My other bike is fat

[Eville Rich]

OK, only one of my other bikes is fat.

Getting my and my wife's fat-tire bikes ready for the season. It's sort of like a S10 - heavy and slower than many, but rolls great once moving. Bar mitts save my hands from the cold.

Haven't ridden it since last winter. Had the studded tires on at the end of the last season, but putting on the dirt/snow wheel set as we don't have snow, much less ice, right now. The studded tires are 4.5 inches wide, the dirt are 4.8 inches wide. Give's "the old spare tire" a different perspective. I must have ridden on the dirt tires during the summer last time they were used as they are quite dusty. Snow cleans things up pretty well, which is why the studded tires and wheels are so shiny.

These studded tires allow me to ride over glare ice without issue. More secure than walking. Looking forward to putting them back on, but they are too precious to eat up in dirt or on pavement.

And if you enjoy mtn biking, I highly recommend trying a fat bike. Fun in the summer, too, though I tend to ride a different bike for the regular season. Aired up the tires to 10psi, but will probably ride it at 5 to 7 psi in the snow. Depends on how much I eat during the holidays.



Eville Rich
2016 S10

 

[Bill_C]

Reading this makes me feel like a wuss. I don't ride if the temps drop below 40. I used to ride rain, sleet or snow because I didn't have a choice. Once I bought a car I stopped riding in anything but sunshine.
Glad found a way to enjoy riding year round... maybe I need to invest in warmer gear.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[Dons 1911]

Awesome! How about a pic of the whole bike(s)?

 

[Eville Rich]

Awesome! How about a pic of the whole bike(s)?

Meant to include that, but got caught up on the tires! Here it is. It's a Motobecane I got from Bikes Direct maybe five years ago or so. Titanium frame, though I've updated components (brakes, stem, handlebars, seat). Didn't want aluminum (too stiff) and didn't want steel (heavy, plus rust). Didn't know what I'd get, ordering a bike off the internet, but it was OK. Somewhat older geometry compared to major OEMs' current geometries, but the price was good and it fits just fine with my tweaks.

The front suspension fork seemed like overkill, but it actually helps the front tire stay planted. And I'm not worried about the weight too much. But being named "Bluto" per Rock Shox, is correct.

 

[Dons 1911]

The guy I recently bought my Triumph from had one of those in his garage. He said it took some getting used to, but he really likes it now! Enjoy that and show us it out in the wild!

 

[Eville Rich]

A couple of pics from Sunday's ride. First ride of the season, so took it easy. Haven't ridden in the snow for 10 months and I really let my fitness go this past year. Local bike park that was converted from a former quarry. Managed to ride to the top of the hill without incident. Down, too. Pics from the lower trail, which is more wooded, and from the top where a bunch of trails intersect. Only two other riders out on Sunday. Temps at 15F (-9C). We're expecting a good bit of snow this week, which should make for good riding over the next couple of weeks. After it gets out of the single digits (F).

 

[Sierra1]

Nope.

 

[Ape]

This is great fun. I hit the snowshoe trails just on the edge of town. Great fun to put on 15-20 km per trip. With the snow and low tire pressures 10km feels like 20. Riding snowshoe trails adds another element as they are not real wide and you do find yourself upside down in waist deep snow a lot the first few times out. Great way to pass time and excercise during the winter. A good head light also helps extend the day. Sure is peaceful riding at night in the snow and nobody around.