The Best Fat Tire Bikes of 2024

The Kings Peak has a full carbon frame and fork that not only looks great but helps to keep the weight of this behemoth down to a respectable 31 pounds for the size large we tested. The folks at Ari gave it a relatively modern geometry that could definitely be considered progressive for a fat bike.

The 67-degree head tube angle, 75-degree seat tube angle, and reach of 470mm (size large) are similar to what you’ll find on some of today’s trail mountain bikes. This gives the Kings Peak a familiar, comfortable feel, and undoubtedly adds to its overall high level of stability and confident handling.

Like most fat bikes, the Kings Peak rolls on SunRingle Mulefut wheels. The 27.5-inch rims have an 80mm width and are paired with massive 4.5-inch Maxxis Colossus tires.

This wheel and tire combo rolls great and provides ample flotation for use on snow and sand while also performing respectably on singletrack trails ranging from smooth to rough and chunky. When testing this bike in the late spring, the snow was melting and the local trails were quite patchy, and the Kings Peak transitioned seamlessly between dirt and snow surfaces.

Ari sells the Kings Peak as a frame only for $1,499, so you can build it up how you like, or it comes in two complete build options. Since Ari Bikes sells directly to the consumer, the prices are quite reasonable for the quality components you get. We tested the Comp build, which retails for $2,499, and added a dropper post to increase our riding enjoyment (there are numerous upgrade options at checkout).

This build is stellar for the price with components including the great 12-speed Shimano SLX drivetrain, good wheels and tires, and a nicely appointed cockpit. They also sell the Elite build for $2,999, which comes with a GX Eagle drivetrain, TRP Trail Evo brakes, and a PNW Rainier dropper post.

For the serious adventure riders and bikepackers out there, the Kings Peak frame is equipped with lots of mounts on the frame and fork for bags and accessories. The open front triangle is also nice and spacious for fitting frame bags. It would be easy to gear up with this bike for extended adventures in the desert or the frozen tundra.

If you’re looking for a proper fat bike for winter or adventure riding, we think the Ari Kings Peak is one of the best you’ll find. Its modern geometry makes it super-capable and confidence-inspiring to ride while the quality builds and reasonable prices make it a great value.

While $1,800 may not qualify as cheap (nothing is with bikes these days), it certainly falls into the budget category among fat bikes. And for that price, Kona packs tubeless-ready, 26 × 4.8-inch treads (Schwalbe Jumbo Jim or Vee Tire Snow Avalanche) onto an aluminum frame and fork.

The geometry is semi-relaxed for a fat bike. It’s not as playful or aggressive as a high-end fatty like Why Cycles’ Big Iron, but it’s not overly relaxed either. Overall, the Wo rides fairly neutral relative to other fat bikes, which is exactly what we need them to do.

And that neutrality carries on throughout the component spec and feature set. The 1x gearing pairs a 10-speed Microshift Advent X derailleur with a 28-tooth chainring — it’s better than bargain basement, but it leaves room for an upgrade if you want to build it up for slightly better performance.

Hydraulic Tektro brakes offer a slice of premium performance that we were pleasantly surprised to see. That said, you’ll have a tough time getting too much speed with any gruppo, as our XL tester came in north of 30 pounds.

Beyond that, the frame is pretty clean — two bottle mounts and that’s it. For more versatility and customization for packs or racks, you’ll have to level up to the Woo. But for the ride quality for the money, the Kona Wo is stable, fun, and reliable — well suited to low-pressure, mellow-paced rambles rather than fast, aggressive expeditions.

The ride feels like a modern mountain bike — playful, poppy, and fast. It’s sold as a frame only for $2,499 or with a superb GX Eagle build that’s currently on sale for $3,359, which is a steal.

Titanium not only looks incredible but is nearly half the weight of steel. It has a better strength-to-weight ratio than aluminum and superb vibration damping, which, along with the ENVE Carbon Fat Fork, gives the ride a unique, silky feel. The Big Iron’s 27.5-inch wheels and 4.5-inch tires absorb uneven terrain better than the smaller wheels on many other fat bikes, though they take a bit more effort to spin up to speed.

The 4.5-inch tires give this bike superb traction in soft snow and icy trails. The adjustable dropouts on the rear end let us adapt geometry to adjust the ride feel from fast and snappy to long and stable for different missions or to accommodate different wheel sizes.

The bike has a nice low standover height, which makes it easy to get on and off. The rest of the geometry is modern but far from extreme, and perfectly in line with this bike’s intended use.

The Big Iron is a functional work of art, as well-suited to playfully skidding along snow-covered singletrack as for tackling an epic bikepacking mission. Much like a modern mountain bike, the Big Iron has a longer reach, with a wide bar and short stem for confident handling and better ride comfort on long rides.

The frame design lets us add a maximum-travel dropper post on the Big Iron to make technical terrain easier. But there was still plenty of room for a frame bag for bikepacking missions along with numerous bosses on the frame and mounts for a rear rack and fenders.

The GX Eagle build is also stellar with its namesake GX Eagle drivetrain, SRAM G2 R brakes, and a Crankbrothers Highline dropper post. This bike is well sorted and ready to take on any fat bike mission you are on, on snow or not. So, if you’re willing to spend a bit more for the Revel Big Iron, we seriously doubt you’ll be disappointed.

One of the biggest challenges of fat bikes is that riding long distances can make your knees hurt. That’s because many fat bikes have much wider cranks than normal mountain bikes to accommodate 4-inch and wider tires. Otso’s Voytek has the narrowest crank width (called the Q-factor) available.

The brand achieves it with a custom offset chainring, a dedicated 1x drivetrain, and a creative chainstay design. The result is a bike that puts minimum stress on your knees and handles like any great mountain bike hardtail because your feet aren’t spread so far apart.

One of the reasons the Voytek is such a fun and responsive ride is its fast, stable, flexible geometry. According to Otso, the bike is designed with a longer top tube and the shortest chainstays of any fat bike. That’s paired with a 68.5-degree headtube angle for responsiveness, stability, and a racy feel.

It can also accommodate a 120mm suspension fork for rugged terrain or for riders who opt for a second wheelset and run this bike as a hardtail mountain bike when they’re off snow and sand. The Voytek’s chameleon-like characteristics come from a tuning chip at the rear dropout that allows riders to change the Voytek‘s wheelbase up to 20 mm while raising or lowering the bottom bracket by 4 mm.

With the chip set in the forward position, the Voytek has aggressive, responsive geometry with the feel of a race hardtail. With the chip in the rear position, the bike is stable, steerable, and easy to manage loaded or in snow and ice. A middle position gives this bike an all-mountain feel.

There are more than a dozen ways to set up the Voytek, and you can explore the options using a handy tool on Otso’s website. The Voytek can run multiple wheel sizes — including 27.5-inch wheels with plus-size MTB tires or 26-inch wheels with 4.6-inch fat tires — and Otso’s rigid carbon fork or a suspension fork with up to 120 mm of travel. The EPS-molded carbon frame of the Voytek takes an internally routed dropper post.

The base build comes with a wide range of gears on a Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, and Otso gives you the option to build your bike up how you like with their custom configurator. At 25.4 pounds, it’s also the lightest fat bike we tested and lighter than many regular mountain bikes.

What sets the Aventure.2 apart from similarly priced fat tire e-bikes is its class 3 capability, which gives it a top pedal-assist speed of 28 mph. It also has a throttle to whisk you along at up to 20 mph without even needing to turn the cranks.

It comes with a big, 720Wh battery that provides an impressive range on a single charge. Like most similar bikes, it comes with fenders and lights, but it also comes with a rear rack, and it has a total weight capacity of up to 400 pounds.

With four pedal assist settings, you can choose the level of support that’s right for the terrain and situation, whether that’s keeping up with traffic around town or casually cruising on a gravel road near your camp spot. The 750W rear hub motor has plenty of power, and the torque sensor gives it a more natural feeling of power delivery.

The Aventure.2 comes in two frame styles — step-over and step-through. Each frame style comes in two sizes, Regular and Large. With those options, riders between 4’11” and 6’4″ should be able to get a good fit. Unlike non-electric fat tire bikes, it has more relaxed and upright geometry and seated pedaling position. This ends itself well to the power it has and the type of terrain its best suited for.

What really sets the Aventure.2 apart from standard electric bikes are the big, 4-inch wide knobby tires. Add the 80mm suspension fork to the equation, and this bike really helps to smooth out rougher surfaces, and it works really well on gravel roads and smoother singletrack trails. At the same time, it does great on paved roads and bike paths, making it a highly versatile bike that can function as a commuter and adventure bike for mixed surfaces.

The biggest drawback of the Aventon is its weight. At 77 pounds, it’s heavy and difficult to transport. That weight also affects its handling, and we can’t recommend it for properly tackling technical mountain bike singletracks. It’s also a lot to push should you encounter spots that you can’t ride.

Still, if you’re looking for a powerful fat tire electric bike to expand your horizons, the Aventon Aventure.2 is a great, reasonably priced option to consider.

Read review: Aventon Aventure.2 Review: Rugged, Fat-Tire E-Bike Gets Improved Assist, Double the Range

It has a 750W geared hub motor and a 672Wh battery. With pedal assist, this bike rolled for 25 to 45 miles per charge during testing. It’s worth noting the battery didn’t last as long in the cold. Rad doesn’t recommend riding this bike under -4 degrees Fahrenheit, as colder temperatures can damage the battery.

The RadRover’s seven-speed Shimano drivetrain and 80Nm torque geared hub motor powered us up steep hills. It got us up to speed quickly and relatively quietly despite the bike’s hefty 73-pound weight. It’s a Class 2 electric bike, so it will only assist you to 20 mph, unlike the class 3 Aventon described above.

Yes, you can go faster, and on downhills, you likely will. But over 20 mph, the speed will have to come from your legs or gravity. Because it has both pedal assist and a throttle, riders without the stamina for extended pedaling can venture farther. Post-ride, the RadRover 6 recharges in 5-6 hours plugged into a standard wall socket.

Some fat bikes are made for singletrack and other less-traveled roads. This one is more at home on smooth trails, gravel roads, and paved paths. Its upright geometry makes it a great bike for cruising, but, along with its heavier weight, doesn’t make it a great option for serious technical trail riding.

The RadRover 6’s fat tires are extremely stable, which helps riders feel confident on a wide range of surfaces all year round as long as it isn’t too rough. With step-thru and high-step frames offered, riders between 5’2″ and 6’2″ should be able to find the right fit.

The most recent update to the RadRover gave it a more streamlined frame design that includes a semi-integrated battery. It still comes with integrated lights and fenders and Rad Power has a robust selection of accessories so that you can dial it in for your specific needs. Still, it’s well-equipped to handle changing weather and lighting conditions right out of the box.

For riders seeking a fun, utilitarian electric fat tire bike, the affordable Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus is a great option to consider. This versatile model can pretty much do it all, from commuting around town to far-flung weekend adventures, no matter the season.

With front and rear suspension, 4-inch wide tires, a super powerful mid-drive motor, multiple battery size options, and a 300-pound total weight limit, this bike is ready to get you to your favorite far-off hunting spots and back again.

Compared to the more budget-friendly electric fat tire bikes described above, the Bakcou Storm is quite a bit more advanced. It’s much more like a higher-end electric mountain bike, just with 4-inch-wide tires.

The rear suspension and 120mm travel fork also help to make it more capable of handling seriously rough and rocky terrain. The slightly more aggressive geometry also lends itself to better handling in those situations.

The Storm comes equipped with a powerful Bafang M620 Ultra mid-drive motor with a nominal 1,000W output and 160Nm of torque. Those are some serious numbers, so it makes sense why it’s referred to as the “diesel engine” of electric bike motors.

The torque sensors give it a natural feeling ride, and it’s certainly no slouch when you want to get it up to speed. The “standard” battery option (835Wh) provides ample juice and range for most people’s needs, but Bakcou also offers upgrades (between $200 and $400) to get bigger batteries and go even farther.

If you’re in the market for the best e-bike for hunting, the experts at Bakcou have made it and it’s called the Storm. Whether you’re just making approaches on dirt roads or traversing rugged mountain terrain, the Bakcou Storm is ready to take you there. It also comes in five color options including camo.

The Salsa HeyDay!‘s ($3,299) high-modulus carbon frame is light and stiff, but it won’t rattle your teeth out when navigating endless miles of brake bumps along the Alaska Highway. The carbon is layered to make the bike efficient to pedal but shock-absorbing too.

The HeyDay! comes with 26-inch rims and 4.6-inch tires, but the tires and wheels can be configured in almost any way you want them. Its 45NRTH Dillinger custom-studdable tires gave us incredible traction on every surface from sand to glacier ice. Because we mostly ride fat bikes in winter conditions and our home trails are often icy, we studded them immediately.

The HeyDay! comes with a full-carbon Kingpin Deluxe Fork that’s light and durable with loads of accessory mounts for bags and bottles.

The bike has options for two dropout positions — one compatible with 26-inch wheels and 4.6-inch tires, which is what the bike comes with. The second position accommodates larger wheels. And for the rider who wants more control and the ability to change the bike’s ride feel incrementally, Salsa sells an infinitely adjustable dropout kit.

The HeyDay! has a reasonably slack 69-degree headtube angle and relatively narrow Q-factor cranks. Cables are routed internally to keep them out of the weather. And though the bike comes as a 1x, it can also be set up with a 2x or single-speed drivetrain.

Currently, the only build offered is the Deore 12, which has the reliable Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain. Salsa also makes an aluminum frame version that comes with MicroSHIFT’s Advent 9-speed drivetrain and goes for a shockingly low price of $1,699.

The HeyDay! really got our attention when riding fully loaded. Short chainstays make the bike feel energetic, and the low bottom bracket was stable even with all our camping gear on board.

Combined with a slight dip in the top tube, it made getting on and off the bike a stress-free affair. The HeyDay!’s center of gravity is farther back than on some bikes. The steering was responsive even in soft conditions.

The Salsa HeyDay! comes with 26 × 4.6-inch tires. We prefer a larger wheel and tire for winter riding, and we plan to swap what came on the bike before our next tour. Bonus: When fat tires aren’t needed, you can run this bike with 29er mountain bike wheels and 2.3- to 3.0-inch tires to make it an adventure bikepacking rig for all seasons.

Thanks to the included dropper post, this fat bike is able to climb comfortably and descend with nimble agility. We especially appreciate the Yukon’s spot-on frame geometry, which provides noticeable balance and predictable handling at high speeds.

In general, the design features of the Yukon 1 prioritize versatility above all else. The moderately long 1,171mm wheelbase and 460mm chainstays make for a stable ride that remains maneuverable on descents.

Like most fat bikes, the Yukon was designed primarily for moderate terrain. Its 27.5-inch wheels and high-volume tires eliminate chatter on semi-bumpy trails and packed snow, but it probably isn’t the best choice for rock hopping and large drops.

The frame can fit two water bottles, and there’s a set of mounts for a top tube bag. The front triangle can also easily accommodate a frame-mounted bag and there are threaded mounts on the legs of the fork too.

Our only real complaint about the Yukon is the SRAM NX drivetrain, which works well enough but isn’t the most reliable or smooth. Still, the Giant Yukon 1 is a great option to add to the quiver to keep the cranks turning through the winter months. It also happens to look fantastic and sells for a fair price.

Borealis calls the Crestone its “tried and true flagship model.” It ships with 26-inch wheels but is compatible with 27.5 and 29-inch wheels, giving it the potential to be a four-season, singletrack-slaying, snow-shredding, sand-stomping hardtail. We tested it with a 100mm suspension fork, an option that enhances its comfort and inspires confidence to ride singletrack and rough terrain the way you normally wouldn’t on most fat bikes.

For a fat bike, the high-quality carbon components — including the frame, handlebars, and seat post — keep the total package relatively lightweight. Internally routed cables keep the aesthetics clean and tidy. Lizard skin protectors on the down tube and drive-side chainstay prevent damage to the carbon frame.

Though most fat bikes don’t come with a suspension fork, certain riders simply can’t stay away from the big hits. While it may have a steeper, 70-degree head tube angle, the 100mm of travel provides the confidence and comfort to tackle rougher terrain.

Suspension forks can’t take bags or bottles, but our experience was there’s plenty of space to store gear on this hardtail even without fork mounts. If you don’t need or want front suspension, Borealis sells the Crestone with a rigid carbon fork as well.

The Borealis Crestone is sold in an array of complete builds ranging in price from $2,169 to $4,499, or you can choose your own components in their custom configurator.