I don’t have much experience with fat bikes, I rode a Specialized Fatboy earlier this year for a couple hours and really liked it, but are there large differences in how they all ride?
I am planning on getting one for next winter.
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Nope they’re all slow and sluggish 
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At the end of the day it’s like any other bike. The Geo of the bike affects ride quality and with RSD they have a fairly reasonable spec for price/build quality in the fatbike market.
The biggest thing that affects handling is your presser/tire combo and that of course is bike brand independent.
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I enjoyed the Specialized I rode, I found it rode great, did not feel slow/numb. It was a bit higher $$ than a lot of the budget bikes out there, my worry is that if I went to a cheaper bike the ride quality will also be a lot less.
My personal fatty is a 2014 Norco Bigfoot and I have taken the Fat Boy out for a demo ride twice now and I agree. It was snappy and easy to get moving.
RSD looks like they have a good selection ranging from entry to high end. Their just not as big as the main stream brands.
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@pmachan That was just a dig at fat bikes.
I’ve ridden a couple of different fat bikes, honestly I had just as much fun on the $850 one as the $1850 one. But with all things bike you get what you pay for… to a degree. It all depends on how much and how hard you intend to ride it. Geometry is going to make a difference, and not all frames can accept the 5" tires if that’s what you’re after. Weight will generally decrease as you go up in price too.
The components are the same, so if you’re used to riding XTR or XO level stuff and get a fatbike with Altus or NX you might notice. Wheels are always a place where money is saved, so cheap bikes have cheap wheels, maybe that’s fine but they might need more maintenance in the long term. My personal take on bicycles is to get a good frame, fork and wheels, the rest can be replace as it breaks easy enough.
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The RSD bikes are a great example of price versus quality. Both the Sheriff and the Mayor have similar geometry (and ride well, in my opinion). But the price difference comes down to quick release skewers vs through-axle, mechanical discs vs hydraulic, etc. It’s true: you get what you pay for. Right now, my fat bike is only 600g heavier than my full suspension trail bike (~15 kg / 33 lbs). The tubeless conversion helped.
PS: you should buy my fat bike!
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