MacFatro - Fatbike news and builds thread
- Thread starter The Ken
- Start date
Ahhh, yes, the minicornetto from the Fat forum, I know now. We did chat last year, I'm sure.
Its always hard to put forum names to people, especially from one forum to another. Will make a point of finding as many retrobikers as I can.
I know Jason is a lapsed retrobiker, Barry, (firedfromthecircus) was there the years before last. So there are a few macretro as well as others.
Jamie
Its always hard to put forum names to people, especially from one forum to another. Will make a point of finding as many retrobikers as I can.
I know Jason is a lapsed retrobiker, Barry, (firedfromthecircus) was there the years before last. So there are a few macretro as well as others.
Jamie
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
I might show up on the Saturday, but not on a fat bike. However I know a "normal" mtb won't cut it so if I do show it'll be on something with fat rims and burly big DH tyres. This will allow firmer sand riding and get me out to and back from the submarines 
I will also put up with the good natured slagging my "Low Fat" bike will cause :roll:
I will also put up with the good natured slagging my "Low Fat" bike will cause :roll:
jimo746":23l5sdai said:
Oh dear, there's a can of worms!
For tyres..
Fat is 3.8" and over
Plus is 2.75" - 3"
That's a simplification based on what manufacturers want to sell us. In reality there is just a sliding scale with overlapping abilities.
Rims are a different matter.
For proper fat tyres 65mm -80mm is most common but depending on tyre it could be 50-100mm.
Plus tyres depend on what tyre profile you're after. Specialized use a 30mm (internal) while Surly prefer a 50mm. Velocity Duallys are popular at 45mm, a nice compromise that lets you run normal size tyres as well without giving too square a profile.
All that said, our very own mad scientists Velo and Epicyclo have tried quite a few other combinations, so can advise better than me what works.
epicyclo
Senior Retro Guru
I would add FatLite to that.
3.25 to 3.75"
That's because there's a number of tyres which don't come up to their casing dimension. Notably the Fat B Nimble. While some people have disparaged those tyres for that, it actually is an advantage because it enables you to fit them into bikes where fat was never contemplated.
For example a FBN on a 40mm rim will fit quite comfortably into the front of a Surly 1x1 and many segmented forks, which gives a fat front possibility for most 26" bikes. The FBN is unlikely to fit in the back of any bike that doesn't have about 90mm clearance - it's 82mm on a 40mm rim, so to even out the bike stick a 650b in the back or a 26" Dirt Wizard and you're set (ie get as close to the FBN diameter as possible as a smaller diameter back wheel will effectively slacken your HA, some may like that).
eg
I regard the FatLite as a good 3 season option for when you're looking for compliance over rough surfaces rather than ultimate float. If I was building a custom frame it would be designed to take FBNs as an option.
3.25 to 3.75"
That's because there's a number of tyres which don't come up to their casing dimension. Notably the Fat B Nimble. While some people have disparaged those tyres for that, it actually is an advantage because it enables you to fit them into bikes where fat was never contemplated.
For example a FBN on a 40mm rim will fit quite comfortably into the front of a Surly 1x1 and many segmented forks, which gives a fat front possibility for most 26" bikes. The FBN is unlikely to fit in the back of any bike that doesn't have about 90mm clearance - it's 82mm on a 40mm rim, so to even out the bike stick a 650b in the back or a 26" Dirt Wizard and you're set (ie get as close to the FBN diameter as possible as a smaller diameter back wheel will effectively slacken your HA, some may like that).
eg
I regard the FatLite as a good 3 season option for when you're looking for compliance over rough surfaces rather than ultimate float. If I was building a custom frame it would be designed to take FBNs as an option.
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
Re:
Also fat bikes are essentially floatation wheeled bikes. They are the best at it because of fat tyre on fat rims. However more normal width tyres on fatter than standard rims can also give you surprising amounts of float. I can fit Nokian Gazza Jnr. 26 x 2.6" tyres onto 65mm wide rims and fit them into my stock On-One 456 trail bike. The tough casing DH tyre on the wide rim can thus be run at pretty low psi and have a rather big footprint. I cannot go on soft ground to the extremes a fat bike can but I can go on the stuff that normal mtb's cannot even dream of. Basically the wide rim is the most important bit but wider than standard tyres are a fantastic addition.
Also fat bikes are essentially floatation wheeled bikes. They are the best at it because of fat tyre on fat rims. However more normal width tyres on fatter than standard rims can also give you surprising amounts of float. I can fit Nokian Gazza Jnr. 26 x 2.6" tyres onto 65mm wide rims and fit them into my stock On-One 456 trail bike. The tough casing DH tyre on the wide rim can thus be run at pretty low psi and have a rather big footprint. I cannot go on soft ground to the extremes a fat bike can but I can go on the stuff that normal mtb's cannot even dream of. Basically the wide rim is the most important bit but wider than standard tyres are a fantastic addition.
Last weekend saw the annual trip to North Berwick for a long weekend at the Forth fat gathering.
I left home just after lunch on Friday, a bit later than planned due to a last minute wheel bearing replacement on the singlespeed hub. Unusual for me in that I had a spare set of bearings on hand. I arrived around 8 pm or so. met up with a few of the usual suspects in town before heading up to the caravan park for a change and a couple of drinks. As per last year, I was very fortunate to be staying with Brian and Sheena in a very well equipped and comfortable static caravan. Duvet, radiators, lovely shower , etc, very civilised.
Saturday dawned cold, clear but cold. It was an early kick off planned for 8.30 so preperations were underway sharpish only for me to discover that my front hub, the XT 9 speed was really tight at the cones. I couldn't loosen it as the lock nut wa 1mm bigger than my Surly one on the rear. It was already 8.10 so all I could do was throw it in the car and head down into the town to David at Laws Cycles and see if was about to help. Despite a few people there organising the demo bikes and stuff he took my wheel straight in and tried adjusting it. Seemed fine until he spun it holding the lever to notice that the cone on the drive side tightened itself straight away. back into the shop and he had it stripped completely, cleaned, greased and rebuilt in super quick time and then wouldn't take anything for it. A gentleman for sure and as I was to find out sunday afternoon, a great cook as well, a man of many talents. I made it back up to the caravan site, and raced down into town as the group was heading out the other side of town. The group this year consisted of about 80 or more Fatbikes of manner. I knew where we were heading so quickly caught them up. It was an early start and a quicker pace due to the tide for heading out to the subs and also there was a fun run coming through a part of the woods we crossed through.
After the subs and onto the beach sections I was having a hard time on the long drags and thought my brake was dragging. I stopped and unwound the pads on the BB7's but it made no difference so I then thought that when I changed the bearings the day before I had nipped it up a bit too much. With no cone spanners on me I had to keep plugging away but I can say that I was really putting in a big effort just to keep going. I couldn't work out whether it was my hub or whether I was just having a really bad day as my legs were aching. If I stopped pedalling the bike just stopped in half a wheel revolution at most. Anyway we made it back to North Berwick a bit early for dinner so I headed to the bike shop to see David again. He asked what it felt like and I told him it felt like the brake was on, but wound it out so maybe the hub. He lifted the back of the bike up, spun the wheel, it stopped after a 1/4 of a revolution and he said 'that's because your brake is on'
It seems when I have rushed getting the wheels in and out the last couple of days I must have knocked the rear caliper out of alignment. A quick loosen and tighten and wow, my wheel spun. It was a feeling of a) relief, relief it wasn't my hub, relief my legs weren't quite as bad as I imagined they could be and b) embarrassment.
I went and celebrated with an ice cream and then found Brian down the pier eating chips and drinking coffee with about 20 other fatbikers. Rude not to join them.
From there a few of us rode back to the caravan park up the big hill. That hill felt great, my legs worked, my hub worked and my brakes worked, but only when needed
Saturday dinner was in the Ship Inn. Due to so many of us they decided to have it early on before 6 so we would be finished by the time the 'normal' customers came.
It all worked well and the plan was to head to the caravan park around 7 . Best laid plans and all that
There was a fairly decent group of us left after dinner, including a couple of retrobikers, calum, Gil, Jason, Pam along with Pat from Ison and John and Alex from Surly. We had a fair thirst being sated, myself drinking the Black Isle breweries finest blonde ale, considering I don't drink really, I was pretty well on my way. pat called me over at one point and gave me a sticker, he said this is appropriate for you, it said ' some people just can't handle their freedom'. Considering the situation it was funny. Pat is always good for a laugh whenever I see him. Brian had headed up to the caravan park earlier than myself as his son AJ had come across from Edinburgh to see him. I ended up getting a lift with Pam along with several others in the back of Gils van. The night didn't end there as it was surprisingly early and the Griffside cycles boys had a keg in their van along with a bottle of Old Pulneytown whisky liqueur I had bought down with me. Not for me, I can't stand whisky, it was more for Lars and Tommy from Holland and anyone else. It was bloody freezing so I headed back to the van after a while as it looked like some were in for the long haul. A quiet beer back at the van with Brian and family rounded out a great night.
Sunday dawned too quickly, and with Brian having to stay put at the van due to having reawakened his leg injury from February, it was hard for me to get motivated. Not due to any of the night befores activities, It doesn't take much for me to be tipsy but I was sober by bed time, no my legs were just bloody sore from the day before. I slowly packed and put everything in the car as todays start was round at Whitchurch.
Todays ride was great, starting through some fields, a little tarmac, then around the coast for quite a few miles riding the sand and rocks. Then it was through the woods for an hour or so before back onto the beach then the woods again. The sun was out, there was about 60 bikes today, some new guys and girls who couldn't make yesterday. Once out the woods it was a very short tarmac section back to the Golf Course where Bruce works and also where David from the bikeshop had a huge BBQ underway to feed us all. Very welcome I can say. After a quick bite to eat and a sit round chatting to friends, some I only see here each year, it was time to hit the road. It was about 320miles and around 6.5 hours to home, a long drive after a long day. Very well worth every minute of it.
This is my 4th Forth Fat and it is quickly becoming one of my most anticipated and enjoyed days on the calender. A good few of the guys I see at other things, retrobike, many at singlespeed meeetings and other I just ride with now and again but its the cool, non competitive vibe of just being a good social bike weekend that I like. These days with so much actual diversity in the range and intended uses for fatbikes it is something that on paper probably shouldn't work as well as it does. There are full suspension rigs ridden by guys who have them setup to freeride anything, carbon beargrease with carbon rims, hubs etc that weigh complete less than one of my wheels, then there the type like Brian and I who ride heavy steel singlespeeds, the list could go on but you get the idea, though everyone mixes, chats eats and drinks and most importantly rides and enjoys themselves together.
Anyway I thought I would share and stick some pics up.
Jamie
1 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2354 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2355 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2358 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2369 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2370 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2371 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2378 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2384 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2385 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
2 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
I left home just after lunch on Friday, a bit later than planned due to a last minute wheel bearing replacement on the singlespeed hub. Unusual for me in that I had a spare set of bearings on hand. I arrived around 8 pm or so. met up with a few of the usual suspects in town before heading up to the caravan park for a change and a couple of drinks. As per last year, I was very fortunate to be staying with Brian and Sheena in a very well equipped and comfortable static caravan. Duvet, radiators, lovely shower , etc, very civilised.
Saturday dawned cold, clear but cold. It was an early kick off planned for 8.30 so preperations were underway sharpish only for me to discover that my front hub, the XT 9 speed was really tight at the cones. I couldn't loosen it as the lock nut wa 1mm bigger than my Surly one on the rear. It was already 8.10 so all I could do was throw it in the car and head down into the town to David at Laws Cycles and see if was about to help. Despite a few people there organising the demo bikes and stuff he took my wheel straight in and tried adjusting it. Seemed fine until he spun it holding the lever to notice that the cone on the drive side tightened itself straight away. back into the shop and he had it stripped completely, cleaned, greased and rebuilt in super quick time and then wouldn't take anything for it. A gentleman for sure and as I was to find out sunday afternoon, a great cook as well, a man of many talents. I made it back up to the caravan site, and raced down into town as the group was heading out the other side of town. The group this year consisted of about 80 or more Fatbikes of manner. I knew where we were heading so quickly caught them up. It was an early start and a quicker pace due to the tide for heading out to the subs and also there was a fun run coming through a part of the woods we crossed through.
After the subs and onto the beach sections I was having a hard time on the long drags and thought my brake was dragging. I stopped and unwound the pads on the BB7's but it made no difference so I then thought that when I changed the bearings the day before I had nipped it up a bit too much. With no cone spanners on me I had to keep plugging away but I can say that I was really putting in a big effort just to keep going. I couldn't work out whether it was my hub or whether I was just having a really bad day as my legs were aching. If I stopped pedalling the bike just stopped in half a wheel revolution at most. Anyway we made it back to North Berwick a bit early for dinner so I headed to the bike shop to see David again. He asked what it felt like and I told him it felt like the brake was on, but wound it out so maybe the hub. He lifted the back of the bike up, spun the wheel, it stopped after a 1/4 of a revolution and he said 'that's because your brake is on'
It seems when I have rushed getting the wheels in and out the last couple of days I must have knocked the rear caliper out of alignment. A quick loosen and tighten and wow, my wheel spun. It was a feeling of a) relief, relief it wasn't my hub, relief my legs weren't quite as bad as I imagined they could be and b) embarrassment.
I went and celebrated with an ice cream and then found Brian down the pier eating chips and drinking coffee with about 20 other fatbikers. Rude not to join them.
From there a few of us rode back to the caravan park up the big hill. That hill felt great, my legs worked, my hub worked and my brakes worked, but only when needed
Saturday dinner was in the Ship Inn. Due to so many of us they decided to have it early on before 6 so we would be finished by the time the 'normal' customers came.
It all worked well and the plan was to head to the caravan park around 7 . Best laid plans and all that
There was a fairly decent group of us left after dinner, including a couple of retrobikers, calum, Gil, Jason, Pam along with Pat from Ison and John and Alex from Surly. We had a fair thirst being sated, myself drinking the Black Isle breweries finest blonde ale, considering I don't drink really, I was pretty well on my way. pat called me over at one point and gave me a sticker, he said this is appropriate for you, it said ' some people just can't handle their freedom'. Considering the situation it was funny. Pat is always good for a laugh whenever I see him. Brian had headed up to the caravan park earlier than myself as his son AJ had come across from Edinburgh to see him. I ended up getting a lift with Pam along with several others in the back of Gils van. The night didn't end there as it was surprisingly early and the Griffside cycles boys had a keg in their van along with a bottle of Old Pulneytown whisky liqueur I had bought down with me. Not for me, I can't stand whisky, it was more for Lars and Tommy from Holland and anyone else. It was bloody freezing so I headed back to the van after a while as it looked like some were in for the long haul. A quiet beer back at the van with Brian and family rounded out a great night.
Sunday dawned too quickly, and with Brian having to stay put at the van due to having reawakened his leg injury from February, it was hard for me to get motivated. Not due to any of the night befores activities, It doesn't take much for me to be tipsy but I was sober by bed time, no my legs were just bloody sore from the day before. I slowly packed and put everything in the car as todays start was round at Whitchurch.
Todays ride was great, starting through some fields, a little tarmac, then around the coast for quite a few miles riding the sand and rocks. Then it was through the woods for an hour or so before back onto the beach then the woods again. The sun was out, there was about 60 bikes today, some new guys and girls who couldn't make yesterday. Once out the woods it was a very short tarmac section back to the Golf Course where Bruce works and also where David from the bikeshop had a huge BBQ underway to feed us all. Very welcome I can say. After a quick bite to eat and a sit round chatting to friends, some I only see here each year, it was time to hit the road. It was about 320miles and around 6.5 hours to home, a long drive after a long day. Very well worth every minute of it.
This is my 4th Forth Fat and it is quickly becoming one of my most anticipated and enjoyed days on the calender. A good few of the guys I see at other things, retrobike, many at singlespeed meeetings and other I just ride with now and again but its the cool, non competitive vibe of just being a good social bike weekend that I like. These days with so much actual diversity in the range and intended uses for fatbikes it is something that on paper probably shouldn't work as well as it does. There are full suspension rigs ridden by guys who have them setup to freeride anything, carbon beargrease with carbon rims, hubs etc that weigh complete less than one of my wheels, then there the type like Brian and I who ride heavy steel singlespeeds, the list could go on but you get the idea, though everyone mixes, chats eats and drinks and most importantly rides and enjoys themselves together.
Anyway I thought I would share and stick some pics up.
Jamie
1 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2354 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2355 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2358 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2369 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2370 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2371 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2378 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2384 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2385 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr2 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrSimilar threads
