We’ve covered budget fat bikes ($199 and up), and then last year we bought a fat bike from Wal-Mart and took it for a test ride.
This month, the retail behemoth released a fat bike for kids. The 20” Mongoose Boys’ Massif costs just $197. It’s made for boys ages 6 to 11, Wal-Mart cites.
The tires are 4 inches wide and kid-size at 20 inches in diameter. The brand is selling the Massif as a “true all-terrain bike,” snow riding ostensibly included (though the tires lack significant tread).
It has a 1X7 drivetrain with a Shimano rear derailleur, twist shifters, and disc brakes. Amazing considering the price ($197), though the quality is likely in line with any other “department store” bike.
One caveat: The bike weighs 31.5 pounds. This is not much more than the weight of most five-year-old kids. It’d be like a 160-pound adult riding a 100-pound bike.
Your kid not ready for the “all terrain” experience? Wal-Mart notes you can bolt on training wheels for added stability as your little one learns to bike fat style.
—Stephen Regenold
