Fat bikes are quickly gaining momentum in the off-road cycling world. With monster-truck tires, solid frames, and rugged construction, these bikes look like they can take it all on. So when I was sent the Minnesota 2.0 Women’s Framed Fat Bike to try out for myself, I wanted to see if it rode as good as it looked.
The fat bike was massive in my apartment, sprawling its colossal tires and huge handlebars all across my living room. I first took it for a spin around downtown Seattle and men were tripping over themselves to make comments about their tire envy — even construction workers.
I found the bike handled easily on the road and was more suited to my small frame than other mountain bikes I’ve tried — especially in the handlebar department. The rolling resistance, which is what almost everyone asks about, was hardly noticeable tooling around my neighborhood.
But the real test came when I headed to Duthie Hill, a mountain bike park close to Seattle. In the first five minutes at the park, as I slowly rolled over a raised wooden plank trail, the bike flew out from under me, putting me on guard. Happily, after I took a massive amount of air out of the tires (they hold nowhere near the 120 psi my road bike holds), the ride became perfection.
The additional weight of the bike plus the humongous squishy tires turned the flowing slalom into a roller coaster — featuring jumps. And the roller coaster trail became the largest jumps I’ve ever taken. The weight flung us down hills faster than I usually go, and the size of the tires made landings as simple as ABC.
The owner of Framed bikes let me know that fat bikes are ideal for beginners, especially those who are a little nervous. I agree in more than just one sense. The Minnesota 2.0 not only ran rugged through rowdy mud pits and helped me take bumps without a jolt, it also is ideal for a new rider’s budget. Coming in at just $899.95 (here), this bike is more than half the cost of other bikes on the market — and one of the few built for women.
The Pros
- Beautiful: Maybe this shouldn’t be a reason, but I am shallow. This bike looks tough! I loved the fun color of the rims and how the bike’s cool look made me feel.
- Durable: Like all mountain bikes should, this thing can take a beating. And, even after hitting the ridiculously muddy trails in Seattle in November, it was easy to clean!
- Handles Well: The shorter handlebar and women’s specific design made this bike handle like a dream. Plus, the larger tires allowed the bike to catch me faster when I slipped on wet roots and rocks — a definite plus for a new rider.
The Cons
- Heavy: Clocking in at 33 pounds, this bike isn’t the lightest on the market. This is a mixed blessing — while it did make uphill battles a little tougher, it also helped me fly downhill and hit jumps at a quicker pace.
- Loose Sand: Fat bikes are made for sand and snow. Sadly, there was no snow to play in when I was riding, but I did take it to the loose sands of a beach near me. The extremely loose sand was hard to peddle in and the wetter sand closer to the water ran the risk of getting ocean spray on the bike. This really isn’t a con on the bike’s performance, more a con on sand — it’s not my cup of tea.
The Bottom Line: Buy It!
This bike is on the top of my purchase list.
Just keep spinning. — Arielle
*Special thanks to Nate Kane, photographer. Follow him on the gram and his blog for more rad imagery and to hire him for your next shoot!
**Please note that I received this product free of charge for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.