[bvachon29]

Currently piloting a 2016 Salsa Beargrease X5. I've slowly upgraded a few things over the years but would like to get something that is running current standards for axle widths with a little more modern geo. This will be an all year round ride, with a focus on winter riding. Being my BG is 170mm rear spacing I've gotten quite used to the narrower Q-factor fat bikes.

I rode a Wyatt Maverick and thought I was going to love it because of the more slacker longer geo for a fat bike but I just did not jive with the huge q factor on it.

Looking to spend around $3k, any bikes out there to take a look at in particular? Would I get used to the wider q factor of some bikes?

Current bikes I have my eye on, the Wyatt, RSD Mayor, Norco Bigfoot, Reeb Donkadonk if I find a bunch of money. What else?

 

[FatboyFarleyFuse1977]

2022 Rocky Mountain Blizzard 50 is my next if my Fatboy Carbon and Farley 9.6 fail me…and they both have Carbon frame issues! 😂🚴🏿‍♀️🍻👊🏻

 

[Jayem]

Currently piloting a 2016 Salsa Beargrease X5. I've slowly upgraded a few things over the years but would like to get something that is running current standards for axle widths with a little more modern geo. This will be an all year round ride, with a focus on winter riding. Being my BG is 170mm rear spacing I've gotten quite used to the narrower Q-factor fat bikes.

I rode a Wyatt Maverick and thought I was going to love it because of the more slacker longer geo for a fat bike but I just did not jive with the huge q factor on it.

Looking to spend around $3k, any bikes out there to take a look at in particular? Would I get used to the wider q factor of some bikes?

Current bikes I have my eye on, the Wyatt, RSD Mayor, Norco Bigfoot, Reeb Donkadonk if I find a bunch of money. What else?

You need to think a little more about this. You can't really have narrow Q factor AND 197 rear axle. You also can't fit the widest wide tires. The reason for both of these is that your rear cogs are pushed way outboard and your chainring is way inboard. Your chainline can only tolerate so much cross-chaining and fat tires on narrow bikes will make the chain rub the tire in the low gears (when there is ample clearance for the tire in the stays). As an example, the Otso Voyek with narrow Q-factor uses 177 hubs. For various reasons, I do not believe 177 hubs are going anywhere, 197 will remain more popular, but there are enough bikes using 177 that it will be around for the foreseeable future. If you want narrow q-factor, you are going to limit your axle and possibly tire size. You can usually run up to about a D5 sized tire on a 177 bike and a few bikes can push this a little more. IMO, that's plenty unless you are looking for the fattest fat like Johnny 5s or 2XL Snowshoes, in which case you probably should go to a 197 bike.

The Otso is usually the closest that you can come to having your cake and eating it too for your requirements.

 

[kosmo]

The Otso is usually the closest that you can come to having your cake and eating it too for your requirements.

Exactly, but not sure the $3,000 budget is easily achievable.

 

[bvachon29]

You need to think a little more about this. You can't really have narrow Q factor AND 197 rear axle. You also can't fit the widest wide tires. The reason for both of these is that your rear cogs are pushed way outboard and your chainring is way inboard. Your chainline can only tolerate so much cross-chaining and fat tires on narrow bikes will make the chain rub the tire in the low gears (when there is ample clearance for the tire in the stays). As an example, the Otso Voyek with narrow Q-factor uses 177 hubs. For various reasons, I do not believe 177 hubs are going anywhere, 197 will remain more popular, but there are enough bikes using 177 that it will be around for the foreseeable future. If you want narrow q-factor, you are going to limit your axle and possibly tire size. You can usually run up to about a D5 sized tire on a 177 bike and a few bikes can push this a little more. IMO, that's plenty unless you are looking for the fattest fat like Johnny 5s or 2XL Snowshoes, in which case you probably should go to a 197 bike.

The Otso is usually the closest that you can come to having your cake and eating it too for your requirements.

I probably explained it poorly in my first post. I understand tire with is related to the q-factor that way. I ride D5's on my bg in winter and they do the job just fine. I was more getting to, for those who have switched to a 197 rear bike, is the q factor something that you get used to overtime, or should I be looking more towards something like the Voyek with a 177 rear end?

 

[bvachon29]

Exactly, but not sure the $3,000 budget is easily achievable.

Used maybe, I can bump up my budget too as I'm probably not going to be able to find anything this year anyway. Mainly looking for other options of fat-bikes I may have missed in my initial search.

 

[North woods gal]

Do test ride a Norco Bigfoot if you get a chance. Note that Norco made some significant geometry changes with the Bigfoot in 2020. I had an older 2017 Bigfoot and later replaced it with the 2020 Bigfoot. Did not like the the way the old old 2017 rode at all. Found it slow and clunky. Loved the 2020, though. Rode much like the now discontinued Sasquatch which I also had.

 

[Jayem]

I probably explained it poorly in my first post. I understand tire with is related to the q-factor that way. I ride D5's on my bg in winter and they do the job just fine. I was more getting to, for those who have switched to a 197 rear bike, is the q factor something that you get used to overtime, or should I be looking more towards something like the Voyek with a 177 rear end?

Yeah, after a few rides transitioning to my winter bikes, I don’t notice it.

 

[North woods gal]

Not a problem for me, either. I started out with the original Pugs and I'm now riding a 197 on my Pivot. Hasn't been an issue for me at all. I'm a gal at 5'9" and ride a medium, by the way.

 

[numbnuts]

907 Lynx. Better than any of the big box store fat bikes I have ever owned or ridden.

 

[mike_kelly]

If you are still looking Framed appears to have gotten a shipment and the Montana ticks a lot of your check boxes. Not sure of the companies customer service...

Montana Carbon - Fat 27.5"

Orders placed today may not ship until 7/1/22. The Montana Carbon full suspension fat bike is a wolf in the mountains of Montana, with all the bite the trail could ask for. When combining a fat tire with 100mm of travel, it was only inevitable that we would stumble upon such a stable full...

www.framedbikes.com

 

[bvachon29]

If you are still looking Framed appears to have gotten a shipment and the Montana ticks a lot of your check boxes. Not sure of the companies customer service...

Montana Carbon - Fat 27.5"

Orders placed today may not ship until 7/1/22. The Montana Carbon full suspension fat bike is a wolf in the mountains of Montana, with all the bite the trail could ask for. When combining a fat tire with 100mm of travel, it was only inevitable that we would stumble upon such a stable full...

www.framedbikes.com

That is an interesting option for sure! Not sure I totally need a ful-sus fat bike but it is cool

 

[mike_kelly]

The Montana is a MId-Fat or B-Fat option. Does everything and not excellent at anything. Reasonable components and within your budget. Winter on 27.5 x 4 and summer full sus on plus sized tires. I have gotten no responses from queries to the company. YMMV

 

[BigSki]

Do test ride a Norco Bigfoot if you get a chance. Note that Norco made some significant geometry changes with the Bigfoot in 2020. I had an older 2017 Bigfoot and later replaced it with the 2020 Bigfoot. Did not like the the way the old old 2017 rode at all. Found it slow and clunky. Loved the 2020, though. Rode much like the now discontinued Sasquatch which I also had.

Hi NWG-- I know I'm a little late to this thread but you're talking about two bikes on my short list and I wanted to hear your thoughts. Looking at a Beargrease SLX, rode an Otso Voytek yesterday, but I'm very intrigued by the Norco Bigfoot1. The Norco has an equal Reach as my current MTB so I guess you could say that would be the most comfortable for me straight away--but I probably won't get to ride it. I've ridden the Salsa and the Otso and was impresed with how nimble they were. The Voytek has a very short R comparatively and that concerns me a bit. The BG is longer but still nowhere near the Bigfoot's. Specs on all bikes are good but I'd probably consider changing-out the brakes on the Norco.

Oh man...do I go with the Bigfoot with the geo closest geo to my current MTB but haven't ridden? But the Salsa's geo is almost exactly what my early Trek Fuel EX had and I loved that bike. The Otso is beautiful but the hyper short R has me a little gun shy.

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