Shimano provides the drivetrain components in the form of a Deore 10-speed shifter and rear derailleur. House-brand cranks spin a 24-tooth chainring with a SunRace CSMS T cassette on the other end. The Sram disc brakes will keep your speed in check on fast descents. It comes with 26-inch wheels but will take larger wheels also. When going deeper into the woods, use the copious cargo mounts on the frame and fork. Some fat bikes are designed to accommodate both fat-tire rims and standard 27.5 or 29-inch mountain bike rims.
And they mongoose bicycle out your ride even on a frame without suspension. It can take 4.6-inch tires with 26-inch wheels, 4.0-inch tires with 27.5-inch wheels, or 3.0-inch tires on 29-inch wheels. Like many fat bikes, Trek’s Farley 7 has stud-ready 4.5-inch-wide tires. However, those tires are wrapped around 27.5-inch rims, instead of the standard 26-inch rims. The larger diameter means smoother rolling and better traction, and since traction is the point of a fat bike, more is always better. Speed across virtually any terrain with ease on the Mongoose Men’s Malus 26 in Fat Tire Bike.
One shifter keeps things simple, and the are trustworthy in winter, with stopping power to keep you on track all year. The bike is on the heavy side, but it’s an excellent option for exploring the world of snow or sand without breaking the bank. A hardtail with a rigid fork is the most affordable and most common type of fat bike. Fat bike tires are getting wider for more float in extreme conditions, and the bikes are being built lighter with higher performance in mind. Dropper posts are becoming increasingly common on stock builds, making it easier to ride technical terrain and remount in deep snow. Like the others, this one is made with a steel frame and aluminum rims that provide a lightweight feel for smoother rides over rugged terrain, as well as durability for long-term use.
The Big Fat Dummy can take 29 or 26 inch wheels, with maximum tire widths of 3 to 5.25 (on 26-inch rims) inches wide. A dropper post and grippy tires will have you hooting on the descents. MAXXIS Minion FBF/FBR 3.8-inch tires on 27.5-inch rims are fun and weight conscious. If you want more float the Dude fits tires up to 4.8 inches wide. A fat bike is the perfect tool for extending your riding season if you live where it’s snowy or wet, or where riding a regular-tire mountain bike is futile, not fun, and might damage the trails. Fat bikes are also highly functional for bikepacking, and for riding on sand because larger tires that are run at low-pressure float over soft surfaces.
If you don’t want to fat tires all year, buying a frame with multiple configuration options lets you have one bike with multiple personalities. Buy a set of mountain bike wheels with narrower rims and equip them with smaller tires, and you have another option that’s lighter and may be better suited to everyday riding. All fat bikes are built with different hub standards, so you’ll likely have to buy a dedicated second set of wheels if you want to enjoy different options. This Chromoly steel frame is stable and stiff with exceptional traction that shines when you’re toting groceries, trail tools, an expedition’s worth of gear, or a passenger. The bike has a longer top tube and slacker head angle for stability when loaded down. The cargo area is built with thinner, lighter tubing than the rest of the bike to keep its weight in check.
And more manufacturers are paying attention to Q Factor , which is the distance between the outside of one crank arm to the outside of the opposite crank arm. To create the clearance for wider tires, brands use wider rear hub spacing (up to 197 mm—a typical mountain bike has a 148 mm rear hub). If you want to glide across sand along the coast or down rugged trails in the mountains, then it’s worth taking a peek at this fat bike. It has both front and rear brakes, with the front ones being able to absorb shock on impact. Whether you’re new to riding or experienced, this fat bike is described by many people who bought it as being fun to ride.
Most fat bikes use 26-inch wheels, though 27.5-inch builds are not uncommon. Larger wheels are faster rolling and make trail obstacles even easier to push over or through. Fat tire wheels come in many different rim widths, ranging from 60 to 100mm. In general, the wider the tire you want to use, the wider the rim you will want.