Give me your opinion - the good the bad and the ugly

[clarkenstein]

i've been riding a 26" hardtail for about a decade now, and had a hardtail 29er before that. last time i brought my bike into the shop for a fix i started to realize it was time to change it up. everything is whacked on my bike and it would probably take a full strip down of parts (besides the headset and handlebars) to get back up and fully running without weird (i.e. bad) sounds, a rear wheel that almost rubs the frame on one side because it won't sit center, and brakes that actually use the pad to stop my bike versus the entire caliper. oh and a front wheel that rolls but also wobbles side to side when i look down at it. replacing all that would probably cost 3x as much as the bike is worth.

that said, i'm sorta working through an injury so i have time to think. i rode a day or so ago on dirt for my first time this year (against doc's orders but i lived to tell the tale). it felt good to be back, but i need a change with my ride. besides my bike being broken, the set up has never been "right" and i want to have a better cockpit.

i ride six mile and the sourlands 99% of the time when i go out on dirt and wouldn't mind a monster truck in the rocks. more cushion for the pushin' would be good for the knees. i know i could go full suspension with carbon and fairies but i'd rather buy another motorcycle for the cost, to be honest.


[SKIP THE INTRO AND READ THIS IF YOU CAN'T STAND BABBLING]:
so i started thinking about fat bikes and need to either be talked off the ledge or given a funnel and a gallon of the kool aid. tell me your likes/dislikes/pros/cons. i'd love to hear from peeps that have had a fat bike for a while now - especially as their only dirt ride - so the new bike stoke is loooong gone and reality has officially set in... but anyone who rides a fatty or left their fatty to never come back chime in plz.

 

[gtluke]

when I ride sourlands or six mile, I bring my hardtail 29er. But if I had to build a new bike for it, I would probably go with something 27.5+ compatible. I love tire volume. I own a fat bike, but I only ride it in winter, it's too much of a slug riding it around in the summer.
I don't enjoy full suspension at sourlands. I like the snappiness of a hard tail to really get some pop in the movement of the bike for the tough stuff.

 

[Supermoto]

You are going to get the same people telling you fat bikes suck and the same people telling you they are awesome. You'll really have to ride one for yourself to see what camp you fall into. Some fat bikes are slow, some are fast. Tire choice makes a big difference. I was faster on my fat bikes than any of my 29'er. You can get a full suspension fat bike for $2500 and have traction and comfort

http://www.the-house.com/qfrmnx1fs1...MI8IiOg-2G1QIVXIGzCh2CXwgzEAQYASABEgJTIfD_BwE

 

[stb222]

It was a trend that is on the downturn now. HELL, @jimvreeland isnt even riding his. If you have paid attention, Jim is always a head of the trends, 29er, fat bikes, so whatever he is doing is what everyone will be doing 1-2 years from now.

 

[Supermoto]

Lol Lets pick our bikes based on trends...everyone get an E-bike

 

[stb222]

Lol Lets pick our bikes based on trends...everyone get an E-bike

So everyone just happened on fat bikes because they are the best options for this area?

 

[UtahJoe]

You are going to get the same people telling you fat bikes suck and the same people telling you they are awesome. You'll really have to ride one for yourself to see what camp you fall into.

Agree with this

Also agree that at a place like the sourlands...I would be more concerned with having a little more travel/slack in the front then rear suspension....Definitely ride whatever you want to buy at the sourlands first if possible...I rode a fat bike there once and wanted to throw it into the woods and set it on fire

 

[Supermoto]

So everyone just happened on fat bikes because they are the best options for this area?

Maybe they thought...Hey this looks like fun to ride and therefore it was the best option for them

 

[stb222]

Maybe they thought...Hey this looks like fun to ride and therefore it was the best option for them

ok, until they see the next thing that looks like the best option for them and move on.

 

[Supermoto]

ok, until they see the next thing that looks like the best option for them and move on.

Who cares if they do...other than you.
Do you even fat bike bro?

 

[bonefishjake]

i ride a fatbike exclusively. IDGAF about trends. with the exception of the group ride a KVSP last weekend (OTB to straight up head plant directly in front of @jimvreeland), i've never had a problem with traction or lack of the lack suspension. that all said, agree with @gtluke and if i was going to go with a smaller volume bike, it's be 25.7+. that was my second choice. at the end of the day, buy whatcha want. test ride many, narrow it down, buy accordingly.

 

[stb222]

Do you even fat bike bro?

 

[Pearl]

it's be 25.7+.

 

[soundz]

@mattybfat will give you his old 26" trek

 

[clarkenstein]

i ride a fatbike exclusively. IDGAF about trends. with the exception of the group ride a KVSP last weekend (OTB to straight up head plant directly in front of @jimvreeland), i've never had a problem with traction or lack of the lack suspension. that all said, agree with @gtluke and if i was going to go with a smaller volume bike, it's be 25.7+. that was my second choice. at the end of the day, buy whatcha want. test ride many, narrow it down, buy accordingly.

my current hardtail has beefier tires (2.5/2.4) - and a longer travel fork... plus a real slack HA. its as close to a plus bike as i can get. i test rode a plus and was very underwhelmed by the difference between my bike and it.

what are you currently riding?

 

[bonefishjake]

my current hardtail has beefier tires (2.5/2.4) - and a longer travel fork... plus a real slack HA. its as close to a plus bike as i can get. i test rode a plus and was very underwhelmed by the difference between my bike and it.

what are you currently riding?

been on a Farley 7 for two years. the glorious purple one. prior to buying it i went on a test bike tear and demo'd every wheel and suspension configuration that Marty's had.

oh, and shut up @pearl. don't you have some rednecks to run away from?

 

[mattybfat]

I see no reason to change my stable.

Fall thru spring my Trek Farley runs 29+
Winter full fatty though it only takes 2 minutes to change wheelsets so whatever I am in the mood for. Surely a very versatile bike.

Summers are for road and Dhing only.

Also with the farley it can also can be SS with the sliding dropouts. Which looks to have put my misfit into retirement.

It certainly is a personal choice but I would not listen to @stb222 @pearl or @jShort as they been spreading the hate from the beginning

 

[Pearl]

the rednecks probably type as bad as you do too

@mattybfat not hate, just being realistic, i think 27.5+ makes sense... the fact @jimvreeland hasn't been riding his really is a big deal as @stb222 has already said, he is ALWAYS ahead of the trends

 

[Supermoto]

who cares what Vreeland rides.

 

[JimN]

I've got almost two years on my fat bike, which I ride exclusively. I like the crazy traction I get, especially in rock gardens and on loose climbs. I generally stand and mash to climb, so the extra traction is great. I don't go fast downhill, and if I did, I would hate my bike. I also like that the bike has less maintenance without suspension, since I'm really bad about working on my bike or bringing it in for service. I just like to ride. All that said, my next bike will probably be a full suspension 27.5+ or possibly a hard tail with 3.25-4" tires.

I've only been to Sourlands once, and I really enjoyed the fatty there. I've been to Six Mile twice I think, and the fat bike is obviously overkill there, but there is no real reason to not ride a fat bike there. Ride what you want, and be ready for people to tell you that you are dumb.