My first fat bike, a 2018 Motobecane Sturgis NX, arrived last week and deserves a review. Other threads cover the Sturgis series, but the NX goes a bit under. I hope this thread leads to some good discussions on this bike (and hope no trolling and off-topic… one can hope)
Why this bike?
It was the cheapest ($1,100) entrance into having the new 197mm size rear axles for wider tires, is tubeless ready and has 1x11 drivetrain. It also already has 180mm rotors and internal cable routing. At least to me that was important. I have no experience with fatbikes and also considered the $500 bullseye Monster, but I'm sure this would have had too many limitations and in 1-2 years I would upgrade. The $2,000 (+shipping) Canyon Dude also seems to be a very good value, but as a novice I wasn't sure a better bike would really give me better riding for what I do. I also looked into front suspension bikes, but ultimately decided against it.
Use:
Main motivation for a fatbike was to have a snow sport and to go on the MTB trails and the dirt. No technical stuff with jumping etc. I also looked and tested LBS fatbikes like the Fatboy and Farley. But those prices would have made it a no-fatbike winter.
Size:
After measuring myself (6'and 34" inseam) and my existing bike about 100 times, I decided to order the L (19") size and am happy with it. The only downside online is you are on your own with sizing. But the one LBS who only had an M size of the bike I looked at told me I have to put 50% (refundable) down for them to get an L, so that is not much better. The sizing chart and description from BD seems pretty good. It helped to have another bike that fits for measuring that out.
Purchase:
The 2017 Sturgis NX was sold out at end of August 2017 and some quick emails with bikesdirect confirmed the 2018 are coming soon with no changes. It actually showed up on the website that night and I ordered it. They were listed as pre-order to be shipped September 4-15[SUP]th[/SUP] (that was end of august). I fully expected it to be shipped at the tail end, but on September 7[SUP]th[/SUP] I got my Fedex shipping confirmation. About 6 days later I picked it up at the nearest Fedex Office. The box is 58"x31"x12" and fits upright into a Honda CRV.
Assembly:
Assembly was easy. I took some detours because the internet told me threads are often not well lubricated. I ended up taking out the BB (need crank removing tool, not like Hollowtech) and the threads had some grease, probably the amount you get from a factory (not like someone on a bike forum would). I also opened up the head set to see the bearings. It looks like an integrated headset and the sealed bearings looked well greased. It wasn't sure if they can be taken apart and serviced, but I didn't try to dismantle them. I haven't taken apart the Novatec hubs yet. Rest assured, this bike seems to be as well assembled as an average LBS bike.
Weight:
Weight is about 15.8 kg (35#) stock before tubeless. Was hard to weigh with my fish scale. It never feels heavy and when riding on low pressure with knobby tires the weight doesn't matter much. I have a spare tire, pump, spare chain, water etc. with me and weigh 180 pounds. I read a lot about people replacing the seatpost, handlebar and stem etc. the only upgrade I would consider would be a carbon fork, but not this year. When riding uphill, weight still is not an issue with the tires.
Upgrades:
It came without paddles (as advertised), I replaced the grips and installed a computer. Those are the only upgrades I need right now. The saddle is surprisingly good for the shorter distances and will do for now (have Brooks on hybrid bike for long distances, so yes I'm sensitive). Some people install larger handlebars, but the 700mm are good for me and our trails seem to have narrow trees, so there might be a trade-off with wider bars. The stem also seems shorter than on my hybrid, all seems to fit well for me.
Quality:
The frame quality is excellent. Top tube welds are smoothed out all round seat post and head tube. The lower welds are not smoothed, but also relatively smooth. Paint is a shiny piano-type black. Very noble. My other bike is a Giant Toughroad and I would consider both frames equal in workmanship. All the components seem to be high quality. Even the handlebar, stem and seatpost have a powder-coated feel, which make them feel more solid than a smoot paint. The Internet says those are heavy, but that may be a good on an off-road oriented bike for more stability. The rims are Mulefut, same as I saw on the Trek bike I tested. The only concern are the Novatec hubs, but I also heard other makers have hub problems and when you go to LBS bike websites, they don't tell you what hubs they use to begin with, or use some house-brand. Unless you get DT Swiss hubs (like the Canyon dude), I'd say they are all the same. The gear cable is internal and the rear hydraulic line is external with brazed on cable holders. All seems very nice. The derailleur only needed small limit screw and B-screw adjustment. It came with a spare derailleur hanger.
Brakes:
I'm a Shimano brake guy (love SRAM drivetrains) and them being Tektro with a different fluid seems to screw with my plans to simplify maintenance of my other bikes that all have Shimano brakes. But at least Tektro also uses mineral oil and the Internet tells me I can just use the Shimano fluid (even if Tektro doesn't say so). The internet also tells me they are also supposed to be easy to service. Time will tell. I know type of fluid is like a rim/disc brake discussion on a road bike forum. But to me that was one concern, but I'm less concerned now and will see. They seem to work fine from a modulation and power point. But the LBS bikes I tested all had SRAM brakes (DOT fluid, and you read the threads here about the trouble they cause) and I assume over time I would have to buy new brakes if I had SRAM brakes.
Wheels:
it came with spare Mulefut red rim strip (don't like a contrast) in addition to the black 60 mm rimstrip that is in the wheels. They seemed to be reasonably true and tension on all spokes was similar (tested with tension meter). With some noob difficulties I converted them to tubeless.
Value:
The value from bikedirect is really good. Based on the actual quality of the bike I'd say you pay twice for an LBS bike of the same specs and quality. BD compares it to $3,000 at an LBS, but that seems excessive. I also had looked as "Framed" bikes, but found them quite pricy especially for 1x11, which seems to be a $300 upcharge from them. The little communication I had with BD was prompt and correct. For another bike I definitely would try BD again and also recommend to others. The only annoyance was their website (with listing some bikes twice, I had a hard time navigating through all the different bikes they offer). They give you all the necessary information, though.
Riding:
this is my first fatbike, so no comparison besides all the internet research. I have 3 MTB trails near a bikepath that goes by my home. I started with the furthest (15 km) and worked my way back. I started out with about 14 psi (measured with 60 psi car gage, so may be inaccurate) rear and 13 psi front. Yes this is high, but I assumed with my tubeless I may lose some air and can adjust at the trail. No self-steering, but I had to paddle constantly on the pavement. As expected, this is quite a workout. The first trial is a prairie type trail and has some steep section. After some tries lowered pressure to 13 psi rear and 10 psi front, worked much better. Gearing seems perfect with 30T chainring and 11-42T cassette. On the pavement downhill I can use the 10[SUP]th[/SUP]or downhill the 11[SUP]th[/SUP] gear and the steepest hills I could climb in lowest gear. One hill I climbed with getting out of the saddle and thought I would lose rear traction, but did not lose traction at all. I then went to the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] trail, but stopped at a construction site that had a quarry. Rode through the quarry on the hardened gravel and tracks the excavators left, was fun. No steering or other problems. Also downhill on sand and gravel I didn't have problems braking and sliding. On the trail I rode over some rocky climbs, all seemed fine (I'm very slow and don't do youtube-worthy stuff). It seemed to roll well, but also dampen the shocks well. Then it got dark and I went home. Meanwhile pressure was lower, but riding on pavement was not much worse. Again, no self-steering.
Conclusion:
I'm really happy with it. I'm glad I didn't get a cheaper one, but I'm also glad I didn't get a more expensive one since this seems good enough. I'm also glad I did a lot of research (including asking many question on this forum… thanks for all replies again)
Why this bike?
It was the cheapest ($1,100) entrance into having the new 197mm size rear axles for wider tires, is tubeless ready and has 1x11 drivetrain. It also already has 180mm rotors and internal cable routing. At least to me that was important. I have no experience with fatbikes and also considered the $500 bullseye Monster, but I'm sure this would have had too many limitations and in 1-2 years I would upgrade. The $2,000 (+shipping) Canyon Dude also seems to be a very good value, but as a novice I wasn't sure a better bike would really give me better riding for what I do. I also looked into front suspension bikes, but ultimately decided against it.
Use:
Main motivation for a fatbike was to have a snow sport and to go on the MTB trails and the dirt. No technical stuff with jumping etc. I also looked and tested LBS fatbikes like the Fatboy and Farley. But those prices would have made it a no-fatbike winter.
Size:
After measuring myself (6'and 34" inseam) and my existing bike about 100 times, I decided to order the L (19") size and am happy with it. The only downside online is you are on your own with sizing. But the one LBS who only had an M size of the bike I looked at told me I have to put 50% (refundable) down for them to get an L, so that is not much better. The sizing chart and description from BD seems pretty good. It helped to have another bike that fits for measuring that out.
Purchase:
The 2017 Sturgis NX was sold out at end of August 2017 and some quick emails with bikesdirect confirmed the 2018 are coming soon with no changes. It actually showed up on the website that night and I ordered it. They were listed as pre-order to be shipped September 4-15[SUP]th[/SUP] (that was end of august). I fully expected it to be shipped at the tail end, but on September 7[SUP]th[/SUP] I got my Fedex shipping confirmation. About 6 days later I picked it up at the nearest Fedex Office. The box is 58"x31"x12" and fits upright into a Honda CRV.
Assembly:
Assembly was easy. I took some detours because the internet told me threads are often not well lubricated. I ended up taking out the BB (need crank removing tool, not like Hollowtech) and the threads had some grease, probably the amount you get from a factory (not like someone on a bike forum would). I also opened up the head set to see the bearings. It looks like an integrated headset and the sealed bearings looked well greased. It wasn't sure if they can be taken apart and serviced, but I didn't try to dismantle them. I haven't taken apart the Novatec hubs yet. Rest assured, this bike seems to be as well assembled as an average LBS bike.
Weight:
Weight is about 15.8 kg (35#) stock before tubeless. Was hard to weigh with my fish scale. It never feels heavy and when riding on low pressure with knobby tires the weight doesn't matter much. I have a spare tire, pump, spare chain, water etc. with me and weigh 180 pounds. I read a lot about people replacing the seatpost, handlebar and stem etc. the only upgrade I would consider would be a carbon fork, but not this year. When riding uphill, weight still is not an issue with the tires.
Upgrades:
It came without paddles (as advertised), I replaced the grips and installed a computer. Those are the only upgrades I need right now. The saddle is surprisingly good for the shorter distances and will do for now (have Brooks on hybrid bike for long distances, so yes I'm sensitive). Some people install larger handlebars, but the 700mm are good for me and our trails seem to have narrow trees, so there might be a trade-off with wider bars. The stem also seems shorter than on my hybrid, all seems to fit well for me.
Quality:
The frame quality is excellent. Top tube welds are smoothed out all round seat post and head tube. The lower welds are not smoothed, but also relatively smooth. Paint is a shiny piano-type black. Very noble. My other bike is a Giant Toughroad and I would consider both frames equal in workmanship. All the components seem to be high quality. Even the handlebar, stem and seatpost have a powder-coated feel, which make them feel more solid than a smoot paint. The Internet says those are heavy, but that may be a good on an off-road oriented bike for more stability. The rims are Mulefut, same as I saw on the Trek bike I tested. The only concern are the Novatec hubs, but I also heard other makers have hub problems and when you go to LBS bike websites, they don't tell you what hubs they use to begin with, or use some house-brand. Unless you get DT Swiss hubs (like the Canyon dude), I'd say they are all the same. The gear cable is internal and the rear hydraulic line is external with brazed on cable holders. All seems very nice. The derailleur only needed small limit screw and B-screw adjustment. It came with a spare derailleur hanger.
Brakes:
I'm a Shimano brake guy (love SRAM drivetrains) and them being Tektro with a different fluid seems to screw with my plans to simplify maintenance of my other bikes that all have Shimano brakes. But at least Tektro also uses mineral oil and the Internet tells me I can just use the Shimano fluid (even if Tektro doesn't say so). The internet also tells me they are also supposed to be easy to service. Time will tell. I know type of fluid is like a rim/disc brake discussion on a road bike forum. But to me that was one concern, but I'm less concerned now and will see. They seem to work fine from a modulation and power point. But the LBS bikes I tested all had SRAM brakes (DOT fluid, and you read the threads here about the trouble they cause) and I assume over time I would have to buy new brakes if I had SRAM brakes.
Wheels:
it came with spare Mulefut red rim strip (don't like a contrast) in addition to the black 60 mm rimstrip that is in the wheels. They seemed to be reasonably true and tension on all spokes was similar (tested with tension meter). With some noob difficulties I converted them to tubeless.
Value:
The value from bikedirect is really good. Based on the actual quality of the bike I'd say you pay twice for an LBS bike of the same specs and quality. BD compares it to $3,000 at an LBS, but that seems excessive. I also had looked as "Framed" bikes, but found them quite pricy especially for 1x11, which seems to be a $300 upcharge from them. The little communication I had with BD was prompt and correct. For another bike I definitely would try BD again and also recommend to others. The only annoyance was their website (with listing some bikes twice, I had a hard time navigating through all the different bikes they offer). They give you all the necessary information, though.
Riding:
this is my first fatbike, so no comparison besides all the internet research. I have 3 MTB trails near a bikepath that goes by my home. I started with the furthest (15 km) and worked my way back. I started out with about 14 psi (measured with 60 psi car gage, so may be inaccurate) rear and 13 psi front. Yes this is high, but I assumed with my tubeless I may lose some air and can adjust at the trail. No self-steering, but I had to paddle constantly on the pavement. As expected, this is quite a workout. The first trial is a prairie type trail and has some steep section. After some tries lowered pressure to 13 psi rear and 10 psi front, worked much better. Gearing seems perfect with 30T chainring and 11-42T cassette. On the pavement downhill I can use the 10[SUP]th[/SUP]or downhill the 11[SUP]th[/SUP] gear and the steepest hills I could climb in lowest gear. One hill I climbed with getting out of the saddle and thought I would lose rear traction, but did not lose traction at all. I then went to the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] trail, but stopped at a construction site that had a quarry. Rode through the quarry on the hardened gravel and tracks the excavators left, was fun. No steering or other problems. Also downhill on sand and gravel I didn't have problems braking and sliding. On the trail I rode over some rocky climbs, all seemed fine (I'm very slow and don't do youtube-worthy stuff). It seemed to roll well, but also dampen the shocks well. Then it got dark and I went home. Meanwhile pressure was lower, but riding on pavement was not much worse. Again, no self-steering.
Conclusion:
I'm really happy with it. I'm glad I didn't get a cheaper one, but I'm also glad I didn't get a more expensive one since this seems good enough. I'm also glad I did a lot of research (including asking many question on this forum… thanks for all replies again)
I still love this bike.
