# fat bike or plus bike for adventure, gravel, and bikepacking



## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

I gravel grind, bike pack, and ride year round in Iowa (except the coldest negative days). I already have a single speed Soma wolverine, a single speed MTB, and a 2019 Salsa Fargo with 29x3" tires. 95% of my riding is split between the Fargo and the Wolverine and I would lump my riding style into "adventure" type riding and gravel with a few races thrown in. So far the Fargo has sufficed for winter gravel riding so I haven't run into anything that it couldn't handle. I have been considering a fat bike recently but not N+1. I don't have room in my garage for more bikes. If I pull the plug, I will be trying to sell my Fargo and replacing it with a fat bike as I don't feel I would need both. But I would hate to do this and find out the WOW factor is not near what I thought it would be. I am open to more suggestions if anyone else has been through this? Is a fat bike gonna do much for me that my 3" plus bike isn't already doing or is it just the "cool factor" for most? If this is the wrong forum please move. I posted here because I bike pack occasionally and I wanted unbiased opinions and I felt the Fat forum and the plus forum would be biased.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Riding in snow? Love my Krampus with 29x3 tires. Would not get rid of your fargo. Maybe rent, borrow or demo a fatty?


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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

leeboh said:


> Riding in snow? Love my Krampus with 29x3 tires. Would not get rid of your fargo. Maybe rent, borrow or demo a fatty?


Yeah I really think for what I do the Fargo is perfect but I just find myself second-guessing and wondering if a fatty wouldn't be the perfect all-around bike. I think I watched too many YouTube videos and see people on fatties on expeditions and I fall in love lol. But realistically I'll never get a chance to do that.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Life's too short. I have 9 bikes, barely enough. Make space, hang some up high, make it work space wise.


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## temporoad (Jul 27, 2006)

I have a 29+ and it is my 3 season bike love the +. I also have a fatbike for only snow. I have never tried my + in the snow. I think I'd stick with the +..... or you could get the fatbike and have 2 wheel sets. I would try a fatbike if you can before you make the plunge.


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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

temporoad said:


> I have a 29+ and it is my 3 season bike love the +. I also have a fatbike for only snow. I have never tried my + in the snow. I think I'd stick with the +..... or you could get the fatbike and have 2 wheel sets. I would try a fatbike if you can before you make the plunge.


Yeah one of these days maybe I'll take a spin on one of my friends fat bikes. I would like to know how they do and dry weather on gravel grinding as well as I would probably want to ride it more than just a few times in the winter


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

iowamtb said:


> I gravel grind, bike pack, and ride year round in Iowa (except the coldest negative days). I already have a single speed Soma wolverine, a single speed MTB, and a 2019 Salsa Fargo with 29x3" tires. 95% of my riding is split between the Fargo and the Wolverine and I would lump my riding style into "adventure" type riding and gravel with a few races thrown in. So far the Fargo has sufficed for winter gravel riding so I haven't run into anything that it couldn't handle. I have been considering a fat bike recently but not N+1. I don't have room in my garage for more bikes. If I pull the plug, I will be trying to sell my Fargo and replacing it with a fat bike as I don't feel I would need both. But I would hate to do this and find out the WOW factor is not near what I thought it would be. I am open to more suggestions if anyone else has been through this? Is a fat bike gonna do much for me that my 3" plus bike isn't already doing or is it just the "cool factor" for most? If this is the wrong forum please move. I posted here because I bike pack occasionally and I wanted unbiased opinions and I felt the Fat forum and the plus forum would be biased.


You sound a LOT like me AND we both live in Iowa.

I have a drop bar gravel bike and a fat bike.

I have 2 wheelsets for my fat bike, 26x4.8" fat Maxis Minions and a 29x 2.2" Maxis Icons. I use the 2.2" a lot in the spring and fall or occasional fun rides. The fat tires go on for the winter. I find the fat frame a bit of a hog for the 29x2.2" wheelset however. I am looking to find the sweet spot between these with a 29+ 3" tire bike!

If your in the Dubuque area, give me a ring (send me a message first) and you can check out my fat tire. It's a XL frame however as I'm a big 6'4" Clydesdale.

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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

toadmeister said:


> You sound a LOT like me AND we both live in Iowa.
> 
> I have a drop bar gravel bike and a fat bike.
> 
> ...


Thank you! I live in Southwest's Iowa clear on the other side of the state lol. Do you ride much gravel? You ever been over to this side to any gravel events?


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

Delete, see next post


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

iowamtb said:


> Thank you! I live in Southwest's Iowa clear on the other side of the state lol. Do you ride much gravel? You ever been over to this side to any gravel events?


I haven't been to SW Iowa to ride gravel. I've done a few gravel events in eastern Iowa the last 2 years since getting my gravel bike. Doing the in Snaggy Ridge 105 in Tipton Iowa this Saturday (actually doing the modest 25-miler route).

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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

toadmeister said:


> I haven't been to SW Iowa to ride gravel. I've done a few gravel events in eastern Iowa the last 2 years since getting my gravel bike. Doing the in Snaggy Ridge 105 in Tipton Iowa this Saturday (actually doing the modest 25-miler route).
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Yeah I've seen that event but I just don't have time to get over there. I created and direct the Southwest Iowa gravel grinder. SWIGG


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

iowamtb said:


> Yeah I've seen that event but I just don't have time to get over there. I created and direct the Southwest Iowa gravel grinder. SWIGG


I heard of SWIGG and was interested but didn't work out for me this year. Maybe next.

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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

toadmeister said:


> I heard of SWIGG and was interested but didn't work out for me this year. Maybe next.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


yeah check it out next year. We have three routes including a 50K if you're in to the shorter stuff. Personally I'm more of a 30 to 50 mi person myself


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

iowamtb said:


> yeah check it out next year. We have three routes including a 50K if you're in to the shorter stuff. Personally I'm more of a 30 to 50 mi person myself


Me too. 30 to 50 is perfect for me.

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## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

When you're thinking about a fat bike, a good rule of thumb is that <3" is for riding THROUGH the snow, and >4" is for riding ON the snow. If you don't have packed trails to ride ON, you won't get the benefit of fat tires. In MA, we often get just enough snow to make it a ton of work on a fat bike, but not enough to actually pack down into a trail. For MA, I love riding on 3" studded tires. In VT, we get so much snow you must ride ON it. They don't even let you out onto the trails unless you've got 4" tires, because you'll ruin the packing job they worked so hard on.


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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

lentamentalisk said:


> When you're thinking about a fat bike, a good rule of thumb is that <3" is for riding THROUGH the snow, and >4" is for riding ON the snow. If you don't have packed trails to ride ON, you won't get the benefit of fat tires. In MA, we often get just enough snow to make it a ton of work on a fat bike, but not enough to actually pack down into a trail. For MA, I love riding on 3" studded tires. In VT, we get so much snow you must ride ON it. They don't even let you out onto the trails unless you've got 4" tires, because you'll ruin the packing job they worked so hard on.


I don't typically ride trails where I live. I ride gravel roads and stuff like that. I ride the occasional double track multi-use trails at various parks around my home but typically it's just out on public gravel roads.


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## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

Then don't bother with a fat bike. You'll be much better off cutting through any snow that lands than trying to ride over it. There is nothing worse than trying to plow your way through a thick layer of fresh snow on a fat bike.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

I would absolutely NOT sell the Fargo...if it is like my OG Krampus, it can be a ton of bikes in one. I ride in Ohio, and do ride singe track as well, but your riding situations and styles are exactly what I do, and the Krampus is the only bike I own for MTB. Honestly, I even use it as a paved trail commuter often times, but I bought it to be a trail/gravel/bike packing machine because of the 29+ thing. I would sell one of the singlespeeds before the Fargo...

you guys probably get more snow than I do as well. 

but i think the plus tire thing is the most versatile for the kind of riding we do...granted, I don't race, or ride to set KOM's...and am not a weight weenie


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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

str8edgMTBMXer said:


> I would absolutely NOT sell the Fargo...if it is like my OG Krampus, it can be a ton of bikes in one. I ride in Ohio, and do ride singe track as well, but your riding situations and styles are exactly what I do, and the Krampus is the only bike I own for MTB. Honestly, I even use it as a paved trail commuter often times, but I bought it to be a trail/gravel/bike packing machine because of the 29+ thing. I would sell one of the singlespeeds before the Fargo...
> 
> you guys probably get more snow than I do as well.
> 
> but i think the plus tire thing is the most versatile for the kind of riding we do...granted, I don't race, or ride to set KOM's...and am not a weight weenie


Thank you for the advice. Yeah I don't race either but I enter races and run hard without any intention of being on the podium. Example the last 2 were entered on a SS without a SS division so I was running against geared riders lol. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could run a SS on a gravel race course and not embarrass myself.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

iowamtb said:


> Thank you for the advice. Yeah I don't race either but I enter races and run hard without any intention of being on the podium. Example the last 2 were entered on a SS without a SS division so I was running against geared riders lol. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could run a SS on a gravel race course and not embarrass myself.


yep!! I actually test rode a Fargo back in 2014 wen I was shopping. And a Surly ECR...almost bought te ECR...I actually had it up leaning against the counter, when one of the mechanics mentioned the Krampus as being more versatile...I am glad that he butted in!!


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## dh024 (Dec 11, 2010)

lentamentalisk said:


> For MA, I love riding on 3" studded tires.


Sorry to hijack this thread, but what 3" studded tires are you running? I wasn't even aware anyone was making one.


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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

dh024 said:


> Sorry to hijack this thread, but what 3" studded tires are you running? I wasn't even aware anyone was making one.


I don't know what he's running but I see 45 North make some and I think Terrene also?


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

iowamtb said:


> I gravel grind, bike pack, and ride year round in Iowa (except the coldest negative days). I already have a single speed Soma wolverine, a single speed MTB, and a 2019 Salsa Fargo with 29x3" tires. 95% of my riding is split between the Fargo and the Wolverine and I would lump my riding style into "adventure" type riding and gravel with a few races thrown in. So far the Fargo has sufficed for winter gravel riding so I haven't run into anything that it couldn't handle. I have been considering a fat bike recently but not N+1. I don't have room in my garage for more bikes. If I pull the plug, I will be trying to sell my Fargo and replacing it with a fat bike as I don't feel I would need both. But I would hate to do this and find out the WOW factor is not near what I thought it would be. I am open to more suggestions if anyone else has been through this? Is a fat bike gonna do much for me that my 3" plus bike isn't already doing or is it just the "cool factor" for most? If this is the wrong forum please move. I posted here because I bike pack occasionally and I wanted unbiased opinions and I felt the Fat forum and the plus forum would be biased.


I've had a couple of fat bikes and I liked them but I think they are over-rated in their abilities. Back when we were all running 26 inch rims with 1.9 inch tires fat tires were revolutionary but functionally, now that 2.6 inch 29ers are common (my bikepacking choice) the benefits of huge tires have evaporated except for some narrow kinds of riding like the Iditarod or similar. I think 29+ is overkill mostly although I love my Krampus.

I once thought I'd finally get my money's worth out of my fat bike when we moved to Michigan and could, theoretically, ride in the snow. But riding in snow kind of sucks and I don't find it fun at all. A good workout and I do it to train and get used to my cold weather gear for bikepacking races but, realistically, I do not ever plan on doing a winter race.


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## iowamtb (May 17, 2014)

......


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

dh024 said:


> Sorry to hijack this thread, but what 3" studded tires are you running? I wasn't even aware anyone was making one.


There are a handful of 29 x 2.6 and 2.8" studded tires -- made by 45N and Terrene.

No 3.0's that I'm aware of.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

we are getting to do our first fall grind this Sunday in eastern Ohio...can't wait. Perfect temps, and the colors are just starting to change...there will be 3 of us on:

2014 Surly Krampus (me) 29+
2019 Santa Cruz Chameleon carbon 27.5+
2020 Kona Blast 27.5 

on Saturday, the Krampus and Santa Cruz will be on trails, and hopefully next spring, they will be doing the GAP/C&O trail...

one bike to ride them all!!!


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

What fat size were you thinking 26" or 27.5"? Cause some 27.5 fat bikes can also fit 29+ tires. Only con is most of them wouldn't be as versatile as the Fargo.


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## Johnny Chicken Bones (Jul 13, 2005)

Yes, a fat bike can do way more than a plus tire. 
Snow, sand, that late season mud. A wider tire is great. 
The softer the snow, the wider the tire you’d want. Heavier load? Winter touring? Wider still. 

On hard pack? Gravel and such? Nah- I hate the fat tire. Feels sluggish. 

You might consider taking a fat bike and using it w/ plus wheels when it’s needed. 
I use a Surly Wednesday in the winter. Then run it 29+ during the summer. 
I’m nuts for it. Truly. 
I can’t explain it but it’s just so damned sure footed and capable as a plus bike. Fun to rally too. I even have a front squishy fork- but I rarely use it. Rigid is plenty fun. 

In typical Surly fashion- it’s covered w/ various mounts so when we’re headed out for a trip, there’s plenty of option of overload it w/ too much lightweight gear. 

But, in fat form... it’s ponderous on a good day. 

But I’d have a hard time ditching a Fargo for any reason.


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

Johnny Chicken Bones said:


> Yes, a fat bike can do way more than a plus tire.
> Snow, sand, that late season mud. A wider tire is great.
> The softer the snow, the wider the tire you'd want. Heavier load? Winter touring? Wider still.
> 
> ...


I agree with the above. I got a 29" (2.2 wide) wheel set for my Fat Bike. Still wanting a dedicated 29+ bike however because N+1

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