Best products from r/fatbike

guess this is where Ill speak up. I own the FatCaad2 , and ill offer my opinions:

• I cant see how adding the lefty would make this much better ,but i havent ridden one with that setup so Ill leave it at that.
  
• This bike if you run tubeless is LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT , i think i got mine under 30lbs , which for such a huge machine is truly bizarre.
  
• i basically stopped riding all my other bikes (I just ride this with my roadie friends because i dont care anymore)
  
• Ive gone thru 2 tires ,because when it comes to sharp rocks/1cm wide sharp roots sticking up, its simply not gonna seal. granted I run at max PSI most of the time and im gonna stop doing that.
  
• on snow this thing feels like riding on a cloud.
  
• Whatever you'd give up in straightline performance on a regular MTB, youre gonna make up for in the MASSIVE MASSIVE grip that 4.8in tires provide. high or low PSI...the bike simply stays planted in corners and inspires A LOT of confidence.
  
• KMC X10 chain , ive broken 2 of them, im a big guy and apparently these chains have a bit thin of a linkage. if you only wanna ride single track, id say converting to single front Chainring might be a better way to go, (and then a thicker chain.
  
• raced 'Cross for fun on this, and while i certainly couldnt keep up with the lithe pro-cross guys and their skinny tires in the straights...I was able to climb angles they couldnt touch.
  
• The guide-r brakes on the 2017 were trash, i swpped to shimano, im very happy with the results.
  
• I went with these flats : https://www.amazon.com/Black-Ops-BMX-Torqlite-Pedals/dp/B00Q58IDN2 , theyre light and they do the job right.
  
  Ive dumped a bit of money into the bike since Ive had it. Honestly a dropper post may be next on the list. The TL:DR for this bike is...I ditched all my other rides now because its that good.
  
  I mean the sole-exception is that i cant fit a 4.8inch tire into the lift rack at a DH park in colorado , i honestly think downhill park is still gonna be ruled by a proper dh full suspension, but everything else...this is what you want :)

The front light is a NiteRider Lumina 650. It has 3 modes, all of which are blindingly bright for regular day to day commuting. I love it. It has saved me from crashing into fallen trees on bike paths and also has been useful to help light the way when riding buddies have their lights die on them.

The front fender is an SKS Grand D.A.D. Here is a link to it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/SKS-Grand-Mountain-Bicycle-Fender/dp/B00NQMXQ50 The fender is awesome once you can get it installed. It installs with a plug that goes into the bottom of your fork. For my tapered fork I had to use some rubber splicing tape to increase the size of the largest plug to get it to fit correctly. The fender is great for keeping dirt, snow, and water off of my frame bag and most of me. It does not do a great job of keeping that stuff off of the bottom bracket area as you can see in the photo.

Another fender you might be interested in would be the Mud Shovel. Here is that link: http://www.amazon.com/Portland-Design-Works-Shovel-Fender/dp/B008OE5SF6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1416263660&sr=1-1&keywords=mud+shovel+fender

I have tried a ton of different setups and imo a flood on your bars and a spot on your head is the best way to roll.

This probably won’t be a popular opinion around here, but the $24 1200 lumen bright eyes light on amazon is a heck of a light. I’ll admit, it likely isn’t a true 1200 lumens (my guess would be 800-1000), but it is plenty bright and absolutely reliable in my experience. I have dropped hundreds of dollars on the fancy night sun setup in the past and the advantages just don’t justify the premium with options like this around. Note, it comes as a spot but there is a flood lens available. That is it’s only downside, that flood lens has a pretty shitty spread. I have to imagine there are flood lenses for other lights that would fit but it hasn’t bothered me enough to look into it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0183RPQ0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_C.ZYDbMGBV5P0

I know this isn't directly what you're asking about, but in case you aren't already using resources like this, they might support the efforts that you're already doing w/ getting out and biking. a lot of people don't realize that there are books addressing effective strategies out there to help with anxiety and things like agoraphobia that can be really helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Acceptance-Workbook-Anxiety-Commitment/dp/162625334X/

https://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Your-Anxiety-Panic-Treatments/dp/0195311353/

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01M3QXIBM?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

This thing is amazing. I rig it up so it’s not stuck on my face, it creates a little breathing chamber that keeps your face warm, and you don’t even notice it. It also greatly helps with mouth/lung freezing as a result as it’s not just 100% cold air right off the bat. If it gets super windy you can pull the ties and adjust it to your face.

And when you use it with a buff you look like a sub zero. There are worse things. Lol

I have like 4 of these. They're super bright and battery lasts a long time. You can find them on eBay every now and then for $20.

Edit: A year ago I switched to a USB version of the light above. I got mine on eBay for $12, but can be found [here](
http://www.lightinthebox.com/zhishunjia-waterproof-3-mode-1xcree-xm-l2-u2-high-power-bike-lamp-900lm-usb-5v-gray-red_p3984844.html?currency=USD&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&sku=429_6917) for around the same price. I use it with a USB power bank, like this. I just put the battery pack in my frame bag. I can charge my phone and light my path at the same time if I want. It's really a great setup!

Not OP but I just got this bag off amazon. It fits my longer S8 and my bluetooth speaker perfectly. I'm very please with the purchase. It does have hole for headphones too.

If you're running tubeless you probably should be running sealant in your tires. Fat tires are pretty thin skinned and puncture easily in my experience. Stans, Orange, Slime are all popular brands.

If you get a hole that won't seal there are plug kits like this that can be installed from the outside, or patches like these that install on the inside.

For the rear wheel I bought this Framed wheelset (since the one for my bike is sold out and doesn't seem to be coming back any time soon) just for the rear wheel and put my cassette on it. For the front wheel I bought this hub and this rim and built it myself, a royal pain in the ass for someone why has never built a wheel before but it was fun and I'm very happy with what I got, I suppose the bike shop would have built it for me but that would have cost money, something I don't have a lot of.

Same logic behind what I did, I probably should just buy a gravel bike, "but I already have a fat bike and it could do the same thing less efficiently and more comfortably," oh, and cheaper.

I know some might disagree with me, but I bought this: https://www.amazon.com/VENZO-Bicycle-Torque-Wrench-Socket/dp/B00811WQT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493642589&sr=8-1&keywords=venzo+torque

It seems to do a great job. I am not sure of its accuracy, but even if it is slightly off I am okay with that. If I torque something to 5nm, and it is actually 4 or 6 I think thats okay. My main concern before getting it was that I was torquing things that should be 5nm to 15nm because of not having a way to gauge how hard I was pushing. I think it only "clicks" in one direction so it is not perfect for torquing lets say my BB on the drive side that threads opposite. But for daily use it seems to be great and not super expensive. But if you have the disposable income to spend, get the park tools version.

I just bought one on amazon three days
ago https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V6THR9. It was a great mini tool for leg exercises and my daughter loved it.

Another vote for the Accu-Gauge. 0-15 psi.
Great resolution. Not fragile. Been riding with one for 2 years. Digital gauges have been finicky and dead-battery-haviing for too long.

So far Accu-Gauge is the winner cuz it "Works great, lasts a long time"

Accu-Gage Fat Bike Presta Valve Low Pressure Bicycle Tire Gauge, 15psi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0OPSZG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_2RlVBbP4Y4P4Z

Considering checking out the Dakine Men's Scout Gloves, they seem to have a nice winter shell and included liner glove. Seems like that might be close to what I'm looking for. Would love to find something that has a more lightweight shell though.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BW5KWHW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

I use something like this to give it a good spray down any time it's subjected to salt. It's not as good as actually cleaning it, but certainly better than nothing.

Yeah, I get claustrophobic when I'm attached to the bike, especially in snow and ice. I tried clips for a couple of months and just decided to upgrade my flats instead. I can't imagine pogies are much different. I just found a cheap pair of lobster claws instead (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T2ADYW/)

As others said, shifting is probably clunkier with big gloves, but they're still super warm.

I have set of Mulefuts that I've setup tubeless a handful of times. I use the Sun/Sunringle brand rimstrip and the Sun/Sunringle brand tape (1 layer) and they've been solid.

The only slight leak I had when I first set them up was from the valve. Nothing leaking through the cutouts.

Rimstrip: https://www.amazon.com/RIM-STRIP-SUN-TUBELESS-26x60mm/dp/B00SM1OCNK/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=sun+ringle+rim+strip&qid=1571417898&sr=8-2

Tape: https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Rim-Tape-78mm-Wide/dp/B00SM1OA96/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sun+ringle+tape&qid=1571417922&sr=8-1

Also, this video was super helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUjazEhVpfA

I have the Accugage from Amazon the r/philtech describes, but I got the 15 psi range one. I put it in my pack, it's fairly small. I too have a Topeak digital gauge, but it doesn't register when you've got the tires below 5 psi, which is where I typically run mine.

these joints right here https://www.amazon.com/Black-Ops-BMX-Torqlite-Pedals/dp/B00Q58IDN2

This brand they have a front and back but are sold sepereate from what I have seen. Cost me about 50$ when I got my set.