Fat bike advice

[NYMXer]

So I just ordered my first fat bike, a Minnesota "Framed" 3.0 w/ the Bluto fork in white w/ blue trim.

 

http://www.framedbikes.com/mn3-xwt-bluto/

 

It comes with a free back pack and an extra $100 off, so for $1,400, I am ready to ride.

I was wondering about the 38/28 gear set for climbing serious hills here in the Catskill Mountains. I sort of was expecting a smaller offering like 24/36 or so.

Does anyone know enough about fat bikes and their unique differences to offer a comment?

[NYMXer]

Well, the new bike arrived today but late. Here she is almost put together but I will have to cut down the forks in the morning ad finish assembly tomorrow night.

It is a decent bike, I am impressed for the money. Plus, it is light for a fat bike, but not light for a mtn bike.

I'll post in a few days a ride report, then on Monday or so, a full blown report after breaking it in all weekend, lol

 

If anyone wants to but from the-house.com, here is a discount code for free shipping on Framed Minnesota Mtn Bikes  "FAT7619".

You get free shipping and I get store credit, win/win

 

The bike I bought is the Minnesota 3.0 (20") in white/blue w/ the optional Bluto forks (to be cut and installed)

 

 

[MarioThePlumber]

Well, the new bike arrived today but late. Here she is almost put together but I will have to cut down the forks in the morning ad finish assembly tomorrow night.

It is a decent bike, I am impressed for the money. Plus, it is light for a fat bike, but not light for a mtn bike.

I'll post in a few days a ride report, then on Monday or so, a full blown report after breaking it in all weekend, lol

If anyone wants to but from the-house.com, here is a discount code for free shipping on Framed Minnesota Mtn Bikes "FAT7619".

You get free shipping and I get store credit, win/win

The bike I bought is the Minnesota 3.0 (20") in white/blue w/ the optional Bluto forks (to be cut and installed)

I would love a fat bike but can't find the money or a real reason for one.

And it's hard spending the little money I have on something that I can't justify owning.

[NYMXer]

I would love a fat bike but can't find the money or a real reason for one.

And it's hard spending the little money I have on something that I can't justify owning.

My justification is that they groom the snow covered trails around here and now, with the fat bike, I can ride all year long and maintain my conditioning. More fun than a trainer or the gym!

[DethWshBkr_]

I thought you were getting a Bluto according to your first post?

I love my fatty.   Traction is excellent in ANY weather.

[NYMXer]

Hey DethWshBkr, I do have the Bluto fork but a.) I haven't cut the steering tube to length yet so it is too long and b.) someone tol me that the Bluto seals don't hold air in temps below freezing, so I am in no rush to get the tube cut.

I did some average type singletrack riding last Wednesday and the rigid frame rode great and in some instances, better than my full suspension Giant Anthem X 29. On the roots and rocks, the fat tires really soaked up the little bumps that I guess the fs bike is too stiff for.

Either way, I am a believer in riding fat bikes and am not looking into ways like riding this all year long with easy mods like installing 3" tires, making it a semi fat bike

[love2strokes]

 Hello all, long time lurker, first time poster.

 

I am a fast C, slow B 2007 KTM 200 rider looking to get on two wheels during the week.

 

I have been kicking the tires on grabbing a fat bike because it looks like the closest thing I can do to dirt biking during the week (I have two 6ish miles loops within 20 minutes). On top of that it seems like I can get a hardtail with the Bluto and SRAM 2X10 for about $1,000 from bikesdirect.com. Any one have any real reviews on fat bikes? It seems like I can't figure out if the suspension is worth it or if going rigid would be the ideal option. Also, what is the real feel like as compared to a normal mountain bike. I had previously had an early 2000's Trek 4300 with a manitou minute fork that I enjoyed but I consistently beat the rims and brakes into submission by trying to ride it like a dirt bike. After upgrading from the Trek I got a 2003 Giant XTC with full xt and clipless pedals. This bike is very stiff and combined with the pedals I couldn't get comfortable. On the positive side, the bike is an absolute rocket, but I am just not sure it will ever be a good bike for the off-roading I prefer, but have also considered the possibility of a suspension seat post, more comfortable seat and putting the plush manitou minute on it.

 

Any thoughts or opinions on fat bikes versus normal mountain bikes, or fat bikes versus dirt bikes is greatly considered. 

Edited January 26, 2016 by love2strokes

[NYMXer]

love2strokes, here are some review comments from another forum that I posted. I hope that they help you. If you have any questions, post them here or PM me.

 

-----------  I took the Framed today on real singletrack trails with the rigid fork and now, I am sorry that I bought the Bluto fork option because the front end tracked well and I did not feel I was at a disadvantage riding with my buddy with front suspension on his 29+ bike with 3.0 tires.

We rode for over 17 miles at right around 8 mph average, so we weren't poking along. Funny thing is that on my Giant Anthem X, I am only about 1.5 mph faster and I thought the difference would be greater than that.

Once again, this bike has impressed me and brought many smiles to my face. Even fully rigid, it handled the roots and rocks better than my full suspension skinny tire bike and I think that was where I made up a lot of my time.

Quality wise, this bike has taken some good punishment today and nothing broke or went out of adjustment and the ride was incredibly stable and confident inspiring. Brakes worked surprisingly well but shifting needs a full stab at the levers, not a half assed effort like my Giant. I continue to love the stock bars and grips and the seat post suspension works quite well.

Surprising today, I hit a jump (about 2 feet of air for 15 feet) and thought the landing might sting a little but nothing odd happened and thankfully, no flat either.
I am very impressed with the bike and glad that I got it.

 

 

--------------- I forgot about this thread and figured I can now give a better report, or at least add to what I've said so far. I have not installed the Bluto fork and truthfully, I haven;t noticed it missing. The fat tires do an incredible job of soaking up irregularities on the trails. It's amazing that a rigid bike can take small hits better than the suspension on my full suspension mtn bike. I have no intention of trying jumps or high speed downhills with this bike.

I did add two water bottle holders, under the seat bag and a seat post spring type suspension and that helped the ride a lot and saves my butt. The bikes quality is very good and other than the initial spoke issue, noting has come loose, out of adjustment or broke.

Fat tire bike effort is noticeably more than a regular mtb but I am okay with that. What is amazing is that with these tires, riding on a few inches of snow is outstanding fun and superior traction. I can ride up pretty steep hills even with snow cover. Another great benefit of fat tires is their stability when riding over loose stones and rocks. We have a rock bridge crossing a stream about 40 feet wide and a foot deep. On my regular mtb, I walk on the rocks and carry the bike. I don't know why, but one day I just rode the fat bike over the rocks and across the stream. The loose rocks didn't make the bike wander and I didn;t get wet as I easily made it across. I still don't know if I want to try it on my regular bike.

Segment times are about 15% more across the board and that is to be expected with the increased rolling resistance. I can feel my legs burning when riding this thing so hopefully, my conditioning will only get better. We haven't had enough snow here to ride any groomed trails but I am looking forward to trying it. Even 2" of snow makes the trails much smoother with the fat tires. For comparison, I rode my regular bike right after the fat tire bike and even riding in the compacted snow, it was not fun. Lesson learned, no regular mtb in the snow, steering and overall handling is twitchy and unstable. It is hard to track the groove set by the fat bike.

So, until I have more to post, I like this bike and am glad that I got it. I might like it even more if I ever put the Bluto fork on it, lol

 

 

 

------------------- Pic and ride report, after initial ride and some adjustments. BTW, I called out sick today due to a fever (bike fever, lol)

Rode about 8 miles of rail trails in the snow. We have about 1" of wet crap on the ground and it makes the going much harder. The bike rides nice (I still haven't cut the Bluto fork and installed it) but steering is noticeably slow and you feel the weight of the fat tires as you turn the bars. You don't feel them as you lean into a fast turn, but I doubt you'll see many of those type of turns on a fat bike.

Brakes are as expected, marginal and the shifting is slow. It did get better as I put some miles on and made slight cable only adjustments (barrel turner). The controls feel good but I adjusted their position and oddly, the shifters and brakes require different sized allen wrenches. Somewhere in production/planning, the left and right hands did not communicate. All of that is minor stuff except the wheels, all the spokes were so loose that when you turned, the brakes engaged with the rotors, not good. A few turns of a spoke wrench on truing the wheel and I was set.

Other odds and ends, I did not like the stock seat but love the bars and grips. No quick release on the wheels or seat. The frame has two taped and bolted mounts for a water bottle holder, but I wear a camelback, at least in the summer time. The stock tires grip exceptionally well and I climbed up some wet snow hills. Even starting out on the snow was not a problem, lots of traction from the 4" tires. I am considering a seat post spring, due to the hard tail. The soft tires help but my butt is spoiled from riding full suspension bikes, haha.

Overall, on a quick 8 mile rail trail ride, I'm happy and can't wait to put the Bluto forks on and hit the single track trails. This bike would never keep up with fast mtn bikers, but then again, that is not why I got it. I want to ride over the winter months and maintain or better my conditioning so that when spring comes, I'm ready! I think this bike can help me do just that.

More after the weekend....

 

 

I posted the quotes in backwards of my timeline but it does offer a lot of info on the bike and my fat bike experience so far

[love2strokes]

Ahh you are making me think it's time to pull the trigger. Post a review once you get the Bluto on there for sure. Right now I am leaning towards getting a rigid, and waiting to see if I ride enough to justify the Bluto. I have been scoping the bikesdirect.com fatties, but may consider some from Framed. I dealt with The House years ago on some snowboard gear and the generic brands they produced were on par with big brands.

[NYMXer]

Let me know if you buy from The House, as I have free shipping coupons and I get some store credit too. So far, I don't miss the Bluto fork but come summer weather and more obstacles, I'm sure the front suspension will come in handy. I am also thinking of getting 26x3 tires for the summer time and get more use from my "winter" bike.

 

I'm going single track riding with it again tomorrow. BD has some good deals too and I almost bought from them but this bike was a bit cheaper with better components

 

[love2strokes]

Yeah, I am from Kentucky. I would generally be riding dirt, maybe once or twice a year in the snow at most.

[Hey You]

Hey NYMXer its Bobbo

Had fun following your new Framed.  Even my crash was fun, I can't believe I Tarzaned around that tree.

[NYMXer]

Hey NYMXer its Bobbo

Had fun following your new Framed.  Even my crash was fun, I can't believe I Tarzaned around that tree.

Now here is one of my riding buddies chiming in. Welcome Bob and try to remember your password to the new account, lol

 

What happened to Bob was that we were riding a low lying section of single track trail that was "puffed up" from being frozen. The soil was actually like crystalized and when I rode over it on the fat bike, it went across the section. Bob was on a regular tire mtb and it broke through the crusty crystalized earth and he stuck out his arm while falling and got wrapped around a tree instead of wrapped up in the tree. It's funny now, but wasn't too funny then. He was also covered in leaves, I should have taken a picture, haha

So, welcome Bob C and post your bike pictures. Friday we shall ride again, maybe at Stewart?

[SDet]

Okay, I caved and tried a fat bike (650b+), and on packed snow, it was fun. You just have to ride like the rear brake is on or off, and you can't steer if the rear tire is spinning. In powder, it was fun because I was cheering every 10 yards I was able to pedal. I could possibly have a plus wheelset for winter, but I don't see it replacing a normal bike.

[NYMXer]

SDet, that looks like a "plus" bike, maybe a 3" tire width. Most fat bikes start around 4" and that extra inch or more makes a big difference. I'm trying to get out of work early to ride my bike with the Bluto fork installed so I can comment on it. We got about an inch of snow last night, but not really enough to call a snow ride.

 

So far, owning this bike has stopped my search for a hardtail mtb and turned my attention to a 3" tire for summer use. It is not as fast as my Giant Anthem X 29 (that is a fast mtb), but I am looking for something not so efficient to ride for some "fun" rides rather than race speed rides and at the same time maintain my endurance. So far, this bike is doing the trick for me and I have started taking it on regular single track rides for an extra workout trying to keep up with the others in the group rather than always lead them.

 

It sure is different following when you usually lead but it's fun for me either way. I agree that a fat bike won't replace a regular mtb, and I don't think that they are meant to. They are more of a specialty bike for either sand, snow or mud riding and for people like me, a way to extend their riding season (which so far, has been all winter).

 

I hope that you get out and ride the 650+ bike some more and maybe ride behind someone rather than breaking the trails.

[SDet]

SDet, that looks like a "plus" bike, maybe a 3" tire width. Most fat bikes start around 4" and that extra inch or more makes a big difference. I'm trying to get out of work early to ride my bike with the Bluto fork installed so I can comment on it. We got about an inch of snow last night, but not really enough to call a snow ride.

 

So far, owning this bike has stopped my search for a hardtail mtb and turned my attention to a 3" tire for summer use. It is not as fast as my Giant Anthem X 29 (that is a fast mtb), but I am looking for something not so efficient to ride for some "fun" rides rather than race speed rides and at the same time maintain my endurance. So far, this bike is doing the trick for me and I have started taking it on regular single track rides for an extra workout trying to keep up with the others in the group rather than always lead them.

 

It sure is different following when you usually lead but it's fun for me either way. I agree that a fat bike won't replace a regular mtb, and I don't think that they are meant to. They are more of a specialty bike for either sand, snow or mud riding and for people like me, a way to extend their riding season (which so far, has been all winter).

 

I hope that you get out and ride the 650+ bike some more and maybe ride behind someone rather than breaking the trails.

Yeah, 3" tires. It's not my bike, just an early prototype I borrowed from work. But it improved my view on fatbikes a little. It was pretty good on nice packed snow and on fresh snow. It's the in-between stuff that was rough. I might borrow it again next weekend, or I might grab a regular bike because it's supposed to be in the 60s all week, so no more snow.

[NYMXer]

Did you say in the 60's? Send some of that sunshine to the Catskills, where it will be about zero degrees this weekend and almost no snow.

Have fun riding whichever bike you take.

[NYMXer]

So, after a week of cold temps, some below zero.... I finally got out to ride with the Bluto fork installed. This was a quick 12 mile graveled rail trail near my house that took about an hour. Mind you, this was flat but icy and fat tires don't help much on ice. The ride was uneventful but the fork was superb and totally changes the bike in a way I never saw coming. I mean, the rigid fork with the fat tires did a nice job of handling the bumps, esp the small roots and stones that usually throw a skinny tired mtb off course. Ths Framed, with the Bluto fork, just never deviated from my intended path and I never felt a hint of a rock, root or pothole. Simply amazing because I thought there might be a little improvement, but the ride is even superior to my regular Giant Anthem X 29.

 

So, between the Bluto fork, seat post suspension, studded flat pedals, (2) bottle holders and under the seat pouch, I think I have transformed this Framed into a year round keeper. I am not going to use it just for winter riding, as originally intended but get myself a set of 26x3 tires and put them on in the summer months and ride year round! I am unbelievably impressed and happy with this bike and can't recommend them enough.

 

Oh, here is a pic from today's ride

[SDet]

The only trouble you might find is how low your bottom bracket will be with 3.0 tires. If you're on 5.0's now, you could lose an entire inch of pedal clearance. Just a word of caution.

[NYMXer]

Right now, it has 26x4" tires, standard. I'm thinking switching to 3" would just let me roll faster yet not give up too much of that fat bike stability.

 

One thing about these fat bikes, they will not only make you a stronger person,  but a better rider by allowing you to ride on obstacles you avoid on a skinny tire mtb due to the extra stability. I'm talking about rock gardens, skinnies, loose soils, etc. These bikes are very stable and I'm getting faster on it, as per my Strava times. I hope that once I get back on the Anthem X, I will fly because of the lighter weight.... We will find out in about a month.

 

Oh, SDet, it hit 56 here on Tuesday, thanks for sending that on over to warm us up after below zero temps, lol