[Jm_]

If you're honestly curious about fatbikes for anything other than snow, have a look at the few articles Mike Ferrentino has published over on NSMB.com. Maybe starting with this one? It's a good take on the pros and cons.

taller knobs would make a beastly tire even heavier. for very little benefit, because Gary's right:


like this? :

No turning control is fun?

Plus thats breaking through to dirt beneath since its like 3” of snow on a wash/bermed trail to stay centered. I do not advocate using fatbikes in 3” of wet snow on dirt in warm conditions. That IS dumb. You need snow on snow to make it worth it. People have no idea we are on completely snow trails that descend significant vert for months on end. And its fun because we can go ride it pretty damn close to like a summer bike. Every once and a while you see the zig-zag patterns where someone tried to ride it on a summer bike.

 

[bullcrew]

@slyfink that dude is faster in snow than most in dirt lol...

 

[Avy]

@slyfink that dude is faster in snow than most in dirt lol...

No doubt,killin it! I think it is obvious he is runnin Mishy Mud tires with such control. Eheheh.

Avy

 

[slyfink]

No turning control is fun?

Plus thats breaking through to dirt beneath since its like 3” of snow on a wash/bermed trail to stay centered. I do not advocate using fatbikes in 3” of wet snow on dirt in warm conditions. That IS dumb. You need snow on snow to make it worth it. People have no idea we are on completely snow trails that descend significant vert for months on end. And its fun because we can go ride it pretty damn close to like a summer bike. Every once and a while you see the zig-zag patterns where someone tried to ride it on a summer bike.

That video was posted in response to Gary's comment about slashing turns in axle deep snow.

I know exactly what you mean about riding on snow trails. It's what I do from January to March. For me, it's only fun on the fast downhilly stuff. But most of my terrain is short up and down. I also don't like the way they corner. It's just not the same as railing a turn on a "summer" bike. Studded tires and suspension would increase the range of pleasure a few weeks in either direction, and allow us to ride a bit more terrain, but I'm not willing to make that investment. Not since I discovered skate skiing. I've been riding my fatbike less and less since I got skate skis. When conditions are best for fatbiking, they're phenomenal for skate skiing (on the right trails). And now that my back is healed enough, I also prefer downhill skiing. I think I may invest in a lightweight "rando"-style kit next year to go explore the glades around here.

 

[bullcrew]

The Jedi was fun but not my all around favorite ripper (pedalling and uphills were my nemesis)
Mike and I used to run snow runs off bogus basin in Idaho...yes that's the green 951 he snapped in half lol.. we would do some steep drops right off the side past k-rail to trail and chutes...we would haul ass, but that guy above was killing it.
Dirty Dan's did well

 

[sethimus]

I thought Mellowpark had one. No?

Though it's 2 things besides the EU funds:
1. There are 2 companies that are really good at campaigning and building. They have all the fancy shmancy certificates so the govts like them. A strong local company makes a big difference - look at Claudio's Volosolution in your current area. Tbh I am envious of the huge projects you have around you.
2. Many municipalities here leave a certain % of the budget for ideas proposed by the public so the local bike communities have organized and voted the fuck out of those. Also kids really like those. Kinda annoying but still fun.

köpenick is in the outskirts of the outskirts of berlin. i would have need to take like several trains to get there for over an hour from where i used to live

 

[norbar]

köpenick is in the outskirts of the outskirts of berlin. i would have need to take like several trains to get there for over an hour from where i used to live

Well sure but now you live im pumptrack central.

Also 1h being long is cute. I used to commute for 1.5h to work every day.

 

[Avy]

The Jedi was fun but not my all around favorite ripper (pedalling and uphills were my nemesis)
Mike and I used to run snow runs off bogus basin in Idaho...yes that's the green 951 he snapped in half lol.. we would do some steep drops right off the side past k-rail to trail and chutes...we would haul ass, but that guy above was killing it.
Dirty Dan's did well
View attachment 193739
View attachment 193740

Dam Bull,I had wet dreams of the Jedi back in the day. What was it that you did not like?

You have a very serious crop of bikes that came tobe in your stable,I would love to have such problems.

Avy

 

[bullcrew]

Dam Bull,I had wet dreams of the Jedi back in the day. What was it that you did not like?

You have a very serious crop of bikes that came tobe in your stable,I would love to have such problems.

Avy

I loved the bike hella fast in nasty sections and tech...I have zero complaints for the type of nasty shit I like to ride and drop that bike flat out kills it...I like to pedal a bit now with wife and play around and good off, that bike was a purebred machine....for jibbing and poking around it wasn't for that...there's more days I like to ride stupid and goof off, jib and just laugh...for those days a bike that makes me just smile and fits the bill will get used.more that's all.
That's why the evil just makes me smile...

Tomorrow we are hitting the YT trails in San Clemente so the 951 is coming out and next week we are hitting crestline which is a good dh shuttle run the session is getting saddle time...in-between the evil will get rode a few times alone...

 

[HardtailHack]

i'm way too smashy smashy (and old) get on with a hardtail. did not like the overforked cotic bfe i had a few years ago, even messing around on local trails.
while the nomad isn't quick/light/jibby, when it's running well it's hella fun. freeride frog agreed (until he got ejected and lost in a chunky descent last week)
View attachment 193614

Is the blood on the ground from having your kidney removed in the garage?

 

[norbar]

Is the blood on the ground from having your kidney removed in the garage?

Hey, bikes are getting expensive.

 

[bullcrew]

Hey, bikes are getting expensive.

Did you John Wick someone for their bike?

 

[norbar]

Did you John Wick someone for their bike?

I'm not sure John Wick was in the Kidney business but if a friend didn't need his kidney and did need a bike who am I to not help him remove his organs in a safe and supportive environment?

 

[marshalolson]

different kind of fun than most other little bikes posted here, but just for fun... my trail bike'd out XC ride that compliments the big rig.

Tires will get swapped once higher elevation trails melt out.

 

[toodles]

different kind of fun than most other little bikes posted here, but just for fun... my trail bike'd out XC ride that compliments the big rig.

Tires will get swapped once higher elevation trails melt out.

Between that setup and the vid Charlie Murray put up of him thrashing his new Epic down enduro trails I predict Speshy's warranty guy is going to start drinking heavily

 

[bullcrew]

15 years ago on RM:
I'm doing a mini DH bike for a do it all huck bike(9" travel rig with a single crown)

15 years later:
Making my down country a do it all huck bike...(140 travel sending it)

Well at least we kept the dream alive lol...

I'll say the latter makes for a much more fun ride..

And I love Ohlins suspension...holy crap

 

[marshalolson]

15 years ago on RM:
I'm doing a mini DH bike for a do it all huck bike(9" travel rig with a single crown)

15 years later:
Making my down country a do it all huck bike...(140 travel sending it)

Well at least we kept the dream alive lol...

I'll say the latter makes for a much more fun ride..

And I love Ohlins suspension...holy crap

Haha, love it.

The good news is my 36lb 170/150 enduro bike is way faster and more capable than my 15 year ago 39lb DH bikes ever where, lol.

 

[bullcrew]

Haha, love it.

The good news is my 36lb 170/150 enduro bike is way faster and more capable than my 15 year ago 39lb DH bikes ever where, lol.

Right!!!

Was thinking of the stuff we have been doing for 20+ years on here . And man we all have tinkered and tried....between alot of stuff on here and riding I find a lot of projects and builds have been influenced and base set ups done due to info .m

Plus the shit talk can get epic on here, love the loyalty to thicker skin.

 

[csermonet]

Haha, love it.

The good news is my 36lb 170/150 enduro bike is way faster and more capable than my 15 year ago 39lb DH bikes ever where, lol.

right, my 36lb 150mm/140mm Fuel EX is way more capable at descending than my DW link Turner DHR was years ago. When I still had my Turner later in my ownership, I took my 27.5 Stumpy to the bike park instead.

The trail bikes these days are nuts, I'm absolutely loving my Fuel. Huck Norris front and rear with 20 and 22psi in the tires gives absolutely insane traction, and then coil front and rear, it's a god damn monster truck and i love it.

 

[fwp]

Most bikes are fun except for 29'ers. But my favorite bike- possibly of all time - is my Ragley Blue Pig 27.5 hardtail. I pull it out when I'm riding quad paths and around town or doing some trails that aren't as rocky. Man, this thing is fun, fun FUN! I really love that it brings back the riding from the 90's and earlier 2000's since I mainly rode hardtails then. It's a blast to ride.

View attachment 193632

That thing looks early 90's retro with every different color you can find anodized. I thought about doing that to a bike present day would be cool. Bravo

 

[fwp]

Some people were saying you need higher pressure with an FS fatbike, but I don’t find a difference. If the snow is soft, you gotta go soft. If it’s hard frozen goodness, go hard. Setting records downhill in the winter is a blast. I hit 52mph in one of the races I won on it this year.

But the fat tires go away for the summer. If you try to ride fast they are like bump-amplifiers.

You must feel like a machine once you get on a normal bike after pedalling a FS Fatbike up mountains like that.

 

[Jm_]

Im pretty sure there are a few “wtf?” moments as I come barreling down on an FS bike on snow. Luckily droppers are becoming more common and pretty much standard on all snow bikes. Id rather have the dropper than front suspension if I had to choose between the two. Contributing to my awesome winter was the wolftooth dropper, freaking solid through all temps.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

Huck Norris front and rear

Is huck norris still a thing?
I have one in my shed, still in its packaging. It was intended for the plus wheelset I had on my fatbike. Never got installed and then the bike was sold...

 

[norbar]

Haha, love it.

The good news is my 36lb 170/150 enduro bike is way faster and more capable than my 15 year ago 39lb DH bikes ever where, lol.

Why was your 2008 bike bad? Though in all honesty even old DH bikes had some things I miss on my enduro bike. Mostly stiffness but then again I did gain some weight and my old dh bike was overkill in that department but drifting stupid stiff bikes on bald tires is fun

 

[toodles]

Why was your 2008 bike bad? Though in all honesty even old DH bikes had some things I miss on my enduro bike. Mostly stiffness but then again I did gain some weight and my old dh bike was overkill in that department but drifting stupid stiff bikes on bald tires is fun

What bike did you have in 2008? Was the stiffness because it was 26" or because of frame construction?

Because my 2008ish DH bikes weren't what I'd call stiff frames whatsoever.

 

[marshalolson]

Why was your 2008 bike bad? Though in all honesty even old DH bikes had some things I miss on my enduro bike. Mostly stiffness but then again I did gain some weight and my old dh bike was overkill in that department but drifting stupid stiff bikes on bald tires is fun

Ah man, I definitely cracked my fair share of rear ends and linkages, blew shocks and bearings, constantly fought creaks and rattles, repeatedly tightening loosening bolts, grinding parts to make them fit, bleeding brakes all the time, and just on a bike that was way too small for me as a tall-ish fellow.

 

[Electric_City]

Ah man, I definitely cracked my fair share of rear ends and linkages, blew shocks and bearings, constantly fought creaks and rattles, repeatedly tightening loosening bolts, grinding parts to make them fit, bleeding brakes all the time, and just on a bike that was way too small for me as a tall-ish fellow.

It sounds like you bought a GT I drive with Shimano brakes.

But other bikes were better than that.

 

[norbar]

What bike did you have in 2008? Was the stiffness because it was 26" or because of frame construction?

Because my 2008ish DH bikes weren't what I'd call stiff frames whatsoever.

I had a lapierre that was bad in many other ways but it was quite stiff though I'd agree DH bikes got stiffer a bit later ca 2010-2012.

Not really defending pre 2010 dh bikes but they weren't all horrible.

 

[Gary]

Not really defending pre 2010 dh bikes but they weren't all horrible.

When did you last ride one? Hate to admit it but I honestly can't think of a single one that isn't kinda terrible now in comparison to a modern 170-180mm trail/Derp bike.

 

[marshalolson]

Yeah, I’d say my last couple DH bikes (morewood makulu, transition TR250, 2012 demo) were all pretty close to modern, but the stuff before then, from 2002 to 2008 or so was increasingly archaic (across everything from derailleurs, to hangers, handlebar width, tubes in tires, brakes, etc etc) in comparison.

but keep in mind, even the “long” 2012 demo, which was quite progressive for the time, had a 64HA, 447 reach, and 1205 wheelbase. My current enduro bike has a 1275 wheelbase and at 6’2’’ I really benefit from the increased stability and improved body position (aside from basically never needing to work on linkages, replace derailleurs, bleed brakes, true wheels, repair flats, etc).

don’t get me wrong though, I have nostalgia for the old days too, but more so for rallying shuttle laps every night after work, shotgunning pbr, and a great crew.

 

[toodles]

I had a lapierre that was bad in many other ways but it was quite stiff

Not sure what model you had but we nicknamed this one the Flapierre because it was so noodly. Doing cutties could make the rear wheel rub the swingarm haha

 

[bullcrew]

Doing cutties could make the rear wheel rub the swingarm haha

I do that on modern bikes too...lol wanted a forbidden, nope not till they gusset the rear...rode a couple others and drive it into parking lot on flat cornering..it gets to buzzing.

 

[iRider]

Not sure what model you had but we nicknamed this one the Flapierre because it was so noodly. Doing cutties could make the rear wheel rub the swingarm haha

View attachment 194252

I think he is talking about this one.

 

[norbar]

Not sure what model you had but we nicknamed this one the Flapierre because it was so noodly. Doing cutties could make the rear wheel rub the swingarm haha

View attachment 194252

Naah. Previous model. This one was known to be bad. This one is ca 2010 or 2011.

 

[norbar]

When did you last ride one? Hate to admit it but I honestly can't think of a single one that isn't kinda terrible now in comparison to a modern 170-180mm trail/Derp bike.

I think you misunderstood my comment. I literally meant "not all". Most of them were a mess. I agree. Up until 2010-2012 there was still a ton of really bad ideas in DH bikes. It's just there were a few pre 2010 bikes that were already pretty decent. Though you are correct even the better ones are probably only better in very few narrow areas to modern big endurpoo bikes and the new bikes are more versatile and lighter so it's a no brainer. Especially with bigger wheels rolling so much better.

My comment was more of a "lets not pretend every bike released in 2008 or 2009 was a VP Free" than "I'd gladly ride a 2008 bike. I would not.

 

[Gary]

That's a very long winded way of not answering my question.

 

[Gary]

BTW. I still have two of the most winning DH bikes from 2008 - 2011

 

[HardtailHack]

I do that on modern bikes too...lol wanted a forbidden, nope not till they gusset the rear...rode a couple others and drive it into parking lot on flat cornering..it gets to buzzing.

I think a couple of Cube bikes were good for that too.

I should slap my old Nicolai Ion back together to see how shit it feels compared to modern bikes.
Then again I don't have a decent modern bike.

 

[William42]

When did you last ride one? Hate to admit it but I honestly can't think of a single one that isn't kinda terrible now in comparison to a modern 170-180mm trail/Derp bike.

I'd argue it was right around 2008-2010 range that we started getting settled DH bikes - 13.5" BB's, ~8" of travel, 62-64 degree HA, and reasonable lengths if you just bought a size larger than you would today. There were a few here and there that were okay, but most of them had at least one or two weird things going on. The demo woulda been solid except for its crazy short chainstays and the "specialized" painted on the side, the Sunday was pretty solid, Treks session was really good aside from the breaking thing, but given the choice between an unbroken one and a modern 170-180 enduro bike at a resort I'd take the session without hesitation. And to describe them as just straight terrible in comparison seems bombastic for the sake of attention. Don't get me wrong, there were some duds but that was the time frame where DH bikes started to get pretty good.

You just don't want to say you like bigger wheels better than 26" for fear of getting rocks thrown at you.

 

[bullcrew]

I know I said it before but wife and I went and did a climb and descent....that evil KICKS ASS...Love ohlins suspension.....I hate climbing but it makes it doable, and I did almost go over the bars lol..hit a hip and went nose down into a massive rut, thought me or the front end was getting ripped off...
It literally makes me love riding again, I like my DH FR setups for their intended purpose, but this little bastard is like a total JIB bike...I will actually be upset when this one breaks...