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IB14: FatBack Makes a Mark with Footprint Carbon Fat Bike Rims

Written by Zach Overholt
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Fat Back carbon rim fat bike (2)

First shown as a prototype at Interbike 2013, FatBack was on hand at this year’s show with production versions of their carbon fat bike. But the Corvus wasn’t the only star of their show as the bike above was highlighting a new carbon product from FatBack – the FootPrint rim. It may be hard to keep all the new fat bike rims straight, but the FootPrint is one of the first carbon rims we’ve seen that use a cutout design that has been made popular on aluminum rims.

More than just a cosmetic feature, find out why FatBack is building their wheels with 3M reflective tape as the rim strip after the break…

Fat Back carbon rim fat bike (1)

As Alaskan natives, the FatBack crew is admittedly pretty advanced in their fat bike pursuits. When asked about the reflective  rim tape we were told that on certain adventures they will ride to the base of a peak and stash the bike to continue to hike or snowshoe to the summit. When they return it’s usually dark so the reflective strips greatly help in locating the bike when they get back to the bottom. Hey, when you have less than 7 hours of daylight to work with in the Winter, you make it work.

fat back footprint carbon rim (4) fat back footprint carbon rim (3)

fat back foot print (2) fat back foot print (1)

Using a single wall design, the carbon rims are designed to be easily set up tubeless with a floor pump, Stan’s tape, and sealant. Offering a 70mm internal width and 32 spoke symmetrical build, the rims come in right at 588g. Available individually for $600 a piece, the rims will also be sold as complete wheelsets with their FatBack by Hadley hub which are Iditabike proven, or imported hubs for a bit less.

fat back footprint carbon rim (5)

fat back footprint carbon rim (1)

The Corvus is now shipping in both fat and 29+ builds and is geared towards exploration rather than trail riding. The non-suspension corrected frame was designed specifically with adventure riding in mind with a front triangle that is optimized for frame bags providing the most room possible. The frame allows the use of racks as well making it an excellent candidate for your next pack raft/fat bike adventure. Built with clearance for 4.8″ tires, framesets retail for $2,300.

fatbackbikes.com

 
Zach Overholt
5,722 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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craigsj
craigsj
10 years ago

“More than just a cosmetic feature, find out why FatBack is building their wheels with 3M reflective tape as the rim strip after the break…”

Sounds like purely a cosmetic feature. They could put reflective tape anywhere on the bike and serve the same purpose. Drilling holes in the rims so they can tape them is pure vanity.

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Chader
Chader
10 years ago

Drilling the holes is primarily for weight reduction and a legitimate modification.

The specific tape color used is the cosmetic part.

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pile-on
pile-on
10 years ago

@craigsj–from my limited experience it seems most fat bike rims are drilled-out to save weight carbon or aluminum, and in my real life experience having reflective tape on wheels is a fantastic idea–much more eye-catching/visible to motorists.

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craigsj
craigsj
10 years ago

Read the statement again: “More than just a cosmetic feature…”

It is nothing more than cosmetic. Reflective tape can go anywhere.

Drilling holes in a carbon rim for weight reduction is not a “legitimate modification”.

If you are doing a custom carbon rim layup for a rim and you end up with holes then you are doing it wrong. The holes existed originally to reduce weight in heavy alloy rims. Lightening holes in a custom carbon rim are stupid and cosmetic as is the single wall construction itself.

Who cares anyway. These gigantically wide fat rims are first and foremost cosmetic anyway. The slab-sided, wide-as-you-can-get, single-walled drilled-out design is pure fashion.

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craigsj
craigsj
10 years ago

To add…search for “Kuroshiro Enso685” or look here at BikeRumor back on Sept 20.

They are building a carbon rim wider (85mm) than this one and nearly 30% lighter (420g). How can they do this? By avoiding the moronic single walled construction with “lightening holes”. Of course, you can’t have cool reflective tape inside those rims…

Rims in conventional sizes don’t use construction like this. They all use a 3D structure because it’s superior. These guys are fools, don’t use carbon this way.

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M.C. Slammer
M.C. Slammer
10 years ago

Craigsj- why don’t you tell us how you really feel about this product? I think it’s tops!

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Fatback
Fatback
10 years ago

The holes are for weight savings. The 3M tape is for safety. Nothing more to it than that. We offer them without holes if that is your preference. And for the record, the lighter version went 1-2 in the Iditarod Trail Invitational smashing the record. They took multiple victories last year, including a downhill race. No doubt the Kuroshiro rims are amazing, as are the HED rims, both of them “moronic” single wall construction with more shape. Some of the double wall carbon rims have already been pulled off the market due to cracking. The Footprint sets up and holds tubeless very well.

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kevinB
kevinB
10 years ago

Having a lot of miles on these purely cosmetic rims. i can assure you there’s not much vanity involved in riding on winter trails in the dark alone with your dog. As the article starts with Fatback is out of alaska. It’s snowing there right now and will be next May. Saying Fatbike rims are just for vanity in a place that has snow cover 8 months of the year is like saying a boat is just vanity for a fisherman. (also not mentioned, carbon rims are a lot easier to handle when temps are below zero, reducing frost nip when you’re airing up your tires) but im usually just handling my rims to pick up chicks and impress hipster cyclists in skinny jeans.

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Cody -
Cody -
10 years ago

Craigsj you should check out the folks at Fatback and kevinB between them they have as many miles in real snow bike conditions as anybody out there. The products they use and make our some of the best you can buy. They may look good but I can guarantee they were not made for cosmetic purposes. So craigsj before you start bad mouthing a product please know what you are talking about.

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gerald t.
gerald t.
10 years ago

(deleted)

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Psi Squared
Psi Squared
10 years ago

The last time I checked, all rims are 3D structures, as are flower pots, pies, and sheets of graphene.

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Fatbike907
Fatbike907
10 years ago

Craigsj…

Are you kidding us? When you remove mass, you remove weight; therefore a weight reduction. And, there’s no better place to put reflective tape than the wheel cut-outs. More surface area than anywhere on the bike.

Think through your responses before posting.

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CharlyT
CharlyT
10 years ago

Just curious Greg, are the frames available now? Website says preorders taken. Also, surprised you didn’t go wider with the rim considering the market you go for. Fatback makes a solid product, and Kevin is the real deal and cool guy.

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Joe
Joe
10 years ago

(deleted)

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Fatback
Fatback
10 years ago

CharlyT-yes, sizes 16 and 18 are in stock, with 20″ frames shipping soon. With the wider tires available, a 4.8 on a Footprint is more than enough for 99.9% of the riding we do here. I still prefer 4″ wide tires. If one of the newer tires is the same weight and rolling resistance, I’ll give it a go.

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Hellbilly
Hellbilly
10 years ago

I’d say sub 600gr rim weights (at 70mm) is highly respectable. Never mind these rims, and the Corvus, have proven they can hold up to the abuse of 1,000mi races and win. These are light weight hoops that have proven they can compete. Oh, and the reflective rim tape certainly adds some Hi-Vis safety and looks bitchin’ on night time group rides. So, aesthetics + weight savings = sold.

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Fan Boy
Fan Boy
10 years ago

I have a (not flaming) question for the Fatback guys.

if you have holes in rims (and I’m not specifically referring to carbon here), does that not mean that you must, even slightly, strengthen or beef up the centre section of the rim to support the removed section. To help support the greater span between the rim cross section I mean.

If that is the case, then could you not make the rim “solid”, (no holes) but thinner all through the centre section, spreading the strength and support?

it would also make tubeless conversions easier with no holes to tape over.

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