[BATRG3]

For someone looking to get into fatbiking on a budget, does anyone have a handle on which components at a minimum would need to be modified or replaced in order to add gearing? I'm thinking modifications to the dropouts for a derailleur. From what I can see, a new hub may be needed, which is where I see the most cost coming in. At that point I would speculate that disc brakes may be easier to add than rim brakes, but maybe there are rim brake options that I don't know about. Lining up the # of spokes concerns me too.

Can anyone give a quick rundown on this, and whether it looks promising or not?

The multi-hundred dollar question on my mind is whether Walgoose is using this bike to break the ice before coming out with a MTB version. And then whether Trek, Giant, or Specialized will be coming out with a $500-800 fatty of their own that I should wait for.

 

[c_m_shooter]

A DMR track end derailer hanger, derailer and shifter. New hub and wheel build. brake will be tricky, if it is steel, you can weld or braze canti studs or a disk brake mount. Aluminum- forget it it will cost too much to have a shop do it. If you can live with just a front brake, then swap the fork out for a Surly.

 

[bikeabuser]

Steel frame ... Go braze crazy.

Also,
In another thread - http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/mongoose-beast-review-etc-walmart-fatty-846019.html#post10275479,
It's the old square taper BB, so finding used single/double/triple cranks will be cheap and plentiful.

 

[BATRG3]

Rear wheel build seems like the most costly part then. Between all the threads I don't know that I've seen a final spoke count, and wonder if a matching hub exists that will take gears.

 

[boogman]

Nahsbar, according to their fb page,is publicly teasing of creating a fatbike.. I would wait for something of that level before bothering to modify the walgoose

 

[bikeabuser]

Nahsbar, according to their fb page,is publicly teasing of creating a fatbike.. I would wait for something of that level before bothering to modify the walgoose

Interest in this bike, indicates that ... The first company that takes their $500-800 HT into the wider category, is going to make a killing.

The market is WIDE (pun intended) open.

Other than tires and rims ... There is no reason for a FB to cost as much as they do.
I've been saying they need to sell these FB's at Walmart ... The niche market is almost at an end.

 

[Andy FitzGibbon]

Rear wheel build seems like the most costly part then. Between all the threads I don't know that I've seen a final spoke count, and wonder if a matching hub exists that will take gears.

The Wal-Mart photos show 36 spokes. You can get 36 hole 170 hubs from Paul and Hadley. Probably White Industries as well. None of those are cheap options, though. Sometimes you can find old 165mm downhill hubs in 36 hole for not a lot of money.

 

[bikeabuser]

The Wal-Mart photos show 36 spokes. You can get 36 hole 170 hubs from Paul and Hadley. Probably White Industries as well. None of those are cheap options, though. Sometimes you can find old 165mm downhill hubs in 36 hole for not a lot of money.

syranak posted pics of how he convert's hubs ... It's actually a pretty easy process to widen a hub, if you are good with machine tools.
Right around $100 for a set of WTB's from Ebay ... Just a thought.


http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/widening-hub-832387.html#post10049212

 

[Trower]

I have been contemplating one of these walagoose's, and that is a very good option for a hub! I was thinking about using a NuVinci hub, truning, drilling and tapping an extension on the NDS out of tool steel, hardening it, then welding a disk rotor mount on, but this is a much easier option!

syranak posted pics of how he convert's hubs ... It's actually a pretty easy process to widen a hub, if you are good with machine tools.
Right around $100 for a set of WTB's from Ebay ... Just a thought.


http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/widening-hub-832387.html#post10049212

 

[GrayJay]

Wide Hub - 3 Speed/Disc SLVR - Cycles U.S. LLC/Choppers U.S.I think a promising route for adding gearing to the w-goose would be to use this 3-speed Sturmy-Archer IGH. It is 170mm OLD width and has provision for a brake disk. You would jut need to rig-up a caliper mount for the brake or alternately you could braze cantilever post to the seatstays for rim-brakes as an improvement to the w-goose coaster brake.

 

[Trower]

I really don't think 3 gears is enough for a FB, but it is an easy option.

Wide Hub - 3 Speed/Disc SLVR - Cycles U.S. LLC/Choppers U.S.I think a promising route for adding gearing to the w-goose would be to use this 3-speed Sturmy-Archer IGH. It is 170mm OLD width and has provision for a brake disk. You would jut need to rig-up a caliper mount for the brake or alternately you could braze cantilever post to the seatstays for rim-brakes as an improvement to the w-goose coaster brake.

 

[Andy FitzGibbon]

Since the frame is steel, and probably nothing special (ie. high-tensile), cold setting the left side stays inward to make the frame into a offset 135 shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[GrayJay]

Looking at the enourmous dropout on the fatgoose, I would think that this plenty of room below the axel slot to drill and tap a hole directly in the dropout for a derailleur bolt, no "claw" derailleur adapter would be needed. If the dropouts are too thin, then just first braze a thick washer over the hole location before drilling and tapping to thicken the threaded width.

 

[Velobike]

There's no need to braze anything to the rear of the frame. There are still adapters available to put a disk on a non disk frame.

 

[bikeabuser]

I like chopsaws :devil:

 

[Thumpy69]

I think a set of axle extenders would work as long as you don't do any serious drops on it. Curb ride offs ok, 1ft 1.5 ft drop ok, Anything more than that and you'd snap the axle. I have a guy on myt facebook, he has a blog he put a 135 3 speed hub on his 170 cruiser using axlw extenders and it worked fine for him. He did have to drill one through for the cable but he said the chain still lined up ok, rides fine. I'm gonna try it on mine with a cheaper 135 hub before I order an 11 speed alfie.

FYI, You only yhave to drill out the extender if your hub routes the cable into the axle. I know the nexus doesn't and I would assume the alfine doesn't either.

 

[bikeabuser]

I think a set of axle extenders would work as long as you don't do any serious drops on it. Curb ride offs ok, 1ft 1.5 ft drop ok, Anything more than that and you'd snap the axle. I have a guy on myt facebook, he has a blog he put a 135 3 speed hub on his 170 cruiser using axlw extenders and it worked fine for him. He did have to drill one through for the cable but he said the chain still lined up ok, rides fine. I'm gonna try it on mine with a cheaper 135 hub before I order an 11 speed alfie.

FYI, You only yhave to drill out the extender if your hub routes the cable into the axle. I know the nexus doesn't and I would assume the alfine doesn't either.

Managed Abuse LOL
I can deal with that.

 

[JoeG]

Looking at the enourmous dropout on the fatgoose, I would think that this plenty of room below the axel slot to drill and tap a hole directly in the dropout for a derailleur bolt, no "claw" derailleur adapter would be needed. If the dropouts are too thin, then just first braze a thick washer over the hole location before drilling and tapping to thicken the threaded width.

Dropout Saver

 

[AZ]

Drill a hole below the axle slot with a 9.1mm drill, tap with a 10mm x 1 tap. Will be working on a few more solutions as soon as I get my paws on one, stay tuned.

 

[Bill in Houston]

There's no need to braze anything to the rear of the frame. There are still adapters available to put a disk on a non disk frame.

But what about putting a disk on a non-disk WHEEL?