Are Fat Bikes Good Mountain Bikes?

I make a lot of fat bike related videos and I often get the question "does a fat bike work well as a mountain bike?" Obviously I'm a bit biased, but in this video I go over the reasons for and against fat bikes being a part of the mtb family.

Fat Bikes In This Video:

Discount Codes:

Parts I Recommend:

Basic Maintenance Tools I Recommend:

[theferrouslife]

I love my fat bike all year long and I've had way more fun on it than any other bike I've ever owned or ridden ❤

[andyxmunoz]

I was always turned off by fat bikes because people say they’re heavy… BUT… when I actually got mine in the mail and realized how light it actually was, compared to the old mountain bikes I used to ride- I laughed a little. I was relieved. Everyone makes them sound like they’re super heavy.

[davomoto]

I raced XC this past season on my fat bike (in the fat bike category) and it was so much fun! It's really can go just about everywhere. Yes, my trail bike is faster, but my fat bike feels more fun.

[THEOPINIONATEDSPORTSMAN]

I’m SO tired of people saying a Fatbike is for snow. So closed minded. Get the right fatbike and they can be AMAZING trail bikes. I live in Southern Arizona and have ridden fatbikes in HOT, DRY, and ROCKY conditions for more than ten years and they are phenomenally fun to ride and capabable in ANY scenario. 😊

[CuriousMind_LVG]

I had a 27.5+ trail bike and never rode it so I sold it. I even decided I was just flat out done with mountain biking. Ever since getting my Surly Wednesday with 29+ WTB Rangers, I often will reach for that bike over my gravel bike as it just rolls so well on the stuff I have around here and is crazy comfortable. I enjoy riding it so much I started taking it on singletrack and love the simplicity of a fully rigid monster truck. I credit you for deciding on 29+ over 26 fat for my year round wheel size. I did get 26 fat wheels this winter and have studded Dillinger 4s, but alas Chicago has yet to get enough snow. Cheers and happy holidays.

[AlpineATB]

I used my fatbike (an early RSD Mayor) year round for everything for a few years. I loved it, but broke a frame, fork and a few freehubs. But, it opened my eyes. Rode it 25 kms a day to work, explored fire roads, took it camping and fishing, rode MTB with it, winter riding, beach exploration and more. It was a riot, and a trusted friend.

I currently have a Kona Honzo for MTB, and a 2010 Pugsley with 10 spd XT. It's a bit tired, with a cracked frame and worn drivetrain.

I'm getting a Giant Yukon to replace the Pugs from the shop I work at. Plan to build a 29+ wheelset for it for summer commuting and exploring.

We'll see how much the Honzo gets ridden this year...

[NewMexicoOutside]

Fat bikes for the win. So much fun on singletrack. Unlimited, they are like jeeps of the bike world.

[BikeLifewithRob]

They are, they go anywhere, any time of the year, on any terrain! Boom

[fatride]

I have raced MTB for years now I'm full fat bike.

[freeridelives]

I’m in the Fatbike camp for quite some time now. While it was quite fun in the beginning, the party starts once you get foam for your rims.
I guess that’s the game changer for that kind of bike

[bissorbpc]

I think what people often miss is how much a dropper and a suspension fork improves the fat bike off-of-snow experience. The boing of the fat tires is great but its even better with a little dampened suspension action up front. If people are used to a dropper and their fat bike doesn't have it, it's never going to be feel as shreddable. I absolutely love my Otso with the Mastadon and 200 mm dropper all year round, especially when the trails are soft in spring or winter (when there's no snow).

[brazilianfernie]

I have a new 2023 trek Farley 5, and a sweet polygon t6 full suspension trail bike. I’m a beginner mtber, just been riding about 5 months on rooty and rocky New England trails. While the polygon is an amazingly capable bike, I feel way more confident on the fat bike! It has amazing traction on slippery rough terrain and will just monster truck over everything! Sketchy stuff that I was afraid of riding over on the FS bike is easily rideable on the fat bike. I recently put a Manitou Mastodon suspension fork on it and now it’s just totally unstoppable. I never even ride my trail bike. Fatty all the way for me. Can’t wait to ride it in the snow

[CSNCSNCSN]

No snow around here, but just rode my Ice Cream Truck around some of our famous Santa Cruz trails (black diamond-ish), and then rode right down to the edge of the surf on the sand and around the cliff trails. I actually bought it to ride the Rubicon near Tahoe which was pretty wild (on 5.5psi). I also ride a lot of mountain fire roads. Doesn't get much more all-around than that! I am looking forward to building a 29+ wheelset for it and adding a suspension fork.

[pavelyps]

Thank you for making this video. Covered lots of my questions including q factor.

[gecho]

Our trails have minimal maintenance. I found on single track the wide tires would catch the edge of the track where it cups upward. That would pull you in that direction, when you correct you'd hit the other edge and pull you that way. Makes for unpredictable handling and an unpleasant ride.

[rudyvlasak]

I ride my fat bike all year round and love it. I put 4.9 tires in the winter and switch them to 4.0 the rest of the year. Has worked just great. Thanks for the awesome video. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[thomasandrews]

Excellent video on this topic! Folks-avoid the cheap, heavy fat bikes, the excess weight (35+ lbs) will drag you down and ruin the experience. Also, try to get your wheels and tires as lite as possible which was pointed out in this awesome video. I am stubborn and believe the 26X4.0 120tpi tubeless setup works best. It's easier to get rolling and quicker handling than 27.5 fat bike wheel plus almost has the rolling diameter of a 29X2.3 standard wheel. If you set your fat bike up properly, you'll be amazed at all the advantages and how much safer you'll be on just about every type of surface. You'll understand the saying, once you go fat you won't go back.

[djgolf]

My only bike is a full suspension carbon fatbike and I love taking it on the trails in the summer. So much fun!

[wordreet]

Riding an all rigid fat bike is like riding an adult sized BMX. I was still racing BMX at 40 and now @70 I love my fat bikes to bits. I have no other MTBs.

[fatbike]

Great video, I am 10 years on a fatbike. I choose Salsa Beargrease back then and it is still my nr.1 bike up to now. I shared some videos on my non-commercial yt channel, take a look, fatbike is a real adventure for me, I still ride my Beargrease 2015 year model bought on November 2014.