Drift VS Drift Pro Series: How To Choose?

All of our fat bike rims are tubeless compatible, so you can forget about the need for heavy tubes, but what are the key differences between pro and non-pro rims? Before discussing further, here is a quick comparison of our fat rims.

	FS680 (Pro) Section view	FAT680 Section view	RSNOW03 Section view	RSNOW05 Section view
Size	26er	26er	26er	650B
Width	85mm	85mm	65mm	75mm
Depth	17mm	20mm	22mm	30mm
Tire Size	4.3" ~ 5.0"	4.3" ~ 5.0"	3.8" ~ 4.2"	3.8" ~ 5.0"
Weight	500+/-25g	580+/-20g (HD optional)	500+/-20g (HD optional)	580+/-20g (Flyweight & HD optional)
Price	$340	$196	$185	$221
Appearance	UD Matte	12K, 3K, UD Matte, Glossy	12K, 3K, UD Matte, Glossy	12K, 3K, UD Matte, Glossy
Warranty	5-Year or Lifetime	3-Year	3-Year	3-Year

FS680: Lighter but Stronger

The FS680 has a nice 80mm internal and 85mm external widths, made for tires from 4.3” to 5.0”. It is a great all-around wheel for anything from deep snow and sand, to even a bit of single track. Fatter tires offer more float on softer terrain and a bit more support for larger riders.

Our Drift Pro series features incredibly thin single-wall structure and lighter prepregs (a blend of Toray T700 and T800). The low profile of the FS680 allows the rim to flex vertically on impact, while the special foam core filled in the cavity on both sides of the rim adds damping characteristics and a bit rigidity. This 85mm rim weighs only 500g. What this means to you is a huge weight savings and a cushier, more reliable riding experience.

As for the appearance, we only offer the FS680 in matte finish and UD pattern, but special orders are available.

FAT680: Double-Walled FS680

FAT680 has an outer diameter of 85mm, an inner diameter of 80mm and a depth of 20mm - quite similar to the Pro FS680. FAT680 is also for all-condition use. With hookless bead type and bead lock bump, the rim will seat your tire securely and easily at low pressure.

Weighing in at 580 grams, FAT680 is a budget-friendly choice to shed some weight off your fat bike while maintaining the ultra float feel. It is available in Heavy Duty style (700g), and can be special ordered at sales@lightbicycle.com or mentioned in the checkout notes.

RSNOW03: Narrower and Livelier

RSNOW03 is 65mm external wide (60mm internal) and 22mm deep, the narrowest among these four Light Bicycle fat rim models. While it does not offer much the flotation feel as the 85mm, it can still handle up to 4.2”.

The narrowed width allows the RSNOW03 to roll in a more maneuverable manner and tackle more complicated terrain and solid trails. Compared to our 650B MTB Plus rims (RM650BC14 / AM740), the RSNOW03, about 10mm wider, has a clear advantage in tire-road contact.

RSNOW05: The Only 650B Fat Rim

Larger-sized wheels are faster and smoother rolling. RSNOW05 has an external width of 75mm and an internal width of 70mm, which is perfect for fat tires from 3.8” up to 5.0”.

This 75mm 650B fat rim comes in at only 580g, available in flyweight or heavy duty style. Feel free to contact us about your riding style to find out what’s the best fit for you.

Series Tech Explained

Are your questions about fat rims answered? If not, feel free to leave a comment or contact us (sales@lightbicycle.com).

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COMMENTS

Ed 2021/04/02

Love your innovativeness. I build a lot of fat bike wheels for customers. House favorite is the HED big aluminum deal (BAD). A lot of customers would buy carbon rims, but the HED BD carbon rim is not stout enough for the rocky/sandy terrain we have in southern Arizona or Moab. Do you think that your Pro FS680 would hold up as well as a HED BAD to the ocasional rock hit? ...or am I heading down the apples vs oranges rabbit hole?

LightBicycle 2021/04/03

Hi Ed, Currently, we do not have any failure on FS680 rims. What kind of riding style will you ride? What is your weight? And how much tire width and tire pressure will you ride? Then i can check whehter FS680 fat bike rims are durable enough for you or not. Thanks, Lightbicycle

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David 2020/01/08

When will you make an 85 mm wide 27.5 (650b) fat bike rim?

LightBicycle 2020/01/09

Hi David, Currently, we only have 75mm wide 27.5(650b) fat bike wheelset. Does it work for you? Thanks, Lightbicycle

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Jeffrey 2019/02/13

Wondering about your fat bike rim fat680. Could you tell me specs and pricing for that rim? Thank you, Jeff

LightBicycle 2019/02/14

Hi Jeffrey, The full rim specs as below, also attaching with the rim profile for you in case you need it. The price for each rim is USD196. You can click on below link for to get more rim specs. https://www.lightbicycle.com/85mm-wide-carbon-26er-fat-bike-rim-hookless-double-wall-tubeless-compatible.html Thanks, Lightbicycle

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