Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
These things have been around for a while now…and like everything else… they’re polarizing as hell. But why?
Ok, they’re kinda fugly.
Having just installed one on my Trek Farley I figured I’d jot down a few notes in the hopes it answered some questions. If you’re not a FatBike rider, you will get zero benefit from this (just trying to not waste people’s time)
Stats:
The current (as of 2023) version has a tapered steerer (carbon) with a 150x15 thru axle.
You’ll need a 6mm hex as It has no lever. The Axle to Crown on the Carbonara is 495mm which is basically the same as the stock Farley (2018) rigid carbon fork that it replaced.
Weighs 1,100g or 2.43lbs
Unsprung weight 260g
Max Tire 26x5, 27.5x4.5, 29x3
Rake(offset) 51mm
Min Rotor 180mm
Rider weight limit 287lbs.
The travel on the Carbonara is 60mm or about 2.35” and while it’s suspension, it’s undamped… and that’s key.
Before I go down the subjective rabbit hole, I’d like to make MY use case crystal clear. This is a comfort item for FatBike use, period. I have no desire to ride my FatBike at Chimney Rock or anywhere that the word rock would be uttered. I have other bikes for that.
Like I’ve been known for saying, “You can hammer a nail with a herring, but I don’t recommend it”.
My FatBike rides consist of meandering around on terra-firma, and as such my only obstacles are roots, the occasional log, some “B” roads and the crap that washes up on the beach.
So, do I like it? Actually, yes… Very much so. I just had it at Clayton today and it performed flawlessly.
What does it feel like? It takes the sting out of all the annoying stuff. It gives you better than beach pressure compliance on the trail without the squirrelly’ness that would normally go with it. In fact, I’m running half a PSI higher up front and it feels really good. Steering is predictable and precise without the flop or skipping you can sometimes feel when making quick direction changes at speed.
We all know the fun flow section at Clayton… I let the bike loose and felt completely in control going way faster than I ever would normally on the FatBike. I think it’s the little bit of sag inherent in the fork that keeps the rubber on the ground when the tire wants to skim the surface on bumps. Sooo, winning?
What is it not? It’s not a substitute for a Bluto, Wren or Mastodon. It just isn’t. If you want to huck off stuff or play in rock gardens this is NOT the fork for you.
If you want to know anything else about it, let me know and I’ll try to answer it for you.
Ok, they’re kinda fugly.
Having just installed one on my Trek Farley I figured I’d jot down a few notes in the hopes it answered some questions. If you’re not a FatBike rider, you will get zero benefit from this (just trying to not waste people’s time)
Stats:
The current (as of 2023) version has a tapered steerer (carbon) with a 150x15 thru axle.
You’ll need a 6mm hex as It has no lever. The Axle to Crown on the Carbonara is 495mm which is basically the same as the stock Farley (2018) rigid carbon fork that it replaced.
Weighs 1,100g or 2.43lbs
Unsprung weight 260g
Max Tire 26x5, 27.5x4.5, 29x3
Rake(offset) 51mm
Min Rotor 180mm
Rider weight limit 287lbs.
The travel on the Carbonara is 60mm or about 2.35” and while it’s suspension, it’s undamped… and that’s key.
Before I go down the subjective rabbit hole, I’d like to make MY use case crystal clear. This is a comfort item for FatBike use, period. I have no desire to ride my FatBike at Chimney Rock or anywhere that the word rock would be uttered. I have other bikes for that.
Like I’ve been known for saying, “You can hammer a nail with a herring, but I don’t recommend it”.
My FatBike rides consist of meandering around on terra-firma, and as such my only obstacles are roots, the occasional log, some “B” roads and the crap that washes up on the beach.
So, do I like it? Actually, yes… Very much so. I just had it at Clayton today and it performed flawlessly.
What does it feel like? It takes the sting out of all the annoying stuff. It gives you better than beach pressure compliance on the trail without the squirrelly’ness that would normally go with it. In fact, I’m running half a PSI higher up front and it feels really good. Steering is predictable and precise without the flop or skipping you can sometimes feel when making quick direction changes at speed.
We all know the fun flow section at Clayton… I let the bike loose and felt completely in control going way faster than I ever would normally on the FatBike. I think it’s the little bit of sag inherent in the fork that keeps the rubber on the ground when the tire wants to skim the surface on bumps. Sooo, winning?
What is it not? It’s not a substitute for a Bluto, Wren or Mastodon. It just isn’t. If you want to huck off stuff or play in rock gardens this is NOT the fork for you.
If you want to know anything else about it, let me know and I’ll try to answer it for you.
