F.A.Q.
Fat Bike Maintenance
(some sections under construction)
“Cleveland” picture was from our Fat bike trip
to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Disclaimer
There is a lot of information, including graphs, charts, and videos in this FAQ section. It is best to use a widescreen device, such as a laptop, tablet, iPad or PC, to view the content.
This F.A.Q. (Bike Maintenance) was written primarily for our customers located in the U.S.A and Canada who purchased a stock or custom Fat bike from RideFATbikes.ca. (This webpage is not intended to be a general “Bike Maintenance F.A.Q.” for all bicycles - so if you have landed on this page via a Google search, please understand that).
The information contained wherein is to accompany and supplement the detailed parts list on our customers’ sales invoices.
This F.A.Q. will generally focus on the specific brands and components RideFATbikes.ca installs on our custom Fat bike builds - as it pertains to new bike maintenance of “wear and tear” items.
NOTE :
This F.A.Q. is designed to help facilitate the Inspection, Maintenance, Cleaning and Long-Term Ownership of your Fat new bike.
This F.A.Q. does not supersede the advice and/or service and warranty instructions from any manufacturer.
While some sections of this F.A.Q. are specific to components on a Fat bike, most of the information on this page can apply to most bikes.
FYI - RideFATbikes.ca will include a comprehensive Fastener Torque Chart on this F.A.Q. page, in the near future.
If you see any errors within this F.A.Q., or have any questions, please contact us directly at this < Link >.
Taking Care of Your New Bike
Now that you have bought and received your new bike, there are several maintenance items to monitor during the first year of ownership.
Some customers in the past believed that since manufacturer warranties can last a year or more, that routine maintenance was not needed. This is false.
It is very important to take care of your new bike - which includes the inspection, servicing, and cleaning of the frameset and components at regular intervals (especially before, during, and after the winter riding season).
5 Steps of New Bike Ownership
Now that you are a new bike owner of a custom bike built by RideFATbikes.ca, there are 5 activities to follow once you receive your detailed build receipt. Store all this data in a safe place, and somewhere that you can recall it if needed :
Download all Manufacturer User Manuals and Service Guides for every component on your new bike.
Take Screenshots, Download and Print all Manufacturer Warranties, with time-date stamps on all printouts.
Write down the Warranty duration next to the parts detailed on your invoice.
Call your insurance company for home and auto, to see if your new bike needs to be covered under an additional insurance policy, in case of loss while traveling, theft, accidental damage, or some other type of incident that could cost you $$$. This includes asking your Insurance company if your hitch-mount bike rack (and any bike attached to it) are covered against no-fault damages (see details below)
Within 30 days of first ride, perform an inspection of the entire bike, checking for any potential warranty conditions, and if able to, check all fastener torque settings. (see below for more details). Check shifting accuracy. Fix/tune any shifting issues before it can lead to bigger problems, and potential broken parts. Take bike to your LBS if needed. Proper maintenance is essential for your new investment.
This F.A.Q. is designed to help facilitate the Inspection, Maintenance, Cleaning and Long-Term Ownership of your new Fat bike.
Download Component User Manuals
and
Print Manufacturer Warranties
We cannot stress how important it is to download all User Manuals for the components on your bike, and to print out the Warranty pages on Manufacturer websites, so the DATE and TIME showing on the printouts, correspond to your date of purchase. Please read all documents and then store in a safe place.
Manufacturer Component, Tire, Suspension, and Frame warranties are constantly changing. It is important to get a time-date stamped copy of the Limited/Unlimited warranty conditions of all parts on your bike, and to understand how the MFG will look at future warranty claims based on how the bicycle is ridden and maintained.
MANY ACTIVITIES CAN VOID YOUR WARRANTY :
using the part for longer than the specified warranty period. (call in potential warranty claims before they expire!)
(eg : one bicycle tire company states a 1 year warranty from time of purchase, but the fine print on the warranty states only a very limited 30-day warranty from day of installation or first use!)
failure to perform proper maintenance on your bike, as defined under the warranty and user manuals for that product.
(eg : failure to keep all bearings properly lubricated, especially the bottom bracket)
entering into competition events may void warranties on components and frames.
(eg : crashes, accidental bike drops on driveside)
use of certain cleaning, sealant, or lubrication products.
(eg : use of isopropyl alcohol stronger than 70% on some frame surfaces can cause permanent damage)
installation of aftermarket products to improper torque specs.
(eg: adding frame bags and overtightening the threaded fasteners to the point the clear coat/paint cracks - particularly on carbon frames)
** riding on Fat tires below recommended tire pressure (usually below 5 PSI voids some tire warranties) **
(excellent way to speed up the destruction of tire sidewall integrity and a common way to loose studs)
making particular modifications to your bike may void multiple component and frame warranties.
riding on particular carbon wheelsets below a MFG recommended tire pressure
(eg : HED has been spec’ing their fat rim use at 8 PSI minimum)
Transfer of ownership of bike or many of its components, will immediately void all warranties for the second owner.
Some warranties get very specific - like dog bites on carbon frames are not covered (seen it happen!)
Bicycle Insurance Policies
Extended Insurance Coverage for your Bike
Many incidents of accidental damage, theft, or other type of loss, that are not covered under the standard bicycle frame/component MFG warranty, may indeed be covered, if you take on an additional insurance rider for that specific bike under your tenant or homeowners insurance policy.
(supplying serial number will be required - and if you upgrade that bike and increase its value, after you take on that initial insurance policy extension, contact the insurance company to update the bike’s new replacement value, so you are covered)
Auto Insurance Coverage for your (hitch mounted) Bike Rack
Believe it or not, some insurance companies will NOT cover accidental coverage for your bike, if it was secured to your hitch-mounted bike rack and a car rear-ends your vehicle, or hits it in a parking lot. Or, you may forget the bike is on your car’s roof rack and you enter a garage with a low ceiling and that’s the end of your bike! Auto Insurance companies may require you to declare additional insurance policy extensions for your bike racks (or any device permanently attached to your vehicle), and also may require insurance policy extensions for the bikes attached to the bike racks, plus any gear you store inside your vehicle
(this is very important - check to see what your auto and homeowner policy coverage is, before you have an accident or loss event.)
FRAME MANUFACTURERS WITH A PERFECT QUALITY CONTROL TRACK RECORD (2016+)
No frame failures on any model or frame size. No warranty claims needed. Continued excellent customer service. Perfect 5 star rating for the following bike brands :
OTSO
FOES RACING USA
9:ZERO:7
MOOTS
KNOLLY
FRAMES THAT HAD MULTIPLE MFG DEFECT FAILURES (2016+)
Borealis Crestone
Fatback Corvus FLT
Fatback Skookum (<- surprised at this one!)
Fatback Skookum FLT
(Fatback changed names to Corvus Cycles in 2021, and discontinued the above carbon frame models by 2022, along with changing the “non-FLT” Fatback Corvus name to “Corvus AKIO”. Same frame as previous years.)
Fatback had a 5-year warranty on their carbon frames between 2018-2021, when the frame defects were experienced. As of 11-JUL-2022, Fatback has reduced their warranty coverage by 40%, down to a 3-year limited warranty on all frames under their new MFG name “Corvus Cycles”.
Bike Frame Warranty Terms
By Manufacturer
(as of January 2025)
Quality Counts!
RideFATbikes.ca takes pride in building custom Fat, MTB, and Gravel bikes with who we feel are Premium-level Bike Brands in North America. Each Manufacturer continues to provide excellent customer service and tech support, year-after-year.
For 2025, our selection of bike brands include : KNOLLY (BC), OTSO (USA), FOES RACING (USA), 9:ZERO:7 (USA), MOOTS (USA).
A clear indication of the expected lifespan of a product, can be gauged by the warranty coverage terms and conditions the Manufacturer has applied to its products.
All of our partnered Bike Brands offer either an unbeatable * LIFETIME * warranty or a very generous * 5-year warranty *, with excellent low-cost crash-replacement options. These are Industry-leading warranty policies.
The following Manufacturers have posted their online Warranty policies for their frames. Please refer to their websites for additional terms and conditions (links provided where possible) :
(Click the above links to view and print each bike MFG warranty page)
Note : All of the Bike Frames we custom builds are Made in the USA, Canada, or Taiwan. (No outsourcing to China).
Inspection and Maintenance
This Bicycle Maintenance F.A.Q. will be divided into the following sections :
Bolt/Fastener Torque Settings
Greasing Main Bearings and Axles
Cleaning your Bike
Bike Protection
Drivetrain and Shifting
Fat Bike Tires
Framesets
Suspension
Brakesets
Dropper Posts
Saddles
Pedals
Wheelsets
SRAM EAGLE 12spd Installation and Maintenance videos
(includes Torque specs)
SRAM Eagle 12spd (mechanical) Drivetrain
SRAM Eagle 12spd AXS (wireless) Drivetrain
SRAM and HAYES Brakeset Installation and Maintenance videos
(includes Torque specs)
SRAM Bleeding Edge Brake Bleed Procedure
(G2 Ultimate and similar 4-piston brakes)
HAYES Dominion A4 Brake installation
(4-piston hydraulic)
MTB / Fat Bike Crankset Installation
(includes Torque specs)
Raceface Cinch 30mm Crankset
Installation and Maintenance
(Fat Bikes use RF149 / RF169 / RF 189 Raceface spindles)
SRAM Dub 29mm Crankset installation
includes both BSA and PF Bottom Brackets
Popular Fat Bike Rear Hubs - How they work
ONYX Rear Hub Overview
Sprague clutch w/ 0 degree silent engagement ratio
DT Swiss Hub Ratchet System
Removal and Service, 6.7 to 20 degree engagement Ratchets
Bolt and Fastener Torque Settings
If you own quality torque wrenches, and know how to use them, you should frequently monitor the torque specs on all the major fasteners on your bike. Sometimes bolts can get loose over time, even though they were initially tightened to spec, and Threadlocker was applied where appropriate and advised by the manufacturers. If you are not comfortable with general bicycle component inspection, servicing and repair, please visit your LBS (local bike shop) several times a year for routine checkups.
WARNING : Torque wrenches by design are to be only used to TIGHTEN fasteners. Please do not accidentally on purpose take a short cut and use any torque wrench to loosen, unseat or remove any fastener.
You will damage the internals of that expensive “precision” torque wrench, and it will become completely unreliable for future precision torque applications - which can result in stripped out or damaged components (requiring expensive repairs or replacement - especially for carbon parts).
As a general rule, Titanium 3/2.5 or 6/4 alloy is stronger than common stainless steel, which is stronger than any aluminum alloy, which is stronger than carbon fiber composites or nylon composite thermoplastics - when specifically dealing with threaded fasteners. By this we mean, that if you use titanium bolts and are fastening them into threaded aluminum, nylon or carbon composite parts - BE VERY CAREFUL not to overtighten the titanium or steel fasteners, as you can strip out those aluminum, nylon and/or carbon parts quite easily (aka : expensive Onyx aluminum hubs, Enve carbon stems, or stock nylon composite Sram or Raceface crankset Preloaders, are but three examples).
Fastener Inspections :
HEADSET - After every ride : If you have a suspension-equipped bike, make sure the headset assembly is always in order after every ride. If the headset is loose, do not ride your bike, stop and fix it first. It is a simple process and usually involves only three Stem fasteners and a 4,5 or 6mm allen wrench.
If you have a brand new Manitou Mastodon COMP or PRO suspension fork, you may find the headset getting loose after the first few rides. (for whatever reason) During the manufacturing process of these forks, the steerer is not fully seated into the crown. The steerer tube will “seat” (settle) about 3mm into the crown while you ride the bike over time. We pre-cut and install your new Mastodon PRO forks with this 3mm growth factor in mind, so it should not be a problem moving forward. If you installed your Mastodon fork on your own, it is a good idea to bring a spare 3-5mm headset spacer with you during the first month of riding, as you will probably need it. As the Mastodon fork seats into the crown, the pre-cut gap between the top of the Steerer and the bottom of Top Cap assembly on the Headset, will shrink. (The manufacturer suggests 2-3 mm gap during new install). At some point, the top of the alloy steerer may hit the top cap and cause the headset to loosen up. Until you can re-create that needed gap, the headset bearing preload cannot be obtained if the top cap is still making contact with the steerer tube. We go into more detail on this in our Winter Fat Bike Suspension Fork Shootout, by clicking this < Link > . (scroll to near bottom of review for Mastodon install instructions)
About once a month : Check the fasteners in places like the saddle clamp, crankset driveside main bolt, stem bolts and brake caliper mounting bolts.
Every so often : check all the components fastened to the handlebar, and the seat post clamp.
VERY IMPORTANT : every 10 rides or so, do a preventive maintenance check on the crank non-driveside Preloader. If this part gets loose, or breaks over time, it can lead to significant and expensive damage to your bike. STOP riding your bike if the crankset is indeed loose - if you continue to ride with a loose crank, you will damage the bottom bracket bearings, which can then lead to spindle damage, and even frame damage (especially if your bike has a BSA-threaded bottom bracket). We sell premium Cane Creek CNC’d alloy Preloaders with a titanium clamp fastener, and they are an option with any custom bike build. The Cane Creek alloy Preloaders are about $50 CAD after import - expensive for a small item, but they can save you over $750 CAD in potential crankset/bottom bracket damage if your stock plastic Preloader breaks. (FYI - Raceface plastic Preloaders are more prone to failure than the SRAM units).
Grease the Main Bearings and Hub Axles
BOTTOM BRACKET and HEADSET
Keep the bottom bracket and headset bearings lightly lubricated with grease at all times. Every time you wash your bike, ride in the rain or snow, you can slowly wear down the grease barrier around the main bearings in the bottom bracket and the headset. If this grease barrier disappears from the bottom bracket bearings, this can lead to damaged cranks, bottom bracket cups, and even irreversible frame damage on BSA-style framesets. If the headset bearings are not keep in good form, they can rust and seize up, and cause a reduction in steering performance and in rare instances, frame damage to the headtube. It is VERY important to routinely check on and keep the bottom bracket and headset bearings in good working order, and lubricated with a fine layer of grease. (you do not want to cake the headset bearings in grease if you live in dry climates, as dirt and sand will stick to the grease and work its way into some headset bearings, and again, cause component failure).
AXLES
Most quality hubs have sealed bearings that do not need to be regreased on a frequent basis. But, every time you remove or swap wheelsets on your bike, do make it a habit if possible of cleaning your axles, and lightly regrease them. Examine the axles for any wear or deep scatches/gouges, as they should not shown any of these signs - if they do, the axles may need to be replaced and you will need to examine the hubs to see if any debris has gotten into them.
CANE CREEK HELLBENDER BOTTOM BRACKETS
CANE CREEK ALLOY PRELOADER
Tools and Preparation
When you wash your bike, never spray it with a high-pressure hose, and never aim that high-pressure spray at any bearing locations.
This includes the wheel hubs, the rear derailleur pulleys, the front shifter, the headset, and/or the crankset/bottom bracket cups. There are many good videos on YouTube on how to properly wash your bike, and they will go into much more detail on how to best use cleaning bushes, detergent and degreasers, a bucket of water and the hose to spray down the bike.
FYI - If you need a complete bike wash kit, (or any individual items) we have supply of Park Tools, Muc-Off, and Pedro’s bike washing tools, brushes, detergents and degreasers.
Do not “over wash” your bike. It is OK to leave that bike dirty after some rides. Washing your bike too often can sometimes do more harm than good. How? By allowing water to get into the bearing locations, and internal locations on frames, and allowing the opportunity for rust or corrosion to start.
PARK TOOLS TW-5.2 TORQUE WRENCH
CLEANING YOUR BIKE
Use Caution with Chain Degreaser
Please do not spray chain degreaser directly at the drivetrain, while it is still installed on your bike! This is an excellent way to accelerate damage your bottom bracket, rear derailleur (pulley/jockey wheel bearings), crankset (spindle and bearings) and even your rear hub (axles and bearings).
Remove all parts from your bike needing to be cleaned with chain degreaser, and put in a separate container. Rinse with water when degreasing/cleaning is finished, and allow a bit of time to dry. Re-lubricate as needed and as instructed in that component’s user manual.
There are specific chain tool cleaners with sealed solvent/cleaning compartments, that can be connected directly onto the chain in order to degrease and clean it of dirt and debris. After use, rinse chain, allow time to dry (or wipe dry with lint-free clean rag or shop towel, and re-lubricate as needed (do not apply too much chain oil, as it will only attract more dirt).
Keep Bike Away from Salt Water
This might seem obvious, but keep your bike away from salt water. Don’t ride it into the ocean or play chicken with incoming waves. The result is irreversible corrosion and rust. One customer said that his bike had a carbon frame, so he did not see a problem with riding it through ocean waves along the shoreline. Well, what about all those other non-carbon components? They are all manufactured from metal alloys, and susceptible to the corrosive forces of salt water. Having your bike take a dunk in the ocean is a fantastic way to destroy expensive brakesets, bearings, drivetrains, and wheelset hubs. (not covered by warranty!)
Do Not Submerge your Bike
This might also seem obvious, but do not submerge your bike in fresh water, unless you are planning to strip down the entire frame and service all parts of that bike when you get it back home. Again, this is a great way to initiate corrosion and rust, on the most expensive parts of your bike.
Winter riding and Transportation :
Riding your fat bike in the winter, is the reason why many customers purchased their new bike. Do note that if you ride on the road in winter, or transport your fat bike via an external hitched-mounted bike rack on your car, you will have to deal with winter de-icing treatment that is sprayed on the road. Winter road de-icing spray can damage components over time, if you do not regularly wash your Fat bike to remove it.
BIKE PROTECTION
RideWrap frame, fork and chainstay protection
Types of Bike Protection Film Kits
Rigid Fork kit
Suspension Fork kit
Hardtail kit
Full Suspension kit
bike frame and fork protection kits vary from universal to specific cut sheets for a certain bike model and frame size ( Example : “Essential”, “Covered” or “Tailored” kits. for Fat, MTB and Gravel bikes).
Bike Protection items include
frame and fork protection film kits
chainstay protection strips
bottom bracket shielding
crank arm protective strips
chainring protection strips (attached to frame behind chainring)
cable housing protection (installed where cables rub against frame)
ISCG Bash, Underbash, and Chain guides
some inverted forks have bash guides to protect their lowers
Battery shields for SRAM AXS rear derailleurs
Tire (foam/polymer) inserts that protect expensive carbon rims from impact strikes (Cushcore, Tannus, etc)
An integral part of building and maintaining a custom bike is to apply bike protection film. The best time to install frame protection film is when the frame is first unboxed and put into the bike stand, before all the components are installed on the bike, and before any contaminants like dirt and grease get on the frame. (Even a single piece of dirt or sand can cause install problems if it gets under the frame protection film during install, creating an air pocket and visual eye sore).
RideFATbikes.ca will only install full-frame bike protection kits at the time your new bike is built. Some custom and full-frame installs can take up to 4-5hrs labour time for an unboxed frame and fork. We cannot take in used bikes and do these installs, sorry, as the labour time will be even higher if components need to be removed, and the bike would need a deep cleaning to remove ALL dirt, grease, and polish/wax, from the frame, fork, and all components that touch the frame. If you need a bike protection kit for an existing bike, we keep many frame and fork bike protection kits in stock, so you can purchase and perform the installation yourself.
If you need ISCG Bash, underbash, or chain guides, we stock options from OneUp Components, MRP, Wolf Tooth Components, and a few other brands.
If you plan on adding pannier bags, frame bags, or any attachments that strap or bolt onto your new frame, it is a very good idea to pre-install bike protection film over these areas, so the bags and straps do not attract dirt or sand, and then rub against the frame, scratching it, and potentially removing paint.
RideFATbikes.ca stocks bike protection kits by AMS - All Mountain Style, RideWrap and BKSHLD - Bike Shield Protection. Some kits are universal, while others are cut specifically for certain bike models and frame sizes.
COMPONENT INSPECTION
Overall, all new bike owners should get into the habit of frequently inspecting the drivetrain for obstructions, before, during and after rides. It can take just a few seconds, and the results can save you hundreds of dollars.
Check that that chain has no links binding or are stuck.
Check that there are no broken teeth on the chainrings, cassette cogs, or rear derailleur pulleys.
Rear Derailleur Hanger Alignment
A bent Rear Derailleur (RD) Hanger is usually the cause of most shifting issues involving rough shifting in more than one gear, and it usually happens suddenly. Situations when the RD Hanger can get bent :
bump the RD into the side of a tree or wall.
lay down the bike on the driveside - which will almost always cause the RD to make contact with the ground (never do this - always set the bike down on the non-driveside).
lean the bike against an object and the wind blows it over onto its driveside.
be careful when transitioning the bike through a doorway - if you allow the door or door jam to hit the RD, you may start experiencing rough shifting the next time you ride.
when transporting a bike inside a car where the bicycle wheels are usually removed - always lean the bike driveside UP so the rear derailleur is not touching any part of the vehicle.
crashing the bike (obviously), or falling off the bike (especially on ice in the winter).
If you suddenly experience rough shifting in almost all gears :
Remove the rear derailleur (RD) and use an appropriate tool to check the rear derailleur hanger’s alignment. If the RD hanger is bent, then it can certainly cause rough shifting. The RD hanger is designed to flex or bend and absorb the forces, if the RD takes any kind of hit or direct impact. The RD hanger is designed to be a replaceable part, and its main job is to protect the frame from taking damage if the RD is hit with an impact.
FYI - It is always a good idea to purchase a spare RD hanger when you buy a new bike - because if this part breaks and you have no spare, then your bike cannot be ridden until it is replaced.
Loose Shifter Cable
If you experience gradual rough shifting with one or more gears of a traditional cable housing drivetrain - this may be caused by slack or stretching of the rear derailleur cable within the cable housing. Use the barrel adjuster on your front shifter (FAT/MTB), and/or the RD (Road/Gravel), to remove the slack/play and hopefully fix any rough shifting issues. If this does not fix the issue, check the RD hanger alignment, and reset the cable tension on the RD cable clamp.
AXS Eagle Wireless Drivetrains
On SRAM Eagle AXS drivetrains, the front shifter has a micro-adjustment button that communicates wirelessly via Bluetooth with the RD, and shifting issues (if they ever occur) can be fixed within a few seconds on these SRAM AXS systems. Usually, shifting never goes out on an AXS system unless there is a chain, RD pulley, or RD hanger issue. Once an AXS system is dialed in, it usually stays perfect until some foreign object interferes, such as a twig or part of a bush gets jammed in the drivetrain (or the RD pulleys get stuck in winter from a buildup of frozen slush - just clean it all out, and you should be good to go).
If you are not familiar with the Hi/Lo range and B-gap adjustment screw settings, it is best not to fool around with them, and leave that to your local LBS to check during your next service visit. All three of these settings can cause shifting issues if they get out of alignment. If you fiddle around with these adjustment screws, you can do damage to your bike - like having the chain jump the largest cassette cog and jam itself between the cassette and your spokes (possibly snapping the chain or breaking a few spokes, or, if the B-gap is off the RD pulleys can fly into the cassette cogs and break teeth on either component, setting you back $$. When your new bike is delivered, all three of these settings will be exactly where they need to be. With SRAM Eagle 12spd drivetrains, there is a B-Gap adjustment tool (to facilitate alignment), and we provide one with all new bike purchases, free of charge.
Chain
If your chain gets dirty, clean it with a dedicated chain scrubber tool (contains rotating brushes), and use chain cleaner/degreaser per instructions on the chain scrubber, such as the Park Tools “Cyclone Chain Scrubber CM-5.3”. A clean chain will offer best performance, and provide a longer lasting drivetrain.
Infrequently, check the chain for stretch and wear. If any links are binding, or if the chain has stretched beyond acceptable limits, it is time to replace it. Always a good idea to own a spare chain, plus pack a few “powelinks” or “masterlinks” in your portable bike tool kit along with a chain tool, in case you snap a chain during a ride. Having a chain tool, and a powerlink handy, will allow you to make a temporary patch to your chain, and get you back to your car or home, without walking the bike home.
Crankset
Stock plastic Preloader - As mentioned above, the first item to inspect on the crankset is the Preloader (see picture near top of page). Stock crankset Preloaders are plastic with small alloy fastening bolts. The threads on a plastic Preloader can strip out if overtightened - and they are VERY sensitive to torque settings (more than 2-3NM), and overtightening can also cause the clamp to crack where the fastening bolt is located. Both instances will lead to the Preloader failing and causing the crank to loose its preload pressure on the dust seals and bottom bracket bearing assemblies. This will then lead to dirt and water getting into the bearings, causing corrosion and damage. A loss of preload pressure will loosen up the crank assembly and the crank spindle may now start to float back and forth from NDS (non-driveside) to DS (driveside). Ultimately, worst case scenario is that the (now unprotected and corroding) bottom bracket bearings seize in their housings. The DS bearing rusts onto the crank spindle. The owner continues to ride the bike, repeatedly, and over time, and because the DS (driveside) bottom bracket cup is reverse threaded, the DS bottom bracket cup assembly (on BSA83/100 threaded style bottom brackets) will spin loose with every turn of the crank and can cause major damage to the crank spindle and also to the frame.
Alloy Preloader - Ridefatbikes.ca strongly suggests upgrading to a premium quality Cane Creek alloy Preloader if you have purchased an expensive carbon crankset and BSA-threaded frame. The alloy Preloaders will come in 29.8mm (SRAM) and 30mm sizes (all other brands). The 30mm units are direct-swap, whereas the 29.8mm units (SRAM cranks) require a bit of installation time and delicate use of Threadlocker.
Crankset main bolt - Every so often, check the torque setting on the crankset main bolt. If it becomes loose, part of it could fall off during a ride (good luck finding it!), or in worst case scenario, the DS crank arm can detach on some cranks and can cause injury during a ride.
Fat Bike Tires
Fat Bike Tire Topics Covered
Indicated vs. Actual Fat tire widths
Tire Pressure Gauges
Fat Tire Pressures (while riding)
Air Leaks
Porous vs. Non-Porous Tires
Tire Testing
Tire Warranties
Tire Sealant
Fun Facts about ALL our Custom Bike Builds :
All tires that we sell are tubeless-ready.
All wheelsets that we stock are tubeless-compatible.
Every new bike we sell is set up tubeless, both tires/wheels.
Each new tubeless wheelset will contain sealant. (See our website ORANGE SEAL link for a chart indicating the correct amounts of sealant for various FAT/MTB/CX wheelset / tire combinations).
All our tubeless wheelsets are tested for at least 3 days to hold air (at 80% of their MAX tire PSI ratings - usually about 15-16psi), before they are ready to be sold. This setting stresses the tire/wheelset/rim tape beyond their expected everyday riding conditions, and well within their warranty limits. Why do we do this? To find faulty gear, and replace it before the customer receives it.
FYI - About 1 in 20 tubeless-ready Fat tires fail the installation process. While stress-testing the installs, we look for porous tire sidewall leaks, weak rim tape installs, faulty valve stem seals, defective tires, and/or rims with imperfections along the bead seat.
Tire Width : Indicated vs. Actual
Indicated Tire Width
The Fat tire width shown printed on the sidewall hotpatch of a tire.
Actual Tire Width
The measured width across a Fat tire, when using precision digital calipers as the measuring tool.
Before we can get into the specifics of what tire pressures to ride, all owners of Fat bikes need to understand that the indicated width on the sidewall of their Fat tires will almost never be accurate to the actual measured width of that tire under any given PSI.
Manufacturers often overstate their Fat tire widths, or give their tires misleading names like “Johnny5” or “Dillinger 5”. Fat bike tires commonly measure 0.25 to 0.65” narrower, than their sidewall description indicates its width “should” be.
For example, a typical brand new 26” x 4.8” (122mm) Schwalbe Addix EVO TLE Jumbo Jim tire mounted tubeless on an 85mm wide Fat rim, sealed at 10 PSI, will commonly read 4.5” (114mm) when measured by digital calipers, just after install.
Drop down to 5 PSI, and it will read 4.4” (112mm)
Increase to 14 PSI and it will read 4.65” (118mm)
I once asked a Maxxis tire engineer at Interbike, why do the majority of Fat Bike tire manufacturers almost never have an accurate sidewall description of tire width, on any given Fat tire? He responded by saying that as Fat tires became popular and manufacturers began designing specific Fat tires for 26” and 27.5” rims, the baseline back around 2014/15 was to measure the Fat tire at FULL rated PSI on 100mm wide 26” fat rims. That being said, if you installed a Maxxis Colossus 26” x 4.8” EXO TR fat tire, tubeless, on a 26” x 100mm fat rim and pumped the tire up to the max rating of 20 PSI, that tire width actually does read about 4.8” wide, and gets even wider if you give the tire some time to stretch out at max PSI. (This is one of the few Fat bike tires that is true to its “Indicated” size on its sidewall.
During our testing, we found that a few tires do measure to their indicated sidewall width, like the Maxxis Colossus and the Surly Edna.
— (Section Under Construction) —
Tire Pressure
Precision Fat Bike Tire (PSI) Gauges
There are two ANSI-certified very popular, and very accurate, Fat tire specific PSI pressures gauges on the market, and RideFATbikes.ca stocks them both One is digital, and the other is mechanical dial. Both are designed for heavy duty use. Just ask at time of your bike, wheelset or tire order, and we should have these precision Tire PSI gauges in stock right up until about mid-DEC. (these items sell out every year!)
Mechanical dial : ACCU-GAGE, (0-15 PSI model), allows accurate tire pressure reading in increments of 0.25 PSI.
Digital : SKS “Airchecker”. Measures in 0.10 PSI increments, (0-100+ PSI) well within the region needed for fat bikes. We have not found a more accurate Fat bike tire pressure gauge on the market.
Accu-Gage 15 PSI model
SKS Digital Airchecker
Front Fat Tire “Self-Steer”
At particular tire pressures, each front fat tire may induce “self-steer” due to its tread design. This means the tire will pull sharply to the left or right, and can be difficult to hold in a straight line. Make a note of that PSI, and while using an ANSI-certified precision Fat tire pressure gauge, like a mechanical dial (model = 15 PSI) Accu-Gage or an SKS digital Airchecker gauge, adjust the front tire pressure up or down by 0.25 PSI increments until the “self-steer” goes away.
It is highly-advisable to NOT reverse the front tire tread for any reason. Every front tire will have a directional Arrow —> showing the direction of forward motion. Reversing the tread direction of the front tire can cause unpredictable results, including sudden wash-outs and much higher chance of crashing in turns.
Do not put “Rear-specific tread” tires on the front wheel. (see above line item for what might happen)
Rear Fat Tire “Bobbing”
At particular tire pressures, every rear fat tire may induce “bobbing”. This means the tire will make oscillating movements up and down, especially while pedaling. This decreases bike performance and increases the chance of a rim strike. Riders of different weights, can experience this phenomenon at different PSIs, on the SAME tire. Make a note of this tire pressure, and adjust the PSI up or down in 0.25 PSI increments, until the bobbing goes away.
Usually, the safest bet is to increase pressure by 0.5 PSI or more. (You can witness this happening in winter to a lot of riders at low pressures, and they do not even realize they are bobbing up and down on their bikes.)
WHAT TIRE PRESSURE SHOULD I BE RIDING?
Oh what a topic this is! Everyone in the online forums can debate this topic for hours and many cannot come to an agreement on the seemingly simple question of “What tire pressure should I be riding?”. So many variables go into that answer, but first, you need to be able to baseline the parameters around that question, before you can arrive at a “correct riding PSI”.
Baseline Parameters
Total Rider Weight + Gear
Type of Fat bike (alloy or carbon rigid, front suspension, or full-suspension - the fork on the bike defines much of the tire pressure settings)
Type of trail being ridden (sand, snow, ice, hardpack, gravel, road, singletrack, drops, descents, etc)
Rider Skill
Season of the year
Wheelset size
Rim width
Tire width
What tire is being used?
— (Section Under Construction) —
AIR LEAKS
Air leaks can happen in a number of ways, and here are a few examples :
The valve core is not fully re-tightened after use of an air pump, or air pressure gauge.
The valve stem develops a leak. This can happen when it is accidently spun loose when attempting to manipulate the valve core assembly. Another potential issue is if the either of the two valve stem rubber washers tear/break/dry out and fail.
The sealant inside a tubeless-ready tire has dried up and needs to be refilled.
There is a tire puncture that was not repaired by tubeless sealant. (if you get a puncture, most sealants rely on being able to rotate the tire under pressure at least 5-7 times to give the sealant enough time to plug up the puncture. Almost all sealants indicate what size puncture they are able to seal, and under what temperature conditions it is designed to work in.
There is a malfunction or tear of rim tape which is located inside the tubeless tire and wrapped around the rim to create an airtight seal. If the rim tape fails, you will usually see sealant leaking out of the wheelset at the valve stem, a spoke hole, or at a hollowed-out section on an alloy rim. Another common rim tape failure condition is to leave your fat bike out in the hot summer sun, laying against a fence, wall, or on the ground for several hours - and you are using an alloy wheelset. The alloy rims will heat up in the sun, and can certainly melt the rim tape glue which holds the tape to the rim strips and rim itself. Once the rim tape gives way, the airtight seal is broken, and sealant rushes in under pressure. Say goodbye to your “tubeless” wheelset - it is time to tear it all down, clean it, and restart the tubeless conversion process.
The tubeless-ready tire is porous and a latex sealant barrier coating the entire insides of the porous tire does not exist, which would make it an air-tight non-porous membrane seal.
There is a dent caused by a rim strike or a rim imperfection exists (like at the weld joint on some alloy rims), causing an air leak at the bead seat where the tire meets the rim. Sometimes sealant can fix this issue, if the dent or imperfection are not too significant.
A bad seal between the rim and tubeless-ready tire during the installation process can cause an air leak. Make sure the bead seat is set all 360 degrees around a rim, and on both sides of the tire.
Some Fat bike owners like to ride at very low tire pressures (under 4-5 PSI) in the winter. This increases the chance of causing incremental and irreversible damage to the sidewalls in the form of leaks and failures. Note - some manufacturers will void your tire warranty if you run their tires at too low of a PSI.
POROUS vs. NON-POROUS FAT BIKE TIRES
Fat bike tires are basically defined into four categories, premium, budget, with porous or non-porous sidewalls.
“Tubeless-Ready” (TR), “Tubeless-Compatible” and “Tubeless-Easy” (TLE) are all manufacturer definitions of claim for their tires’ ability to setup successfully on tubeless wheelsets. What Brands seldom announce outright, is whether or not their tire sidewalls are manufactured to porous or non-porous standards.
Porous tires : by definition = “having minute spaces by which liquid or air may pass”. (not sealed)
Non-Porous tires : by definition = “not permeable to water, air or other fluids”. (sealed)
POROUS FAT BIKE TIRES
Porous tires, which are considered to be budget entry-level Fat tires, will leak air by nature of their design of having a permeable membrane which allows air and/or liquid (such as diluted dish soap) to pass through it.
Testing to see if a Fat tire is Porous by design : Prepare a spray bottle with a diluted dish soap and water combination. Spray the insides of a brand new “tubeless-ready” tire with the diluted dish soap mixture and properly install the tire onto a tubeless-compatible rim/wheelset. Pump the tire up to 12-15 PSI, and do not add any sealant. The only liquid inside the tire should be the diluted dish soap. Immediately wipe down the sidewalls of the tire with a wet rag, after setting up the tire tubeless. Now wait a little while. Do you see tiny bubbles forming in different locations around the tire’s sidewall? (This can be seen even with the wheelset submerged in water). If so, this tire is considered to be porous by design, and will require a good amount of sealant to ultimately seal the tire with a layer of dried latex sealant all around the inside of that tire. If this is not accomplished, by definition, the tire will constantly leak air.
More sealant is needed to seal porous tubeless-compatible tires = heavier overall rotating mass (about 0.25 lbs / 115gr for 26x4.8” tires)
A brand of Fat tire that has admitted to being porous in nature is Terrene Tires, and we have confirmed this by testing their “Cake Eater" fat bike tire. (see pics)
Fat bike tire exhibiting porous “sidewall sweating”
Terrene Cake Eater - porous sidewalls
NON-POROUS FAT BIKE TIRES
RideFATbikes.ca stocks premium-level quality non-porous tubeless-ready Fat tires by Maxxis, Schwalbe and 45NRTH. (Some of the Surly Fat tires we stock are also non-porous). Popular models are the Maxxis Minion EXO TR series, Schwalbe Jumbo Jim ADDIX Snakeskin or Speedgrip TLE series, the SURLY Edna, and all of the 45NRTH fat bike tires, including the Flowbeast, Dunderbeast, Dillinger VanHelga, Wrathchild and Wrathlorde fat bike tires (studded and non-studded versions).
TIRE TESTING
Test your new tires before you go riding on them the first time.
Look for manufacturing imperfections, leaks, or punctures. Some tires fail during tubeless setup and we will catch them al during testing, before they are sold on new wheelsets to customers. Sometimes issues develop over time and we want you to be safe while riding, and have the best possible chance at addressing ANY tire warranty claim issues as quickly as possible once they are found.
(This must be said because at the high-end of the spectrum some tire brands offer a solid no-hassle 2-year full coverage warranty like 45NRTH tires, while other brands at the low-end of the warranty spectrum may only offer a 1-year warranty, and some brands drop that even further down to a very conditional 30-day limited warranty - if you actually RIDE on the tires! (Brand = Terrene tires). (FYI - both 45NRTH and Terrene Tires are manufactured in the same facility, so you can see how much there is in a variance of quality and warranty support - this is reflected to some extent in the cost of the tires from each respective manufacturer.)
If your tubeless wheelset develops an air leak, you need to determine the severity and location of the leak(s) :
you can figure out where the leak is by taking the wheels off your bike and vertically submerging them in the bath tub, with just enough water to cover a section of tire and rim in the “6 o’clock” position. Slowly rotate the wheel, and check to see where there are any air bubbles escaping from the rim or tires. Two common places are at the valve stem, or at the junction of the rim/tire.
If the air bubbles are escaping around the valve stem seal, then the repair solution is to tighten it back up. This will require popping the bead seat on one side of the tire, to gain access to the valve stem. Check that the rubber washers on both sides of the valve stem are not cracked, missing, or crushed - if so, replace them. Tighten the valve stem to manufacturer specs and reseat the tire. Add sealant as needed.
If the air bubbles are coming out of the sidewall of the tire itself (in the form of tiny bubbles in many different locations), this can be bad news if the tire is labeled as non-porous and “tubeless-ready”. You may need to warranty the tire depending on the marketing claims of that manufacturer. Non-porous sidewalls indicate entry-level gear. There is a big difference in quality, price and usually weight between premium non-porous and entry-level porous fat bike tires.
A true Tubeless-ready tire has non-porous sidewalls and technically does not need sealant to hold air. The tire may be marked with a “TR”, “TLR” or “TLE” designation. They are more expensive than any other version of the same make/model of tire, and sometimes lighter, as better/more advanced materials are usually used in the construction of that tire. If there are two or more different quality levels of the same tire, the best version would be Tubeless-ready, with extra sidewall puncture protection (sometimes defined by the manufacturer as “EXO” or “Snakeskin” versions), and the best available type of rubber is used for superior grip. This version of tire would also almost always be lighter than a same-model porous sidewall “Tubeless-compatible” version. Non-porous tubeless-ready tires usually only need enough sealant to seal up any imperfections in the bead seat area between the rim and tire, plus retain enough sealant inside the tire to deal with any punctures. Overall, you can save up to half a pound in rotating mass (per tire/sealant required), by choosing premium-level non-porous tubeless-ready tires.
Premium non-porous sidewall tubeless-ready Fat bike tire examples would be :
SCHWALBE Jumbo Jim ADDIX Snakeskin or Speedgrip EVO TLE 120 TPI version
45NRTH Wrathlorde, Wrathchild, Dillinger, VanHelga, Flowbeast or Dunderbeast 120TPI ultralight versions
MAXXIS Minion or Colossus EXO TR 120 TPI version w/ extra sidewall protection
SURLY Edna 26” x 4.3” 60 TPI version
Tubeless-capable tires are basically entry-level equipment, have porous sidewalls, and usually the heaviest version of the same make/model of tire, if multiple versions of the same model are available from the manufacturer. Tubeless-capable tires rely on tubeless sealant to “seal” their porous sidewalls. You have to use more sealant inside this type of tire to make sure the entire inside layer is not only covered in sealant, but also that the sealant has formed a latex layer around the entire inside of the tire.
Entry-level porous sidewall Fat bike tire example would be the Schwalbe Jumbo Jim “Performance” 60 TPI version. This tire was designed to be used with tubes, and can be very difficult to set up tubeless. The Schwalbe Jumbo Jim “Liteskin” is another example, and can be installed tubeless, but you may have a difficult time removing the tire during the winter and trying to remount it in the Spring as the sidewalls on the Liteskin version are not as strong (as the “Speedgrip” or “Snakeskin” version) and the “Performance” and “Liteskin” versions can stretch - which can cause tire blowoffs or blowouts after remounting a second time.
POPULAR FAT BIKE TIRE MANUFACTURER WARRANTIES (2022)
Some Fat bike tire manufacturers offer much better warranties than others, and this can be reflected in their retail prices. A few tire manufacturers frown on the use of tire sealant, which is quite interesting. One tire manufacturer has a 1yr warranty from date of purchase that reduces to a 30-day limited warranty as soon as the tires are installed and used - while other tire manufacturers offer generous 2yr and even 3yr unlimited warranties. The length of the tire warranty is an indicator of the quality of the tires, and how long the tire manufacturer expects the tire to actually last or be free from defects or failure - so the differences between an entry-level 30-day limited warranty, compared to a premium 2 year (730 day) or 3year (1095 day) warranty are quite significant.
SCHWALBE = 3yr warranty, from date of purchase, or 5yr warranty from date of manufacture.
45NRTH = 2yr warranty, from date of purchase.
SURLY = 1yr warranty, from date of purchase.
MAXXIS = 1yr warranty, from date of purchase, or until no serviceable tread depth is remaining on tire.
TERENNE = 1yr warranty from date of purchase, switching to 30-day limited warranty upon first use of tire.
(Click to Zoom any image below)
SCHWALBE TIRES
45NRTH TIRES
SURLY TIRES
MAXXIS TIRES
TERENNE TIRES
F.A.Q. - Fat Bike Maintenance
— SUSPENSION —
( Section Under Construction)
FAT BIKE SUSPENSION FORK OPTIONS
You can read about our comprehensive Fat Bike suspension fork shootout, at this < Link >. It covers testing in both Summer and Winter months, for the RockShox Bluto RCT3, Wren ATK and Manitou Mastodon PRO. We have a separate product review for the Lauf Carbonara at this < Link >.
Performance Ranking - Best to Worst
1. Manitou Mastodon PRO w/ IRT (Infinite Rate Tune)
2. Manitou Mastodon PRO w/ stock IVA
(tie - 3rd) Wren ATK “Twin-Air”
(tie - 3rd) Mastodon COMP w/ IRT (Infinite Rate Tune)
5. Manitou Mastodon COMP w/ stock IVA
6. Lauf Carbonara
7. RockShox Bluto RCT3
2022 RETAIL COST - Most Expensive to Least (USD $)
7. Manitou Mastodon PRO w/IRT ($950+$89) = $1039 USD
6. Lauf Carbonara = $990 USD
5. Manitou Mastodon PRO = $950 USD
4. Manitou Mastodon COMP w/IRT ($725+89) = $814 USD
3. Wren ATK “TwinAir” = $700 - $750 USD
2. RockShox Bluto RCT3 = $742 USD
1. Manitou Mastodon COMP = $725 USD
The Manitou Mastodon PRO w/IRT wins in virtually every performance category vs. all other Fat bike suspension forks, and we have yet to see a warranty claim on the Mastodon PRO since its release several years ago.
Why pick the Mastodon PRO over the COMP?
PRO = 0.5 lbs lighter than COMP
PRO = full Hi-Speed/Lo-Speed compression (multiple dial settings) vs. only LS compression on COMP w/ limited 3-position dial
PRO = Dorado Air Spring vs. COMP’s “Absolute+” air spring
PRO = MC2 Compression Damping vs. COMP’s basic VTT Damping
PRO = only about $245 CAD difference vs. the Mastodon COMP
The Manitou Mastodon COMP fork was designed to offer best in category performance vs. existing entry-level Fat bike suspension forks (RockShox Bluto RCT3) and compete equally with mid-range Fat bike suspension forks such as the Wren ATK. When the Mastodon COMP is upgraded with an IRT (Infinite Rate Tune) assembly that allows for advanced air spring tuning, the COMP is basically in an overall tie with the Wren ATK.
The Wren ATK Inverted suspension fork cannot compete equally with the Mastodon PRO, but the Wren can give the Mastodon COMP a good run for the money. The Wren suspension fork will offer a more lively ride and a bit better performance that a Mastodon COMP (w/ IRT upgrade), but since the Wren ATK is plagued with several nuisance issues, it drops in the rankings to a tie. Since the Wren ATK costs the same as the Bluto RCT3, the Wren is clearly a better deal considering 2022 retail pricing.
The carbon-based Lauf Carbonara was designed to specialize in high(er) avg. speed short-travel sand/gravel/XC/bikepacking use. It requires no maintenance, due to its leaf-spring design. The Lauf Carbonara suspension fork lacks a damper, and is not an ideal choice for technical (low-speed) singletrack use. The retail pricing of $990 USD is considered by many to be vastly overpriced, and does not correlate to the Carbonara’s actual Fat bike performance capabilities. Since Lauf is now a factory-direct company, the expectation was the Retail price would have dropped to about $550-600 USD.
The RockShox Bluto RCT3 was the first Fat Bike suspension fork and ushered in suspension corrected frames back around 2015, forever changing Fat bike design - however great its contribution to the sport, its design has since become somewhat outdated and cannot evenly compete with its Mastodon or Wren counterparts.
Note : In this F.A.Q., we will cover the maintenance basics for only the Manitou Mastodon PRO / COMP and Wren ATK forks, since they are the three most popular Fat Bike suspension forks.
SETTING SUSPENSION SAG
AC AND SAG HEIGHT CHARTS
The charts below were designed by RideFATbikes.ca and extracted from our Fat bike suspension fork shootout, and can also be found on our Suspension page. Readers can review the general product specifications, and more importantly, dial in the SAG settings for your specific Fat bike suspension fork.
SUSPENSION FORK - SERVICE SCHEDULES
MASTODON PRO
WREN ATK
SUSPENSION FORK - MAINTENANCE
MASTODON PRO
WREN ATK
FAT BIKE SUSPENSION FORKS
— UNIQUE MAINTENANCE ISSUES —
Both the Mastodon PRO and the Wren ATK have their own set of unique issues. The Mastodon PRO issue works itself out within the first month of use, whereas the issues with the Wren Inverted fork do not have workable “fixes” and remain lifetime quirks unique to that fork design.
MAINTOU Mastodon PRO - Unique maintenance issues :
The Mastodon PRO suspension fork has only a single unique maintenance issue to deal with, and it is self-healing within the first month of use. The manufacturing process of how the Steerer is inserted into the Crown assembly, is the reason for this issue. The Headset may become loose repeatedly, during the first several rides on the Fat bike where the new Mastodon PRO was installed. Once this quirk works itself out, the Mastodon PRO then becomes pretty much bulletproof. The fork will work as designed and provided repeatable premium trail and winter performance. At 200+ hrs of use, run the fork through its major service, and you will be good to go for another 1yr+.
(Note : Zero warranty claims in the last 4 years = very happy customers. This is one of the reasons why we love the Mastodon PRO fork!)
WREN FAT BIKE INVERTED SUSPENSION FORK - UNIQUE MAINTENANCE ISSUES :
The Wren ATK inverted fork has multiple unique issues (6), and for the most part, they cannot be resolved - the owner has to embrace and live with them. The WREN ATK fork has a generous two year warranty. It is a good idea to call in warranty service on the Wren fork, before the two years has expired. Wrensports LLC has an excellent customer service team and they will accommodate valid warranty requests.
Axle Design : definitely the weakest link of the Wren suspension fork. See description below under “AXLE DESIGN QUIRKS” for more information.
TwinAir air spring : the calibration procedure, which relies on counting pump strokes, vs. calibrating the air chambers through PSI pressure. (both the upper and lower air chambers always contain an undefined volume of air which cannot be accurately measured). See “Air Spring Setup” section below for more detailed information.
Bash Guards : while they look bad-ass on the Wren fork, the bash guards can easily break off in a number of different situations - and are the most often part replaced on the Wren inverted forks. If they were made out of Nylon composite material, the Wren bash guards would be able to withstand harsher treatment, and simply tugging on them from behind, won’t snap them off the fork.
Wren Crown assembly : in the past this part was reported to have a number of stress cracks and pictures on the Internet showed multiple Wren fork failures at the Crown - especially if used on aggressively ridden AM/DH bikes, or eBikes with high top speeds. (it looks like Wren may have replaced the old Crown design with a stronger unit in the last year)
Winter Performance : Sometimes the Wren ATK works in sub -10C temps, and sometimes it does not and freezes solid. (if you ride in a warm climate, this is obviously not an issue to consider, and the fork should function 365 days a year for you. If Wren gets a fork to work in -25C for a continuous 8 hours, please let us test and confirm it, because that is the limit we were able to test the Mastodon PRO to, and it worked fine.
Fork Collars : located between the stanchions and fork legs. The plastic collars tend to wear down over time, causing excessive play in the fork, and a loss of overall rigidity. A quick test : lock both brakes and rock the bike back and forth - if there is an increasing amount of play in the fork (at the described location), investigate to see if the collars need replacing. Wren says to perform a full service on the fork every 200hrs of use, and that drops down to 100hrs of use if ridder in wet or winter climates. All major seals need inspection and possible replacement. Click the Service Guide button above for more info.
AXLE DESIGNS / QUIRKS
The Manitou Mastodon PRO uses a very secure HexLock axle design that creates a stable platform for the wheel hub, that is always a constant 90-degree angle with the fork lower legs and stanchion tubes. (the wheel always remains equidistant from both fork legs)
Tip : Always keep the axle clean and lightly greased for optimal performance. (tighten axle to 12-15Nm w/ a 6mm hex wrench)
The Wren ATK Inverted fork uses a two-piece floating axle design that has a ball-and-socket shape like on a drivetrain universal. Because of this design choice, and combined with the design of the damper right-side fork leg (free-floating design : lacks any spring preload or resistance), there stands a chance that the axle can pivot outside of a 90-degree position in relation with the fork legs and stanchion tubes. This can cause the front wheel to deflect off the centerline and rub/bang against the left fork leg on big drops or hucks. The Wren ATK inverted fork designed for 150mm hubs is more susceptible to this axle design quirk, than the Wren fork designed for 135mm wide hubs. You will know the axle is floating in position either by hearing the tire rub against the fork, or seeing paint rub off a few inches below the crown, where the tire could theoretically meet the left stanchion/fork leg. The only remedy here is to keep that Wren axle (very) tight. Wren tech support says to “Tighten the shit out of it!” but their service manual officially states 8Nm for the bolt-on version. (Don’t get the QR axle version, because it can loosen up much easier than the bolt-on version).
Tip : Only insert the Wren axle into the fork from the left side, near the brake mount. (tighten to 8Nm)
Tip : Always keep the axle clean and lightly greased for optimal performance.
WHY IS MY HEADSET GETTING LOOSE AFTER INSTALLING A MASTODON PRO / COMP FORK?
As mentioned near the beginning of this Bike Maintenance F.A.Q., there is break-in period with almost all brand new Mastodon PRO forks. Hayes tech support also refers to this as a “nuisance issue”. Basically what happens is the headset can feel loose during and after your first several rides on a bike equipped with a Mastodon PRO fork. This is due to a manufacturing procedure performed at the factory where the Steerer is not fully seated into the Crown - and it may take a few rides to “seat” the Steerer. It will “seat” about 3mm into the Crown. This topic is covered in more detail at the beginning of the F.A.Q. in the Fasteners and Headset sections. Rest assured, the problem goes away after a few rides!
WREN ATK INVERTED FORK - AXLE DESIGN
MANITOU MASTODON PRO - AXLE DESIGN
WREN FAT BIKE SUSPENSION FORK - TRAVEL CHANGE
The Wren ATK has probably the easiest procedure for making travel adjustments and performing general maintenance, as it does not have as many seals, nor does it require semi-bath oil, nor does it require unique tools, as do the Mastodon PRO / COMP forks. Below are the two service videos from Wrensports LLC, where Russ Johnson does an excellent job describing the straight-forward servicing and travel adjustment procedures of their Wren Fat Bike suspension fork.
Wren ATK suspension fork
Air side, Travel Adjustment
WREN ATK suspension fork service
Damper Side
Click to < Zoom >
WREN FAT BIKE SUSPENSION FORK - AIR SPRING SETUP
“TWINAIR” Volume Adjustment
TOOLS REQUIRED
Shock pump w/PSI gauge
SAG charts
Paper/Pen for recording settings
(free time and patience)
If servicing a Wren suspension fork and adjusting the travel settings was easy, the flipside is the difficulty many owners have during the initial setup and tuning of the Wren “TwinAir” air spring chambers.
The air spring concept of the Wren suspension fork is two air chambers, divided by a floating piston. Air must be added via a shock pump, to both the top and bottom of the air spring. Wren claims the air pressure of both the top and bottom chambers will equalize in PSI, no matter what the actual air volume is of either chamber (sometimes during testing, we found the top and bottom air spring chambers did not exactly equalize in PSI). When initially setting up this fork, you work off of a known PSI that you pump into the top chamber. (say 50 PSI for starters). You then switch over to counting PUMP STROKES to add air to the bottom chamber. This process then goes back and forth when calibrating SAG, and then also calibrating the fork so it does not bottom out or top out.
Once this (lengthy) process is fine-tuned, and the ride quality is ideal for a given trail, there are a few unknowns that exist, which will ultimately keep you from being able to exactly define what the calibration settings are for that “dialed in” fork. (1) - you cannot see where the floating piston is located, and therefore (2) you do not have any idea what the actual air volumes are of the top and bottom TwinAir chambers. Hence, if you were to let all the air out of the fork, it is almost impossible to replicate identical settings.
You may find that the TwinAir settings for one trail is not the ideal setup for another trail system, and the TwinAir chamber will require fine tuning by either releasing some air from either air chamber, or adding air by counting pump strokes. (You cannot rely on simple PSI settings w/ a Wren Fat bike suspension fork, like on a Mastodon PRO). Once you modify the air chamber settings on the Wren fork for a new trail system, you will lose the last settings of the fork, unless you write them down, which must include overall PSI, and then count top chamber pump strokes and bottom chamber pump strokes. Indicate how many times you connected and disconnected the shock pump and give an estimate for how much air was lost during this process.
If you like to tinker around with products, then you may not mind terribly, the need to reconfigure your suspension fork’s dual air chambers for every new trail system, or even switching from the trail to the long ride home. (plush ride vs progressive)
One thing that is mandatory with this fork is you need to always bring your shock pump along, in case the Wren suspension fork starts to bottom or top out on new trails.
MANITOU MASTODON PRO - OVERVIEW
If you are interested in purchasing a Manitou Mastodon PRO, RideFATbikes.ca has all (8) versions of this fork for sale in our Online Store < Link >, including both (Standard) STD and (extended) EXT editions w/ 100, 120, 140 or 150mm travel. RideFATbikes.ca might be the only authorized Manitou reseller in Canada that offers all 8 travel length versions of the Mastodon PRO Fat Bike suspension fork.
Many customers who want to upgrade their rigid hardtail Fat bikes to front suspension automatically think bigger numbers are better, and want to order a 120mm or 140mm travel fork. Not all Fat bike frames are designed for suspension forks with more than 100mm travel and AC heights of more than 531mm. Some Fat bike frames were designed for a max AC = 511mm, without voiding factory warranty or adversely affecting the frame’s geometry - especially for SM or MD size frames.
What is the big difference of attempting to install a 120mm EXT fork over a 100 STD, on any given Fat bike? Reviewing the charts above will show it is an increase in bicycle cockpit height of about 40mm. This is significant, and will cause multiple secondary side effects to the bike’s intended geometry, liking kicking the seat tube angle back from 73 or 74 degrees to about 71 to 72 degrees. This can move the rider about 25-35mm farther behind the bottom bracket and reposition the overall weight distribution farther back over the rear wheel. This forces changes to how the bike performs, such as making climbing noticeably more difficult. This example is one of the reasons why we sell 8 different versions of the Mastodon PRO suspension fork - to get the “best fit” scenario for all riders.
RideFATbikes.ca offers a Fat Bike suspension fork consultation service, if you have any questions about which suspension forks are ideally suited for a particular Fat bike frame.
Extended (EXT) ride height versions fit up to 26×5.15” / 27.5×4.5” / 29x3.0” tires
Standard (STD) ride height versions fit up to 26×4.0” / 27.5×3.8” tires (per manufacturer’s specs)
Note : (STD) Ride Height also fits some new 26” x 4.4 and 4.8’s @ 10 PSI or less, that use a shallow depth center lug tread, such as the Schwalbe Jumbo Jim, but may bottom out on other tires of the same width, that use a taller center lug design.
367mm Fork Leg length
Travel SIzes
377mm Fork Leg Length
Travel Sizes
STANDARD
100 STD
120 STD
140 STD
150 STD
EXTENDED
100 EXT
120 EXT
140 EXT
—
STANDARD
—
120 STD
140 STD
150 STD
EXTENDED
100 EXT
120 EXT
140 EXT
150 EXT
MANITOU MASTODON PRO - SUSPENSION TRAVEL CHANGE
So now that you have a Manitou Mastodon PRO (or are thinking of buying one), you might be wondering “how easy it is to adjust the travel height?” You might initially install the fork at 120mm EXT travel and then decide you want to decrease that to 100mm EXT. Or you may want to switch from EXT to STD, to decrease axle to crown (AC) height, and improve bike performance. What is involved in the travel change process? We will list the tools and equipment below. Some customers may find the Mastodon PRO travel change procedure fairly easy to accomplish with the proper tools, while others might find the entire process a bit overwhelming.
Mistakes in disassembly and reassembly can cost $$.
Please take care not to accidently scratch or damage the fork leg shafts once removed from the casting legs.
Make sure not to get any debris stuck to the grease of ANY of the internals - items even as small as an eyelash getting stuck to a fork seal can contribute to operational issues once the fork is reassembled. (see video, and document links below for more details)
MASTODON WHEEL SIZE CONVERSION KIT (STD / EXT)
If switching between an EXT and STD wheel size spacer arrangement, note there are two specific designs of travel spacers needed for both the Air Spring and Rebound assemblies on retail Mastodon forks. (see diagram below)
MASTODON PRO IRT UPGRADE KIT
Manitou Mastodon PRO forks come with a stock IVA by default. You can upgrade to an IRT at time of fork purchase, as the IRT allows full control of the air spring curve.
Manitou Mastodon - 34mm Infinite Rate Tune IRT Upgrade Kit
CANE CREEK PREMIUM CROWN RACE AND STAR NUT INSTALL KIT
Retail boxed Mastodon PRO forks do not come a crown race or Star Nut installation kit. RideFATbikes.ca has an exclusive offer for our customers, who can order a Cane Creek premium blue seal Crown Race , stainless steel Top Cap Bolt and Star Nut assembly, at time of fork purchase (via our Online Store).
(RideFATbikes.ca exclusive)
Note : there is at least one proprietary tool you will need to service the Mastodon forks, that will probably not be in your current toolbox. It looks like a modified cassette tool, and the details are shown below, along with a link to purchase the item directly from Hayes Manitou.
MANITOU FORK SERVICE TOOL KIT
Manitou sells a kit of three proprietary tools necessary to service their forks. The kit retails for around $100 CAD after import, and before shipping costs.
8mm thin-wall socket - required to remove lower fork legs
24mm flat top-cap socket - required to install or modify the fork IVA and/or IRT
Stanchion end-cap socket (modified cassette tool) - required to remove dampers and air springs from the stanchion tubes.
REQUIRED TOOLS - IVA / IRT SERVICE
24mm flat-top cap socket (must have!)
Slickoleum
IVA spacers
IRT Kit to match fork production year
Shock pump
REQUIRED TOOLS - TRAVEL CHANGE
necessary travel spacers (see above)
2mm and 8mm hex wrench
8mm thin wall socket (must have!)
precision torque wrench (3 to 9 Nm)
Manitou Cassette tool (must have!)
Adjustable wrench
26mm Crow’s foot (for torque wrench)
shock pump
drain pan
Slickoleum
Semi-Bath Oil (30+ ml minimum)
Syringe capable of holding 15+ ml
SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL TOOLS
Rubber gloves
Workbench clamp or Bike stand w/ Clamp
Very clean work surface (if not using a bike stand)
Isopropyl Alcohol
Lint-free rag
MANITOU MASTODON PRO - AIR SPRING SETUP
TOOLS REQUIRED
Shock pump w/PSI gauge
SAG charts
Manitou PRO Setup guide PSI Chart
The initial Dorado air spring setup procedures for the Manitou Mastodon PRO are quite easy. It should take less than 5 minutes of your time.
On the lower left fork leg is a Gold/Black/White decal that indicates the factory settings for the fork and its air spring type, indicating PSI recommendations based on rider weight. (such as “150 EXT” Dorado Air, 796mm max tire diameter).
If the stock fork travel length on your fork has been modified, then please refer to the Mastodon PRO Setup Guide Spring Pressure PSI chart below, to find the correct PSI settings for total rider weight and gear :
Click to < Zoom >
RockShox 300 PSI shock pump
To set up your Mastodon PRO fork’s air spring for the first time :
adjust the Hi/Lo compression to full open.
set the rebound damper to about half way as a baseline
move the free-floating dust wiper/seal on the right side of the fork, to its lowest position against the stanchion seal.
Follow the manufacturer’s installation procedures for calibrating Sag. Refer to the provided charts above to find the measurement corresponding to your fork and % SAG desired.
Once the Sag setting is obtained, you can now fine-tune the Mastodon PRO fork to your desired trail settings, using the PSI gauge on your shock pump, the Hi/Lo compression settings and Rebound control settings on fork.
Further refinement of the Air Spring curve can be obtained by adjusting the IVA settings, or switching to the IRT Infinite Rate Tune upgrade, for almost complete control over the Air Spring curve. (think of the IRT as an advanced “TwinAir” design that can be measured via actual PSI in both the top and bottom air chambers (no guess work on the Mastodon PRO!)
( Section Under Construction)
F.A.Q. - Fat Bike Maintenance
— FRAMESETS —
(Section Under Construction)
FRAMESET MATERIALS
The core component of any custom bike build at RideFATbikes.ca, is the frameset. Once a frame is selected, the entire build evolves around that choice. Manufacturers of premium-level bikes design their framesets to excel at certain tasks, and be top contenders in as many other performance categories as possible.
Fat bike frames are made of four (4) main materials, Carbon, Titanium, Aluminum and Steel.
FAT BIKE WEIGHTS
Price plays a big factor in how much your next fat bike will weigh. As you invest more in your bike, the components increase in quality level, while decreasing in weight. Durability goes up substantially, as you invest in better quality parts.
There is a very noticeable difference in performance with as little as 4-5 lbs. in total Fat bike weight, and even a 2 lbs. difference in wheelset weight (rotating mass) can significantly alter the handling characteristics and “fun factor”.
Entry-level 11-12spd hardtail Fat bikes cost about $2000+ in Canada, and will generally weigh between 34-42 lbs. Mid-range 12spd hardtail Fat bikes will cost between $4000 to $7000 CAD, and generally weigh between 25-32 lbs. Premium-level 12spd hardtail fat bikes with carbon wheelset, carbon frameset, and top-notch components will generally run between $8500 to $14,000 CAD and weigh between 21-24 lbs.
When we start a custom Fat bike build, the detailed invoice will mention the estimated total weight of the bike, based on the components selected, and we are usually within 0.5 lbs. We use the manufacturer specifications for these calculations, or our own database for parts we have digitally weighed and verified in the past. (Tire weights can vary widely from manufacturer specs, and from one production run to the next - so that variable is an unknown until we actually can weigh the tires being installed on any particular custom bike build).
FAT BIKE FRAME WEIGHT vs. COST vs. DURABILITY
FRAME WEIGHT (hardtail)
Carbon (1250-1650gr)
Titanium (1450-1800gr)
Aluminum (1900-2700gr)
Steel (2700gr+)
FORK WEIGHT
Carbon rigid (625-850gr)
Alloy ( 1250-1800gr)
Lauf Carbonara (1100gr)
Mastodon PRO (2150gr)
Wren Inverted (2280gr)
Mastodon COMP (2370gr)
FRAME COST
Titanium $$$$
Carbon $$$
Aluminum $$
Steel $
CUSTOM FAT BIKES WEIGHTS
OTSO VOYTEK (21+ lbs.)
9:ZERO:7 LYNX (21+ lbs.)
MOOTS FORAGER (23+ lbs.)
9:ZERO:7 TUNDRA (25+ lbs.)
WYATT MAVERICK (31+ lbs.)
FOES MUTZ (32+ lbs.)
FRAME DURABILITY
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Carbon
NEW FRAME OPTIONS
RideFATbikes.ca takes pride in our work, and will not just throw random parts at a frame, and call it a “custom build”. A lot of time and effort goes into each custom bike, and may require unique machined parts, paint, anodizing, decals, and component special orders from up to 14 different manufacturers, to complete a single custom Fat bike build.
All Fat bikes frames on custom builds are individually selected for each customer, based upon the completion of a Bike Fit assessment. We disregard the standard “Small, Medium, Large, XL” and “15,17,19,21” designations. They are meaningless to us and only marketing numbers. What means everything to us, are the specific geometry charts for each frame model and size.
Bike Frame Protection Film can be installed at the time of frame purchase (before bike has been installed and ridden).
ISCG-05 mounted Chain, Bash and Underbash guides are installed when the new bike is being built. This applies to compatible FOES MUTZ, MOOTS and KNOLLY bikes that we sell. (current OTSO and 9:ZERO:7 frames do not have ISCG mounts)
Fat Bike suspension can be selected over a rigid fork, at the time the new bike is purchased. Several additional components on the bike (such as rotors, brakesets, stems, dropper posts, handlebar, crankset arms, etc.) will be selected based upon the fork being installed, and its axle-to-crown (AC) height.
Note : RideFATbikes.ca custom builds rigid hardtails with different components in mind, vs. a front suspension, or full-suspension build.
Installing a suspension fork will alter the posted manufacturer STACK and REACH geometry charts, except where that manufacturer has supplied adjusted Geometry stats, such as FOES, KNOLLY and WYATT have posted on their websites.
As mentioned earlier, once a specific frame and fork (frameset) has been selected, all other components on the custom build are chosen to maximize performance for that specific client, on that particular frame, based upon the bike fitment assessment results.
FRAME INSPECTION AND RIDER SAFETY
Whether your bike frame is made out of carbon, titanium, aluminum or steel, there are routine inspections to perform on a periodic basis, to make sure the frame’s integrity is at full potential.
Carbon frames
Does a carbon fiber bike frame fatigue over time? The answer is “Yes”. Tom Batho (McLaren F1 Senior Materials Engineer) will discuss this further in the GCN Tech Youtube video —>
Check for impact damage if you have accidently dropped or crashed your bike. Look to delamination of the carbon, cracks in the clearcoat and cracks that are within the carbon tubes. High stress areas are around the headset, chainstays, bottom bracket, and seat tube.
If you find delamination in the carbon, or stress cracks in the frame, do not ride the bike until you have the frame inspected by your LBS or the manufacturer, and they cleared it for continued use. Otherwise, you will need to apply for a frame warranty replacement, or seek a carbon repair shop to fix the damage not covered under warranty.
Stress cracks or delamination in carbon frames can suddenly lead to complete frame failure, without warning, potentially causing rider injury.
Only clamp a carbon frame into a bike stand by the SEAT POST. Do Not secure a carbon frame directly into a bike stand clamp, or you could crush the seat tube or top tube - and this type of frame damage is not covered under the warranty.
Be aware that if you decide to purchase a raw untreated carbon bike frame, that its lifespan can be dramatically shorter than that of a carbon frame that has clearcoat and paint protecting it from UV sunlight damage.
Keep your frame dry during times of storage. Water may build up inside the frame, if there are any open port holes such as internal cable routing ports, open water bottle cage mounting holes, open frame mounting holes.
If water has gotten into your frame, and you cannot figure out how to drain it out by merely using the properties of gravity and altering the orientation of the frame with the ground - you can drain the water from the frame by putting the bike into a bike stand. Loosen the headset, partially remove the front fork, to the point you have an open space gap between the steerer tube and the headset and headtube. Tilt the frame downward, until the downtube is pointed towards the ground, and water inside the frame should slowly drain out. Leave the open gap in the headset to allow air to flow inside the frame and dry out any water still accumulated inside.
Another way to drain all water from the frame is to remove the crank and bottom bracket and gain access to the lower part of the frame, to drain out the water via the (now) open bottom bracket ports.
(Section Under Construction)