In a nutshell, this bike speaks to my inner XC racer of past years.

It handles great, too, with a quick and responsive feel by fat bike standards. I was able to transfer my XC race bike fit right over to this bike, although I sometimes wish the seat tube were a degree or two steeper. It has a racy feel with a long reach and low stack. The other thing I really like about this bike is its geometry. As a result, I am still on the original headset, hub and bottom bracket bearings. Unless it sees coastal salt spray or mud, I rarely wash my bike.

Rocks sometimes get sucked up by the tire and rub against the seat tube, and mud can create issues as well. The only downside to this is that it creates a lack of tire clearance against the seat tube, and mine has the scars to show it. I’ve found it easier to maintain rear-wheel traction in this setting, and the bike handles quicker, too. The sliding dropouts allow me to keep the chainstay length nice and short. It has a few features that I’m particularly fond of, however. The Farley frame is still the same OCLV carbon frame that you’ll find on the current Farley 9.6 but with different paint.

I am not suggesting that everybody should ride a fat bike, but if you’re looking for a different experience on a bicycle, this is one way to get it. It’s comfortable, surprisingly fast and has traction everywhere. It lets me ride places that have me pushing on all but eMTBs. Decades later I get that same sense of freedom and exploration on this fat bike. The idea that you could ride these bikes anywhere, and the freedom that came with that, is what first hooked me on riding as a teen. I am old enough to remember when mountain bikes were referred to as all-terrain bicycles, or ATBs. The Farley was different, and it’s likely not a coincidence that it was also the first fat bike I rode with 27.5-inch fat wheels and tires.Īlthough I live in the mountains at 4500 feet and regularly ride snow in the winter, I ride this bike in the dry even more. They were great on soft surfaces but left me cold (pun intended) on the dirt. Up to that point they all felt a bit too heavy, clumsy and narrowly focused. I’ve tested and reviewed numerous fat bikes over the years, and while I’ve appreciated them and their unique capabilities, none really spoke to me on a personal level until I rode this one. It sees more dirt than snow or sand these days, and I absolutely love it. This fat bike is way more than a soft-surface-focused ride. It was a test bike that I simply couldn’t part with, so I bought it. While many bikes have come and gone in recent years, one has stood the test of time for me-my 2016 Trek Farley 9.8 fat bike. It seems like my favorite changes about every six months when something new comes along and raises the bar. By Ron KochĪs part of the wrecking crew, we are often asked about our favorite bikes. Fat bike fun extends far beyond snow or sand.

Trek stache 7 vs farley 7