Rare Fats?
- Thread starter fat66
- Start date
All of 'em.
There were a lot of one-off paint jobs.
It also seems that there were far fewer "wall hangers" out there, so a Yo Eddy in really nice condition is pretty rare.
There were comparatively fewer Slim Chances and definitely fewer Team Comps.
I haven't seen all that many pink Monsters
It also seems that there were far fewer "wall hangers" out there, so a Yo Eddy in really nice condition is pretty rare.
There were comparatively fewer Slim Chances and definitely fewer Team Comps.
I haven't seen all that many pink Monsters
Honestly, if I could have one Fat that seems to never come up for sale, it would be a Chris Cross cyclocross frame. A nice Team Violet in 55cm would make me REALLY happy.
My birthday is coming up... in 4 months.
My birthday is coming up... in 4 months.
mainlyfats
Member
Honestly, if I could have one Fat that seems to never come up for sale, it would be a Chris Cross cyclocross frame. A nice Team Violet in 55cm would make me REALLY happy.
My birthday is coming up... in 4 months.
I'd have to agree with Doug - as far as normal, supposedly production bikes go, the Chris Cross is an extremely rare beast.
I would also add that the non-True Temper bikes are pretty scarce and every tandem I've ever seen seems to be unique.
As far as paint, any of the multi-color jobs - do you still have yours? - are pretty rare and the factory Fcuk'N Fats are also not exactly dime a dozen.
Yup, I still have my Zig Zag Wicked. Still not sure if it was factory paint or not, but I lean towards yes. damn cool bike, no matter which way you slice it. Never seen another one like it anywhere.
mainlyfats
Member
I can't say for certain, but I'd bet there are fewer Chris Cross'.
It's really only finishing, but genuine Fatlanta's are pretty rare too.
N. Az fat
I tried to buy a 10th with matching fork for 2 years from the local FC dealer here in N. AZ and could never make it happen,,,,,,,,,,ended up being sold for near cost to a lucky guy who was in the right place at the right time,,,,,,,,,I don't think he rode it much and have no idea whatever happened to it,,,,,,,,,another local guy had a Chris Cross that he did ride a bunch on fire roads and mellower trails,,,,,,,,,,,last sighting was about 10 years ago. Still a good number of FC's here in town being used on a regular basis but the numbers have dwindled in the last 5 years or so. I try to get out on mine as often as possible, nothing rides like a Fat
I tried to buy a 10th with matching fork for 2 years from the local FC dealer here in N. AZ and could never make it happen,,,,,,,,,,ended up being sold for near cost to a lucky guy who was in the right place at the right time,,,,,,,,,I don't think he rode it much and have no idea whatever happened to it,,,,,,,,,another local guy had a Chris Cross that he did ride a bunch on fire roads and mellower trails,,,,,,,,,,,last sighting was about 10 years ago. Still a good number of FC's here in town being used on a regular basis but the numbers have dwindled in the last 5 years or so. I try to get out on mine as often as possible, nothing rides like a Fat
IF52
New member
Yup, only paint and stickers, and only 3 of them.
I-ROBOT
Active member
The rarest Somerville Fat that I can think of would be a titanium Shock-a-billy prototype that had an in-the-headtube suspension fork. I forget the brand of fork but that bike rode like an absolute dream. We all took turns on it - even me. It was the sweetest riding bike I have ever been on and I would mortgage my house if it ever turned up for sale. I think it had a Horst Leitner rear end (not the greatest but it was a start). I would love to know where that bike is. There were a few other TI shock-a-billy's that had the standard headtube. Those frames were a bitch to weld and keep straight. I had to build this jig that pushed the seat tube out just enough so when the gusset tube was welded the shrinkage from that weld would pull the seat tube straight. I used it on the steel shock-a-billy's too. Any Somerville built Shock-a-billy would be pretty rare especially any that had the steel rear end that we designed and built - definitely not many of those.
Also rare would be any Gary Helfrich-welded Titanium Fats from 1984 - 1985. Chris didn't want to go to TI so Gary said see-ya and founded Kestrel Metalworks and then he lost the name to the Kestrel guys who made the carbon fiber bikes (still around?). Don't know how many Fat-branded early TI frames were built.
If anyone sees that TI Shock-a-billy...(sorry my eyes are watering)
Scott
Also rare would be any Gary Helfrich-welded Titanium Fats from 1984 - 1985. Chris didn't want to go to TI so Gary said see-ya and founded Kestrel Metalworks and then he lost the name to the Kestrel guys who made the carbon fiber bikes (still around?). Don't know how many Fat-branded early TI frames were built.
If anyone sees that TI Shock-a-billy...
(sorry my eyes are watering)Scott
mainlyfats
Member
Does Action Tec ring a bell?
Ti Shock-a-Billy
Scott, this is the first that I have heard of the Ti SAB, sounds very cool. I have a Billy with the Action Tec front end, Wendyl told me that it was the only one made. The serial number is AMP TEC.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to pick up many of the bikes on my wish list (tandem, 10th, Team Comp, Slim, Ti), but have never found a Cross bike in my size (and few in any size). A Fatlanta would be neat as would a 2nd generation SAB and a Fat F**** Chance bike like the one at First Flight Bikes.
Original & unusual paint jobs are appealling to me (how many fades do you see on non-Yos?). The bike at FFB with all of the signatures is certainly unique too. Any bike with a box crown fork is of interest to lots of people, particularly if it has roller cam brakes. I would gues that not too many Wicked Lites were made (selling more Yos at that time)but it is one of my personal faves to ride.
just my two cents....
Scott, this is the first that I have heard of the Ti SAB, sounds very cool. I have a Billy with the Action Tec front end, Wendyl told me that it was the only one made. The serial number is AMP TEC.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to pick up many of the bikes on my wish list (tandem, 10th, Team Comp, Slim, Ti), but have never found a Cross bike in my size (and few in any size). A Fatlanta would be neat as would a 2nd generation SAB and a Fat F**** Chance bike like the one at First Flight Bikes.
Original & unusual paint jobs are appealling to me (how many fades do you see on non-Yos?). The bike at FFB with all of the signatures is certainly unique too. Any bike with a box crown fork is of interest to lots of people, particularly if it has roller cam brakes. I would gues that not too many Wicked Lites were made (selling more Yos at that time)but it is one of my personal faves to ride.
just my two cents....
I-ROBOT
Active member
I don't have any pics of any of those prototypes unfortunately. Action-Tec definitely rings a bell now. Perhaps we only made a steel SAB with that fork. I thought sure that we made a TI SAB for it as well but I could be wrong. I know we made a TI SAB prototype, it probably did have the regular head tube, wish I could remember for sure.
I would say a 10th anniversary Team Comp would be very desirable as well. I've started going through some of my photo prints that I have stored away and will see about getting them scanned to share here. I really don't have a lot though. That's what I get for spending so much time with the hood down and the bright light on, I guess.
If there's any regret, I wish I wrote down all the serial numbers that I worked on. I wish I knew what happened to that old notebook that the numbers were entered into. Don't know if Chris ever took that and made a computerized back-up. (Probably made too much sense to do that)
I would say a 10th anniversary Team Comp would be very desirable as well. I've started going through some of my photo prints that I have stored away and will see about getting them scanned to share here. I really don't have a lot though. That's what I get for spending so much time with the hood down and the bright light on, I guess.
If there's any regret, I wish I wrote down all the serial numbers that I worked on. I wish I knew what happened to that old notebook that the numbers were entered into. Don't know if Chris ever took that and made a computerized back-up. (Probably made too much sense to do that)
At 30 secs in, you can see someone riding around on the SAB with the Action Tec fork
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yu5oF6hVUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yu5oF6hVUg
I-ROBOT
Active member
That "someone" is Lawrie Pinkham. He painted part-time early on and then came back after Linden St. opened and became the production manager. Lawrie's a cool guy and an unbelievable auto mechanic too. Probably nothing about Volkswagens he doesn't know.
His first day as production manager was marked by Chris reading a scathing letter from me to the entire staff at a meeting after Wendyll decided to yank me off of the cover of the brochure where Rob the machinist is peeking out from behind the welding hood.
Poor Lawrie had no idea what was going on. Pretty funny now looking back on it. He talked me into not quitting and we got along great after that.
Thanks for pointing out the SAB!! Sharp eyes there ameybrook!!
That looks like the steel frame prototype. A production unit is on the cover of Mountain Bike Action (I think its the Feb. '94 issue) that also has the article on welding the titanium frame
Happy Halloween:skull:
Scott
His first day as production manager was marked by Chris reading a scathing letter from me to the entire staff at a meeting after Wendyll decided to yank me off of the cover of the brochure where Rob the machinist is peeking out from behind the welding hood.
Poor Lawrie had no idea what was going on. Pretty funny now looking back on it. He talked me into not quitting and we got along great after that.
Thanks for pointing out the SAB!! Sharp eyes
there ameybrook!!That looks like the steel frame prototype. A production unit is on the cover of Mountain Bike Action (I think its the Feb. '94 issue) that also has the article on welding the titanium frame
Happy Halloween:skull:
Scott