Over the past few years, we’ve seen fat bike tire options melting away faster than the snowpack. But now, some good news – WTB has just introduced their first-ever fat bike tire. Packed with WTB DNA, the all-new Bailiff looks like it could be a great option for those looking for an aggressive fat bike tire.

This may be WTB’s first fat bike tire, but they’re quick to point to their four decades of tire design and hundreds of hours of testing in places like Vermont that went into the creation of the Bailiff. Offered only in 27.5 x 4.5″, we’re told that there are currently no plans to offer the tire in a 26″ size.

Built around a TCS Light High Grip 120 tpi casing, the Bailiff focuses on providing a supple feel when aired down to fat bike pressures. The tire also gets a snow-specific tire compound that is intended to stay pliable in extreme cold to maintain traction. That TCS casing also means the tire is fully tubeless compatible with tire sealant. In case you’re wondering, the WTB tire sealant is optimized for temperatures down to 15F° / -9.4°C.

Tread Pattern

The tread pattern itself features closely spaced center knobs to minimize rolling resistance, but there are still plenty of working edges to bite when you need traction to slow down. The knobs are fairly tall compared to some lighter fat bike tires and are widely spaced to dig in both soft and hard snow, mud, sand, etc.

When fitted to a 77mm internal width rim, the tire has a nicely rounded profile.

Offered in studded or studless versions, each tire has 312 stud pockets which are compatible with Terrene, 45NRTH, and other popular tire studs. WTB also has a stud placement guide to help you plan out your stud placement if you don’t want to utilize all 312 pockets. The WTB studded version uses carbide studs with a 2mm-wide tip.

WTB Fat Bike Tire Actual Weight

These are big, meaty tires. As such, they’re hefty at 1617g for the studless version. The studded version comes in at 1693g. That’s in-line with other tires of this size that have aggressive tread and aren’t terribly undersized, though.

First Impressions

I’ve had these tires for a few weeks now, and here we are in January. Still no snow. It looks like we’re in for a brief Arctic blast next week, so hopefully I can finally get out on these tires and the Otso Voytek 2 in the snow (or at least frozen trails).

I can tell you that while the tires were tight to get onto my Whisky No. 9 80w wheels, the tires seated up tubeless without issue. The rubber on the bead felt particularly grippy, so I applied some Schwalbe Easy Fit to the bead which made it much easier to fit the tire to the rim.

Once seated and inflated to 12psi, the tires measured an actual 4.3″ wide on the rims with a 77mm internal width. Upon measuring them the next day, they had already expanded to 4.4″, measured at the widest point of the tread blocks. So while a little undersized out of the package, it seems like these might expand to the full 4.5″ width with some time.

About that Packaging

Fat bike tires are big, obviously. Some brands package them in large cardboard boxes. Others zip tie them to cardboard or plastic sleeves. At one point, Maxxis was even putting them in reusable drawstring bags. But of all the fat bike tire packages I’ve opened, the WTB Bailiff is the best yet.

When you go to unwrap a Bailiff, you’ll find a reusable 25″ cargo strap and a small label made from recycled cardboard that is further recyclable. I’ve been meaning to buy some longer cargo straps for a while now – but now I have some thanks to the packaging of these tires. I can’t tell you the difference in quality between these straps and something like a genuine Voile Strap, but these will definitely come in handy. Use them to cinch down a spare fat bike tube for your ride. Or maybe strap an extra layer to your bike.

Kudos to WTB for coming up with a design that reduces the amount of packaging headed to a landfill while being actually useful.

WTB Fat Bike Tire Pricing & Availability

Starting today, the Bailiff is available in North America for $134.95 per tire. The studded Bailiff will sell for $279.95 and is also available in North America. European availability won’t come until March.

The post WTB’s First Fat Bike Tire, the Bailiff has the Best Packaging You Could Ask For appeared first on Bikerumor.

This Borealis Crestone review is a long-term look at a bike that has been on the market for many years, but still is delivering smile after smile. Easy to maneuver, yet still stable in notoriously loose conditions. Lightweight & light feeling, even with those massive tires. Not exceptionally progressive geometry these days, but still ahead of its time to create a versatile ride from snow to soft leaves to mud to summer sand dunes…

Borealis Crestone, a benchmark lightweight carbon fat bike

The Borealis Crestone first debuted all the way back in fall 2015. And yes, we’re about to write thousands of words and share tons of photos of a bike that has been virtually unchanged in more than 8 years. You want to know why? Because it is still a great bike, and still getting better with the addition of modern fat bike tires and suspension. Oh, and it’s actually more affordable now than it was eight years ago.

Plus, we’ve spent most of last winter playing in the snow on this bike. Winter is back, and it’s getting thrashed in the snow again. And we learned some lessons, that could be helpful to pass on if you are contemplating a fat bike purchase.

Now, I don’t know if you really do need a fat bike (n+1, and all notwithstanding)? But we live in the mountains and totally do.

Let’s break it down

The Borealis Crestone is a lightweight carbon fatbike with big tire clearance – up to 26″ x 5” or 27.5″ x 4.5” or even 29″ x 3.0″ – and geo ready for 100-120mm of fork travel. We never stripped the frame bare, because a bike with tires this massive is never gonna break the UCI 6.8kg weight barrier.

But built up complete with a KS Lev Si dropper post, an affordable GX Eagle mechanical group, burly alloy cranks, low-cost 26″ wheels but nice 4″ tires, flat pedals, and a Manitou Mastodon fork, it still weighs just 14.16kg (31.2lb). And with the full carbon Borealis fork, it’s 1375g lighter at 12.8kg (28.2lb). Sure that’s no ultralight compared to a carbon XC hardtail, but with tires that easily range from 1200-1700g a piece and tubes that weigh up to 450g, it’s pretty light. And it feels like that out on the trail.

Fat bike standards-wise, the Crestone features a BSA threaded 100mm bottom bracket, 76.5mm chainline, a 31.6mm seatpost, 1.5″ tapered internal headset, plus 15x150mm front & 12x197mm rear thru-axles. It has conventional internal cable routing, including for a stealth dropper seatpost AND a front derailleur if you are still living in 1999.

Borealis Crestone’s limited evolution

This fat bike hasn’t really changed its geometry in a decade, mostly dating back to its Borealis Echo predecessor. But in a wide 4 size range (S-XL), it actually offers longer Reach and lower Slack on our Small test bike than many newer fatbikes. Perfect for out short 165mm tall test rider.

Old School Modern Fatbike Geometry

The fully rigid geometry of the Borealis Crestone seems oddly steep compared to modern hardtails (or some newer fat bikes) with a 70° headtube. But its secret, is that fat bikes are weird. And the loose terrain you ride them in with heavy tires is not normal. That “quicker” handling helps counteract the slow steering you get from 2 kilos of front tire & tube. And Borealis balances it at the other end with long 455mm chainstays, that help keep the bike moving in a straight line for stability, when grip is lacking. It’s much more common to spin out your rear wheel on a fat bike than a normal hardtail. And I can’t remember sliding many snowy freeride downhills where I wouldn’t have killed for more stability.

Oh, and swapping in the 120mm fork… at 30% sag, it does slacken the head angle by 1°, raise the effective Stack by 7mm, and effectively shorten Reach by 11mm. It’s at 50% of that suspension fork travel where the geometry evens out completely with the full rigid setup, which feels like a sweet spot suspension-wise, since it’s only momentary big hits that really go beyond that.

We’ll also ignore the 73° seattube angle a little bit, because Reach is a better measure of fit. And with zero offset MTB posts, you can usually slide the saddle a bit forward for a steeper ‘virtual’ seat angle and improved climbing efficiency, if you want. The trick here though, is that you actually do a lot of seated pedaling to power through loose terrain on a fat bike, so you don’t actually want quite as steep a seat angle as you’d expect on a modern trail bike.

As I said, good fatbike geometry is weird.

But what tires and what wheel size should you get?

This is genuinely the biggest dilemma in the fat bike debate. And really, we’re gonna have to truly answer it in a separate article. But tires and wheel diameter really make the fatbiking experience (as does wildly-low tire pressure). Make the wrong choice in wheel diameter (hint: 26″is dead) and your fat bike will just feel a bit slower than it already is. But get the wrong tires for the conditions you ride. And you genuinely won’t be having a good time.

In ultra-abbreviated fashion. Fork out the money for lighter, more supple tires if you are really riding in snow. If you ride hardpacked or groomed trails – whether dirt or snow – low-profile treads do roll noticeably quicker. But if your terrain is properly loose, make sure you have some structured directional shoulder knobs, as they’ll help hold your line.

If it freezes and thaws at all in your winter season, seriously consider lightweight studded tires – their grip is out of the world. And don’t forget, even though bigger diameter is better, wider isn’t necessarily better. A longer slightly more narrow tire contact patch is likely much easier to pedal through soft conditions, and is easier to control in a straight line.

It’s a lot more complicated than this. But that is a decent starting point.

And what about the actual wheels, themselves?

That’s another more complicated question. We tested 4 basic wheelset options. A super fancy HED carbon 26″ wheel, and more affordable ally 27.5″ HED wheels. Then 27.5″ alloy DT Swiss BR2250 wheels, and budget alloy Sun Ringlé Mulefüt wheels in both 26″ & 27.5″ sizes. The carbon HED wheels cost $2000 for the pair. The alloy Sun Ringlé pair sells today for $420. The difference in weight of a 26″ wheelset is 614g for the pair. It’s not nothing, and we could notice the difference a bit, but it’s not $1600 of performance difference.

Maybe more important, even sticking with butyl inner tubes, we realized we could save 420g for a pair of wheels just using light 27.5+ tubes vs. 26 fat tubes. For no additional cost. Butyl tubes are quite stretchy, and fat bike low pressures are pretty forgiving. All of our wheels are tubeless compatible, but swapping tires around and worry about sub-freezing sealant performance, we never set any up tubeless. And had no issues.

OK, but how does the Borealis really ride?

Fat Bike setup and riding style

My (Veronika) main focus is trail riding and enduro, then gravel riding, and then in winter primarily fat biking. All of last winter and sometime this past summer, I tested the Borealis Crestone. It’s maybe my 4th or 5th fat bike, with a lot of time spent on a couple alloy Duratec expedition Big Paws, faster Fat Jacks, and the more trail-oriented Cannondale Fat CAAD over the past few years. All with rigid forks. The majority of my fat bike riding is on hard frozen surfaces and ice. But I also hunt fresh powder to ride and extend into the melting snow of spring.

Last winter I didn’t get as much packed snow as I wished for. But luckily, we live in a mountain pass, so I still got in 5-600km of snowy trails over 25 separate rides. Those snow freeride rides often don’t rack up the kilometers very fast!

Then, in summer I grabbed the chance to ride sandy beaches on the Baltic Sea.

Borealis Crestone fat bike’s first rides

My first rides were on the original setup that I obtained from Borealis, with a price-conscious mechanical GX build and a rigid carbon fork. Think a roughly $2500 build with a dropper and alloy wheels. The dropper is optional, but obviously a pretty key feature to have on a fat bike. Like any trail bike, it is nice not to stop on the top of a hill and just fly down the trail. BUT with fat bikes specifically, I found it very useful when you need to get back on your bike after crashing in deep snow, passing a non-rideable obstacle, or just simply starting to pedal in steep uphill in deep, uneven snow.

Personally, I don’t love the KS Lev iS dropper, as you have to press the remote pretty hard/far to get the “action”. And once it shoots up, it is like a rocket launch, while I prefer softer, smoother dropper action.

How does it look, and how does it compare?

I rode the bike in differing snow conditions – powder / icy snow / slush / mud / or dust over loose leaves. And I used at least 3 different sets of wheel & 5 tires, in both 26″ & 27.5″ diameters. Always hunting that best combo of weight, grip, steering control & general ride feel.

Compared to the other fat bikes I rode previously – no matter what wheel+tire combo – the Crestone felt lighter, handled extremely well and I fell in love with it pretty quickly. Plus, who couldn’t love the amazing color-changing green-tinted raw carbon frame, that in light (especially in direct sun) really resembled the Aurora Borealis. I know it sounds corny, but when the sun shines this bike looks great.

Without direct light, the dark green frame looks nearly black. But in the light, the carbon structure shines in shades of light green to blue. It’s a simple personal thing, but I wish all my bikes popped like that in the sun.

Curiously, we did a lot of riding inside clouds and in the dark. Such is winter in the Czech mountains.

Fat Bike Riding Review – Borealis Crestone carbon fatbike

While riding, the Crestone and its curious fatbike-specific geometry is simply responsive and climbed easily. I felt I was flying on flats. And I even enjoyed going uphill, as well. Speed was especially pronounced with the larger diameter 27.5 wheels and narrower 3.8-4″ tires. The combination of light carbon frame, rigid carbon fork & oversized carbon handlebar felt really responsive. It’s really a great setup riding smoother packed snowy roads and groomed snow trails. But…

What I actually love the most on winter riding is the possibility to go wherever and feel a freedom of movement, not restricted on roads or defined paths. I like to call the concept Fatbike Freeride!

Fat biking in my mind is linked with the exciting opportunity to explore off-piste riding in untouched snow. Laying down fresh tracks. I can ride in areas that are nearly unrideable in summer. Or simply unpleasantly bumpy due to so many roots & rocks. Once we get that first 30cm of snow and it packs down & freezes, all terrain smooths out. And then, riding in the next couple centimeters of fresh powder is a real joy.

Upgrading for trails to the Manitou Mastodon 120mm suspension fork

However, for such path-free riding or fat freeride trail riding, the super stiff carbon fork is less than ideal paired to the also stiff frame. Riding full-tilt downhill is possible. But it lacked some of the fun. And my upper body quickly tired from all the impacts. So, I swapped in suspension with the 120mm gen 2 Manitou Mastodon Pro fork. At the same time as swapping the fork, I also exchanged the 35mm Borealis bars for a straighter 31.6mm flat Beast carbon bar.

The swap made the Crestone a lot more fun as a winter trail bike. Then, the only thing I had to care about while riding was setting the appropriate tire pressure. Actually a tough call, often in the unbelievably-low 4-8psi range. A shout out to the analog Borealis low-pressure gauge for sorting tire pressure!

Now, I can imagine using the Crestone as an almost year-round hardtail with narrower or wider or studded tires, depending on the season. With huge tires, the bike is quite heavy to lift and get proper air time. But it’s still perfectly comfortable with small jumps or drops, up to say 1/2 meter. It is still a carbon hardtail after all.

Fat Bike Cons

The only real downside being that wider bottom bracket (3cm more than a normal trail bike) that makes Q-factor, pedal stance, and then foot & knee placement wider than a more ideal setup. Since I ride this bike only with platform pedals, I can ‘cheat’ my feet a bit closer together. But the wide stance is certainly noticeable after swapping from my enduro bike in the autumn. And I don’t feel like I will do too many 100km rides on the Crestone.

Also, it is necessary to mention that uphill pedaling efficacy was better with the fully rigid original setup. A suspension fork really depends on individual taste. For off-road fun trail riding I would certainly recommend the suspension fork. But for ultra longer snowy-packed road rides, I would go with the Borealis rigid fork. The one major benefit of the Manitou Mastodon fork though is that it is (relatively easily) internally adjustable down to 80mm of travel, which would be a happy medium compromise for many fat bike riders.

Bike-to-ski

Wrapping up last winter, we played with using the fatbike as a commuter bike to go skiing, too. Ride to the local lift, pedal to groomed XC ski tracks, or just getting up to a good starting point for backcountry skiing. It seemed to me like a really cool idea. So with some versatile 4″ Cake Eaters, I strapped my skialp skis to my backpack and pedaled up to higher elevation to reach deep skiable snow.

It involved a little bit of ski+pack shuffling to make it work. And pedaling up was slow going. Mostly in the granny gear. And we just locked the fat bikes up deep in the snowy woods when we couldn’t pedal any further. But it worked.

We’ll dial it in this winter for a bit more efficiency, and probably some longer approach rides. Because riding to ski is bit of a fun idea, and a pretty solid workout!

Beach life, too!

Looking at the fattest 5″ wide 26″ Terrene Johnny 5 tires, I struggled slowly with them a bit in the snow. But, on sandy beaches, they made the Crestone a lot of fun. That massively fat tire was able to cover soft, deep sand with grip and control.

I don’t usually enjoy the relaxed, lazy beach life. And taking the Borealis Crestone with me to the Baltic seaside was a game changer. And, now I/m looking forward to the next fat bike beach trip, and exploring sand dunes, just as much as I was excited for the first powder this winter.

Winter returns and Final Thoughts on the Borealis Crestone carbon fat bike

So where does that leave us two and a half thousand words later about an old bike?

Well, the Borealis Crestone is a beautiful carbon fat bike that is genuinely a blast to ride. In all types of conditions. Yes, we’d love to see what Borealis could do by modernizing the bike with slightly longer, slightly slacker geometry, and maybe even an flip-chip at the dropout to give you the option for shorter summer chainstays. And really, if we keep riding this bike, we’ll sort out a 100mm BB crankset, but with narrower Q-factor.

But in the end, the carbon Borealis Crestone is a light and versatile fat bike. And it brings smiles every time we ride. Whether riding groomed snow tracks in the winter, muddy root-strewn trails in the spring, or summer sand dunes… we’re happy all year round.

Oh yeah, and it’s hard to argue with this URL:

FatBike.com

The post Fat Bike Review: Borealis Crestone is Still a Fun Bike to Ride, Years Later appeared first on Bikerumor.

Italian ultradistance cyclist Omar di Felice is 5 days into an estimated 2 months to cross Antarctica on his own by fat bike, fighting some of the harshest conditions on the planet. It is an ambitious adventure project aiming to draw attention to the issue of climate change. And he knows how difficult it will be, having to be evacuated on his first attempt last December.

But he’s back, and making headway. Riding an aluminum prototype fat bike built for him by Wilier, and pulling a sled with all the food, fuel, shelter, and extreme weather gear to survive the windswept frozen landscape…

Antarctica Unlimited: A solo crossing of Antarctica by fat bike

Starting at sea level from Hercules Inlet, Omar di Felice plans to ride roughly 1100km climbing up to the South Pole, then will descend down to the Leverett Glacier, before ultimately climbing back up to the pole for a total 1600km distance. We can all easily grasp that the extreme weather will be windy, cold, and with white-out conditions likely. It is Antarctica after all. But we easily overlook the elevation gain, while hauling all the necessary gear.

Immediately, leaving base camp at Hercules Inlet, Omar climbed 800m in the first 30km, while of course riding a heavy fat bike loaded with gear AND pulling a sled / ski pulk laden with everything he could need for a couple of months alone. Then, he faced the same elevation to climb again, instead skirting the mountains for another forty kilometers, before continuing the ascent to the South Pole which sits at 2835m above where he started.

Unexpected obstacle crossing Antarctica by fat bike

Once cold, wind & elevation are overcome, the next major obstacle is very much psychological. Because it definitely isn’t always sunny.

The physical effort is something you can train for. As is the solo self-supported aspect. Omar di Felice did win the 6800km Trans America Bike Race this summer after all.

But in December in Antarctica, the sun doesn’t set. Stuck in a storm, you may spend days sheltered inside your tent with no visible passage of time. That happened last year for 3 days of whiteout conditions, that literally broke Omar mentally, leaving him alone sleep-deprived with his thoughts in never-ending daylight. Past trauma returned, in what could probably be described as a walking nightmare.

Ultimately, he realized that he couldn’t safely continue, even after the storm subsided. So the support team evacuated Omar, early into the attempt. But he vowed to come back again.

So what has changed, with Omar and his prototype Wilier fat bike setup?

Obviously, now Omar Di Felice knows more what he was getting into. Beyond the psychical prep, he’s more ready for the unique mental test as well.

As for his bike, not that much has changed really.

We last had caught up with his raw aluminum prototype fat bike, produced as a one-off project from sponsor Wilier.

But even for last year’s expedition, they had custom painted the bike and its matching alloy fork in the “Warming Stripes” graphic of climate scientist Ed Hawkins from the #ShowYourStripes campaign.

Each of the blue & red barcode stripes represents a year of deviation from the climate average for the last 160 years, with the red warming of the past 22 years quite obvious.

Antarctic Expedition hauling

On the custom bike Omar fits a set of custom made Miss Grape bags, including a custom full frame bag and a new long Big Node toptube bag for more ready access storage. Plus, a couple of Trunk 6 Waterproof bags on each fork leg.

The majority of Omar’s 90kg of gear though, is packed inside a new customized Norwegian sled, the Fjellpulken Xplorer expedition pulk. But the on-bike bags from Miss Grape provide quicker access. Get to key gear to deal with fast changing weather, to maintain proper nutrition. And to set camp as quickly as possible once he stops riding.

Tech Details & Bike Setup

A Garmin InReach system handles navigation. And he mounts it to a Miss Grape Ilcoso combination extension bar and bar bag holder, off of his handlebar. He’s also newly using a Iridium Go Exec modem and solar panel recharging. That brings better communications with basecamp, and the ability to send live photos like these we have from the current expedition.

Drivetrain is upgrade to XT. But it’s still the uniquely durable thicker Shimano XT LinkGlide 11-speed system (in 12sp spacing) with a wide 11-50T cassette.

And he tops it off with a new ti-railed Selle San Marco Aspide Short Supercomfort saddle. Because he’s going to spend a lot of time sitting on this thing going slow for the next several weeks. Plus, ESI Chunky grips.

Officially, Continental tires and Mavic wheels sponsor Omar. But since neither make fatbike kit, he’s rolling on stealthily blacked-out kit. DT Swiss BR 2250 wheels and 27.5 x 4.0″ 45NRTH Dillinger 4 studded tires.

Follow along live, now

And now we just have to cross out fingers, follow-along, and wait.

Follow Omar di Felice’s live position via ENDUlive. It’s relatively slow-going in the ultra-distance dotwatching scheme of things. But we are enthralled.

The post Omar di Felice is Again Crossing Antarctica on a Prototype Wilier Fat Bike appeared first on Bikerumor.

Winter is coming, and State Bicycle Co. is ready with an all-new affordable aluminum 6061 Trail+ Fat Bike. Hitting the same excellent balance of affordability and just enough performance that we love from State, their new alloy fat bike is everything you need to get hooked on winter snow riding, summer sand dune exploring, or just general mud-bogging… all for under a grand…

State Bicycle Co. affordable alloy 6061 Trail+ fat bike

It’s been many years since we’ve seen a fat bike from State, the last one I can really remember was the steel 4130 Megalith, the most recent gen which they debuted more than 7.5 years ago. What’s maybe interesting is that not a ton has really changed since then in fat bike tech (besides better tires), and State’s pricing isn’t that much more expensive either!

It’s sometime hard to justify that N+1 bike purchase. And a fatbike can feel so niche that it’s even harder to commit. But an affordable alloy State 6061 Trail+ fat bike might just make that purchase easier to rationalize. No matter if you are looking to explore soft sand, mud, or snow-covered trails.

Tech Details

State built their new 6061 Trail+ fat bike from a light but strong hydroformed 6061 aluminum tubeset. Then, they gave it a matching alloy unicrown fork, with a tapered 1.5″ steerer at least.

From a tech perspective, the 6061 Trail+ fat bike stays affordable by sticking with a bit older tech – both in standards and component spec. Although it does get pretty good 26″ x 4.5″ tire clearance, which would equate to about 27.5×4″ too.

Axles are quick release; 135mm front & 190mm rear. The bottom bracket is a 100mm BSA threaded BB, but comes with a square taper crank. It gets post mount disc brakes, but they are Tektro mechanicals. It uses a 31.6mm seatpost, but there’s no routing for a dropper post. Cable routing is internal in the front triangle, external out back, and there are 2 standard set of water bottle cage mounts.

It also curiously sticks with a very basic Shimano Altus 1x 9-speed drivetrain, with no clutch. But there’s a decent 11-42T cassette paired to the 28T chainring.

Fat Bike Geometry

As to the Trail+ fat bike’s geometry, it’s not especially progressive. But the steep angles should likely help keep a manageable ride offsetting the heft of the wide wheels and huge tire combo.

State stuck with a steep 71° head angle and a non-suspension corrected fork of just 451mm axle-crown (compare that to the 544mm length of my 120mm Manitou Mastodon). Potentially upgrading down the road to a suspension fork could theoretically slacken out the front end. But the bike already has a pretty high bottom bracket, so raising the front might sacrifice some stability too.

Frame Reach figures are generally old school too, meaning you might even benefit from sizing up. Double check the fit vs. any other mountain bike you ride to best pick your size. Stack heights are quite low, as is standover, so moving up a size shouldn’t be an issue.

State 6061 Trail+ Fat Bike – Pricing, options & availability

State Bicycle Co’s selling point is affordability. And even if it isn’t the most ground breaking, it’s hard to argue with getting a ready-to-roll fat bike for under a grand. That’s less than half the price of the latest and more modern alloy Trek Farley, updated this past spring. Or 60% less than the cheapest of the recently renamed alloy Salsa HeyDay!

For $999.99, pick up a 6061 Trail+ Fat Bike direct from State now in either Wildberry purple or Stone grey. There’s just one build 1×9 build kit to buy, with hollowed-out double wall alloy wheels and 26×4.5″ Kenda Juggernaut tires. Complete bike weight is claimed at 18.1kg/39.9lb for a medium fatbike.

And be ready to hit some snow packed trails any day now.

StateBicycle.com

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Already planning your winter adventures? If your plans include riding bikes on varying snowpack in remote locations, you’re gonna need flotation. The kind of flotation offered by a fat bike like the Otso Arctodus. Introduced just over a year ago, the Arctodus is Otso’s take on a fat bike meant for bigger tires than their incredible (and updated) Voytek. And now, you can have one in titanium.

The biggest news here is the addition of titanium for the frame material, whereas the original is still available in Chromoly steel. Like the steel Arctodus, the Arctodus Ti is optimized to run the biggest fat bike tires available without sacrificing q-factor.

Big Tires, Narrow(er) Q-Factor

Q-factor is the width of your crank arms, which typically has to increase to clear bigger tires. Otso has always been a proponent of running narrower-than-average q-factors on their fat bikes, the Arctodus Ti is no different. Thanks to a 5mm offset of the rear wheel, they can run cranksets with 20mm narrower q-factors while still clearing 1×12 drivetrains. The result is the ability to run 26 x 5.05″ or 27.5 x 4.5″ fat bike tires without feeling like you’re straddling a horse.

Continuing with their Tuning Chip dropout system, you can adjust the wheelbase by 20mm, BB height by 4mm, and the head tube angle by +/-0.5º. Further adjustments to the head tube angle can be gained by running a Wolf Tooth GeoShift Angle Headset. Options are available in +/1º or 2º, giving the bike a head tube angle range of 66.5 to 70.5º

Otso Arctodus Ti Geometry

Further geometry numbers include a stock head tube angle of 68.5º and seat tube angle of 74º across all four frame sizes. Otso says the trail figure of 94mm is responsible for increasing flotation, and the BB height is raised to help while pedaling in deeper snow. The frames are also suspension-corrected to run a 120mm travel fork if desired.

Frame Details

No modern off-road bike is complete without a dropper post, or at least the ability to run one. So you’ll find a port near the BB to run the cable if so. The frame is shaped to allow for plenty of storage in the front triangle for frame bags. There are also a number of mounts including a 4-pack on the downtube, and matching 3-packs on each fork leg. Rear racks can be added using the frame mounts or through the Tuning Chip mounts, and the frame is compatible with PDW or SKS fenders.

The frame uses a 100mm threaded BSA bottom bracket, and achieves the 205mm q-factor number with a Race Face Aeffect crankset. Claimed weights for bare frames are 2429g (S), 2487g (M), 2550g (L), or 2621g (XL).

Pricing & Availability

Available now, the Arctodus Ti starts out at $4,695 for the base build with Shimano SLX and aluminum components. The frameset is also available for $3,795. Using the Otso custom bike builder, you can customize most of the components and accessories including the accent color.

The post Otso Arctodus Ti Puts a Lighter Spin on Their Biggest Fat Bike appeared first on Bikerumor.

It’s officially autumn now, so 45NRTH is prepping for the onslaught of colder weather. Cross may be coming first, but winter is not far behind either. For 45Nrth, riding through the cold snowy winters means keeping your extremities warm, and keeping the rubber side down. And for this coming winter, they’ve got new Ragnarök boots and a new fast-rolling Dillinger 4 studded fat bike tire. Plus, there’s new socks, gloves & headwear to keep you warm.

And more is on the way in their Winter: We’re Here For It teaser…

45NRTH Cold weather gear, “Winter: We’re Here For It”

45Nrth says their 2023-2024 winter campaign anthem is “designed to share our winter stoke with like-minded cold weather riders and encourage our fair-weather friends to extend their riding seasons and try something new this winter“. But it’s also a teaser of several new product launches that will debut this fall. We spotted plenty goodies new and old that suggests new colors are coming to current gear. And there are new merino socks to keep your toes cozy, and more new options in caps, neck gaiters & full-on balaclavas to keep the chill at bay.

But also it looks like their popular winter riding boots get updated again, too.

New Ragnarök “transition season” cycling boot

Not quite a full deep-winter boot for year-round riders in the far north, 45Nrth still rates the Ragnarök as comfortable down to 25°F/ -4°C. That’s made it a popular winter riding boot in the Bikerumor family. This new version goes back to a more manageable mid-height velcro + neoprene cuff, retaining the waterproof membrane construction.

It keeps a single long-cable Li2 Boa dial closure on the outside. But that speed lacing features a revised layout for better tension and wider fit range.

And it features an all-new flatter sole inspired by the more deep winter Wölvhammer & Wølfgar boots, with the same natural rubber and Hypergrip lugs to grab onto ice. That shift also makes the new Ragnarök a more versatile shoe, either for riding on flat pedals or MTB clipless pedals.

The new 45Nrth Ragnarök shoulder season boots sell for $215 in either all black or a new Glacial gray. They come in whole sizes from EU 36-50.

Redesigned Dillinger 4 studded fatbike tire tread update

Another bit of 45Nrth winter riding news is an update to their Dillinger 4 tread pattern. Available in either 27.5 x 4.0″ or 26 x 4.2″, the newly updated tread aims to make the studded Dillinger even faster-rolling in its narrower guise.

The new Dillinger 4 design looks similar to that of old, but manages to be both more grippy in mixed conditions, but less drag while riding on hard surfaces. To make that work, the tire features 3 taller, more aggressive blocks that span the fast-rolling center. But lower bridges now connect the lugs to prevent squirm. In between, 3 smaller trad lugs for a supportive central arrow.

The other big difference is in between the center and cornering shoulders, where one of the transition knobs is gone. Then the result now is, between each repeating set of lugs there are now only 4 carbide studs where there had been 6, reducing weight and drag with minimal impact on real grip.

The redesigned tubeless-ready 45Nrth Dillinger 4 studded fatbike tire starts at $122 per tire in a 120tpi casing without studs, but ready for you to add as many as you want. For $162 you pick up the tire pre-studded with 168 carbide steel studs in the heavier 60tpi casing. Or then for $212 per tire you get the more supple 120tpi casing, and 168 large concave carbide aluminum studs already installed. So, pick from black or tan walls in some combinations.

It’s not cheap to get premium studded fatbike tires. But at the same time, it’s hard to argue with the grip if you ride through icy winters.

What more is coming from 45Nrth for this winter?

What more is coming this autumn? We’d guess more boot & tire updates based on that teaser video. Plus, there were a bunch of commuter bike shots suggesting there’s more coming in the sphere…

45NRTH.com

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There are some who would say fat biking is dead. Otso Cycles apparently didn’t get the message as they’re back with not just a new fat bike, but an exciting hardtail that transcends categories. Even for those who aren’t into fat bikes, there’s enough going on with the new Otso Voytek 2 that it’s worth a look.

Most Adjustable Geometry Yet

It’s hard to know where to begin with the Voytek 2, especially when talking about the geometry. The new bike is updated from the original Voytek with a 1º slacker head tube angle and 1º steeper seat tube angle to put it more in line with modern MTB trends, but that’s just the beginning.

Otso already offered some geometry adjustment through their Tuning Chip dropout system. Now, they’ve added even more adjustment with their new GeoChip system up front.

GeoChip not only allows you to adjust the head tube angle by +/-1º or +/-2º, but it also gives you the ability to adjust reach by +/-10mm. Add that to the three different positions for the Tuning Chip, and the possibility of running three different wheel sizes, and you have a geometry chart that needs multiple buttons to display all the combinations.

The screenshot above gives you a taste of the geometry in the most-stock configuration, but to see all the permutations, you’ll need to head over to the Otso website.

Basically, with the new geometry possibilities, you’re pretty much guaranteed you can find your preferred setting. This is good, because there are a lot of ways you could ride this bike.

More Tire Clearance, Same Narrow Q-Factor

The Voytek 2 is still first and foremost a fat bike, so Otso added additional fat bike tire clearance – without increasing q-factor.

How is that possible? The limiting factor of the original Voytek was the tire rubbing on the chain. In order to give the drivetrain more room, Otso simply moved it outboard in relation to the rear tire.

That means the rear hub is dished 5mm outboard, and the frame is built around this offset rim design. Yes, that does mean you’ll need specific rear wheels for the Voytek 2, but it’s not the first time a fat bike has relied on an offset rim design. Otso will be offering pre-built wheels in 26, 27.5, and 29″, or you could have your favorite wheel builder make a set for you easily.

The tradeoff to that dished wheel is true clearance for 26 x 4.6″ or 27.5 x 4.5″ tires with a 12-speed drivetrain on stock 80mm rims. I had run 26 x 4.6″ tires on the original Voytek, but it was tight. There is definitely more clearance on the new frame, especially when you get into the 27.5″ fat tires.

Not Just a Fat Bike

In addition to 26 or 27.5″ fat bike tires, the frame has clearance to run 27.5+ or 29 x 3.0″ tires as well. Combined with modern and customizable geometry, a larger front triangle, shorter standover, and more mounts, the Voytek 2 should make an excellent bikepacking rig for any time of year.

The frame is also suspension-corrected for a 120mm travel fork, so you can either ride it rigid, or add your preferred suspension fork for a more comfortable ride.

So Many Mounts

With threaded mounts just about everywhere, Voytek 2 is ready to carry it all. There’s a 4 pack mount on the top of the downtube, standard bottle mounts on the seat tube, and under the downtube, two additional mounting points further up the downtube, a three-pack mount under the top tube, bento bag mounts on top, three-pack mounts on each fork leg, plus the ability to run a rear rack with the threaded Tuning Chip dropout, or with one of the OMM axle mounted set ups front & rear.

All of the threaded mounts on the inside of the front triangle make it possible to run a frame bag without all the usual straps, and Otso even gives you PDFs of the frame bag dimensions for each frame size so you can have a custom bag made.

Frame Details

The carbon fiber frame is impressively light at 1,350g (for a fat bike), while the carbon fork checks in at 650g. When paired with a lightweight build kit, complete bike weights are impressive. Our medium test bike with a moderate Shimano XT build kit, a carbon rigid post, carbon bar, and 26 x 4″ tires weighs just 25.75lb with sealant in the tires.

Pricing & Availability

The Voytek 2 is available now in three colors at any stocking Otso dealer, or at Otsocycles.com. You can build your own Voytek 2 with their Custom Bike Builder which allows you to individualize everything down to the anodized color of specific components. Complete bikes start at $3,995, or you can pick up the frankset (frame, fork, and cranks) for $3,295.

We have a full review coming soon, stay tuned.

The post The New Otso Voytek 2 Is One of the Most Adjustable Bikes on the Market appeared first on Bikerumor.

Industry Nine’s seasonal production of their Hydra Classic hubs is back in action, offering all 11 colors in three sizes. They all use a standard spoke flange, with 32 spoke holes on all options. Hydra internals give them a super fast 0.52º engagement.

Front hubs (200g) come in one shell width and are available with 135QR and 135mm, 142mm or 150mm thru axle endcaps.

The rears come in 177mm and 197mm widths (314g and 347g) with 12mm thru axle end caps, or can be converted to 170mm or 190mm with QR. Choose from HG, XD, and Micro Spline freehub bodies.

Like all of their hubs, the shells and end caps are machined in house, and the pawls and ratchet rings are EDM wire cut there, too. The only parts coming from outside their walls are the bearings. Even the anodization is done on site, too.

MSRP is $250 front and $475 rear, available now while they last. Or save $5 and get a set for $720. Ceramic bearing upgrades available, too.

IndustryNine.com

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Making its first public appearance at their own parking lot overland expo, Fezzari’s new Explorer Peak e-fat bike brings big batteries and big tires to winter adventures.

The bike has a full carbon frame powered with Shimano drive systems, with two builds available. The Comp model gets the EP601, and the Elite gets the EP801, both with a with a 720Wh Darfon battery. An 835Wh battery upgrade will be available, too.

Shimano’s own batteries max out at 630Wh, so Fezzari’s likely spec’ing alternates to increase total power. Which is a good thing if you’re riding in the freezing cold as it can sap smaller batteries more quickly.

The Explorer Peak is up for pre-order only with delivery in early 2024 and full details aren’t released. So, specs may change, but the $4,599 Comp model gets a Shimano CUES 11-speed drivetrain. The $5,499 Elite model gets SRAM GX Eagle Transmission.

Both roll on Sun-Ringle Mulefut SL wheels and Maxxis Colossus 27.5×4.5 tires. It comes stock with a carbon rigid fork with cage mounts. But, it appears to have a Manitou Mastodon suspension fork upgrade, which itself just got an upgrade.

Explorer Peak pre-orders get $200 off the retail price. A refundable $100 deposit secures your spot. Watch the unveiling on their Instagram.

Fezzari.com

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Howling in with the 108 Nm torque Dyname 4.0 motor is the Rocky Mountain Blizzard PowerPlay, a Fat eBike with 27.5″ wheels and 4.5″ tires. The new eMTB is of course based on the Blizzard Hardtail, a Fat Bike that has graced the Bikes.com lineup for many years; this is the very first eBike version thereof.

The idea of any amount of motor-assistance for Fat Biking in deepest winter is an attractive one. If the assistance of the motor can help out the rider enough to prevent them from sweating, then that rider stands benefit, staying warmer for longer. Prospective customers may well have concerns around the performance of any motor or battery in very cold conditions, but Rocky Mountain say they have tested the Dyname 4.0 motor in extreme weather conditions – with much success. And, the 720 Wh battery tucked inside this 7005 aluminum frame will function at temperatures as low as -20°C (-4°F).

Rocky Mountain says the Blizzard PowerPlay delivers a powerful ride without getting bogged down in deep snow, with unparalleled range. Without further ado, let’s check out the details.

Rocky Mountain Blizzard PowerPlay Fat eBike

• Bike: Rocky Mountain Blizzard PowerPlay
• Intention: Riding anywhere, but especially suited to snowy, sandy or gravel
• Motor: Dyname 4.0
• Battery Capacity: 720 Wh
• Range Extender Capacity: 314 Wh Overtime Pack
• Sizing: SM, MD, LG, XL
• Starting Price:

While the acoustic Blizzard Fat Bike is a full carbon affair, the Blizzard PowerPlay Fat-E is available only in alloy, running a 7005 aluminum tubeset. It is sold with a rigid carbon fork, home to three bosses on either side, ready for the mounting of cages, and other accoutrements. The bike has a total of 15 mounting points, and is thus ready for anything from the straightforward commute to backcountry adventures.

Blizzard Pow(d)erPlay Geometry

Geometrically, the Blizzard PowerPlay is very similar to its non-electric counterpart. The head angle sits at a slack 66°, with the seat tube angle a little more upright at 74°. The rear-center length is 5mm longer at 460mm, with seat tube lengths equivalent, starting at 380mm on the SM, and topping out at 490mm on the XL. All benefit from a dropper seat post.

Reach figures remain generous, spanning a range of 425mm to 500mm. A 475mm reach on the LG is paired with a wheelbase of 1236mm.

Though specced exclusively with a rigid carbon fork, the Blizzard PowerPlay can also take a 100mm travel 27.5″ suspension fork for those looking for an extra plush ride feel. Rocky Mountain confirm the Manitou Mastodon EX 100mm travel fork is compatible with the Blizzard Powerplay. At sag, it will have the same ride height as the rigid fork.

eBike System

Rocky Mountain’s own Dyname 4.0 motor takes charge of assistance. It is one of the most powerful mid-drive eBike motors on the market with a maximum torque of 108 Nm and a maximum power output of 700 W. Assistance is provided up to 350% of the rider’s input.

The removable 720 Wh battery – which benefits from being stored at 10-25°C when not in use – works at temperatures down to -20°C. Below that threshold, the battery will shut itself down to protect itself. When its temperature rises again to -15°C, it will function once more. Even in such chilly conditions, RMB says the battery still delivers around 85% of its full capacity.

A 2 Amp and 4 Amp charger are available to charge the battery off the bike. The former takes a claimed 7 hours and 35 minutes to restore a full charge, while the latter takes a claimed 3 hours and 55 minutes.

Rocky Mountain communicate the battery’s charge status, and the system’s riding mode on their so-called Jumbotron display. It shows speed and cadence information, too. The screen is neatly integrated into the frame’s top tube where it is relatively out of harm’s way. A handlebar mounted remote allows the riders to easily switch between ride modes.

Pricing & Availability

The Rocky Mountain Blizzard PowerPlay is available in two models; the Blizzard PowerPlay 30 MicroShift retailing at $5,249 USD | CAD $6,299, and the Blizzard PowerPlay 50 SRAM, retailing at $6,259 USD | CAD $7,399. Relevant specs below.

The bikes are sold with a 5 year warranty on the frame. Wear components of the Dyname 4.0 motor, such as the pulleys, pinions, transfer chain and bearings have a one year warranty.

bikes.com

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