First winter commute on fat bike
 

As the title says, this morning was my first real winter commute on my Framed MN 2.0. The stock tires (Vee Mission) are indeed worthless in the snow. They are great tires for pavement, more than adequate for dry singletrack and doable for packed snow, but in any loose snow there is little traction from the rear tire, so it's very difficult to maintain any speed. And with out any speed the front tire just fishes all over the place. Okay, that's the bad.

The good? Everything else. At 15 degrees my new to me 45Nrth Cobrafist Pogies (Craigslist) were fabulous. My hands were a bit overheated with medium weight PI gloves. Looks like very light fleece will get the next trial. My clothing system worked well. Lightweight merino longs under bib shorts, with waterproof softshell pants over the top. Lake MXZ302 boots (more Craigslist) and RBH vprthrm socks. Up top I had a lightweight merino t neck, 02 Calhoun rain Jacket next operating as a VBL and fairly light Mavic softshell over that. Light smartwool balaclava with Bern Brentwood helmet and winter liner. The 02 jacket was perfect. There was none of the cold, ok, cold, ok cycle I sometimes get. With moisture locked in next to my base layer I was very comfortable.

How'd everyone else's commute go?

Hmm, interesting to hear about the bike handling. Were you riding at low air pressure? I'll be getting a Surly Moonlander next year and am very curious as what it will be like in all the winter weather/road conditions. Granted, it has 4.8" tires. I wonder what the magic tire width is for loose snow. On automobiles, narrower is better than wider, to a point. Dually trucks are bad because they hover over the snow with all that rear surface area touching the ground. I've never had a bad ride on 2.0" tires. Tend to lose grip any less than that. Nonetheless, I'm awaiting the day I ride my own Moonlander fat bike soon.

The weather is still quite a bit warmer here in Chicago; a balmy 28F this morning, so I'm still on the summer bike, and haven't had a chance to use my really cold weather gear.

I use my Schwinn KOM in the winter with studded tires (which I think is the same frame as your paramounts). I tried a buddy's fatbike last winter and decided that it didn't handle any better than my current bike on plowed streets, worse on ice and much slower on pavement. The advantage I saw was in snow over a couple of inches, which is infrequent enough that I can't justify a whole bike just for that. I hope you enjoy yours. Keep us posted on how it works out as a commuter.

From the few fat bike owners I've talked to, it sounds like they excel in certain types of snow and are more of a burden in others. I asked a delivery dude about his on Monday and his response was that he'd had forgotten how much work it was to ride sometimes. He said that last year was the first time he'd ever lost weight during the winter. ;)

There were many times last year when I pined for one as I was trying to negotiate rutted paths and streets that the mammoth tires would help smooth out. Like with any bike/tire combination in the winter though, it sounds like there are tradeoffs.

This thread makes me sad. I thought fat bikes were the bees knees of winter commuting.

Tires are pretty expensive and I don't think there were many studded options until recently. That would probably help their handling on ice quite a bit but I imagine it makes for a lot of rubber and metal to spin.

There are a few actual fat bike owners in here that will hopefully chime in.

FWIW I saw a whole bunch of fat bike owners on a group ride a couple of weeks ago before we had any snow. I think one surprising thing is how much fun they are to ride in general, - snow or not.

Even the delivery dude I mentioned earlier (who told me how much work they can be) was the most cheerful guy I saw on that wintery day by far.

A few responses. No, fat bikes haven't solved cold fusion. Two, they are quicker/faster than the naysayers think. Three, they are SIGNIFICANTLY better in snow than 2.5" tires and below, but, physics being what it is, are no better on ice. Yes, the tires are expensive. This weekend I'll be purchasing new takeoffs from craigslist at about a 50% savings (Surly Larry for the front, Endomorph for the rear, both at 3.8"). Because these tires are run at such low pressure they wear significantly slower than tires run at 40 psi plus, so that and the fact that they aren't an "every day rider" needs to be taken into account with cost. My problem this morning was with the specific rear tire I'm running. It's a problem I had assumed I would have, as the tread is very shallow, and when I get the replacement on I should be fine. Fat bikes are a blast. I feel like I'm 7 years old again when I'm riding mine.

Minnesota 1.0 owner, though that is not my usual commuter. The mission Vee are bad in loose snow at any pressure. But pressure is key with fat tires. At 20 PSI they roll like mountain bike tires, less and they are great for sand or mud, even less and they work well enough for packed snow.

They are way fun to ride and even though it is not my daily commuter it is my only mountain bike, unless the Fargo counts. I ride fat to work in 3 or more inches of snow, any less and you are just pushing snow without the float, 35mm cyclecross tires are great in less than three inches of snow. Ride what makes you happy.

one more note on the mission Vees, reversing the tread pattern has not made a noticeable increase in traction in snow, but did result in a noticeable increase of tire friction on dry pavement. My stock tires are pretty worn and am looking forward to Lou and Buds next month, hopefully they fit.

I just want to TRY one!

Last year I rode through Utah winter exclusively on my cyclocross. My stubbies were amazing, though skinny. I only ever slipped on an icy bike path, and I was just testing my limits then and practicing sliding around a corner with one foot down. But we had a few heavy snow days that just sucked me in and held on to my tires where the streets weren't plowed. I can count on one hand the days that I couldn't ride my cyclocross because of snow. I have probably paid for my cyclocross bike twice with what I've saved in gas money, but I doubt I would ever pay off a fatbike with use, because I don't mountain bike.

Cyclocross are wonderfully versatile.

The commute here in CO went fairly well. Winter didn't know it's not welcome and doesn't knock.

BUT, the new Nokian Mount and Grounds performed superbly. It was quite the ride home, snow falling and sticking- temps in the upper 9's, drivers totally dazed... the most fun on a bike for some time.

(Imagine if they made a fat bike tire with studs!! MSRP, $200.)

We need a few more fat bike owners to speak up here! Ok. I will.

First off. revcp: For winter, save your money Endomorphs suck in the snow. Seriously. For a rear tire it won't be much better than your Vee's. They don't make them anymore and for good reason. You want a Nate or a Husker du or anything knobby for the rear. Larry will be ok for the front but full set of Nates or Huskers for winter are worth it. Yeah this stuff is not cheap.

This is my this my third winter on my Moonlander, I roll with a Lou in the back and a big fat Larry or bud in the front depending on conditions. Tire pressures are the absolute key to everything on a fat bike. 9psi front, and 10psi rear is my default starting point. Depending on what and where you are riding a 1psi change can make a huge difference. You learn how to feel it.

Fat bikes do a few thing really well, and they are an amazing niche of a niche of a niche. Nothing more. I use mine to commute sometimes on snowy days, like this week, but more often I'll ride winter single track with it and nothing could be better for that. Ill ride it with my dog, I'll ride dirt single track too, but prefer my FS 29er. I ride my cross bike with studs mostly for the winter commute chores. I'm lucky enough to have over time built a stable of bikes for every silly niche type of riding I like to do ad I ride them all. My FS 29er mountian bike is really more of a niche bike, for that matter so is my road bike. I don't commute on those.

fat bikes arent for everyone, but everyone smiles when they are on one.

Your wish is granted

love my pugsley.
for pure icy road conditions, yes, studded tires are the ticket... have not tried them on the fattie though. bought nates last year, what an improvement in the snow, mud and slop.
for a couple of inches or road riding narrow cross tires can work pretty well. i had 35 nokians on my crosscheck for awhile. liked riding fixed with those.

ran 29r nokians studded on my single speed and fargo, they work pretty well - but they don't come near being as stable as the fatties in the ruts and chop and certainly don't have the float.

i have a krampus in the stable now with 29x3" tires. will see how they do in the mid depth snow.

Was it last weekend at Wirth? Big group of us riding there to help pack down down the brand new single track south section. 40 fat bikes going over and over do a pretty good job of setting up the fresh dirt. Theo wirth is really turning into a decent MTB area considering its in the city limits.

It was a weekend or two ago and they rode by my house. I live not far from the Angry Catfish/The Baker's Wife and we're between a couple of popular cycling routes so I see a lot of bikes go by. Not very close to Theo Wirth but I suppose they might have been part of that group. Was it only going on this past weekend?

Probably one of the "Faturday" rides to the river bottoms. It's a good group of really nice folks. There are mutilple fat bike group rides every week. In the winter it's smart to not ride alone.

So help me I have snow envy.

I've commuted a few times on my coworkers Moonlander. I took his psi recommendations for the weather. My main impression is that its a LOT of work to ride those. Going very fast seemed to be just right out of the question. I did have good traction, but I didn't hit any ice so I cant speak for stock tires on ice.

Me too. You'll eventually get it. Here, it is never assured, and even then, I rarely get to ride in it. It is immediately plowed away or melted into slush. Some years, we get none!