budget fat tire bike suggestions

[timberland]

I have access to a lot of bike trail that are really soft/sandy and would like to get a bike to ride occasionally. I am looking for suggestions or experience with a budget friendly option. I will not spend a lot of money, because if I get one, I'll have to get my wife one.

Edit: after looking at options, how wide of tires do you recommend? 75% of the riding on gravel roads/trails and 25% on softer dirt/sand. Does a guy really need the 4" tires or what is the next size down?

 

[Poser]

Cruise Craigslist in your area for a used one. Post a link up here if you’re interested in one and we’ll give you some feedback. Fatbike popularity has peaked so used options should be decent. Low end new bikes are junk.

 

[timberland]

I have been cruising CL. nothing of interest, but it may be early, we still have 40" of snow on the ground.

 

[Rob5589]

Try bikesdirect.com I have their Gravity for just goofing off and it is a solid bike for the price.

 

[jolemons]

On AT there is a used Quiet Kat 750

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Rich M]

I'm using a regular beach cruiser style 7-speed bike. Want to add an electric motor.

 

[Muttly]

Bikes direct has good prices..
Going off the dreaded Facebook, look for Surly Bicycle Trader, there are some decent prices popping up here and there..

 

[Firehole Hunter]

Check out Adventures Outdoors there was one for about $250 or so.

 

[Shallow Thoughts]

I have a Mongoose Juneau https://www.amazon.com/Mongoose-Juneau-Bicycle-Green-Medium/dp/B01GZSMDFU
Aluminum frame, Disk brakes front and rear and can fit 4.8" tires. I'm not sure how it handles mountians or snow but I use it in "Sugar sand" (loose fine sand) and standing water and mud. I upgraded from 4" to 4.8" tires to help from sinking in the mud.

 

[Onetrakryder]

For that type of riding you could definitely also look at bikes in the 27.5+ size. True budget bikes will likely be more plentiful in the true fat bike category though.

 

[ChrisHanson]

I can't get on the fat tire hype train. Unless you have a paper route in Minneapolis they don't make a lot of sense. Most 650b/27.5 will take a 2.6 and a 29er will fit a 3.0

 

[Phaseolus]

Surley Pugsley

 

[weekender7]

Same deal with my wife. We bought Mongoose with 3" tires and they have held up well. Big difference on soft dirt over skinny tires. No regrets.

 

[Poser]

I can't get on the fat tire hype train. Unless you have a paper route in Minneapolis they don't make a lot of sense. Most 650b/27.5 will take a 2.6 and a 29er will fit a 3.0

Off piste in the desert, beach riding, expedition style riding all make sense for a fat bike. I commute to work on one in when there’s snow and ride some snowmobile and XC ski trails on one. Definitely a quiver Bike for me, however.

 

[FlyGuy]

I’m in a similar situation as OP. I bought a great mtn bike about 15 years ago and road the Hell out of it, but once son was born 9 years ago I haven’t used it much. Its ancient, but sufficed for my needs. Then I Moved to a town North of Houston and have access to lots of trails again, but SOOOOO much loose sand! My current bike grinds to a halt in about 3 feet. That’s what got me thinking about a fat tire bike. I’d really like to add mtn biking back into my fitness routine a couple times a month. At 45, I’m not looking to spend $2k plus on the latest and greatest, but I don’t want a 35# POS either.


You can’t cheat the mountain