I just purchased a Norco Big Foot 2 - for the price it appears to have better specs and bang for buck than some of the above bikes - namely Dropper Post, 12 gears and a 180ml front end Disc - the frame is a ripper too. Riding fat is a blast - not sure if I'll ever ride my skinny MTB ever again......
I picked up a 2021 Giant Yukon 2. I'm really satisfied with it so far. Almost thinking of ditching my full suspension Scott Spark and adding a suspension fork to it as it really does well in the dirt in the summer time. I love the carbon front fork for the weight savings, it just makes it feel very light and playful in the front end. Such a fun bike to throw around in the dirt or snow.
@@haha5809 I found it to be affordable. The Canyon (not sure about the spec), I believe they're both carbon and where I live in Canada it's 1k more for it then mine so not really the amount I wanted to spend on a third bike.
Yeah I started down the path originally working on this vid but it was getting to be information overload so kept it higher level. Yes the ICT is big and wide in pretty much every way, I’ve never had issues with the wide Q factor but I know a lot of people do with knee/hip issues. Thanks for watching!!
I actually do follow them on Instagram and agree good looking bikes! Would love to try one out. I may try to do another video focused on smaller companies like them. Thanks for watching!!
I rode a Growler stout with 27.5x4.5 and 100mm manitou fork. They are super fun, especially with their shorter reach and taller stack. It makes it easy to pick up the front end. You don’t feel like you are carrying the weight of those big tires. The bike is nimble for sure
Yeah they make great bikes! The only reason they didn’t quite make this list is I never really see them around, but I know in Alaska they are really popular. Thanks for watching!!
Just picked up a farley 9.6 and its is stupendous. Done everything from xc to a 3000 ft climb decent day on it and it has been great. It will be getting a manitou mastodon for next season that's for sure. I'm not about that rigid fork but I'll deal for now
Yeah seems like the feedback on this bike is outstanding. It looks great too. It’s a high recommend for sure and I would love to own one some day as well! Thanks for watching!
Awesome! When the time comes lemme know what you're looking for. Bike industry supply side is still pretty tight but hopefully will improve. Thanks for watching!!
Enjoying your content! I also think the Rocky Mountain Blizzard should have made the list. It has all the mounts and the most progressive geo of all the modern Fat bikes... Maybe it makes it into the 2022 list, if you plan on doing one. Thanks for giving the Fatties some love!
Good overview of the Fat Bike market. I personally own a Kona Woo and I love it. Nothing to complain about. My wife owns the Trek Farley. While both bikes are fun to ride and were similarly priced there are some differences that might be worth noting. As you mentioned the Farley comes with the drop seat post. For the riding we do we don't see any need for this option but it may be useful for some (haven't noticed any detrimental affect due to the drop seat post). Some differences that we found that might be more concerning are: 1. The Farley has a fully pressed in bottom bracket while the Woo has the threaded style that can be tightened. The Farley suffers from bottom bracket creak and since it is pressed in it can't be tightened while I have not had this problem with the Woo. 2. The Woo has a 12 speed cassette while the Farley has only 10 speeds. For our riding this is probably not a big deal. 3. The Farley is equipped with Sram hydraulic disc brakes while the Woo uses Shimano. The Farley brakes tend to squeak at times but have not had that issue with the Woo so far (haven't tried bleeding the brakes yet). 4. The Woo came with Jumbo Jim 4.8's which are a little wider than the ones on the Farley (haven't really noticed much difference in the riding we do). As you may have guessed our preference is the Kona Woo as it stands right now. Others may have had different experiences.
Forgot to mention another difference is the Farley came with a carbon fiber front fork while the Woo front fork is aluminum. This probably offers a little more suspension effect for better control in rough terrane??
Hi Jim, thanks for the first hand feedback on these two bikes!! I agree on the bottom bracket, I will always choose threaded over press fit. That said I don’t think a press fit BB is a reason not to buy a bike, but it’s something to add to the pros/cons list for sure! Thanks for the other details, may well help someone who is one the fence between these two bikes! Thanks for watching and adding to the conversation!
Elevation Every Weekend Yes buying a fat bike in this price range is all about trade-offs and compromises. The bottom bracket, although a bit noisy will still last quite a while and it can be changed out for a threaded BB fairly easily. The carbon fibre front fork on the Farley is a nice feature that might appeal to many. It really depends on the individual.
I ride plus-size (3") year-round but the woo interests me for winter deep mud and slime - woo has a short chain stay & looks 'upright' - good for taking in the forest scenery. I don't want anything fatter than 4" (ideally 3.75) & the mulefut 80s seem too wide. Will 4" tyres fit ok ? any feedback appreciated. Thanks.
Norco Bigfoot and Rocky Mountain Blizzard are the two that interested me most. I put money down on a 2022 Bigfoot 2 back in March because how fast the 2021 fatbikes sold out in 2020. Super hard to get these days in my area. But this ones got a dropper post and 27.5” tires. I’m still super excited for this. I’ve been riding a gravel bike for last 4 years but after all the gyms were closed this winter I need a fatbike.
Your welcome. I restarted MTB with a used Marlin 29er. When you get one please let us know what you think. I don't have anything to compare my Farley to.
Thanks again. Personaly, liked the older 2015 9zero7/KHS the best! 413 mm Reach and 615 Stack. I have had 6 diff. fat bikes. Surly ICT, Ican, Carver, Charge, KHS, and Norco
Nice collection of bikes!! Not sure if I will change up mine group in the next year or so, at this point still having fun on all three bikes. If I found a Salsa Bucksaw I might be tempted! Thanks again for participating!
Disappointed not to see Fatback on the list. I have the Rhino. Its comparable to the Farly geometry wise with maximum tighouts. It's definitely more with of this list than the Wednesday and the Yukon and it comes with more options. They have several models to choose from too.
Thanks for mentioning them, someone else did as well. Yeah in going with only 10 picks lots of other viable options were left off, and I had to lean on the ones that I have first hand experience with and/or see commonly in the wild. With all of the suggestions coming in I may need to do a “part 2” list! Thanks for participating!
Agreed that they could and should have more visibility. Surly definitely has the lion share of the market. Fatback is the official sponcer of the bike Iditarod though. They are definitely one of the OGs in the field too.
I think those Yukons are incredible value. Thanks for pointing out the 177 axle on the Wednesday... that was part of what sold me. I looked at Borealis because I like that you can create your bike... BUT the geometry is so weird! Agree on the website. Have wasted many hours building bikes I’ll never buy.
Thanks for checking it out! It’s weird because most of the bikes on this list will do a lot of the same things extremely well...but it’s always interesting to look at the little differences.
I love my 2021 Yukon 2 just upgraded to xt drivetrain and what a difference. Installed some tubeless wrathchild studded and they are wicked for tracking I’ll be doing front suspension soon like the manitou mastodon 100mm ext. great bike with a lot of potential
@@neverstockjp I think so as well, wish Giant would have jumped in sooner and been more aggressive on it! The Mastadon is a good fork! If I go suspension, I really want to check out the Wren inverted fork.
@@ElevationEveryWeekend I like Wren as well but on the 110mm version you are limited to only 3.8” tires . With 520mm crown to axle i wouldn’t go more than 100/110mm travel. I forgot to mention that I fitted a raceface turbine R dropper post 125mm Routed internally and it works awesome very good quality.
@@neverstockjp thanks for the input on the Wren, I have not researched it at all yet but am thinking of a suspension fork for my ICT. Also appreciate the feedback on the dropper. It’s actually first on my list. I have been thinking of the PNW options but will look at the Raceface too for sure.
Thanks for the info. It really helps as I am going a little crazy trying to determine which fat bike I want to own. I have been riding a Kona Fire Mountain since 2015, am 68 years old, and looking to find that one stable fat biker platform to ride all year for any adventure. Do you plan to check out Growler’s offerings?
Hi Bill! I actually follow Growlers on RU-vid and really like what See from them and would love to check out one of their bikes. I had to limit my list to 10 and just didn’t have enough first hand info in them to include them...this time! I think a fatbike is a great platform for anyone wanting a more stable ride, especially older riders, both of my parents have fatbikes! Thanks for watching and good luck in your fatbike search!!
Great video boss I really enjoy watching your channel in general. Have you ever looked at "Fatback Bikes"? They make a couple really awesome fatbikes that I think should be considered. The Fatback Skookum and the Fatback Rhino are amazing fatbikes and I think maybe 1 of them belongs in this list. Pat Smage here on youtube does a great job showing off these bikes. I've got quite a few videos of my Rhino but I'm not the greatest rider lol.
Great video! The Farley 9.6 is top on my list for Carbon trail bike. I do like that it is only 29lbs with tubes in a Medium. Plus it has the GX drive which is my preferred starting point for drive trains. I will have to look at the Borealis as they have options I wish every company would do . All those SRAM EAGLE drives were listed. I wish I could have picked a GX or X01 for my Wednesday. Thanks for the food for thought.
I have a 2020 Farley 9.8. If you go with the Bontrager Wampa carbon wheels and set up tubeless you can get down to 24 lbs. Running the Bontrager Barbegazi tires. Crazy light for a 27.5 wheel fatbike. Super fun and nimble.
I have a 2021 Trek Farley 9.6. I was lucky enough to find it available back in May. I switched to tubeless, which really transformed the way it handled and rolled. It's crazy to have such a substantial bike that's so light and I'll say it, agile. I took it on the Colorado Trail from Waterton to Copper Mountain. Though it's not billed as a bikepacking platform, it did the work admirably. One thing I will say, is that I wish there are more options in chainrings and brakes. In heavy climbs, even with a 52t granny gear, a 30t chainring is too tall with a laden bike. And the 10t high gear gets seldomly used. In going through my options with the LBS, the only way to drop to a 28t or lower is to get a new crankset. Also, the 2-pot SRAM brakes are a bit on the weak side to slow down the momentum that can build on a steep trail with a fair amount of gear on it or a heavier rider. Those tires really get the bike rollin'. For the price, I'd like to see more standard options in those areas, or configure the bike differently from the outset.
@@drvoxmentat Hi, I want to ask you, is the bike suitable for long riding. Can I used it like xc/trail bike. According you does the bike need of front suspension? Are the brakes powerful enough? Thank you in advance!
Yeah I have the Mayor V4 and its amazing! Well priced, really slack headtube angle (67deg) and I went with the Mastadon fork version and its replaced my AM bike for most of the year (here in NS we have a lot of sloppy shoulder seasons). It also has sliding rear chain stays so it can fit the 27.5 FB wheels which was a plus to me if the wheel technology goes that way the frame should last a while. I have ridden it 2-3 days a week for most of the year since Nov 2019.
@@andrewl3610 Nice to hear. I ordered the V5 frame a while back. It's supposed to be here by the end of the month and will be replacing my 2016 Fatboy. I'm looking forward to the updated geo and it's finally dumping some snow here in BC.
@@reallyfastbiker4077 Nice! I borrowed my uncles Fatboy (I think its 2016 as well with the 80mm RS front fork) for a month or so before buying the Mayor; you will really feel the Geo Change! We both have same size frame and are close to the same height so swap mid ride sometimes on the trail. The Fatboy is better up and the RSD better down is the quick comparison. The specialized ground controls are a faster rolling tire as well compared to the Maxis minions, but the minions are amazing at grabbing traction in anything, I ride through a lot of boggy stuff and they also work well in deep snow (much better than my studded Vee snowshoe XLs that I put on this year actually)
EEW your experienced based detailed comments makes this list a very useful comparison, thank you for posting!...also looking forward to your budget bikes review. Any thoughts on fat bike best suspension rigid, front or full ? for all conditions mtb trails/explore use here in the AZ deserts would be great.
Thanks! I am a fan of the simplicity of rigid fatbikes, where the big tires are effectively your suspension...but I could see doing a front fork on one of my bikes, maybe this summer. Full suspension fat bikes intrigue me, but the options are limited these days. Would love to get my hands on one of those Salsa Bucksaw’s. Thanks for watching! And yes, hoping to do a couple more of these list type vids to cover all of the market.
@@ElevationEveryWeekend Agreed no more (parts, $'s or lbs)than needed. No snow or bike packing for me just enjoying our local flowy hard packed granite trails (rigid ok) but I don't want the fun to end as you run into the other half of the trail; ugh, a generous mix of loose rocky steep ups and downs with long sandy round river rock washes (front susp, 27.5 4.5"?) ...can't wait to watch your front fork video! As most likely I'll have to buy new, I'm trying to make the right choices and minimize expensive mistakes so thanks again for your all comments!
I haven’t seen or ridden one of the current models just yet, but they definitely make good bikes! The first fatbike I every rode was a Rocky Mountain. Thanks for watching!
I’ve been meaning to ask what size Surly Ice Cream Truck you ride and how tall are you? I’m 6’2” and trying to decide on the correct size ICT to purchase for whenever it should become available. Keep the vids coming, thanks!
My ICT and my Beargrease are large’s. I am 5’11” and both fit me well. My older Pugs is a medium, and while probably at the limit its still a good fit. You are probably right between a L and XL, so would come down to the specifics of your build (torso, reach, leg) and your preferences on how you like the bike to feel. Google search the Surly Size Chart and you will see how they overlap a bit based on height.👍🏻
Good point. I actually follow Smokestone on RU-vid and like what they are doing. All of the bikes I mentioned are North American based, as that is where I am and don’t have exposure to a lot of the great bikes built outside of NA. Would love to try some though! Thanks for watching!
Thanks! It’s a great bike! I did another list (linked below) that included it. Enjoy it and try it in the dirt, you may be surprised! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Afoc-emxGEw.html
Last May I purchase the Luna Galaxy paint by Luna Cycles, my only regret is that I did not purchase four or five of them for 1400 dollars it was a steal
I’m familiar with them and follow their RU-vid channel, I think they look great! I’ve never ridden one or even seen one in person, so that’s the only reason they didn’t make this list. When you confine yourself to a “top 10”, definitely some legit options are going to be left off. I’d love to try one of their bikes out. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! I didn’t include it because it was no longer offered when the video was made, otherwise it definitely would have been on the list!
Being a larger rider would I be better off with an aluminum or carbon bike? I have had my eye on the Framed Alaskan with carbon front fork for about a month. I will be riding all year round. In the winder it will be snow covered gravel trails and in the summer mostly paved and some sand. Any insight is appreciated!
I don’t think material matters much from the standpoint of rider weight, all quality bikes are made to a similar capacity on rider weight. The Framed is a good bike though, can’t go wrong with it or any of the bikes on this list. With supply limitations you may have to go for whatever is available now! Thanks for watching!!
Have you or others seen the Wyatt bikes? My lbs in Anchorage has some, the Wyatt, Trek Farley, and Beargrease, are my main prospects now. Also, any recommendations for me being 6'4" and weighing about 290?
I am aware of Wyatt bikes, but have never seen or ridden one in person, but they look like a quality contender. Any of those three bikes would be a good choice, so I would try to get a fit at you shop and see which one fits/feels best for you.
@@ElevationEveryWeekend Thanks for the advice above and all of your content, So far I've test riden the Surly Wednesday in an XL and it feels tiny (my knees were hitting the handlebars on mild turns), a Wyatt XL fit very well, and the Trek Farley I only rode around the store since it was raining out, but it felt a little smaller. The Farley feels like a race bike to me, and the Wyatt feels more durable and bigger, but I gotta keep looking into them. Thanks again and happy trails!
@@SnowroxKT I know Trek updated their Farley this past year, so not sure what version you got to ride but that could be something to explore again when the fall bikes drop.
@ElevationEveryWeekend FWIW the local Trek store said the only change was adding mounting bolts to the front fork, and they have a few 2022's in stock still at a discounted rate.
Hi! And thanks for following along on the channel! I am not familiar with that brand of fatbike, are you outside North America by chance? I can tell you, that 50lbs would be about as heavy as a fatbike gets in stock form. I have another video about the Top 5 Fatbikes under $1500, and in that video I do talk about weight and how it can detract from the riders enjoyment. It all comes down to your intended use though. If you can test the bike first and it seems like you will enjoy it, then by all means don’t worry about the weight. Thanks for watching!!
They do make great bikes, I have ridden one! It was tough to leave some of these off the list but glad to hear from you all on bikes you would have put in the list!
I'd like one of each please! I currently ride the Otso Voytek. It just barely squeaks over your 3500 dollar threshold. It's been great so far but I would like a more rack friendly fatty at some point. I had an ICT I never built up. My buddy has the giant with 27.5 fatties. I love them. I feels like a monster truck!
I follow Otso on the socials and their bikes look great. I almost included them but since I’ve never ridden, or even seen one in person, I stuck to bikes I have more familiarity with.
@@ElevationEveryWeekend what size frame? I've got a medium you're welcome to ride anytime!! Since you've ridden several others I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.
All these bikes are nearly identical. The only bike that goes beyond the ordinary is Pole Taiga. Its the only fat bike on the market with modern enduro bike geometry.
I’m not too familiar with the Pole, but agree as a matter of headtube angle there are not vast differences in these bikes. I would say there are other differences that segment them out more as touched on. I think it’s largely true that most bikes (of any genre) operate in similar spec ranges based on their targeted niche. I will also say that in my experience, even though the three fatbikes I own can largely do all of the same things, they all feel very different from the user experience. Thanks for watching!!
Yes!!! I just wrote a response with a link to the Taiga on this thread. It fits Snowshoe XXL 5.05's and had modern geometry. 66°head tube angle 76°seat tube angle Long reach Short stem Modern Fat All mountain bike Looked incredible.
@@chelboed it’s long and slack for sure, would love to actually ride one and see how that translates on a fatbike platform. Unfortunately not one I have ever seen in my parts.
The red Dolomite is not the same frame as the normal blue Dolomite ru-vid.comUgkxTGiBQEtJDzdz-_LjtY9HyQZPzkg6s_L9 it seems to be a Hitch with Dolomite stickers and solid rims. This isn't an issue unless you are counting on the wider tire clearance of the original Dolomite. This can be hard to tell given the angle of the pics, especially on a smaller screen. The red version does have the welded seat lock of the newer Malus. If the red color is important and you're going to be doing the basic upgrades popularized on the biking forums and RU-vid; you would probably be better off buying a Hitch, getting the lighter wheels, and saving a little money. We ordered a blue and a red one and both of the bikes needed grease in the bottom brackets, hubs, and stems. No matter what, these are a great introduction to fat bikes and wrenching your own stuff at this price point.
@@boybusilakbikes it’s a good place to do some research on your specific bike, and then I recommend working with a shop to buy or build you the wheels you want for the bike to be sure it’s all compatible and set up properly.
I dont really like "Fat Bikes" but I do see a future where mtb(full suspension bikes" will go fatter and smaller. Why? Because the market is going more and more in the direction of engine less dirtbikes(motorcycles). The next revolution will for sure be fatter and bigger tires on smaller wheels esp the rear one just like on a dirt bike, if they manage to make the tires weight less that is.
Yeah it’ll be interesting to watch! MTB has definitely moved towards bigger tires in the last few years! I used to think the fatbike was a gimmick, until I rode one and saw how fun it was. Now it’s what I ride 90% of the time, always fun and have performance merits too if you’re not worried about setting records on Strava. Thanks for watching!!
Tough call, depends on budget and what you are looking to do! I would say anything from Surly is a good starting place, in fact the Wednesday is reasonably priced and a great all around fat bike!
What about canyon cf 8 you said its not for long ride. But i dont plans of trailing just on the road. Will it be ok? I just love fat bikes. Here in germany dudes cf are just available
@@haha5809 I think the canyon Dude is a great option, would love to check on out! It doesn’t have all of the bike packing mounts that many of the others have, but with modern bike bags you can make just about any bike a good long trip bike. Pavement is one area I don’t ride much with my fatbikes, but you certainly can, especially with some lighter weight and faster rolling tires!
It is a great looking bike, as I said in the vid surprised they Giant wasn’t more aggressive in the fatbike category. Would love to ride one of these for sure! Thanks for watching!
AU see a fat bike for $489.00 + $30 del was on sale say au $520 & Dshop has disk brakes An Ebike fatboy $3,500 so you could add elect for around $1k = $1,500 for a cheap e fatbike DIY city riding
Pricing and budgets are certainly subjective, but based on the bell curve of the bike market, I think $1500 is a fair “mid range” price point for most. Seeing that some of these bikes can be optioned to over $6000 it’s not even near the median price either. I DO have some good entry level budget friendly fat bike content coming soon tho, so stay tuned and thanks for watching!
