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Old 07-25-22, 04:12 PM
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Banzai
Jet Jockey
 
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 4,941

Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Nashbar X-frame bike, Bike Friday Haul-a-Day, Surly Pugsley.

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The long, slow twilight of fat bikes

I think the fad might be almost over. Of the manufacturers who still sell them, models are highly limited in variety, and production numbers are exceedingly low. Certainly, a few specialty manufacturers are riding this out to the bitter end (Surly, Framed, Salsa) but even they have moved significantly away from this market. Surly hardly even offers their own fatbike components anymore, save for tires. And speaking of tires, which are the defining features of the fatbike...how many quality tire manufacturers are in that market now? Schwalbe, I guess, with what is really a single model. After that, I don't really hold Kenda or Maxxis in incredibly high regard; in the 29er market, given the choice between a Maxxis and a Continental, personally I'm probably going to go for a Continental every time.45NRTH offers quite a few, but 45NRTH is just QBP, which is also Surly, and their tires are secretly Innova tires, which were once rightly regarded as cheap garbage before they slapped trendy 45NRTH stickers on them and started selling them for a LOT more money than Innova could ever fetch.

How many fatbikes now sit disused in garages, as the cycling world has moved on? What a weird, crazy time period that was. My own fatbike (which really only sees winter use, because it is not particularly enjoyable to ride) is rapidly reaching the point of parts obsolescence. As things suffer the rigors of winter, finding replacements is becoming more and more difficult.

I just have to wonder, how long will this fad be on life support? Also, should probably sell while there is still a market.

Even this subforum is just about the deadest place on BF.
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