Building Fatness

[TrailMaker]

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[BrendaSmith]

Wow! Nice! Is that the first frame you've built?

[TrailMaker]

TrailMaker #1

[Trigger]

Wow dude...seriously talented work! I think I would be in trouble if I ever learned enough to build my own frames...not sure if I could stop tinkering!

[Josey Wales]

Cool, the details are impressive. A Porsche badge on the headtube?

[Flats]

so...when are you going to start taking orders!?!?!?!?!?!?

[seburkhardt]

so...when are you going to start taking orders!?!?!?!?!?!?

Dibs on the next production run of 29ers.

[TrailMaker]

Thanks all;

No real plans, other than to build more. 'Course... if people start throwing money at me....

I have a LOT of different designs already penned, all Fatbikes. This is the first in a series.

[no one in particular]

That's spectacular work, TM. I hope your bike rides as good as it looks.

But I'm more interested in the frame jig. Is that your design? I love the extruded Al bits. Was it a frame jig kit of some sort? Did you get the extruded bits from Airline Hydraulics, or someplace else?

There's a million different uses for the stuff. I've used it extensively to build tooling at work.

[TrailMaker]

Thanks NOIP;

The framing is from 80/20 Inc. The "Industrial Erector Set" as they rightly refer to it. Neat stuff. The jig design is not anything particularly original. There are a lot of hobby builders using the extruded stuff for this purpose, albeit not necessarily in the "beam" type configuration. The fixturing is of my own creation, with the exception of the rear axle fixture which I purchased from another builder.

The bike will be interesting. I am "fairly" pleased overall with the result. My hope is simply that it rides well, is fun, and does not break in the first mile of trail!

[TrailMaker]

Almost done.

[Flats]

keep us updated on your plans! i am serious!

[TrailMaker]

keep us updated on your plans! i am serious!

Har...

Maybe you should look it over first. Or... wait to see if I die while riding it!!

[nk0s5na]

Very very cool.

[TrailMaker]

Well;

It didn't break. I did a first ride for it at Jones last night. Also the first MTB ride for my 13yo nephew, so it was more of a training and teaching ride than anything. Lots of junk down after our tornado watch last week too. Anyways, the Fatty rides pretty darn good. Not that much different than the Niner really, when just peddling along. Oh, it is certainly less cush, but other than having no rebound damping, those big tires really give a lot of suppleness. It can be a bit bouncy if you are sitting down, but flying over rougher terrain is surprisingly composed. Floats through the creek crossing and over smaller roots like nuthin. I stayed away from the nastiest trails in deference to my nephew, but did let it fly a couple of times and it seems to ride really well.

All in all this has been a very successful venture.

[TrailMaker]

Hey;

First hard ride on this thing last night, at South Mountain in Binghamton of all places. Not the place to take a heavy bike to ride with all the elevation, but it didn't matter. The Fatbike Flattened South Mountain! It was one of those good days where you feel strong, and I was hanging pretty close to the back of the front of the pack. Sometimes lagging, sometimes right there. This thing goes! Only wished for suspension in a couple of the rougher downhill areas, and just a fork would have been plenty. Most of the time the big tires do the job just fine.

Interestingly, a well placed friend of mine says fat forks are coming very soon....