Ask the people close to the fire about fat bikes and you're bound to get a different answer every time. While at the second annual Fat Bike Worlds in Crested Butte, Colorado I was determined to find out the direction of the fat bike market. Turns out, the trends reported by the brands on hand are as varied as the bikes themselves.
- Weird, cold, and far from serious
- Are you tired of keeping up with the pace of change in cycling tech?
Year-round usage
There are a lot different visions and views on fat bikes and where they're headed. In one corner are the folks that want to push fat bikes and their ride characteristics more towards the mainstream of mountain bikes. That means full-suspension, modern slack and playful geometry, and a general ability to be used year round.
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William Golde from Cima Cycles in Aspen, CO. sees "fat bikes getting lighter and being used for all-season use, especially with plus wheels and tires." Echoing those thoughts was Jon Acuff from Proudfoot Cycles, a custom framebuilder from Golden CO., who mentioned "being able to change wheelsets, particularly to 29+" as being important.
Excelling in snow and sand
Others see fat bikes for their original intended purpose: riding on soft surfaces such as snow and sand. The crew in that camp prioritizes running the widest rims and tires you can shoehorn into the frame and fork. It also tends to think that, along with narrower tires, full suspension is an unnecessary part of the fatty equation.
Stephen Kaczmarek from Borealis mentioned the challenges for full-suspension: "It's too much to dial in for the average rider, two suspension units, two tire air pressures, getting the correct pressures set in changing temperatures." And regarding tire size, Kaczmarek replied that "Riders who ride in snowy areas want 26-inch tires, not 27.5-inch. 27.5 is the big boys trying to change the standard."
Racing and going fast
Adventure, it's all about adventure
Beginners take note
Downhill, flow trails and groomed tracks
One consistent trend
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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