Keeping your extremeties warm while winter riding is a hard, expensive task. I have invested in the gear (battery powered heated gloves and socks are a game changer) and even i generally wont go out if its below -15c. I dont blame you for turning back
Alpine ski gear, I ride up to minus 15°c it gets much colder in Tremblant where I live but -15°c is the threshold of where you can be comfortable with alpine skiing gear, at around 0°c you're better off with country skiing gear lol
Bar Mitts are amazing! They're fairly inexpensive and the biggest thing that they do is they keep the wind off of your hands so your gloves can work a LOT more effectively. You can take them off and put them on in under a minute easy just with a few velcro straps. I just rode a few dozen laps on a frozen lake when it was about 15F. I had on long fingered riding gloves (definitely not big chunky igloo gloves like you had) and my bar mitts and my hands were plenty toasty warm for the whole ride!
I built up my old 2012 hardtail as a winter bike. Your RSD could be also amazing as a singlespeed in winter. I had really good results. Also a game changer for me was a coil fork. It just works so much better imo. But it's amazing seeing you going out at that temperature. And the build is great too
Idk the extent of the snow there, but I loved riding in the snow. It's all melted here now but still love riding in wet, mud, w/e. I think I like winter riding more than summer here 😄😂
Since I'm from Belarus, -10°C (14F) is nothing special for us, but dispite that you can meet a fat bike soooo rarely. But a lot of people use winter tires with spikes, like ones from schwalbe. That especially handy in spring, when all trails in forests are covered in ice with layer of water over it) Personally I prefere to ride over fresh snow, using XC hardtail on regular tyres, so extra drag from snow even helps with climbing on something really steep.
Cool winter bike build but if you want a monster hardtail you should check out the RSD Sergeant it can run almost every wheel set he middlechild can run but it can also run 29x3.0 or even 27.5x4.0
Gonna take a hell of a lot more then that for frostbite, just exercising will give enough circulation. You could have used 27.5 plus size tires also, ive got a plus size set up on my hardtail also.
You can easily get a frostbite if you don’t use warm gloves in -18 °C. I have been cycling in Norwegian winters for 25 years, and my advice is to keep your head, feet, fingers and face warm, in that order. Thick winter gloves are usually good enough. Electric heating elements are not necessary if the clothes are otherwise warm enough.
Hei from Norway. any specific gloves you can recommend? I want gloves that don't have a issue with included liner that comes. Swix gloves but they have this issue. @@tormodhaugen3220
I do own a fat bike, RMB Blizzard (sim geo to the Growler you tested). The trails can be under 2-6 ft of snow depending on the year. The float of 4"+ tires is a need so you don't punch through "the crust" once the trails are "set". To make it an "all year ride" I hade some 29 hoops built to fat hubs and I use it to commute to work ,in the winter too on the fats.
I have the diamondback overdrive from the best beginner bike video Seth made years ago sounds crazy. Still had the single speed and dual brake lever even the bell he put on to play foot down as seen in the foot down video later on
I'm in the Hudson Valley of NY and this is fat bike season! Some snow, mud, frosted up trails and a mixed up version of all three is Fat bike weather. I use the fat bike in soft unpredictable conditions and this is where it shines. You don't reallly need one for snow until the snow is over 4-6 inches. You're spot on with the rolling resistance, and filling in the techy spots, add some steep climbs to that and you're fatbiking! When there is feet of snow and the trails are packed and groomed for fatbiking I'd rather break out skis, not enough tech and rocks for me. There is nothing like biking in fresh fallen snow with fatbike tires running 5 inch wide tires at 5-6psi (and i'm 210lbs) and chewing your way up and snow hillside! Thanks for the videos! Cheers!
Living in Canada, the Rockies at that I can tell you this... Riding in the snow is fun and you definitely don't need a fat bike! I ride my Trek Roscoe with 29x2.6 tires most of the winter. Another option is Schwalbe ice spiker tires that come in 29er... Enjoy the snowy ride!... PS tubes work better in the cold 😉
I saw some tire marks where you could tell people totally slid out. I was wondering if that was cuz the narrower tires. But I didn't realize how slow and sluggish snow is. I thought snow was fast and slick because of skiing
@@EvansMTBSaga hahaha... Yup. The thing about snow is it feels like there's lots of traction until there isn't and washouts happen quickly but more so on pavement but studs will pretty much stop that. Riding in snow is definitely a workout but it's fun. However, I'm glad we have an indoor bike park here because it's definitely too much for me sometimes!
Those are definitely nice, studs won't tear out knobs won't split, robust stiff enough knobs, robust studs, tyres are durable, do a nice job, but in wet snow they clog up more than the 45NRTH Wrathchild, which has better clearance, and has studs on some knobs and not others, so a nice allrounder, 45NRTH Wrathchild , but for ice only the Ice Spiker is great, great thread pattern on both. But if conditions are too bad with too wet, heavy sticky snow then no tyres work, bike will lock up despite my bike having nice clearance. I still have the Ice Spiker, and won't sell them, got them second hand for cheap, nice tyres, but I want to build another bike so this will be nice.
The ones I tried were 2.25 so a bit narrow, but back then I had 23mm rims, they felt great on those. But got 30mm rims now, so think these would be too narrow, but they have 29x2.60 too,I see they are easy to get now. I I don't reuse my old wheels I might get those. @@A42sre
Yes 👍 I'm stoked this is seeping to the main channel, as a Canadian I'm sure a lot of people miss on the fun, I just ride studded tires on my hardtail and it goes, no frigging need for a fatbike don't miss on all the fun...
Love it. I just built up a 27.5 wheel with a 2.8 tire to mullet my hardtail. Its slow but grip isnt a concern anymore and it also takes away some small bumps too. Also love the second channel!
Fun story, I now know who bought the rims I was looking at on Pink Bike for a bike build I am working on. Saw them late at night, logged in the next day and BAM "sold" . Glad to see them put on an super interesting build . I love riding in the snow, although that is a rare occasion here in Texas. For me, riding in the snow is always a pleasure because it dampens the sounds of the loud, busy world we live in. Plus it makes trails you are familiar with a bit more interesting if you happen to hit a hidden slippery patch. The key is to dress accordingly. Good gloves and warm foot make it much more enjoyable.
Haha man we both have the same taste! I'd be willing to let them go for less than I got them for (not too low though haha). Let me know if interested! Trying to clean house right now for a big project
That was great I wish that I'd picked up another wide tire today but we're also lacking snow and it doesn't look real good here in central Minnesota it was fun to watch I just got back from the bike shop and took a look around Walmart while I was waiting the bike shop has this really nice Marlin I can probably put my bike back together in 10 minutes but it's nice to take a break before I get started
Make sure to check the weather and how the temperature progresses. I'm glad you tried it in -1 degree weather, but a hot pair of gloves goes a long way. Great project dude! 👍👍👍
My favorite tire inserts I have used are MYNESWEEPERS. I did a test in 2020 at AngelFire Bike Park (that Eats tires) where I ran Maxxos Dissector tires in EXO casing not even EXO+ and I didn't get a single flat tire in 3 days. I was sold after that. I have flatted Maxxis DD casing tires at AngelFire.
Live in Northern MN here and fat bike and cross country ski through the winter. Up and down riding is really hard because you get your hands/feet warm on the climbs and then they can freeze on the downhill parts. I usually stick to XC/single track. It's slower but that's the point, helps negate the windchill factor. If you can't feel your fingers/toes, it's time to be done. Good choice calling it even though it was obvious you were bummed. Get back on tomorrow.
Evan, have the RSD Middlechild in CrMO, ❤️ it. Run it 29x2.5 or 27.5 x 2.8 F&R depending on conditions. Live in the ineterior of BC 🇨🇦 (do have a "full fat" see next post). I recommended RSD Sergeant to my friends who also wanted a modern HT to spice up old familiar rides. Helps with: "I can't justify a dedicated fat bike" but as "the one bike for ALL seasons" hard to beat. Very Sim Geo to the MC takes up to 27.5 × 4.0" if you need the float.
You might want to try heated gloves. I've not tried it. But makes sense. I use thin Marino liner, thick Marino liner, and two sizes too large riding gloves, this works in -10C if, but if really slow, or take a break too long, my fingers hurt, especially if windy. Only thick liner works too if constantly moving fast. but even in -5C it can be horrible if it's foggy. For waterproofing I use nitrile gloves over the liner. For for -18 this would be too cold. So ski gloves over that would probably work, especially if big enough, but keep in mind just layering up is not the only thing you have to have air between the layers, not super tight everything squeezed, then you get cold anyway. I think layering up is key. This is why people use those bar mitts. I've never tried it. For me it would be worth it, to be able to ride, with my problems I can't always ride so take every opportunity I can to ride. No matter the weather, only thing stopping me is my back, neck, or a brutal storm. I don't have any good ski gloves, I have ski gloves too, a common issue. But I think gloves without that issue, and with a good liner, wind and water proof, and extra roomy would be good, thin you could have a Marino wool liner or two inside.
I’m going to looking at picking up an RSD for winter riding vs buying a fat bike. Looking for a used frame but people love them. Yup in Toronto winter riding needs studded tires, a lot of freeze/thaw and lots of ice normally. For the glove, a trick is use a hotshot/warmer on the inside of your wrist which keeps the blood going to your fingers warm. I also like lobster/three finger gloves for winter riding.
Hi, it's awesome you are riding in the winter. Me and my dad also bike in these conditions. when its below -10.c, we put in heat packs in to our gloves at the base of our fingers and toes. we also got heated gloves and my dad has heated socks that are battery powered and last for a couple of rides. WE got these at Costco. If you want to, u can repurpose old MTB tires and drill studs in and wrap the inside of your tire with ductape. (it has to be tubed tho). Also it does not hurt to wear themals and warm-up (exersize) for 5 mins and then go MTBing.
lol sorry i just finished watching the rest of your vid and yes you are right, i don't know how long the winter is in Bentonville but if its only 2months long then i guess it not worth spending a lot of money
Evan, get some trigger finger mitts, they have the pointer separate and the other 3 digits together.. wayy warmer in super cold weather proven for me in -22C japan power for 8 hours of boarding. Won't cost you an arm and a leg either (or a pinky)
Cool wheels for sure, i just wonder what’s the advantage of going with plus 26” wheels vs 27.5 plus? I’d think there would be more tire options especially for 27.5 plus
I ride a RSD sergeant v4 with 27.5x3.8s 140mm DVO fork. Perfect fatty for the winter, light and nimble. I used too ride a 26x4.8 on a differny frame tons of traction but heavy and fairly slow. I could run a solid fork and 4.0s if i wanted to run studs for some extra traction. I can run it as a 29er or a 27.5+ in the summer and it makes for a super fun and versatile bike. I'll have too say Pogies/Bar Mits are extremely nice I love having my hands uncovered or with light gloves.
what I found being the most fun to ride is like 2 days after a snow storm. We got the first snow since 2018 here near paris and it was a blast riding singletrack since the snow half-melted on the track itself. It was around -1Celsius and it was a blast.
Wow MTB near Paris! How cool. I rode the other day when it was melting and it was super fun. I've never once lost traction in the snow either, I expected it to be slippery
In the snow at night is completely different. It feels like you're going warp speed, even though you're probably only going half normal speed. Great fun!
One season I made studded tires using hex head computer "screws" actually bolts with washers / nuts. Head inside the tire, and excess threads clipped off.on outside to create small sharp little studs.. it took a couple hours per tire, but they worked awesome on packed snow / ice, and black ice on road / paved trails. It was literally night and day compared to no studs. You can buy studded tires but they are very pricey and not common. Making your own you can use whatever tire as a base you want to. In cwrtain snow conditions, narrow studded tires work better than fat tires...they sink all the way to the hard pack and dont float on top. Which can be a benefit. On road they really worked amazing. Trail only might not be worth the effort but maybe an experiment to try if yoi are bored one day lol. I cut an old tube to act as a barrier between screw heads and inflated tube. Some of the bolts did pull out over the season, but they held air and still worked great.
I've heard somewhere that latex surgeon gloves under normal gloves help with hands not freezing up, but I haven't tested that. Could be worth a try and cheap for you.
I rode a 26" hard tail with a rigid fork as a winter trainer for 20 years before fat bikes came around. Suspension forks are unnecessary on snow. Tires studded with 5/8" length sheet metal screws run from the inside with a rubber strip against the heads to protect the tube, super traction on ice and hard pack. Floatation isnt as good as a 4 or 5 inch tire but its a cheap, easy setup that works great. Ive been riding a fat bike for 13 years, 4" tires, rigid carbon fork, carbon wheels , thousands of winter miles in Colorado.
Suspension forks may be unnecessary on snow depending on where you ride. Where i ride, Ontario, Canada, I ride a full on fatbike with a suspension fork. It’s not uncommon for people to hike some fatbike trails, punch them up with boot imprints, then when it freezes, the bumps can be quite unpleasant on a rigid fork, to the point of being very punishing to ride.
I bought an old on one 456 cycle of violence and being 8 years old it runs 26inch wheel and I don't know why but I find the small wheels so much fun making it more playful and exciting being my first bike to use 26ers
I need to get up to Bentonville one day this summer and let you try out my new Commencal Öhlins tempo. You'd love it. Plus I'm only a couple hours away
@@EvansMTBSaga it is absolutely amazing. I actually did the Northwoods Enduro on it back in November and won in my category 18-29 by almost 2 mins. I used to have their Meta HT and had a polygon d7 and t7 and have friends that have the Meta SX, Meta, and TR and the tempo is by far the best one. They are all jealous because of how well it descends and climbs back up
Checking in from Ohio where I ride a hardtail in the snow alot. A pair of Nitrile mechanics gloves under your snow gloves buys some extra time for your hands. Also prevents you from exposed skin if you need to make an adjustment. Stay off wooden features in the trail if you can.
It's funny you mentioned that. On my second channel I have the footage, I didn't end the ride when I said. I put on nitrile gloves with the snow gloves and my hands warmed. I rode about 10 more min and then the goggles froze over haha. Took it as a sign to try again when its warmer
@@EvansMTBSaga: I know you don’t want to hear about buying things, but…get some mitten shells. Basically a shell that’s wind proof , and you wear whatever gloves under them.
I run the RSD sergeant with 29x3 maxxis dhf and dhr2 tires for winter. I definitely get the point about fingers lol. Try getting some pogies, the will save you!
In a similar boat; I dont' want to spend money on a meme bike I'll be riding like 3 times a year. So I'm building up a fatbike frame that has older standards, 170mm QR, with rigid carbon fork and Hope wheels for next to nothing all because its not the hot new thing. Hopefully we get decent snow this year and I'll have the bike built up by then 😅
Get the crappy little one time use hand warmers and put them on the back of your hands. For your feet I use full hight waterproof socks. Keeps the wind from getting to your skin. If it’s getting a bit cold still, take those same warmers and put them on the tops of your feet under the tongue of your shoe. I live in pa and ride through the winter temps get to single dodgers and below
Anyone know what 2.5" wide tyres are like? I'm looking to build an enduro but frame is limited to 2.5" be some time next year when build it fully Looking to do an all rounder as in from light trail to enduro all on an enduro build
@@EvansMTBSaga thanks for quick reply, that awesome then Last mountain bike I rode I only used slicks 1.75 but as only on road, be nice to experience off road again
I know you said not to recommend bar mits but you can rock bros knock off bar mits for like $25. They are life savers in cold weather. I usually don't even use gloves in the cold with them on.
As a Canadian MTB'er I must ask....is there a need for a tire insert for a snow project bike? Higher volume tires should ride jut fine, also those lugs on the tires are way too small but you get what you can find eh. The temp I ride at is -5, colder than this amount hands and feet will freeze up too fast.
I think with how wide of a tire I was running with 120tpi, it was necessary. The side wall was super thin. Any 60tpi tire wouldn't need it I don't think
Nice experiment 😊 snow riding ist awesome 😁 a must do every year for me 😍 and I don't want to buy a fat bike either. I just do it on my normal bike. I would probably slap on my Schwalbe ICE Spicker Pro 💪🏿 Staying warm is no issue for me. It does not get that cold here. Coldest was maybe -10°C and I have warm stuff on. I learned to keep the core toasty, so the body does not decide to cut off warming my hands and feet. Works a treat.
Hey evan, i just snapped my polygon siskiu D7 frame, right above the crank and the bottom linkage. have you heard of anything similar on this bike? wanna know if this is a fluke. seems to have happened right at the welds. i snapped it off a probably 3-4 foot stair case i jumped at probably 15 mph
Yeah man I hear people have snapped them but it's always because people are riding them too hard. Hucking staircases is for street BMX bikes and youre riding a bike that's a step above an XC bike and meant to take it easy. I'm sorry that happened to you, hope you can find a way to get a new frame (no way they will warranty unfortunately)
I've always had a mission when winter rides are needed... but made it fun...duking it out against the elememts to accomplish something that is denied by the wheather for cars to travel.....just me and the snow plows . But to just go for a ride ...ahhh. there's needs to be a goal that u can't get with anything but a 10x as long of a walk
Put a sticky toe warmer stuck on the top of your hand and then put your gloves on. That works good for me. And then I run the acerbis mtb hand gaurds they help block the wind
Oh I should've done that! I have the Acerbis hand guards not in use and toe warmers in the house. Totally dropped the ball on that one, thanks for the recommendation
Don't use gloves use mittens! You can use them also for day-to-day use so it is not a purchase for once in a while. Also, Kenda might have the tires for you. That is where i bought my 26 tires from.
Fat bikes are not just for winter , i bought one last year so i can ride in the winter but they’re so much fun i ride it year round . You should get one.
When you're hands are so cold you can't brake and change gear it's totally cool to end the ride man! No point screwing yourself over for tough guy points!
You just need to learn to use layers. That goes for the body and the hands. This winter I was skiing in -36c (-32.8f) and had no issue except from the face. I had 3 finger gloves only (I got warm hands) but for someone not as hot as me a layer of this wool finger gloves would do the trick. For upper body I just had a wool underlay and a non insulated Montec jacket. Same with the pants, non bib pants with no insulation and a wool underlay beneath it. Also keeping your head heated are the most inportant thing. You drop a lot of heat from the head.
Cool bike, fun video 👍🏼 I will never understand why folks think fatbikes are only for the snow tho. Silliness. I ride mine year round and it’s a blast. To each their own I guess
In michigan our groomed trails u wouldnt be "aloud" to ride on with such skinny tires. 3.25 or bigger. Alot of people ride bigger than that year round. Sick build! I thought they were 3" atleast at first. Bike looks great tho Great content!
ive noticed both you and the singletrack sampler are both using the same template for the betterhelp ad integration is there a reason? like did they send u the template or did you both coincidentally decide to use it?
Haha good eye. Well I copied a channel "Crafted Workshop" and that channel is good buddies with Seth and maybe Alex. So just coincidence , but that was a slick integration from Crafted Workshop
The fattire is the ATV of bicycles. If you're only going to have one bike the fattire will blow that hardtail out of the water. The big tires bounce through obstacles just like an ATV. I also have a Specialized Status 2. The fattire is better at everything except going fast downhill. Fattires are the true budget build. You should do one. Btw my fattire is a Surley Moonlander. I have easily overcome 50k miles commuting on that bike. Countless Schwalbe tires have been worn bald by that bike. First the Jumbo Jim now the Al Mighty.
thats just how it was designed. its not the typical straight steer thats like 30 something mm. its 44 up top and then the wider cup exists outside the bottom
I work nights and my record for riding is probably about -20 F..my glasses fogging up is my biggest problem I just wear winter clothes and ride slow. It's only about a four mile bike ride
My hands freeze and i can't feel them in warm gloves when it's about 0c can't imagine what it would be like at those temperatures, I'd definitely lose some fingers :D
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Keeping your extremeties warm while winter riding is a hard, expensive task. I have invested in the gear (battery powered heated gloves and socks are a game changer) and even i generally wont go out if its below -15c. I dont blame you for turning back
I usually just wear thick socks and gloves when it gets really cold, but I don't go riding when it's -20C, I just do my 10min commute
Thin gloves under mittens. Latex gloves as a vapor barrier for longer treks
Barmitts are a game changer to keep your hands warm. I've ridden in -6 degrees without discomfort.
Alpine ski gear, I ride up to minus 15°c it gets much colder in Tremblant where I live but -15°c is the threshold of where you can be comfortable with alpine skiing gear, at around 0°c you're better off with country skiing gear lol
$5 10w usb heating element / pads...$10 thermal underwear to sew them into...USB power bank to provide power. Save hundreds. Stay just as warm.
He’s back! Good to see content on the main channel again!
Bar Mitts are amazing! They're fairly inexpensive and the biggest thing that they do is they keep the wind off of your hands so your gloves can work a LOT more effectively. You can take them off and put them on in under a minute easy just with a few velcro straps. I just rode a few dozen laps on a frozen lake when it was about 15F. I had on long fingered riding gloves (definitely not big chunky igloo gloves like you had) and my bar mitts and my hands were plenty toasty warm for the whole ride!
Done plenty of -40F +5hr days in Wisconsin with bar mitts and moderately warm gloves
I built up my old 2012 hardtail as a winter bike. Your RSD could be also amazing as a singlespeed in winter. I had really good results. Also a game changer for me was a coil fork. It just works so much better imo. But it's amazing seeing you going out at that temperature. And the build is great too
As a resident of MA, cold weather is no joke. Can't wait until winter is gone.
Idk the extent of the snow there, but I loved riding in the snow. It's all melted here now but still love riding in wet, mud, w/e. I think I like winter riding more than summer here 😄😂
Indiana here. At least Rays is closeish to me 😅. I want warm weather back
Since I'm from Belarus, -10°C (14F) is nothing special for us, but dispite that you can meet a fat bike soooo rarely. But a lot of people use winter tires with spikes, like ones from schwalbe. That especially handy in spring, when all trails in forests are covered in ice with layer of water over it)
Personally I prefere to ride over fresh snow, using XC hardtail on regular tyres, so extra drag from snow even helps with climbing on something really steep.
I come from mongolia (average winter temp: -20 ish) and for commuting i use my schwalbe ice spiker, but when going biking i use my trek farley
Cool winter bike build but if you want a monster hardtail you should check out the RSD Sergeant it can run almost every wheel set he middlechild can run but it can also run 29x3.0 or even 27.5x4.0
I ride my steel hardtail with 25 mm inner width rims with 29's schwalbe ice Spikers 2.25... it's excellent on the hard packed and doable on soft snow
RSD Mayor is another cool fat bike they make.
Gonna take a hell of a lot more then that for frostbite, just exercising will give enough circulation. You could have used 27.5 plus size tires also, ive got a plus size set up on my hardtail also.
Unless you have a circulation issue like Reynauds. My doctor has warned me about loosing my toes if I'm not sensible with it.
Some get frostbite Iess. Everyone isn't the same. That said, this isn't fitting 27.5 plus tires out back
@@veganpotterthevegan yes it will fit up to 2.8 27.5+ tires….read there website and Hardtail party tried it!
You can easily get a frostbite if you don’t use warm gloves in -18 °C. I have been cycling in Norwegian winters for 25 years, and my advice is to keep your head, feet, fingers and face warm, in that order. Thick winter gloves are usually good enough. Electric heating elements are not necessary if the clothes are otherwise warm enough.
Hei from Norway. any specific gloves you can recommend? I want gloves that don't have a issue with included liner that comes. Swix gloves but they have this issue. @@tormodhaugen3220
I do own a fat bike, RMB Blizzard (sim geo to the Growler you tested). The trails can be under 2-6 ft of snow depending on the year. The float of 4"+ tires is a need so you don't punch through "the crust" once the trails are "set". To make it an "all year ride" I hade some 29 hoops built to fat hubs and I use it to commute to work ,in the winter too on the fats.
I have the diamondback overdrive from the best beginner bike video Seth made years ago sounds crazy. Still had the single speed and dual brake lever even the bell he put on to play foot down as seen in the foot down video later on
I'm in the Hudson Valley of NY and this is fat bike season! Some snow, mud, frosted up trails and a mixed up version of all three is Fat bike weather. I use the fat bike in soft unpredictable conditions and this is where it shines. You don't reallly need one for snow until the snow is over 4-6 inches. You're spot on with the rolling resistance, and filling in the techy spots, add some steep climbs to that and you're fatbiking! When there is feet of snow and the trails are packed and groomed for fatbiking I'd rather break out skis, not enough tech and rocks for me. There is nothing like biking in fresh fallen snow with fatbike tires running 5 inch wide tires at 5-6psi (and i'm 210lbs) and chewing your way up and snow hillside! Thanks for the videos! Cheers!
Sounds super fun! I'd love to ride groomed snow. I'm considering going to Iceman in Michigan next fall
Living in Canada, the Rockies at that I can tell you this... Riding in the snow is fun and you definitely don't need a fat bike! I ride my Trek Roscoe with 29x2.6 tires most of the winter. Another option is Schwalbe ice spiker tires that come in 29er... Enjoy the snowy ride!... PS tubes work better in the cold 😉
I saw some tire marks where you could tell people totally slid out. I was wondering if that was cuz the narrower tires. But I didn't realize how slow and sluggish snow is. I thought snow was fast and slick because of skiing
@@EvansMTBSaga hahaha... Yup. The thing about snow is it feels like there's lots of traction until there isn't and washouts happen quickly but more so on pavement but studs will pretty much stop that. Riding in snow is definitely a workout but it's fun. However, I'm glad we have an indoor bike park here because it's definitely too much for me sometimes!
As a Quebecer I'd say exactly the same 🤘
Great stuff! Hardest thing about snowy trails is seeing where the trail is!!
Hi! I’ve been riding in super snowy conditions in Finland for a few years now and I suggest you try schwalbe ice spiker tires😉
Those are definitely nice, studs won't tear out knobs won't split, robust stiff enough knobs, robust studs, tyres are durable, do a nice job, but in wet snow they clog up more than the 45NRTH Wrathchild, which has better clearance, and has studs on some knobs and not others, so a nice allrounder, 45NRTH Wrathchild , but for ice only the Ice Spiker is great, great thread pattern on both.
But if conditions are too bad with too wet, heavy sticky snow then no tyres work, bike will lock up despite my bike having nice clearance. I still have the Ice Spiker, and won't sell them, got them second hand for cheap, nice tyres, but I want to build another bike so this will be nice.
@@mtbboy1993 cool man
The ones I tried were 2.25 so a bit narrow, but back then I had 23mm rims, they felt great on those. But got 30mm rims now, so think these would be too narrow, but they have 29x2.60 too,I see they are easy to get now. I I don't reuse my old wheels I might get those. @@A42sre
Yes 👍 I'm stoked this is seeping to the main channel, as a Canadian I'm sure a lot of people miss on the fun, I just ride studded tires on my hardtail and it goes, no frigging need for a fatbike don't miss on all the fun...
Bar mitts help your hands a lot! And if they fit the bike properly, there’s no loss of lever function
Love it. I just built up a 27.5 wheel with a 2.8 tire to mullet my hardtail. Its slow but grip isnt a concern anymore and it also takes away some small bumps too. Also love the second channel!
Love to see the RSD back in the rotation
Fun story, I now know who bought the rims I was looking at on Pink Bike for a bike build I am working on. Saw them late at night, logged in the next day and BAM "sold" . Glad to see them put on an super interesting build
. I love riding in the snow, although that is a rare occasion here in Texas. For me, riding in the snow is always a pleasure because it dampens the sounds of the loud, busy world we live in. Plus it makes trails you are familiar with a bit more interesting if you happen to hit a hidden slippery patch. The key is to dress accordingly. Good gloves and warm foot make it much more enjoyable.
Haha man we both have the same taste! I'd be willing to let them go for less than I got them for (not too low though haha). Let me know if interested! Trying to clean house right now for a big project
@@EvansMTBSaga I already found a set of Stans 3.30 26" ZTR Crest wheels for the project, but thanks for the offer.
That was great I wish that I'd picked up another wide tire today but we're also lacking snow and it doesn't look real good here in central Minnesota it was fun to watch I just got back from the bike shop and took a look around Walmart while I was waiting the bike shop has this really nice Marlin I can probably put my bike back together in 10 minutes but it's nice to take a break before I get started
Make sure to check the weather and how the temperature progresses. I'm glad you tried it in -1 degree weather, but a hot pair of gloves goes a long way. Great project dude! 👍👍👍
My favorite tire inserts I have used are MYNESWEEPERS. I did a test in 2020 at AngelFire Bike Park (that Eats tires) where I ran Maxxos Dissector tires in EXO casing not even EXO+ and I didn't get a single flat tire in 3 days. I was sold after that. I have flatted Maxxis DD casing tires at AngelFire.
Live in Northern MN here and fat bike and cross country ski through the winter. Up and down riding is really hard because you get your hands/feet warm on the climbs and then they can freeze on the downhill parts. I usually stick to XC/single track. It's slower but that's the point, helps negate the windchill factor. If you can't feel your fingers/toes, it's time to be done. Good choice calling it even though it was obvious you were bummed. Get back on tomorrow.
Heck yeah thanks for the comment CJ. Glad you get it!
Evan, have the RSD Middlechild in CrMO, ❤️ it. Run it 29x2.5 or 27.5 x 2.8 F&R depending on conditions. Live in the ineterior of BC 🇨🇦 (do have a "full fat" see next post). I recommended RSD Sergeant to my friends who also wanted a modern HT to spice up old familiar rides. Helps with: "I can't justify a dedicated fat bike" but as "the one bike for ALL seasons" hard to beat. Very Sim Geo to the MC takes up to 27.5 × 4.0" if you need the float.
You might want to try heated gloves. I've not tried it. But makes sense.
I use thin Marino liner, thick Marino liner, and two sizes too large riding gloves, this works in -10C if, but if really slow, or take a break too long, my fingers hurt, especially if windy.
Only thick liner works too if constantly moving fast. but even in -5C it can be horrible if it's foggy. For waterproofing I use nitrile gloves over the liner.
For for -18 this would be too cold. So ski gloves over that would probably work, especially if big enough, but keep in mind just layering up is not the only thing you have to have air between the layers, not super tight everything squeezed, then you get cold anyway.
I think layering up is key. This is why people use those bar mitts. I've never tried it. For me it would be worth it, to be able to ride, with my problems I can't always ride so take every opportunity I can to ride. No matter the weather, only thing stopping me is my back, neck, or a brutal storm.
I don't have any good ski gloves, I have ski gloves too, a common issue.
But I think gloves without that issue, and with a good liner, wind and water proof, and extra roomy would be good, thin you could have a Marino wool liner or two inside.
I’m going to looking at picking up an RSD for winter riding vs buying a fat bike. Looking for a used frame but people love them. Yup in Toronto winter riding needs studded tires, a lot of freeze/thaw and lots of ice normally.
For the glove, a trick is use a hotshot/warmer on the inside of your wrist which keeps the blood going to your fingers warm. I also like lobster/three finger gloves for winter riding.
Even though I’ve moved on from mountain biking to dirt biking this is the only mtb channel I watch
Cool looking build! I'm gonna try this with an old Kona frame I'm not currently using.
Hi, it's awesome you are riding in the winter. Me and my dad also bike in these conditions. when its below -10.c, we put in heat packs in to our gloves at the base of our fingers and toes. we also got heated gloves and my dad has heated socks that are battery powered and last for a couple of rides. WE got these at Costco. If you want to, u can repurpose old MTB tires and drill studs in and wrap the inside of your tire with ductape. (it has to be tubed tho). Also it does not hurt to wear themals and warm-up (exersize) for 5 mins and then go MTBing.
lol sorry i just finished watching the rest of your vid and yes you are right, i don't know how long the winter is in Bentonville but if its only 2months long then i guess it not worth spending a lot of money
Evan, get some trigger finger mitts, they have the pointer separate and the other 3 digits together.. wayy warmer in super cold weather proven for me in -22C japan power for 8 hours of boarding. Won't cost you an arm and a leg either (or a pinky)
OMG Where did you get those orange rotor bolts!!!????
Cool wheels for sure, i just wonder what’s the advantage of going with plus 26” wheels vs 27.5 plus? I’d think there would be more tire options especially for 27.5 plus
Agreed! I thought it was super cool especially with the 40mm internal rim width
I would love to see you slap some 26 x 3.0 tires on there and make it a true mid-fat tire bike. Love that RSD frame so versatile like you said.
I ride a RSD sergeant v4 with 27.5x3.8s 140mm DVO fork. Perfect fatty for the winter, light and nimble. I used too ride a 26x4.8 on a differny frame tons of traction but heavy and fairly slow. I could run a solid fork and 4.0s if i wanted to run studs for some extra traction. I can run it as a 29er or a 27.5+ in the summer and it makes for a super fun and versatile bike. I'll have too say Pogies/Bar Mits are extremely nice I love having my hands uncovered or with light gloves.
Great Show , 🤘😎That Monster Rocks!! Thanks for the Totally Rad show!!!! 🤘🤘
I love riding in fresh snow. Not that common where I live but if it comes down I'll be out in it.
what I found being the most fun to ride is like 2 days after a snow storm. We got the first snow since 2018 here near paris and it was a blast riding singletrack since the snow half-melted on the track itself. It was around -1Celsius and it was a blast.
Wow MTB near Paris! How cool. I rode the other day when it was melting and it was super fun. I've never once lost traction in the snow either, I expected it to be slippery
You can also take a 2018 devinci kobain, put some 40i 27,5" rims and 3" tires on it (which it runs stock) and you're good for the snow 😉
Super cool vid Evan! I am so proud of my rig, I run a wtb scraper rim with schwalbe nobby nic 2.8 inch tires on my enduro hardtail. Keep up the vids😊
Slide the rear wheel back and you can fit 27.5x3.0’s on a middle child I run studded 27.5x3.0 45nrth wraithchilds on mine with tons of clearance
Snow Shepard guide pro gloves are perfect for snow and only cost £65
In the snow at night is completely different. It feels like you're going warp speed, even though you're probably only going half normal speed. Great fun!
One season I made studded tires using hex head computer "screws" actually bolts with washers / nuts. Head inside the tire, and excess threads clipped off.on outside to create small sharp little studs.. it took a couple hours per tire, but they worked awesome on packed snow / ice, and black ice on road / paved trails. It was literally night and day compared to no studs. You can buy studded tires but they are very pricey and not common. Making your own you can use whatever tire as a base you want to. In cwrtain snow conditions, narrow studded tires work better than fat tires...they sink all the way to the hard pack and dont float on top. Which can be a benefit. On road they really worked amazing. Trail only might not be worth the effort but maybe an experiment to try if yoi are bored one day lol. I cut an old tube to act as a barrier between screw heads and inflated tube. Some of the bolts did pull out over the season, but they held air and still worked great.
Being a Chicago native, I do not miss riding in cold and snow at all! Moved to Phoenix 6 years ago and loving it!!
I lived in Phoenix for 10 years and idk why the winters sucked there. 40° is bone chilling cold there haha. Plus the wind 😬
I agree 40degrees does feel cold here, but dealing with sub zero is the worst!
I wanna hear a ride report on this bike in the summer. I miss 26ers, and on some old tight tech trails.
I've heard somewhere that latex surgeon gloves under normal gloves help with hands not freezing up, but I haven't tested that. Could be worth a try and cheap for you.
I rode a 26" hard tail with a rigid fork as a winter trainer for 20 years before fat bikes came around. Suspension forks are unnecessary on snow. Tires studded with 5/8" length sheet metal screws run from the inside with a rubber strip against the heads to protect the tube, super traction on ice and hard pack. Floatation isnt as good as a 4 or 5 inch tire but its a cheap, easy setup that works great. Ive been riding a fat bike for 13 years, 4" tires, rigid carbon fork, carbon wheels , thousands of winter miles in Colorado.
Suspension forks may be unnecessary on snow depending on where you ride. Where i ride, Ontario, Canada, I ride a full on fatbike with a suspension fork. It’s not uncommon for people to hike some fatbike trails, punch them up with boot imprints, then when it freezes, the bumps can be quite unpleasant on a rigid fork, to the point of being very punishing to ride.
hurray for 26!! Thx for the inpiring video Evan👍
I bought an old on one 456 cycle of violence and being 8 years old it runs 26inch wheel and I don't know why but I find the small wheels so much fun making it more playful and exciting being my first bike to use 26ers
I need to get up to Bentonville one day this summer and let you try out my new Commencal Öhlins tempo. You'd love it. Plus I'm only a couple hours away
Oh yeah I requested one of those from Commencal and they didn't have the budget 😔 they look awesome
@@EvansMTBSaga it is absolutely amazing. I actually did the Northwoods Enduro on it back in November and won in my category 18-29 by almost 2 mins. I used to have their Meta HT and had a polygon d7 and t7 and have friends that have the Meta SX, Meta, and TR and the tempo is by far the best one. They are all jealous because of how well it descends and climbs back up
Checking in from Ohio where I ride a hardtail in the snow alot. A pair of Nitrile mechanics gloves under your snow gloves buys some extra time for your hands. Also prevents you from exposed skin if you need to make an adjustment. Stay off wooden features in the trail if you can.
It's funny you mentioned that. On my second channel I have the footage, I didn't end the ride when I said. I put on nitrile gloves with the snow gloves and my hands warmed. I rode about 10 more min and then the goggles froze over haha. Took it as a sign to try again when its warmer
@@EvansMTBSaga: I know you don’t want to hear about buying things, but…get some mitten shells. Basically a shell that’s wind proof , and you wear whatever gloves under them.
That thing is so rad!
I would definitely look into getting the 3 inch wide tires. There is a big different in volume even going from 2.8 to 3.0.
i did the same thing on my recent DJ build i used a 29 er for and a 26 inch wheel turned out fine
I run the RSD sergeant with 29x3 maxxis dhf and dhr2 tires for winter. I definitely get the point about fingers lol. Try getting some pogies, the will save you!
In a similar boat; I dont' want to spend money on a meme bike I'll be riding like 3 times a year. So I'm building up a fatbike frame that has older standards, 170mm QR, with rigid carbon fork and Hope wheels for next to nothing all because its not the hot new thing. Hopefully we get decent snow this year and I'll have the bike built up by then 😅
Get the crappy little one time use hand warmers and put them on the back of your hands. For your feet I use full hight waterproof socks. Keeps the wind from getting to your skin. If it’s getting a bit cold still, take those same warmers and put them on the tops of your feet under the tongue of your shoe. I live in pa and ride through the winter temps get to single dodgers and below
Snowstorm? In German we call this: Ein paar kleine Schneeflöckchen mehr nicht!
German has so many letters to say "a few little snowflakes" 😂
i love your vids man, did you ever think of using pins inside out in the tire and riding on a frozen lake
Haha no. I'd like to try and avoid ice
@@EvansMTBSaga it would be fun though
Anyone know what 2.5" wide tyres are like? I'm looking to build an enduro but frame is limited to 2.5" be some time next year when build it fully
Looking to do an all rounder as in from light trail to enduro all on an enduro build
I ride 2.5" on the ebike. Theyre super grippy, a bit more rolling resistance but not much. I'd definitely recommend
@@EvansMTBSaga thanks for quick reply, that awesome then
Last mountain bike I rode I only used slicks 1.75 but as only on road, be nice to experience off road again
Hello! ehar can i find these eotor bolts, they are perfectly orange! not a kind of copper i just purchased! TIA
Fiscally responsible Evan. I like it.
Just snowed in the northeast, I hope to ride my rigid schwinn axum with 2.6 tires just like you did in this video
I know you said not to recommend bar mits but you can rock bros knock off bar mits for like $25. They are life savers in cold weather. I usually don't even use gloves in the cold with them on.
Will you make a video showing us newbies how to build a bike from scratch like you do all the time. I'd really like to do that.
As a Canadian MTB'er I must ask....is there a need for a tire insert for a snow project bike? Higher volume tires should ride jut fine, also those lugs on the tires are way too small but you get what you can find eh. The temp I ride at is -5, colder than this amount hands and feet will freeze up too fast.
I think with how wide of a tire I was running with 120tpi, it was necessary. The side wall was super thin. Any 60tpi tire wouldn't need it I don't think
I’m such I big fan I’ve been watching for about 2 years now
Heck yeah thanks Lachlan
Nice experiment 😊 snow riding ist awesome 😁 a must do every year for me 😍 and I don't want to buy a fat bike either. I just do it on my normal bike. I would probably slap on my Schwalbe ICE Spicker Pro 💪🏿
Staying warm is no issue for me. It does not get that cold here. Coldest was maybe -10°C and I have warm stuff on. I learned to keep the core toasty, so the body does not decide to cut off warming my hands and feet. Works a treat.
9:19 epic shot
Hey evan, i just snapped my polygon siskiu D7 frame, right above the crank and the bottom linkage. have you heard of anything similar on this bike? wanna know if this is a fluke. seems to have happened right at the welds. i snapped it off a probably 3-4 foot stair case i jumped at probably 15 mph
also i landed perfectly normal, no tipping forward or casing the wheel on anything, pretty flat landing
Yeah man I hear people have snapped them but it's always because people are riding them too hard. Hucking staircases is for street BMX bikes and youre riding a bike that's a step above an XC bike and meant to take it easy. I'm sorry that happened to you, hope you can find a way to get a new frame (no way they will warranty unfortunately)
No warranty?
Thanks for the video Evan 👍
I've always had a mission when winter rides are needed... but made it fun...duking it out against the elememts to accomplish something that is denied by the wheather for cars to travel.....just me and the snow plows . But to just go for a ride ...ahhh. there's needs to be a goal that u can't get with anything but a 10x as long of a walk
Dude I know the feeling. Overcoming the adverse conditions makes you feel mentally strong
Put a sticky toe warmer stuck on the top of your hand and then put your gloves on. That works good for me. And then I run the acerbis mtb hand gaurds they help block the wind
Oh I should've done that! I have the Acerbis hand guards not in use and toe warmers in the house. Totally dropped the ball on that one, thanks for the recommendation
Don't use gloves use mittens! You can use them also for day-to-day use so it is not a purchase for once in a while. Also, Kenda might have the tires for you. That is where i bought my 26 tires from.
26" rules!
Fat bikes are not just for winter , i bought one last year so i can ride in the winter but they’re so much fun i ride it year round . You should get one.
Really! I should try one!
Not trying to tell you what to do but they are a lot of fun .
I'm from MN and enjoy my fat bike as much as my full suspension in the summer. They are a blast to ride.
When you're hands are so cold you can't brake and change gear it's totally cool to end the ride man! No point screwing yourself over for tough guy points!
You just need to learn to use layers. That goes for the body and the hands. This winter I was skiing in -36c (-32.8f) and had no issue except from the face. I had 3 finger gloves only (I got warm hands) but for someone not as hot as me a layer of this wool finger gloves would do the trick. For upper body I just had a wool underlay and a non insulated Montec jacket. Same with the pants, non bib pants with no insulation and a wool underlay beneath it.
Also keeping your head heated are the most inportant thing. You drop a lot of heat from the head.
DAMMIT! I wanted to ride in the snow but it just didn't show up on the place i went to! ANOTHER year spoiled! XD
Man, two minutes in and I'm surprised you went with mineral oil brakes for cold weather...there's a reason why DOT fluid is king in cold temps!
Ahh I didnt really know that was an issue. Remember I'm from a desert climate!
@@EvansMTBSaga We live, we learn! Keep up the great work! 👍🏻
Im riding to work on a bike I built.. could only fit 2.25" studded tires on it, it absolutely sucks when the snow is deep 😂
Haha that sounds super cool!
Miss you here in Phoenix making vedios bro
Cool bike, fun video 👍🏼
I will never understand why folks think fatbikes are only for the snow tho. Silliness. I ride mine year round and it’s a blast. To each their own I guess
“These are the wheels this build revolves around” What you did there, I see it 😂😅
Haha I did another one too. "these are hope rotors. I hope I have an adapter to make it work" 😂
8:01: something is odd with those cars passing by :D
Haha that's funny, good eye. It's true I have the clip going in reverse
In michigan our groomed trails u wouldnt be "aloud" to ride on with such skinny tires. 3.25 or bigger. Alot of people ride bigger than that year round. Sick build! I thought they were 3" atleast at first. Bike looks great tho
Great content!
Yeah I think they measure 3" when inflated with the 40mm rims. Thanks man!n
I can fit up to 3.0 wide tires on my bike...kinda considering giging them a shot. 2.35 on it right now.
ive noticed both you and the singletrack sampler are both using the same template for the betterhelp ad integration is there a reason? like did they send u the template or did you both coincidentally decide to use it?
Haha good eye. Well I copied a channel "Crafted Workshop" and that channel is good buddies with Seth and maybe Alex. So just coincidence , but that was a slick integration from Crafted Workshop
The fattire is the ATV of bicycles. If you're only going to have one bike the fattire will blow that hardtail out of the water. The big tires bounce through obstacles just like an ATV. I also have a Specialized Status 2. The fattire is better at everything except going fast downhill. Fattires are the true budget build. You should do one. Btw my fattire is a Surley Moonlander. I have easily overcome 50k miles commuting on that bike. Countless Schwalbe tires have been worn bald by that bike. First the Jumbo Jim now the Al Mighty.
Hey you’re doing great keep ip the good work!!!
according to hope, U need to take out a cassette side endcap, to mount or remove the cassette ;)
hey evan i had a question how did you put a taperd fork in a straight fork frame ?
thats just how it was designed. its not the typical straight steer thats like 30 something mm. its 44 up top and then the wider cup exists outside the bottom
@@EvansMTBSaga so technically you could put a taperd fork on any bike if you have the cups to put under and above?
i have built a 26 bike. you can turn it around and do whips so easily!
I work nights and my record for riding is probably about -20 F..my glasses fogging up is my biggest problem I just wear winter clothes and ride slow. It's only about a four mile bike ride
My hands freeze and i can't feel them in warm gloves when it's about 0c can't imagine what it would be like at those temperatures, I'd definitely lose some fingers :D
Sometimes i find a pair of nitrile gloves under my gloves helps in bitter cold moments
Hey Evan just wondering what trail it was in the fox 34 vs marzoki bobmer it looks really fun😃 sorry just to make sure to it was episode 3
Not sure. Trail system FINS in Goodyear, AZ
Why didn't you use the caliper mount adjustment in the frame instead of using an rotor adapter?
Is that for adjusting rotor size? Thought that was for chainstay length but would love to know if it's for rotor size too
@@EvansMTBSaga I'm sorry, my bad. I didn't know about that.
When i ride in snow, water gets into my freewheel n freezes, causing it to slip. Anyone else have this issue?🤔🍻
Have you rode the marin san quenta