A common question we get asked here at Cycle Travel Overload is if fat bikes can be used for touring?
The sort answer is yes, but it really depends on the type of touring you have planned. Fat Bikes make great bikepacking bikes and touring bikes on terrain that is really difficult to ride on normal bikes. Like sand or snow. They are best for sand riding, so riding in a dessert or in the snow. You could even go as far to say they make the ultimate expedition bikes.
You can even get front and rear racks for your next fat bike touring adventure. But aren’t fat bikes heavy? In reality they are not that much more heavy then a traditional touring bike. You can even get really light fat bikes under 10 kg!
How much do fat bikes weigh?
They can be heavier then most bikes, especially steel fat bikes. Weighing around 35 pounds or 16 kg! Mid range fat bike models weigh around 30 pounds or 13.5 kg or less. Some of the lightest fat bikes weigh around 22 pounds of sub 10 kg! Not including all the gear you will most likely be packing on your bike.
Because of this, people who want to go the fat bike route look for the lightest fat bikes. Here is a list of some of the lightest carbon fat bikes.
But when we say touring what do we mean? The original term ‘Bicycle Touring’ is simply riding on mostly road surfaces with pannier mounted to your bike. Form many days, weeks or months on end, with all your camping gear to be self-sufficient. But touring can also be more synonyms with cycle travel in general.
As bikepacking becomes more popular people are want to explore more off-road terrains on mountain bikes but not bringing as much gear with more traditional touring setups.
Therefore fat bikes are a recommended choice for more of the off-road exploration. Then riding solely on the tarmac roads. Check out this article for the best fat bikes for bikepacking and touring!
With those wide-fat tires they would slow you down too much to make it practical compared to a touring bike. You could get more road specific fat tires with less rolling resistance. However if you want stability, the ease of handling and are not in any rush. Fat-bike touring might be for you.
What is the advantage of a fat tire bicycle?
What are the main advantages of fat bikes? They can work great for tours on terrains you wouldn’t have thought it was possible for bikes to travel across. But why else are people choosing to buy fat bikes?
- Able to travel over diverse terrain, sand and snow
- Wide tires provide you with extra grip and traction
- More stability than a MTB to roll over rocks and roots, thanks to the extra wheel contact to the ground
- Relatively easy to ride up hill, thanks to heaps of traction
- Can be ridden on trails
- They spark your adventure side, and can ride whatever adventure you think up. As an ultimate adventure bike you can ride it anywhere!
- Less punctures
- Extreme comfort thanks to those big tires
- They are very fun!
There are even kids fat bikes, so you can take the whole family along and experience the wonders of exploring by bike with everyone! Should you get a fat bike? Check out this article to help you decide! (Also in this article I cover some of the disadvantage to fat bikes.) On a budget? Check out these fat bikes under $2,000.
Can you ride a fat tire bike on pavement?
Yes, it is 100% possible. Most fat bikes however come with MTB style fat tires. Which will result in some rolling resistance. For fat bikes it’s all about air pressure, on pavement add max air pressure for less rolling resistance. You can get fat bike road tires, if you really want. But if you are just using you fat bike to ride around town and nothing long distance. Then you would might want to consider using a bike more suited to road riding like an all road gravel bike.
I have seen fat bike builds with drop bars and road fat tires. Essentially a fat tire road bike! They look so cool! If versatility is what you’r after. A fat bike might be the perfect option. These bikes can ride everything! They are made for some of the most unsuitable terrain for normal bikes. So riding on road is no challenge for a fat bike. Some fat bike owners buy them as their only bike, a true do it all bike!
If speed is what you want it is not happening with a fat bike in most cases. yeah you could fit road fat tires and drop bars. But for most stock fat bikes on the market they are just not solely designed for road riding only!
There are some benefits to riding a fat bike on the road. Such as not worry about rolling over drains, potholes and other road obstructions. Also the traction is superior to road bike and even mountain bikes. So when it gets wet you have that confidence.
Are fat bikes harder to ride?
In general they are slightly harder to ride then a gravel bike for example. When it comes to the heavier wheels they take a little more to push then say a 2.3″ MTB tire. But fat bikes are actually more stable in most cases. Thanks to those fat tires they actually can help with handling the bike. But if you can get the air pressure right most fat bike owners say that they cannot tell the difference between their mountain bike.
If you want to ride fast, fat bikes are definitely harder to ride then say a road bike. However in general because fat bikes are mostly designed to be ridden on more technical terrains like sand and snow. These surfaces make it harder to ride then say on gravel roads for example.
Are fat tire bikes good for long distance?
In general fat bikes are perfect for expedition type bike adventures. If you plan to ride epic snow terrain or through gnarly dessert sand routes. For 1,000 of kms, these bikes can hold up very well. Long distances on the road, I personally wouldn’t recommend.
Are fat bikes good for Bikepacking?
Yes, Yes and Yes! They are the ultimate freedom machine. A fat bike can go where most other bikepacking bikes can’t. They open a whole new world of possibilities and adventures. Allowing you to venture across the terrains most mortals can only dream of. From rocky river beds, to sandy beaches, to Antartica!
I personally want a fat bike so I can ride some of the Australian Canning Stock Route, from Halls Creek to Wiluna, around 1,850 km it is the longest historic stock route in the world! A very corrugated road with deep sand in sections. A fat bike is the perfect self-powered vehicle for the job.
Is a fat bike worth it?
Priced from $1,000 for some decent budget fat bike options that are still good for bikepacking to $6,000+ for a fully specced fat bike. There are options to suit each budget.
In conclusion are fat bikes worth it? If you want the one bike to rule them all, then yes 100% they are worth it. If you just buy a fat bike you then have a bike which is able to ride any and all types of terrain. With obvious disadvantages on terrains that are not sand or snow.
But again if speed is no issue on the pavement and you want to use it to just commute around town and a weekend warrior on some beach days or snow tours. A fat bike is well worth its weight in gold!
But if you plan to ride more then 50% road on you adventures and plan to ride very frequently and you want to go fairly fast on roads, then I would say a fat bike is not ideal. And you might want to go the all-road or gravel bike route.
That doesn’t mean to not get a fat bike. I plan to get three bikes to cover the entire range of cycling disciplines that I love. A touring bike/drop bar MTB, hardtail MTB/Bikepacking Bike and a Fat Bike!
But a fat bike can be the perfect bike choice for those who love a challenging adventure!
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