The names of Fatbikes are as fun as riding them: Surly Ice Cream Truck, Felt Double Double, Trek Farley, Specialized Fatboy, Truner King Khan, and Borealis Echo are just a few of the names. And Fatbikes can be ridden on everything from rocks along a stream to snow and ice.
Full-suspension bicycles are relatively new compared to their “hardtail” forebears. The availability of full-suspension technology, significant advances in frame and fork technology, suspension designs, and rear shock functionality is allowing many types of bikes including Fatbikes to become more feasible. Fatbikes have been manufactured now for nearly a decade by mostly smaller shops in garages and bicycle shops.
With fat tires and full-suspension, mountain bikers can go places undreamed of before as full-suspension smooths out the ride and provides enough control to make rough terrain riding doable. Whether running over rocks, tree roots, potholes, or bumps, shocks are absorbed in the full-suspension system as well as the fat tires so that the body is not shocked.
The endurance and strength needed for rough terrain riding puts enough strain on the body, back, butt, and legs, and with the new technology and fat tires, riders are much less fatigued and can ride longer and faster. The combination of fat tires and full-suspension also delivers better traction, control, and turning as a bike’s wheels move over all types of terrain including steep, bumpy inclines.
The following Fatbike Roundup video by BikeRadar video reviews the best fat bikes for 2015.
The following video shows the Fat Bike Growler Brewery Run and shows how fun riding fat bikes can be.
