7 Best Fat Tire Mountain Bikes

The fat tire mountain bike is one of the anomalies when it comes to bikes. The rules for selecting one of these bikes greatly vary from when you are looking at some of the standard bikes. However, the best fat tire mountain bikes will open up the world and give you more terrains that you can potentially take on if needed.

These bikes are slightly different and they fall under the mountain bike category. However, the larger wheels can make them daunting for beginners and they are much heavier. In the following article, we will have a look at the best fat tire mountain bike under 2000 and ensure that you find the right bike for your personal needs.

Best Fat Tire Mountain Bikes Review

Before looking at the key features, it is important that we look at the different bikes before we consider the features. Once you have a better idea of the bikes, you can look at the features to find bikes with subtle features that are more suited for your needs. Here is the best fat tire bike selection on the market today:

1) Top Pick: Specialized Fatboy Comp Carbon

Finding a carbon fiber bike under $3000 can be one of the toughest things to do. However, the Specialized Fatboy Comp Carbon is one of the most durable fat tire bikes on the market today. As mentioned, it features a full carbon fiber frame, which ensures can keep the bike durable and as light as possible.

The bike features one of the best SRAM GX 12-speed drivetrain is one of the most unique options on the market today. The drivetrain gives you a variety of different options when riding. The bike is fitted with SRAM Level TL hydraulic disc brakes, which have been proven to be some of the most reliable in all weather conditions.

Pros:

• Carbon Frame: Finding a full carbon fiber frame for such an affordable price is not always easy, but it is a great investment.
• Hydraulic Disc Brakes: With hydraulic disc brakes you have more stopping power, which might be useful due to the heaviness of the bike.
• Large Size: It is not only the wheels that are large with this bike, but you also have the benefit of a 27.5-inch frame.

Cons:

• No Cons: Fortunately, we have found that the bike does not have any weaknesses and even the price is affordable

2) Best Mountain Bike: Trek Farley 5 Bike

Trek is one of the leading brands on the market today and they have built a reputation for designing high-end bikes in all levels of the sport. The Trek Farley 5 Bike is one of the bigger options and it features a full aluminum frame. This is not standard aluminum and aircraft aluminum is often used as the material of choice.

It features a 1 x 10-Speed Shimano Deore drivetrain, which might not give you tons of versatility, but it should allow you to comfortably navigate different terrains. The SRAM Hydraulic Disc brakes are functional, which offers the user additional stopping power and should make the bike more reliable in all weather conditions.

Pros:

• Durability: The bike has an aircraft-grade aluminum frame, which is common with the best mountain bikes on the market.
• Basic Drivetrain: As a beginner, you might need an exceptional drivetrain and the 1 x 10-speed drivetrain this bike offers is fairly consistent.
• Dropper Post: If you need to adjust your ride at the moment, the seat dropper post will be very helpful in doing so.

Cons:

• Weight: Unfortunately, the combination of all these features will add a lot of weight to the bike for smaller riders to deal with.

3) Best Fat Tire Bike For Handling: Salsa Mukluk Deore

If you need a fat tire bike that is easier to handle than some of the others, you might find the Salsa Mukluk Deore as one of the top options you could use. The bike is constructed from durable aluminum, but the fork is carbon fiber, which aids in keeping the overall weight of the bike to a minimum wherever it is possible.

The Shimano Deore 11-Speed drivetrain is one of the most reliable for these bikes. Yes, it might not have a ton of gears, but you can use the 11 that is on offer to ensure that the bike is propelled forward. It is not one of the most popular bikes on the market today, which also means that it is one of the affordable options to consider.

Pros:

• Affordable: When compared to some of the previous options, this is one of the more affordable bikes available.
• Drivetrain: Shimano might not be on the same level as SRAM, but they are still a top sponsor of the Tour De France.
• Weight: These bikes can be very heavy due to the tires. Fortunately, the carbon fiber fork tries to mitigate some of the weight.

Cons:

• Design: Many people love flashy bikes, but this bike might have a design that looks a little stale in comparison.

4) Best Versatile Fat Tire Bike: Borealis Crestone

Borealis is not a brand known for designing tons of different bikes. The brand specializes in fat-tire bikes. One of their best bikes is the Borealis Crestone, which features a carbon fiber frame to keep the weight as low as possible. We chose it for versatility because you can find the bike in almost any size you can think of.

The drivetrain is the traditional SRAM Eagle 12-Speed drivetrain, which offers tons of versatility and will ensure that you have enough gears to navigate most terrains. Additionally, the tires are a massive 5-inches wide, which makes them stand out from the competitors. However, drivers can adjust the features to meet their own needs.

Pros:

• Versatility: As mentioned, the bike offers tons of versatility and you have various features that can be changed.
• Tires: Not all fat-tire bikes have the same tires, but here, you will have access to 5-inch wide tires for all terrains.
• Brakes: You can choose one of three different SRAM brakes, but all of them are hydraulic for added stopping power.

Cons:

• Price: Since you only pay for the frame, almost all the additional features will be expensive to add to the bike.

5) Best Fat Tire Bike For Large Riders: Giant Yukon 1

The biggest misconception is that all fat tire bikes are designed for large riders. However, this is not the case and some bikes are more durable than others. Much like the top mountain bikes, you might need to spend more on a larger bike. We have selected the Giant Yukon 1 as one of the best bikes for larger riders.

The bike is fitted with the SRAM NX 12 drivetrain, which competes with most other SRAM drivetrains. It is one of the top options on many mountain bikes. Additionally, your SRAM Level T hydraulic disc brakes can offer decent stopping power. The bike is available in large sizes for some of the bigger riders among us today.

Pros:

• Drivetrain: The SRAM NX 12 is a durable drivetrain, which tends to stand out when used on bikes.
• Disc Brakes: We always prefer disc brakes for these high-end bikes due to the quality of the stopping power.
• Dropper Post: Once again, riders will have access to a top dropper post that will ensure adjustment on the fly is possible.

Cons:

• Weight: Once again, we have an issue with the weight and this is one of the heavier options available.

6) Best Budget Fat Tire Mountain Bike: Mongoose Dolomite Men’s Fat Tire Mountain Bike

The fat tire mountain bike is not one of the most common on the market today. These mountain bikes are often very heavy, but they have tons of stability. The Mongoose Dolomite Men’s Fat Tire Mountain Bike is made with a steel frame, but still makes it functional for the user when they need to climb hills have durability.

It only features a standard drivetrain of 7-speed which has been produced by Shimano. However, you will not be traveling at extensive speeds and the 7-speed option will be more than enough. The V-brakes are ideal for keeping the costs of the bike low while offering you decent stopping power when you need to brake.

Pros:

• Fat Tire: The fat tire design is not as popular as the others, but still offers usability and durability when you need it.
• Affordable: The main feature of the bike is the price. It is one of the cheapest you will find from the top brands.
• Stable: Lastly, the large tires and extra weight will offer some stability to keep the bike planted firmly to the floor.

Cons:

• Weight: Since the bike is a fat tire and made from steel, it is one of the heaviest options on the market today.

7) Best Beginner Fat Tire Bike: Diamondback El Oso Uno

Last but certainly not least, we have to include a fat tire bike for beginners. When looking at the best Fat Tire Bike, you might need to drop your budget in a year like this. The Diamondback El Oso Uno is one of the more affordable options on the market today. It features a steel frame and fork, which might make it a bit heavy.

Let’s be honest, this is by no means that best fat tire bike on the market today. However, there are very few bikes that can rival it in terms of popularity. Due to the price and some of the top features, it tends to stand out. The Tektro Mechanical Disc Brakes are definitely one of the top features for added stopping power.

Pros:

• Brakes: We might place a lot of emphasis on the brakes, but these mechanical disc brakes can stand the test of time.
• Basics: As mentioned, the bike does not excel in any way or form, but it tends to do all the basics right.
• Price: We all need a budget bike if we are to start riding mountain bikes or fat tire bikes to make sure we enjoy the sport.

Cons:

• Weight: Since most of the components are made from steel, it is no wonder, the bike is also one of the heaviest options.

What You Need To Know Before Buying The Best Fat Tire Mountain Bikes

Bikes can be expensive and it doesn’t even matter which type of bike you buy, there are cheap and expensive options in every niche. The following buyer’s guide will help you find the best fat tire bike without having to put in hours of research. These are the features we used for determining which ones are the best.

Frame Materials

It might seem like a common trend that we always choose the materials as an important feature, but the materials are vital. Carbon fiber bikes are lightweight, but one can argue that they have the same durability as steel. Additionally, you can find aluminum, which fits in between the steel and carbon fiber frames.

Drivetrain

Not every drivetrain is the same and you might notice that that SRAM and Shimano are the two prominent brands. When it comes to road bikes, we should give the edge to Shimano. However, SRAM has proven lately to be the leader for mountain bikes. The SRAM EAGLE is one of the top drivetrains on the market today.

Brakes

When you are driving at rapid speeds, you will need to have some form of stopping power. The brakes will give you the stopping power, but you need a decent brake set. Regardless of your favorite brand, we always recommend that you consider hydraulic or mechanical-disc brakes. These brakes offer excellent stopping power in all conditions.

Tires

We don’t often refer to the tires as important, but when looking for the best fat tire bike, the tires are important. Not every bike has the same tire width and it will be up to you to choose the ideal with for your needs. Keep in mind that the width will add additional weight to the bike, but we recommend having tires that are at least 4-inches.

Wrap-Up

Now that you have the tools to choose the best fat tire mountain bikes, you should be able to find the one that is best suited for your needs. The above-mentioned options definitely stand out for the value they offer and we would recommend them to any fat tire bike rider. Let us know in the comment section if we have missed any of your favorites.

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