talk me down...

[speedjunkie]

All this talk about fatties makes me want to ride one. Should of done that at the fest. Congrats on the new fatty, I'm sure you will have a blast. I've never seen someone riding one that wasn't smiling.

[Westy_3]

Looks like we will be bike brothers, Lance.



The fatty brings me back to being a kid riding a bike. I'm not out looking for trails to ride, I'm looking for adventures that can be had while on a bike. Riding on the Wapsi River on the ice, through shallow crossings, snow and sandbars is some of the most fun I've had on a bike. I can't wait to get back to the trails on my 29er but this fatbike in the winter is making me fall in love with winter and biking all over again.

[jimithng23]

^^^ and there it is.

[jJohnson]

That yellow is sexy. I want to see a fire engine red Pug in person. I'm thinking about getting a pair of those Salsa bars for my commuter, too. Comfy.

[Chief Illiniwek]

This...



... and this. That SR Suntour XCT 80mm fork with its 28mm stanchions is terrible. I hated mine and even the next step up XCM fork was a noticeable upgrade. A Reba or Fox would be a substantial upgrade indeed. A Reba fork and a set of Flows turned my cheapo Raleigh into a very enjoyable bike that I can ride year round even in the snow and sand. Some Ardent 2.4 tires on a set of P-35s or Gordos would give you some added float on soft surfaces albeit not as much as a fat bike.

I thought my fat bike was the bees knees and I would even admit I may have been a little bit obsessed with it. I could go anywhere and do anything! After a few months the honeymoon phase begins to wind down. The cost of maintenance begins to tear the relationship apart. I reckon owning a fat bike is akin to owning a Volvo.

My bottom bracket lasted 3 months. Luckily a replacement was only 40 bucks. I went through countless tubes which the cost of can add up rather quickly at 7 to 10 bucks a piece. There are ghetto tubeless tutorials on the web but after about 50 posts of failures and issues it turns out not to be the panacea for flats and weight reduction you'd hoped it would be.

Get a flat out on the trail, tubed or tubeless, and you will most likely end up walking. A frame pump takes forever to inflate a fat tire to a pressure that will allow you to ride out cautiously. Planning to carry spare tubes? A fat tire tube is a 6"x4" cylinder. Better have a lot of room in your backpack. You could carry standard 26er or 29er tubes but they scrub through and have a tendency to rupture at the seam near the valve stem. Slit a sidewall on a fat tire and you are out at least 90 bucks if you want a decent tire. You can get cheap Vee Rubber or Origin8 tires that weigh 1800 grams and roll like molasses for ~50 bucks.

When I sold my fat bike I was sad to see it go, but I was relieved at the same time. I've ridden my 29er in all the same places I rode my fat bike, with a slight change in technique of course. I feel the 29er does even better in places where there are big rocks and other things you can't necessarily plow over. The taller, narrower BB has considerably less pedal strikes than my fat bike, which could pedal strike a snail had it been in the way.

The good news is if you fall out of love with your fat bike you can easily sell it for close to what you paid for it since people are lining up for new and used fatties. Then you can put the proceeds toward a very nice fork, a bomb-proof wheelset, a pair of high volume tires, and have enough left over for a six-pack of the finest ale this side of the Atlantic.

Got my first fat bike last fall a used Pugsley and rode it everywhere (don't ride a bike to count miles) and never had any problems or replaced any parts not even a flat. Traded it in this fall for a new Mukluk and rode it everywhere, just got my first flat on a fat bike the other day at Sylvan. Nothin wrong with a fat bike, best bike ever!

[gigantic]

I have to say that just riding my 29er in the snow, for the two days that we had it, made me feel like a kid again. I keep looking at the forecast in hopes of snow, but our temps are hovering around 40° for the next 2 weeks. #stupidclimatechange

[dgw2jr]

What the heck did you quote my long post for, Chief? :confused:

[dgw2jr]

I have to say that just riding my 29er in the snow, for the two days that we had it, made me feel like a kid again. I keep looking at the forecast in hopes of snow, but our temps are hovering around 40° for the next 2 weeks. #stupidclimatechange

^^^ and there it is lol

[jJohnson]

I have to say that just riding my 29er in the snow, for the two days that we had it, made me feel like a kid again. I keep looking at the forecast in hopes of snow, but our temps are hovering around 40° for the next 2 weeks. #stupidclimatechange

Same thing with my single speed 26". Then I rode a fattie... I don't need one, but I don't need more than one of the bikes that I have. A fattie will be in the budget after my adventure touring bike, or maybe it will be my adventure touring bike?

[Byke Dood]

Pugsleys have been known to crack

[dgw2jr]

Pugsleys have been known to crack

Does Surly warranty the frame?

EDIT: 3 years for the OG owner.

[Byke Dood]

Don't try to weld an old one at home

[dgw2jr]

Don't try to weld an old one at home

Dang, Byke Dood. I thought my posts were going to be the buzz killers in this thread.

[speedjunkie]

Don't try to weld an old one at home

I has TIG welder, I weld everything at home. Thats an easy fix.

[Zombie]

Surly warrants all their frames if bought from an authorized dealer.

[jimithng23]

I has TIG welder, I weld everything at home. Thats an easy fix.

[gigantic]

Surly warrants all their frames if bought from an authorized dealer.

I wonder if that counts that my LBS got if from an authorized dealer? As far as i know, the cracks were mostly limited to the white frames and that the issues have been addressed with revised construction at the junction of the upper stays and the seat post. I was going to get the last 2012 white one from REI ($50 cheaper than the '13), then my LBS found one in Long Island and is having it shipped. I got to use my 10% good customer discount and saved a bunch more. #winning

[jJohnson]

I wonder if that counts that my LBS got if from an authorized dealer? As far as i know, the cracks were mostly limited to the white frames and that the issues have been addressed with revised construction at the junction of the upper stays and the seat post. I was going to get the last 2012 white one from REI ($50 cheaper than the '13), then my LBS found one in Long Island and is having it shipped. I got to use my 10% good customer discount and saved a bunch more. #winning

You shouldn't have an issue warrantying through your LBS.

[gigantic]

I got it! Too bad it's to wet and warm to ride.

[Zombie]

Wow, looks great! If it's not too sloppy on Friday I'd be up for riding Sylvan if you can manage it.

[gigantic]

I'd join you, but I'm in Philadelphia at the moment.
I'll be working at the New York International Motorcycle Show that day, but I've put together a Philly fat bike ride sunday am at Valley Forge. it's weird, there are way more riders here, but by and large, philadelphia has neither the community nor the organization y'all have in FORC for fat bikes & mt biking in general. You're very fortunate.

[Guldy]

Sweet! Congrats. I had no clue about fatties. Was 'fattie curious', Ray let me ride his Pug to see how nimble, a square deal on a Muk posted right hare on FORC site, on a whim I bought it - my first whole -bike purchase in 12 years. I had no idea what I was in for. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!
As many other FORCrs have already said, its renewed Fun. Hopefully you'll find the same.
Enjoy!

[Gunchie]

it's weird, there are way more riders here, but by and large, philadelphia has neither the community nor the organization y'all have in FORC for fat bikes & mt biking in general. You're very fortunate.

To be perfectly honest with you, neither does CO. Sure, we have a lot of great trail, but I haven't found a club that's as awesome as FORC.

[Tigris99]

DAMN IT, thats a nice fatty, NOW I WANT ONE!!! CONGRATS!

What I hate the most is they have pugs that match my car (the one you got, yellow with a bit of black)............DAMN YOU

How to convince my wife to let me save up this season for one since i JUST paid off my Marlin less than a week ago. Is there anything wrong with having like 4-5 bikes???

I see a guy around here rides his fatty from here over the bridge to clinton, guessing to work, and home EVERY DAY, 3 inches+ of snow on the roads and hes cruising right past me and im in my car or truck. He gets around town in the crap better than my car can.

[jimithng23]

Is there anything wrong with having like 4-5 bikes???

ask me, heck no!

ask my wife, ... wait... don't ask my wife.