Fat is where its at! Time for a fat bike project.

[GM Canada]

Next Project!



Monstrous 26x4 tires



This will be a front wheel drive



Just have to find the time

Gary

[Sam.Vanratt]

Hi Gary
when I started my bike creation in 2012 I found Surly as good CroMo provider of forks, where I found the (afair) Moonwalker+Clownshoes Rim (or so). When I bought the MP3 and let a specialist get the spokes in (and after a few trials I was told it will never work because the angle would be too much stress to the nipples in combination with the MP3. After that I've walked the different (conventional) way and 2,5" is quite OK when walking thru mud & gravel.
Best luck to you.
Sam

[Bikemad]

I was told it will never work because the angle would be too much stress to the nipples in combination with the MP3

Sam, perhaps you should have asked your "specialist" to read this post to see how easily it can be done without overstressing the nipples.

This will be a front wheel drive

Gary, rear wheel drive would be much better than front wheel drive on that type of bike, especially if you are likely to use is on uneven, loose or slippery surfaces which do not allow decent grip.
It makes a lot more sense for the wheel with the most weight acting upon it to be used as the driven wheel, unless you decide to make it two wheel drive and then reduce the amount of power going to the front wheel. 

Alan
 

[Sam.Vanratt]

Hi Alan
changing (drilling) anything in  the standard version would void the allowance to drive on german roads AND my insurance I need to work with it on a professional basis. Apart from my three time BLDC controller failure I'm quite happy with the only 2,5" solution especially on lousy ground; works like hell
Cheers

[NR]

Just want to contribute with my fatbike converted to ebike with a smartpie5, which does deliver enough power to run adequately for everyday use even uphill in forrest path and in deep sand on beaches. It a rearwheel to accomodate the wider front fork, only change is added spacers on each side and spacer in front caliber to match up front disc. Harness is changed too, as rearwheel harness was way too long, so splitter-connector is ommitted and wire run straight to throttle, where brake wire is lead directly to brake handle which sports custom reed switch.
Batterypack in picture is two 6s lipo, now changed to bottlebattery to 48v 12ah which gives 30-50 km depending on muscle help. The bike runs quiet and well 1600 km this year, and is the best bike I ever had.

[GM Canada]

Gary, rear wheel drive would be much better than front wheel drive on that type of bike, especially if you are likely to use is on uneven, loose or slippery surfaces which do not allow decent grip.
It makes a lot more sense for the wheel with the most weight acting upon it to be used as the driven wheel, unless you decide to make it two wheel drive and then reduce the amount of power going to the front wheel. 

Alan

For sure a rear wheel would be desirable on this bike (or any bike) but it has 135mm front and 165mm rear. My fat kits are 135mm front and 195mm rear. So I don't have a wheel to fit the back (yet).

I have dealt with rear wheels not fitting odd bikes before. My cannibal has 100mm rear.

[GM Canada]

Just want to contribute with my fatbike converted to ebike with a smartpie5, which does deliver enough power to run adequately for everyday use even uphill in forrest path and in deep sand on beaches. It a rearwheel to accomodate the wider front fork, only change is added spacers on each side and spacer in front caliber to match up front disc. Harness is changed too, as rearwheel harness was way too long, so splitter-connector is ommitted and wire run straight to throttle, where brake wire is lead directly to brake handle which sports custom reed switch.
Batterypack in picture is two 6s lipo, now changed to bottlebattery to 48v 12ah which gives 30-50 km depending on muscle help. The bike runs quiet and well 1600 km this year, and is the best bike I ever had.

Nice bike!

[NR]

Thanx, coming from you, its a big compliment, I've seen some of your build which are very nice 

[GM Canada]

Here are a few pictures and a link to the build video

https://youtu.be/Tzh2XpBFjJ0

[Neven]

Looks good! wish I went fat, but was concerned about fitting it on bus bike racks

[Chavivaus]

I still have some issues with a little wobble at full throttle or one hand off . This winter I replace the stock tire (the one with spiders) with a jumbo Jim 120 tpi. and handles better. Waiting to hear if you got similar issues , good luck 

[Bikemad]

Wheel wobble usually results when the rim and/or tyre is running out of true, out of balance or not running concentric with the axle.
If the rim is running true, but the tread of the tyre is not, you may be able to let the air out of the tyre and adjust the seating of the tyre bead within the rim to get the tyre a bit more true to the rim.

If your rim runs true but your tread still visibly wobbles from side to side, it might improve your ride if you adjust the spokes to try and get the tread running as true as possible instead of the rim. 

If you lift the wheel off the ground, and gradually apply the throttle, you should be able to see any noticeable runout of the rim/tyre.
If the wheel and tyre are running true at slow speed, but the whole wheel assembly is trying to move up and down as it rotates faster, this is more likely to be a balance problem.

Try placing a lump of plasticine or blu tack etc. against the rim (by wrapping it around a spoke nipple) and see if the up and down movement improves or worsens.
keep moving it around the rim to different spokes until you find the best position that gives the least movement.

Now try adding a bit more weight, or removing some of the existing weight until you reduce the movement to a minimum.

With a bit of experimentation, it should be possible to eliminate the up and down movement completely.

Make a note of the position on the rim and then remove and weigh the temporary weight.

A local tyre depot should be able to supply you with some lead weights which have double sided sticky tape on the rear to allow it to be securely fixed onto the rim:



You simply break/cut off the amount of weight you require and then peel and stick it onto your rim in the previously noted position.



Spoke weights are more commonly used on spoked motorcycle wheels, but these would be too large for the much smaller spokes nipples used on pushbike wheels:



As your rims don't appear to have the lightening holes, it might be possible to place the weights inside the tyre so they are not seen:



Make sure that you mark the direction of the tyre, and its position in relation to the rim, so that it can be put back in exactly the same position, or it is likely to undo all the time you have already spent finding the correct location for the balance weights. 

You simply place the rim tape over the top of the weights and the inflated inner tube will ensure that they will remain securely in place.

Alan
 

[Chavivaus]

thank you for your info. I have been out of my place for a few months. I'll give it a try as soon as I'm back, and I'll post the results on this thread .