There’s a really interesting thread over on MTBR, where Riverbend Bicycles is building a homemade fatbike in his machine shed.

It has an electronic motor in the rear hub, a BB-centric suspension pivot, and an interesting linkage-based front suspension design…and it’s purely built from scratch.  There’s a lot of clever thinking going on…and I suspect that there will be more bikes emerging from between the tractors.

My one criticism: he needs more John Deere, and less CaseIH.

But seriously…

I think it’s going to be awesome.  I’m a bit worried that it’s going to be monster heavy (3×9, rear motor, controller and battery, FS, heavy tubing, non-drilled rims, Nates, super-heavy fork)…it might be pushing 50+ pounds when it’s all done.  But it will probably go over/through just about anything.  I’m curious to see how the suspension pivot works for him, and whether the pedal-induced bob is too bad.

I’m also curious to see if he gets a lot of motor-induced rear suspension jacking.  That’s a lot of motor and a lot of tire that’s going to be twisting on that rear end.

Those quibbles aside…it’s a great build to watch unfold.