I moved to upstate NY from NC where I did a lot of xc riding. I am looking to sell my Pivot Mach4 (in classifieds) and am wondering if a fat bike would be close to a do-all bike up here? I am not looking to race but rather get miles in with my wife who just started showing an interest in hitting the trails ([email protected]). I would love to stud it and get out on the frozen lakes in the winter too. I am stuck between a fatty and a 29er hardtail.
You could have both a fat bike and a 29er hardtail in one. I know for sure you can put 29er wheels on a Salsa Mukluk and Rabbit Hole/29+ wheels on a Pugsley and I think Mukluk as well? Someone else can chime in on that... but yeah, just get two sets of wheels.
Not familiar with the trails up there, but you can ride a lot on a fatty, just maybe not as fast. That said, fat bike with wide gearset is great for going riding with a newbie wife. I highly recommend letting her lead the rides, so she sets the pace, and you don't have to worry about not paying attention and dropping her. Just ride behind her, grab an appropriate gear, and spin away.
What part of the state? I ride with several guys, myself included, that ride 95% fat on our local singletrack near Utica. The other 5% is when we show our other bikes love.
And with the winters we get, fat makes snow rides so much more enjoyable.
Thanks for all the answers folks! I am about 30 minutes northwest of Albany. I am thinking that a fatty would be a lot of fun but worry that I would miss having a light rocketship xc bike. That being said, I don't really have any interest in racing anymore or anything, just having fun with the wife and friends while getting a good workout in. I am leaning towards a 1x10 fatty. Anyone see that the "big S" has a fatty coming out (or it may be out, not sure)
North of Albany is a good place to be. You should check out the SAMBA trail network, plus plenty of other locations in the area to ride. Fat will be plenty of fun out there.
I have heard of the SMBA trails there in toga but have yet to get over there. Do you guys stud your fatty's for the winter? I know snow is probably ok without but what about ice? I would love to get up on the adirondack lakes and cruise the ice mid winter.
One of the guys I ride with studs, the rest of us don't. The only time I had a problem on it was glare ice on an uphill. Riding out on lakes was no problem with just Bud and Lou tires.
I just built up my 2013 Mukluk this spring. I also have a FS 29er and a rigid single speed. My 29er has been getting little use lately. Been on the SS a lot due to all the rain and the flatter/sandier areas (Pinebush/Luther's) being the only places dry enough to ride. The fat bike is not as fast on the really rough stuff as the FS but if I could only have ONE bike, it would be FAT! I have the most fun riding on the fat bike. When I first started riding it, I thought it would be slow and cumbersome. It is NOT! You'll be surprised how fast you can go on a fat bike. Cornering traction is amazing. I have not ridden the fat bike at SMBA yet but I hear they work great there. Go fat!
"Either way it doesn't really matter, I just got back from a bike ride."
> dbhammercycle
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Originally Posted by upstater13
