Video: World´s First Gearbox Fat Bike

 Something about a belt drive and gearbox really gets me going!

 This things like Strudel! I like Strudel, Ja Strudel!

 ditry907 I'm sure you can fit a chain to it. Swap out the cogs, add a chain and you're good to go!

 SICK! Imagine those tires with some 3/8" homemade spikes for icy traction?!?
I love it even though I could never fit her in my stable.

 45nrrh has studded kevlar foldable fat tires already.

 yup... I'd get a fatty.

 I absolutely don't need one (this winter we didn't have any snow at all), but still... I want it! :o

 This is the second sweet looking gearbox setup I've seen today!
Makes me curious for sure.
www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/Zerodes-Full-Carbon-Gearbox-Trail-Bike,7113/Slideshow,0/sspomer,2

 @bike-3883 I was thinking along the lines of no chain, no rust. Looking awesome.

 Wow, I state one thing I would like to see different... still an exciting concept.

 looks like a sustainable pace

 @ AgentSmirnoff Yes, me too! From what I've read belts are every bit as efficient as chains, lighter, shed dirt better, are more silent, last longer, harder to break (although they can of course break) and don't rust. Disadvantages are: You need a breakable frame and some means of tensioning it (check), you need a "perfect" chainline (check), you have to carry a spare instead of just a breakaway link, they're more expensive (argument doesn't hold when you but it with a belt and swap it out for a chain) and not every bikeshop carries them. I'd go for the belt. But if @dirty907 prefers a chain, no problem: Just swap it out!

 Ja strudel ,LoL!!!

 I agree.. I have seen all the fat bikes that have come out, and I haven't personally liked one yet. until now. They took the gear box, and the belt drive ( 2 ideas that have not really exploded with popularity ) and found the right application for it. Well done, I like the fork and the dropper post they added.. an awesome overall bikes from the look of it, I think this will catch on! Impressive!

 they look way cooler with a suspension fork. I want one too.

 Full suspension anyone? Can you go tubeless with those cutout rims? Still don't like the weight of all that rubber. Do fat bikes come in 24".

 There are already full suspension fat bikes, and yes you simply tape the rims. No they don't though a 24 x 3.0 gazzoloddi is close in width to what most fat riders use (3.8" width tires).

 Anyone remember this ?

www.pinkbike.com/photo/10115936

 I must need for my live, try this bike in sand and dunes!

 Im getting a fatty over this fatty.

 I think the first comment just changed pinkbike history, we now accept fat bikes and gearboxes! Just 27.5 and 29ers to go...

 Yup! Every year they seem to be smaller and prettier(plus the belt drive to wrap it up).

 www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/Zerodes-Full-Carbon-Gearbox-Trail-Bike,7113/Slideshow,0/sspomer,2

 I know I'm a little slow at times but is it just me, or is it missing a brake lever?

 Richierocket, there are two cables coming out of the left brake lever (so it modulates the front and rear brake).

 Nonono, I see it now. At different points during the vid you can see a right lever(3:11). Plus a few others if your screen is HiResolution which this vid is not in..

 Its only a one finger leaver(therefore hard to see) because it sits so far in on the bar because of the shifter.

 Belgians? Let me guess: Riding Sandman bikes? ;-)

 Martin and Adrienne (spelling?). Can't remember the brand of bikes, but fully rigid (only tyre suspension). Super freaking nice guys, and hard as iron. To keep up with the top pack on those treads takes real steel.

 Must be vimeo.com/52354955 and vimeo.com/53640576

I've never ridden one, but Sandman bikes are - from what I hear and read - absolutely friggin' awesome! Of course that could be marketing talk ;-) They do actually offer suspension forks as well, quite good ones (again, from what I read and hear). Sandman were also actually working on a pinion fatbike as well, but the development costs were too steep for them (since they're a medium sized company). Ironically, a small two-man company from the Netherlands is now also building their first pinion fatbike: www.facebook.com/11ANTs/photos/a.1448121788748223.1073741830.1403677176526018/1474851152741953/?type=1&stream_ref=10 and www.11antsbikes.com/shop/tarantula First production model should be out riding within a few weeks. Exciting things are happening!

 yeah, sure, anyone would prefer a fatty over a stationery... or did you mean riding your stationery carrying the fat bike on your back ?

 Thanks for the nice words about the Belgians and Sandman fatbikes !

I participated in the BCBR in 2010, together with Elias Van Hoeydonck who tested a prototype Sandman and took top 20. Great times !

Sandman actually does offer Pinion-ready frames. I know because I ordered one :-)

It is true that they have been slow in coming. That is because Pinion was not able to guarantee their product for a long, long time. A limited test series was promised to Sandman, but none ever materialized (probably because Pinion realized that at least two Sandman test drivers were 6ft5 and 200+Lbs Flemish giants ;-)

Pity, but I trust the final product will be worth the wait. I hope I'll get mine in time for a self-supported raid in the West Fjords of Iceland :-)

 I'm in Chicago, and 2nd this. Don't know about 5', but there's been way too much snow to even get the rollers out on the porch, much less get through any singletrack.

 Look at the shape of the belt : brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/gates-cetnertrack-belt-drive-image3.jpg
There is a groove in the middle.

 On my Rohloff equipped bike I can feel the weight at the rear wheel. On my Nicolai Helius AC Pinion the weight down low and centred on the frame doesn't have anywhere near the impact on handling the Rohloff has.

 Do you know what is the difference between tires pumped with helium and tires pumped with air?

 About 9 gramm a wheel. So nothing compared the 2.5Kg a wheel seams to weight here, but hey ballontires...

 i was also told helium will have a constant leak from the tubes (due to the atoms or some scientific shit like that being smaller than air)

 I asked about this just to trigger this discussion. It's a few grams indeed, so such a bike won't fly away, nor there will be any change in handling. My friends used to discuss this Helium to be pumped in car tires, hoping to increase fuel mileage and performance. Pumped up and weighed vehicle did not show any difference on professional diagnostic scale, nor there was a change in handling, nor mileage. In this case @jumpman2334 is very right. The tires lost pressure after three days. In fact bicycle tubes and tires have holles in their buttyl-rubber particule structure big enough for air, so this is why it is worth to check pressure at least once a week. Changes in pressure are also very visible in different weather and temperature conditions. For example in winter time I prepare my bike indoors and just after going outside the pressure drops significantly. The only alternative gas worth using to pump tires in cars and bikes is Nitrogen. It's unique physical features make it very stable in temperatures far more extreme than humans are experiencing. Nitrogen in car tires keep the preasure almost constant when rolling at high speed, braking etc. Nitrogen in bike tires can help in keeping the same pressure in different temperature conditions like winter indoor preparations, or epic descending thousants of feet in high mountains where temperature changes dramatically with altitude. Nitrogen is used in vulcanisation garages and it costs about 5euro to pump a car. ..but come on ! this should be fun, so lets leave it to pro ridiers.

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV6rNqin4P8

 I've been riding all winter only non fat MTB. 2.5" tires no problem. I've come across guys on fat bikes and they clear nothing more than me. The dat bike still needs a well packed base. Either by snowmobile, XC skiers or hikers/ snowshoers. As for shifting, run a continuous cable from your shifter to your derailleur. That solves all freezing related issues.

Not saying that this isn't a really nice looking bike and that gear box isn't cool or reliable or whatever. Just saying don't let the lack of a fat bike be the reason you don't get out this winter.

So ya bonedog I agree with you.

 yeah i agree with you to, I just got my first fat bike this winter, it helps with the snow a fair amount although like you said u still need a solid well packed base.

 All fatbikes do is let you ride stuff you're normally use typical trail running snowshoes on. If its too deep/powdery for anything less than mega sized backcountry skis or snowshoes though, you're not going anywhere regardless of how wide your tires are until you add a motor and probably tracks/skis to the equation.

 It is a really long story, but my bike, with Effigear shifts to harder gears in a better way than anything else I have ever ridden, full stand up sprint is no different to coasting. Changing to easier gears is different to a derailler and requires some adaption / education period, but I think it works better than a derailler in most scenarios. The Pinion box is close to opposite, between most gears it shifts really well into easier gears, but requires backing off into harder gears. Basically it takes a bit of time to start use to the advantages, so any tests of these types of things need at least a few weeks before a decent opinion is made

 thanks!

 Not from personal experience. From what I've read: It's the same (made in Taiwan) as this one: forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/sandman-javelina-suspension-fork-first-pics-827502.html But they decided to discontinue development because it wasn't up the (their) quality standards. They stayed with the one they were already using (the German:Answer Flame). So the Flame would probably be a better option (I'm quite surprised Nicolai didn't go for the Flame), but is more expensive and I'm not sure you could get one in the States.

Upside down forks are said to be a bit more wobbly (less stiff), but for now it's the only option available for really fat tires. But, Sandman is working on a (stiffer) regular fat suspension fork: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0HUFGxxyQY&feature=youtube_gdata_player. And German:Answer are working on their own solution to stiffen their upside down design: enduro-mtb.com/en/germana-could-upside-down-single-crown-be-ready-for-enduro And then we have this which looks nice as well singletrackworld.com/2014/01/magura-engineers-diy-fatbike-fork Things are looking good for fat suspension forks!

So, no experience. Just more options to consider. Sorry

 The geo on the spesh fat bike is basically pulled from their carve (29er HT i believe), or at least thats what MTBR said...

 I was kidding. I have zero interest in this bike no matter the wheel size.

 ...enduro 29er

 Oh how right you said it...

 ya dawg.

 Well it's all about the brand name, running the fattest, most useless tires the industry could ever come up with, and being able to brag to your friends about that cool bike you bought, that can get you nowhere fast and easy It is only with a heart of a hipster that you can really comprehend the love and appreciation that this bike actually needs.

...nope, it's just another industry segment of crap that's being pushed into our faces. Gone are the times when this was a sport for the minority...

 I cant help but think, for the price of that bike, I could buy 2 snowmobiles, and me and someone else could have 10 times as much fun. I'm not stopping anyone else from getting one (or hating), but it's not for me.