in snow and sand more easily that with a regular mountain bike. No matter how funny you think they may look, it’s worth giving a try. Maybe fat really is the new skinny.

Why You Need to Try Fat Biking

What is fat biking?

A fat bike is an off road bicycle designed to accommodate oversized tires, typically 3.8 inches or larger. The first thing you’ll notice, other than the massive tires, is the wide fork build to fit the large tires as well as the low ground pressure. These tires can be run as low as 5 psi to provide the ultimate traction in snow, sand, or mud.

Although the general idea of fatbiking has been around since the early 1900s, they first became commercially popular with Surly Bike’s release of the Pugsley frame in 2005. The rest, as they say, is history.

Why you should try fat biking

It’s a great workoutWhy You Need to Try Fat Biking

Staying fit over the winter in places where it gets cold and snowy is tough. If you love the freedom that cycling brings, it can be hard to find the motivation to go to the gym or hop on a stationary bike. Fatbiking not only allows you to ride outside all winter, but it’s also a great workout. In soft conditions it can be tough going, but you will be expending a ton of energy in a short about of time. You will also be working on your balance and core strength making a great whole body workout. Come spring and hop back on your regular bike, you’ll feel light and fast, and you’ll have maintained a great fitness level.

It gets you outside

No need to mope around the house as soon as there’s snow on the ground. Fat bikes are like the monster trucks of the cycling world – they will get you through just about anything. Getting out in the sunshine and fresh air, even if it’s cold, is the best way to make the most of every season. Research has also shown that the cold can actually raise your metabolism as your body works to keep warm, which means burning extra calories!

Why You Need to Try Fat BikingIt builds your endurance

Fat biking will make you a stronger rider and build your endurance, both physically and mentally. Riding in the elements on a bike that requires constant spinning (there’s pretty much no coasting) will up your overall toughness level. Plus, if you ever hit a race in your regular season that has bad weather, it’ll be nothing compared to your miles put in with the snow and mud.

You can ride a fat bike all year round

There are those that choose to ride a fat bike all year due to the feeling of the bike, particularly the stability and suspension of the fat tires. Many models can also accept multiple wheel sizes, so you can switch out your tires for skinnier ones before hitting the dry single track.

How to choose a fat bike

With the rise in popularity, the variety of fat bikes available has made choosing one a little more complicated. Although we can give you the basic features to look out for, a visit to your local bike shop will help you make a more informed decision. It’s also great to try one out before buying to ensure you enjoy the feel of it.

  • Frame capability – Think about how much “flotation” you want. Generally speaking there are two sizes: those that accommodate 4 inch Why You Need to Try Fat Biking ires, and those for 5 inch or wider tires. If you’re sticking to groomed or somewhat packed down trails, 4 inch tires will be all you need.
  • Rigid frame or suspension – Most fat bikes are a rigid frame as the tires and low pressure make up for the lack of suspension, but many are now also equipped with a suspension fork. Going with a frame with suspension can be a great option for really rough terrain, or if you plan on riding the bike all year round.
  • Frame size – As with any bike, you want to ensure you get the right size for you, and it’s always worth having a proper bike fit to ensure maximum efficiency. Most frames are set up with similar geometry to a mountain bike to remain stable over rough terrain.
  • Tires – As with road and mountain bike, fat bike tires can come in a variety of designs. Most are either clincher or tubeless. You’ll also want to take a look at size. The general size is 4 inches, but there are both smaller and larger tires available depending on the terrain you’ll be riding.
  • Brakes – If you’re planning on riding in the Arctic, or anywhere else that experiences freezing temperatures, then you’ll want to go with the basic mechanical, cable-actuated disc brakes. Hydraulic disc brakes are a great option, but only if you’re sticking to warmer climates as mineral oil can easily freeze.

Check out this list of the top ten best fat bikes for more information.

Fat biking really has become it’s own sport, and with good reason. It’s as much fun as it looks, and there are a ton of events that now incorporate fat bikes to get you through the long cold winters. Additionally, many bikepackers are choosing fat bike frames to widen their adventure possibilities. Check out the video below for some added inspiration to get you going.

Ten Best Fat Bikes and Their Advantages

February 10, 2016 by Wade Shaddy

 Think of the fat tire bike as the monster truck of the cycling world. You might have seen one before; a bike that looks like it has car tires. To put it mildly — they’re FAT. They look ungainly, and for the most part they are. Bearing in mind that the over-the-top fat tire bike is not designed for speed or responsive handling, the fat tire bikes look really cool and they’re a blast to ride in conditions that a normal bike would go nowhere with. Following a brief run-down are ten of the best fat bikes out there right now. Have another one you’re a big fan of? Let us know in the comments below.

Fatties in Competition

Fatties have been around for more than a decade but have only captured the mainstream cycling world’s attention over the past couple of years. It’s due in part because of their versatility and the growing popularity of extreme adventure riding and racing. For example; hundreds of competitors ride fat bikes over the challenging Arrowhead 135 course every January in Minnesota. If you’re interest is peaked, there are a lot more racing and events out there just waiting for you and your best fat bikes.

Wide Tires

Standard mountain bikes typically have a tire width of about 2 inches. Fat bike tires are about double that — or more even. The massive tires can also be ridden at dramatically lower pressure. The width allows fat bikes to float on loose, non-solid surfaces where any other bike would just sink in and go nowhere.

Low Pressure

Mountain bike tires range from about 25–65 psi, but the gigantic fat tires can handle pressures as low as 10 psi or even less. Lower pressure allows the tire to grip the ground under the rider’s weight, drastically increasing the contact area of the tire thus increasing traction even of loose surface such as snow or sand where the fat bike is at home.

All Terrain

For other conditions, such as sand or soft snow, the extra width and low pressure allows the rider to float more easily over the softer, more unstable surface. The tires react to snow-packed and icy surfaces gliding through icy corners that can send you hurtling to the ground on a standard mountain bike. As an added benefit, the squishy tires also make for a much more comfortable ride on any surface as it’s a built in suspension.

The Best Fat Bikes For You

Now that you know a bit more about fat bikes here are ten of the best fat bikes for you to consider for a totally different riding experience.

Trek Farley  Farley 9.8

The Trek Farley may just be at the top of the food chain, both in performance, looks, and price. It also accommodates one of the widest tires out there at 5 inches.

  • Carbon or Alloy frame
  • Tubeless tires
  • Rockshock Bluto Fork
  • Up to 11 speeds

With up to six different models of the Trek Farley the models range from about $1,200 to about $4,800.

Surley Ice Cream Truck  
The Ice Cream Truck is near the top of the best fat bikes list primarily because it has one of the largest, most voluminous tires out there at 4.8 inches. And it’s eye candy.
  • 4130 chromoly steel tubing
  • Shimano SLX CS-HG81-10-speed cassette
  • Six frame sizes from extra small to xxLarge
  • $2,700.00

Specialized Fatboy  

A worthy first-time fat bike, with only slightly less width at 4.6 inches.

  • FACT carbon fiber fork
  • M4 alloy frame construction
  • SRAM X7 Type 2.1, 10-speed
  • $ 1,699.00

Felt Double Double 30  

Tires getting smaller at 4 inches in width, the Double Double is at home for daily use on any surface.

  • Aluminum Frame
  • Custom hydroform fork
  • Shimano 10-speed
  • $1,999.00

Borealis Echo XX1 fat bike  

The echo is performance-oriented, with clearance for 4.8 inch tires.

  • Full carbon frame
  • Fully guided internal cable routing
  • SRAM XG-1195 cassette
  • $4,750

Turner King Kahn  

The Kahn, with over five inches of travel and a massive foot print, allows a rider to stick lines only available to mountain goats and downhill pro’s in the past. When traction is virtually unlimited, a rider can push through limits. You only need to know one thing: This fat bike is full-suspension since Turner only makes full suspension bikes

  • $5999

Cannondale Fat CAAD 1  

The bike for those who ride in every season on every surface. Fans of the “lefty” fork will recognize this unique design on the Fat CAAD.

  • Aluminum Frame
  • SRAM components
  • 4.8-inch tires
  • Bike specialty — mowing things down
  • $3,730

Canyon Dude CF 9.0 EX  

With an innovative carbon frame weighing in at an incredible 1550 g, this is one of the lightest fatties out there. The Dude may look fat but don’t let that fool you – nothing stands in its way.

  • SRAM drivetrain
  • 4.0-inch tires designed for a faster ride than other fatties
  • Rockshock fork
  • $4273.13

Genesis Caribou Caribou

Not tied-down to specific single-season use, and much more than a just ‘snow bike’, the trail-orientated geometry and fat tires lend themselves well to year-round use.

  • Chromoly steel frame
  • Shimano and Samox drivetrain
  • 4-inch tires
  • $ 1852.42

Moonmen #MOO  click em to make em big

This bike is all about playing. Moonmen bikes are foremost about the joy of riding, especially when you’re floating over a fluffy snow, bike packing across the desert, or taking a podium at your local race series. This bike company is so new, that reviews are for the most part, unavailable. It also has so many different options, that listing even part of them is not fair, but here are the basics:

  • Single Speed
  • Titanium
  • $3600 and up
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