Tales of the Big W fatty. The Hyper Mammoth.

[Cardy George]

Got some new tyres for cheap. Weighed them and both combined are lighter than the lightest of the two I removed. There was also a whopping 300g difference between the two bigW tyres!! Pretty sure I haven’t worn off 300g with maaaadd skidz, but i guess it’s possible.

Weekend should get some more time for installation and then put the whole beastly Mammoth back of the bathroom scales.

Ooooh, where from and how much?

I remember losing nearly a kilo just from removing the tubes at my first (failed) attempt at Ghetto Tubeless

[bychosis]

Not New unfortunately. From a wanted ad on rotorburn.

It’s just nuts how heavy the tyres, and other parts, are.

[bychosis]

Updates. Finally got some round tuits.


Somewhere in the vicinity of 4.5kg lighter. Still no lightweight at 18.8kg but it’s a lot better than before.

[bychosis]

Parts:
Drillium rims. Duct tape rim strips. Saving over 400g of holes and swarf and not including what went straight into the vacuum cleaner.
Tyres: Second hand Vee 8. $30. Saving: 2.8kg (one original tyre's worth)
Tubes: Still there, might go tubeless, or get some lighter tubes.
Seatpost: eBay alloy. $16. Saving: 84g. Not much, but the existing one was a tad short for me.
Stem and Bars (not in pic): Alloy. $0 (parts bin). Saving 307g. Originally I was only going to replace the bars and got stopped because the stock stem takes 22.2mm BMX sized bars. Fortunately I found another 1-1/8 quill stem in my parts bin so the alloy 25.4mm MTB bars got a second try.
Crankset: Shimano Alloy + widgit 32tooth ring. $0. Savings approx 550g - forgot to weigh it before installation.
Cog: Switched gearing to make it a bit easier, 18tooth. Gone from 36-20 to 32-18.
Chain: switched to lightly used XTR 9spd from original SS. saving ??
Saddle: weighed the same as the potential replacement, so left the original.
Pedals: original
Removed: kickstand and chain guard. Saving: 422g.

Better remove those reflectors too.

[bychosis]

I've now ridden the Mammoth twice since the Jenny Craig process. It seems a lot easier to spin up to speed now, but that speed is ultimately a little less than before. It's also easier to climb the local hills. The chain got a bit loose so I mustn't have tightened the nuts properly. Rode it to work this morning, said I'd never ride it to work again after the first time, but it's got a higher saddle now. Don't think I'll do it again!

[Cardy George]

Looking good!

[bychosis]

Yep, it’s been a while, but summer hols are here and the fat bike gets another chance to rip up the beach.

First ride the chain jumped off three times, but it seemed easier to ride. Upon inspection the few new links of chain I had added the joining pin failed and the chain was coming apart. Downer. Fortunately a trip to Taree for Park Run meant the LBS was avaaible and I picked up another quick link and took the dodgy link out. Much better and so far no drops.

I was able to compare it side by side with my brother in law’s stock (except saddle and stickers) mammoth and mine pedals sooooo much easier and is much more rideable in the sand. Only downside is the tyres are stupidly noisy squeaking and carrying on.

Successful conversion overall I’d say, even managed to get a little air over an ex-sandcastle today.

[Cardy George]

Was it an ex-sandcastle before being Mammothed or after?

[bychosis]

Found a couple of images from January. Wasn't planning on it going sqimming, but the tree trunk povided a good photo op and then the waves crashed in by surprise then knocked it over.

[bychosis]

After last summer I switched out the stock grips as they wouldn’t stay in place.

Beach holiday, dust off the mammoth and ride it.

[ldrcycles]

I still keep my eyes out for one of these, good to see yours is still trucking

[bychosis]

I’ve seen a few cheap fat bikes locally recently. Usually around the $100 mark and have been tempted to get another, but better not as I don’t have the time or space for another project.

I briefly tossed around the idea of trying to widen a 3 speed internal hub but have shelved that idea as the current gearing is pretty good and it’s a lot of effort for a marginal gain.

The only thing I need to do is flip the rear tyre around so the tread blocks will give a little more bite in the soft stuff. They are ramped on the ‘grip’ side at present but square on the back. On one section back over the dunes I had to crank it DOWN the track the sand was so soft.

[Fat Bike Slim]

I’m so glad I stumbled across this thread. I am after a fat bike for my nearly 9year old however they seem to be a thing of the past and there isn’t much out there.

I did however see a bike at our unit block and it looks similar to yours however it has gears. Im thinking it might be a Big W bike. If I could figure out how to post a pic I would.

Is the manufacturer of yours Hyper Extension Pty Ltd?

[Cardy George]

I’m so glad I stumbled across this thread. I am after a fat bike for my nearly 9year old however they seem to be a thing of the past and there isn’t much out there.

I did however see a bike at our unit block and it looks similar to yours however it has gears. Im thinking it might be a Big W bike. If I could figure out how to post a pic I would.

Is the manufacturer of yours Hyper Extension Pty Ltd?

Hyper Extension is the correct manufacturer, although I don't remember Big W selling them with gears. There are a few different versions, I have a Hyper Moose, which is the same as a Mammoth but without a front disc brake

[bychosis]

The real question is why do you want a slow and very heavy bike for a 9yo?

I haven’t seen a BigW geared Fattie but there are quite a few war puns from other manufacturers.

[ColinOldnCranky]

23kg for a rigid singlespeed, my god!

I've never quite figured out why people pick a bike that is (presumably) more expensive, certainly heavier, certainly more rotational and linear inertia, presumably high cost tyres (though in defense they probably last a lifetime), generate a lot of nice (noise equals energy lost). I don't ride around the beaches so I hope that these are bought primarily for that and riding elsewhere is just to save buying a second bike).

Still each to their own and each to their own credit card. They certainly - whiiiiiiirrr - let me know when they are approaching from the rear.

What worries me though is the increasing number of them that I am seeing of late with electrics. It worries me that dicks who don't want to be bothered with licensing and registration are going to buy these, add a motor and then hack the electronics and mechanicals just to have a motor bike that they then ride on shared paths without complying with necessary standards. aka cheap motorbike.

On the other hand, if they are just seeking attention, they can buy a unicycle and give me a call. I'll help them to build a skill, a fat bike on a bike path does not.

[bychosis]

Lots of people buy things for style over substance, to stand out and be different etc. Dept stores jump on any bandwagon they can find with substandard products at low prices to exploit that. When you can sell a bike for ‘fun’ for a couple of hundred why not expand your market into ‘fashion’.

I’m a forum member over at ratrodbikes.com and pretty much everyone wants widest possible wheels for style.

[bychosis]

Fast forward a couple of years and I no longer have the Mammoth. Being an avid faceache and scumtree browser I came across a Fluid Grizzly for the same price I paid for the Mammoth. It’s got 7 gears and disc brakes front and back so ultimately easier to ride. I sold the mammoth for what I paid after returning it to closer to stock including donating my drilling rims to brother-in-laws Mammoth which he still has.

Currently on summer beach holiday with the Grizzly which is what made me think of this thread. The fat bike mostly just takes up space in the garage, but finds it’s use this time of year.

Just rode around 7km but it felt like 30.

[foo on patrol]

Fat bikes on the beach are brilliant!

Foo

[bychosis]

Fat bikes on the beach are brilliant!

Foo

Cheap and budget fat bikes on the beach aren’t brilliant but they’re still fun!