# Pugsley for Big Guys?



## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

I ran across a used Surly Pugsley and am thinking of buying one for winter. Any of you have one and what are your thoughts for someone 6' 325 lbs riding one. Or any other bikes you recommend for winter riding. Most will be done on a flat, snow packed, asphalt trail.


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## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

You may want to check out the Fat Bike section for more help. I have a Mukluk that I love. Fat bikes aren't the fastest out there, nor are they the most agile, but once you have one, you'll never regret it. With the large rims, I'm sure one could support your weight. I've only taken my Mukluk out once on a mountain bike trail and it did okay, but I'm not strong enough to get up the hills or give it the power to really ride the trail. 

Have you had a chance to ride the Pugsley? Salsa makes the Mukluk and I know several other companies make fat bikes as well. I use mine for riding the rural gravel roads.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

I have one, and while I weigh about 230 with gear (6' even) I have no doubts that it would support you just fine. It's quite a burly frame. I regularly take mine on technical trail rides and off drops of maybe 1-2 feet and it hasn't had a hiccup yet.

I would however recommend you opt for a bike that comes with the Large Marge rims, as opposed to the Rolling Daryl. Little more strength to support ya. But you may be fine on the RD's.

But yes, hit up the Fatbike forum. Far more info there than in Surly or Clyde sections.


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

Thanks gang, I'll post up at the Fat Bike section.


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## emp? (Sep 8, 2009)

awesome bike for the big boys, i weigh more than you and have been smashing my pug for over 12months with no dramas at all, thing is bullet proof!


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

emp? said:


> awesome bike for the big boys, i weigh more than you and have been smashing my pug for over 12months with no dramas at all, thing is bullet proof!


Thanks Josh. May I ask what kind of set up you have on your Pugs.I want to make sure i have the proper components on it for a big guy.

Here is what the the ad says:
- Added a NuVinci N360 hub.

- Surly Tuggnut had some lovin' with a welder and a file to double as an anti turn washer for the NuVinci axle.

- Added a KS i7 telescoping seatpost with remote (I believe it is related to X-Fusion suspension components?). Works pretty well, not as lickety fast as a Rock Shox Reverb, but still pretty good. This is a hydraulic type that has no position detents, you can adjust it to wherever along its length.

- Handlebars are Origin8 Space Bar II.

There's a large chainring up front right now, which can be swapped for a 32T for more off road friendly gearing.

We can also talk tires. I have an embarrassing amount of fat tires in different states of wear lurking in my basement. Right now it is set up as a fat road machine, which can be changed.

The NuVinci is a 5.4 lb hub. If you're a weight weenie, stop reading. You should know what you're looking at already if you're interested in this bike. If you're leery we can schedule a time to go test ride, the shifting is unlike any other.

Frame looks good, though I haven't pulled it apart to look inside for rust, can do upon request. This bike has been ridden but not beaten on.


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

Here's a photo of it.


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## emp? (Sep 8, 2009)

yeah i dont see anything wrong with that for a big guy thats for sure
mine is just the stock 2011 spec with thompson stem and post


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

Just wanted to update y'all and show you what I just picked up instead ot the green Pugs. Thanks for your help.


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## Yoreskillz (Feb 10, 2011)

Congrats Midtown! That's a fine looking ride and in the new Red to boot. 

FWIW as well, when I picked up my Pugsley last October I was 315lbs at 6'1". Rode it all winter/spring and bought a Moonlander this summer, now I am riding it at 245. Great way to shed un-wanted pounds if you stick to it....


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Great looking bike. I am currently in the process of gathering funds for a fatty.


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## big terry (Apr 22, 2012)

I keep seein more and more of these around and keep thinking...i want. sad that the bike shop guys are all little fellas- they almost never have demos in anything bigger than medium and mediums are just too small. i think a pugsley ss would help me lose more weight riding flat trails in the winter, than i have lost all summer riding my ass off doing xc.

wheres that green one at?


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## Nehpets (Sep 9, 2012)

that is an awesome looking bike.


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## idyllthot (Nov 13, 2012)

*First post - pulled the trigger on pugsley build*

I've been lurking on this site for well over a month reading all the posts about clydesdales and bike recommendations. Been on a quest to lose weight and I have plantar fasciitis so I do a lot of stationary bike riding rather than treadmill. I'm 6'5 and started at 390 pounds, currently down to 360. I have spent the past 3 weekends doing test rides of all kinds of bikes, and I feel like I'm going to break every one of them. So I decided I'd join the steel rigid club and build a pugsley. I bought a 22 inch frameset yesterday. Now I'm sitting watching eBay to sell off a bunch of old junk to raise funds for the wheels and components.


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

Good luck idyllthot. You're going to love it. Keep us posted.


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## Sasquatch1413 (Nov 6, 2008)

The salsa mukluk will have stronger wheels since its not an offset design like the pugs. Steel pug frame may be a little stronger though. Just one thing to consider for a clyde fat bike.


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## idyllthot (Nov 13, 2012)

*Frame, wheel, rim, nuvinci*

Making progress. If anyone is wondering what lucky bastard is getting the last available pugsley parts on the planet it has to be me. I luckily scored a brand new 22" frame but I waited too long to buy wheels they are now basically impossible to find. I found a rear ss online that I'm going to end up using for the front, because I can't find any more full front or rear wheels. I ended up buying just the rim and a nuvinci 360 hub that I'm going to have strung up to put on the rear.

Question: has anyone run into any issues with the nuvinci 360 on the white pugs frame that I should anticipate? (32H offset large marge).


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## Team Honeybadger (Dec 15, 2011)

*stronger wheels????*



Sasquatch1413 said:


> The salsa mukluk will have stronger wheels since its not an offset design like the pugs. Steel pug frame may be a little stronger though. Just one thing to consider for a clyde fat bike.


Clyde rider here - I have broken two Salsa freehubs (pawls) on my XL 907 (same hub as the Muk 2 with an alloy axle, serviced with pixie dust priced morningstar soup lubricant as well). I used to buy into that hype about the muks (or any 170mm design) having stronger wheels. That may be so based on design but it is small comfort when you are trudging through snow and ice with your "stronger" 170mm wheel!! I know another clyde with a pugs that has been riding it for at least two years in the same terrain as I and so far he has had no problems with the hubs or anything else in general. As the owner of a "stronger wheel" fat bike I vote Pugs based on what I have experienced. However, I will say that I think the OP will love the ride no matter which he chooses. Even with my troubles, I am thrilled with my fatbike!!


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## Sasquatch1413 (Nov 6, 2008)

Team Honeybadger said:


> Clyde rider here - I have broken two Salsa freehubs (pawls) on my XL 907 (same hub as the Muk 2 with an alloy axle, serviced with pixie dust priced morningstar soup lubricant as well). I used to buy into that hype about the muks (or any 170mm design) having stronger wheels. That may be so based on design but it is small comfort when you are trudging through snow and ice with your "stronger" 170mm wheel!! I know another clyde with a pugs that has been riding it for at least two years in the same terrain as I and so far he has had no problems with the hubs or anything else in general. As the owner of a "stronger wheel" fat bike I vote Pugs based on what I have experienced. However, I will say that I think the OP will love the ride no matter which he chooses. Even with my troubles, I am thrilled with my fatbike!!


I just bought a Mukluk 3 and knew I would blow the Muk 3 rear hub in short order. So I also bought a Hope Fatsno hub which should do great. I'm surprised that the Muk 2 hubs aren't holding up as they were supposed to have a better freewheel mech than the 3. Good to know though, makes me happier I spent the cash on the Hope.


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## Gigantic (Aug 31, 2012)

I'm picking up tomorrow, what may likely be the last 22" pugsley on the east coast from my lbs, High Road Cycles, in Wayne, pa, who got it from Cycle Haven in Long Island. I'm 6'8" & 258 #s. I'm totally stoked!


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## idyllthot (Nov 13, 2012)

*Slowly but surely*



Midtown said:


> Good luck idyllthot. You're going to love it. Keep us posted.


I have all the parts except for the cransket (which will be here Wednesday).

I have frame-saved the frame and fork, mounted the front wheel and installed the headset using some enginuity along the way.

A Maglite makes a fantastic crown race setting tool!

Check out my blog. fatbikerbornyesterday dot blogspot dot com


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## Gigantic (Aug 31, 2012)

6'8" & 256 witn my 22" pugsley, with the shop mgr.









I love this bike!


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## idyllthot (Nov 13, 2012)

*90% complete*


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

Gigantic said:


> 6'8" & 256 witn my 22" pugsley, with the shop mgr.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





idyllthot said:


> View attachment 768776


Nice ride Gigantic. I like the yellow.

idylithot, what type of saddle you got there?


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## idyllthot (Nov 13, 2012)

An ugly saddle. It's a cloud-9 cruiser. After I lose some weight I'll get a sportier one.


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## idyllthot (Nov 13, 2012)

*Maiden ride day*

Build is done. 3 months of planning, research, building, complete.

I could not be happier, it was more comfortable than I thought. Currently using my cruiser micargi heavy duty seat. 185mm cranks were the perfect choice.

Felt awesome. Right out of the gate got a walker saying "helluva bike dude". Got passed by all kinds of road bikes and even 1 cruiser. I barely passed some joggers.

But I have full motion in the nuvinci hub, full od to ud and at full overdrive I can go about as comfortably fast as I want to right now.

Tires seem like a good choice (endomorphs) almost no road noise except when I was in full od I could hear a small hum. I dialed in the tire pressure at 28 in the back, 25 up front.

Here it is at the turnaround point in my first ride near the Redondo pier. And another pic behind my apt before going out.


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

Nicely done.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

Sasquatch1413 said:


> I just bought a Mukluk 3 and knew I would blow the Muk 3 rear hub in short order. So I also bought a Hope Fatsno hub which should do great. I'm surprised that the Muk 2 hubs aren't holding up as they were supposed to have a better freewheel mech than the 3. Good to know though, makes me happier I spent the cash on the Hope.


I build mine from the ground up, including the wheels with a Hope hub in the rear to avoid any trouble, so far she is perfect, 6.2" 240L now, optimal shape around 220 (big boned).


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