What are bikes with wide wheels for? Bicycles with big wheels. Which type is better
Today's issue of "special test" is not quite ordinary. Not only will we talk about bicycles, but not simple ones, but monstrous ones! Their name is fat bikes.
The first mention of bicycles with giant tires dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. In the late eighties, workable designs began to appear - for example, to overcome deserts and snow trails.
The main idea of a fat bike (or, in Russian, a fat bike) is wide (up to 5 inches) tires with low pressure (0.3-1.5 atm), which allow to radically increase the contact patch for maximum grip.
At first, these bikes were made from ordinary cruiser bikes, but with the growing interest from residents of coastal and snowy areas, fat bikes quickly evolved, by the end of the 2000s they formed their own class of bicycles, in which the largest manufacturers began to compete. In 2013, the first cyclists reached the South Pole of the Earth on fatbikes. The demand for fatbikes continued to grow.
Test models from the largest American brand Specialized are the most advanced fat models of this brand with aluminum frames (cooler - only options with carbon frames). They are completely different from the classic "beach" fatbikes, rather, they are mountain bikes with an unusual big wheels.
The difference between the two bikes is in the package. The black Specialized Fatboy Expert has a rigid carbon fork, while the green/yellow Fatboy Pro has a suspension fork. Which one is better, and in general, are such bikes needed in real life, and if so, why?
The equipment of the test bikes is of the highest class.
Transmission on Expert - 20 speeds (standard 2x10). This hitch is used on sports bikes: E13 cranks, SRAM X.0 derailleurs.
Fork - rigid, carbon. The front axle on the Expert is 135mm wide - like the rear on most bikes. The spacing of the rear “feta” sleeve is 190 mm. Both the stays and the fork are wide enough to accommodate even thicker tires up to five inches in diameter.
The Pro version has a more "freeride" hitch.
The Rock Shox Bluto RL air spring suspension fork is adjustable to full lockout. The front axle is plug-in, 150 mm wide. The fork travels 80mm and fine tuning is made easier by the sag indicators applied to the right stanchion.
Also striking is the telescoping seatpost, which is controlled by a shifter on the handlebars - the standard for freeride and enduro bikes.
11 speed SRAM X01 drivetrain (with one Direct Mount chainring and 11 speed SRAM X1 cassette in the rear). As you can see, there is no chain tensioner - modern Narrow-Wide type sprockets have teeth of variable thickness that reliably keep the chain from jumping off. Race Face Next SL cranksets are known for their combination of strength and light weight.
Both bikes are fitted with 26x4.6 Specialized Ground Control tires.
When you read the descriptions and look at the photos, you don't understand how huge they are. But this is true - the tires are thicker than those of motocross motorcycles, and are close in size to car tires (pictured are BF Goodrich A / T tires in dimensions 245/65 R17).
Widely spaced lugs improve tire self-cleaning when driving in mud.
To achieve a minimum wheel weight - a key parameter for a good bike roll - the rims are openworked. However, there is still a margin for relief for the future - lighter tires and tubes can be found on sale.
Speaking of weight, according to unofficial data, Expert weighs 13.4 kg, and Pro - 14.5 kg (without pedals). That's not much for a bike with such huge wheels. And here we move on to the main thing - how does it go?
To check this, my friends and I went on a small bike ride to an abandoned radar station near Lake Pleshcheyevo (Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yaroslavl region). The route with a length of several tens of kilometers ran mainly along dirt roads, there were also several asphalt kilometers.
From the very first meters, the fatbike surprises. How well he rolls! Of course, on perfectly smooth pavement, it is slightly (just a little!) inferior in terms of rolling to an aluminum hardtail of the same weight with standard 2.2-inch tires. But when driving on real, broken roads, a fatbike is much more comfortable than any hardtail: huge tires pumped up to 0.5 atmospheres effectively annihilate all the bumps and angularities, protecting the hands and fifth point from vibrations.
It makes no sense to pump tires more than 7-8 PSI or 0.5 atmospheres - this will kill the meaning of the whole idea. If the pressure is correct, then your reward will be fantastic comfort. With a rigid fork, you ride as if on a full suspension, while the fat is much more stable: despite the head tube angle of 70.5 degrees, the bike moves along the trajectory as calmly as a skating rink. The long rear triangle also contributes to this behavior (the length of the chainstays is 455 mm).
But this is not the most important thing. The most interesting thing begins when you start to fool around, that is, drive along ditches, roadsides, curbs, roots, stairs.
Due to the fact that the "plush" tires literally spread over all the obstacles encountered, the fat has so many hooks that even on the very big star in the back, I didn't have enough strength to make the rear wheel spin. Likewise, getting a fatbike to slide when cornering or braking is not an easy task on dry pavement.
Riding on sloping slopes, sand and gravel heaps, loose ground has never brought me so much pleasure! Not surprisingly, fat bikes were originally designed to ride on sand and snow - on the surface with a weak bearing capacity, they show their best side, allowing you to safely ride where ordinary tires slip and fail. A combination of a sandy 120-degree turn and the subsequent long ascent along loose-leaf roads was passed without stopping only by fat bikes. Patency and grip - on top!
Does a fat bike need a suspension fork? For all their advantages, large wheels and a specific "short" transmission greatly limit the maximum speed, and at "flat" speeds, the shock-absorbing properties of tires are enough to handle any bumps. So a fatbike needs a fork only when riding at high speed in the mountains on difficult terrain, on stones, etc. In principle, this can also be seen from the configuration of the "damped" Fatboy Pro: a wide handlebar, a small chainring and a telescopic pin give it a "mountain" purpose. In other cases, a "soft" fork is just a ballast that increases total weight bike.
The seating position is quite sporty, with a significant forward lean, which provides the bike with good weight distribution, and allows the rider not to get tired even during long trips.
The comfort and stability quickly made fatbikes a favorite among our outing riders. Among the testers was the most famous Russian motorcycle racer Anastasia Nifontova, who, in the process of preparing for motorcycle racing, constantly trains on different bikes- both mountain and road, and also takes part in triathlon competitions.
Here is her resume:
"At first, these fat women evoked a smile on the faces of the sophisticated cycling public and they were even jokingly called fat bikes. But as soon as you sat down and rode one of them for at least a couple of meters, the condescending smirk was replaced by a nod of respect. However, the smile did not leave the face in any the first, nor the second.
Most of the way we rode on sand graders and sometimes the wheels of my bike got nasty in the soaked sandy slurry. At some point, I decided to give in to the temptation to try a funny fat bike. The first pleasant surprise was that it weighed almost as much as my fancy carbon Olympia XC bike.
I make a few revolutions with the pedals and I understand that it rolls through the nasty, rain-washed mud just fine. Large thick wheels do not get stuck in the mud, they literally lick all the small bumps and pebbles and you do not shake like on a washboard. Surprisingly, it also rolls beautifully on asphalt.
And how much attention and smiles of others this miracle device attracts! Everyone who met us on the way turned their necks with genuine curiosity, and as soon as we stopped, they immediately bombarded us with questions. To be honest, I sincerely fell in love with these fat men and, if possible, I would definitely get such a cute two-wheeled friend in order to ride in walking mode with comfort and pleasure and at the same time remain in the spotlight! "
Indeed, fatbikes do their best in attracting attention. The locals point their fingers and stop husking the seeds for a minute. Fishermen and other mushroom pickers respectfully look at low-pressure tires, asking how hard it is to drive them on asphalt. In response, I usually drove past them on rear wheel- they say, how to send two bytes!
Of course, modern “plus bikes” (27+ and 29+, bikes with light tires 2.8-3 inches wide) will be more versatile, but they are like walking to the moon before the brutal aesthetics of fats.
As for the shortcomings, they were also found. The first of these is the price, which is especially frightening for people who do not understand bicycles and do not know how much they cost. Bikes are 100% imported goods, the cost of which in Russia directly depends on the dollar or euro exchange rate. Fatboy Expert will cost 190 thousand rubles, Pro - a hundred thousand more. The simplest models of Specialized fat bikes start at 114 thousand rubles. The top carbon fat from “hurrying” costs more than 450 thousand rubles, like sports bikes ... Alas, these are our economic realities. On the other hand, in Europe, these bikes cost exactly the same. good bike- an expensive thing!
Further, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes (XT on the Pro and Deore on the Expert) worked adequately in dry weather, but after a few hours of mud riding in a downpour, brake power on both bikes dwindled somewhat. The brake pads may have been worn out - test bikes hard life. It is noteworthy that the transmission of both bikes worked like clockwork.
Another drawback of the "fat" stems from the design features, or rather, the grandiose width of tires and rims. It is not easy to fix the bike on a standard bike rack on the roof of the car, for this you need to completely deflate the tire. To avoid these dances with a tambourine, I used a Mitsubishi L200 pickup to transport bikes.
Two fat bikes and a bunch of junk fit into the body under the cover without any problems.
Summarize. The Specialized Fatboy is a great way to spice up your everyday riding. It rolls much better than you expect from it, while the patency is simply phenomenal. Best of all, the advantages of the "fat" are revealed when riding on loose ground, but on ordinary paths it is much more comfortable than traditional mountain bikes.
Is not sport bike, and it's not a replacement for traditional bikes, but it's a fun generator. If you are looking for a new riding experience and are not afraid to always be in the spotlight, then the Specialized fatbike is your choice!
Bicycles provided for test by the store
Ideal conditions for cycling and Russia are rarely compatible things. Snow lies for half a year, another three months - mud and slush, but you always want to ride! That is why in our country the so-called Fat bikes, or “fat bikes” (literally from the English fat - “fat” and bike - “bike”) are becoming increasingly popular. They can be called real off-road vehicles of the velomir, having increased cross-country ability and causing a lot of questions in the minds of unenlightened passers-by.
Despite the fact that the first Fatbike appeared in the early 90s of the last century, its appearance yet unusual and exotic. First of all, of course, wide tires are striking, and the most common questions that fatbike owners hear are: “Why such wheels?” and “Is this a motorcycle or a bicycle?”. Let's try to figure out together what a fatbike is and who needs it.
What is Fatbike?
A fatbike is a bicycle with very thick tires (hence the name) with a width of 3.5 to 4.8 inches (a typical mountain bike has a maximum tire width of 2.5 inches) and low pressure in the chambers (from 0.2 to 2 atmospheres) . The rest of the kit is basically the same as a regular mountain bike (except for the need for rigid forks and disc brakes). Wide wheels take on the role of a shock absorber and make riding a fatbike as soft and comfortable as possible. The weight of a fatbike ranges from 14-17 kilograms.Mark Grunwald, an Alaskan resident and founder of Wildfire Fatbike, is considered the father of fat bikes. The harsh climate and short cycling season made him think about increasing the cross-country ability of bicycles on snow and soft ground. And this requires a large area of contact between the tires and the road surface. In those days, the widest 3-inch tires stretched up to 3.5 inches on 80mm rims. Over time, different manufacturers began to produce fat tires and fat bikes (now it is Surly, Salsa, Fatback, Fatbikes, Sandman).
Why are these wheels needed?
The answer to this question is obscenely simple: to ride. Ride in winter and summer, on ice and firn, on frozen rivers and lakes, on soft ground and trails, on rocks and tall grass, sand on the beach or even in the desert. In general, a fatbike is needed to ride in places where the usual Mountain bike.Wide tires and a large volume of air inside them with low pressure in the chambers maximize the contact area and reduce the pressure on the surface on which the fat biker rides. The wheels of the fatbike literally spread along the road and hide any bumps. As a result, when picking up speed, there is a feeling that the bike is not just riding, but almost flying over a loose surface. At the same time, on a normal flat road, a fatbike can also behave like a regular bike - you just need to increase the tire pressure. This is such a versatile bike!
Fatbike is a useful and interesting machine. It is definitely worth buying if you want to experience new sensations and expand your capabilities, ride on unusual tracks in unusual conditions.
Off-road conqueror or a means of attracting attention, a fashion trend or a momentary hobby? Anyway, the fatbike is already rolling around the country, so it's worth getting to know the newbie.
Reference: Fatbike is a bike with thick tires. From English Fat-thick.
With the advent of winter, a ritual action is performed throughout the country. Conservation. No, not putting cucumbers in jars. Cycling fans are putting their bikes away until next season. And no matter how the muscles ask for the usual load, no matter how they clean the roads - skiing in the snow does not bring joy. The slightest ice and a 5 cm snowball turns the trip from pleasure into hard physical labor. There is no choice and you need to wash, oil and clean the bike until the weather warms up. Or is there anyway?
Bicycles are being removed until next season, not because of the cold. Properly selected equipment allows you to pedal comfortably even all day at sub-zero temperatures. The problem is that even the aggressive tread on the tires does not help to cope with snow and ice. A similar situation is with liquid mud, with sand - the wheels get stuck, turning the trip into a power acrobatic number. Extreme drivers for such conditions put special wide tires that allow you to adjust the air pressure. The lower the pressure, the larger the contact patch with the road. And so the bike appeared - Fatbike.
Manufacturers
So far, in the "world of wide tires" there are only three companies that produce complete sets:
*Distinctive feature Surly - asymmetrical fork feathers, frames.
**Vicious rims are the most common on the market.
***Speedwaycycles produces the most technologically advanced and expensive fat-bike models.
Of course, there are a number of companies that produce components for fatbikes, but they only work to order and, at best, in small batches. As for the tires, then the Innova company “rules the ball”. Her Large Marge model comes with a SURLY sticker, but that only signifies a close collaboration between the two firms.
Regular bike and fatbike
Riding a wide wheel bike is very different from riding a cruiser or mountain bike. Significant inertia forces you to think about the turning radius in advance, speeding up is much slower than on conventional bikes. Even gaining speed and successfully fitting into the turn, there is a chance to go into a skid. However, a bicycle with wide wheels is not designed for high-speed travel.
Benefits of fatbikes
Do not forget about the birthplace of the fatbike - Alaska. This point of the globe is not distinguished by high-speed highways and serpentines of mountainous asphalt roads. Off-road and snow are hers hallmarks and the fatbike was created just for these conditions. The lack of shock absorbers is more than compensated by large, thick wheels, "eating" stones and potholes.
Low pressure in wide tires will not take out in half a meter snowdrifts, but on a small crust or ice pellets it helps to drive without grandiose efforts. This feature of the "all-terrain vehicle" has already been noticed by the owners of electrified bicycles. The wide fork of the fatbike seems to be specially made for installing an electric motor, and powerful rims easily allow weighting of the wheels.
So with an increase in the number of fans of electric vehicles and still uncomfortable roads, we can expect a boom in fat-bike popularity.
What are these large-wheeled bicycles with the strange name "fatbike" (Fatbike), unprecedented in the Russian expanses. In fact, this is a completely normal mountain bike with the ability to install tires with a width of 4", for a regular MTB bike, the restriction is 2.4-2.5". The hitch is quite ordinary - switches, brakes, cassettes - everything is the same. There are single speed versions of fatbikes. As a rule, these bikes are equipped with a rigid fork, with such a wheel width it is very soft to ride, so there is no particular need for additional shock absorbers.
In order not to be unfounded and not to talk about what I don’t know, I turned to the owner of such a fat bike - Maxim, who uses it in harsh Siberian conditions. Maxim is one of the first people in Russia who got carried away with this new kind of mountain bikes and has already assembled several similar bikes. And so, everything you wanted to know about fatbikes, says the owner of one of them.
Judging by the width of the wheels, even the most novice cyclist will guess that this bike is not suitable for long road runs, its element is off-road and snowy expanses. I know from experience that even on wide aggressive 2.35 "tires it is very difficult to drive on loose snow. Even at first glance, a rolled road can be quite loose and the wheels will burrow. Just the other day I encountered such a situation and if the road had not improved , then there would be many kilometers of pawns ...
R.B.: Let's find out how fatbike wins in this regard?
Maksim: So, I'm ready to talk about my new acquisition - a bike with unusually soft and wide wheels. In order to get an idea of what it can do and what it could be useful for, you must first of all remember what an ordinary mountain bike is, which has recently become a certain standard for modern cyclists in Russia and abroad. In Russia, the popularity of mountain biking was determined by the fact that mountain bikes, during a difficult period for the Russian economy, became the only opportunity to acquire a high-quality and versatile machine. But time passed, and more and more often Russian cyclists began to pay attention to the fact that in addition to a bicycle with wheels with a diameter of 26 inches and a width of 2 inches, there are many other varieties. Someone began to remember that on his old road bike he reached the dacha 10 minutes faster than on the American miracle acquired later, in which it is worth turning on the magic combination of 1: 1 stars, and the ride turns into a real pleasure, though it is very stretched by time. And someone decided to go all the way and became concerned about what other opportunities a bicycle without borders can provide.
So people first discovered the important problem of cycling. This problem was that, despite all the delights that riding in the winter provides a cyclist, cycling still cannot be called a winter sport. How else? After all, already five centimeters of loose, swept snow are signing a death sentence for any type of bike ride, and if slippery ice and snow roll can still be fought thanks to studded tires, then there is no escape from snow. Even if you are in excellent physical shape and can perfectly balance, anyway, after a few kilometers, a little snow that has passed at night will force you to get off the saddle and go on foot.
What is the first thing that prevents a bike from riding on snow? It turned out that it was not the size of the tire, but its shape. Therefore, in order for the shape of the tire at the place of its contact with snow to even remotely resemble a flat surface, it was necessary to make sure that the pressure inside the tire was minimal. The laws of physics are such that a decrease in tire pressure could only be achieved by increasing its volume. Thus, a new type of bicycle was born - a bicycle with large volume wheels at low pressure or the so-called fat bike.
I'm kind of a fan of winter cycling, so I couldn't miss this technical innovation. I needed a fatbike specifically for riding on loose snow. I've been eyeing trails for a long time that could be linked together by sections following the trail of a snowmobile or driving across the snow-covered ice of large reservoirs and lakes. And it turned out that I did not lose. Here the fatbike fully met my expectations. I will not argue that you can easily fly over snowy debris on a fatbike, and even riding on loose snow requires sufficient physical and technical training. But from the first months of winter, I was shocked by his ability to overcome quite impressive snow barriers and make a many-hour trip in conditions of loose coverage not a struggle with circumstances, but simply purposeful work.
R.B.: In the future, I'm interested in buying a fatbike. As far as I know, it is not yet possible to buy it in Russia, so only an order. I would like to understand how much it will actually cost to buy a frameset and wheels, and how complicated is the ordering process? Where can I order it?
Maksim: In the West, bicycles with 4-inch wheels are already quite widespread, but this type of bicycle is still far from being standardized. However, in addition to a few small firms that make custom components for such bicycles, there are two large bike companies, who have established the serial production of such components and thereby determined some of the compatibility requirements that all other manufacturers of fat bikes adhere to. Such manufacturers are SURLY, VICIOUS CYCLES and INNOVA.
First of all, you need to know that to assemble a fat bike, you will need at least three non-standard parts.. It's a frame and fork (frameset) capable of accommodating such wide wheels, 4" tubed tires and wide rims. If you put volume tires with low pressure on narrow rims, then there will be serious problems with handling. For any of the released framesets, it will definitely be necessary buy a carriage 100 mm wide, but this part is standard on DX bikes and can be bought even in local shops. All other details are standard. The most popular solution in the fatbike world is the frame model manufactured by SURLY. It's called SURLY PUGSLEY. In most major American bike shops, you can freely buy a bike assembled on this frame.
The features of the SURLY PUGSLEY model are asymmetrical frame stays and forks, as well as the use of a rear hub on both the front and rear wheels.
The cost of a SURLY PUGSLEY frameset in online stores abroad ranges from $500 to $800 and can drop to $400 during the sales season.
Especially for its frame, SURLY manufactures rims with an asymmetrical arrangement of holes for the spokes. The rim model is called SURLY LARGE MARGE. These rims are 65mm wide and accept any standard tire over 2.5" wide that meets the 26" standard. The cost of one such rim is about $100. Similar rims, only 80 mm wide, are manufactured by VICIOUS CYCLES. The model is called VICIOUS CYCLES GRASEFUL FAT SHEBA and can also be purchased online for $60 to $90. The cheapness of these rims is due to the simplicity of their design. These are single-wall stamped rims with non-pistoned holes for the spoke heads. However, they provide better stability and, thanks to their single-wall design, allow for drilling to reduce weight.
When buying rims, you should pay attention to the fact that analogues of these models are produced with a symmetrical arrangement of holes for the spokes. These rims will only fit symmetrical chainstay frame models and will not fit the SURLY PUGSLY frameset.
Tires with a width of 4 inches are manufactured by INNOVA. At the moment, only three models of such tires are known. INNOVA (SURLY) LARGE MARGE is the most common and most popular model. It can be easily found on various sites for about $100. This tire is a kind of standard for any fat bike model and comes with a SURLY sticker. It is listed in the SURLY catalog, but in fact, just like the special wide camera, it is produced by INNOVA. In addition to LARGE MARGE, INNOVA produces two more types of tires - INNOVA (SURLY) LARRY and INNOVA SPYDER. LARRY is a rather expensive (about $120) and rare tire with an aggressive tread. It was developed specifically to solve the problem of lateral drift of wide tires. The SPYDER, on the other hand, is the cheapest exactly 4.0” wide tire you can buy for as little as $60.
In addition to standard solutions, there are many manufacturers that produce custom-made fatbike-specific components. If the cost of a standard solution based on SURLY PUGSLY is only about $1,500 for Russia, including delivery and customs fees, then custom options will cost much more. The cost of just one titanium frame set, produced by WILDFIRE FATBIKE, will be more than $1000. In addition, most of these manufacturers are located in the homeland of the original fatbike (fatbike is an officially registered trademark of WILDFIRE) - Alaska, and experience certain problems with the delivery of their goods to remote regions.
It should be noted that now, thanks to the efforts of my friend Konstantin Eremin from Angarsk, you can buy a real fatbike frame in Russia. He himself developed the drawings and achieved their approval and implementation at the RAPID production association. Now a high-quality frame for a fatbike can be ordered there.
R.B.: There are quite a few models of fat bikes, which one is better to choose? Although, it is probably more accurate to ask which of them is the most accessible?
Maksim: The current situation on the fatbike market is this. There is only one company that mass-produces framesets and components needed to assemble such bikes. This is an American company SURLY. Bicycles based on components from SURLY are currently far ahead of other options in terms of both price and availability. Aside from SURLY, only VICIOUS CYCLES BIKES and SPEEDWAYCYCLES BIKES offer a complete range of 4” bike accessories. 
The former became famous for its famous 80mm FAT SHEBA rims. Such rims have a number of advantages: they are relatively cheap, available in many online stores, have a single wall design that allows you to easily reduce weight through an easy drilling procedure. The second company is known for its very expensive and high quality components for fat bikes. These range from titanium frames made at the famous Lynskey titanium frame factory, to lightweight 70mm wide drilling rims weighing only 800 grams, and even a special three-piece system with a hollow axle and external bearings, designed for a 100mm wide bottom bracket assembly and weighing lighter than the XTR from Shimano. The most expensive fat bike model from SPEEDWAYCYCLES, which is called FatBack, weighs only 9.5 kg! Thus, the American market provides a wide range of options in the widest range of prices. This ranges from around $1200 for the simplest SURLY PUGSLY to $3000 - $4000 for the flagship FatBack.
By right, the inventor of the fatbike is Mark Grunwald, who lives in Alaska. He is the founder of the very first company producing components for fat bikes. This firm is called WILDFIRE FATBIKE. By the way, the name "fatbike" was first coined by him, and is a registered trademark of WILDFIRE. Mark Gruenwald started with framesets, which he completed with rims from the now defunct manufacturer REMOLINO and NOKIAN GAZZALODY 3.0 tires. Three-inch tires stretched on 80mm rims to a width of about 3.5”, and this subsequently began the development of a special trend called “pseudo-fatbike”. 
The fact is that most extreme skiing frames are able to accommodate tires with a width of about 3.0”, mounted on wide rims, which significantly increase the volume of the wheels. This design can become a much more affordable and budget analogue of a fatbike, because a fatbike is 50% large wheels and 50% low pressure in them. WILDFIRE currently manufactures the widest range of high quality frames and forks in COLUMBUS steel. These frames look like real works of art and weigh less than 2 kg, which is very good even for a light XC hardtail.
It is worth mentioning right away that only two companies - SURLY and VICIOUS CYCLES BIKES - are located in the main territory of America and have the opportunity to freely distribute their products around the world. Companies such as SPEEDWAYCYCLES BIKES, WILDFIRE FATBIKE and 9:ZERO:7 are based in Alaska and have serious problems shipping their components and frames even to Europe, not to mention Russia.
R.B.: Here, for example, such a situation. A person does not want to keep several bikes, but instead acquires a fat bike and several sets of wheels of the day for him - thick and ordinary. As far as I understand, there should be no problems here? That is, can a fat bike be the only bike or is it still more needed for winter entertainment and riding for fun? 🙂
Maksim: It all depends on the preferences and requirements that apply to each of the riding styles used. But, nevertheless, the fatbike in this regard provides a unique opportunity to combine the widest range of cycling trends and riding styles in one bike. All you have to do is assemble two pairs of wheels. One pair of wheels is assembled on standard rims with a width of 2-2.5 cm and a diameter of 29”, and the other on wide rims designed to fit fat bike tires with a width of 4”. Ideally, you should also purchase a mountain bike suspension fork with standard 29” wheels, for example, the FOX F29er 100mm. The fact is that the outer diameter of wheels with tires with a width of 4 "is exactly the same as the diameter of wheels of the standard 29", and all frames and forks of fat bikes are adjusted to use wheels of this standard. 
Thus, by simply rearranging the wheels and tires, you can easily get the fat bike itself, and the classic “Niner”, and even the road bike, by installing a road clincher with a width of 25-27 mm on 29-inch rims. It is even possible to replace a fatbike rigid fork with a standard 29” suspension fork, but to do so, make sure that the leg height of your fatbike rigid fork matches the leg height of the suspension fork you want to use, otherwise the steering column angle will be very cluttered.
R.B.: How easy is it to get rims, tires and tubes for a fat bike, what is the approximate cost?
Maksim: All of the listed components can be easily purchased in foreign online stores. The cost of tires ranges from $60 to $120 per tire. Rims will cost $70 and up. In addition, there is a wonderful American company CHOPPER US, which manufactures and sells rims for Choppers and Cruisers. These rims have a single wall design and are available in widths from 80mm to 100mm and are suitable for use with fat bikes. In addition, CHOPPER US rims start at $30. There is only one variant of a specialized camera for size 4”. Such chambers are manufactured by INNOVA by order of SURLY. These cameras are also very easy to find and buy online. Their cost fluctuates around $10. On foreign forums there are descriptions of the successful use of tubeless combinations of LARGE MARGE rims and ENDOMORPH tires, for example, based on ghetto tubeless technology.
R.B.: Tell us about the management of the fatbike. Is everything the same as on a regular MTB or are there any peculiarities in behavior? Surely they are...
Maksim: The first thing you pay attention to when you get on a fatbike is amazing directional stability and smoothness. Oddly enough, massive wheels in no way affect the ease of movement, but only give the movements a slightly heavier acceleration dynamics. The dynamic difference between a fat bike and a regular MTB is of the same order of magnitude as the difference between a regular MTB and a road bike. Good directional stability also has a negative side. For confident control of a fat bike, a handlebar with a width of at least 700 mm may be required. One way or another, when riding a fatbike on public roads, you should always keep this feature in mind so as not to interfere with the movement of cars and pedestrians when making a maneuver. The heavy acceleration dynamics also imposes some restrictions on the components used in the fatbike configuration. For example, in brake system fatbike it is advisable to use only high-quality disc brakes with a disc diameter of at least 185 mm. My experience of riding a SURLY PUGSLEY steel frame has revealed a very pleasant feature of a fatbike, which is exceptional ride comfort on gravel roads and rough scree. Soft wide tires dampen small vibrations well, and steel frame is a kind of damper and shock absorber at the same time, tuned to handle obstacles of a more impressive size than small pebbles.
The biggest problem with fatbike handling is lateral drift. Especially a lot of inconvenience it delivers on slippery surfaces. It can be dealt with relatively successfully by installing tires with a special longitudinal tread, such as SURLY LARRY, or by choosing the optimal pressure, but even in these cases, you should always remember the danger of disturbing others. By the way, all the difficulties in managing a fatbike are less dangerous for the rider himself due to its exceptional stability, which allows, for example, to maintain balance during a little training, standing still and not holding the steering wheel with your hands at all. The behavior of a fatbike is highly dependent on tire pressure. Experiments with pressure led to the following conclusions.
At a pressure of 20-25 PSI, the behavior of the bike is almost no different from that of a regular MTB rigid - it easily climbs, maneuvers perfectly, accelerates quickly and requires significant effort of the arms and legs to handle large bumps in the track.
With a pressure of 10-18 PSI, the bike is as close as possible to the trail in its ride quality. 
short-stroke hardtail. In addition to much greater convenience when driving on technically prepared tracks, it is already beginning to acquire a noticeable bias towards its main purpose - it becomes possible to ride on fairly deep snow, sand and off-road, replete with numerous unexpected obstacles in the form of swamp hummocks or fallen tree trunks hidden by grass . This pressure is the most versatile option that can be recommended both for mastering riding on wide tires and for everyday use. It is worth noting that on hard surfaces at pressures below 15 PSI, control problems already begin to arise.
At a pressure of 5-7 PSI, the fun begins - the bike acquires the ability to easily move through deep snow and very loose dry sand, finds amazing stability when moving through liquid mud, which is instantly cleared from heavily deformed almost smooth tires. Ride comfort over rough terrain reaches the scale of a short-travel full-suspension. For example, you can move around the area, replete with large swampy hummocks, without getting up from the saddle. This is not at all surprising, since tire deformation in this situation can reach more than 50%, i.e. over 4.5 cm plus the aforementioned 2 cm deformation of the frame and fork stays - in total, up to 7 cm of travel front and rear. 
It becomes possible to freely ride on a smooth flat ice. Skidding a bicycle on such ice resembles the movement of an eraser on a glossy sheet of paper. But it is at this pressure that noticeable problems with control on hard surfaces begin. This phenomenon becomes especially unpleasant in the case of very uneven hard surfaces - the bike is thrown from side to side, and it ceases to obey the steering wheel so much that at times you have to get off it and go through critical sections on foot. I have repeatedly come across recommendations in various sources for using 80 mm wide rims (for example, VICIOUS CYCLES FAT SHEBA) with extremely low pressures in ENDOMORTH 3.7 tires instead of the standard 65 mm SURLY LARGE MARGE.
R.B.: For ordinary bicycle wheels, there is a good selection of winter studded tires. For a fatbike, as far as I know, they are not. How does a fatbike behave on slippery surfaces? Indeed, on ordinary 2.1 tires on ice it is very uncomfortable ...
Maksim: The most common problem that makes winter cyclists spend money on spikes is snow. The density and degree of icing of a snow run can vary from a porous crust, on which a distinct tire mark remains, to a hard icy surface, polished to a shine by car wheels and melted by hot exhausts. I can safely assure you that Endomorphs, pumped up to 15 PSI, very successfully cope with all kinds of this evil, but worse than studded rubber. The difference with studded tires begins to be felt in the following cases: when the speed is above 15 km / h on a very slippery coast; when it is necessary to sharply lay a steep turn on a moderately slippery roll; when the surface is very uneven on a moderately slippery roll; when the slope exceeds 12% on very slippery coast. We are talking here about a comparison with a five-row ISP-type spike, but a regular urban two-row will cause much more problems than Endomorphs, 
which, oddly enough, perfectly stick even on completely bare ice or ice lightly sprinkled with snow, if the surface of such ice is sufficiently even. In addition, I have already mentioned the compatibility of fatbike frames with 29” wheels. For such wheels, a lot of studded rubber options are available. If it is supposed to use a fat bike for a certain period of time in conditions of hard and slippery surfaces, then wheels of such a standard can be installed for this period. I have seen information on the forums that in Alaska, as a compromise, they often install five-row NOKIAN FREDDY REVENZ 26x2.35 studded tires on 65 mm wide rims.
R.B.: How fast is the fatbike? It is clear that there are different tires, other components may be different, but let's take an average. Compared to a regular MTB, how much does the ease of riding suffer? Or maybe not suffering? 🙂
Maksim: The rolling speed of the fatbike was the most important surprise for me, which largely determined my philosophy of using it. The fact is that you can always find such conditions on the snow cover, where even a fat bike will simply get stuck. The most important advantage of a fatbike, in my opinion, is not its ability to go where a regular MTB cannot go, but the ability to save a lot of effort where riding on a regular MTB quickly turns into a tedious ordeal. For winter, the truth is true that already 5 cm of loose snow sign a death sentence for the classic MTB. 
Even if the consistency of the snow allows you to move freely on two-inch tires, all the same, when using aggressive winter tires, noticeable fatigue begins to accumulate after a few kilometers. I was very surprised when I discovered that even when riding on lightly snow-covered ice, the fatbike has a much easier rollover than a light hardtail with SCHWALBE ICE SPIKER PRO studded tires. Moreover, when riding in deeper snow at speeds of the order of 15 km / h, the fat bike can go into planing mode. This mode is characterized by a sharp decrease in rolling resistance and a pleasant psychological state bordering on a state of euphoria. I tested the fatbike for rolling on asphalt. I didn't find any significant differences from a regular road bike. This is not surprising, because the SURLY ENDOMORPH tire is almost a semi-slick and at pressures above 20 PSI, it differs from conventional tires only in greater inertia.
R.B.: Let's summarize. What is a fat bike for? Under what conditions and to whom it may be necessary?
Maksim: My opinion is that the fatbike first of all opens up great opportunities for long journeys in conditions with very difficult surfaces. First of all, this applies to sand, snow, swamps, scree and any type of off-road that occurs in forests and steppes. keyword for correct use fatbike is "deliberateness". This in no way means that the fat bike is slow - it just does not like fuss. 
fatbike does not like sharp accelerations, it starts tossing at high speeds, on uneven ground like a soccer ball. But as soon as you calm down and take a deep breath, it will smoothly carry you at great speed through unimaginable obstacles to gigantic distances, like a mighty ocean liner or a spaceship with an incredible energy resource. Only in this case the energy is contained in the cyclist himself, and the fatbike only allows it to be properly released and directed.
R.B.: Well, the last question. Why do you need a fatbike? Why did you decide to buy such an unusual bike? Did he live up to expectations?
Maxi m: I first saw fat bikes in the photos of the MTBR forum in December 2009. I was immediately attracted by the unusual and at the same time very harmonious look of these bicycles. I've always been a fan of winter trail riding and couldn't miss this event. The more I learned about this technical innovation, the more I wanted to try it for a ride. The turning point in my desire to get a fatbike was the discovery that a person lives next to me who also raves about fat-wheeled bikes that can easily move through the snow. 
Together with this man, a professional cross-country racer, a marathon runner living in the city of Angarsk, Kostya Eremin, we drew up and implemented a plan to purchase three real fat bikes for him, me and my daughter Sasha, who is engaged in road cycling. The history of acquiring our bicycles was very long and full of various events: discoveries, joys and disappointments. But after buying a fatbike, I have never regretted my decision, and every new adventure that a fatbike gives us convinces us that we made the right choice.
Events (events) with the participation of fatbikes
http://www.susitna100.com - winter marathon in which runners, skiers and cyclists compete on equal terms
http://www.freespiritwear.com/akadventures.htm - classic examples of how to use a fatbike
http://www.wildfirecycles.com/links.html - very full list links to competitions and other events involving fatbikes
Technical and general information about fatbikes
http://forum.velomania.ru/showthread.php?t=65300 - link to a topic on the Velomania forum, where Maxim's bike, assembled on a SURLY PUGSLEY frame, is discussed
http://forum.velomania.ru/showthread.php?t=72887 - link to the topic on the Velomania forum, where Konstantin's bike is discussed, made on the basis of a RAPID titanium frame
http://angara.net/text/10/0127/ - a popular article on the Irkutsk sports portal, dedicated to how the first fatbikes in our region were assembled and tested
- a selection of materials from Maxim's LiveJournal dedicated to fatbike (by tag - "fatbike")
PS. I express my deep gratitude to Maxim for a detailed article on these wonderful bikes! If you have questions, you can leave them in the comments.
Fat bike, what is it? A new round in the evolution of mountain biking, or just someone decided to reinvent the wheel? Let's figure out what kind of fat bike it is, as well as to whom and for what it is suitable.
Fatbike is the Russian spelling of the English word fatbike, which consists of two parts fat (fat) - fat and bike (bike) - a bicycle, i.e. literally the name of such an off-road bike is a fat bike. Looking at a fat bike or just a fat bike, it immediately becomes clear that we are talking about its wheels, which are much thicker than the wheels of mountain bikes.
What is a fatbike for?
So what is a fatbike? This is an SUV among bicycles. A bike for those who love uncompromising riding all year round. Thanks to its thick wheels, the fatbike has increased cross-country ability not only on the crossroads - the elements of mountain bikes. He easily rides on dry sand, arable land, snow and complete off-road. Hence the other name of the fatbike is snowbike, i.e. "snow bike"
You can drive around the city in winter!
Where a mountain bike, even on specialized mud tires, makes the biker feel insecure, and may even force him to temporarily become a pedestrian, the fatbike feels like a fish in water.
What is the main thing in a fatbike?
But fat wheels are not the main feature of fat bikes. The main thing is the low pressure in the tires, which they can have without the danger of a puncture or tire blowout thanks to their hefty tires, which sometimes reach 5.5 inches and wide rims from 65 to 100 mm. All this allows you to keep the pressure in the fat chambers in the range of 0.5 atm. up to 2 atm.
chic fatbike
The main advantage of the “fat man” or, as mentioned above, the snowbike is also the main disadvantage. Gravity is a merciless force and such large wheels will tend to the ground with twice (if not triple) the force of mountain bike wheels. After all, one wheel of feta weighs about 3 kg! But there are loopholes here too. You can drill a bunch of holes in the rim, which is what many manufacturers do.
Partially compensates for the weight of the lack of need for shock-absorbing suspension for the fat. The front fork is put on them with a shock absorber, but there is no particular need for this, because. the ride is so soft without it that even an expensive two-suspension with high-quality suspension will be a stool in comparison with a sofa-like fet.
For many bikers, this is even more important than the all-terrain capability of a fatbike. The difference is especially noticeable on the gravel road, and other small bumps in the road that make the mountain bike and the one who sits on it shudder.
Another advantage of a fatbike is its unusual appearance. Although they did not appear yesterday, they are still very few and you will definitely not be deprived of attention, both from pedestrians and drivers.
Is it difficult to ride?
Although at first glance it seems that riding a fatbike is extremely difficult. This is wrong. Modern fats are stable and reliable. Despite the large wheels, the course of a fat bike is almost the same as regular bike, and thanks to the same transmission, it is easy to choose the right gear ratio for a comfortable ride, both in the city and in difficult terrain. Riding a fatbike will become much harder only at speeds above 25-30 km / h. If you need to go faster, a fatbike won't work.
Don't run over the pebbles
But even here there was a way out - an electric fatbike. This is the same bike, only with the motor inside the wheel or in the bottom bracket, and the battery on the frame or bike rack. It is better, of course, when the battery is located in place of the bottle. And it looks more ergonomic and the center of gravity is lower. And convenient to take off and charge. And not to shove the whole bike, like models with a battery built into the frame, which, by the way, are more expensive.
Yes, a fat man with a motor will be heavier, but you will only notice this when you lift it up or when the battery runs out. By the way, the pedals of the electrofet will remain, and you can drive with a discharged battery by simply turning them.
The advantages of an electric fatbike are obvious - high speed. The battery charge (depending on the capacity and driving intensity, of course) is enough for a trip of up to 100 km. Do not forget about the ability to use the power of the motor as an aid when pedaling, which, by the way, saves a lot of battery. Or you can, having rolled on your own, let the electric motor drive you home, tired of pedaling.
