[phatRider]

Hello folks.


Short intro first i guess.


During the past years I've really let myself go and i could use your guidance to get myself back on the road.
I'm tired of sitting on my lazy butt, but I don't really like running,
so I revived one of my old mountain bikes and been riding it for some time, but it's too small for a man of my size, just doesn't feel right.
I have another 3 MTBs, but they all too small for me and need to be invested in. So I decided to go for a new one.


Because I'm a big man, I've been thinking that maybe i should go for a fatbike, but i don't have any experience with them, neither with bike disc brakes, because before a few months ago, I hadn't even touched a bike since i was a kid.


I'm a man, 189 cm (6.2 f) and 140 kgs (308 Lbs) and I live in a very hilly town.
Looking for a bike fit for a man of my size, a hilly environment and all seasons (rainy, snowy...)
No racing, offroads, snow, grass or mud, for most of the time I'm on the pavement, building stamina slowly. At least for now.


Could you run me through things, give me tips, any specifications that I should be looking for?
What about tube or tubeless, the pressure etc? What about suspension for fatbikes, any cons which outweight the pros? What'd more reliable for longer distances?


Thank you.

 

[NYrr496]

I'm 6'5 and 260, about 30 pounds overweight. I ride my fat bike rigid with 80mm rims and 5" tires. Perfect and issue free.
Surly is out of Ice Cream Trucks right now. I'm currently waiting for the next run of framesets so I can retire my 907 and swap everything to the steel frame.

Check it out online and when they get more, that's what I'd get.

The rims that come on the complete bike are the 80mm My Other Brother Darryls. Excellent tubeless.

 

[iliketexmex]

Hello folks.

Short intro first i guess.

During the past years I've really let myself go and i could use your guidance to get myself back on the road.
I'm tired of sitting on my lazy butt, but I don't really like running,
so I revived one of my old mountain bikes and been riding it for some time, but it's too small for a man of my size, just doesn't feel right.
I have another 3 MTBs, but they all too small for me and need to be invested in. So I decided to go for a new one.

Because I'm a big man, I've been thinking that maybe i should go for a fatbike, but i don't have any experience with them, neither with bike disc brakes, because before a few months ago, I hadn't even touched a bike since i was a kid.

I'm a man, 189 cm (6.2 f) and 140 kgs (308 Lbs) and I live in a very hilly town.
Looking for a bike fit for a man of my size, a hilly environment and all seasons (rainy, snowy...)
No racing, offroads, snow, grass or mud, for most of the time I'm on the pavement, building stamina slowly. At least for now.

Could you run me through things, give me tips, any specifications that I should be looking for?
What about tube or tubeless, the pressure etc? What about suspension for fatbikes, any cons which outweight the pros? What'd more reliable for longer distances?

Thank you.

you didn't list a budget, but having been where you are (overweight, needing to improve fitness) I can offer some thoughts:

1) you get what you pay for, but even if your budget is limited you can still get into a fat bike. Make a budget first, get then get the best bike you can afford.
2) Tires matter. Most of the cheap bikes have poor tires (high rolling resistance, self steer, heavy). If you are buying a low end bike, leave some money to spare for good tires. Alternatively you could do what I did, wear our the crappy tires not appreciating the difference and be AMAZED when you put on better tires. Self steer is worse on pavement and is reduced by higher pressure.
3) Tubeless is worth it. When I started out, I eliminated flats by adding sealant to tubes. Eventually I went tubeless.
4) Get 1x if you can, get the biggest gear ratio you can. The hills will be easier if you have a lighter gear. Especially if you are working on fitness
5) the riding you describe will not require suspension and suspension is expensive. Spend money on a better fully rigid fat bike
I've lost about 40 pounds and improved my health dramatically. It is a fun way to exercise and the fat bike can be ridden in the snow, just dress warm. It has been an amazing improvement to my life, hopefully you will get the same result.

 

[iliketexmex]

BTW, when I was upgrading bikes I made a comparison sheet. The pricing is probably not up to date but it gives you bikes to look at
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z4ruL1uK0YSFhdWFgYdN673TafnHDdqWpdLt1yRTbKU/edit#gid=0

 

[twodownzero]

A fat bike can be ridden anywhere, but it's kinda a niche type of bike. I love mine and rode it yesterday. If I was 300 pounds and looking to lose weight, I'd probably look at some other type of bike. Either way, getting out there and improving your fitness on any bike and any trail/road surface will be the best thing you can do for yourself.

I would recommend a rigid bike for the time being. Tubeless is a necessity on any mountain bike; I wouldn't ever leave my house on a mountain bike with tubes in the tires.

 

[Savageheartland]

Another vote for a rigid, steel bike. I went with 29+ and I’m very happy. A bike that’ll let you go all fat or swap wheel sets to 29er would be ideal. Test rides are dangerous. I went through the same thing with my old 26” mtbs......I wasn’t happy with the dusting off and performance. I test rode the Surly and I went out and found the money. Absolutely no buyers remorse. I’m hydrating from my morning ride as I surf this stuff. Good luck.

 

[Swerny]

I'm a man, 189 cm (6.2 f) and 140 kgs (308 Lbs) and I live in a very hilly town.
Looking for a bike fit for a man of my size, a hilly environment and all seasons (rainy, snowy...)
No racing, offroads, snow, grass or mud, for most of the time I'm on the pavement, building stamina slowly. At least for now.

Thank you.

I wouldn't be buying a fat bike for what you are describing.

I'd look at something like a Surly Krampus if you insist on a mountain bike.

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/krampus

If you would consider a road bike, then a Midnight Special.

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/midnight_special

 

[Fleas]

When I shopped for a fatbike, I went for thru-axles, wide gearing, and decent brakes. That was enough to get me in for relatively cheap.

The only down side of riding the fatty on pavement is that tires are pretty expensive. The super upside is that, if it suits you, the bike will go anywhere your whim leads you.

-F

 

[ramarren]

When I re-started cycling in 2016, I'd been through five years of hellish physical problems including a hip replacement and atrial ablation procedures. I was heavier than you were at the time, and hated it.

I first bought a roadie ebike because my legs were so weak I couldn't ride more than two or three miles without being exhausted. I wasn't very fond of that bike, but I rode it whenever i could for five or six months. And things began to improve ... my legs were getting stronger and my weight had come down a little bit.

Then I saw the iZip Sumo e-fat bike, took it for a test ride, and bought it. I loved the feel of it, the big tires (replaced with road-able and useful Surly Black Floyds) and rigid suspension/aluminum frame gave it a great ride and handling, the braking with the TRP Slate4 brakes was superb. Over the course of the next year, I rode that bike more and more, and reduced the electric assist to the minimum and then to OFF. My weight plummeted; my sense of security and stability, my balance, all improved vastly.

After I'd been riding Sumo for three months or so with the power turned OFF, I said to myself, "Hmm, something lighter weight would be nice!" The Sumo weighed 57 lbs. I saw a few fat bikes that I liked—no one had any of them to test ride. So I test rode a Specialized Fuse because it was closest to their Fatboy Comp Carbon, and I liked it. I couldn't find a new 2018 FCC anywhere in California, but then I spied a 2017 model available in Alabama on line. The guy was willing to ship it to me, and sell it at a very hefty discount because it was a year out of date ... he just wanted to clear space for new inventory.

My local bike shop received it and assembled it. After riding it a week or two, I came up with a list of improvements/upgrades to make it into what I wanted: a larger front sprocket and 1x11 gearing (with Shimano XT derailleur and shifter) to give me one step taller gearing for the road, the same Slate4 brakes I'd had on Sumo, upgraded seat, better grips, really nice pedals, etc etc. Altogether, it cost me just barely more than what a new, stock production FCC would have cost but it was finely tuned and fitted to me *perfectly* and it weighs in at 28 lbs ready to ride.

I now ride it every day I can, usually a daily ride of 15 to 25 miles. I'm not even breathing hard at the end of that, I've done rides up to 42 miles now without any issues at all. I'm out of physical therapy finally and now get personal physical training at the local gym every two weeks; I love it, I work out every day at home. I've lost about 91 lbs on the scale, I've gained something like 28 lbs of muscle which tells you how much fat has gone. I've happily spent a fortune on new clothing ... three to four sizes smaller! ... and feel absolutely great. I've got my strength and stamina back, I can think clearly again, and I LOVE to ride my bike everywhere (mostly road, a little blasting down trails and dirt back roads). I'll be 65 in August, and I feel like a 30 year old kid most of the time now.

All this is to say: Yes, a fat bike is a really nice machine for a lot of uses, if you like it. You won't know that for sure until you try one and use it for a while, and it takes a while and a lot of effort to make the personal transformation in your body and your mind that you might hope for. The only thing you can really do is start.

It's damn well worth it. I can only encourage you to go for it, get something you really like even if in speculation, and then work at it. Switch bikes if something else seems better. Let the riding and the work take you where you discover you want to go. Perseverance and bloody minded ness will get you to your goal, whatever it might be.

I'm not going back to being that weak, sick, fat person. I can't evade being old, but I sure won't be *that* person any more in this life time. I feel like myself again, and I'm determined to stay me until my Time is up.

Onwards! Always onwards!

G