Winter Cycling - Wide Rims (like the SnowCats) Where to find them in Canada ?

Hi,

I've been rebuilding my old bike a 26" with Schwalbe Snow Stud 26 x 1.9 Wire Tire.

Even if I like it a lot like that, I feel like trying something more this winter.
And reading around I learned about the SnowCats.
I want to try something like that with some Schwalbe Ice Spiker.

However my search so far have been fruitless.

The snowcats are discontinued from what I can gather on forums and internet.
Trial's Edge have some (ZHI Trials Rims), but do not ship to Canada.
Jenson USA have nothing in those wide beside Large Marge..
But without a Puglsey I doubt they can fit my bike.

And so far I'm not enough crazy about biking in the winter to get a Pugsley... Yet :rolleyes:

So anyone biking in Canada found a place to order some wide rims like the SnowCats ?

You should check with the guys that make Sno-Cats, which is All Weather Sports in Fairbanks. The rims are still listed for sale on line.

Here's the contact info:

All Weather Sports
1540 Hayes Ave
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Phone: (907) 474-8184
FAX: (907) 474-0649

There are quite a few fat rim choices nowadays.

Here is a good resource:

http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=164

It looks like aebike.com has Fat Shebas and Large Marges in stock and ships to Canada.
http://aebike.com/parts-accessories-catalog-qc30/?action=list&searchtype=search&keywords=pugsley&Brand=&gobutnsearch=Search

Oh yeah, and for my "normalish" On One Inbred frame, I went with Echo trials rims. I used a 44mm wide front rim and 46mm wide rear rim. I got them here:
http://www.midwestbiketrials.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_17_39&zenid=64da9407e31a63650d5215f9a0998ca7

Webcyclery.com also carries the Echo rims.

You can see a pic of the Echos on my bike here:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=561733

I could have gone with fatter rims on this frame, but I thought the 44-46mm width Echos would allow me to run my Nokian 296 studded tires better, since they are a normal width tire.

baker

Thanks bbaker22, at first i wanted some SnowCats.
But after you message I looked at the Echo, and beside they didnt have 29inch, they looked better and stronger.

And now that I have received them, I'm sure they are stronger, they are heavier too tho.


I'm done building them, and they look impressive with those nokian freddies revenz lite.
http://www.senkarst.com/pictures/M01.jpg
http://www.senkarst.com/pictures/M02.jpg
http://www.senkarst.com/pictures/M03.jpg

Lookin' good. I mounted my Nokian 294's on my Echo rims last week. The wide rims really flatten out the profile and ensure excellent contact between the studs and ice when upright. Not sure how the square profile will work under heavy cornering...need some more ice.

baker

Lookin' good. I mounted my Nokian 294's on my Echo rims last week. The wide rims really flatten out the profile and ensure excellent contact between the studs and ice when upright. Not sure how the square profile will work under heavy cornering...need some more ice.

baker


Yeah, that is my thought too. Anyone have experience with this?

jim

The squarer the outer profile the better the cornering. (assuming proper inflation)

However, there is one cavet with square cornering edges, when they break loose they'll break loose fast and you'll be skidding or falling over since you'll be straight outta tread.

Less of an issue with rounder profile tires but, they don't rail.

That sounds counter-intuitive to me. I would have thought that with a more square profile there would be less tire contacting the road as you leaned into a turn. I imagine riding the "corner" of the square profile tire; is this what you mean by "rail"?

I am only using my imagination here, so I am not shocked if I am wrong about this. And actually, now that I think about it, how come I don't notice racers (road or MTB or CX) using square profile tires if this is so?

Not trying to be contrary, I just don't understand why this would be true.

jim


The squarer the outer profile the better the cornering. (assuming proper inflation)

However, there is one cavet with square cornering edges, when they break loose they'll break loose fast and you'll be skidding or falling over since you'll be straight outta tread.

Less of an issue with rounder profile tires but, they don't rail.

They also sell wide rims for Chopper bikes now. You can get 2.5", 3", and 4" wide rims in 24" and 26" sizes.

http://www.choppersus.com/store/category/3/71/Rims-Only/

This article at icebike.com addresses some of the advantages/disadvantages of wide rims:

http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/rims.htm

baker

That sounds counter-intuitive to me. I would have thought that with a more square profile there would be less tire contacting the road as you leaned into a turn. I imagine riding the "corner" of the square profile tire; is this what you mean by "rail"?

I am only using my imagination here, so I am not shocked if I am wrong about this. And actually, now that I think about it, how come I don't notice racers (road or MTB or CX) using square profile tires if this is so?

Not trying to be contrary, I just don't understand why this would be true.

jim

A square-edged tire is like the blade edge on an ice skate. With that blade you stuff/dig/cut the edge into the ice really hard to corner - a skate with round edges doesn't corner as well.

A round tire has no edges. Racer types such as x-country or mtb don't use square profile for various reasons, mostly because those racers you mentioned ride on courses with hard surfaces which offer no advantage(in fact a possible disadvantage) to having an square profiled tire. Besides have you seen some of those x-country and roadies types try to corner - what an awkward sight - better for them to use the more predictable round-edged tires. ;)