# 1988 Wicked Fat - Tomac & Litsky



## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

Here is the build thread for my Wicked Fat Chance

The information I have gathered about this bike from various reliable sources is as follows:

> Serial Number 09998W - the 999th bike done in the 88 year.
> Decorated by Mike Pappaconstantine and Bob Fulk at Fat Chance. They were both riders for Fat. Mike Pappaconstantine was the creator of the YoEddy character. Bob Fulk created the Wicked graphic for Fat Chance.
> Welded by Scott Bengtson
> Base paint and clear by Hoss Rogers and his dog Cow.  Hoss drew the cactus on the bike, his trademark, since he was from AZ. 
> Charlie Litsky *( The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame - Hall of Fame Inductees )* ordered this bike for a particular bike event. John Tomac used it to race on then it became Charlie's personal bike.
> When Charlie ordered this bike he chose the base colors and asked that Bob Fulk and Mike Pappaconstantine to do an over the top paint job on it. 
> The drawings are done with colored sharpie markers and clear coated over them.
> "DRAFT TOMAC NOT HUMANS" was put on there because John Tomac seemed to be winning all the events at the time. 
> It has an original YoEddy character inside a knobby tire drawn by Mike Pappaconstantine.
> The race scene which shows Ron Andrews of King Cage formerly of Fat City beating out Ned Overend, John Tomac and Max Jones. 
> This bike has been featured in at least one bike mag. I am trying to find out which one and get a copy&#8230;.any help with this would be appreciated!!!

Specs: Components are original to the bike when it was built.

*1988 Wicked Fat Chance - Serial # 09998W*
Brake levers - Campagnolo Euclid
Brake pads - Campagnolo Euclid
Brakes - Campagnolo Euclid
Cables - Campagnolo Euclid
Cranks and rings - Campagnolo Euclid
Front mech - Campagnolo Euclid
Headset - Campagnolo Euclid
Hub quick releases - Campagnolo Euclid
Hubs - Campagnolo Euclid
Rear mech - Campagnolo Euclid
Seat post - Campagnolo Euclid
Seat post quick release - Campagnolo Euclid
Shifters - Campagnolo Euclid
Seat - Specialised branded Fat City 
Freewheel - Regina
Chain - Sachs
Stem - Salsa
Grips - ODI - Tomac design
Bar - Fat City
Rims - Mavic Oxygen M6 - 36h
Tires are NOS - Specialised Ground Master (not original to the bike)


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

More photos....there are many more drawings on the bike that are not shown in these photos. They really seemed to have had fun with this when they decorated it.


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

A few more...


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

99 and 88. I like those numbers.


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## -Anomie- (Jan 16, 2005)

Even without the Tomac story that would be one of the coolest bikes I've seen in a long time. Love the "folk art"!


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

This thread made me smile - I can only imagine the fun they had decorating that bike with markers. Thanks for sharing!


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## Major (Jul 8, 2008)

Awesome stuff! So much personality in that bike, and a nice history too.


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## Shogun700 (Jun 15, 2009)

I seem to remember a conversation we had awhile back about you not being a collector..........

Seriously though, that's one of my favorite bikes of all time, it's such a one-off and the backstory just adds to it. I think you should bring it along if you ever get back this way so I can see it in person.

Great find!


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

Shogun700 said:


> I seem to remember a conversation we had awhile back about you not being a collector..........
> 
> Seriously though, that's one of my favorite bikes of all time, it's such a one-off and the backstory just adds to it. I think you should bring it along if you ever get back this way so I can see it in person.
> 
> Great find!


Hey Will&#8230;.you are 100% correct&#8230;I am in denial about my collection. 

But this showed up at my LBS, someone from there gave me a call and asked "you like old mountain bikes right? Something just came in that you might like."

It was there on consignment and the owner told them it had a connection to John Tomac but didn't elaborate.

How could I pass it up? It was perfect for my non-collection.


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## da'HOOV (Jan 3, 2009)

Awesome bike and story...that one has got to be a keeper. Thanx for sharing.


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

This bike is up there with Girlonbike's green Fat Chance. I love it.


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## yo-Nate-y (Mar 5, 2009)

So absolutely wonderful.


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## Tanin (Apr 12, 2006)

That is a beautiful bike with a great history. Your pics are nice (no offense) but the small details of that bike deserve and would shine in a studio photo shoot. 
Thanks for sharing 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## metrotuned (Dec 29, 2006)

Love it!


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## Shogun700 (Jun 15, 2009)

sq_root_of_2 said:


> How could I pass it up? It was perfect for my non-collection.


LOL, I wish the Ski Rack would call me up with something like that! They do hang on to bits for me every now and then though, good people.

Glad you got it, it found the right home-plus you really needed an over-the-top Fat to balance out that totally classic Annapurna.


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## misterdangerpants (Oct 10, 2007)

Yes! :thumbsup:


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Super love! Beautiful bike!


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## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

Those Oxy rims barely look "broken in"...

Cool bike!


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## logbiter (Dec 30, 2003)

puts a smile on my face! :thumbsup:


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

KDXdog said:


> Those Oxy rims barely look "broken in"...
> 
> Cool bike!


Thanks for the reminder I hadn't put the rim type on the build specs. Mavic Oxygen M6. I edited it at the top too.

*Also thanks to everyone for the nice comments. *

It is fun contacting some of the original people involved with this (Mike P, Wendyll and Scott B so far). I am still on the track of trying to contact a few more.

I want to get as much information about it as possible. If anyone can contribute or help with contacts please let me know.


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## TheSchwagman (Nov 1, 2005)

That is so totally Wicked! 

(Bad pun I know, but I couldn't help myself)


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Those campy brake levers. .. discuss:


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## yo-Nate-y (Mar 5, 2009)

Hideously gross but perfect, those.


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

colker1 said:


> Those campy brake levers. .. discuss:


They are an engineering marvel. 

They are 11 inches long&#8230;.each.

This bike weighs 28 pounds...how much of that weight is the brake lever assembly?

They have all kinds of adjustments. 
1. The lever handles can be taken apart in the middle and reversed to suit the fingers you chose to use to brake. 
2. There is a quick release for the brakes so you don't have undo the cables. 
3. They adjust back and forth for reach with a couple of set screws.
4. The shifters adjust in and out and have adjustable rotation all with set screws. 
5. They probably do more things too, who knows...bottle opener, pry bar, etc. 

I can appreciate these as fun/interesting and as part of the history of mountain bke components.

I was told that Fat was one of the first companies sponsored by Campagnolo. Apparently Valentino went to Fat City to hang around and ride with them when they were developing the off road bits.


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

colker1 said:


> Those campy brake levers. .. discuss:


Yeah... I have a NOS set of the u-brakes waiting for some future project, but I just couldn't do the levers. I think you were stuck with them if you used the shifters - I'm not aware of any separate shifter pods. The one person I knew with Record OR back in the day actually used ergo shifters and drop bars on his e-stay Merlin.

The cranks are gorgeous in person. The sculpting and finish just puts Shimano and Suntour to shame. And Campy headsets are bad ass - I love the BREV CAMPAGNOLO engraving. Wouldn't kick a pair of those pedals out of bed for eating crackers either.

Anyway another vote for this gorgeous bike. Lovely to see the full package and a great story.


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

I love Fat Chance bikes and Campy parts, this bike makes me smile.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

sq_root_of_2 said:


> They are an engineering marvel.


There is a fine line between engineering marvel and insanity.


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

I have been asked about Charlie Litsky...

From the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame: The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame - Hall of Fame Inductees

*Charlie Litsky - Inducted 1993*

Charlie Litsky: Litsky was an absolute freak for cycling as well as the man behind the Tomac PR machine in the early '90s. How internationally renowned was the always-hyper, Brooklyn-born bike freak? Valentino Campagnolo once said that dealing with Charlie was like dealing with "a Puerto Rican with his ass on fire!" Former racer Daryl Price remembered Charlie most for his knack of inclusion. " In my first year racing mountain bikes," recalls Price, " he made me feel like a longtime NORBA player. Whether it was at a BMX or track race, or even on the strand in Redondo Beach, he always wanted everyone to feel the love of the cycling community." Yeti Cycles founder and Hall of Fame inductee, John Parker added, " I'll never forget him throwing schwag down to the spectators from an elevated platform at the '90 Worlds. He was a ringleader who could work any crowd into a frenzy. He was the right guy at the right time fro what he was doing."

At the age of 31, Charlie suffered a heart attack after competing in a track race, and his funeral, held just days before the '93 Big Bear opener, attracted bike industry players from around the world. Charlie "Leapin" Litsky was greatly loved and remains dearly missed.


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## CCMDoc (Jan 21, 2010)

sq_root_of_2 said:


> I have been asked about Charlie Litski...
> 
> From the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame: The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame - Hall of Fame Inductees
> 
> ...


Thank you for posting that.

Charlie was 100% responsible for any and all of the sponsorship we (Team Brooklyn) received. He was proud to support his Brooklyn gang and at whooped it up for us at every NORBA race we attended. He was family and despite the fame he deservedly achieved, he never failed to find time for any and all of us whether a big race or a small, big problem or one of little consequence. A truly truly great human being and dearly missed.


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

Got this information the other day from a friend of a friend. Original built sheet from Fat Chance that has some information about this bike.

Confirms the welder as Scott Bengtson and has a weld date of October 21 and 22 so will be 25 years old in a few weeks.

As you can see in the photos (serial number 09998) there are a couple of asterisks after the number, when you look at the bottom of the page for what the asterisks mean, it says Campy - Tomac.

Kind of cool.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

The pics aren't up any more. Care to repost them?


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## GoldenEraMTB (Aug 25, 2008)




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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

Such a rad bike!


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

Which race did tomac ride this at? He was sponsered by Mongoose in 88, i have two of the 88 tomac sig mongoose bikes. One i bought new in 88 and the other a few years ago. Not disputing your story, just wondering what race he could of rode that in without problems from his main sponser. Cool bike for sure, that paint job is a work of art. I still have a 88 fat chance that i bought for my wife back then, it has hardly been rode at all. U brake in the rear, shimano components.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

joeduda said:


> Which race did tomac ride this at? He was sponsered by Mongoose in 88, i have two of the 88 tomac sig mongoose bikes. One i bought new in 88 and the other a few years ago. Not disputing your story, just wondering what race he could of rode that in without problems from his main sponser. Cool bike for sure, that paint job is a work of art. I still have a 88 fat chance that i bought for my wife back then, it has hardly been rode at all. U brake in the rear, shimano components.


I've wondered that too. Was also a big time Shimano rider/tester, not to mention Tioga.

As a side note, Fat did make his '87 "Mongoose".


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## sq_root_of_2 (Sep 7, 2008)

Hey this is the internet....everything you read is 100% true...why are you questioning this?   

Anyway, back to reality, I was relaying information I received from various sources. 

As you can see on the build sheet, Tomac had something to do with the order. Whether he used it at a race or an 'event' I can't say for sure but one of the folks I talked to that had something to do with the bike when it was built told me this. 

Would like to have any clarification of the information and will happily make changes.


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

I was hoping you knew, always been interested in all things tomac, we grew up in the same town in michigan. I'm a little older than him though. In the early eighties there was a so called race (more of a party than race as it was back then) around the towns trails and streets, maybe 10-12 miles and John rode it with a bmx bike and smoked everybodys ass.


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