[richard1hammond]

Hi All!


Excited new owner of my first fat bike a Kona Wozo in XL! Haven’t even got out for a spin yet and already looking at upgrades! 🙈


My questions if you could be so kind to help


Dropper seat posts - Anyone tried fitting them, any size constraints? I have my eye on the Oneup 210mm drop version (I’m 6’7” so want as much travel as possible)


Snow tires - are studded a must for winter? What size should I look at running for mixed use of packed trails and snowy streets occasionally.


Quick release thru axel - Can this bike have one fitted? Seems to have its own Hex-loc fitting which may not be compatible with a maxal. It’s a 150mm hub


That’s all I have for now but sure more will follow and I’ll get some pictures up of the new ride asap! Thank you in advance!

 

[richard1hammond]

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[veloborealis]

Whether or not you'll need studded tires depends on how much ice you deal with in Ottawa. I considered studs essential where used to live in coastal Alaska. Early winter storms frequently put down a layer of ice that would last all winter. Even with a snowpack in top, the wind would expose ice patches all winter long, sometimes where you would least expect it. Studded won't help you on snow, but if you have ice you'll want to get some. You can get by with just studding the front tire if you only have occasionally icy conditions.

Nice bike!

 

[cmg]

Those Maxxis FBR & FBF absolutely suck in the snow, but are awesome the other three seasons in the year, I have them on my Fattie. Although you mention packed trails, so they may be ok for that.

The One-Up Dropper should cause you no issues as you have an XL Frame, is it internal Dropper routing friendly?


Nice Bike btw... :thumbsup:

 

[richard1hammond]

Excellent thank you both for the speedy reply’s! I’ll definitely get a studded front tire for winter and see how I get on with that as it definitely gets icy here in Ottawa. I think I can squeeze a 4.5 wide tire on the front but the rear is a bit limited by width. Maybe I could stud the rear minion tire or would that be a bad idea?

Thank you




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[richard1hammond]

Re the dropper yes it does have internal routing. Am I correct in thinking I should get a mechanical dropper for winter rather than hydronic?


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[Jayem]

Excellent thank you both for the speedy reply’s! I’ll definitely get a studded front tire for winter and see how I get on with that as it definitely gets icy here in Ottawa. I think I can squeeze a 4.5 wide tire on the front but the rear is a bit limited by width. Maybe I could stud the rear minion tire or would that be a bad idea?

Thank you




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Don't half-ass your tires, get studded tires F and R. There is no rolling resistance penalty and the safety is huge. They also help the tire feel like velcro on the trails in hard-pack situations that aren't ice. Yes, there is a cost penalty, but this is one of the few places on a bike where I can say that the cost was worth every penny, unlike $500 cranksets that work exactly the same as $100 cranksets.

 

[Swerny]

Nice bike!

Wozo thread here which likely has the answers to most of your questions

https://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/kona-wozo-review-420mm-chainstay-runs-29-26-x-4-8-a-1029924.html

 

[richard1hammond]

Don't half-ass your tires, get studded tires F and R. There is no rolling resistance penalty and the safety is huge. They also help the tire feel like velcro on the trails in hard-pack situations that aren't ice. Yes, there is a cost penalty, but this is one of the few places on a bike where I can say that the cost was worth every penny, unlike $500 cranksets that work exactly the same as $100 cranksets.

Yes definitely understood! Certainly not looking to half ass my setup. Do you have any recommendations on the studded tires I’d seen the 45 NRTH branded ones seem popular?


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[richard1hammond]

Nice bike!

Wozo thread here which likely has the answers to most of your questions

https://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/kona-wozo-review-420mm-chainstay-runs-29-26-x-4-8-a-1029924.html

Thank man! I fell for the colour scheme on the 2019 model lol

Awesome I’ll have a read of this!


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[rth009]

Don't half-ass your tires, get studded tires F and R. There is no rolling resistance penalty and the safety is huge. They also help the tire feel like velcro on the trails in hard-pack situations that aren't ice. Yes, there is a cost penalty, but this is one of the few places on a bike where I can say that the cost was worth every penny, unlike $500 cranksets that work exactly the same as $100 cranksets.

As we often say, studded tires are cheaper than a visit to the emergency room . . . although you are Canadian, so maybe that's not true for you.

 

[NYrr496]

https://www.terrenetires.com/pages/cake-eater

I'm going to give these a shot this winter.

 

[crash41984]

Nice choice pal! I picked up the same bike about a month ago in a medium. It's my first fat bike too. I threw some green Deity parts on it and need to drop by the bike shop and have them pull the tubes out. I too am searching for a dropper post, the Highline looks pretty sweet. Beyond the dropper, maybe cosmetic nonsense, I'm hard pressed to change a thing. It's been ripping single track as is.

 

[Canoe]

... I’ll definitely get a studded front tire for winter and see how I get on with that as it definitely gets icy here in Ottawa...

• Most of the bike paths around the city get plowed in winter, so they get ice, even though they spread salt on them. You never know if you'll have packed snow or pavement, with/without ice. Smashing down on frozen pavement is not fun.
• Our winter roads can be dry, wet, fresh snow, slush, packed snow, ice, snow on ice, black ice, super-chilled/hard pavement; and you can encounter each of those separately or mixed in a single 20 minutes ride...
• If you're not going out of town to a trail, etc., you'll never need the float around town, except the first few hours of a heavy snow before its plowed away, or to adbandon the road, over the sideway and into a field to get away from something happening on the road.
• And cars here largerly do not expect to encounter bikes on roads in the winter. Be prepared to adbandon the road at any time. Consider a mirror of some sort if you'll be on roads.
• Much safer are the sidewalks, where the float is handy - and very surprising to pedestrians - when you give them room by hopping over the pile of snow beside the sidewalk and onto the field - and keep riding...
• The width does help with surface area to get grip, but not as good as you'd expect on our roads with the mixed surfaces. When fat came out, various Bike Couriers downtown went Fat, but as they're 95% driving on plowed streets (and sidewalks), without studs the Fats were sliding out from under them. Nearly all went back to regular bikes/tires around 2" wide, for the higher PSI loading on the ground.
• Studs front & back if you're going on a road under mixed conditions, so you don't end up under a vehicle. Studded Fat tires and you'll have grip & studs to handle the range of surface conditions.
• See the thread about anti-rust treatment. If you're going where it's salted (roads and most bike paths), you'll want the Fluid Film for your chain for winter use, and it's fine for summer too. And what else that may rust that gets salt spray from the road.
• Watch out that some of the NCC mixed-use/bike paths in summer are reserved for skiing in winter.
• The Experimental Farm paths & roads are fun in winter, and still a good shortcut.
• The cannel (when frozen enough) can be a great path. Although ice, it works well with fat. I haven't tried getting a reaction to using studs on the canal. Watch out for melt-through under the snow on the sides, you don't want to suddenly be rafting with your fat tires. Watch your speed when there's walkers/skaters around - don't ruin it for everyone. Mon to Fri commute times seem to be O.K., as well as through the night. Caution during Winterlude... The machinery on the ice for maintance is not expecting to see you, and they may not.

 

[richard1hammond]

Nice choice pal! I picked up the same bike about a month ago in a medium. It's my first fat bike too. I threw some green Deity parts on it and need to drop by the bike shop and have them pull the tubes out. I too am searching for a dropper post, the Highline looks pretty sweet. Beyond the dropper, maybe cosmetic nonsense, I'm hard pressed to change a thing. It's been ripping single track as is.

Thanks and likewise! I got mine early too managed to nab the last 2019 XL. So glad I did took it out on some technical singles track this afternoon and had a riot rolling over it all where I’d struggle on my trail bike.
You have good taste sir! I got the Kona Wah Wah 2 flats in matching green. I was also looking at the high line or OneUp (keeping it Canadian) and as they do a 210mm drop which is pretty tempting if it fits lol.


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[richard1hammond]

• Most of the bike paths around the city get plowed in winter, so they get ice, even though they spread salt on them. You never know if you'll have packed snow or pavement, with/without ice. Smashing down on frozen pavement is not fun.
• Our winter roads can be dry, wet, fresh snow, slush, packed snow, ice, snow on ice, black ice, super-chilled/hard pavement; and you can encounter each of those separately or mixed in a single 20 minutes ride...
• If you're not going out of town to a trail, etc., you'll never need the float around town, except the first few hours of a heavy snow before its plowed away, or to adbandon the road, over the sideway and into a field to get away from something happening on the road.
• And cars here largerly do not expect to encounter bikes on roads in the winter. Be prepared to adbandon the road at any time. Consider a mirror of some sort if you'll be on roads.
• Much safer are the sidewalks, where the float is handy - and very surprising to pedestrians - when you give them room by hopping over the pile of snow beside the sidewalk and onto the field - and keep riding...
• The width does help with surface area to get grip, but not as good as you'd expect on our roads with the mixed surfaces. When fat came out, various Bike Couriers downtown went Fat, but as they're 95% driving on plowed streets (and sidewalks), without studs the Fats were sliding out from under them. Nearly all went back to regular bikes/tires around 2" wide, for the higher PSI loading on the ground.
• Studs front & back if you're going on a road under mixed conditions, so you don't end up under a vehicle. Studded Fat tires and you'll have grip & studs to handle the range of surface conditions.
• See the thread about anti-rust treatment. If you're going where it's salted (roads and most bike paths), you'll want the Fluid Film for your chain for winter use, and it's fine for summer too. And what else that may rust that gets salt spray from the road.
• Watch out that some of the NCC mixed-use/bike paths in summer are reserved for skiing in winter.
• The Experimental Farm paths & roads are fun in winter, and still a good shortcut.
• The cannel (when frozen enough) can be a great path. Although ice, it works well with fat. I haven't tried getting a reaction to using studs on the canal. Watch out for melt-through under the snow on the sides, you don't want to suddenly be rafting with your fat tires. Watch your speed when there's walkers/skaters around - don't ruin it for everyone. Mon to Fri commute times seem to be O.K., as well as through the night. Caution during Winterlude... The machinery on the ice for maintance is not expecting to see you, and they may not.

Wow you’re a gentleman for taking the time to provide all this great information! Thank you so much and great to here you’re in Ottawa too.

I do have a few follow up questions if I may and provide more background. I’m mainly planning to ride on packed trails at Larose and Gatineau but was hoping to also ride from home on paths to the bike paths along the river.. by the Aviation parkway.. is this a restricted winter trail? I’d seen other rider there in previous seasons.

I don’t plan to even venture on to roads, it’s scary enough on the roads in a car in Ottawa! Lol

So with this said I think studs still as I want to go all season but LBS said to try without as could be unnecessary... however the Canal!! What a wonderful idea! I could see the appeal of that! Must get a lot of looks and the more I think maybe I have seen someone on a bike there before maybe yourself!

King regards


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[Canoe]

... but was hoping to also ride from home on paths to the bike paths along the river.. by the Aviation parkway.. is this a restricted winter trail? I’d seen other rider there in previous seasons. ...

The situation on NCC paths/trails is fluid. You'll have to check the latest NCC summer vs. winter maps, and perhaps call for some clarification (don't mention the canal; if there's no policy then people behaving usually get ignored).

As was on their map, along the river to the east of the Aviation Museum, I know that at least east of Green's Creek on the west side of the road, the bike path there that runs south under the Queensway to 34 & Bearbrook was exclusively for skiers in 2014. I had to cross it to get in along the east side of the forest by Green's to photograph some Boreal forest Great Gray Owls there. When my car broke and with some expensive camera gear rented, you should have seen the look on the taxi driver's face when I had him drop me off along there in the winter predawn dark.
Or keep it simple: you see ski tracks don't ride over or in them. But, to get to where you want to go, with Fat you can always ride in the field beside the trail...
There's enough Fat Bikes around now that there's often Fat Bike tracks where you need to go.

The river and creeks are tempting. If you're not familiar with assessing ice, make sure you familiarize yourself with such, say like snowmobilers do. That spring, arriving there one afternoon and going for the shortcut across Green's, I found a very wet photographer heading back to the parking lot.

If you're staying off the roads, then it will depend on the weather and plowing (freeze/thaw cycles aggravated by exposed pavement) how much ice you encounter, and how that works for you on the hills along the river going past Rockcliffe. And I'm not sure you ca avoid roads to get from the Inter-provincial Bridge to the Rockcliffe Parkway, to get past the various Gov't buildings and Residences there.

There is the informal Ottawa rule about riding on sidewalks. Don't speed and don't endanger or inconvenience pedestrians and the police should ignore you. After dark, three times I've been pulled over and told to get off the road, ride on the sidewalk and with all lights off, so the DUIs don't run me over. Do have your lights with you, so you can comply if so asked. (I like my flashing BLUE led light on the back that "says", 'snow plow - keep clear'.