Fat tired vs regular city bike

[m@Robertson]

The fat bike thing appeals to people who do not really ride bikes but want a look.

I think that entirely accounts for their initial rise in the ebike world, where "a look" means they want to achieve a certain appearance that they think is cool.

For me, riding a 2wd commuter that I pedal to a constant 32-34 mph, I have no trouble justifying those wider tires; particularly since I can't have front suspension for safety reasons. On trails, there's something to be said for just rolling over anything in your path without a care in the world - this being a bike with a job. Again, a commuter but in my case a commuter that takes a lot of dirt trails to the office if I have a bike that can navigate them. I don't ride them every day anymore, but when I do its a blast. I just kicked down my front chainring to 32T on my Big Fat Dummy so I can have a shot at running straight up the (empty... with full visibility) downhill runs that exist on the trails in my area.

 

[PedalUma]

I am also crazy for the cargo bikes. Big tires on these make good sense on these. I picked up another Boda Boda yesterday. It is a compact aluminum cargo bike that is lightweight but can carry 100-Kilos on the rack. Surley gravel 26x2.5's would be ideal for it.

This sort of image comes to my mind when I think of fat bikes for the look. If you look closely the bike cannot even be ridden. Well at least if you are not clipped in! And the pedals are 14 inches apart; you would need to ride like a bowlegged cowboy.

 

[Haystacks]

Remember this guy?

You wouldn't be walking that on a bafang powered fat emtb. FACT. That is the true walk of shame.

That is mild to the tracks i ride, i'll do a little bit of filming on tomorrows ride, i don't generally do pictures as it means stopping and interrupting 'The flow', but some of you need educating on what fat emtb can do, far, far more than your skinny interlopers.

Herr Mikes, the epitome of 'All the gear, no idea'

 

[theemartymac]

I've posted these before elsewhere, but watch some good riders compare fat bikes to traditional sizes for some idea of their potential. This isn't saying you can do this on a Rad Rover, but the platform has distinct advantages for some of us. I love my Fat Bike.

https://www.youtube.com/c/gmbn/search?query=fat%20bike

 

[m@Robertson]

This sort of image comes to my mind when I think of fat bikes for the look. If you look closely the bike cannot even be ridden. Well at least if you are not clipped in! And the pedals are 14 inches apart; you would need to ride like a bowlegged cowboy.

God I remember that fat bike pic. Look closely it is totally photoshopped. Look at the guy's legs compared to his waist, and the fat tire on the ground in the back. Senator, what say you?

Those frames had a bowed-up top tube and I cannot imagine anyone riding them and not singing a tearful soprano in short order. My fat frames come from Chumba in Colorado and they were specifically designed to have the lowest standover possible. that was their big selling point. No nutcrackers.

HOWEVER ( ) , on the bottom bracket width, I found out entirely by accident that a wider Quack factor totally eliminated an intense bit of knee pain that I had experienced my entire cycling life, and taken for granted that I needed to just live with it. Turns out my bio-mechanics like a wide pedal stance. A lot. I never would'a thunk it but since then I have replicated the solution with pedal spacers and I've been pain free ever since (which, being a cyclist, is a sin in and of itself. We are supposed to suffer or its not cycling).