Modern geo fat bike

PB Forum :: Fat Bikes
Modern geo fat bike
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Posted: Apr 14, 2020 at 7:40 Quote
I've ridden a fair amount of fat bikes in my time (my neighbor is the buyer for a bike shop and has access to like 7 fat bike samples), but none of them have had what I consider modern/good geometry. My local trail system grooms the single track during the winter, so I ride 12 months a year, but I usually just take my normal trail bike on winter rides as oppose to a fat bike because I can have more fun due to the geometry and full suspension, and the "skinny" tires work just fine on the groomed snow. Are there fat bikes out there with, for instance, 67° head tube angle, 340mm BB height, wide bars, and maybe a dropper post? (I know bars and a post can be changed after the fact, but it's nice if they come stock)

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Posted: Apr 14, 2020 at 7:49 Quote
RSD mayor v4 is close to modern geo, with 67 deg HTA.

https://rsdbikes.com/portfolio/mayor-v4-aluminum/

Posted: Apr 14, 2020 at 7:57 Quote
thanks man. For future reference to others, I put less-than signs in front of 67° and 340mm, but for some reason they disappear when I post it.

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Posted: Apr 25, 2020 at 19:08 Quote
Can't go wrong with the fatback skookum

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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 at 8:52 Quote
Have you considered a Rocky Mountain Blizzard? The new models have a 67 degree HTA, dropper post, wide bars, etc. I use a 2016 Blizzard as my year-round bike in Squamish and it handles the trails here just fine.

Posted: Jul 29, 2020 at 2:08 Quote
ARGON FAT??
HTA 67.5
STA 72
BB drop 55mm


https://en.nicolai-bicycles.com/frames/argon-fat/
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vQWq7DF8lVUGqLYFb0gjONHWT2Vd5drq1cOB8LMuezB3LdrdZrmiZ5QckEDzK8TU0jjVxDSlbsvTv0E/pubhtml

Posted: Jul 29, 2020 at 2:40 Quote
Go custom through Marino?

Proper LLS with fat tyres would be ace!

Posted: Sep 3, 2020 at 14:17 Quote
The only truly modern ones have to have some reach I think in addition to non vertical head tube angles. I've only found the pole, the norco, and the kona match this description. I think the seat tube angle doesn't have to be the 76 of modern bikes as you dont climb that steep stuff - at least when on snow.

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Posted: Sep 3, 2020 at 16:38 Quote
machinethatbrews wrote:
Have you considered a Rocky Mountain Blizzard? The new models have a 67 degree HTA, dropper post, wide bars, etc. I use a 2016 Blizzard as my year-round bike in Squamish and it handles the trails here just fine.

THIS. The 2021 Blizzard's are the slackest yet (66 degree HTA) and even the medium has a 450mm reach.

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Posted: Sep 3, 2020 at 17:20 Quote
zeedre wrote:
... I think the seat tube angle doesn't have to be the 76 of modern bikes as you dont climb that steep stuff - at least when on snow.

Not sure about this, we climb the same trails in the winter that we climb in the summer so there are definitely some steep sections to our rides. As long as the snow is semi-packed and not loose/light/fluffy stuff, we'll climb it.

That said, I'm climbing that stuff on an old school geometry Moose with a 69 degree head tube angle and a slacker seat tube than more modern trail bikes.

Posted: Sep 19, 2020 at 10:49 Quote
I'd be wary of going slack on a fatbike.
I wanted one with my favoured geo, so had one built by Waltly Ti two years ago.

Before pulling the trigger, I tried the fat front plugged into my two hardtails. One 63, and one 66 degrees.

As you know, a 4.8 tyre at single digit psi has handling quirks, self steer and following camber being the main ones. Runing it slack made this feel like too much of a handful. I stuck with 69 and a long reach / short stem.
All the other aspects of modern geo work great on a fatty, long reach, lower BBand steep STA. I really love mine!

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Posted: Nov 4, 2020 at 7:57 Quote
check out Wyatt bicycles, amazing geo

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Posted: Nov 4, 2020 at 8:07 Quote
Hey, does anyone have a Pivot Les Fat where their frame is peeling? I bought a 2019 Les fat and my frame is "Peeling", but it looks like it's "cracking". I contacted Pivot and they said it's just cosmetic. Has anyone else had this happen to their frame? I can send pictures if anyone is curious.

Here's some photos:

https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/19673517/
https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/19673516/
https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/19673515/
https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/19673513/

Posted: Jan 15, 2021 at 10:07 Quote
E30m3 wrote:
Can't go wrong with the fatback skookum

True. Good 4 season bike. Rides like a trail bike in the summer, keeps up with the pure bred fatties in the winter.

Posted: Jan 15, 2021 at 22:59 Quote
I have a RSD Mayor V5 on order. 67* HA at sag with a 100mm fork (490mm a2c). Currently own a XL V4 and run a mastodon std 120mm, so 66* hta at sag, 65* static. The V4 is great, just not long enough. At 6’4 the XXL V5 with a 500mm reach is much better suited. I run a 170mm dropper on the V4 and that will fit just fine for me on the XXL V5 as they have reasonable seat post lengths with internal dropper routing.

Mayor V5
HTA: 67* (490mm a2c)
Reach: 466 L
CS: 435-450 sliding dropouts
STA: 74*
ETT: 635 L

One thing to look out for is short bikes with slack HTAs. I find that to ride like poop. Luckily other brands besides rsd like rocky mtn, pole, norco and some others are making fat bikes.

But for example, fatback look nice and all, but super short. Probably works ok for shorter people if you size up, but their largest size Skookum has a 433 reach Confused That’s pretty much a size small on a rsd, pole or rocky. I would need a 120mm stem to get my bars where they need to be Eek

Growler bikes are also one to check out if not too tall. They run a little short as well too though, but not too bad. Really like their bikes, but just need about 30mm more reach for me to be able to run a proper stem length.

As for STA not being steep enough; these are hardtails, they get steeper when you ride and don’t have rear shocks that compress and slackens out the STA on steep climbs. Also, most have a straight seat tube, so that is a true STA you are looking at not a full sus with a curved seat tube and a STA measured at the seat collar or handle bar height. But, if you must have a steep STA on a hardtail for whatever reason, then slide your seat forward on the saddle 10-20mm or so. Every 10mm you move the saddle, the STA changes a degree. Just make sure you have a bike long enough to allow for that.

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