Fat tire mountain bikes or Fat Mountain bikes are great bikes to take on a mountain trail. The wide tires can roll through seasonal overgrowth, sticks, and leaves effortlessly which effectively blazes a path as they roll.
This comes in very useful for riding around trees or by the smooth area following sandy, rocky creek beds and shorelines wherever the trail leads you. Also, the fat tires while fully inflated create natural suspension for the bike. Also if you have ever thought of giving up on exhausting pedaling or like to ride in comfort without doing too much work we have a post on Electric Fat tire bikes
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Here Are Our Favorite Fat Tire Mountain Bikes On The Market Today.
Mongoose Dolomite Fat Tire Mountain Bike
Why does this bike excite us so much? It is a meaty bike that easily clears a path on trails as well as any other terrain you can think of. This makes it the true leader on the toughest rides, leaving your “skinny bike” friends with only one, to follow you or get stuck.
It is also known as a really great beach cruiser.
The Mongoose Dolomite is built on a steel Mountain Bike frame with its cruiser style and geometry. It has 4 inch thick tires and offers seven different speeds with a Shimano rear derailleur, however, this can be upgraded because of the frame’s design.
With front and rear disc brakes and a 3 piece crank, this bike offers more than enough control. Comfort was also a main theme of the design phase of this bike, it is easily one of the meatier bikes with the ability to offer heavier riders enough comfort.
It is a great bike for you big guys. The bike is able to carry a more than 350-pound rider, at heights of up to 6 inches and more. Weighing at about 48lbs, it provides bigger pedals to help with a bit of extra power.
If you simply swap out the wheels to a lighter version, you can reduce weight to around 38lbs
In summary, this bike was designed to mimic cruisers, but instead of just cruising the beach with a surfboard in one hand. You can use it to tear up the trails too! It has a frame large enough to accommodate a swap to bigger tires, meaning you can make it a four-season ride if you want to.
Pros
Can swap the wheels out to reduce 10lbs of the bike weight
Can accommodate riders up 350 lbs and riders of 6ft tall
Shimano rear derailleur with seven speeds to easily climb up steep gradients.
Cons
Not good for racking or transports
Mongoose Men’s Malus Fat Tire Bicycle
A perfect choice for the off-road rider and great entry-level fat mountain bike, this Mongoose Malus fat bike comes with a 26 inch, 7-speed ride with oversized 4 1/4” knobby tires. With a surprisingly sturdy steel frame.
It sheds a bit of its weight due to the drilled alloy rims that let you handle difficult terrain. The bike is on the heavier side when it comes to fat-tire bikes. Weighing in at around 42 pounds, but is one of the sturdiest cruiser models on the market.
It features twin disc brakes at the rear and the front for total control when riding or stopping and the 7 speed rear derailleur is a great on-the-fly control. With low-rise handlebars and twist shifters, you have no worries even if on very difficult trails.
Meant to offer a stable ride, this bike has a mountain-style saddle, three-piece cranks, and frame offering enormous amounts of clearance.
With its unique “threadless headset”, this allows it to adjust to many heights and uses that cruiser geometry to allow athletic riding, lots of maneuverability, and ample clearance for snow, woodland, trails, or beach rides.
Dubbed as an “amazon choice” due to multiple positive feedback from customers you really can’t go wrong with this bike.
Pros
Threadless headset for adjustability
Cruiser design frame with plenty of clearance to conquer any terrain
7-speed gearing with Shimano rear derailleur
Cons
Quite heavy weighs 42 pounds
Framed Minnesota 1.0 – Best Fat tire mountain bike for Women
If you’re searching for the best fat tire mountain bike for women you have found it. The highlights include the 6061 Aluminum Alloy frame which is lighter than steel frames and is also corrosion-resistant for all-season riding.
The Fork has the ability to take wheels from 26″ x 4.8″ to 29″ x 2″ (so you can swap out your winter tires for the Minnesota Fatty Slims for summer riding and commuting).
Also, the Neco 100mm Sealed bottom Bracket keeps out the dirt from your bearing and keeps your cranks turning smoother longer.
The 1×9 drivetrain is composed of a Sram 9 Speed Cassette 11-32t in the rear and a Truvativ 32t, 175mm alloy cranks with Square taper chainring up front for extra smooth gear shifting on the trail.
Female riders will especially love the Velo Plush saddle, which is specifically designed for women. Mechanical disc brakes provide stopping power when necessary. This fat tire bike weighs approximately 33 pounds on a 17-inch frame when fully assembled. There are 15 and 17-inch frames available to suit a variety of riders.
Pros
The saddle is specifically designed for women with
The bike can fit up to 29-inch wheels
Cons
The bike is a bit heavy
Only comes in one color
Diamondback El OSO Dos Fat tire mountain Bike
The Diamondback El Oso Dos lies between the El Oso Uno and El Oso Tres models. While it might be a bit over your budget, the El Oso Dos stands out for its sturdy, lightweight and durable double-butted aluminum frame and alloy fork. The large tires help absorb bumps and jolts for a smoother, more secure ride.
The bike is designed to tackle a wide range of conditions, from crystal clear trails to snow-covered roads and muddy off-road terrain. You’ll find several Shimano components, including the front and rear derailleur, shifter, and cog set. This fat tire bike is equipped with a KMC X10 10-speed chain along with 26-inch Kenda Juggernaut tires.
The bike straddles between the line of being able to introduce beginners to winter riding but can also ct as a bike that can grow with your skillset. On top of that, it has nice aesthetics and good components.
Pros
Available in a number of different sizes
Ideal for mud, snow, and sand
Can mount 26×5-inch tires
Cons
Quite expensive
Some users have found the seat uncomfortable
Diamondback El OSO Nino 20 Fat tire bike
As one of the small proportion of fat bikes that are specifically suited for children, this is great if you want to introduce your lively child to mountain biking It is a 20-inch cruiser that comes with four-inch oversized tires on a steel frame.
It comes fully equipped with a 7 speed Shimano grip shift and the drivetrain is designed for easy use and excellent control.
Additionally, it comes with disc brakes on its 160mm rotors to give even more control over deceleration and full braking, which is essential and gives peace of mind to parents knowing their kids have complete control of the bike.
This bike basically combines all of the classic and traditional bigger fat bike characteristics into a smaller model and is designed to take children over any type of terrain. Keeping the tire pressure low reiterates that the kids have total traction and can have fun with a bit of lift when dealing with mud, sand, and snow.
This fat tire mountain bike weighs 30 pounds, which can be difficult for smaller riders, but it is designed to take kids and riders up to as much as 200 pounds!
In summary fat bikes, with the frame design, flexibility, and functions of full-sized models are not widely available. While you can find other, smaller bikes with fat tires, they won’t often have the gearing, braking, and riding that a true fat bike delivers.
This Diamondback model is an honest fat bike and its cruiser frame geometry, a durable and high riding tensile steel frame, and the kinds of controls that few kids’ bikes offer. roadways.
Pros
7 speed Shimano grip shift and the drivetrain
Specifically designed for kids
Cons
Weighs 30 lbs which can be heavy for very small riders
Mongoose Juneau Fat Tire Mountain Bicycle
With the Mongoose name you know you are going to get a good bike and the Juneau is just that. Coming in a cool-looking electric blue the bike has done justice with its huge tires. The tires have super-sized knobby tires which create a wider contact patch with the ground. Which provides you with increased traction on those tough trails.
The increased traction provides more control, which means it can hug turns tighter and you can own the tricky trail sections. Not only do the 4 inch wide tires provide added traction, but there is also more tire clearance and stability for smooth riding on snowy and sandy trails.
The mongoose has an oversized frame to allow for lots of clearance. Set with disc brakes and three-piece cranks, it is a 21-speed bike with a Shimano rear derailleur and trigger shifters to allow total control at all speeds and in any terrain.
As the complete entry-level fat bike, this has much to offer bike riders of all different levels.
Pros
21 speed Shimano trigger shifter with Shimano rear derailleur
The bike is surprisingly lightweight
Alloy triple crank offers plenty of gears for all-day riding
Cons
The seat isn’t the most comfortable one may consider getting a more comfy one
Mongoose Argus Sport Fat Tire
The Mongoose Argus proudly known as one of the most stable rides fat bikes, this Mongoose uses a Tectonic T2 aluminum hardtail frame.
The alloy fork offers 150mm spacing and a 15mm thru-axle for the most stability and flexibility. You will also appreciate the 10-speed drivetrain.
Featuring the Altus shifters for premium gearing options and the safest shifting controls.
It comes with sturdy 4.8” tires for adept maneuvering and that beautiful, floating ride. While the tires provide complete control, the Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm guarantee optimal stopping power.
Available in three different sizes, each one features a full allow frame and fork, a Prowheel 951 Triple 3-piece crank, and double-butted handlebars all of which deliver a comfortable and sturdy ride. This Mongoose is noted for its maneuverability on trails, making it an out-of-the-box, year-round rider.
Pros
Very stable fat bike
MTB aluminum fat tire hardtail frame with alloy tapered fork featuring 150 mm spacing and 15 mm thru-axle for added lateral rigidity
Kenda juggernaut 26 x 4.8 inch folding bead tires
Cons
Packaging could be better
Mongoose Hitch Men’s Fat Bike Review
Mongoose Hitch Fat Tire Bike has impressively big 4″ tires that can easily take on the different types of road terrains.
It comes with a 7-speed gearing rear derailleur that is very good on hilly terrains. The fat tire cruiser frame is geometry is designed to add a comfortable yet athletic riding position.
The Mongoose Hitch has quite a few benefits that you are sure to enjoy:
- Affordability: This bike is very affordable as it comes up under $400 considering that is a fat bike with great features this is quite under priced.
- Durability: The frame of The Hitch is made from stainless steel which is very durable and rust resistant
- Easy to assemble: Another thing is that this bike is the easy to assemble it. It comes pre assembled and the final part should only take around 15mins to assemble fully.
- Control: Apart from the stability, the Hitch gives more control to the cyclist. This is because of the rotary disk brakes that give offer enormous stopping power to ensure that at whatever speed you reach you stop when you want.
- Safe night rides: If you are one to take those late night ride, you can ride with peace of mind knowing that you have LED lighting to light up your path and keep you visible to other vehicles.
Pros
The design of the Hitch coupled with the low-rise handlebars gives the user a comfortable posture and by extension a comfortable ride.
4 1/4″ knobby tires
Great for big guys up to 400 lbs
Cons
The seat is known for being uncomfortable (consider upgrading the seat)
Only comes in 1 color
Can a Fat Tire Bike Be The Only Bike You Need?
To address the elephant in the room is yes it can.
The in-depth answer is the same however, you need to be practical about what a fat bike can actually do well and what it would not be ideal for.
We will explain how you can use a fat tire bike for different purposes and go over the good and bad points about the bike. and also go over the best fat bikes on the market.
What is a Fat Bike or Fat Tire Bike?
A fat bike is defined as a mountain bike with tires at least 3.75 inches wide with rims at least 2.6 inches wide that prevail in soft/loose conditions for example like snow or mud.
They are also a popular bike of selection for many people who go on bikepacking trips or expeditions because there is some terrain that you can only ride with a fat bike.
Fat bikes are rigid in nature
]The first point I want to note is that the majority of fat bikes are rigid. Yes, you can say there a some with modified suspension options available, although none of them are really wallet-friendly, widely available, and are high performance.
This could change in the near future, however for now you are most likely going to be riding a fully rigid fat bike. But that is a good thing as it will be low maintenance for harsh environments.
Some people say because of how big the fat tires are it sort of acts like a suspension but that isn’t true. For doing sharp turns and very sudden movements it won’t be as good as a mountain bike. But it snow, mud, and any tough terrain will always be better than a mountain bike.
Do you need suspension on fat bikes?
In regards to this fat tires do provide some very minimal suspension action all by them self providing they are properly inflated.
A rigid bike can be fast and efficient on smooth trails. And if the trails get rougher and rougher you have to slow down to maintain control plus you’ll have to stand a bunch to absorb impacts.
So as result, if after riding and you feel you need more suspension then you will have to mod your bike to have this at extra costs, which I don’t think is worth it. You might as well buy a mountain bike with suspension if you require it. As the bike tires have their own minimal natural suspension.
What are the advantages of a fat tire bike?
One of the things that excite me most about fat-tire bikes is you can use them for summer rides. You have the potential to ride your bike anywhere you want to explore.
The wide tires can roll through seasonal overgrowth, sticks, and leaves effortlessly which effectively blazes a path as they roll. This comes in very useful for riding around trees or by the smooth area following sandy, rocky creek beds and shorelines wherever the trail leads you.
Typically most mountain bike trails try to avoid particularly sandy areas (with very good reason). Mountain bikes have trouble steering and getting traction in the sand.
Riding a fat bike through your average sandy area is a breeze: the bike basically turns at your will and keeps its momentum easily. Making this a plus point as you can take your fat tire bike to any sandy area!
How the weight of fat tire bike can affect you
It is widely known that fat tire bikes are heavier, in order to keep the costs low a lot of companies are changing the specs of their bikes with heavy cheap parts and basic frame tubes.
Given the fact that the wheels, tires, and tubes on a fat bike are much bigger than a normal bike plus with extra parts you have one heavy bike.
The only way to make your bike lighter is to do some DIY and buy some lighter bike parts and basically mod your bike to reduce the weight. The only drawback of the fat tire bike is that climbing uphill can be tiring as the heavy bike can be slow to do this.
Are fat bikes are good for beginners?
I honestly believe fat bikes are a good choice for beginners of mountain biking. Certainly, there is a weight penalty over the regular mountain bike, but if you are new to mountain biking, it does not really affect you yet. All you really know is that the fat, squishy tires are there to help you to balance and cushion you against bumpy roots and rocks plus it creates and nice trail for you if there are sticks and twigs on your path.
Can you ride a fat tire bike on pavement ?
You can ride them on the pavement but it’s best to avoid them if possible, the tires are more designed for gravel and more rough terrains. Riding the odd time on the pavement won’t do harm but if you ride constantly on the pavement it could wear your tires out.
Conclusion – Should I get a fat tire bike?
So ultimately the answer is that a fat bike is a mountain bike and there is no reason you can’t ride it on your local dirt trails, sandy areas, and in tough terrains.
If you ride on smooth surfaces like pavements a lot and go for then you can get a Fat tire bike where the tires are easy to change (We have a few of these bikes that are good at this reviewed below) and boom you have smaller tires that are good for riding on a smooth surface, with the option to change whenever you want.
Lastly, you can handle different terrains better and stay on your bike longer than you would on a mountain bike, so if you want to get a mountain bike why not opt for the fat bike.