Fat Bikes What did I do!

[Joel]

@Slim

Interesting thought about 4 piston calipers. I'm not too worried about road salt for where I will ride. I'll have to see how cold affects them. Cold is relative, I don't consider what we get in Colorado terribly cold.

I hope to find out soon.

 

[Ron]

riding in temps around 10*, I have had no issues at all.

 

[Tom K.]

I happened to ride nearly identical back to back rides the past two days on my Fuel EX with XT brakes and my Beargrease with Guides.

It was hilarious to me to realize that the SRAM brakes were more consistent in the cold (20 degrees) compared to the Shimanos -- but both were completely acceptable.

Does anybody else remember ALL the very early Avid (now SRAM) brakes being recalled because they would go straight to the handlebars in the cold? Admittedly a long time ago.

 

[Slim]

@Tom K. i do not recall that. I don’t remember what Avid/SRam brakes we had on our first fatbike (8 years ago), but I still have some Avid Juicy’s on a 10 year old bike, working great.

I think “cold” is at least below zero Fahrenheit.

And what I was talking about is not sudden failure, it is more a matter of long term performance. You still have braking power with a sticky piston, it is just more likely to rub etc.

Also, I don’t know where you guys live, but Here in Northern Minnesota they salt like crazy. Some states expect drivers to adapt to conditions and deal with snow roads in winter.

 

[Tom K.]

@Slim, I know I'm dating myself, but there was a time where every Avid brake got recalled. Possibly a different geologic age than we are in currently!

 

[Ron]

I happened to ride nearly identical back to back rides the past two days on my Fuel EX with XT brakes and my Beargrease with Guides.

It was hilarious to me to realize that the SRAM brakes were more consistent in the cold (20 degrees) compared to the Shimanos -- but both were completely acceptable.

Does anybody else remember ALL the very early Avid (now SRAM) brakes being recalled because they would go straight to the handlebars in the cold? Admittedly a long time ago.

Yep and yep .

I like the feel of the Guide RSC's and they work flawlessly in the cold.

 

[firebanex]

10* is nothing. Pretty much everything shifting and braking still works at that temp unless it's got some really stiff grease in it. Even at -10*f most everything (shifting and braking) still works fairly well depending on the grease or oil on/in it. Things get dicey as you go below -20 and my particular set of brakes pretty much stop working at about -30. I mean they eventually work, but it's at their leisure and not when I want them too.

 

[Tom K.]

10* is nothing.

But......that temp is probably my line in the sand, for anything other than a quick spin around the neighborhood perimeter trail.

I once did a ride that ended at minus 18.

Once is enough, with due respect to Lyle Lovett!

 

[Slim]

A few years ago, my wife and I had a date night ride(in the dark) starting at -30F. Didn’t check the ending temp.

 

[firebanex]

Those rides are never entirely intentionally. Each of my super cold rides were forecasted to be quite a bit warmer, but the farther back on the trails we would get the colder it became. I'm getting used to it, it's really not all that bad now until it hits like -25. For the most part I have pretty well dialed in my clothing for certain temperature ranges and that has really helped facilitate riding at those cold temps.

 

[Slim]

@Tom K. , you should definitely go out biking much colder than +10F. 0 F on the fatbike is really fine, IF you can stay out of the wind. You are moving so much slower than on a road bike, that you don’t generate any meaningful windchill from riding.
So as long as you have warm boots and pogies/gloves, 0F is quite nice, downright pleasant if it’s sunny.

The tricky thing is when windchills are below zero, to protect the tip of your nose and cheekbones from frostbite, without fogging up eyewear.

 

[Ron]

I've ridden in 0* and with the sun its warm. Its like skiing, I like those temps, the snow stays so nice. I just ride when I ride, I dont pick the temps. Its more conditions based for me. You generate a ton of heat climbing on a fat bike. I'm still working out layering for the up and down but I may have found the "golden" layering piece. Arc teryx Proton LT. I just got one last week (good sale) and skied in it on a 0* day at LL. I wore a 150 base layer with a 250 mid wool and the Proton and I was warm all day but never once got overheated or chilled. I am a Soft-goods geek, but this jacket is the nicest layering piece I've ever owned. I will be doing a review as I use it more. It breathability is off the charts but seemingly did the impossible which is to retain heat at the same time.

 

[Tom K.]

I've got no real aversion to colder temps, but I at least hope they will come later in the winter, when the snow is good, and I'm much more likely to grab xc skis.

And you guys are right about the sun. Yesterday was cooler than today, but felt warmer due to perfect sunny weather. Today was a classic inversion. Brrrr!

I've already learned that the best way to stay warm is to back off a bit on the uphills, and avoid long granny gear slogs.

 

[Slim]

I've already learned that the best way to stay warm is to back off a bit on the uphills, and avoid long granny gear slogs.

?? I was thinking the exact opposite. I usually think those are the very best way to warm up/stay warm. Hard uphills I can’t sustain, fast flats/descents create to much wind.

 

[Ron]

I was a little perplexed as well. the down is always a bit cold but I never get cold on the way up.

 

[Tom K.]

To clarify, when I put the whip to it a bit too much on long, slow climbs, I end up a bit damp, which impacts warmth for the rest of the ride -- not during the climb itself.

If I back off a bit on those longer climbs, and make sure not to get damp on them, all is good.

Which is great, because, after all, it is the "off season"!

 

[Ron]

yes, me too hoping the Proton Lt will help mitigate this.

 

[firebanex]

Newer synthetic insulation is so nice.. I use a Patagonia Nano Air or a Black Diamond First Light jackets when it gets below 0, they stay warm even when pretty well soaked with sweat. It's a pleasant change from most everything else I used to have. I tend to run obnoxiously warm, so down to 0 I have just a long sleep lightweight layer and a Patagonia R1 techface hoodie jacket on the upper body. 0 to -10 I add an insulated vest or just one of the mentioned jackets. Below -10 I add the vest back ontop of the jackets.

 

[Joel]

My Maguras showed up and I got them installed. While I was it it, the front is now tubeless. The rim strip on the rear was put on poorly and now that it has been stretched is not easily rearranged, so for now the rear still has a tube. Right now the rim strips are hard to find. As soon as they are available, I'll do the rear.

As far as the brakes, they feel better than the SRAM but I think the front would benefit from a 180 rotor, the back seems fine. These fat tires at low pressure have a lot of bite, at least on asphalt.
The other thing that didn't pop into my head when I mentioned the Maguras the first time is that all four pistons are the same size and there are four pads, one per piston instead of two pistons pushing on one pad per side.

 

[Joel]

As far as riding temperatures go, I'm not sure what my limit will be. I expect sub zero F. Skiing, I've been -15F and was fine.