Fat Bike--How Much Slower?
#26
Every day a winding road
Well that is exactly what they are made for.... challenging terrain. They excel not only in sand and snow, but also when trails are in less than stellar conditions (leaves, some mud) or when there simply it little or no trail at all.
For the above reasons, they make very good winter season mountain bikes in many areas.
For the above reasons, they make very good winter season mountain bikes in many areas.
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I could see them being popular in BSO form, because they look cool. Sure, they make no sense, but really neither do most BSO mtbs for what they are used for.
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#30
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When they say wider, They mean 28mm vs 25mm on ash fault.
Trust me. The 50mm tires on my Giant Sedona aren't even in the same league as the 28 or 32mm tires Giant uses on their road bikes on typical ash fault roads when inflated to the proper pressure for 15% drop. Not the same pressure.
On gravel, 38mm tires are better and will still be close to a smaller road tire on ash fault. IMO a good width for recreational riders.
Fat bike tires are best in soft sand where even mountain bikes with 2.35" tires will struggle. And those wide mountain bike tires are probably best in soft gravel and loose stones. Best tire width has a lot to do with how soft the surface is as well as the roughness.
Trust me. The 50mm tires on my Giant Sedona aren't even in the same league as the 28 or 32mm tires Giant uses on their road bikes on typical ash fault roads when inflated to the proper pressure for 15% drop. Not the same pressure.
On gravel, 38mm tires are better and will still be close to a smaller road tire on ash fault. IMO a good width for recreational riders.
Fat bike tires are best in soft sand where even mountain bikes with 2.35" tires will struggle. And those wide mountain bike tires are probably best in soft gravel and loose stones. Best tire width has a lot to do with how soft the surface is as well as the roughness.
Last edited by xroadcharlie; 06-29-19 at 07:26 AM.
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I need a new bike like I need a hole in my head BUT I was in a bike store today and saw a fat bike that really got my attention. And while I could conceivably ride the bike on a dirt or gravel (snow too?) trail, I'm fairly sure 99+ percent of the time will be spent riding on the hilly roads that I always ride. How much slower would you anticipate the heavier fat bike with larger tires be over my regular hybrid style bikes.
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I’m just going to throw this out here...an electric mid-drive fat bike with some FattySlicks would be a really fun thing for night rides around the neighborhood for a hooligan such as myself.
And think of the number of blinding headlights that could be installed on such a beast!
-Matt
And think of the number of blinding headlights that could be installed on such a beast!
-Matt
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Since when do recreational bikes need to make sense? Some of you guys would be a hoot at a unicycle convention.
Just go have fun and stop hate'n on stuff you don't have experience with.
Just go have fun and stop hate'n on stuff you don't have experience with.
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#34
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People answered (Yes)
What is the problem, here?
FWIW, I do have experience, thank you very much.
Last edited by Kapusta; 06-30-19 at 12:56 PM.
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I’m just going to throw this out here...an electric mid-drive fat bike with some FattySlicks would be a really fun thing for night rides around the neighborhood for a hooligan such as myself.
And think of the number of blinding headlights that could be installed on such a beast!
-Matt
And think of the number of blinding headlights that could be installed on such a beast!
-Matt
e-fatties are an absolute riot to ride. Mix the all-terrain abilities of the fatty with seemingly endless power the electric drive gives and you can go just about anywhere with seemingly no effort or get some on-road speed that is just wrong in so many ways.
I find my fatty is my go anywhere/anytime bike. It is a lot of fun but it will never replace my other bikes.
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#37
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So use that as a gauge.
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#41
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I know. right!
The fat bike looks hard to pedal because of tire size but usually that is paired with a lower geared drivetrain so the effort isn't really that great. What one loses is top end speed. Generally, on a trail or even road, that is not an issue if one isn't wanting to go fast.
My fatboy weighs about 30lbs and can match my rigid mtb with a 42,32,22 crankset for climbing because they both have the same cassette. What it can't do is the same top end because it does not have the 42 chainring (only 32, 22). However, it does have 4.6" tires that can float over more stuff that the 2.35's of my mtb.
If I could fit 3" tires in my mtb frame I probably wouldn't have bought a fat bike but I can't. I think for an all around bike that would be the sweet spot.
The fat bike looks hard to pedal because of tire size but usually that is paired with a lower geared drivetrain so the effort isn't really that great. What one loses is top end speed. Generally, on a trail or even road, that is not an issue if one isn't wanting to go fast.
My fatboy weighs about 30lbs and can match my rigid mtb with a 42,32,22 crankset for climbing because they both have the same cassette. What it can't do is the same top end because it does not have the 42 chainring (only 32, 22). However, it does have 4.6" tires that can float over more stuff that the 2.35's of my mtb.
If I could fit 3" tires in my mtb frame I probably wouldn't have bought a fat bike but I can't. I think for an all around bike that would be the sweet spot.
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With a fatbike, you have the ability to run various wheel sizes. A 26x4.0 tire has roughly the same diameter as a 29x2.0 tire, so if you have two wheelsets, a fat 26" and a regular 29", you could easily run 29x2.35 Big Apple slicks for road and keep the 26x4.0 tires for the beach or winter. You can also fit 27.5x3.0 tires in the frame for trail riding. It's not something I do, but it is interesting to note that a single fatbike like a Surly Pugsley could be a tourer, a commuter, a trail(ish) bike and a fully blown fat bike with different wheelsets. You can even make a Krampug; a Krampus-Pugsley with 29x3.0 wheels in a Pugs frame.
That type of thinking was all the rage a few years ago, back around 2015 during "peak fatbike," but it doesn't mean that any of it is less relevant now. WTB even jumped into the mix with their roadplus 650x47B Horizon and 3 other models of tire. You can take a regular 700x28C endurance road bike with discs and switch it to 650x47B: https://www.wtb.com/collections/road-plus
That type of thinking was all the rage a few years ago, back around 2015 during "peak fatbike," but it doesn't mean that any of it is less relevant now. WTB even jumped into the mix with their roadplus 650x47B Horizon and 3 other models of tire. You can take a regular 700x28C endurance road bike with discs and switch it to 650x47B: https://www.wtb.com/collections/road-plus
#44
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#45
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Then there's also the question: Why aren't track bikes use wider tires (say 32mm) with the same tread, carcass, rubber construction as a 23mm track tire that track riders are using?
#46
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Not slamdunk conclusion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCrL7yHPMqo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCrL7yHPMqo
Then there's also the question: Why aren't track bikes use wider tires (say 32mm) with the same tread, carcass, rubber construction as a 23mm track tire that track riders are using?
BTW, You do realize that when people say that wider tires "roll faster", they are just referring to rolling resistance, right? They are not saying that they are simply "faster" on a bike, where weight and aerodynamics of a tire are also considerations.
Last edited by Kapusta; 07-01-19 at 03:59 PM.
#47
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Why did you waste my time with that? That is utterly irrelevant to the point you were responding to that I made. Those are completely different treads. One is slick, the other a semi-knob. They may well be different casings, too. (EDIT: looked it up, and they are different casings). How did that video in any way address my point?
Because they would be heavier. And with the smooth surface track bikes race on, the tire pressures are high enough that the RR between a 32 and 23 just does not make as much difference. What DOES make a difference is acceleration, for which tire weight is very important.
BTW, You do realize that when people say that wider tires "roll faster", they are just referring to rolling resistance, right? They are not saying that they are simply "faster" on a bike, where weight and aerodynamics of a tire are also considerations.
Because they would be heavier. And with the smooth surface track bikes race on, the tire pressures are high enough that the RR between a 32 and 23 just does not make as much difference. What DOES make a difference is acceleration, for which tire weight is very important.
BTW, You do realize that when people say that wider tires "roll faster", they are just referring to rolling resistance, right? They are not saying that they are simply "faster" on a bike, where weight and aerodynamics of a tire are also considerations.
and yes I know tire weight makes a difference in acceleration, but many wide tire proponents would also argue that what ever a wide tire give up in acceleration, it'll make it back up in rolling resistance. I'm still waiting for a definitive test that shows "wider rolls faster" when all things considered.
#48
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ugh, they showed that the skinnier road tire also rolled down faster than the cross tire on dirt, where the cross tire is supposed to have a rolling advantage. Dont tell me the road tire roll faster here too due to aero advantage.
and yes I know tire weight makes a difference in acceleration, but many wide tire proponents would also argue that what ever a wide tire give up in acceleration, it'll make it back up in rolling resistance. I'm still waiting for a definitive test that shows "wider rolls faster" when all things considered.
and yes I know tire weight makes a difference in acceleration, but many wide tire proponents would also argue that what ever a wide tire give up in acceleration, it'll make it back up in rolling resistance. I'm still waiting for a definitive test that shows "wider rolls faster" when all things considered.
#49
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Dont tell me the road tire roll faster here too due to aero advantage.
and yes I know tire weight makes a difference in acceleration,
but many wide tire proponents would also argue that what ever a wide tire give up in acceleration, it'll make it back up in rolling resistance.
Your argument here is an example of an Ad hominem argument:
More specifically, it an Association fallacy
I'm still waiting for a definitive test that shows "wider rolls faster" when all things considered.
They also address your question about why, if wider tires have less rolling resistance, are they not used in all sorts of racing.
Last edited by Kapusta; 07-06-19 at 04:03 PM.
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Yeah dont get a fat bike to ride on the road. Unless you want to make your ride harder and slower. Get a fat bike to go where you struggle on a normal bike. They're great for climbing slow and excel on soft terrain. They make great wherever bike for shinanagins and riding where ever you please. How much slower on hilly roads? Id say at very least twice as slow and hard then on road bike
Last edited by bikingtotown; 07-06-19 at 05:58 PM.