Bikes with monster tires: why?

[jobin]

I've seen a few of these bikes with monster big tires, tall and very wide, but have never understood the logic. I guess they are usually mounted on mountain bikes or special bikes.

What gives and what's the merit/demerit of such tires?

[moonoi]

Look up fat bikes on Google. They are meant for use on sand/snow originally, large volume tyre with low pressure gives better grip.

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[Denim]

Look up fat bikes on Google. They are meant for use on sand/snow originally, large volume tyre with low pressure gives better grip.

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Yep , but when riding on tarmac with them it's like peddling through treacle.

[moonoi]

Look up fat bikes on Google. They are meant for use on sand/snow originally, large volume tyre with low pressure gives better grip.

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Yep , but when riding on tarmac with them it's like peddling through treacle.

Absolutely, have never understood their popularity in Thailand, there's hundreds of them at the Skylane even, although I suppose they are giving the rider a decent workout......

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[impulse]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried one on a Thai beach? Are they even allowed on the beaches?

The concept looks okay- fat tires to keep from sinking axle deep, but how's the reality in Thailand?

We used to MTB (and drive) on the beaches in Texas, but they were flat beaches and the packed sand surface was almost like pavement until you got to the dunes about 50-100 meters back off the beach.

[AlQaholic]

Ohh! cool, beach race in Thailand, what a great idea.

Wonder which beach would be the best? Jomtien up to the hill and then continue up Pattaya beach? would be about 4 - 5 k on sand.

Then one would have to contend with all the beach vendors, umbrella sales persons and umbrella beach owners:) That would be an extra:)

Edited June 27, 2016 by AlQaholic

[Hayduke]

Another factor is their appearance is so strange. Around town, people notice them and they turn heads. Some riders no doubt enjoy being the momentary center of "look at me" attention..

[Jeffrey346]

They are also safer on roads with cracks and potholes.. The wider tire handles it much better..

[callaway]

They are also safer on roads with cracks and potholes.. The wider tire handles it much better..

Very good point. So fat tires are a requirement for the shocking roads in Thailand.

[gandalf12]

Look up fat bikes on Google. They are meant for use on sand/snow originally, large volume tyre with low pressure gives better grip.

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Yep , but when riding on tarmac with them it's like peddling through treacle.

The commentators did discuss this during the Giro D'Italia. It is all to do with grip. Usually a wider tyre is used for riding on cobbles as opposed to a tarmac surface.

Edited June 27, 2016 by gandalf12

[In Town]

They are also useful during floods. If the water is deep enough, you will sink to about axle-level and then float, and if you pedal fast enough the centrifugal forces will keep you upright, and the tread in the tires will provide enough propulsion to get you across. Not recommended for normal water transport, but works in a pinch.

[Tchooptip]

This needs a picture to understand what OP means by monster tires

[williet98248]

These bikes and tires are for sand and snow or possibly mud. On pavement the skinnier the tire the better they roll and the less the rider effort. I suspect that unknowing or unsophisticated riders buy these bikes because they are different and they can be the center of attention. Or maybe they just want to be 'cutting edge' and 'trendy'. But they are working much harder than the skinny tire bikers and have to peddle harder to keep up (if they can keep up) with the skinny tire guys. Even knobby MTB tires will be faster on the pavement with less work. Because I am too old and unbalanced for off-road biking anymore I replaced the 1.95 knobbies on my MTB with skinnier road tread tires for less roll resistance. That wasn't enough so I bought a lightweight skinny 23 mm tire road bike. The bicycle equivalent of a sports car. I blow right by these fat tire guys on my 10 kg skinny tire road bike and the thought in my head is, "What are you thinking?!"

[williet98248]

They are also useful during floods. If the water is deep enough, you will sink to about axle-level and then float, and if you pedal fast enough the centrifugal forces will keep you upright, and the tread in the tires will provide enough propulsion to get you across. Not recommended for normal water transport, but works in a pinch.

Funny thing. After reading this one of my legs got really long!

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Look up fat bikes on Google. They are meant for use on sand/snow originally, large volume tyre with low pressure gives better grip.

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Yep , but when riding on tarmac with them it's like peddling through treacle.

The prince rode one and then the trend started.

[slipperylobster]

good for running over soi dogs...

[moonoi]

Look up fat bikes on Google. They are meant for use on sand/snow originally, large volume tyre with low pressure gives better grip.

Sent from my turnip using Tapatalk

Yep , but when riding on tarmac with them it's like peddling through treacle.

The commentators did discuss this during the Giro D'Italia. It is all to do with grip. Usually a wider tyre is used for riding on cobbles as opposed to a tarmac surface.

We're not talking 23 to 25/27 for Paris/Roubaix here! These are 3 to 4 inches in width

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[bluebluewater]

^ I guess that is just great except I'm not in a race and you are welcome to get wherever you are going sooner than I will if that is what you want. I do note that with bikes with the bigger tires that on these crappy crappy roads that we travel on that the ride is MUCH smoother.

[bobfish]

I've considered a fat bike purely to cruise along the beach at low tide and sunset, but apart from n+1 I really can't think why I'd do it.

Last time I rode my 2.35 tyred MTB on the hard sand, it was fun. Afterwards, cleaning all that salt and sand from expensive components was not!

Certainly, fatties look like a hoot, but slow, bouncy and unwieldy seem to be commonly used adjectives. Unless you ride somewhere you need all of that flotation, I don't think I'd bother.

[bobfish]

And, a 29er Plus size [3" wide tyres] is probably more than enough.

http://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/users/109/photos/90725/s1600_BT_20150416_untitled_shoot_047.jpg?1429910900

I recall playing with 3" wide tyres on on my 26in DH bike years ago. Didn't take long to ditch them.....

[In Town]

They are also useful during floods. If the water is deep enough, you will sink to about axle-level and then float, and if you pedal fast enough the centrifugal forces will keep you upright, and the tread in the tires will provide enough propulsion to get you across. Not recommended for normal water transport, but works in a pinch.

Funny thing. After reading this one of my legs got really long!

heh, heh...

[jesimps]

I should think that these tyres don't pick up as many punctures. I seem to average about one a week where I cycle on my normal mountain bike tyres. You'd also need disc brakes with them at a guess.

Edited June 27, 2016 by jesimps

[bobfish]

I should think that these tyres don't pick up as many punctures. I seem to average about one a week where I cycle on my normal mountain bike tyres. You'd also need disc brakes with them at a guess.

Have you tried going tubeless?

[aussiandrew]

I hadn't ridden a bike for years and wanted something a bit different when I brought my big fat tires bike some 18 months ago. I am big tall guy just over 100 kgs and wanted a softer ride over the as been said earlier pot holes and cracked in the roads and pathway.

Todate very happy with it had to change the size of the seat.

[williet98248]

They are also useful during floods. If the water is deep enough, you will sink to about axle-level and then float, and if you pedal fast enough the centrifugal forces will keep you upright, and the tread in the tires will provide enough propulsion to get you across. Not recommended for normal water transport, but works in a pinch.

Funny thing. After reading this one of my legs got really long!

heh, heh...

Just another little tidbit of information. Turns out that centrifugal force is not what keeps you upright on a two wheel or one wheel machine. Read an article on it and it appears that if you start to fall one way or the other you make a slight turn correction in that direction to recover. Watch a guy on a unicycle. He is all over the place making huge corrections trying to stay upright. Centrifugal force only works in a circular motion.

[Global Guy]

I've been riding monster bikes on and off for a three years now and have been an avid mountain biker and road cyclist for decades. Yes, they were originally designed for snow and sand. But I like how much the tires absorb the shock from rocks, road imperfections, and going up and down curbs.

The issue of resistance is determined by the tire tread and how you dial in the air pressure. I dialed them up so I didn't notice any resistance issues. What others may mistake with that is that the rims and tires are considerably heavier than the skinnier mountain bike tires so what they consider resistance from the tire on the ground might actually be the added weight. Up to 2x or 3x heavier than MTB tires. My first one had 5 inch wide tires and my second one 4.5 inch wide.

Since the tires absorb more, there is also less chance of bending a rim. Lastly, I like the extra wide footprint for extra traction/stability.

So, there is a considerable practicality to them if you like to ride. I don't use it for long distances because it is heavier than my other bikes, but for hopping around town it's fun. They do look different and are a fun conversation starter as well.

[williet98248]

I should think that these tyres don't pick up as many punctures. I seem to average about one a week where I cycle on my normal mountain bike tyres. You'd also need disc brakes with them at a guess.

Have you tried going tubeless?

I have had five punctures in the two months that I have owned my road bike. Several punctures on my MTB. None of the bike shops seem to have heavy duty puncture resistant tires and/or tubes. Only cheap Chinese made crap. I have gotten fed up and ordered off eBay two Kevlar clad, heavy duty, puncture resistant Michelin road bike tires made in Germany. Also several puncture resistant tubes to go with them. The tires are called 'Gator Skins'. The tubes are by Continental tire. No more punctures, I hope. Shop in the USA is called Bikesmith.

[williet98248]

I've been riding monster bikes on and off for a three years now and have been an avid mountain biker and road cyclist for decades. Yes, they were originally designed for snow and sand. But I like how much the tires absorb the shock from rocks, road imperfections, and going up and down curbs. The issue of resistance is determined by the tire tread and how you dial in the air pressure. I dialed them up so I didn't notice any resistance issues. What others may mistake with that is that the rims and tires are considerably heavier than the skinnier mountain bike tires so what they consider resistance from the tire on the ground might actually be the added weight. Up to 2x or 3x heavier than MTB tires. My first one had 5 inch wide tires and my second one 4.5 inch wide. Since the tires absorb more, there is also less chance of bending a rim. Lastly, I like the extra wide footprint for extra traction/stability. So, there is a considerable practicality to them if you like to ride. I don't use it for long distances because it is heavier than my other bikes, but for hopping around town it's fun. They do look different and are a fun conversation starter as well.

Indeed. Good reasons to have one. I have a regular MTB for errands and around the town and the skinny tire road bike tor the tours and exercise.

[Stevemercer]

I ride a normal road bike and used to get many punctures until I changed the rim tape. The rim tape that came with the bike was poor quality and allowed the inner tube to get pinched in the holes for the spokes. So if you are plagued with punctures, the first thing to try is to replace the rim tape (two layers may also help).

Remember to keep your tyres at at least 90 psi. Unlike most western countries, Thailand does not seem to have a grade test on blue metal (gravel road fill) and you often get triangular pieces of stone. An inevitable pinch puncture if you hit one at speed.

[hkt83100]

This needs a picture to understand what OP means by monster tires

https://www.rokon.com/

https://youtu.be/QCIDp0gw7M0

Edited June 27, 2016 by hkt83100