You might have noticed when looking at fat tire bikes that they are more expensive than most other models. You could pay a couple of hundred dollars more for a fat tire bike than a traditional model. So why are fat tire bikes so expensive, and is it worthwhile for you to get one of these bikes if you’re trying to find something unique?
Why Are Fat Tire Bikes Expensive? The reason why fat tire bikes are expensive is that these bikes require more massive tires that need more materials. These bikes also need special brakes and gears that can handle intense offroad conditions. But the price is worth it if you’re looking for a quality bike for your offroading needs, as the bike can handle rougher surfaces than what a mountain bike could manage.
Taking a look at the Tires
As the name of the bicycle suggests, fat tire bikes have bulkier tires than other bicycle models. A fat tire will range from 3.7 to 5.2 inches in size. These will be mounted on rims from 50 to 100 mm. The tire requires more material in its construction, thus resulting in a higher price.
But the thick and wide tires can handle low inflation pressures of down to 5 psi. Most fat tire bikes can run from 5 to 25 psi, while mountain tires would use 25 to 35 psi of pressure. The minimal pressure in a fat tire bike allows a better ride over the roughest surfaces.
The added rubber on a fat tire helps it stay intact even in the roughest conditions. You can take a fat tire bike out to rougher surfaces than what a mountain bike can handle. The rubber absorbs shocks and remains elastic even with minimal air pressure.
One interesting part of a fat tire bike entails how it doesn’t use a suspension. The bike features a rigid body and does not support any suspension system. The tires themselves will absorb the shocks, reducing the need for the suspension feature.
These tires are also durable enough to keep the ride moving without having to be maintained as often. While the initial purchase can be expensive, you won’t have to spend as much on maintaining the tires as you would for another model.
How Do the Gears Work?
The gears on a fat tire bike need to be more thorough than what a traditional bicycle features. A fat tire bike can handle rough conditions thanks to how it offers support for more gears. You can use different gears to plow through snowy conditions, rocky roads, and other surfaces that most other bikes cannot handle.
Not all fat tire bikes will come with gears. You might have to pay extra to get a more thorough gear system installed on a fat tire bike. But this feature is a necessity, especially if you plan on using your bicycle during the winter.
- Can You Ride a Fat Tire Bike On Pavement?
- Fat tire bikes: Are they at all comfortable to ride?
- 6 Reasons Fat Tire Bikes are Easy to Ride: 1 Reason They Aren’t
What about braking support?
A fat tire bike also requires a more detailed braking system than a regular bike.
A fat tire model uses more massive brakes that produce more weight over the wheels. Extra weight is necessary to ensure the bike can stop, especially when going down an icy or wet road.
Most fat tire models use hydraulic brakes to help them stop. Hydraulic brakes feature hoses with hydraulic fluid that will press on a caliper when the brake lever is activated. The pads on the caliper will push onto the rotor, helping stop the bicycle.
You can expect to spend more on hydraulic brakes than mechanical disc brakes.
But with a hydraulic model, the brake pads are pushed into the rim, producing greater effort than what mechanical brakes can manage. You will require that extra power when on rough roads, including during the winter season.
Conclusion
A fat tire bike will cost more than a standard bicycle, but it is all about its layout and how it works. A fat tire bike will take you further than any other bicycle model can. The low-pressure tires, high-power brakes and thorough gears on each fat tire bike are necessary for helping it go through many of the roughest conditions on the road.
Using a Hybrid Bike For Touring: Can it be done?
