Fat bike with Hub gear ?

[RufusChucklebutty]

I'm looking for a steel frame fat tyre frame for a project build, I want to convert the dropouts to a hub gear, I have a spare Nexus 3 speed one here, is this possible ? Will a hub gear go in a fat tyre rim ?

I'm not a bike builder but I can braze, machine, weld whatever one off parts needed.

This is going to be a cargo bike with brazed on racks, for one purpose, riding I do on the flat canal towpath, 99% is on the level.

 

[flake99please]

I would be honest with you as say that a 3 speed hub won’t offer anywhere near the range of gearing needed for a fat bike. I would be looking at an 8 speed as a minimum, if you wish to enjoy the full capabilities of fat biking. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Sharky]

Re the dropouts, for a hub gear, you just need a method for chain tensioning. Best to have horizontal fork ends, else you'll need a separate chain tensioner.

The hubs you have, are they for disc brakes or rim brakes? Need to know the OLN(width) and that of the frame you are searching for. Rim brakes may have compatibility issues with tyre widths.

 

[Cycleops]

Better give those legs a good workout before riding a conversion with a steel frame, draggy tyres and a three speed hub Rufus

 

[MichaelW2]

For chain tensioning there are a few options:
Spring and pulley wheel tensioner for converting vertical dropouts to hub gear. Adds dirt traps and mechanisms to a simple system. Least good.
Horizontal dropouts. Trad method, simple, lightweight. Not so good with disk brakes.
Eccentric bottom bracket shell. Heavy but effective. Look at the locking mechanism. Clamping bolts and Self unlocking wedges are good. Set screws are bad. Some bottom bracket systems can add eccentricity tensioning to normal BB shell.
Sliding vertical dropouts. Seem to be the best system.

I would agree, 3 speed is not sufficient for a modern cargo bike but OK for wartime re-enactment society.