Originally Posted by
TenSpeedV2
Only based on my guess, I am thinking that the winter conditions in Antarctica are different than the US. I don't know how much fresh snow there is, because I would imagine that it is mostly ice and that the winds blow the powder off of it and the sun melts the top and the cold wind freezes it, especially at night. Since there isn't much there other than barren land, the wind has nothing to block it.
I tried pedaling a 4" tire fat bike through a foot of powder/fresh snow. You can't do it. Especially on that monster with 2 5" wide tires front and rear. I am hoping that he has researched what the conditions would be like and made an educated decision from that. I mean, spending 17k on a bike, pretty sure he didn't just plunk that down on a hope.
This is what confuses me too. I don't know the conditions, but suspect like you do, it's more like an ice field. And if it is, I'd use narrow (maybe3 inches?) tires with metal studs.
Another thing that seems JA is that the chain runs to the rear hub between the two rear tires. That guarantees the chain will be in a constant state of torture from all the muck the tires pull forward. Might even make it harder to pedal.
The dude seems qualified for the journey though. He's been on Mt. Everest expeditions, taught survival classes, and done bike endurance competitions. Although,
A woman already did the run 3 years ago on a recumbent trike.
Not me man. No way.
