Fat Chance Titanium, No. #099T3M

[DocChill]

Hi "Fat-Fans",

I'm "brand-new" in this Forum and very, very happy to show you my rebuilded Fat Chance Titanium, No. #099T3M from 1993. I started this project exactly one year ago. The bike has been built up by the first owner with parts around 1999 (XTR 950, Suspension Fork...) - I tryed to use parts only from 1993 - 1995. I really hope you & Chris Chance will like it:













Here you can find my complete "Ti-picture-collection"! Some outdoor-pictures will follow as soon as it gets .

With best regards from Germany -
Daniel

[RobTu]

are those american classic hubs? IF they are, I love them; ride like a dream.

Really love the frame/fork/crankset

[DocChill]

Hi "RobTu",

the black hubs I'm using were made by Bullseye in the early 90s . They're really working great... nice, that you like the Bike .

Best regards,
Daniel

[Syborg]

Hi Daniel,

first a warmly welcome here at the Fat Chance forum. I could even admire your Titanium at the IBC forum. Your Titanium has become a wonderful dream bike. Very thoughtful and functional built. I wish you have much fun in riding this bicycle. A Titanium in M / L or L I'm missing to complete my collection.

Many Greetings also from Germany

Helmut

[DocChill]

Hi Helmut,

many, many thanks for your nice lines - it's so great to see, that there're many "Fat-Fans" all around the world! I'm one of these since the beginning of the 90's (exactly since a test of a grellow Yo Eddy in the german "Bike" from 9/1991), when I started with MTB-Riding. Unfortunately I never had the money to buy one (I was very young )... but in July last year MY dream come true !!!

I saw your very great Fat Chance Bikes also at the IBC Forum (especially your your "Team-Violet Yo Eddy"... in my opinion really one of the nicest Yo's I've ever seen!).

With best regards from surrounding area of Münster (Germany),

Daniel

[nader]

Well done Daniel.
A very nice and harmonious build, like it

[DocChill]

Hi "Fat-Fans",

yesterday afternoon I had some minutes of time to take current pictures of my Ti incl. a "new" Fat City "Team Bottle" . I really hope "they'll put a smile on your face" :



Cheers & best regards,
Daniel

[fat-tony]

Gorgeous bike! Stunning!

[E @ DB]

That's as nice as they get! Great job!

[DocChill]

Hi "Fat-Fans",

many, many thanks for your nice words - it was really a lot of work to restore this Titanium and I really had a lot of fun to do it ! After 20 years of dreaming about, I got my first FAT - and I'm very, very happy with it !

Cheers,
Daniel

[Stingercut]

Not much you can say really, except it should be in the Louvre or Uffizi

[DocChill]

@Stingercut

...fantastic idea !!! I'll send them my written application !!!

[Stingercut]

Originally Posted by DocChill

@Stingercut

...fantastic idea !!! I'll send them my written application !!!

Yeah...but do you really want hoards of bored European teenagers drooling on it and sticking gum on the signature welds ?

[DocChill]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

Yeah... but do you really want hoards of bored European teenagers drooling on it and sticking gum on the signature welds?

Ouch! That sounds horrible... !!! So it's in good hands here... !!!

Best regards,
Daniel

[I-ROBOT]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

Yeah...but do you really want hoards of bored European teenagers drooling on it and sticking gum on the signature welds ?

Thanks for the compliment!! The 1993 and 1994 Fat Titaniums are the best that I could make.
So glad you guys still love them so much
Best Regards
Scott

[DocChill]

Hi Scott,

really, really nice to read somthing from the welder of my beloved Fat Ti . Here are some more photographs from your "signature welds" :





...and last but not least a great photograph of "your" Fat-Crew:

Source: MBA 94', Jun. - How to built your own Titanium Bike, Page 52

Thank you very much, for making my dream-frame !!! For me there is really nothing compareable to a Fat...

Cheers,
Daniel

[DocChill]

Hi Fat-Friends,

I recently found something FAT from '93 on eBay...



... a bit crazy to pay money for it, but it is a "must have" for me ! And I've got a big smile on my face now... !

Cheers,
Daniel

[I-ROBOT]

OK - here's my best shot from left to right:
Josh (last name? in the Mavic hat) machinist, tool maker, engineering student
Mike Flanigan (kneeling) painter, founding member of IF, now owns ANT Bike and the coolest handlebar mustache in bicycling
Laurie Pinkham (immediate right of Josh) did some painting early on and then came on full time as production coordinator / supervisor
Ben (last name?) worked in finishing
dark hat turned backwards - not sure
Rob (last name? arms folded and big smile) sales - founder of Fat Cogs
Chris Chance (kneeling holding the bike) needs no introduction here
Frank (last name? black kid with glasses looking away) finishing - martial arts and great all-around athlete
Debbie Nadolney (dark shirt and scarf) shipping - a good friend - miss her a lot
Joe (last name?) blasting and painting
Sue Kirby (gray sweater and glasses looking away) welder - worked for IF at start-up - best female welder I've ever known
Rob (last name? partially obscured by Sue) machinist on the cover of "Live and Uncut"behind behind Rob with the hat - sorry can't tell / don't remember
Wendy "Wendyll" Behrend (white shirt and headband) needs no introduction here either
Yours truly Scott Bengtson - chief welder November 1986 to October 1994 - kneeling in front of Wendyll holding the welding mask
Reggie Jackson (black guy peeking out behind WB) frame fitter and keeper of the serial number book - another good friend missed. Of all the people in this picture other than Chris and Wendyll, he was the longest tenured employee, then me.
Lloyd Graves - (two-tone hat and eyes closed) frame fitter, machinist originally worked at Schwinn in Mississippi, founding member of IF, now works at Seven Cycles
guy on the end in the striped sweatshirt - I forget his name - worked in sales

Some folks missing that I believe still worked there at the time of the photo shoot
Christie Lawyer - sales - I believe she was the only one other than Chris and Wendyll to go to NY after Somerville closed
Gary Mathis - finishing and design - he did a lot of development on the Shock-a-billy
Dave Blakeney - welder - founded Bomber Cycles - another good friend missed
Not sure if Mike P and Bob Fulk were still there or not when this was taken.

Enjoy
Scott

[WD Pro]

That post needs putting somewhere where it wont get lost with time - cool info

WD

[fat-tony]

Originally Posted by I-ROBOT

OK - here's my best shot from left to right:
Josh (last name? in the Mavic hat) machinist, tool maker, engineering student
Mike Flanigan (kneeling) painter, founding member of IF, now owns ANT Bike and the coolest handlebar mustache in bicycling
Laurie Pinkham (immediate right of Josh) did some painting early on and then came on full time as production coordinator / supervisor
Ben (last name?) worked in finishing
dark hat turned backwards - not sure
Rob (last name? arms folded and big smile) sales - founder of Fat Cogs
Chris Chance (kneeling holding the bike) needs no introduction here
Frank (last name? black kid with glasses looking away) finishing - martial arts and great all-around athlete
Debbie Nadolney (dark shirt and scarf) shipping - a good friend - miss her a lot
Joe (last name?) blasting and painting
Sue Kirby (gray sweater and glasses looking away) welder - worked for IF at start-up - best female welder I've ever known
Rob (last name? partially obscured by Sue) machinist on the cover of "Live and Uncut"behind behind Rob with the hat - sorry can't tell / don't remember
Wendy "Wendyll" Behrend (white shirt and headband) needs no introduction here either
Yours truly Scott Bengtson - chief welder November 1986 to October 1994 - kneeling in front of Wendyll holding the welding mask
Reggie Jackson (black guy peeking out behind WB) frame fitter and keeper of the serial number book - another good friend missed. Of all the people in this picture other than Chris and Wendyll, he was the longest tenured employee, then me.
Lloyd Graves - (two-tone hat and eyes closed) frame fitter, machinist originally worked at Schwinn in Mississippi, founding member of IF, now works at Seven Cycles
guy on the end in the striped sweatshirt - I forget his name - worked in sales

Some folks missing that I believe still worked there at the time of the photo shoot
Christie Lawyer - sales - I believe she was the only one other than Chris and Wendyll to go to NY after Somerville closed
Gary Mathis - finishing and design - he did a lot of development on the Shock-a-billy
Dave Blakeney - welder - founded Bomber Cycles - another good friend missed
Not sure if Mike P and Bob Fulk were still there or not when this was taken.

Enjoy
Scott

Helllzzz Yezzz, thank you Scott!

[IF52]

Rob, folded arms is Rob Mossman. Worked for Real (brake levers, chain rings) after leaving Fat, VP at Pearl Izumi now. He is who we always talked to when we ordered frames. IIRC he also managed the race team.

And I need to bug him again to try and get Pearl to do tall sizes

[RobTu]

Originally Posted by I-ROBOT

OK - here's my best shot from left to right:
Josh (last name? in the Mavic hat) machinist, tool maker, engineering student
Mike Flanigan (kneeling) painter, founding member of IF, now owns ANT Bike and the coolest handlebar mustache in bicycling
Laurie Pinkham (immediate right of Josh) did some painting early on and then came on full time as production coordinator / supervisor
Ben (last name?) worked in finishing
dark hat turned backwards - not sure
Rob (last name? arms folded and big smile) sales - founder of Fat Cogs
Chris Chance (kneeling holding the bike) needs no introduction here
Frank (last name? black kid with glasses looking away) finishing - martial arts and great all-around athlete
Debbie Nadolney (dark shirt and scarf) shipping - a good friend - miss her a lot
Joe (last name?) blasting and painting
Sue Kirby (gray sweater and glasses looking away) welder - worked for IF at start-up - best female welder I've ever known
Rob (last name? partially obscured by Sue) machinist on the cover of "Live and Uncut"behind behind Rob with the hat - sorry can't tell / don't remember
Wendy "Wendyll" Behrend (white shirt and headband) needs no introduction here either
Yours truly Scott Bengtson - chief welder November 1986 to October 1994 - kneeling in front of Wendyll holding the welding mask
Reggie Jackson (black guy peeking out behind WB) frame fitter and keeper of the serial number book - another good friend missed. Of all the people in this picture other than Chris and Wendyll, he was the longest tenured employee, then me.
Lloyd Graves - (two-tone hat and eyes closed) frame fitter, machinist originally worked at Schwinn in Mississippi, founding member of IF, now works at Seven Cycles
guy on the end in the striped sweatshirt - I forget his name - worked in sales

Some folks missing that I believe still worked there at the time of the photo shoot
Christie Lawyer - sales - I believe she was the only one other than Chris and Wendyll to go to NY after Somerville closed
Gary Mathis - finishing and design - he did a lot of development on the Shock-a-billy
Dave Blakeney - welder - founded Bomber Cycles - another good friend missed
Not sure if Mike P and Bob Fulk were still there or not when this was taken.

Enjoy
Scott

Awesome! Many thanks

Quick question: Was Tyler Evans there at any point during this time, or did he come on with the people who founded Independent Fabrication?

[I-ROBOT]

I don't recall anybody named Tyler Evans, probably an IF guy I guess. After Somerville closed, I got a job working for a biotech equipment company in Danvers, MA and lost touch with most of those folks for quite some time.
Scott

[DocChill]

Originally Posted by I-ROBOT

...guy on the end in the striped sweatshirt - I forget his name - worked in sales...

Enjoy
Scott

Hi Scott,

wow, many thanks for your awesome informations! To complete this thread I like to show this video. The most of you will know it... but you also see again the quy on the end of the picture in the striped sweatshirt !

It must be a very special phase in your life to work together with all these people at Fat City Cycles !

Additional I like to show a nice shirt, which everybody of us should have:


Cheers,
Daniel


P. S. - Does anybody know if this is the only video about Fat City Cycles? Who has made that?

[chefmiguel]

It was a video series called Fat Tire Journal. They covered race results and would profile riders and companies.

[I-ROBOT]

Originally Posted by DocChill

Hi Scott,

wow, many thanks for your awesome informations! To complete this thread I like to show this video. The most of you will know it... but you also see again the quy on the end of the picture in the striped sweatshirt !

It must be a very special phase in your life to work together with all these people at Fat City Cycles !

Additional I like to show a nice shirt, which everybody of us should have:


Cheers,
Daniel


P. S. - Does anybody know if this is the only video about Fat City Cycles? Who has made that?

We were also the subject of a short segment done by a local Boston TV station Channel 5 WCVB-TV for their "Chronicle" series but I don't know if that footage is available anywhere since it would have been shot at least 20 years ago now.

And, yes, Daniel those 8 years were a very special time in my life. I never thought getting a welding degree and answering a little newspaper advertisement would have turned out the way it has!

I hope I get to visit Germany again sometime. I really enjoyed Dusseldorf the one time I was over to inspect some pipe being formed at a mill near there.
Regards
Scott

[RobTu]

Originally Posted by I-ROBOT

I don't recall anybody named Tyler Evans, probably an IF guy I guess. After Somerville closed, I got a job working for a biotech equipment company in Danvers, MA and lost touch with most of those folks for quite some time.
Scott

Got it; thanks for the response.

[DocChill]

Originally Posted by I-ROBOT

We were also the subject of a short segment done by a local Boston TV station Channel 5 WCVB-TV for their "Chronicle" series but I don't know if that footage is available anywhere since it would have been shot at least 20 years ago now.

And, yes, Daniel those 8 years were a very special time in my life. I never thought getting a welding degree and answering a little newspaper advertisement would have turned out the way it has!

I hope I get to visit Germany again sometime. I really enjoyed Dusseldorf the one time I was over to inspect some pipe being formed at a mill near there.

Regards
Scott

Hi Scott,

thanks for you reply - really cool, that you know Düsseldorf. It's not far from my hometown (only about 1 1/2 hours by car). If you get to visit Germany again, I'll invite you for a drink in Münster (because Münster is a "city of bicycles") !

Best regards,
Daniel

[DocChill]

Hello FAT-Fans,

in the meantime I did any small updates, which I won't hold back:


The Salsa Skewers are gone, black Ringlé Camtwists came! Additional I added the original Patent-Logo (special thanks to "YoKris"!) and...


...the famous "Yo-Eddy-skulls" to the fork!!!


Now it feels a bit more complete and ready for a ride !!! ...and I like to add, that I'm very happy with this bike!!!

Cheers,
Daniel

[Stingercut]

Good enough to eat

[DocChill]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

Good enough to eat

Hi and many thanks ! Additional I recently got a package from USA:

At first a bit cool...


...but when the sun came out it's "pretty in pink" ! I really like these funstuff...

Best regards -
Daniel

[DocChill]

Hi together,

as a crazy die hard "FATfan" I really needed this :



I'm very happy that I found them after all these years of searching !

Cheers,
Daniel

[I-ROBOT]

I still have my Frisbee but the bandages are long gone. Too cool!
Scott

[Stingercut]

I hear there is a new range of Fat Chance condoms in the pipeline...








Ok, il get my coat !

[DocChill]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

I hear there is a new range of Fat Chance condoms in the pipeline... ok, il get my coat!

...oh my god..., now the bar is lower than the sea-level... these crazy british!

@I-ROBOT: I think we all love the merchandise items so much, because they transfer the message, "Hey Guys, look what we've done for you!" The identification of the employees with the product must be extremely high!!! That's what I think, when I page through the classic brochures...

A nice weekend to everybody !

Cheers,
Daniel

[I-ROBOT]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

I hear there is a new range of Fat Chance condoms in the pipeline...








Ok, il get my coat !

If you saw the photo of Chris at IHBA posted previously, then you will know why they will only be available in MAGNUM. (Don't ask me how I know)

[Stingercut]

Wadaya saying I-ROBOT ? That Chris was moonlighting as a porn star these last 20years and you were holding the camera for the money shot ? I know he was into healing the body but that's a rather 'loose' definition





Have you ever heard of FatBoy Slim ?

[Stingercut]

Originally Posted by DocChill

...oh my god..., now the bar is lower than the sea-level... these crazy british!

@I-ROBOT: I think we all love the merchandise items so much, because they transfer the message, "Hey Guys, look what we've done for you!" The identification of the employees with the product must be extremely high!!! That's what I think, when I page through the classic brochures...

A nice weekend to everybody !

Cheers,
Daniel

Judging by the amount of substance abuse and industrial accidents at Fat City...it's not surprising they had a branded commercial deal with Band-Aid !

[I-ROBOT]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

Wadaya saying I-ROBOT ? That Chris was moonlighting as a porn star these last 20years and you were holding the camera for the money shot ? I know he was into healing the body but that's a rather 'loose' definition





Have you ever heard of FatBoy Slim ?

I would have if he asked!! No, you know how sometimes nature calls when you out on the trail. Well, I was dragging up the rear on a ride one day (as usual), only to catch up and realize that Chris was relieving himself not realizing that I hadn't caught up and I get to see him in his full glory! To make it even funnier, I had my boss's son do the same thing to me at Cotter Corp after I returned from a jobsite late on a Friday!

Enjoy
Scott

[Stingercut]

Ummm ok....and now...The Weather Report













I may never think of you the same way again I-ROBOT when I look at those signature welds