Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Alloy fat rims aren't that expensive (cheaper and less fraught than taking a holesaw to a steel rim) but there's no getting away from the weight simply because of the tyres...they are probably meant to be on an Burmese quad bike.

Frankly, I'd dismantle the thing just to figure out where the weight is and where the potential isn't. But if I understand cheap bikes as well as I think I do then the wheels & tyres will be a big part of the problem followed by the crank and the cockpit (in that order).

I had a ride on a mate's Big W fatty on the beach and it was great.

Foo

silentbutdeadly wrote:Frankly, I'd dismantle the thing just to figure out where the weight is and where the potential isn't. But if I understand cheap bikes as well as I think I do then the wheels & tyres will be a big part of the problem followed by the crank and the cockpit (in that order).

These were super popular in the US, I'm sure someone has already done the hard work.

Here's a bit of info I bookmarked from it's early days:
https://fat-bike.com/2013/04/is-the-wal ... -that-bad/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://fat-bike.com/2013/04/is-the-wal ... e-rebuild/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, it's that couple of pages that convinced me that the Mammoth was possible to improve enough on a budget to have a go.

Have a search around there is lots of stuff about the Mongoose Beast, or the Walgoose. One guy even cut his up and made it a geared dually!

I'm getting it's cheaper stable mate, the Moose. But I think I'm getting the better deal with V-brakes on both ends. Only paid $180 for it too

I've read the whole US thread and the things I'm now planning for it are insane.

The best part is I've got everything in the shed to do it. Which is just as well, I'm on such a shoestring budget right now I've had to layby it

I did spy one of those for sale locally a week or so ago. Didn't but it from the hunter region did you?

Nope, not me. I'm in Mildura. Which is flaaatt. Boringly flaaatt.

Probably a good thing with overweight tyres and only 1 gear......

Hey look! Had to re-register my account last night and now my signature has come back!

Can anybody point me to the new progress bar link?

Cardy George wrote:Nope, not me. I'm in Mildura. Which is flaaatt. Boringly flaaatt.

Probably a good thing with overweight tyres and only 1 gear......

Bring it out to Coomie and we'll give it a shunt around the long track!

silentbutdeadly wrote:

Cardy George wrote:Nope, not me. I'm in Mildura. Which is flaaatt. Boringly flaaatt.

Probably a good thing with overweight tyres and only 1 gear......

Bring it out to Coomie and we'll give it a shunt around the long track!

Aw geez! Tempted, very tempted....... Gotta get it paid for, then home, then rebuilt first.........

Manuel Beastly IS my new hero

Took my Big W fatty away over Easter to a nice flat caravan park. No plans for MTB riding so why not. It was good for that purpose, little extra work for the legs to spin it up, but simple and no worries about a high value bike left at the campsite. So many comments from the other happy campers along the lines of either "What the...?" or "Cool bike".

Unfortunately the river didn't have any sandy stretches to test the capabilities, but it was fun riding all over the rocky river pebbles, it even got a quick river crossing BB deep with help from my brother in law.

Dropped the chain twice as I was readying to spin up a bit of a rise which was a pain and cost me some pretty grimy fingers. I tried to tighten the chain after the first time, but the coaster brake arm wasn't long enough to bring the wheel back any further in the dropouts! Might have to drop a link out of the chain.

Was fun trying to load it onto the Torpedo 7 platform carrier too. The tyres are too fat for the wheel cradles to it sat on top and then the tie down straps were too short and I struggled to get them done up. Was also fun lifting the weight of it to chest height to get it on the carrier where it is mounted on the front of the camper trailer, so much easier with a light bike.

After the trip I think the Mammoth is going to be a keeper. A holidays/cruise bike probably.

bychosis wrote:...... Might have to drop a link out of the chain......

I rode the Moose to work the other morning and now it's chain needs tightening too.

bychosis wrote:After the trip I think the Mammoth is going to be a keeper. A holidays/cruise bike probably.

I think too many people put too many expectations on cheap bikes. If you keep in mind how much they're worth and adjust your expectations to suit, they are a barrel of fun!

In fact tonight in the shed, the Moose's rims proved tougher than my holesaw.......

Cardy George wrote:

bychosis wrote:
In fact tonight in the shed, the Moose's rims proved tougher than my holesaw.......

that job needs a xmas tree

ldrcycles wrote:And see if you can get 50% more than new price like when i sold my Repco Preset .

And yet we toasted Jennay for trying to do exactly the same thing! We should all hang our heads in shame.

Well you can, I can't be bothered.

I think the difference is that ldr actually polished his proverbial, as opposed to jennay who just rolled it in glitter. I'm guessing there was no flashy talk from ldr, just good mechanical repairs and upgrades and the market decided via auction what it was worth.

Still, I'll be polishing my mammoth over the time that I own it, and if when I sell it gets more than what I paid for it I'll be surprised.

bychosis wrote:I think the difference is that ldr actually polished his proverbial, as opposed to jennay who just rolled it in glitter. I'm guessing there was no flashy talk from ldr, just good mechanical repairs and upgrades and the market decided via auction what it was worth.

What he said, it had a proper service of all the bearings, replaced the original 35mm tyres with 28mm Michelins and replaced the flat bars with drops and suitable levers. And i don't have photoshop .

ldrcycles wrote:

bychosis wrote:I think the difference is that ldr actually polished his proverbial, as opposed to jennay who just rolled it in glitter. I'm guessing there was no flashy talk from ldr, just good mechanical repairs and upgrades and the market decided via auction what it was worth.

What he said, it had a proper service of all the bearings, replaced the original 35mm tyres with 28mm Michelins and replaced the flat bars with drops and suitable levers. And i don't have photoshop .

Didn't you install the "Super High Speed Chain for Relaxed Braking"?

As opposed to the 'super relaxed chain that jumps off for removed braking'?

I was sure ldr's ad read "with the latest Shímánó sonic technology featuring smooth Single Finger Activation."

Mulger bill wrote: Didn't you install the "Super High Speed Chain for Relaxed Braking"?

*smacks forehead, what a fool i am, i could have got another $50!

Bruce, you owe me a new keyboard, i just spat hydralite all over it .

find_bruce wrote:I was sure ldr's ad read "with the latest Shímánó sonic technology featuring smooth Single Finger Activation."

Is that something like this?

Just out of curiosity, other than as a joke/toy, why would someone choose a bike like this? Is it supposed to be better than a regular bike at something?

bane wrote:Just out of curiosity, other than as a joke/toy, why would someone choose a bike like this? Is it supposed to be better than a regular bike at something?

Do you mean a Fat bike? They are fun to ride. You can also ride them in loose sand or snow.

Yup. If you are talking about fat bikes in general, then they do have merit off road in soft conditions. I haven't ridden mine in sand yet (and we don't get snow here) but over the loose surfaces I have ridden it it has been quite good. If you are talking about buying a Big W fat bike, then that can only be done by a cycling enthusiast as a joke. Despite having large tyres and looking like a fat bike, it isn't built to be ridden like one.

mitzikatzi wrote:They are fun to ride. You can also ride them in loose sand or snow.

Ahh that makes sense. I've ridden on sand in the past, but can see now how 'fat' wheels would help.