1989 Fat Chance Wicked build thread

[Prodigal Son]

This is a great riding frame. Some even swear it´s the best ever from Fat City while others don´t care for the wicked. It´s a quick handling bike w/ a tall bb and the typical fat city body weight distribution. Best bike i ever had in technical steep singletrack, loads of fun. Not the best at high speed trails if that´s your thing. Once you get into the woods w/ steep tight situations it´s awesome.
It takes a 26.4 seatpost. You can either get a cheap heavier post on ebay or luck out on either a syncros or a suntour xc... Don´t get too precious on the build: these wickeds are about fun on the trails. I hope you had a crankset in mind when you had that bb axle made.. each crank asks for a certain length. Xt m732 to 735 is the right vintage. I have a T bone stem on mine and its´135mm to make length for the short top tube. Some people like riser bars, others make it a singlespeed... it´s all good: this is a workhorse of a bike. It´s a legend.
You can´t fit a wider than 2.2 tire in the back but can go up to 2.3 under the fork.
Good luck.

 

[Prodigal Son]

Were they not machined with ramps? All of this is beyond my era. My lust is the longevity and ease to anodize without crazy chemicals.


What tires?

If you ever decide to part with the crusty purple ones please let me know!

Ramps or not they shifted badly and that´s why it didn´t become a thing. I have not tried ti chain rings. As for longevity, i like fresh rings chains and cassettes cause they shift better.

 

[Yaldie]

This is a great riding frame. Some even swear it´s the best ever from Fat City while others don´t care for the wicked. It´s a quick handling bike w/ a tall bb and the typical fat city body weight distribution. Best bike i ever had in technical steep singletrack, loads of fun. Not the best at high speed trails if that´s your thing. Once you get into the woods w/ steep tight situations it´s awesome.
It takes a 26.4 seatpost. You can either get a cheap heavier post on ebay or luck out on either a syncros or a suntour xc... Don´t get too precious on the build: these wickeds are about fun on the trails. I hope you had a crankset in mind when you had that bb axle made.. each crank asks for a certain length. Xt m732 to 735 is the right vintage. I have a T bone stem on mine and its´135mm to make length for the short top tube. Some people like riser bars, others make it a singlespeed... it´s all good: this is a workhorse of a bike. It´s a legend.
You can´t fit a wider than 2.2 tire in the back but can go up to 2.3 under the fork.
Good luck.

It’s machined to 122mm so machined in mind for xt 735

 

[Yaldie]

I have hung some bits on it already, tbone stem which is NOS the rest is all used but fairly good condition. I have some hardly used rings which I will swap out for the rough ones. Going to tackle the paint work tomorrow….

 

[tangent]

I have hung some bits on it already, tbone stem which is NOS the rest is all used but fairly good condition. I have some hardly used rings which I will swap out for the rough ones. Going to tackle the paint work tomorrow….

Yo Yaldie, am delighted to see this pop back up on Retrobike… I think this was located in France if I remeber correctly…enjoy the build process & enjoy the riding even more in due course. Must find myself a suitable Wicked to try one day…have a feeling it will suit my style for example my fave after my now defunct FAT Titantium is actually the FAT Buckshaver, even tho’ I ridden several Yo Eddy’s too ( not saying they’re in any way bad performing - just the more forgiving / slender tubesets are more for me.

The Orange colour is awesome - could alwayo go Irn Bru themed and add some blue ano parts!

 

[Prodigal Son]

I have hung some bits on it already, tbone stem which is NOS the rest is all used but fairly good condition. I have some hardly used rings which I will swap out for the rough ones. Going to tackle the paint work tomorrow….

You know what would shine there? A Fat city handlebar or anything similar: 24in length w/ 9degree bend. It´s the last bit of the puzzle on my wicked. The slightly wider length w/ increased bend makes a huge difference on the wicked handling.
And that build is looking awesome.

 

[Yaldie]

You know what would shine there? A Fat city handlebar or anything similar: 24in length w/ 9degree bend. It´s the last bit of the puzzle on my wicked. The slightly wider length w/ increased bend makes a huge difference on the wicked handling.
And that build is looking awesome.

Sure would, have you come across any for sale? I was tempted to buy a bullmoose bar, possibly a repro netto,

 

[Prodigal Son]

Sure would, have you come across any for sale? I was tempted to buy a bullmoose bar, possibly a repro netto,

The few ones i saw for sale were cut so there was no point. I want a titanium repro made to fat city numbers or close. A bullmose is heavy and predates this bike not to mention the stem length is usually off.

 

[Yaldie]

The few ones i saw for sale were cut so there was no point. I want a titanium repro made to fat city numbers or close. A bullmose is heavy and predates this bike not to mention the stem length is usually off.

Yes there is that, I was more thinking reach and bar width rather than period correct and looks. I can’t wait to take it around my local trail centre. I also have some black sub130 bars but I think they arrived around 92 so not correct either

 

[Prodigal Son]

Yes there is that, I was more thinking reach and bar width rather than period correct and looks. I can’t wait to take it around my local trail centre. I also have some black sub130 bars but I think they arrived around 92 so not correct either

Build w/ what´s on your parts parts box. Ride it. A lot. Then start changing parts. Fit (and fun) trumps period correctness: if the hbar you´ve got works, do it. I want wider w more bend and may install a modern flat bar w/ the right geo; if the logos on it offend me too much i will just wipe them w/ acetone.