Fat bikes, also known as fat tire bikes, may look unusual but they are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason – who doesn’t want to zip down snow-covered trails, over sandy dunes, and turn their mountain biking into an all-season affair? There are plenty of fun and shreddable choices when it comes to fat bikes but our choice for best fat bike overall of 2022 is the Norco Bigfoot 1.
What are the best fat bikes of 2022?
1. Norco Bigfoot 1
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stable
- Well-balanced and versatile
- Front suspension option
Cons
- Average weight
The Norco Bigfoot 1 is a great all-around fat bike, and the number one word that comes to mind with the Bigfoot 1 compared to others is balance.
While the Bigfoot 1 may not have the most aggressive geometry, and may not be quite as stable as bikes like the Kona Wo, nor as maneuverable as the Trek Farley 7, it strikes a great balance between all of these.
The Bigfoot 1 has a moderate wheelbase length, making it not too long to execute smooth tight turns, while also not being so short that it becomes noticeably less stable.
The bike feels confident and composed going downhill, and still does surprisingly well on climbs, which makes for fun riding whether you’re riding on snow, sand or something in between!
The bike is not the lightest on our list and comes in at a heavy but not unreasonable 33.31lbs.
2. Salsa Mukluk
Pros and cons
Pros
- Excellent handling
- Comfortable to ride
- Lightweight
- Stable feeling
- Versatile
Cons
- Stock tires could be better
The Salsa Mukluk is an awesome fat bike that blends ride comfort with excellent handling.
The Mukluk is lightweight (for a fat bike) which helps it to handle responsively. It corners well and inspires confidence even in tighter areas with less room to maneuver. The shorter chainstay featured on the bike allows it be more agile compared to other fat bikes, allowing you to make turns and sudden direction changes more fluidly.
The bike’s geometry puts you in a nice, upright riding position which makes it a very comfortable ride, and makes this fat bike one you can ride for hours.
The Mukluk helps you to stay in a low and athletic position thanks to its low bottom bracket, which is confidence-inspiring on downhills and when maneuvering around turns. This is especially true on sketchy, slippery trails.
The Mukluk confidently handles climbs, descents, and variable trail conditions which makes it a very versatile fat bike. It can be fun to ride for a couple of quick laps at your local trail system, but also can be great for longer adventures.
While the tires on the bike were adequate, they could be better and grippier and this is the one area of the bike we felt could be improved. Thankfully tires are something you can change on your own easily enough.
Check out our in-depth look at the Salsa Mukluk here.
3. Trek Farley 7
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very smooth ride
- Comfortable
- Well-rounded
- Good traction
- Maneuverable
Cons
- Heavy
- Not the most stable
The Trek Farley 7 is a well-known and well-loved fat bike that provides a silky smooth ride. This is thanks in part to its Manitou Mastadon suspension fork up front, a feature that many fat bikes do without. The Mastodon fork gives the Farley 7 an added level of forgiveness over rougher sections of trail.
The geometry as well as dropper post that comes standard on the Farley 7 makes the bike very comfortable puts you and keeps you in an athletic position while riding.
The dropper post paired with the bike’s geometry also makes this a well-rounded shredding machine, giving you the ability to climb from a higher sitting position, and to drop the seat low when getting after it on the way back down.
Not only does the suspension fork give the bike a smoother, more forgiving ride, it also improves traction on the front wheel reducing slips on snowy trails. The shorter wheelbase on the Farley 7 also makes it feel very maneuverable and gives it a snappy feeling around turns.
The shorter wheelbase unfortunately has a downside as well – the bike doesn’t quite have the stability that some other options on this list do, and at speed can feel a little less sure of itself.
The Farley 7 is also one of the heavier fat bikes on our list, weighing in at 35.82 lbs in size medium.
4. Surly Ice Cream Truck
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very stable
- Confident on descents
- Excellent brakes
- Playful feeling
Cons
- Somewhat heavy
The Surly Ice Cream Truck not only has a fun name, its also a blast to ride. The bike feels very stable and confident on descents, thanks in part to its slack head tube angle. The Ice Cream Truck’s low bottom bracket also helps to promote a feeling of confidence, especially when riding on loose surfaces like fresh snow or sand.
The Ice Cream Truck allows you to be quite aggressive in your riding, since you can trust the Tektro 520 hydro brakes to stop you quickly and efficiently. The Tektro 520’s have superb stopping power and will allow you to carry more pace through descents and into corners.
The more aggressive geometry of the Ice Cream Truck and the confidence that and its brakes provide give the bike a fun, playful feel. They allow your riding to get a little more aggressive and carefree, which can help make your time on the trails that much better!
The Ice Cream Truck can be sluggish on climbs, as its among the heavier bikes on our list at 35.5 lbs.
5. Kona Wo
Pros and cons
Pros
- Relatively lightweight
- Superb stability
Cons
- Not the best on tight turns
The Kona Wo is another stellar addition to our list of fat bikes of the year. This is a fat bike that inspires confidence and is as sure-footed as any when rides start to get fast and slippery.
The Wo’s geometry, including its long wheelbase and low bottom bracket make it well suited to going downhill. It feels both stable and low, which helps on the descents and when the trails are slippery.
The stability of the Wo makes it a solid option even when breaking trails in after a fresh snowfall, venturing onto sandy areas. and overall makes the bike well suited to going where no regular MTB dares to venture.
The bike also climbs quite well for a fat bike, and is not quite as hefty as many other fat bikes weighing in at only 33 lbs in size medium.
The longer wheelbase and chainstay length of the Kona Wo frame does make tight turns a bit of a struggle, especially with speed. You will have to take turns a bit slower on the Wo compared to some of its competitors for this reason.
6. Giant Yukon 1
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very stable
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
- Not the most maneuverable
The Giant Yukon 1 is named like a bike that’s built for riding in the winter, and it lives up to its name.
The Yukon 1 is very stable which gives you confidence on descents and when going fast, especially over slippery or loose surfaces like snow or sand. It’s also got a slacker head tube angle, giving it an edge on downhill portions of trail by helping to keep your weight further back.
The Yukon 1 is also quite versatile as not only is it a confident descender, it also climbs more easily than many fat bikes thanks to its light weight of only 32.81 lbs.
The bike does struggle a bit when it comes to making tight turns, because the longer wheelbase reduces the Yukon 1’s maneuverability and requires you to take your turns wider and slower than other shorter wheelbase competitors.
About fat bikes
Fat bikes, also known as fat tire bikes, are, as the name suggests, mountain bikes built with oversized fat tires.
The purpose of the fat tires is to spread out the pressure imparted on the ground over a wider area, which helps to prevent them from digging into softer surfaces like snow or sand.
Fat tires also provide for a wider contact patch with the ground which helps to increase traction.
There can be variation in fat bikes in terms of their weight, their geometry, and how they feel and perform, but they are all built to help riders maintain traction on slippery trails and navigate over soft surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
There is no one perfect tire pressure for fat bike tires.
As a general rule, you will want to run a lower tire pressure for softer conditions, like after a fresh snowfall, and a higher tire pressure for firm trail conditions or if there are lots of sharp obstacles on a trail like jagged rocks and roots.
Fat bike tire pressures can range from as low as 1 PSI to as much as 10 PSI or more depending on the surface being ridden on and rider preference.
While suspension forks are featured on some fat bikes, they are not nearly as common as on regular mountain bikes for two main reasons:
1) having a rigid fork instead of one with suspension saves weight on otherwise heavier bikes, and
2) because the softer fat tires do a good job at soaking up bumps on the trail and act as their own form of suspension.
Yes fat bikes do work on regular mountain bike trails that are dry and firm in the warmer months. You will want to make sure you run a higher tire pressure on dry, firm trails to improve roll speed and protect against punctures from sharp rocks.
If you are looking for a fat bike that can be your go-to bike year-round, you may want to look into a model with a suspension fork like the Trek Farley 7.
Mountain bike review criteria
When reviewing mountain bikes, these are the things we look for:
- Frame quality
- Component quality
- Bike weight
- Bike style and aesthetic appeal
For a detailed breakdown of how we assess each of these criteria, see How We Review Mountain Bikes.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a fat bike, we’ve got you covered with some terrific, sure-footed options to choose from. Our favorite is the Norco Bigfoot 1 because it’s well balanced, stable and has everything you need to get riding on snow or sand, but there are lots of other great options too! Fat bikes are a great way to keep riding all winter long, so be sure to check one out!