Just did a "Calvin's dad" bike ride

[Number_35]

Remember the Calvin & Hobbes strip where the dad comes in from a bike ride? The dialogue went something like this:

Dad: "Ahh, what could be better than a bracing 20 mile ride in freezing rain?"

Calvin: "How about strained prunes and a root canal?"

Dad: "Hey, yeah, prunes! Do we have any?"

Anyway, I did a 21 km loop this morning in not very nice conditions. It was a bit like reading a classic; a better thing to have done than to do.

The reward will be the veggie chili underway in the crockpot.

 

[AZjeff]

What fun. I moved here to never have to do that again. Carry on.

 

[Number_35]

AZjeff, did you move from a northern state?

Arizona appeals to me for many reasons, including that my cars would not rust! But here I am, so I try to make the best of it.

 

[AZjeff]

Spent 48 years in NW Pa, got my fair share of miles in rain and cold and snow and mud. Moved here in 2005 and never looked back. The SW isn't for everyone but it suits us fine.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Spent 48 years in NW Pa, got my fair share of miles in rain and cold and snow and mud. Moved here in 2005 and never looked back. The SW isn't for everyone but it suits us fine.



Yeah, someday I'll move to New Mexico or Arizona

 

[AZjeff]

The interesting about Az and probably NM is there just aren't many paved roads compared to most other places. In Pa there was a road going everywhere and anywhere with 3 different ways to get from here to there. Here not so much. But, with so much public land and so many dirt roads of all levels a "gravel bike" of some sort makes good sense. I just set up an old Litespeed for this duty with a rigid fork and lightly treaded 2.0 tires and it's working out well. I think your bikes are already good for this.

 

[NYEngineer]

It's just getting to my season. No bugs, no nasty stinky sweaty clothes, trails less populated...

I used to hate the winter. Now that I have fat bikes I look forward to it.

 

[AZjeff]

Are you running true fats, 4.0s? I have a 27.5+ bike with the 3.0s that I would have liked to try on winter trails but oh well.

 

[Number_35]

Originally Posted by NYEngineer
It's just getting to my season. No bugs, no nasty stinky sweaty clothes, trails less populated...

I used to hate the winter. Now that I have fat bikes I look forward to it.

Agreed, mid-September through mid-October are usually delightful here, but this year the last few weeks have been rotten. After almost a year of near-drought, we've had lots of rain, and some sleet and snow. We may be switching over to the fatties sooner than usual.

 

[Number_35]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Are you running true fats, 4.0s? I have a 27.5+ bike with the 3.0s that I would have liked to try on winter trails but oh well.

Yes, true fatties for winter, and for selected 3-season trail rides. I run a 4.8 up front, and a 4.0 in the back. My wife's bike has 4.0 tires front and back. For the 3-season trail rides we run studless knobby tires, and for winter run studded.

We ride mountain bikes with 26" tires for most of spring, summer, and fall.

I think the fat bike association here defines fat as 3.7" and up.

Having said that, 3" tires on a 27.5 incher would be a great combination, pretty much the best of both worlds. NY Engineer is our resident expert, and can comment on this combination.

I just installed a 2.3" studded tire on Jr's winter bike (29", single-speed), and we'll see how it goes. (A 2nd tire is back-ordered.)

My Pugsly fat bike:

 

[AZjeff]

Didn't you post pics of a frozen lake ride last winter?

This is my + bike, a Devinci Hendrix (Canadian eh?!) and the repurposed for dirt roading Litespeed. New tech and old school.

 

[Number_35]

Nice bikes (and hound)! I'm guessing you're quite tall.

Yes, I did the Polar Bear Crossing in March 2016 and '17, had to skip this year's due to my broken leg, and hope to be back for another one in March 2019.

 

[NYEngineer]

That Litespeed is cool.

Yep. I was telling 35 how a nice 29x3" tire works on a Pugs. I build quite a few "Krampug" wheelsets.

Right now, I have two fat bikes, one for trails and snow and the other set up solely for beach riding. My other bike is a Surly Krampus. 29x3 on the back, 3 1/4" up front. Currently rigid. I came off a full suspension Specialized to rigid fat and plus and the endless traction means more to me than any suspension.

 

[Number_35]

NYE, do you have any experience with fat bikes with suspension? MEC was selling RSD fat bikes in three trim levels last winter, but I think have discontinued them. They were $1500.$2000, and $2500 (all C$). All were equipped with 26" x 5" tires. The $2500 one was equipped with front suspension. Per RSD's website, they also made one with a carbon fibre frame, but that was getting up there in cost - around $5K.

 

[NYEngineer]

My fat suspension experience is a little limited but I have some. Bluto is a noodly fork for someone built like me. I've ridden a bike with one and it was ok, but since I ride with 5" tires the flexy fork didn't give me enough of an advantage to make it worthwhile.

I once rode an early Salsa Mukluk with the Carver inverted fork aka the fork of many names. That bike had 65mm Marge Lites and 3.8" Surly Knards. The bike was an absolute riot to ride. It felt like a BMX bike on steroids.

I've more recently tried a Manitou Mastadon on a Specialized Fatboy. If I wanted a fat suspension fork, that would be the one.

I honestly feel fine with the rigid forks on my fat bikes with the 4.8" tires. I run the tires soft enough that my wrists and shoulders don't take a beating.

I will be putting a Rockshox Pike on my Krampus though. The 3" tire can't soak up all the trail chatter all the time.

Also... RSD is blowing out their gen 3 alloy frames cheap. Might be worth a look. I bought a couple.

 

[Number_35]

A fat suspension fork is the answer to a question I never thought to ask. Agreed, my Pugs gobbles up curbs and roots and potholes and stuff so well that I've never seriously thought of upgrading to a suspension fork.

 

[NYEngineer]

And chances are, you'd need a different front hub to fit in any of the current forks. Also, any of the better forks have tapered steerers. A no go on a Pugs.