full suspension fat bike trek

Don't have an account? Join Now

Forgot Password

Please enter your public display name and a secure password.

Plan to post in the forums? Change your default forum handle here!

Teton Tested: Can The Trek Farley EX Full Suspension Fatbike Do It All?

Is there a bike out there you can just throw your leg over to crush any terrain the whole year round? Extremes like DH and XC aside, Trek is getting really close with its new Farley EX 9.8 fatbike.

Check out the bike’s marketing video below; big props for nice creative that took months to execute and some sharp match-frame editing. My content-marketing brain salutes you.

Fatbikes have evolved significantly since their early, slow-crawling, snow-tank days. There are now carbon race, full-suspension and good old-fashioned steel bruiser flavors. In 2015 and early 2016 fatbike sales boomed with Midwestern, Southwestern, and Southern states leading the charge (though dipping toward the end of last year). People who ride them love and stay on them year-round. It's easy to see why Trek doubled down on the category.

But just how far can these grip-mongers go in today’s hard-charging trail world?

At 32 pounds, the Farley EX feels light-ish for a fatbike. It's only about four or five pounds over a high-end 120/130mm trail bike. It comes tubeless, of course. (Running tubes in fat tires would add two pounds.)

Dialing suspension settings on the Farley EX requires about 3 to 5 rides for experimentation. It takes a bit to figure out if your tires are too soft and the hydraulics too hard, or the other way around. I wound up running about 8.5psi in my tires (7 on snow) and slightly less than recommended pressure in the fork and shock (who knows, maybe I lost some weight). Though I did find that once you settle into the bike’s trail capabilities, you start to run higher tire pressure.

As with all other Trek bikes, fit and finish are high quality. A matte-black with red paint scheme and carbon parts come together very well.

Lets get this out of the way: This bike climbs everything. Everything. Really, your legs are its only limitation. I reviewed Trek’s (rigid) Farley 9.8 last year and loved it, but the EX adds another dimension for technical ascending, descending, and rocky trails.

During my few setup rides, I felt the extra tire grip while braking, added to what is essentially a top-end 32/33lb trail bike, can flex the Rockshox Bluto fork’s 32mm stanchions. Rowdy trail bikes usually come with 34mm stanchion forks, though there just aren’t many options in the Fat market outside of the Bluto. The Farley is an aggressive bike which begs you to ride it harder than other fatbikes, so torsional and braking loads placed on the fork from its wide tire/rim combo probably exceed those of a ‘normal’ setup. You will ram the Farley hard into more stuff.

However, once I found the right PSI for fork and tires, as well as settings (one click from open on dampening and more toward the middle in rebound), that flex was minimized and it operated well. I never had to back off of anything rough because of the fork.

For downhill and technical sections I’d drop my heels to bore those 3.8 tires deep into whatever surface I was on. The RE:aktiv shock always remained active and smooth in ice/snow, damp trail or rock gardens. Trek’s ABP braking and full floater suspension technologies really steady the ship. Some trail damping credit can go to fat tires, but this suspension remains responsive under any condition.

Some bikes' platform damping negate the need to play with a shock's compression, but here the open/middle/climb switch makes a difference—in a good way. Middle is fine for most things, but if you know you’re in for a climb or a ripping descent, it’s easy to reach down and flip the lever on the fly.

While riding, the insane amount of trail-quieting carbon, tire volume and capable suspension can lull you into thinking you’re not going fast. But you are. More than once I’d look back to see my usual crew quite far behind me. Also, more capability means less stops or dabs down. So you’re faster over the course of a whole ride. Where others put a foot down over a slick skinny, I’d keep rolling.

In terms of technique: On regular fatbikes you can approach technical sections with a bit less speed, picking through features without fear of losing traction. With the Farley EX, ramping up speed and power into technical sections, the way you would a regular trail bike, is more the norm. Though planting your tires on nasty rock and expecting them to grab like a handhold works fine. It’s an interesting balance, somewhere between fatbike and trail bike riding. Lots of body English.

We finally got a bit of snow here in the East, so I took it out on our shit-show trails of thawed-then-frozen ice, loose leaves and dirt. While most folks walked much of the way, I was on the regular Farley I’d been riding for months. To me, everything was fine. And that’s what this bike is about.

When others flop around like salmon in the bottom of a boat, you keep pedaling like nothing’s wrong. There is no day on which you can't roll it out of the garage.

The bike’s superior trail capabilities make you think about a couple things. I would be curious to run some dirt-specific rubber and get the Farley away from the Bontrager Hodag tires’ even, round profile. The Hodag is a solid fatbike tire, its transition from center to side is smooth, though not snappy and the sidewall is soft, like other fat tires. I feel a Maxxis 3.8 Minion FBR/FBF combo on dirt would be awesome. I personally prefer tires with distinct transition zones and slightly burlier shoulders. Of course tall knobs aren’t great for snow. For snow, the Hodags are great so far.

Also, you really need to run a pound or two more PSI than other fatbike’s tires before rip-snorting it through rock gardens. The only flat I had was on an aggressive trail ride; I flipped the shock’s switch to climb through a fast, flat area and then neglected to flip it back when re-entering a rougher section. Tearing through the rocks with the back locked out pinched the rear tire.

Once you re-train your brain away from thinking it's a fatbike, you're set for anything. It comes off the car and it's the right bike for wherever you are. And it's fun. The poppy little jumps, boosts and features you enjoy so much on other bikes can be enjoyed with this one. It isn't lumbering.

One of the nicest benefits is the triple-crown confidence which enters your mind as you approach any trail feature. "I've got crazy grip, mad rollover, and phenomenal trail suspension—nothing will go wrong". It leaves you free to have at it and enjoy the ride.

Fork: 120mm travel RockShox Bluto RL Shock: Fox Performance Float EVOL, RE:aktiv 3-position damper Wheels: Trek Wampa Carbon 80 SL 150x15 front, 197x12 rear Tires: Bontrager Hodag 27.5 x 3.8 (race width!) Crank: Race Face Next w/30T Direct Mount Narrow-Wide Rear derailleur: SRAM X01 Cassette: SRAM 11-speed 10-42 Seat post: Bontrager Drop Line 125mm Handlebar: 750mm OCLV Carbon Bontrager Line Pro Stem: Bontrager 35mm Brakes: SRAM Guide Weight: 32.30 lbs Price: $5,499.99

$5,499 is a pretty competitive price—regardless of fatness—for any full suspension carbon-fiber frame (Farley’s chainstays are aluminum) with carbon wheels, carbon handlebars, Raceface Next cranks, Sram guide brakes, X1/X01 drivetrain, fox shock, rockshox fork and a nice dropper post.

The Last Word

Are you going to race XC on the Farley EX? I guess you could in the Fatbike category, though hardtail fatties will be lighter. Are you going to enter an Enduro? That would be a stretch. You wouldn’t win, but with sanity you might survive. The point is; such a wonderful set of capabilities come together—exceeding all expectations you had of a fattie—that any thoughts of what you'd like to ride can be entertained. Any condition in any season will be a great trail ride.

If you just want one mountain bike that can handle pretty much all terrain the Farley EX is it. You never have to get off it. It’s not remarkably heavier than your normal mountain bike. Gone are moments where bikes aren’t right for terrain. Something about that is nice.

It should also be noted the Farley EX does not ride like a plus-tire trail bike. The grip and feel of the tires is still distinctly ‘Fat’. Is the best bike for every condition? No. But that will never exist. Farley is a jack-of-all-trades. And a very capable Jack at that.

From The Column: TGR Tested

Tgr tested:.

TGR Tested | K2’s Mindbender 130 BOA Boot is the…

TGR Tested | TREW’s LW 3L Kit is Perfect for High…

TGR Tested | Atomic Redesigns the Hawx Ultra XTD…

TGR Tested: Slope Stompers Make Pow Booting Cheap…

TGR Tested: The Elan Playmaker 101 Lives Up to Its…

TGR Tested: Faction’s La Machine 3 Mega is A…

TGR Tested: Go Light With Hyperlite Mountain…

TGR Tested: RAB’s Softshell Touring Kit Is…

TGR Tested: Fischer’s Ranger 108 Is A…

TGR Tested: WNDR Alpine Refines The Intention…

TGR Tested: Line’s Blade Optic 114 Is a…

TGR Tested - The Suunto 9 Peak Pro Is the…

TGR Tested: Atomic’s Maverick 95Ti Is A…

Tactical Trifecta: Atomic’s Maven, Hawx and…

TGR Tested: Atomic’s Bent 110 Is The Powder Ski…

TGR Tested - Mammut Free Vest 15 Airbag

TGR Tested Quick Hit: Helly Hansen Ridge Infinity…

TGR Tested: The 2023 Yeti SB160 Is A Refined…

TGR Tested: Rocky Mountain’s Element C90 Is A…

TGR Tested Quick Hit: The Ultimate Fall Riding…

Theme: TGR Tested delivers in-depth reviews of this season's hottest, best, and at times worst outdoor gear.

About The Author

stash member Gunnar Waldman

Editor-at-Large, IMBA instructor and east-coaster. Raced Trans-Savoie in France, SoCal Enduro and Endurance in Temecula and is psyched for all the great new races in the east. Article Ideas: [email protected]

February 28 th , 2017

Excellent Review for an excellent bike!

Connect with TGR:

Get tgr email updates:, we proudly support:.

Rider Notes

2018 Trek Farley EX 8

A 27.5″ aluminum frame full suspension fat bike with upper mid-range components. Compare the full range

Manufacturer Price

For This Bike

View more similar bikes →

Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Farley EX 8

Similar Bikes

(descending)

Add custom gearing

5'0" – 5'6"

5'6" – 6'1"

5'9" – 6'3"

6'1" – 6'6"

🐐 Estimated

Do you have this bike? Help other riders make a decision about which size will work for them by sharing your own size and fit notes. Report your fit

The Farley EX doesn't need your snow or your sand- but it'll handle it just fine - while being a dirt and rock shredder with little compromise...

Read Review

Jun 2017 · Russell Eich

The most mountain bike feeling fat bike yet. Buy if you want one bike for all seasons, or an extremely stable trail bike, and aren't concerned about pure dry trail performance

Impressive rear suspension, has a very mountain bike feeling, wheelies and manuals with ease

Bluto fork overworked, small tire knobs, busted rear rim

While the Farley EX 9.8 resides within Trek’s fat bike family, its capabilities reach far beyond winter thanks to a unique design. Check out the Mtbr long term review. - Mtbr.com

Mar 2017 · McCoy

Traction To The Max!

Nov 2016 · Todd Aalgaard

The recall impacts 4,635 bikes worldwide, Trek says.

A problem with the bike's fork could lead to injury

Check out our Trek Farley review to see how the Waterloo, Wisconsin brand's fatbike performed in the snow.

Last updated February 15 Not listed for 2,264 days

Top 5 Full Suspension Fat Bike: A Rare Edition!

Can you ride on sandy beaches or snowy roads with a road bike? The answer is BIG NO! Here comes the Fat Bike in the play! You can cruise around the world’s toughest terrain with a fat tire bike.

However, fat-tire bikes don’t provide enough comfort because they usually come with only front suspension. Yet there are very few manufacturers out there who produce full suspension fat bikes for cozy rides. In this article, I will discuss some of them and assist you in finding your best full suspension fat bike.

Table of Contents

What Is A Full Suspension Fat Bike?

A full suspension fat bike is a bicycle with both front and rear suspension. The front suspension is typically provided by the fork , while the rear suspension is usually handled by a shock absorber. You’ll experience a more comfortable and efficient ride on rough terrain with a full suspension fat bike.

Who Makes Full Suspension Fat Bikes

There aren’t too many manufacturers that make full suspension fat bikes. Let’s take a look to the list of who makes full suspension fat tire bikes.

EAhora e-bike
PASELEC

Full Suspension Fat Bike Buying Checklist

Full Suspension Fat Bike Reviews:

1. gds ebike full suspension fat bike.

Product Specification:

Brand: GDSEBIKE Suspension Type: Dual (Front & Rear) Tire Type: Fat Tires Frame Material: Aluminum Wheel Size: 20 Inches Color: Black Number of Speeds: 8 Brake System: Double Disc Hydraulic

Key Features:

750W aggravated motor
Comes with a rear rack
A total of 8 gears
LED Display
Full Suspension Fat Tire
Not enough color variation

GDS EBIKE is my first choice when it comes to full suspension fat bikes. It provides a smooth riding experience even on the worst riding path. You can ride upto 100 kilometers with a full charge and without a single pedaling. And if you transform to pedal-assist mode, you will get a 160 kilometers mileage! And guess what! It will only take 5-7 hours to be fully charged!

That’s not all. You can ride with a maximum speed of 35 MPH with the powerful brushless motor. Moreover, it comes with a LED display that shows all the information about your ride including distance, speed, battery level and so on.

2. Paselec Gs9-Plus Full Suspension Fat Tire Electric Bike

Brand: PASELEC
Suspension Type: Dual (Front & Rear)
Tyre Type: Fat Tires
Frame Material : Aluminum
Wheel Size: 26 Inches
Color: Gray
Number of Speeds: 7
Brake System: Disc Brake
Anti-theft powerful battery
Shock absorbing rear suspension
3 different riding modes
48V 14.5AH powerful battery
Battery mileage could be improved.

PESILIC has been manufacturing bikes since 2003 and the PASELEC GS9-plus is the latest version of GS9. I like the way how smart assist mode works in this version. If you turn the smart assist mode, the bike will automatically understand how much assistance you need from the motor for your riding. It will save you the pain of shifting between the assist modes and gears.

3. EAhora RURUI XT10 Electric Fat Tire Bike

Brand: EAhora
Bike Type: Electric Bike, Mountain Bike
Frame Material: Aluminum
Color: Black
Brake System: Double Disc Hydraulic
750W Brushless motor
Double disc hydraulic brakes
LCD display
LED Headlight
A little bit pricey compared to the features it has to offer.

Check these Best Fat Bike Tires For Snow

With a max speed of 30 MPH, you can travel up to 100 km EAhora RURUI XT10 Electric Fat Tire Bike. A full charge needs only 4-6 hours ebike and you can charge it anywhere you want by easily removing the battery from the bike. It has 3 different riding modes -pure electric mode, pedal-assist mode and pedal mode.

4. Diva Sports Fat tire mountain bike

Brand: Diva Sports
Bike type: Mountain Bike
Color: Black, Blue, Red, White
Brake System: Double Disc Brake
Derailleur Gear Change Mechanism
Thumb Shifter
Carbon Frame
No hydraulic brakes

If you’re on a tight budget then I have the right option for you. Diva Sports Fat tire mountain bike is the cheapest fat bike with full suspension. You can enjoy the comfort of riding with the double suspension and also could save hundreds of bucks at the same time.

5. Mortilo full suspension fat bike

Brand: Mortlio
Tyre Type: Fat tires
Frame Material: Carbon steel
Brake System: Double Disc
Semi foldable
Shimano gear Shifter
Dual disc brake
Not much color variation.

If you’re looking for a lightweight bike with front and rear suspension then Mortlio bike would be perfect fit for you. Its carbon steel material is ultra durable and super lightweight at the same time.

Buying Guide For A Full Suspension Fat Bike

Suspension type:.

The suspension type you should choose is dependent on your riding style. If you mostly ride uphill, then a front suspension bike would be better for you. On the other hand, if you mostly ride downhill, then a rear suspension bike would be more suitable.

Hardtail fat bikes have a single frame that supports the rider’s weight only on the front end. Full suspension fat bikes have two suspensions to support the rider’s weight on both the front and rear ends.

Weight capacity:

Your weight and height are important factors when choosing a fat bike as some fat bikes have a weight limit of 250lbs or less while others can accommodate up to 500lbs.

Height range:

The height range you should consider is based on your riding style. For downhill riding, you will want a bike that is at least six feet tall because it gives you more control over the bike while descending. Road riders will typically ride between three and five feet tall, so a shorter bike would not be ideal for them. Mountain bikers tend to be taller than most people so they can often find a bike that fits them well.

Here is the Height Range we discussed before ( Full Suspension Fat Bike)

The material you choose is also based on your riding style. If you mostly ride in urban environments, then an aluminum bike would be a better choice because it is lighter and more durable than carbon steel bikes. However, if you are primarily riding in rough terrain or off-road, a carbon steel fat bike would be a better option because it is stronger and less likely to break.

Brake type:

Your brake type is also based on your riding style. If you mostly ride in urban environments, a hydraulic brake would be best because it is more reliable than a mechanical disc brake. However, if you are primarily riding off-road or in rough terrain, a mechanical discbrake would be better because it gives you more stopping power.

Wheel size:

The wheel size is important because it affects the bike’s performance. Generally, fat bikes are ridden with larger wheels to provide better handling and stability. The most common wheel sizes for fat bikes are 27.5 inches and 29 inches.

Number of Speed:

The number of speed is also based on your riding style. If you mainly ride in urban environments and want a bike that is easy to maneuver, then a motor-driven cycle would be best because it has one or two gears that you can use to change the bike’s speed. However, if you primarily ride off-road or in rough terrain, then a pedal-driven fat bike would be better because it has more gears and allows you to go faster without having to pedal.

Gear shifter:

A gear shifter is important because it makes it easier to change the bike’s speed. On a motor-driven cycle, you can use the gear shifter to change the bike’s gears. On a pedal-driven fat bike, you have to use your hands to shift the gears.

Is a full suspension fat bike worth it?

If you’re looking for a bike that can handle all kinds of terrain, a full suspension fat bike is worth considering. Fat bikes are designed for riding on snow , sand and mud, so they can definitely tackle rough trails. And, with full suspension, you’ll get a smoother riding performance.

The only drawback to full suspension fat bikes is that it is more expensive than the hardtail counterparts. Yet, it’s a little investment for greater good in your next journey !

Also Read: Best Fat Bike Fenders

Why do fat tire bikes not have suspension?

Typically, fat tire bikes tend to ride on rough terrain such as snow, sand and mud . And that type of terrain usually doesn’t need suspensions .

However, in recent days, bike enthusiasts are also going out on mountain trails with their fat bikes. Without suspension, it’s hard to have a wonderful ride in the mountains, which is why manufacturers are now producing fat bikes with suspensions.

FAQ’s

Does anyone make a full suspension fat bike.

yes, a few bike manufacturers make full suspension fat bikes. Look for brands such as GDS EBIKE, PASELEC, Mortilo

Should I get full suspension on a fat bike?

If you want to ride in all types of terrain then you should go for a full suspension fat bike. On the other hand, if you tend to ride only on snowy roads or sandy beaches, a regular fat bike will do the job.

Can a specialized full suspension bike handle a fat person?

Yes, a specialized full suspension bike can handle a fat person up to 350 lbs depending on the manufacturers.

What is the max speed of a fat bike?

35 MPH is the max speed of a fat tire bike.

How heavy is a fat tire bike?

A fat tire bike is way much heavier than a traditional mountain bike. The extra weight is due to the larger tires, which can be up to 4 inches wide. Fat tire bikes also have wider handlebars and a longer wheelbase, which makes them more stable and easier to control on rough terrain.

Is it harder to ride a fat bike?

No, fat bikes are easier to ride in the hardest terrain such as sand and snow. The tires provide more grip and stability on uneven terrain, making it easier to keep your balance and feel the joy of biking.

Full suspension fat bikes are perfect for those who want to ride on all kinds of terrain. They are designed for stability and comfort. There are two options for you- electric and non-electric. Electric ones are more expensive than the regular fat bikes. On the other hand non-electric ones are budget-friendly and more sporty.

Fat Bike vs Full Suspension MTB

The main difference between fat bikes and full suspension mountain bikes is the geometry. Fat Bikes have a wider tire diameter, which provides more grip and stability on uneven terrain. They also have longer handlebars and wider stance to provide better balance while biking.

If you’re looking for a more exhilarating experience while cycling, then Fat Bike may be the perfect option for you. This type of bike is designed specifically for off-road use and features wide tires that provide excellent grip and stability on different terrain. Additionally, the suspension system offers a smooth ride that eliminates jarring bumps and makes it easier to navigate through rough trails.

Full Suspension MTB, on the other hand, is ideal if you’re looking for an all-around variety of riding experiences. These bikes are equipped with suspensions in both the front and rear wheels which provide a comfortable ride even over bumpy roads or unpaved surfaces. Furthermore, these bikes typically feature wider frames that make them more stable when going downhill or powering through tight turns.

Also Read: Fat Bike Vs Mountain Bike

Normal Fat Bike Vs Full Suspension Bike

If you are looking for the best fat bike, consider buying a full suspension fat bike. A full suspension fat bike offers better balance and traction when riding on uneven surfaces.

A normal fat bike is built for comfort and easygoing rides, while a full suspension bike is made for more challenging trails and routes. Full suspension bikes also come with greater weight capacity, making them ideal if you plan on doing lots of off-road riding.

Another important difference between the two types of bikes is their geometry. Normal fat biking tends to have a wider stance and shorter wheelbase than full suspension bikes, which makes it easier to ride switchbacks or ascend steep hills. Furthermore, because the frame is lightweight and has less stiffness overall, a normal fat bike works well as an everyday commuter or city rider compared to a full-fledged trail rig like an FSX.

Full Suspension Fat Bike Trek

Trek Also Made a Full Suspension Fat Bike, their popular model is Farley EX 8.

When it comes to mountain biking, there is no such thing as a plateau. With Farley EX 8, you get the freedom to explore new terrain and discover the endless possibilities that nature has to offer.

Built with a dual suspension system and 27.5×3.8˝ tires, this bike is perfect for tackling any terrain and making every ride an adventure. The SRAM 1x drivetrain provides the power you need to take on any challenge, while the added traction ensures that you’ll never lose grip on the trail.

View: Full Suspension Fat Bike Trek Specification

Salsa full suspension fat bike.

Riding a bike is a great way to get exercise, but it can be hard to find a bike that’s both comfortable and versatile.

Most bikes are designed for those who are relatively skinny or those who have a very large frame. This can make them uncomfortable and difficult to ride, especially if you’re trying to ride on trails or in rough terrain.

A salsa full suspension fat bike is the perfect solution for you! Not only is it a beautiful bike that’s sure to turn heads, but it’s also affordable and perfect for anyone who wants to get into fat biking. They use high-quality aluminum for the bike frame, and it has a travel of 100 millimeters for a smooth ride. The bike also has 11 gears for a variety of terrain, and a 26-inch wheel size for a comfortable ride.

Salsa’s most popular model of full suspension fat bike is “Salsa Bucksaw GX1 Fat Bike’.

If you’re looking for a bike that can take on the terrain, then the Salsa Bucksaw GX1 Fat Bike is the perfect choice! This full fat bike-specific suspension features 100mm of travel that is designed to work with high-volume, low-pressure fat bike tires . The split pivot rear suspension provides maximum traction, bump compliance, pedaling efficiency and improved frame geometry. It’s also compatible with a variety of wheel and tire sizes so you can get the perfect fit.

Fat Bike More Resources

What Is A Fat Bike
Fat Bike Under 500
Fat bikes under 1000
Kids Fat Tire Bikes
Are Fat Tire Mountain Bikes Better
How to Change a Fat Bike Tire

Video: Full Suspension Fat Bike

What is the Purpose of a Fat Tire Bike? 9 Purpose

A fat tire bike is a type of mountain bike that has wide tires. Fat tire bikes are designed for off-road riding, and they can be used on different types of terrain, including sand, snow, and mud. Fat tire bikes are also equipped with suspension, which helps to absorb shocks. Know more about the difference…

Fat Bike Tires For Pavement : Top 3 Reviews in 2022

When you are looking for Fat Bike Tires For Pavement, it can be difficult to find the right tire from all of the choices that are available. In this post, we’ll look at five different Fat Tire Bike Tires For Pavement, as well as related questions regarding fat bike tires for pavement. Best Fat Bike…

Are Fat Tire Bikes Good For Kids? Or Are They Dangerous!

Kids are always trying to push the limits, and they want to do everything that adults can do. Are fat tire bikes good for kids? Are they dangerous? This blog post will answer these questions and more! Are Fat Tire Bikes Good For Kids? Yes, fat tire bikes are good for kids, but only under…

6 Best Fat Bikes Under 1000 in 2022 | Ultimate Buying Guide!

It can be hard to find the perfect fat bike for your needs. There are so many different options available, and it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. Not only is it hard to find the perfect fat bike, but it’s also hard to find the best prices on them. Don’t…

Top 5 Fat Tire Bmx Bike: A New Path Of Stunting

Stunting has never been boring with BMX bikes. And if you want to add some more spice to your next stunting, let go for a fat tire BMX bike. It can handle more abuse you would expect from a regular BMX. You will have more fun by turning the bumps into straight-up ramps! Let’s check…

Fat Bike Tires Hub: Ultimate Guide For 2022

Fat Bike tires are a type of radial tire that is specifically designed for use on bicycles with wide rims and frames. Fat bikes have fat wheels and because of this, they require special types of tires to be used in order to maximize performance. In this blog post, we will explore everything you need…

What happened to all the full suspension fat bikes?

Add to quote

I’ve googled and read a lot before asking this question. What I find is commentary from 2012-2017 talking about how full suspension fat bikes are amazing quiver killers, especially with B fat and modern trail geometry. Every review is glowing and positive. But here we are in 2021, and I’d love to buy a full suspension fat bike, but they’re not made anymore. And by “not made anymore,” yes I know I can order a Lenz Fatillac or Foes Mutz and have it custom built for me by Memorial Day, but I kinda wanted to ride this winter. If I want a 2.3”-tired trail bike, I can go to any one of two dozen large brands and have short travel and long travel 27.5 or 29 in alloy or carbon. And despite COVID destroying inventories and supply chains, find at least one in stock in my size at a dealer somewhere. My question is, if they were so amazing, why aren’t Trek and Salsa making full suspension fat bikes anymore? Why isn’t Specialized and Giant and Santa Cruz in the game? What happened? I don’t see any documentation or post mortem on “the death of the full suspension fat bike” anywhere on the internet, but clearly something happened.

This is definitely a niche. There's not a huge draw for it. It's also not easy to engineer. It becomes incredibly hard to keep a bike laterally stiff as you make it wider and wider, requiring more and more frame reinforcement, and now you have these giant fat wheels that will have many times more gyroscopic rigidity that will require even more reinforcement. These bikes start to weigh a ton or suffer from breakage issues pretty fast. There are some chinese-mold bikes out there, but these tend to come with crap bearings and poorly designed bearing systems, usually poor geometry compared to more mainstream/modern bikes, not generally the kind of bikes that last season after season. Not total crap as a bike, but generally nowhere near as well thought-out as a Lenz of Foes. Foes makes great stiff bikes, pedal decently, but they weigh a ton, the leverage curve heavily favors air-shock only, the geometry is way dated. Then there's Lenz, leverage curve optimized for coil shocks, same geometry issues, very low pivot for poor pedaling. And of course, you want to be able to run FAT tires, not those dinky supposedly 4" that come out to 3.5, but hopefully at least 4.5, a good "mid" size considering how far you can go these days. Neither one of these bikes is great, but maybe tolerable depending on your priorities. This is just like FS 29ers back in the day. A few manufacturers started making them, but they really half-assed those first ones while demand was still low, just stretching the chainstays to fit a FD in there and not really worrying about the resulting poor handling issues and not really designing the bike around the wheel size. Fat bikes kind of "force" the bike designers to design around the wheels, but even still, no one has really done it very well yet. I know one of the Alaskan manufacturers had some prototyping done and I saw that bike in the shop...but they weren't able to get it how they wanted it. The other Alaskan manufacturer took a Guerrilla Gravity, cut the rear triangle in half, welded in extensions and heat-treated it, and bam, you have a modern "fat" FS bike. I think they may let people ride that who are interested. I think there IS a market for this...it just remains very small, which unfortunately means there isn't much competition and much reason for anyone to "do it right". In the summer, this makes very little sense, UNLESS you want to ride one bike and put a different wheelset in it for the summer. That right there is a hard proposition because most companies would rather sell you two bikes, one for winter and one for summer, rather than one. Again, they'd need to dump a bunch of money into doing it right, except that right now all the money is going into e-bikes, because that's where the payoff is for manufacturers right now.

Jayem said: It becomes incredibly hard to keep a bike laterally stiff as you make it wider and wider, requiring more and more frame reinforcement, and now you have these giant fat wheels that will have many times more gyroscopic rigidity that will require even more reinforcement. Click to expand...

Montana Carbon 27.5 FS Fat Bike

Full Sus Fat - The Dopamine | LaMere Cycles

People who write ”articles” about cycling products will glow over anything new. I’ve never owned, or even ridden, a full suspension fat bike, but I imagine they died from obesity, cost, tiny market, and the fact that the suspension oil doesn’t want to flow at winter temperatures. When riding on snow anyway, suspension seems completely unnecessary when you have 4”+ of smooshy tire under you.

steadite said: People who write "articles" about cycling products will glow over anything new. I've never owned, or even ridden, a full suspension fat bike, but I imagine they died from obesity, cost, tiny market, and the fact that the suspension oil doesn't want to flow at winter temperatures. When riding on snow anyway, suspension seems completely unnecessary when you have 4"+ of smooshy tire under you. Click to expand...

The buying public has the patience and foresight of a sewer rat. If they can't have it yesterday -- with free shipping -- they move on. Or check twitter. Or instaface, while forgetting what they were doing moments before. I owned a Fatillac and loved it, but moved to a place where it was no longer the right choice.

Needed a FS fat bike last night, as the walkers got out when it was warm and post holed the sh!t out of the trails. The best part is I freaking NAILED the perfect day to groom, as it warmed up our sugar snow got enough moisture to pack down, and the next day was warm again followed by a weekend of cooler temps. If the dumb f#cks would have just stayed off they would be perfect.

In short, market OVER saturation. I forget what year it was, but pretty much all the major manufacturers who were making them at the time overproduced badly. They overproduced hardtail/rigid fatbikes badly, too. They pretty much hit the wall of how many people would buy them on a regular basis, and that's when we saw the fatbike market contract. Everybody had excess inventory to blow out for cheap, and afterwards we saw fewer models of fatbikes from just about everybody. Some manufacturers left fatbikes completely. They're absolutely viable bikes for certain people in certain places. I owned a Bucksaw and loved it for awhile. But I also encountered some of its limits after a move to a very different riding environment, and it just wasn't as fun on those new-to-me trails. I also moved away from the kinds of winter conditions that beg for a fatbike (at least occasionally). So I sold mine this summer after it sat in my garage for over a year, unridden.

If they sold well more companies would still be making them. The fact they are still available from niche manufacturers is great for the people that want a FS fatty. If you really want one place an order, wait a few months and enjoy it for years to come. If you can't wait a few months it's obviously not that important to you and you can avoid making an expensive mistake. The whole bike industry went hog wild for fatties and plus bikes...for a bit. But, the enthusiasm of a small core set of riders and marketing departments couldn't support the needed sales to keep these models viable so naturally the options dwindled until the industry hit a realistic number of products. While all this was happening "normal" bike tires were getting chubby such that a lot/most new frames could handle 2.6" tires. For a lot of people that's a great size that gets a lot of the benefits of fat/plus with fewer downsides. Of course that means a lot of people lost interest in bigger rubber and the machines that fit them. I was a [relatively] early adopter of a fatbike and then moved to plus bikes when I changed locations and left winter behind. Both are great tools and I like the chubby standard 29 x 2.6" tires as well. I'm happy there are still lots of great options available even if the number is less than at peak-FAT/peak-PLUS.

iflyadesk said: ...yes I know I can order a Lenz Fatillac or Foes Mutz and have it custom built for me by Memorial Day, but I kinda wanted to ride this winter. Click to expand...

Double Stout

Not made any more? Huh? HaiBike FullFatSix, Bulls Monster EFS, Once you go full suspension fat, you never go back. Oops, thought you meant fat-E. That being said, I love my Fat E, soooo much fun. Fast, cushy ride, great suspension, massive range, hill climbing beast, etc, etc, etc!

I think it REALLY depends on your riding style and / or local trails. If you are not interested in getting more progressive (jumps and / or steeps) then a fat FS is great. I’ve had three, Bulls Monster EFS (love it - still have), Salsa Bucksaw (sons non-e trail bike - still have) and a Trek Farley EX 8 which I recently sold. I really loved the Farley Ex 8 but as I started jumping and riding harder, I started pushing it beyond its capabilities. I upgraded to a Canyon Strive for non-e hard riding. I sold the Farley to a local kid cheap who recently lost his bike off a car carrier, not because I didn’t enjoy it. Honestly Fat FSs are undervalued. They are a fantastic format, but without making stock bikes capable of handling modern riding styles, the writing was in the wall.

roughster said: I think it REALLY depends on your riding style and / or local trails. If you are not interested in getting more progressive (jumps and / or steeps) then a fat FS is great. I've had three, Bulls Monster EFS (love it - still have), Salsa Bucksaw (sons non-e trail bike - still have) and a Trek Farley EX 8 which I recently sold. I really loved the Farley Ex 8 but as I started jumping and riding harder, I started pushing it beyond its capabilities. I upgraded to a Canyon Strive for non-e hard riding. I sold the Farley to a local kid cheap who recently lost his bike off a car carrier, not because I didn't enjoy it. Honestly Fat FSs are undervalued. They are a fantastic format, but without making stock bikes capable of handling modern riding styles, the writing was in the wall. Click to expand...

In the USA we vote with our wallets and bike companies respond with product or lack thereof as they consider appropriate. It's simple: supply and demand. Except the phrase is backwards -- should be demand and supply. If demand exists, there will be supply. =sParty

A guess - when the biz went full in on 1x & boost spacing & plus tires, those bikes filled the niche. Still plenty of those around.

iflyadesk said: I've googled and read a lot before asking this question. What I find is commentary from 2012-2017 talking about how full suspension fat bikes are amazing quiver killers, especially with B fat and modern trail geometry. Every review is glowing and positive. ... Click to expand...

iflyadesk said: I've googled and read a lot before asking this question. What I find is commentary from 2012-2017 talking about how full suspension fat bikes are amazing quiver killers, especially with B fat and modern trail geometry. Every review is glowing and positive. Click to expand...

I had a Trek Farley full suspension. It was a monster truck and served me well when I had zero confidence on the bike. But as I started pushing harder the XC suspension components and vague handling felt limiting. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You still can buy the ICAN, the Growler double-stout and some others. but they are not really modern geometry. I guess there were not enough sales for many models. There also is the fact that a fatbike has heavy wheels that are un-sprung. In addition you would have to fine-tune 4 things (2 tire pressures, fork, rear shock). So some FS benefits will be limited on a fatbike. and no one aver rode a fatbike and decided what is missing is more weight and more cost. With that said, as I get older, I also might want a FS fatbike in a few years. But nothing that currently is available appeals to me. Maybe that is a good thing, since it would make me build a $4K FS fatbike....

FYI, The ICAN is the Growler Double stout. Framed makes one and they just brought it back this year is my understanding. I think it's the Montana...looks sweet. Also, I own a Double Stout and a Framed Alaskan ones for racing, ones for fun.

iflyadesk said: My question is, if they were so amazing Click to expand...

An additional issue is there's really only one fat-capable fork that is worth talking about anyway (mastodon pro), so that's another limiting factor.

Framed offers one but not sure if they are currently in stock.

Like a previous member stated, if "smooshy tires were all that was needed, why do vehicles have rear suspension?"

By "vehicles", I assume you mean cars? Probably because they travel at 80mph and the tires have thick/stiff sidewall and inflated to 35psi.

iflyadesk said: I've googled and read a lot before asking this question. What I find is commentary from 2012-2017 talking about how full suspension fat bikes are amazing quiver killers, especially with B fat and modern trail geometry. Every review is glowing and positive. But here we are in 2021, and I'd love to buy a full suspension fat bike, but they're not made anymore. And by "not made anymore," yes I know I can order a Lenz Fatillac or Foes Mutz and have it custom built for me by Memorial Day, but I kinda wanted to ride this winter. If I want a 2.3"-tired trail bike, I can go to any one of two dozen large brands and have short travel and long travel 27.5 or 29 in alloy or carbon. And despite COVID destroying inventories and supply chains, find at least one in stock in my size at a dealer somewhere. My question is, if they were so amazing, why aren't Trek and Salsa making full suspension fat bikes anymore? Why isn't Specialized and Giant and Santa Cruz in the game? What happened? I don't see any documentation or post mortem on "the death of the full suspension fat bike" anywhere on the internet, but clearly something happened. Click to expand...

I ride a Salsa Bucksaw year around. Love fat tires for many reasons. Dont forget the LENZ Fatillac USA made and pretty sweet Framed Montanna Ican SNO4 Growler those all appear to be Salsa Carbon Copies La mare has fat bikes and E fatbikes

I always viewed the fat bike thing as a niche product. Granted, that niche got pretty big for a couple of years. I don't recall anyone talking about them as quiver killers. The industry was pushing them like you could pedal right along in 18" of fresh powder and still use them on the local singletrack in the summer. Of course, the first part was a complete exaggeration (err, lie?). You can barely snowshoe in that much snow. They're really only fun in packed snow, if the definition of fun is going roughly the same speed as summer riding. As for Plus bikes, they could be a quiver killer for many riders, but the industry is trend based and all trends die with time. They did push "normal" bikes to wider tires. I still love my 29+ HT Stache even though I love my F/S more. It was relatively cheap and very capable. Like anything, the bike has a number of shortcomings. The largest is probably for people that like to do very aggressive riding on rocky terrain and/or very fast riding on more of the flow type stuff. In the first case, the tires will get torn apart (the XR2s are commendable for their weight, but don't defy physics) or they're going to be slow rolling boat anchors. In the second case, it's hard to manage a big wheel at speed in the turns. Both don't really apply to most riders - they think it does - but that ship has sailed and it's getting harder to find tires.

I’ve engaged in conversations with many biker friends on fatties and how they are spec’d. Ridgid vs front suspension is huge topic. How many fat bikes are spec’d with a frt suspension fork as std? Zero, or near zero. “Purists, that’s what I am” mindset has been molded into the fattie mainstream. “Ya don’t need any suspension as the squish of the big fat sidewalls do it for ya”. So with that going on how’d the industry expect people to take dual suspension fatties?? The industry marking genius’s made it what it is. FWIW, I have front suspension on both my fatties, I leave it fully on except in deep fresh snow or pack groomed trails. Then I turn it 50% locked. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think early front suspensions also had issues with the seals in cold weather. Not sure if that is still the case, but “will the suspension survive in the cold”, is another thing to think about with FS fatbike if using in the winter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

?
15.5M posts
516.8K members

Top Contributors this Month

Pinkbike.com
Register New User
First Looks
Friday Fails
Community Blogs
Fantasy League DH
Places Directory

Trek's Farley EX Full Suspension Fat Bike - Sea Otter 2016

Cool Features

SOC16: Trek Farley EX full suspension 27.5″ fat bike crushes all seasons, hardtails get lighter

2017 Trek Farley EX full suspension 275 carbon fiber fat bike

Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Fat bikes are Trek’s fastest growing category, and it’s not because there’s more snow. Surprisingly, they say Nebraska, Kentucky, New Mexico, Arizona and Tennessee are the fastest growing states for fat bikes.

So, the natural evolution to their line is full suspension with the all-new Trek Farley EX full suspension fat bike. It has an even broader usage range than the Farley hardtails. Trek’s calling it an all-season bike, something that’s super versatile and uses the same design and performance of their standard full suspension trail bikes, so it works just as well in the desert, the mountains or the snow.

Going with a pure fat bike rather than “plus” tires gives them even more traction in all types of terrain, and the 120mm suspension gives you more bump control. With fat bike tires, you essentially have uncontrolled suspension coming from the big, inflated rubber. Putting a tuned suspension on both ends of the bike lets them control the motion better, which further enhances traction. To cap it all off, they’re built around 27.5″ fat bike tires, not 26″, which puts an even bigger patch of rubber on the ground. Grip it and rip it.

For those opposed to suspension with their giant tires, there’s also a new top-of-the-line Farley 9.9 rigid carbon hardtail with custom HED carbon wheels that’s a lightweight race rocket…

The Farley EX gets their Full Floater suspension design with Penske designed Re:Aktiv Fox shocks on the back and a Rockshox Bluto up front.

It also gets their ABP concentric rear pivot/axle combo and Evo Link. The design and spec usage manages to build the pivots and tire clearance into a tight package, keeping the same Q-factor as their hardtail fat bikes. How? By simply flipping the Race Face direct mount chainrings around, moving the chainline out about 10mm without stretching the Q-factor. It uses the 121mm PFBB (100mm threaded equivalent) standard, and the mounting method means the bikes are 1x specific.

The Farley EX 9.8 gets an OCLV carbon fiber front triangle…

2017 Trek Farley EX full suspension 275 alloy fat bike

…and the Farley EX 8 has their Alpha Platinum Aluminum front end. They share the same alloy seat- and chain stay tail.

The 9.8 runs everything internally, but the EX 8 keeps brake and dropper lines outside the downtube. A port on the bottom of the seat tube lets the cable inside for a stealth dropper post.

Axle spacing is 197×12 rear and 150×15 front. Max recommended tire size is 27.5 x 4.0, but it comes stock with 3.8s.

The 9.8 will get their 2500g Bontrager Wampa Carbon SL tubeless ready wheels and Hodag tires, SRAM X01/X1 bits with Guide brakes, Race Face Next SL cranks and the new Bontrager Drop Line dropper seatpost (more on that in a separate post). The EX 8 gets Bontrager hubs with Sun Ringle Mulefut 80mm rims, SRAM GX 1×11 and Level brakes, Race Face Affect cranks and a KS eThirty Integra dropper post. Both get a Rockshox Bluto RL with 120mm travel. Retail is $/€5,499 and $/€3,499, available for order at dealers now, delivery in August. Complete bikes only, no framesets.

2017 TREK FARLEY HARDTAILS

2017-Trek-Farley-99-carbon-ultralight-hardtail-fat-bike01

Trek’s Farley hardtails have been on the market for a minute, but they’re getting a new all-carbon race version at the top of the line. The new Farley 9.9 is a 22 pound, North America-only build that gets custom 27.5 HED Big Half Deal wheels.

2017-Trek-Farley-99-carbon-ultralight-hardtail-fat-bike02

The wheels use 495g carbon rims laced to HED’s carbon hubs and comes in at just 1,877g for the set. Those combine with all-new Bontrager Barbegazi 27.5 x 4.5 tires that, on average, come in a little lighter than the 26 x 4.7 version (1240g versus 1305g, to be exact). The result is dramatically larger contact patch and better side knob-to-dirt engagement on the 27.5 tire that’s also lighter.

2017-Trek-Farley-99-carbon-ultralight-hardtail-fat-bike03

This, and the other carbon fiber Farley hardtails all get 27.5″ wheels with a max 4.0 tire recommended, or a 26 x 4.5, depending on brand. That figure was limited by the Bluto’s clearance, but the ability to run different size tires is thanks to their Stranglehold adjustable dropouts. Those let you tune the wheelbase or accommodate various tire sizes. It even lets you set the bike up as a singlespeed since the design is strong enough to prevent axle creep.

The carbon Farley 9.9 is 1900g for the complete frameset (frame, headset, fork) and will be spec’d with the new SRAM XX1 Eagle 1×12 group and a carbon Bontrager cockpit and foam grips. Retail is $7,500, available in August.

2017-trek-farley-carbon-fiber-and-alloy-hardtail-fat-bikes01

Below that are two more carbon models, the 9.8 ( silver, $4,599 ) with SRAM X01 1×11, Wampa carbon wheels and the 9.6 ( orange, $2,799 ) with GX1 and Mulefut wheels. The Farley 5 ( blue, $1,729 ) and 7 ( black, $2,399 ) are alloy and drop down to 26″ wheels and lower level spec, with the 5 using an alloy fork, too. All others get carbon fiber forks, and all get the new Barbegazi tires.

2017-trek-farley-carbon-fiber-and-alloy-hardtail-fat-bikes04

All are available for order now with delivery in August.

TrekBikes.com

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com . He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Just under 9.9. pics the text says “This, and the other carbon fiber Farley hardtails all get 27.5″ wheels with a max 4.0 tire recommended”. But the 9.9 comes with 27.5″ x 4.5″ tires..?

That’s a typo. All the bikes come with barbegazis…

I think if you enlarge that picture, as well as a few others on the ‘Net, you will see the tire size on the sidewall, which states 27X4.5. Not saying it’s right, but there are some supporting sidewall tire size pics out there. I hope it’s right, that would be awesome.

The 9.9 is rigid, so can go bigger up front than with a Bluto. At least that makes sense to me.

Ye, I noticed that too. It’s like Trek are admitting their tires will be grossly undersized.

27.5″ or any other wheel size does not put more or less tire on the ground. On a round soft tire like a bicycle tire PSI is the main contact area determining factor.

No, it clearly says it puts dramatically more contact area on the ground. When you add 2% more diameter you better be ready for a huge increase in performance 😉

Sure, but if one has more air volume, as one would with a 4.5 tire on 27.5 in lieu of 26 then one can run lower pressure, resulting in more contact patch.

Air volume of the tire is roughly proportional to tire width squared and rim diameter to first power… 27.5 (really 27.2) with 4.5″ tire is about 96% of the air volume of a 26 with 4.7″. So actually lower volume.

But, but, but, it says dramatically more contact area…. Must believe the marketing materials and not science.

That 9.9 would be a freaking riot. Awesome looking bikes, well dun Trek!

Trek probably had more than true fat bikes at SOC. Stay tuned.

Please make a Stache FS 29+

I assume they’ll do a carbon HT as well as a FS Stache this year….we’ll see.

Saving the pennies now!

I really want to see them do the sort stays of the Stache with FS. I think it’s possible, but it’ll be an engineering challenge.

Expecting a carbon Stache HT, but going to have to put a lot more miles on my 9 before I can upgrade

I’ve noticed the same.

Hoping for a Stache 9.8 or 9!

I bought a Farley 7 last year. I haven’t ridden any of my other bikes since….that bike is just plain fun.

That orange 9.6 looks hot! Price drops on the 5 and 7 are welcome news!

Price on the 7 & 5 remain the same, I think you meant 9.8 & 9.6 (those are $200 less than current)…

“The result is dramatically larger contact patch and better side knob-to-dirt engagement”. Overstating things just a touch? Or regurgitating Trek’s hyperbole? 5% larger rim, 5% narrower tire, 2% larger wheel+tire diameter… and you think that’s going to make a “dramatic” difference in any way? How about greeting manufacturer claims with a little skepticism?

Where is the like button?

26″ bikes are a dying breed, now even in fat bikes.

Only, if you buy onto the marketing hype they are. Sadly 26″ fat tires are already larger than the normal 29er’s that the industry said was too big, hence the 27.5″ MTB tires. Once people switch to 27.5″, the industry will start pushing 24″ fat, which has the same diameter as a 27.5″ MTB.

The clearance they give is incorrect, I have 100’s with Bud and Lou on my 9.8 and there is room to spare.

The clearance is for the Full Suspension EX model. Seeing how there isn’t much room with the undersized Hodag on the EX, I don’t think a Bud and Lou or any of the large 4.6″+ tires will fit.

Nevermind- I see what you are talking about. Yeah that is wrong- my wife’s Farley 7 came with 4.7″ from Trek.

If I can still just put some 27.5 3.0 or 3.25 tires (reg. semi-fat) on the fuel suspension, this is my new dream bike, and worth trading in my Fuel 9.9 in for.

“Surprisingly, they say Nebraska, Kentucky, New Mexico, Arizona and Tennessee are the fastest growing states for fat bikes.”

Misleading stat. It’s fastest growing because everywhere that has snow has started slowing growth because everyone has one.

Snows quite a bit here in NM…

So will the 27.5×4.5 Barbegazis with Wampa rim fit on the 2016 Farley 9.8 or did they change the mold for the 2017 9.8 to provide enough clearance?

Does the 9.6 really come with non-tubeless wheel? Down grade from last years model.

275 is dumb for fatbikes! snow is not like dirt, bigger tire not wheel is what works, think hover craft, more air means more floatation duh, (deleted)!

Subscribe Now

ALL MOUNTAIN
ACCESSORIES
ALL (130 Forums)
WHEELS & TIRES

Trek HiFi Deluxe 29er Full Suspension

USER REVIEWS

I ride in Norcal so it's not rocky like Colorado, so this bike handles all the terrain here as well. Plenty of travel and clearance (29ers get me places my friends on 26ers can't go) and I like how the bike handles. Cool graphics. Some other posters wrote about the weight, but I find it okay. Climbs well, descends well. I get compliments about the bike often.

I recommend this bike for single track riding. I added SHI XT clips so I ride clipped in, even downhill. The bike will take you down Downieville np.

X country Geometry I've done 2 Ultra endurance races on this bike, The Hampshire 100 X 2. For me, I dont think there is a better set up. I think the FS keeps you alive in 8+ hours of riding climbing. Both shocks lock out ENOUGH on big climbs and soak up the nasty stuff when open. This bike works for me.

I thought the FSA headset was a POS... and replaced it with a Chris King. I have a Chris King BB replacement on order now that they do Press Fit stuff.

If youi want to ride A LONG TIME over some varied terrain....this is great bike.

It seems like a bomb proof frame and fork combination. Great travel when going full squishy. I'm a big fan of 29ers in general, and this one doesn't disappoint. Great climber, solid on the downhills. I paid about $1800 for it as a closeout, i thought that was a pretty good deal.

Like a lot of 29ers, it really has to be ridden hard into corners to get it to go. I feel like it has to be pushed into the tight twists. The parts on this thing are crap. Either go all Shimano or all SRAM. This mix/match is a hodgepodge meant to hit a price point, but the X9 rear derailleur and X7 shifters are truly crap. And the wheels are bombproof, but pay a really expensive weight penalty.

I picked up this bike in May 2012. It has about 700-750 miles on it on really nice single tracks, some doubletracks. I'm absolutely sold on 29". I'm not sure I am sold on "this" 29er. I think the frame handle really well. No complains about the fork. The bars are very wide, but for me I think they're fine. It climbs especially well. Downhills predictably. It does suffer a bit when the trail get tight and twisty. The bike almost needs to be thrown into corners, whereas my older 26" just seems to go where I pointed it. Although it is nice when I pick a crappy line that rather than go around something it just goes over it. Its a real pig. Just plows through damn near anything. Ok, that was the good. The bad...the parts mix/match sucks. Truly is crap. The SRAM X9 Rear Der, X7 shifters, Shimano SLX Front, Shimano Craptacular Crank, and Shimano Cassette do not play well. Yeah I know they are supposed to, but they don't. I've spent many long rides baby-ing this thing into gears, having to pre-pplan my shifts, hope the chain doesn't drop, or under pressure that the thing shifts at all. I don't know if its the combination of cassette, rear derailleur, shifters, or what, but its just to dang finicky and unreliable. So, this winter I'm dumping the drivetrain and just going XT. That should help this bike reach its full potential. Sure, I'm dropping another couple hundred into it, but I got a good deal on it in the first place (that's what I'm telling the wife). The stock tires were ok, but wore out quickly. I do really like the brakes- Avid 5's I think. Way more power than I am used to. A little tough to moderate, but plenty of stopping power. I have the stock wheel on this. They are bombproof. I've had far too many drops that I thought were going to just crush these wheels. I'm no light weight at 230lbs, and these things have taken a beating. They are really heavy though. I don't know exactly how much but I compared them to my riding bud's DT's and I bet I'm every bit of 2-3 lbs heavier without the tires- for wheels, thats a lot, but they do take a beating. Still as true today and when I first rode the bike.

Hot Deals See All Hot Deals >>

CLASSIFIEDS
TERMS OF USE
PRIVACY POLICY
ADVERTISING

VISIT US AT

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

The 9 Best Fat Tire Bikes For Any Terrain

Neither snow, nor slop, nor sand, nor mud will stop these bikes.

Editors’ Note: On January 4, 2024, Aventon issued a voluntary .css-f828e2{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#067EA7;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;word-break:break-word;padding-bottom:0.05rem;padding-top:0.05rem;font-weight:bold;-webkit-background-size:0 0;background-size:0 0;background-image:linear-gradient( to bottom, #7fdbfa, #7fdbfa);background-repeat:repeat-x;-webkit-background-position:0 100%;background-position:0 100%;}.css-f828e2:hover{color:#045976;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;} recall of its Sinch.2 folding e-bike after notifying riders in August 2023 of issues the bike was having with its acceleration. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission , “the recalled e-bikes can accelerate unexpectedly, resulting in loss of control, posing crash and injury hazards.” Though no one has reported any injuries, if you own a Sinch.2, don't ride it. Contact an Aventon dealer to get the bike repaired for free. The dealer will run a software update that, according to Aventon, "mitigates the motor engagement issue."

It’s been nearly 40 years since bike manufacturers started experimenting with the first fat tire bikes for sand and snow. Some of the first designs were created by welding multiple wheel rims together. Today, it feels like they’re everywhere.

With tires ranging between 4-and 5-inches wide, fat tire bikes are made to provide traction over shifty terrain like sand and snow. They also allow you to roll over most any kind of bump in the road–rocks, roots, cavernous potholes–without the fear of toppling over.

If you live somewhere that receives a lot of snow, they allow you to keep riding all winter long . If you’re near the beach, you can cruise on the sand, not just the boardwalk. Talk to most anyone who has ridden one and they’ll tell you that fat bikes are, above all, incredibly fun to ride.

More Off-Roading Gear: Best Mountain Bikes ● Best Mountain Bike Shorts ● Best Gravel Gear

The Best Fat Tire Bikes

Best Overall: Kona Woo
Best Value: State 6061 Trail+
Best All-Arounder: Salsa Heyday
Best Carbon: Trek Farley 9.6
Best Folding: Aventon Sinch.2

The Expert (Vanessa Nirode): A NYC-based, all-weather bike commuter, I’ve been writing about bikes, gear, health and wellness and adventure travel for 15 years at publications like Bicycling , Runner’s World , Time, HuffPost , Adventure Cycling Magazine, and many others. I’m also an avid bikepacker, and have cycled through most of Europe, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Mongolia, Russia, Iran and Turkey, among others.

What to Consider in a Fat Tire Bike

How we selected the best fat tire bikes, our full fat tire bike reviews, q+a with our experts, .css-1f6aja5{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;background-color:#ffffff;border:0;border-bottom:none;border-top:0.0625rem solid #e8e8e8;color:#000;cursor:pointer;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;padding-bottom:0.3125rem;padding-top:0.3125rem;scroll-margin-top:0rem;text-align:left;width:100%;}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1f6aja5{scroll-margin-top:3.375rem;}} .css-jtmji2{border-radius:50%;width:1.875rem;border:thin solid #6f6f6f;height:1.875rem;padding:0.4rem;margin-right:0.625rem;} .css-jlx6sx{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;width:0.9375rem;height:0.9375rem;margin-right:0.625rem;-webkit-transform:rotate(90deg);-moz-transform:rotate(90deg);-ms-transform:rotate(90deg);transform:rotate(90deg);-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform 250ms ease-in-out;transition:transform 250ms ease-in-out;} suspension.

A hardtail with a rigid fork is the most affordable and most common type of fat tire bike. Because of the wider tires, and the fact that you typically run those tires at low pressure, even a rigid bike can feel like it has suspension, as the tires conform to irregularities in the trail.

If your riding surface is particularly uneven, rooty, or rocky, or you want to run your tires at a higher pressure for less squirm, consider buying a fat bike with full suspension. A full-suspension setup can help you maneuver better, keep you from feeling beat up after a long ride, and make the ride more enjoyable if you swap fat rims for standard mountain bike rims. However, if you typically ride in extremely cold temperatures, a rigid fork may be more reliable.

Wheel Swapping

Some fat bikes are designed to accommodate both fat-tire rims and standard 27.5- or 29-inch mountain bike rims. If you don’t want to ride fat tires all year, buying a frame with multiple configuration options lets you have one bike with multiple personalities.

In snow or sand, run it with a fat-tire setup. Buy a set of narrower mountain bike wheels, equip it with smaller tires, and you have another option that’s lighter and may be better suited to everyday riding.

All fat bikes are built with different hub standards, so you’ll likely have to buy a dedicated second set of wheels if you want to enjoy different options.

Most fat bikes use 26-inch wheels, though 27.5-inch builds are not uncommon. Larger wheels are faster rolling and make trail obstacles even easier to push over or through. Fat tire wheels come in many different rim widths, ranging from 60- to 100mm.

In general, the wider the tire you want to use, the wider the rim you will want. However, a narrower rim will save weight and make the bike feel livelier.

The fatter the tire, the cushier the ride. Five-inch tires give more float on soft ground than four-inch models. But fatter tires are heavier, slower, and bouncier on firm ground. For riding on firmer and drier trails, and at higher speeds, a narrower tire provides a more satisfying and less squirmy ride.

Whichever you choose, consider setting them up tubeless and running low pressures for less chance of flatting. Just ensure the tubeless sealant you choose works at subzero temperatures. If you are riding in icy terrain instead of snowy trails, you’ll want to buy or make a set of studded tires for enhanced grip.

Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is the best tool you have to fine-tune the performance of your fat bike. With 5-inch-wide tires in the softest conditions, you may be running pressures as low as 2 psi. In firmer or rougher terrain, or for higher speeds, you will want to use more pressure to increase the support the tire offers and to sharpen the bike’s handling. You may even want to change your tire pressure several times on a single ride as you encounter different conditions.

For the best fat-biking experience, you’ll want to invest in a good digital tire pressure gauge , because differences as little as a half-pound of pressure make a significant difference in the feel and performance of a fat tire.

The bikes included here were selected by our amazing and knowledgeable test team, who spent significant time riding each of them in various conditions. We also researched the market, consulted user reviews, spoke to professional bike shop mechanics and owners, and used our own experience to compile the best options. The bikes were evaluated based on handling, comfort and feel, reliability, and the quality of components.

Kona Woo Fat Tire Bike

With 4.8-inch-wide tires, a plethora of accessory mounts, powerful Shimano MT410 hydraulic brakes, and trail geometry, the Kona Woo is both versatile and dependable. Equipped with a 12 speed Shimano Deore drivetrain and 11 x 51 rear cassette, the Woo climbs steep, snowy mountains without fear (regardless of your reservations).

Three pack-cage mounts on each side of the carbon fork as well as two sets of water bottle cage mounts on the down tube make it an excellent choice for bikepacking expeditions. If you just want to take it out for some snowy single-track riding, the trail geometry provides balance while ascending and stability when descending.

The internal headset allows for bar and stem height adjustability, while the tire width means you can pedal over most any surface (sand, snow, rocks, and roots) without giving it a second thought. At 33 pounds, it’s also one of the lighter fat bikes on our list, which adds to its versatility. It’s not so heavy that you’ll unduly struggle to get it up and down stairs when necessary, or up into a train car or vehicle mount.

State 6061 Trail+ Fat Bike

At just under $1,000, the State 6061 Trail+ is an exceptional value. If you’re thinking about adding a fat bike to your stable, it’s an affordable way to dip your toe in the water, so to speak. Its aluminum frame and integrated headset boasts a streamlined look. Its 4.5-inch tires roll confidently over snow, sand and rocks, making it a wonderful explorer bike, though the shorter reach geometry makes it better suited for flatter trails. The rear rack mounts make it a great choice for commuting and shopping trips.

It features a 9-Speed Shimano Altus drivetrain and mechanical Tektro disc brakes, which aren’t elite components, but offer sufficiently strong and reliable performance in line with its price. The lower gear ratio (11 x 36 rear cassette), though, will likely make steep climbing (in snow or otherwise) quite challenging, and the bike’s overall geometry can make descending at fast speeds feel a bit harrowing – especially if you are a novice single-track mountain biker like me.

Salsa Heyday Fat Tire Bike

Salsa’s versatile Heydey fat bike, formerly known as the Mukluk , represents an almost perfect marriage of speed and off-road capability. Salsa has been making a version of this bike since 2010 and it seems to be one of the most popular bikes within the bikepacking community based on my adventures.

The Alternator 1.0 dropouts support both single speed and geared drivetrains (it comes equipped with microShift’s Advent 9-speed version with derailleur clutch) as well as different tire and wheel sizes. The dropouts include a swinging dropout design that makes adjusting the chain-stay length quick and easy. The low center of gravity near the rear of the bike makes it comfortably stable when rolling over rocks, roots, and other bumpy terrain. You can also order the Heydey with 27.5- or 29-inch wheels and tires.

It features lots of clearance–enough to accommodate tires up to 4.8-inches wide–and a slew of cargo mounts, which explains why it’s so popular among bikepackers. It has two water bottle mounts in the frame triangle, down tube mounts for an additional bottle, pump, or other accessory, and two sets of fork mounts designed to hold Salsa Anything Cages and other similar 3-hole accessories.

It’s also compatible with the Salsa Alternator 190 rear rack by installing a Salsa Rack-Lock or Post-Lock . (The rack lock keeps your seat post in place and provides mounts for a rack, while the post lock only works as a rack mounting device.)

All of this means the Heydey can easily be dressed up or down depending on where you plan to ride and for how long. It performs well as a touring bike for long expeditions, an overnight winter bikepacking rig, and a rigid mountain bike . All in all, it’s an excellent, well-rounded and reliable fat tire bike.

Trek Farley 9.6

This is Trek’s flagship fat tire, and the brand has pulled out all the stops to make a bike that will likely be the answer to every off-road lover and downhill bomber’s winter bike wish. Like many fat bikes, Trek's Farley 9.6 has stud-ready 4.5-inch-wide tires. However, those tires are wrapped around larger 27.5-inch rims. The larger diameter means smoother rolling and better traction, emphasizing the best qualities of any fat bike.

In addition to larger wheels, the Farley 9.6 has a dropper post and a carbon suspension fork. The dropper post gives you control at higher speeds, and the fork provides additional traction and control on hard surfaces. On a fat tire bike, more traction is always better.

It’s also supremely lightweight at only 29 lbs., and comes with a SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain and SRAM Level TL brakes. The Farley’s handling befits this all-season versatility, proving predictable at slower speeds on soft surfaces and surprisingly predictable at higher speeds on dirt trails. If you’re the kind of rider who goes out no matter how gnarly the conditions might get, this is the perfect fat bike.

Aventon Sinch.2

If you want a folding bike that can handle bumpy roads or mild trails, the Aventon Sinch.2 is a Class 2 electric bike that brings some fat bike fun to the commute-friendly folding bike form factor. It features a powerful 500-watt sustained rear hub motor (750 watts at peak speed) with an Aventon 8-speed drivetrain, a range of 55 miles (which should be more than enough to get a few days errands/commutes done), a top speed of 20 miles per hour and an integrated 48-volt battery.

The bike has 4 different power settings including eco, tour, sport, and turbo as well as a throttle on demand. The throttle itself can be unplugged and removed if you’re riding somewhere they are prohibited.

Notable perks include a fender- and rear rack, front suspension with 45mm of travel for a smooth ride no matter what sort of terrain you’re pedaling over, and a step through frame which, makes it easy to hop on and off when running errands. The Sinch.2 design adds a new torque sensor, which measures how much pressure you’re applying to the pedals and provides assistance accordingly (this helps to alleviate unexpected power bursts.)

Oh, and there’s a concealed USB port for phone charging and a clear LED display that shows speed, battery life and pedal assist level. All of this makes the Sinch.2 a great choice for commuters who want to ditch their car, but would prefer to avoid arriving at every destination looking sweaty… Like me.

Before you invest in a Sinch.2, it’s worth taking note that Aventon has recalled Sinch.2 bikes sold between April and August 2023 due to reports of bikes accelerating unexpectedly. Should you purchase the device and experience such an issue, Aventon can fix the issue with a software update, which technicians will install at your nearest authorized dealer .

Diamondback El Oso Nino 20

Designed for ages 4 to 9, from 44- to 54-inches tall, the Diamondback El Oso Nino features a tough, high-tensile steel frame and fork that can withstand most any obstacle a young adventurer may subject it to, including rocky and root-laden trails, sidewalks, and your neighbor’s backyard.

Suitable to run at low pressure (like all fat bikes), the 4-inch tires provide traction over a wide area as well as ample float across soft surfaces like sand, helping young riders maintain an upright, stable position on their forays riding over soft, squishy ground.

The Shimano Tourney 1 x 7 drivetrain shifts easily (though it is a grip shift ) while the Apex mechanical disc brakes ensure excellent stopping power that helps prevent accidentally running into things like bushes or kiddie pools — unless, of course, that was the intention. When we were young, my brothers and I routinely plowed our bikes into wood piles and fire pits just to see if they would go through or over and we’d remain seated. We would have loved the El Oso Nino.

Trek Farley 9

The Trek Farley 9 stands out in the overlanding and bikepacking categories because of its fully equipped frame-specific racks and bags, progressive trail geometry, and high-end components. It comes with custom racks (Farley front and back), a fender, frame bag ( Adventure Boss full frame bag ), as well as dry bag holders.

But you aren’t bound to that configuration: The frame and fork support a whole slew of mounts to outfit and gear up any way you desire. The carbon fork, for instance, has both lower mounts for cages (triple bottle bosses) and top mounts for Trek’s custom front rack, plus rubber bumpers on the dropouts to protect them when you remove the front wheel.

The internally routed travel dropper post means you can adjust your seat position when needed and get behind the saddle when navigating steep descents. The 4.5-inch tires installed on 27.5-inch wheels keep you rolling over sand and snow, as well as mud, dirt and rock while still being ‘fast-ish’ on pavement. The 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with 11-50 rear cassette means climbing even while fully loaded won’t completely crush your soul (or legs).

Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6 Plus Electric Fat Tire Bike

Available as a high-step or step-through, the RadRover is a Class 2 e-bike that makes sense for commuting or tooling around town, as well as exploring unpaved trails. With its 750-watt hub motor and Shimano’s Altus 7-speed drivetrain, the bike has a maximum range of 45 miles and a top speed of 20 miles per hour. (Don’t worry: The LED display makes it quite clear how much juice you have left at all times.)

The RadRover 6 Plus features five levels of pedal assist, depending on how hard you want to work. The bike is heavy, though, and it feels a bit sluggish at times no matter what setting or gear you’re in. It will also make you think twice about maneuvering it up or down stairs of any kind.

The RadRover includes front and rear fenders, a bell, kickstand, and lights with options to add a wide array of accessory kits (sold separately), including a rear rack or baskets for all-terrain adventures. These accessories make it an excellent and highly versatile leisure bike: It’s perfect for the beach, running errands, and overnight camping trips.

Aventon Aventure.2

With bulky 4-inch tires for ripping through terrain and a sturdy build to safely plow through it all, the Aventure.2 is one impressive fat bike. An update from its predecessor , this e-bike has a new torque sensor that offers more control over its powerful 750-watt rear hub motor, making for a more accessible ride for those new to e-bikes, as well as lighter-weight riders mounting this 77-pound beast. It has four levels of pedal assist and a throttle—it can reach a top speed of 28 mph, with up to a 60-mile range on a single charge.

Aventon’s Aventure.2 has a clear, easily legible full-color display for tracking metrics like speed and distance, plus smart features like integrated turn signals and lights further assist in trail safety. It also has a front suspension fork for keeping comfy on gravel, hydraulic disc brakes, and it even includes a rack and fenders.

Our only qualm is its weight, which limits its use on singletrack mountain bike trails. But take this bike out on a snowy day commute or your next muddy camping trip, and it's sure to impress.

What is a derailleur clutch?

A derailleur clutch, when engaged, adds tension to your chain so it won’t bounce around and fall off when you’re rolling over bumps. It’s found most commonly on bikes designed for single track riding and tough mountain trails where dropping your chain can be significantly annoying. As you might expect, having one can come in handy on a fat bike, but I wouldn’t say it’s essential.

Are mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes better?

As with most technical decisions, it depends on the situation. If you plan to propel your fat bike up and down steep trails on a regular basis, you may want to consider hydraulic disc brakes.

Hydraulic disc brakes tend to work better than mechanical ones in cold weather, and provide more stopping power on steep descents. They’re also usually lighter and likely to last longer than mechanical disc brakes. Lastly, they don’t require as much pressure to activate and allow for more nuanced (or gradual) braking.

However, I personally prefer mechanical disc brakes because of my predilection for embarking on cycling adventures far from civilization. They’re easier to maintain yourself, and parts are more readily available. As a result, mechanical disc brakes may be the better choice if you’re shopping for a travel bike or if, like me, you routinely find yourself far off the beaten path.

Why does the size of the brake rotor matter?

Larger brake rotors increase the braking surface, allowing the brake pad to disperse heat more effectively. That means more stopping power. Bigger brake rotors usually also weigh more, which can be an issue on a road bike , but the difference will be negligible on a fat bike.

Are fat bikes slower and more difficult to pedal?

You will definitely move slower on a fat bike than on a road or gravel one. Fat bikes usually weigh more than the average mountain bike, which makes pedaling uphill more difficult. It also takes more effort to accelerate, so you aren’t going to achieve any fast starts on a fat bike without an e-bike and pedal assistance.

However, some types of pedaling are easier on a fat bike. You can ride over rocky terrain or soft dirt, as well as through slippery mud with confidence because of the substantial traction of your wider tires.

Vanessa Nirode is a freelance writer who covers wellness, culture, outdoor adventure and travel for Hearst , HuffPost , PopSci , BBC Travel , and Threads , among others. She’s also a pattern maker and tailor for film and television but most of the time, she’d rather just be riding her bicycle.

Kevin Cortez is an editor for Runner's World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics covering reviews. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors. He most recently worked as the Style Editor for Reviewed, a top product recommendation site owned by USA TODAY. He also helped with the launch of WSJ's Buy Side commerce vertical, and has covered the music and podcast industries for Mass Appeal, Genius, Vulture, Leafly, Input, and The A.V. Club. Equally passionate about leisure as he is his penmanship, Kevin dedicates his spare time to graphic novels, birding, making cold brew, and taking long, meandering walks.

As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.

preview for HDM All Sections Playlist - Bicycling

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Bike Reviews

a person riding a bike on a trail in the woods

The Best Beach Cruisers for Leisurely Rides

The Best Hardtail Mountain Bikes

Best Hybrid Bikes You Can Buy Right Now

The 14 Best Road Bikes of 2024

The Best Commuter Bikes for Getting Around Town

a person riding an aventon electric bike

The 10 Best Electric Bikes, Tested by Our Editors

These Folding Bikes Can Go Everywhere

Smoother and Faster: The New Pivot Switchblade

riding specialized rockhopper elite 29 mountain bike on trail

The Best Beginner Mountain Bikes

Reviewed: Colnago's Italian Made C68 Gravel

The 6 Best Kids’ Bikes in 2024

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.

a black bicycle with a bottle on the front

The 12 Best Bikes For Men in 2024

For off-roading, grocery-hauling, head-clearing, and everything in between.

Best Overall

Trek verve 3 disc.

Best City Bike

Cannondale bad boy 3.

Best Bike Under $400

Schwinn discover 2.

Best Overall Fixed Gear Bike

State bicycle co. wulf.

Best Fixed Gear Upgrade

Brooklyn bicycle co. wythe fixie.

Best Cheap Mountain Bike

Mongoose dolomite fat tire mountain bike.

Best Mountain Bike

Specialized stumpjumper comp.

Best Overall E-Bike

Rad power bikes radcity 5 plus.

Best Cruiser E-Bike

Aventon pace 500 e-bike.

Best Cargo E-Bike

Trek fetch+ 2.

There are so many reasons why we support being Bike People. You're healthier . If you're riding your bike to work , you're not staring at your phone on the bus, and you've gained some valuable time back from Big Tech. On the weekends, you're not glued to a laptop or bingeing a new show . You're taking afternoon rides by the beach , weekend off-roading adventures, or more regular trips to downtown areas where cool people hang out. Regardless of where you are, as long as you’re on the saddle, with a slick bike helmet , you’re living the good life.

To get you started on your two-wheeled journey, our experts found the 12 best bikes for men. The list includes e-bikes that’ll that make light work of city streets, mountain bikes, and daily commuters. Grab one of these, a car rack , some bike bags , and accessories . Then, you're good to go. No matter which you choose, these 12 bikes for men will do your life as a cycling enthusiast justice.

If you’re a one-stop-shop kinda biker, this hybrid model that’s fast on the road and also steady on loose terrain will satisfy your needs. Its lightweight, sporty form will transition you smoothly from flat pavement to light off-road surfaces, even holding up after you log miles after miles. Lastly, if the weather isn’t cooperating, the powerful disc braking system will work just fine and let you slow down or stop on a dime.

Type: hybrid bike

Best for: commuting, cruising, light off-road riding

A city bike needs to be fast, easy to store, but most of all, maneuverable through populated streets. Cannondale's Bad Boy 3 is all of those things. It has fast-rolling, grippy tires and nimble handling for taking on tight corners, reckless drivers, and equally reckless pedestrians. It also packs quite a bit of speed, making commuting no problem and allowing you to see even more of your city on recreational rides. There's also its wide gear range, disc brakes, and reliable durability to help you take over the city.

Type: hybrid commuter bike

Best for: commuting, cruising, urban cycling

While this touring bike is the cheapest on this list, it by no means feels, looks, or rides cheap. It's basic, sure—a seven-speed twist shifter for quick gear shifts, a linear pull brake for precise stops, and a rear carrier for easy storage are the only noteworthy features it's got. But it manages to look invaluable in its streamline frame and fork. Whether you cruise it around the neighborhood or zoom it down the city skylines, it'll turn heads.

Type: hybrid cruiser bike

Best for: commuting, cruising

Hey, we'll make fun of fixie guys as much as anyone, but you can't deny that the preferred mode of transportation from the hipster years has its place. When you're in a city, especially on that's not especially hilly, there's few better ways to get around. They're easy to maintain and easy to ride in traffic, so long as you get one that has brakes.

We love this fixed gear from State. It looks good, it has front and rear brakes, and there's a handful of customization options to fool around with.

Type: fixed gear

Best for: city riding

Want a fixed gear bike? Get one from Brooklyn, the capital of the genre—sorry to other hipster locales. Just like the last one, this bike has front and rear brakes. That might hurt your street cred in Greenpoint, but it makes the bike a lot more practical.

Brooklyn Bicycle Co. tends to have the edge on other brands making new fixed gears because of a few key things. First, the bike gets shipped to a pro shop near you, and they do all the assembly. Second, there are nice performance touches like a fancy steel alloy frame, puncture-resistant tires, and a smooth steel drivetrain.

So, you just got into mountain biking? This is where you should start. Instead of getting a lightweight, blazing fast single track bike, get this cheap slow and steady style from Mongoose.

The fat tires will slow you down, and they might even inhibit you on certain tracks. But they will carry you over all sorts of shit. Stray off the trail a little? They'll keep turning. Hit a gnarly rock or root? They'll keep turning. Bump a tree with your front end? They just keep turning. Before you dive into the sport and fuck up a $3,000 bike, buy this beater.

Type: mountain bike

Best for: trail riding

Ok, if you're looking to go in on a true mountain bike, this is one of the best overall mountain bikes on the market. Between its meticulously developed suspension kinematics, a mid-travel ripper to finely carve terrain, and FlipChip adjustability to tune your fit, what more could you ask for? Nothing. If you've gotten the single track bug and want to get serious about it, this is the bike for that.

E-bikes are great but can run large and heavy. That's what makes Rad Power bikes in general , but especially its newest bike, the Mission, so damn special. It feels like a standard city bike—that is, until you ride it. The RadCity 1 is built with strong brakes and is portable like any good city bike, but also has the added bonus of E-bikes: Trekking long distances or up hills without getting sweaty. It's ideal for commuters who don't want to show up to work drenched. Rad does an excellent job at manufacturing accessories too, like electric brake lights and front spots, back crates, and more. The bike blends the best of both worlds, giving you that extra electric boost to compete with traffic.

Type: hybrid e-bike

Best for: commuting, cruising, light terrain riding

A bike is a great way to keep you active on vacation. Typically a cruiser—which allows riders to sit upright, even lean back, and stretch their limbs—is ideal for this kind of riding, on both paved pedestrian lanes and dirty, bumpy paths. Pace 500 is perfect for that billing. It’s an e-bike with a potent motor that’ll take you to destinations faster, all while saving you energy. Once perched on its relaxed frame, you'll be set for a comfortable riding posture for the beach or the city, and if you know there are a few potholes or gentle hills on your route, turn up the pedal assists to help you crush them.

Type: cruiser e-bike

Want to replace a vehicle? Trek's Fetch+ 2 is our favorite bike for it. You can tote two kids or a whole lot of groceries in this thing, and it is ridiculously easy to ride. That comes down to the Bosch drive unit. You can ride it uphill in summer heat, and you're not going to get tired. The bike does all the work for you.

Add to that a lightweight aluminum frame and a surprisingly sleek build, and you've got the ultimate weekday car replacement.

Type: cargo e-bike

Best for: commuting and cruising, especially with families

Rad Power Bikes RadRunner 2 Electric Utility Bike

We love Rad Power Bikes, if you can't tell. They make simply the coolest E-bikes we’ve seen, with one of the best ecosystems of any bike company out there. While the RadMission is a great city bike, the RadRunner is practically a motorcycle (but far less dangerous because, well, it's still an E-bike). This thing has huge terrain tires, a sturdy frame, and so much room for crates and accessories. If you're someone who lives miles away from work, this guy will get you there without you needing to break a sweat. Couple its long battery life with its accessories, and it has no problem with late-night riding. Even if you're a guy who'd drive to a neighbor's house, you'll find yourself riding it to get to work every day, rain, snow, or whatever. It's also ideal for delivery drivers. The bike gives you the freedom of short-distance driving, a perfect beast for anyone who'd rather not Uber three to seven miles.

Swagtron Swagcycle EB-7 Elite Electric Bike

We love well-designed things, especially when that design saves space. A lot of folks have jumped on the folding bike bandwagon, but the good people over at Swagtron have mastered it with the Swagcycle EB-7 that we had to endorse . It's an e-bike with a seven-speed gear shift that'll thrust you from peddle-only to full-throttle. And the ride is simply smooth, courtesy of its enhanced rear suspension. Even on the hills, its motor and electric pedal assist will get you up. Then, simply fold and sling it on your shoulder—yes—or tuck it away.

Type: folding e-bike

@media(max-width: 73.75rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.4375rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.5625rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}} What We're Buying

The Made-to-Measure Shirt Brand That Gets It Right

The Best Memorial Day Sales Already Happening

6 USB Microphones for Podcasting, Gaming, and More

Shop the PGA Superstore’s Insane Golf Sale

The 64 Best Gifts to Get Your Girlfriend

a group of white chairs in a room with a glass door

9 Patio Sets to Liven Up Your Outdoor Space

9 Comfortable Futons That Don’t Look Like Futons

The 11 Best Bongs for Smoother Smoking

The 8 Best Travel Strollers for Dads

a pair of black and silver video game controllers

The Only 5 PC Gaming Controllers Worth Your Money

The 18 Best Places to Shop for Outdoor Furniture

Pedego launches three new ‘groundbreaking’ e-bikes including Moto, Cargo, and Trike

Pedego , one of the earliest electric bike brands to enter the US market well over a decade ago, has announced one of its biggest new e-bike rollouts yet. The company launched three new models consisting of the Moto, Cargo, and Trike.

The company referred to the bikes a “three groundbreaking additions” as they offer new performance, technology, and frame styles that we haven’t seen before from Pedego.

“This is officially the next generation of electric bicycles,” said Pedego CEO Brian Stech. “Built to exceed the industry’s highest standards, each bike is outfitted with cutting-edge technology available only to Pedego customers, offering riders industry-leading safety, increased range, numerous customization options, and ultimately a superior riding experience for all.”

The new Pedego Moto ($3,995) is a moped-style e-bike of similar appearance to bikes like the Juiced Scorpion and other popular step-through moped e-bikes.

The full-suspension design includes dual rear coil-over shocks, adding to the motorcycle vibe. A large 48V battery with 920Wh of capacity is found mounted in the psuedo-double-wishbone frame leading up to the fixed rear bench-style saddle.

Fat tires allow riders to hit the trails more comfortably or simply roll over pockmarked streets and urban trails commonly strewn with obstacles.

A 10-speed SRAM transmission gives the few riders who will actually pedal this e-bike a wide range of gears to choose from.

Shipped in Class 2 mode with a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h), the e-bike is listed as “Class 3 ready”, meaning higher speeds can likely be unlocked.

The Pedego Cargo ($3,995) is a longtail cargo e-bike that features an extended rear rack.

Referred to as a “sport utility e-bike” by the company, a number of accessories are included to help make the Cargo ideal for carrying children or gear. Wooden side panels add to the looks and functionality, as do the fold-up running boards that provide a platform for groceries but can fold in to make the bike more narrow when not in use.

Options for either 460Wh or 672Wh batteries give riders a choice between battery sizes to choose just how far they want to go. A range extender battery accessory can be added under the rear bench, though, for riders who occasionally want to travel further but don’t always need that much battery for daily rides.

An 11-liter waterproof storage bag is mounted behind the seat tube, offering on-board storage that can help keep riders’ belongings dry.

Fat tires combined with front suspension should make for quite a comfortable ride, even when the terrain isn’t ideal. Just like the Moto, the new Pedego Cargo comes with a 20 mph (32 km/h) top speed but appears to be unlockable by those who prefer traveling at higher Class 3 speeds.

Lastly, the new Trike ($3,495) offers a fat tire three-wheeler with a large open rear tube for hauling plenty of cargo on a super stable platform. With trikes, riders don’t need to put their feet down or balance a heavy bike at rest, making it an ideal foundation for cargo needs or riders who simply want more relaxed rides (and more relaxed stops).

The Trike comes with a higher voltage 52V battery that features 910 Wh of capacity. A top speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) prevents it from hitting those turns too quickly, though slowing down even further during tight turns is always advisable on a trike.

There’s no suspension on this one, but the fat tires should help soak up some of the bumps along the way.

All three new models are SGS/TUV Certified to UL2849 and UL2271 standards, covering both the lithium-ion battery and the entire e-bike system. The batteries even use potting technology that encapsulates the cells in a heat-absorbing resin. That helps protect against corrosion of the cells over time and also prevents the spread of thermal events if the battery is ever breached and damaged. Such breaches are even more unlikely though, due to the encapsulation of each battery cell.

The bikes also include new headlights with high and low beams, plus Pedego’s custom tail light with brake lights, running lights, and integrated turn signals.

For power, the three models all come with a 750W nominally-rated motor that has a peak rating of 1,500W. Respectable SRAM and Tektro components grace the e-bikes, along with a full-color LCD screen with an ambient light sensor and USB-C charging port for powering devices like cell phones.

In addition to a hand throttle, Pedago explained that the bikes also come with a custom-designed pedal assist system featuring two types of drive modes:

“PEDALSENSE® is Pedego’s proprietary propulsion software that delivers a signature elevated riding experience. With PEDALSENSE®, Pedego continues to lead the industry by combining cutting-edge technology and customization options, setting a new standard for excellence in e-bike design and performance. PEDALSENSE® offers riders the freedom to personalize their ride like never before. With the ability to choose between two customized pedal assist features, Cruise and Torque assist, riders can tailor their experience to match their unique riding style and preferences. Cruise assist seamlessly matches the rider’s pedaling speed, ensuring a smooth and effortless journey, while Torque assist provides an extra boost of power only when needed, amplifying the rider’s effort and enhancing efficiency and control.”

Electrek’s Take

Sure, they’re not the most flashy names we’ve ever seen. But then again, it’s hard to argue about trademarks when your bike is named “Cargo”.

The bikes themselves sound pretty darn nice, and Pedego is known for not cutting corners. Hydraulic disc brakes with meaty 203 mm rotors, higher spec transmissions, nice color displays, potted batteries, etc. But the downside here is the price, since on a dollar-per-dollar basis, you can easily find more affordable alternatives in the oversaturated e-bike market.

However, Pedego has never tried to win on a dollar-per-watt comparison. Instead, the company relies on its added value, such as the industry-leading 5-year warranty (that includes anti-theft protection and lifetime frame warranty), the network of over 200 brick-and-mortar pedagogy shops, and high levels of customer service. If there’s one company that will hold your hand through every stage of an e-bike purchase, including after-sales support, it’s definitely Pedego. You pay out the nose for it, and so it might not be right for everyone, but you get what you pay for.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries , DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto .

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0 , the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2 , the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission , and the $3,299 Priority Current . But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

You can send Micah tips at [email protected], or find him on Twitter , Instagram , or TikTok .

Micah Toll's favorite gear

Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike sale

Best $999 electric bike ever!

Rad Power Bikes sales

Great e-bikes at great prices!

Manage push notifications

NCM Milano Electric Bike Review

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure.

NCM make high-quality, but affordable electric bikes, in this review I will explain why I believe the NCM Milano is the best electric commuter bike for the money.

About NCM Electric bikes

NCM electric bikes are owned by Leon Cycle GmbH a German company based in Hanover. Their e-bikes are designed in Germany and manufactured in China.

Specification

The centrepiece of this Electric bike is the X15 geared rear hub motor: This reliable 250W rear electric motor is known for its durability and high torque output, enabling the rider to maintain 15.5mph for long periods. There is no compromise in handling with the small motor centred in the rear hub.

NCM Milano electric bike photos of saddle, rear wheel and handlebar grips

48v13ah Lithium battery pack with USB charging port for mobile devices: Bulky battery packs take up a considerable amount of space, but the Milano’s battery is integrated into the down tube of the bike, keeping the weight low and central, which helps to improve stability. The manufacturers claimed a maximum range of 75 miles seems a little optimistic. The total battery energy capacity is 624wh (watt hours), so if you were consuming 20wh per mile, your range would be 31 miles. My friend owns one of these bikes and gets an average range of around 40-50 miles.

NCM milano electric bike view of battery

This bike is built for comfort: The Schwalbe touring tyres, Suntour front suspension, adjustable handlebar stem, Selle Royal ergonomic grips and saddle with suspension post all make for an incredibly comfortable ride, even over longer distances. The Shimano 7-Speed gears, index perfectly – shifting is crisp and precise.

photos of the ncm milano tyres, display panel and front light

Fully functional control panel display: The Das-Kit LCD gives you all the information you would expect from an e-bike display. including journey time and mileage. It also has 6 power levels of pedal assist, so you can fine-tune the power output to suit your ride.

Excellent build quality: The NCM Milano is designed to look great but with no compromise on functionality and safety. The Tektro mechanical disc brakes with 160mm rotors provide adequate braking and the brake levers incorporate motor cut-off switches to ensure safe riding. The front and rear lights work off the battery and provide an extra level of safety – especially when riding in the winter. Internal cable routing finishes off the package neatly and not only looks great but protects the cables from the elements.

In my opinion, the NCM Milano electric bike offers exceptional value for money. It is unusual to see such a high-quality, well-made e-bike at this price point. What’s more the specification is excellent. The 48v13ah battery will certainly provide users with a realistic range of between 30-45 miles, or 31 miles using the 20wh per mile calculation. The claimed range of 75 miles may be a little optimistic for everyday use – it depends on how much you use the electric assist.

Tektro Mechanical disc brakes should provide adequate stopping power, while the Schwalbe tyres will provide a reasonable amount of puncture protection.

The attention to detail on this bike is great. The internally routed cables and the integrated battery pack make for a very clean finish, something you only usually find on more expensive e-bikes.

The fact that this bike has mudguards, a pannier rack, lights and a kickstand fitted, means that it is excellent for the daily commute in all weathers, or perfect for some weekend touring. The inclusion of a gel saddle and suspension seat post make this bike a truly comfortable and versatile all-rounder.

If you are in the market for an incredibly versatile and affordable e-bike this definitely ticks all the right boxes

A friend of mine purchased one of these back in the Summer and he was kind enough to let me take it for a spin. I can honestly say it was a revelation! The gel saddle was incredibly comfortable and the small X15 hub motor was quiet and smooth. It produced a lot of power for such a small motor, making climbing the steep Cornish hills a doddle! The brakes and front suspension were more than adequate for the back lanes of Cornwall.

I really cannot recommend this bike enough. It has to be one of the best value e-bikes on the market at the moment, and the specification is great.

The great thing about this e-bike is that it is a true hybrid – it is equally comfortable being ridden on tarmac or unpaved surfaces. It can even be used for some light off-road riding.

If you are in the market for an incredibly versatile and affordable e-bike this ticks all the right boxes.

Incidentally, NCM’s other 48v 250w bike is called the NCM Moscow , I will be reviewing this bike shortly. I have personally worked on and ridden a Moscow, and it is on par with the Milano for the ride and builds quality. It uses identical electric components but in a mountain bike-style frame.

Meet Tony, a passionate e-bike advocate and enthusiast who discovered the life-changing benefits of electric bikes back in 2016. Tony’s technical experience within the e-bike field was gained while running a successful electric bike conversion business for 5 years in his home county of Cornwall, UK.

Orbea Gain D50 2019 Electric Road Bike Review

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure. I have been wanting to do a review of the Orbea Gain D50 since I…

Best Electric Bikes for Delivery – Earn More in 2023

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure. In recent years there’s been a massive proliferation in food delivery companies like Deliveroo and…

Accolmile Electric Bikes [Range Overview and Specifications]

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure. I’ve just been made aware of another relatively new brand of budget e-bike available in…

Shengmilo MX03 – Great Value Electric Fat Bike?

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure. The Shengmilo MX03 is a fat tire electric bike that has a specification above and…

Voodoo Zobop E-Shimano Electric Mountain Bike Review 2020

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure. Competition in the under £3000 full suspension electric mountain bike price bracket is hotting up….

Best Electric Bikes for Fitness: Get Motivated to Go Further

When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure. If you’re looking to get fit and lose weight, an electric bike might be a…

46 Comments

boa taarde tenho uma biçicleta destas mas necessito de assistencia em Portugal. ela não arranca e não encontro uma ofecina que repare esta marca e com a garantia

Hi! Thank you for the review! I bought Milano a week ago, so far so good. I found the first assist speed to be stronger that I’d like it to be. Is there any way to rebalance those 1-6 modes within the given range, so it starts not as strong?

Don’t know if this is still open, but I really like the Milano plus, my only question, is how easy is it to remove the battery beneath that tube? Can it be done one handed? Cornwall my home!

Turning the key releases the battery catch, then you need to lift it slightly, move it forward and remove. I would imagine it’s possible to do it one handed, but it would be fairly tricky as the battery weighs around 3kg.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Regards, Tony

bike seems well make and sturdy but i find the tyres are so skinny that when you are on slightly uneven surfaces even at a slow pace & i’m talking in number 1 setting it is dangerous and you could so easy fall off on a slightly uneven footpath. It’s ok on even ground but i wouldn’t let my wife ride it. I’ll try putting new tyres on it & see how it goes or it will be sold. In comparison i have another basic ebike in the states which is so stable this is nowhere close to and ride all types of tracks on it which is also a similar style. i would say I’m disappointed in it so far & feel its an accident waiting to happen.

Bonjour J’ai juste une question ,je mesure que 5 pieds !!!! Donc le small peut-il me convenir

Bonjour, Je pense que même la version 26″ est peut-être un peu trop grande. NCM recommande une hauteur minimale de 5′ 2″ de 160 cm.

Excellent review Tony,

I went ahead and bought the Milano and I’ve been very impressed with it so far. I was wondering if you’d know whether the 48v 16ah battery for NCM bikes would be compatible with the Milano model? I can’t seem to find a 48v 13ah battery anywhere.

Many thanks, Andy

An NCM Milano Plus battery should fit straight in. The 16Ah battery is the same size and uses lithium cells with a higher energy density.

Bonjour Je viens d’acheter ce vélo Mais je me pose la question, comment mettre en route la lumière avant ? Merci de votre aide

Appuyez et maintenez la touche « + » sur l’écran pour allumer le phare.

Bonjour Tony, Merci pour votre commentaire très instructif. Je souhaite acheter le Milano car après avoir étudier le marché des vélo électriques; il semble être d un excellent qualité-prix. J ai expérimenté le Veligo. Il me semble etre un peu similaire. Mais j ai une petite hésitation…si vous pouviez m éclairer…a t on sur le vélo le dos droit? Je pensais le prendre en taille L (28 pouces)(Je fais 1,74m) pour avoir une assise plus confortable. Je l utiliserai quotidiennement pour aller travailler. Pensez-vous que c est un bon choix? Ou devrais je m orienter vers un vélo de ville type Elops de Decathlon ou Sydney de Ubanbiker?(que je trouve tout de même assez cher) Merci pour votre réponse. A très bientôt, Linda

Bonjour, La taille fait référence au diamètre de la roue (28″). Tous les cadres NCM Milano sont identiques et correspondent à une taille moyenne. Cela devrait être parfait pour votre taille. La potence du guidon est également réglable, ce qui vous permet de monter le guidon encore plus haut si nécessaire. Salutations, Tony

I am seeing two different Milano Max models…N8C and N8R. They look exactly the same and with the same specifications. What is the difference?

I checked online for milano and price was 1189 Canadian dollar. On Monday I decided to buy it but unfortunately price went up to 1359$. I’m surprised as during holiday season everywhere else reducing their prices but your price was raised.

Leeds Electric Bike Kits - Home of the Famous 5-Minute E-Bike Kit!

A Beginner’s Guide to the Perfect Electric Bike Tire Pressure

There is a huge amount of debate around how to get the ideal e-bike tire pressure. Optimum pressure varies due to a number of factors, and because of this, there are no fixed rules. Keep in mind, the same physics and factors that apply to regular bicycles also apply to electric bikes , and there are certain guidelines that you can follow to approximate the correct pressure for an electric bike wheel. From there you can make adjustments to fine tune it.

The Effects of Tire Pressure

Physics tells us that more pressure will allow a bicycle to roll faster because the tire will deform less and have a smaller footprint on the road, both of which lead to less rolling resistance. While this is true, it is only true on a perfectly smooth road. Unfortunately, the reality is that road surfaces vary greatly, and they are rarely smooth at all.

Studies have found that decreasing pressure can actually increase speed, as small bumps are absorbed by the e-bike tires instead of reaching the actual bike. Perception of speed is increased with higher pressure because more vibrations reach the rider, making them feel like they are moving faster.

The effect is easy to understand if you have ever ridden a mountain or off-road bike with tires pumped up hard. Every bump on the trail is transferred to the rider. While a hard tire has a smaller footprint and will indeed accelerate faster, mountain bikers need a lower pressure so that the bigger tire footprint can conform to the trail and give more grip, especially when cornering.

Although there is no one ideal bike tire pressure, you can get close to what you need by considering the following factors and steps below:

More weight pushing down on the e-bike tires will compress the air inside more. The more that the rider and bicycle weigh, the more pressure is needed to counter the effect of this compression. If you are a petite rider, then you will need a much lower pressure in comparison to a larger cyclist.

Road cyclists need the highest tire pressure for their electric city bikes . Trekking cyclists or “bike packers” (similar to backpacking but with a bicycle) riding on fire trails will need a lower tire pressure, and mountain bikers need even less.

Rough terrain will require road cyclists to use a lower pressure to avoid vibrations that cause hand fatigue. Likewise, when riding off-road, a higher pressure is more suitable for hard-packed surfaces than loose sand or loam, which require a lower pressure. Keep in mind that, if your tire pressure is too low, it can cause snakebite punctures when riding off-road.

If the surface is wet, the ideal bike tire pressure will be much lower. This increases the e-bike tire’s footprint and grip. This applies to road and off-road cycling. A tire pressure that is too high is often the primary cause for crashing when road conditions are wet.

Tire Volume and Rim Width

As tire volume increases, lower pressure will be needed to get the same ride feel. The same applies to rim width. Mountain bike rims have become wider in the last few years. A wider rim allows a tire to have a greater surface volume, which grips the road better.

How to Get the Ideal Tire Pressure

The minimum and maximum pressure should be visible on the side of the tire. Although this is a guideline, you should not exceed the maximum. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for an approximate pressure according to your body weight, and use this as a starting point. Make adjustments according to the above considerations.
Get a small portable pressure gauge and inflate your tires to the correct pressure on longer rides or regular commutes.
Go for a ride. Take a pump and your pressure gauge with you. If you are riding on the road and notice lots of vibration, release five psi of pressure, and try again. If you are riding off-road and notice your tires bouncing off stones and roots, you should also release five psi. On the other hand, if you notice that your rim is hitting objects as you ride over them, you have far too little pressure in your tires.
Experiment with different pressures. If you use a GPS tracker, you can see how different tire pressures affect your speed. You can ride a short section of trail many times. Start with a low pressure, and add five psi each time until the tire starts bouncing off objects. Where did it feel best? Which pressure gave you the best grip in the corners? How does this change with different surfaces?

Be Prepared to Adjust the Pressure

While there is no perfect tire pressure, it is certainly worth taking the time to play around with it and find what pressure works best for you and your style of riding. Bear in mind that, as soon as you are riding on a different road surface or different kind of soil, the pressure you need will change. The same is true if it starts raining during a ride. The more you experiment with tire pressure, the more accurately you will be able to judge which pressure is right for you in every scenario.

At the end of the day, it costs nothing to inflate your tires a bit more or let out some air, so get out there and find the pressure that works best for you!

[wpdreams_ajaxsearchlite]

E-Bike kits

Explore our Electric Bike Kits for sale

Electric Eco Bicycles

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

20.8 Ah Samsung Ultra Li-ion Battery 24 Volts | 250 Series

11 Ah Samsung 35k Li-ion Battery - Leeds Bikes

11 Ah Samsung 35k Li-ion Battery 36 Volts | 500 Series

10.4 Ah Samsung 30k Li-ion Battery 24 Volts | 250 Series

Find a bike shop near you | Trek Retailers

IMAGES

2017 Trek Farley EX Full Suspension Fat Bike- Mtbr.com
Buy 2017 Trek Farley EX 9.8 Full Suspension Carbon Fat Bike
Trek Farley 5 (2020)
2017 Trek Farley EX Full Suspension Fat Bike- Mtbr.com
Trek Launches All-New Full Suspension Fat Bike: The Farley EX
2017 Trek Farley EX Full Suspension Fat Bike- Mtbr.com

VIDEO

Foes mutz
Haibike Full Fat Six review for Sprockets Cycles
Dream Build ICAN Carbon Fat Bike Wheels With DT Swiss 350S Hub 2020
Foes Mutz V3 and Some Summertime Trail Fat Biking
DUAL SUSPENSION FAT BIKE
Fat Bike TREK + shimano alivio

COMMENTS

Fat bikes
Fat bikes. Fat bikes give you the ability to explore more places in more seasons. From dunes to drifts and snow to sand, fat tire bikes give you the incredible traction and control that lets you tackle anything, any time, for any reason. There's no off-season with these incredibly capable, incredibly versatile mountain bikes. 7 Results. Items. 24.
Teton Tested: Can The Trek Farley EX Full Suspension ...
Trek's ABP braking and full floater suspension technologies really steady the ship. Some trail damping credit can go to fat tires, but this suspension remains responsive under any condition. Some bikes' platform damping negate the need to play with a shock's compression, but here the open/middle/climb switch makes a difference—in a good way.
2021 Trek Farley EX Frameset
A 27.5″ carbon frame full suspension fat frameset. Manufacturer Price. $3,299. Weight: ... Chris Farley's family settles with Trek over fat bike name. Jun 2018. The family of the late comedian and movie actor had filed a federal lawsuit against the Wisconsin-based bike maker, claiming its fat bike named the Farley ...
Trek Farley 7 Review
Our Verdict. The Trek Farley 7 is a burly, all-terrain trail bike with capabilities favoring winter. While primarily designed for snow and ice, the Gnarwhal tires, Mastodon suspension fork, and dropper post give this bike some versatility for shredding where it isn't frozen. The bike remained comfortable in many situations, from pounding out ...
2018 Trek Farley EX 8
A 27.5″ aluminum frame full suspension fat bike with upper mid-range components. Compare the full range. ... Trek Farley EX 9.8 fat bike review. May 2017. While the Farley EX 9.8 resides within Trek's fat bike family, its capabilities reach far beyond winter thanks to a unique design. Check out the Mtbr long term review.
The 5 Best Fat Bikes of 2024
A lightweight fat bike that boasts a full carbon frame and a solid all-around performance: ... Best Overall Fat Bike Trek Farley 7. Read the Review. 84. OVERALL SCORE. Downhill Performance 9.0. ... This is a breath of fresh air at a point and time when full suspension bikes and electric mountain bikes carry price tags resembling that of a nice ...
Trek Launches All-New Full Suspension Fat Bike: The Farley EX
The new Trek Farley EX 9.8. The biggest news by far from Trek's Sea Otter Launch was the addition of a full suspension Farley fat bike to their line. What's more, Trek is speccing the new bikes with 27.5″ fat bike wheels and tires, instead of the more common 26″ size. That said, 26″ fat bike wheels with up to 4″ tires can be used on ...
Trek Farley EX 9.8 VS. Salsa Bucksaw II Full Suspension Fat Bikes
Comparing my new 2017 Trek Farley EX 9.8 Carbon Fiber Full Suspension Fat Bike to my old 2015 Salsa Bucksaw II Full Suspension Fatbike.
Top 5 Full Suspension Fat Bike: A Rare Edition!
Full Suspension Fat Bike Trek: Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum: Fork: RockShox Bluto R: Rear suspension: Fox Performance Float EVOL, RE:aktiv 3-position damper: Front hub: Bontrager alloy sealed bearing, 150×15: Rear hub: Bontrager alloy sealed bearing, 197×12 rear: Rims: SUNringlé Mulefut 80 SL 32-hole cutout:
What happened to all the full suspension fat bikes?
Montana Carbon 27.5 FS Fat Bike. The Montana Carbon full suspension fat bike is a wolf in the mountains of Montana, with all the bite the trail could ask for. When combining a fat tire with 100mm of travel, it was only inevitable that we would stumble upon such a stable full squish mountain bike.
Trek's Farley EX Full Suspension Fat Bike
Trek's full suspension Farley rolls on 27.5 x 3.8" tires. ... but now Trek has gone ahead and created a line of full suspension fat bikes that roll on 27.5 x 3.8" tires. 26" wheels are still ...
SOC16: Trek Farley EX full suspension 27.5" fat bike crushes all
Fat bikes are Trek's fastest growing category, and it's not because there's more snow. Surprisingly, they say Nebraska, Kentucky, New Mexico, Arizona and Tennessee are the fastest growing states for fat bikes. So, the natural evolution to their line is full suspension with the all-new Trek Farley EX full suspension fat bike.
Trek HiFi Deluxe 29er Full Suspension
heavy, but the bike is bullet proof. This bike is not for the little guy. if your 5'10" or taller forget the 26" bike. 29r is for big boys. if your worried bout wt get new rims, and bars thats all. the 29r is a great bike in general. im totally past 26" bikes! will never go back.
The 9 Best Fat Tire Bikes of 2024
SRAM Level Bronze hydraulic. This is Trek's flagship fat tire, and the brand has pulled out all the stops to make a bike that will likely be the answer to every off-road lover and downhill ...
12 Best Bikes for Men 2024
Mongoose Dolomite Fat Tire Mountain Bike. $520 at Amazon. $520 at Amazon. ... Trek's Fetch+ 2 is our favorite bike for it. You can tote two kids or a whole lot of groceries in this thing, and it ...
Pedego launches three new 'groundbreaking' electric bike models
The new Pedego Moto ($3,995) is a moped-style e-bike of similar appearance to bikes like the Juiced Scorpion and other popular step-through moped e-bikes. The full-suspension design includes dual ...
Full suspension mountain bikes
Active Braking Pivot (ABP) and Mino Link make Trek full suspension models a class above the competition. Cross country mountain bikes. From cutting-edge carbon race bikes to versatile models made for loads of fun on light trails, our cross country bikes are fast, lightweight, and efficient. ... Trek trail bikes are versatile, light, and ...
NCM Milano Electric Bike Review
In my opinion, the NCM Milano electric bike offers exceptional value for money. It is unusual to see such a high-quality, well-made e-bike at this price point. What's more the specification is excellent. The 48v13ah battery will certainly provide users with a realistic range of between 30-45 miles, or 31 miles using the 20wh per mile calculation.
E-Bike Tires
Make adjustments according to the above considerations. Get a small portable pressure gauge and inflate your tires to the correct pressure on longer rides or regular commutes. Go for a ride. Take a pump and your pressure gauge with you. If you are riding on the road and notice lots of vibration, release five psi of pressure, and try again.
Trek Bikes
At Trek Bikes, we create bikes for the rider; from kids and teen bikes through to road bikes, mountain bikes and city, hybrid and commuter bikes. Learn more about our electric bikes too!
Find a bike shop near you
Showing 12 of 39 results. Back. ⌖ Use My Location. Store Locator by Locally.