REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Snow Strategy

1533 Views 13 Replies 12 Participants Last post by dankilling, Dec 25, 2009

CB2

Discussion Starter · Dec 22, 2009

Watching this video got me thinking. Maybe instead of going for a wide tire to try and float on top of the snow, I should try a narrow tire to cut through to the frozen hard pack below (we got 6" this weekend, and the ground was close to being bare from the last snow).
I've go studded 37's, maybe I should give them a try?

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UBUgoat

· #2 · Dec 22, 2009

try it....i went with skinnier econo cx knobbies and they plowed thru AND gripped wonderfully....now where the roads were plowed or where car tracks were WERE tricky....fresh powder/drifts were easy....very interesting.

but yesterday, after our 20+ inches, i went to the brandywine area in delaware....seems none of the mtbikers wanted to blaze the trails...only boot and sled tracks....i attempted it but i ended up bogging out the whole time....a wasted trip....definitely had to practice carrying/pushing the bike most of the time....ended up riding back to the car with my 26psi tires on pavement....ugh

here's a pic (if i can make it smaller) with the franken/mutantcross snowcycle

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dan0

· #3 · Dec 22, 2009

wont work, the snow will not let you slice through and you will snowplow
the NOkian extremes are pretty narrow and studded but after 3 or 4" youre all done

this is the time to find some packed down snowmobile tracks and have at it

notice on the video 1 the snow isnt deep and it seems close to the freezing point and
2 everytime someone gets out of the tracks in front of him they slide out and
3 theyre running on the slippery parts not riding

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shiggy

· #4 · Dec 22, 2009

CB2 said:
Watching this video got me thinking. Maybe instead of going for a wide tire to try and float on top of the snow, I should try a narrow tire to cut through to the frozen hard pack below (we got 6" this weekend, and the ground was close to being bare from the last snow).
I've go studded 37's, maybe I should give them a try?

Depends on the snow. <6-8" and untracked, narrow (25-28mm) tires are great. Once it packs, ruts and/or turns icy wider can work better (studs for ice).

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Fishlips

· #5 · Dec 22, 2009

dan0 said:
wont work, the snow will not let you slice through and you will snowplow
the NOkian extremes are pretty narrow and studded but after 3 or 4" youre all done

this is the time to find some packed down snowmobile tracks and have at it

notice on the video 1 the snow isnt deep and it seems close to the freezing point and
2 everytime someone gets out of the tracks in front of him they slide out and
3 theyre running on the slippery parts not riding

I agree, won't work. But give it a try and let us know. My suggestion would be to wait until some hikers and snowshoers pack down a nice trails and have at it on whatever tires you have.

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sean salach

· #6 · Dec 22, 2009

I definitely wouldn't go cx narrow. Bonty Mud X or Nokian 296's should be good enough though. Float is for packed, semi-soft trails. not really for fresh, untracked snow.

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NYrr496

· #7 · Dec 22, 2009

3-4" for me. More than that... I wait for the melt to go riding or at least, I ride on the plowed streets and practice my balance.

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sean salach

· #8 · Dec 22, 2009

Was that a Scottish guy and a French guy speaking German??

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dmx1

· #9 · Dec 22, 2009

sean salach said:
Was that a Scottish guy and a French guy speaking German??

No . They're both flemish and they speak dutch. The first one is Michel Wuyts, journalist/commentator for Sporza. The other one is Paul Herijgers, '94 CX worlds champ, co-commentator for Sporza and designer (?) of CX tracks. All major CX events are live on TV here in Belgium/Flanders.

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CaveGiant

· #10 · Dec 22, 2009

I have tried two tyres in this snow dump.

WTB stouts on 47mm rims, ~0PSI, the snow dissapears, perfect traction

Scwalbe Big Apple 60psi, this is like having a slege under each wheel. REALLY REALLY fast, just raely in the direction you want to go.

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fux

· #11 · Dec 22, 2009

I just came through the door from my 20km commute.

I have a Salsa La Cruz wearing Schwalbe Marathon winter 622-42.

Now last year wasn`t a problem but today we have fine powder on top of rutty frozen older snow/ice.

It was a complete nightmare! 2 hours where I normaly use 35mins on a good day.

The bike was all over the place and riding out of rutts you cant see was intreasting on the road with cars passing. It was a bit like riding on the beach with head sized rocks embedded all layed on the top of a glass sheet.

Tomorrow I will be taking the car.

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CB2

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 24, 2009

I went out on Tuesday with Nevegal 2.2 and it totally blew. The snow we got is so powdery, where ever other trail users had tread, it was un-ride-able. Not compacted, not powdery. Where I did find virgin snow it was pretty good.
So today I put the 37mm studs on and it was great. I gutted it out on the side of the fireroads (where the powder was untouched) to get to the singletrack along the ridge where only game had been.
They were narrow enough not to create too much drag, but had enough bite to keep me moving forward.