You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm moving to Switzerland, and may have to get used to proper winters. I'll possibly get into skiing, but riding in the snow could be fun.
I've ridden in the snow in the UK a fair bit, and it's often been a nightmare with normal tyres, even 29 x 2.6" or 650b+. So either I have to get a fat bike, or I could convert my hardtail to fat front for winter.
Question is, how much would a fat front help, if I were still running 27.5 x 3.0" or 29 x 2.6" rear?
We've done full fat snowbiking in Finland and it needed the full tyre float. That was also on pisted single-track (they had a special skidoo plough for making the trails). It was impossible on the thick soft snow. They called it "crust biking" on the rare days when you could ride on the frozen surface.
I've got a bike shop owner / singlespeed / retrobike friend in Kandersteg who does fatbiking in winter. He might be able to advise.
as above, trails need to be pistes to be any fun. if you ride on the piste with a anything other than fat bike tyres, you’ll cut through it and the surface will need to be redone and you won’t be popular.
not all unpisted snow is equal. some is ok to ride on, some is slippery and some is worse than riding on soft sand.
if your new home has a fat biking scene the best thing is to get a fat bike.
Most places that have groomed ski trails that also allow biking will dictate minimum 3.8" (fat bike) tyres so the trails don't get damaged. Even if you can ride with a regular tyre on the back, it will suck as the back will cut through the snow and you either slow right down or stop dead. I'd go full fat bike, biggest tyres possible, but also XC skiing is a lot of fun and not as hard to learn as it might look!
The Swiss are very hot on fines for riding on ski pistes or pisted ski-de-fonde trails. Uncompacted snow is pretty much unrideable unless theres a prop crust - occasional early mornings if conditions are just right.
Snow shoe trails are great if trodden in a bit however - and great fun. Even then, breaking the crust stops you dead. Or veer off the edge and your OTB into powder.
Tyre girth makes all the difference. Ive seen people really struggle on 3.8s whilst we've cruised on 4.8s. Rear is just as important as thats where the weight / traction is. Embrace the fat fun!
As said, you really need a prepared track even for fat-biking on snow and generally the wider the tyre the better as this gives you more float - whilst it is the front tyre does most of the work and compacts the snow a little, a skinnier rear tyre will likely just sink or spin. The type of snow and temperature also makes a difference, fresh snow at below zero offers a degree of grip whilst old snow at above zero can just be slippy, horrible and you can still end up pushing.
+1 for 40mpg and dovebiker
I have several fatbikes. Your idea is unlikely to work unless you are really light or the snow is very well compacted and or you are very light.
Stop dreaming of floating over fresh snow it doesn't work You can plow through fres up to 4 inches deep and a fat bike makes that a lot less fall prone then a normal bike.
Embrace the snow riding its hard its slow and conditions need to be right but its so much fun. Especially night riding(early morning is best for harder snow) with the lights ot even a full moon on the snow.
Stop dreaming of floating over fresh snow it doesn’t work You can plow through fres up to 4 inches deep and a fat bike makes that a lot less fall prone then a normal bike.
I'm taking my dreams with a pinch of salt tbh. I'd say that most of my previous snow rides have been not good, and a couple horrendous. I've only really enjoyed it when there's been just 2-3 inches or so of fresh snow.
I think perhaps the biggest difference will be changing to flats. Spd's in the snow are soul destroying.
Thanks all for the advice anyway. This is kind of what I expected. Will have to see if I have space for a 4th bike whenever I end up living...
Fat bikes aren't that good in soft snow, snow needs to be compacted or pisted but then on compact snow normal tyres aren't that bad at lower pressures
Fat bikes aren’t that good in soft snow, snow needs to be compacted or pisted but then on compact snow normal tyres aren’t that bad at lower pressures
There is big difference on "snow compacted enough for fatbikes" to "snow compacted enough to ride on normal tyres".
Fatbikes are welcome at Kandersteg. The Gemmi pass is a great ride to the top overlooking Leukerbad. Also, Davos Pischa take fatbikes and winter walking trails are fine too. Andermatt also welcomes bikes as does Zermatt on the walking trails.
Bike Academy Davos organises a morning piste descent which looks like its on prepped trails, however, after an evening of heavy snow it was a fatmare and skinny 29' was the way to go to get through to the pisted snow.
Well populated Swiss xc classic or skating, you won't make many friends there even if you pay the daily fee. I do mornings in Schwarzwald before the masses arrive and pay my €5 plus I checked that the law doesn't actually change in winter on forest roads so I'm good to go and still get a lot of very verbally aggressive comments.