All-weather, all-terrain—these bikes can handle just about anything.
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Fat tire bikes are made for off-road mountain biking, or riding on uneven surfaces like gravel paths, forest trails, or sandy beaches. They can also be an asset for negotiating city streets slicked with rain or snow. Beyond their improved surefootedness, riders often prefer them because those big, cushiony tires give you a smooth ride.
Choosing one to suit your lifestyle, off-road or on, has gotten trickier recently, however, as the style has grown in popularity, pushing more brands to jump in on the trend. Whether you’re a new rider or veteran downhill enthusiast, I’ll introduce you to the best fat tire bikes I’ve tested and help you pick out something awesome.
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Extra-wide “fat” tires give riders a smoother ride over uneven ground. The fatter the tire, the smoother the ride and the better the traction on soft or slick surfaces. Broad, 5-inch tires can feel like floating on air, which is great when the ground has a bit of give to it, but they weigh more and will bounce a lot on solid ground. If you plan to ride fast on firmer, drier trails, go with a more narrow 4-inch tire, which will provide greater control.
No matter what size you choose, it may be worth your while to make sure you get a bike with tubeless tires, which are lighter and allow you to deflate them more for an extra-smooth ride over snow, sand and mud. You’ll need tubeless tire sealant and a few other tools, but setting them up isn’t particularly difficult.
Last, but least–If you plan on riding in the cold, make sure the tubeless sealant is rated for subzero temperatures. If you expect to be riding over ice, you’ll need to buy or make a studded set that will maintain its grip.
Fat tires allow you to tailor your bike’s performance quite a bit by adjusting their air pressure. Even a seemingly insignificant difference–as little as half a pound of pressure–can have a major impact on how much impact the tires can absorb.
The basic rule to keep in mind is that under-inflated tires provide more support and grip, but fully inflated tires allow for more maneuverability and speed. When riding on especially soft conditions with 5-inch tires, decreasing the pressure as low as 2 PSI will allow more of the tread to flatten across the ground, providing greater traction. If the ground is rougher and firmer, inflating closer to the high end of the specific tire’s maximum will give you better handling at high speed.
Advanced riders may change their tire pressure multiple times over the course of a ride to fine-tune their performance for changing conditions. Bring a digital tire gauge and a bike pump.
Fat tire bikes need wider-than-average wheels to accommodate their signature tires, typically ranging from 60- to 100mm. If you’re looking to maximize the benefits of your fat tires, you can also look for larger wheels: Most fat tire bikes have standard 26-inch wheels, though there are plenty of options with slightly larger 27.5-inch wheels out there.
Going the other way, you can shave down your bike’s weight a bit by looking for narrower, lighter rims. A narrower wheel will, generally, give you a more responsive feel, at the expense of traction.
Beyond size, keep in mind that some fat tire bikes allow you to swap between wheel types, which is essential if you want to use both fat tires for sand or snow and standard mountain bike tires for roads and trails. Different fat tire bikes have different hub standards, so you’ll likely need to purchase tires that meet your model’s specific hub. Make sure to check your bike’s specs before you buy a new set of wheels or tires.
If you plan on riding over normal or only slightly cracked pavement, gravel paths, or modestly bumpy trails, a fat tire bike with a rigid fork suspension and hardtail might be exactly what you’re looking for. They’re also better if you like riding in extreme cold.
The tires themselves only do some of the work, though. If you plan to ride off-road, or over trails with large rocks, roots, and holes, you should still look for a mountain bike with fat tires and a full suspension to help absorb the impacts you’ll feel on a bumpier ride.
Full suspension bikes cost substantially more, but will maneuver better over difficult terrain and are more capable of taking severe bumps in stride. This goes double if you ever plan on swapping your fat tire wheels for standard mountain wheels: You’re going to need that extra suspension when you lose the cushioning of the bigger tires.
A fat tire ebike with pedal assist and a throttle can be an enticing combo. The motor makes it easy to pedal uphill and overcome trail features. You also don’t need to put in as much effort while pedaling, freeing you up to focus on maneuvering. That’s important when you need to navigate soft, slick, and otherwise difficult terrain. Ebikes cost more, and an electric drivetrain can take some getting used to, but they can be a boon in uphill battles.
I selected the best fat tire bikes based on personal ride-testing, as well as input from experts at Bicycling. I’ve ridden a lot of fat bikes across mountain trails all over the Pacific Northwest, in all kinds of riding conditions—soft and firm, rain, snow, and mud, and good old fashioned pavement.
Ultimately, I created a list that spans a wide range of budgets and riding demands. These are practical picks, but also represent the latest and greatest in bicycle design.
Ebikes are everywhere, and that goes for fat tire bikes too. Rad Power has emerged as one of the leading electric cycling brands thanks to its solid design, outstanding performance, and endless customization. The RadRover 6 Plus, the brand’s newest fat tire bike, perfectly represents all of these qualities.
This bike feels great to ride, especially on gravel paths and firm trails. Its construction is sturdy, even when traversing moderately bouncy surfaces. Though it isn’t designed for extreme mountain biking trails, the front suspension fork provides enough shock absorption to carry you over the bumps and cracks of your commute smoothly.
The RadRover 6 Plus sports a powerful 750W rear hub motor that helps the bike charge up hills. It features a motorcycle-style twisting throttle that works instantly, without the lag I’ve experienced with lesser bikes. Its Class-2 motor will provide pedal and throttle assist up to 20 miles per hour. The five-level pedal assist system features a magnetic cadence sensor that makes assisted pedaling feel more natural, and the seven-speed derailleur makes steep hills a snap.
More generally, I love Rad Power bikes because of the brand’s vast array of first-party accessories and upgrades that fit its bikes like a glove, unlike most third-party gear that never seems to fit quite right. You can pick and choose which add-ons will best suit your lifestyle, from lighting and locks to carrying options for cargo, passengers, or pets.
On that score, though, it’s worth noting that with the default fenders and headlight, the RadRover 6 Plus isn't compatible with some vehicle racks, particularly those that grip the bike by the front wheel. You can rectify some of those issues by getting the step-thru version, but it also isn’t compatible with every rack.
If you’re looking for a fat tire bike that will lend you the surefootedness to span weather-slicked roads, rough pavement, gravel or sand, or moderately bumpy trails, the RadRover 6 Plus will deliver a smooth, powerful, downright enjoyable ride.
If you’re looking for a fat bike on a budget, the Mongoose Dolomite is an affordable entry-level option with a strong reputation. It delivers decent downhill speed and maneuvering on the trails, especially considering its relatively unforgiving steel frame, and has impressive breaking capabilities.
That steel frame makes it pretty heavy, though. Combined with its limited seven-gear drivetrain, it’ll make for hard work when pedaling uphill. On even terrain, though, or when hitting a downhill, its nimble handling allows you to move quick on soft surfaces. The Mongoose Dolomite is like a hammer–a solid tool that does a dependable job.
For the past several years, the Salsa Mukluk earned a following among fat tire fans doing it all and doing it well. Mountain bikers love how it handles winter-weather, slick surfaces, sand, or mud, as well as how it delivers a smooth ride for cruising around town. The classic Mukluk has gotten a refresh and a new name–the Salsa Heyday–which is just as versatile as its predecessor.
With its lightweight aluminum frame and carbon fork, the Heyday is built for blasting down trails, and it is renowned for its mud, snow, and general slop-busting abilities. And while it comes equipped with a nine-gear drivetrain, the Alternator 1.0 dropouts make it easy for anyone with an Allen wrench to go fixie.
Its Twin water bottle mounts and extra attachment points for racks and other accessories make it a smart choice for backcountry backpackers. Designed with a low center of gravity for stability and control, while providing a somewhat traditional posture for flats, the Heyday’s geometry lends itself to riding any grade.
The Canyon CF 7 is an amazing downhill fat bike that is more than capable of tackling the most challenging of terrain, thanks to its well-balanced geometry, light weight, outstanding handling, and surefooted fattiness. With an ultralight carbon frame, it makes the uphill pedal a breeze, then gives you above-average speed and cornering for a great ride on the way back down.
The Shimano MT410 brakes are plenty strong, and the bike's design delivers a comfortable riding posture. The CF 7 can handle wheels between 26- and 29-inches, giving you lots of tire compatibility options.
I wish it had a few accessory mounts on the frame for backpackers, but this is an undeniably capable mountain bike. I’ve enjoyed riding it on a variety of trails both dry and wet, flow and technical, and let me tell you—the Dude CF 7 abides.
Trek’s flagship Farley 9.6 is extremely lightweight, especially by fat tire standards. At just 27 pounds, it’s easy to carry, transport, ride uphill, and then zip back down fast, as I did again and again over the course of a very fun day on the famed trails of Squamish.
It comes equipped with a dropper post and carbon fork, which deliver outstanding speed and maneuverability (despite its somewhat narrow handlebars). The wide 4.5-inch, stud-ready tires upon standard 37.5-inch wheels result in superior traction, making this Trek ideal for mud, sand, snow, and even ice.
Whatever you want a fat tire bike to do, the Farley 9.6 can handle it; from challenging mountain trails and winter riding, to fat bike racing and loose surfaces. It’s even equipped with frame mounts, so backpackers can haul all the accessories they need. You’re definitely paying a pretty penny for all that capability, but this bike will do it all if you’ve got the budget for it.
Fat tire bikes are great for kids. Their improved traction and cushioning create a smooth ride, which can be a comfort to young, inexperienced riders. The Argus ST from Mongoose stands out in particular because it’s durable—important when it comes to roughhousing kids—and features strong hydraulic disc brakes, which should provide some peace of mind for parents.
Though the wheel radius is slightly reduced compared to that of other fat tire bikes–24 inches–to accommodate a smaller rider, the Argus ST features a 4-inch tire width and a seven-gear drivetrain.
It also features twisting shifters, which many kids find easy to use. Without a front fork suspension, this isn’t really a bike for rough trails, but the thick tires provide ample bounce and shock absorption to protect smaller riders on everyday rides.
The Aventon Sinch is a great folding option if you’re looking for a fat ebike that you can easily store inside. Like many folding bikes, it’s smaller than a standard size bicycle: It features 20-inch tires and stands just 30 inches high. It’s still fully capable, though: With a max carrying weight of 300 pounds and a front suspension fork, it can handle all the bumps you want to throw at it.
Its five-speed, 500 watt motor provides reliable pedal assist up to 20 mph, with battery range of up to 30 miles at lower pedal assist speeds. This isn’t the most powerful ebike I’ve tried, but it outperforms most similar lightweight folding ebikes
For a small bike, the Sinch’s 68 pounds is probably too heavy to carry around. (Though that’s a general compromise you’ll have to make with most ebikes, I’m afraid.) But the Sinch will take up less space in your shed or garage than our other picks.
QuietKat’s Jeep-inspired fat tire ebike is a high-performance monster that can carry you powerfully and confidently over whatever the great outdoors throws your way. Designed to take off-road trails like an SUV, the QuietKat Jeep bike can tackle mud, sand, snow, and even large rocks thanks to its robust suspension.
Its SRAM nine-speed drivetrain and either 750- or 1000-watt motor will chew up and spit out pretty much any hill, and the Tektro four-piston hydraulic brakes are as dependable as they come. I remember blasting over some large, loose river rocks through a fairly deep stream then straight up a steep hill with no hesitation, and thinking, “This bike is a beast.”
With all that power, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this is also the heaviest bike on the list. At 70 pounds, it’s very heavy, even by ebike standards. It can carry loads of up to 300 pounds though, so it won’t have any problem carrying a hunter, backpacker, or other outdoor adventurer gear.
The battery range is adequate, falling somewhere between 22 and 44 miles, but the company offers a portable solar ebike charger, which will allow you to charge up when you’re off the grid.
Can I put fat tires on a normal bike?
No. While conventional mountain bike wheels and tires will often work with fat tire bikes, fat tires will almost always be too broad for the wheels and forks on a standard road or mountain bike.
Should I get a fat tire bike or a normal bike?
It depends. Fat tire bikes are great for soft or slick conditions, which is why you frequently see fat tires on mountain bikes. For a daily commuter in the city or suburbs, you should buy a standard road bike or hybrid for riding to work or errands, then buy a fat tire bike for outdoor adventure or bad weather. If you already have a mountain bike and tend to stick to dry trails, that’s probably all you need.
What tire pressure should a fat tire bike use?
As we discussed, changing the pressure in your fat tires can have a profound impact on how your bike handles specific terrain. If you can, you will want to inflate or let out air to meet your riding conditions. More specifically, you want to use softer tires on softer or more slippery ground.
For shifting surfaces like snow and sand, you should shoot for somewhere between 5- to 10 PSI, though you could go as low as 2 PSI to ride over extremely slippery conditions like loose powder or ice.
To ride fast on firm ground, you’ll want to pump up to somewhere between 20- and 30 PSI, depending on how much bounce you can handle. The higher the pressure, the more bounce.
Nick Hilden is a writer, globetrotter, and jack-of-many-talents who has written gear reviews for the likes of Runner’s World, Popular Science, Men’s Health, Thrillist, the Daily Beast, the Los Angeles Times, Greatist, and the Manual, and his lifestyle, culture, and tech writing has also appeared in Scientific American, Afar, Salon, Vice, Healthline, and many others. Before entering journalism some 15 years ago, he worked as a bartender, brewery manager, sound engineer, recording and touring musician, cook, teacher, and in a variety of other trades. These days, he lives all over the world, performs music sporadically, and spends a lot of time thinking how to best improve his Honda Element conversion.
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