Ride Anywhere on a Fat Bike!
Take a spin on a fat bike. It might just be the most fun you've ever had!
Let's set the scene: you are sitting on your porch in November or December, enjoying a fine adult beverage after a hard road ride, a single-track session or your daily bike commute, when suddenly snowflakes begin to gently fall from the sky and stick to the trails, trees and roads. You may be the sort of person who, for some reason, hates the winter. Or, you may be a skier, ice climber or enjoy winter hiking, in which case you're likely excited by the snowy months, but still a little bit sad that you have to hang up the road or mountain bike, or that your commute is about to enter a more extreme phase. In either case, finish that beer, throw on a winter hat and join the fat bike revolution!
"Princeton Valley National Fat-Bike Championship 6" by Jereme Rauckman used under Creative Commons  2.0 License
Fat bike frames are very similar to standard mountain bike frames, but with rear triangles and forks with clearance for accepting tires larger than 3.7" and rims from 40 to over 100 mm wide .  The primary advantage provided by riding a bike with oversized tires is the ability to run a very low inflation pressure —as low as 5 or 6 psi! Fat tires at low pressure provide exceptional traction on sloppy and slippery surfaces such as snow and sand. In fact, fat bikes were initially developed for riding in snow covered and desert terrain, though they have gained devoted followers who ride their fat bikes all year! Fat bikes are perfect for enjoying snowy trails all winter, commuting on slushy roads, or adventuring over varied terrain that is too extreme for over bikes. There's nothing like the feeling of riding a bike with giant tires that cruises over terrain that would scare even the burliest mountain bikes as if it was a paved parking lot.
Here at the Outdoor Gear Exchange/ GearX.com, we are excited about fat bikes and have a few amazing models in stock! Check out these exciting bikes and get outside on a terrain-crushing fat bike today!
Surly Pugsley:
Considering the quirky, overtly practical and often twisted spirit of Surly bicycles, it's no surprise that they were one of the first brands to introduce fat biking to the masses. Their flagship fat bike, the Pugsley, remains one of the best all-around fat bikes for any terrain. Featuring the trusted steel construction that Surly frames are known for, components from SRAM and Shimano, as well as 65 mm Marge Lite rims with 3.8" fat tires, the Pugsley is a versatile, year-round fat bike for all types of snowy or sloppy terrain. While the standard tires and rims are designed to be an efficient fat bike rig for all conditions, the Pugsley frame can accept tires as wide as 4.8" x 84 mm on the front and 3.8" x 84 mm on the back for when conditions get deep and mushy! The Pugsley is an excellent option if you want a great fat bike for a variety of conditions made by the trusted minds at Surly!
Rocky Mountain Blizzard:
The Blizzard from Rocky Mountain bicycles is exactly what you would expect from a high-performance mountain bike brand; a fat bike that rides and feels like a mountain bike! Featuring a fat bike-specific RockShox Bluto suspension fork and a shorter to tube for excellent maneuverability, the Blizzard seems less like a fat bike and more like an XC mountain bike. However, the 80 mm wide rims and 26" x 4.7" tires provide a stable platform with exceptional soft terrain handling and traction. The Blizzard also utilizes a 1 x 10 drivetrain for simplicity and functionality in sloppy conditions. If you love to go fast, the Rocky Mountain Blizzard is the bike that you need for ripping down snowy trails and powering through deep snow.
Origin8 Crawler:Â 
The Crawler from Origin8 brings fat biking to the masses, while still providing innovative design and excellent performance. Featuring a 6061 hydroformed alloy frame and a chromoly steel fork, disc brakes and 80 mm rims with 26" x 4.0" tires, the Crawler is an excellent fat bike for messy conditions at a great price. However, the Crawler also brings new, innovative technology to the game in the form of NuVinci N360 internal gearless drivetrain! The NuVinci 360 hub is a continuously variable transmission that is easy to shift to accommodate different terrain changes smoothly. It also has no external parts, so grime and slop are not an issue. If you are a novice fat bike rider or new to cycling, or if you simply want innovation and a reliable design at an affordable price, the Crawler is for you!
Framed Minnesota 2.0:
Framed bicycles wanted to approach the fat bike market with a different mindset. They wanted to design a bike using high quality components at the lowest price and a geometry with the maximum level of versatility for different conditions and terrain. The Framed Minnesota 2.0 utilizes a light, yet durable 6061 aluminum alloy frame and fork as well as 26" x 4" tires for a smooth ride. Premium quality SRAM X7 front and X5 rear derailleurs, a Truvativ crank and Avid disc brakes provide reliable shifting and braking for your commute or snowy trail ride. The Framed Minnesota 2.0 is an excellent value for a dependable bike spec'd with excellent components.
