On our trip up to Minneapolis last month we spied this Ti Fatback with it’s carbon fork and the signature twisted downtube of a Lynsky fab’d frame and we knew that we wanted to talk to it’s owner. This sweet scooter is owned by elite racer and ex motocross pro, Jeff Colbert of North Branch MN. One of the first things he told us was that he was the third owner of the bike!
He went on to explain that the original owner is an old friend of ours, Dan Vold aka Yeti-Guy. I knew Dan had owned a Ti Fatback and had sold it to build a Black Sheep work of art and this turned out to be that very machine. Dan sold it to Mike Larsen, who is a friend of Jeff’s. The moment that Jeff laid eyes on Mike’s new fatty, he began negotiations to buy it at (almost) any price. Can you say love at first sight?
A deal was struck and Jeff gets to ride one of the lightest fat-bikes, I’ve ever hefted. We don’t carry a scale around, but Jeff told us it weighs in at 26 pounds! The bike felt amazingly light! We saw Jeff podium at both the races we covered on our trip to the twin cities on what I’ve come to believe, is a unique Minneapolis super-light fat-bike race bike set-up. Brendan Moore (another perennial podium topper) rides a 9 zero 7 race sled that sports a similar component package – HuskerDu’s mounted to Umma drilled rims – a 1×7 drive train – and carbon forkage. The MPLS fat-bike race scene is serious business.
So… What’s the break-down on components that make this so light??? Curious, because I’m building Mukluk now and want to make it as light as possible, within reason…
Its really a hodge pog of stuff I had laying around. Ti frame and post, carbon fatback fork, 70mm speedway rims, fatback hubs with supposedly Ti internals. Light weigt tubes, Carbon bars, sram X0 shifters and Hyd disc brakes. Old 8 speed XTR cassette that I removed a gear and spaced behind it to make drivline much straighter. E13 cranks that I modified. XTR chain, 34 tooth front and 11-32 rear. xpedo TI TI pedals. specialized light wight carbon saddle, Husker Doo’s.
The things I’m changing for next year are, Lighter hoops, Carver carbon fork. tubeless. and new bottem bracket/cranks. I have put in 4 sets of crank bearings in one winter. Yea there light, but they break if you look at them wrong. Hopefully someone can come out with a lighter tire than 3 lbs that will actually work. The Doo’s and Nates are amazing. I’m hoping that this will come in somewhere in the 24.5lb range next year. some people may think I’m a weight weeny, but really i’m just having fun seeing how low you can get one of these things. I hope fat biking lives for a long time and keeps growing. I was riding in the snow 12 years ago when it wasn’t cool. I LOVE IT>>>>>>
I’m far from and elite MTB racer. more like and advanced rec rider. On the Moto side though I am and old pro. With emphasis on old. Ha ha
You’ll love the Carver fork ESP at 550 grams. Plus it rides great!
What does your fatback frame weight?
I was thinking of the also Lynsky built ti Mukluk so I could easily run her singlespeed.
Now you got me thinking….
Nice ride Jeff…..you’re fast as hell on that thing!