I was on a quest this summer to build my own ultimate snow rig. I had ridden my cross bike last winter with some studded tires and wasn't completely happy with the results. I tried riding my single speed 29er and enjoyed the ride more than with the cross bike but my knee joints didn't like me when it came to trudging through the deep stuff. So I opted for the best of both worlds:
Redline Monocog Flight 29er 19inch frame
Red Chris King headset
RaceFace Evolve Cranks (22-32-44)
SRAM PG-990 11-34 cassette
SRAM X.O rear derailleur and grip shifters
Shimano XT front derailleur
Custom wheel set, SLX center lock hubs, DT Swiss Comp Spokes and X470 rims (a little heavy but super bommer!)
Avid Juicy Ultimate Brakes
Maxxis Ingnitor 29 x 2.1 tires for the fresh powder
Nokian Extreme 294 29 x 2.1 studded tires for the deep and icy stuff
Upright riding position, super low gearing, grip shift for easy use with gloved hand, and a straight bar for more control. So far the results are very, very positive. Here is some pics from the ride in on Monday:
A little bit of frost on the beard.
Even with fenders had some nice build up on the frame.
X.O rear derailleur took it all like a champ and never missed a shift.
And I will have more from my commute on Wednesday. Tuesday I have off.
Ride safe!
Nice! Sounds like you and I had the same issues and corrected them the same way. Going from CX bike to modified 29'er. And I, like you, think I nailed the "winter bike" down. My only issue is finding the perfect tire. I'd like something larger than 700x37 w/studs. Something like your Gaza Extreme but more friendly for iced pavement. The Gava's would eat me up once the snow pack went away. My Kenda Klondike's work well on ice and deep fresh snow, but once it's packed with traffic or pedestrian foot prints these tires can't hold a straight line. But hey, snow riding isn't supposed to be easy.
ReplyDeleteBe safe out there!
Most of the Nokian tires that are 700/29er are at most 45c wide except for the Gazza Extreme. They roll pretty well on hardpack and concrete but I also commute on my mtb some days just for fun.
ReplyDeleteYou can always have the joy of playing the guessing game of which tires to run and switch them back and forth throughout the season.
Also check out the Schwalbe Marathon Winter. Fairly close knobbed tread compared to those klondikes so probably roll a bit faster. check it out: http://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_winter