As plus bikes take over the mantle of “it” bike for the next couple of years there will be a lot of people wondering about the huge array of options and what bike is right for them. Fat bikes themselves seem to be falling into a pigeon hole so I’m writing this as a primer for the fat bike curious and to explain (in my opinion) how a fat bike could be the right plus bike for you.

First lets start with the basics. Most fatbikes today have a geometry geared more towards bike packing or mountain biking (as opposed to the traditional snow bike geo that is known for slow stable handling but not the most fun on single track) add to that the ability to fit plus tires, 29+ in my case makes for a very versatile bike. The rule of thumb is if your fat bike is designed to fit 4.0″ tires you should use 27.5+ and if it fits 5.0″ use 29+. Ignore this rule, my bike is made for 4.0″ tires and has a 170mm rear end and 29+ works really well for the majority of the riding I use my plus set up for. The one consideration I would recommend is your own height and the stand over on your bike. I’m 5’10” and would probably be uncomfortable on a 29+ if I was shorter for a couple reasons. Firstly 29+ raised my standover to it’s limit so stopping when my bike is loaded with panniers or bike bags would be a balance issue if I was shorter. Secondly, I still take my bike to the mountains to hit single track and I find my centre of gravity is too high sometimes in tight corners and on steep drops, I really think a dropper post would eliminate this problem so that’s my next purchase this summer.

So lets talk about where this bike really shines. I’ve had a plus setup for over half a year and have been surprised how much I ride it. Firstly my bike is set up perfectly for me and the frame fits me really well so fat or plus I could ride it day after day and still be comfortable and happy. Secondly for commuting or running errands it makes the mundane really fun (all props to roadies in Canada but riding through the entire winters accumulation of road gravel and broken glass that the city will clean up just in time for fall on skinny tires is not for me, also drivers are morons). Also not discounting how well a plus setup handles pot holes I get to take the bike path and necessary detours and short cuts that just make riding fun.

In classic form my city has been repairing the bike path from a once in a hundred year flood for years. We get those about every 10 to 15 years now so while the signs blocking the path say they’re for repair, these developments right on the river taking away even more green space makes me think otherwise. Of course we won’t have another flood that would be silly, classic city council.

River front riding for how ever long it lasts.

I started my Saturday with some errands to run and my first detour brings me to very rocky river trails where the comfort of a 3″ wide tire with the right air pressure makes ripping down this track stable in the corners and once you get the tires up to speed really easy to keep it there.

Of course there is not substitute for rooty single track which should be a part of everyones ride and if you’ve read anything about plus bikes you know they absolutely devour this kind of terrain, it’s soooo much fun, there is no argument.

And finally in my effort to avoid roads and sidewalks, which 29+ can really move on (the old Strava tells me I’m only 1.5 km slower on plus than a touring bike rig when lugging bags or groceries). My set up handles sand that would wash out any smaller tires, which I see regularly as tracks of smaller tires washing out here are a common sight. Pea gravel pathways are a joy to fly down and grassy fields and muddy paths are a blast to rip through, with the bonus of having to cut through tall grass or shrubbery there is not a better tire than 29+. On this day I rode over 40Km just running around and every picture in this post is from that one ride so if you enjoy a varied terrain on your rides a plus tire set up might be the one for you.