Home > Biking

First ‘Gearbox Fat Bike’ By German Brand

Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Fat bikes thrive in harsh riding conditions, offering a great ride in snow and mud, but they do have a potential weak spot: the drivetrain.

German bike builder Nicolai applied some unique engineering in the new Argon FAT Pinion 2014, just unveiled via video yesterday.

This bike has a Gates Carbon Drive and internal Pinion gear box housed in the bottom bracket.

The Pinion gearbox is sealed, keeping crud out of gears and running smoothly. It does have disadvantages; for one, the gearbox weighs 5.95 pounds.



While few details have been released by Nicolai, the gearbox used is the Pinion P1.18, which has a ‘spur gear’ type transmission with 18 speeds at 11.5 percent constant gear ratios to achieve a gearing range of 636 percent.

It also has a 120mm Carver Trans Fat fork, which should make for a cushy ride over those big tires.

More info coming soon, but for now enjoy the video. It looks like a blast! —Sean McCoy

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!