Fat Bike Tires
Posted by Sarah in Blog on 11 28th, 2012 | no responses
This year there seems to be a ton of new fat bike tires on the market. Surly has come out with a whole line of wider more aggressively treaded fat bike tires. 45NRTH has introduced several new tires and tires with studded options. To sort out the options, I grabbed Brandon to get his take on what you should be running this winter.
SKH: The newer tires seem to have taller tread knobs, what is the reason for this trend?
BC: Many of the new tires are being designed for dirt trails and rocky terrain. These new tires are going to resemble mountain bike tires more than the tradition fat bike tires with taller and more aggressive tread patterns.
SKH: How do the 45NRTH tires compare to tires from Surly?
BC: The 45NRTH tires are geared more toward the winter months of riding while the Surly tires are more on the dirt/rock side of things. You can argue any tire for either discipline.
SKH: What tires are you riding on your fat bike & why?
SKH: I’ve also been riding the Larry & Endormorph from Surly combo for the last couple of seasons, why should I consider switching to another tire/tires?
BC: If you want better climbing you should switch either the 45NRTH Escalator or a Surly Nate for the rear tire. The Escalator will be lighter and faster rolling than the Nate. The Surly Larry is a good choice in the front. An alternative to the Larry for the front is 45NRTH’s Husker Du.
45NRTH's Husker Du
SKH: What’s the best tire for soft snow conditions?
BC: The wider and knobbier the better for soft snow conditions. The Surly Nate in the rear would do really well with a Surly Big Fat Larry on the front.
Surly's Big Fat Larry
SKH: What’s the best tire for firm snow conditions?
BC: The Surly Endomorph front and rear or the Endomorph rear and Husker Du up front.
SKH: I see that 45NRTH has come out with studded snow tire options - what conditions would you ride a studded fat bike tire?
BC: The studs are great for commuting, lake and river riding and those trails/roads which ice over regularly.
SKH: What tire are you most interested in trying?
BC: 45NRTH Escalator. The Escalator is a relatively light weight option for fat bikes with 180 tpi casing.
SKH: What’s up with Surly’s Bud and Lou?
BC: Bud and Lou are taking fat tires to a whole new level. Designed as a front and rear specific tire they are the widest, at 4.8 inches, knobbiest tire option available. They are also designed for Surly’s Clown Shoe Rim which is the widest rim on the market at 100 mm. If you decide to run the Lou on the back you’ll need to consider whether you need to substitute spacers for some of your gears on the cassette to give you clearance for the extra fat tire. You can always call me at the shop 208-787-2453 to discuss how the Lou will work for your bike.
SKH: Any other tires that should be on our radar?
BC: Surly Knard. A unique tread that has potential in the snow and on dirt.
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