Winter bike / Snow bike thread

So what your saying is that you'll need a bike trailer to get it to the trails then ride it there?

I rode it to the trail, it's doable, just take a bit of an effort, but the small effort on the road make up for the huge amount of fun on the trail.

perfect mudguard for Pugsley? I can't wait to try that.

UK license plates are plastic and will break.

You need a US one which is metal and will bend.

I'm glad you agree.

I may have edited ^^

Ed. Did you try the Mukluk?

I may have edited ^^

sour grape.

Recieved my grip studs yesterday. Very plesently surprised indeed. They definitly look like a quality product, and they are pretty light too. Just need to sit down and screw 200 of them into my fat tyres :(

I've also decided to go for a hand brushed finish for the frame, with the logos in matte bead blast.

My next purchase will be these.....

Full carbon fork with tapered steerer.

I want the stiffest steering set up possible. To cope with the extreme traction and weight of the front wheel (especially in a foot of snow). So fat carbon fork, tapered steerer, short 1.5" headtube, 50mm DH stem, and oversized bars.....

.....all acting on a skinny, 35mm longer, quick release............ Bugger.

What front hub are you going for?

What front hub are you going for?

Salsa Mukluk 135mm OLD, with rear brake spacing.

They're made by formula, and are of OK quality. Although I may need to repack the freewheel grease. Have to check temps first. I'd like to get some of the Hadley made Fatback hubs, but they are twice the price :(

Tasty forks

awesome work sf. i got to see the one one fat bike up close at the london bike show and it looks great, a bit like a fat jump bike. It dawned on me that it might not be the best choice as i intend to travel with it, and i am not sure you can fit crouplers on the skinny twin top tubes. Also a integrated headset would be easier for quick fork removal but will see when it's out.

Also looked at the salsa muluk at the mosquito bikes stand which also looked good but not quite as eye catching as the on one

what I can defintely tell you that it's not fast, if you want to go fast, take a normal MTB.

Don't agree with that personally. I used mine for all my regular XC stuff in Scotland and it never felt any slower than my other bikes, and i never had any trouble keeping up with my riding buddy either, even on the climbs.

Regarding it being a drag on the road...did you put more pressure in the tyres?

I've also decided to go for a hand brushed finish for the frame, with the logos in matte bead blast.

I think that will work really well.

awesome work sf. i got to see the one one fat bike up close at the london bike show and it looks great, a bit like a fat jump bike. It dawned on me that it might not be the best choice as i intend to travel with it, and i am not sure you can fit crouplers on the skinny twin top tubes. Also a integrated headset would be easier for quick fork removal but will see when it's out.

Also looked at the salsa muluk at the mosquito bikes stand which also looked good but not quite as eye catching as the on one

Easiest thing might be to get couplers fitted on a pugs. Like most things Surly, they are reasonbly priced, plain looking, and made of no-name steel, yet absolutely fecking amazing.

I cant see it being easy to get couplings to fit any alu frame. There are some expensive US made steel frames, which would need delivering. But the Pugs already has all the braze-ons you'd want.

I think that will work really well.

The brushed finish is done by hand with a scotch pad. So any minor marks can be fixed in a similar fashion.
But before you give me too much credit. I'll plastering it with bright blue ano parts.

Headset
Hubs
nipples
rimtape
seatpost clamp
bottle cage, and rack mount bolts.
bar tape (shiney blue fizik microtex)

Not doing any of the big bits in blue ano though (ie. stem, seatpost, cranks). That looks a bit OTT even for my shite taste.

Regarding it being a drag on the road...did you put more pressure in the tyres?

Black floyds at 20 PSI.

Do want.

Black floyds at 20 PSI.

Do want.

Why? What does that offer that a road bike or 29er with slicks doesn't?

Why? What does that offer that a road bike or 29er with slicks doesn't?

Cant give a good technical reason I'm afraid.

Definitly better than a road bike on gravel trails. But a 29'er running 2" semi-slicks is the best technical chioce for mixed tarmac and gravel riding I guess.

4" inch slicks, on 3" rims, at <20 PSI, just looks like a fun ride.

Not a set-up I'd buy a fatbike for. But could be my summer set-up if the CX-commuter dies prematurely

Cant give a good technical reason I'm afraid.

This is my point, other than for use in snow or sand I can't see any good reason for a fatbike. In my opinion it's just another niche cycling market designed for people that lack in the more standard disciplines, the idea of using a fatbike on UK trails is obscene. Why? You would be out paced and out manured by anyone on a 'cross bike, 29er or MTB.

Unrelated but:
Another one of my gripes is the 'beginner training' market,
why do all these videos show people riding 140mm £2000 squishy bikes? If I was a beginner I would look at that video and think 'oh crumbs I'm going to need a bike like that to ride trails like that' not 'actually a hard tail would help improve my technique and ability' in my opinion if a tutorial is aimed at a beginner then the instructor should be riding a beginners bike. Just a thought...

.....all acting on a skinny, 35mm longer, quick release............ Bugger.

10mm bolts would make more sense - I thought that was the way things were going for normal 135mm rear hubs anyway.

10mm bolts would make more sense - I thought that was the way things were going for normal 135mm rear hubs anyway.

I agree.

There's not exactly a massive chioce of 135mm front hubs out there though.

Possible axle swap from a Formula rear?