"Adventure/Wilderness" bikes?

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Anybody out there heard anything about these so-called "adventure" or "wilderness" bikes? There was a feature regarding them on a local outdoors show in the Twin Cities. Basically they are wide fork, non-suspended mountain bikes with 3.5 to 4 inch tires that go on snow, sand, muck, etc. The two models I found anything about are the Surly Pugsley and the Evingson.

Ride safe,
Hans

Hans Erdman, WEMT
Backcountry Trail Patrol-MN
www.trailpatrol.org

This message was edited by Trailpatrol on 2-24-06 @ 9:11 AM

[richc]

Just last year I switched to a suspension bike - I'm not going back, ever.

[RussellSeaton]

I believe custom, owner modified bikes like the Surly Puglesey have been used in the Iditabike race for many years.  Iditabike is the bicycle version of the Iditarod dogsled race.  Do a search on Iditabike and you should find articles on the bikes used in the race.  Not sure of the spelling of Iditabike.  I have seen some talking about lacing two rims together side by side and mounting the tire so it hits the outside rim beads.  Not sure how they air the tire up.

[RussellSeaton]

http://www.adventurecorps.com/when/iditasport/knicknacks.html
Second to last paragraph has some info about the bike used on the Iditabike.

http://www.icebike.org/
The title of the website gives you an idea.

http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/rims.htm
Wide rims and tires.

[SP]

Link to a Polish guy who did the Canning Stock Route in Western Australia.

http://www.wildworks.co.nz/csr/route.php

A VERY Remote and difficult trip in a 4 wheel drive let alone on a bicycle.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

richc wrote: "Just last year I switched to a suspension bike - I'm not going back, ever."

In normal circumstances I would agree, but you are riding on snow which is a lot softer than asphalt, and the 4-inch tires are run at 20-30 lbs. which also absorbs a lot of bumps.

Ride safe,
Hans


Hans Erdman, WEMT
Backcountry Trail Patrol-MN
www.trailpatrol.org

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

I finally had a chance to ride one of these bikes late in February,  and I felt like Will Smith when he took off in the alien space ship in "Independence Day;" "I have got to get me one of these!" I have found my snowmobile!

For comparisons sake, I rode my own Trek 4600 on the snowmobile trail at Martin-Island-Linwood Lakes Regional Park (West of Wyoming, MN) before John Evingson got there with his bikes. With the 2.0 WTB WeirWolves on my Trek 4600, I had no problem going forward or even turning, but I hit an ice patch, and that was all she wrote; I went down.

When John got there with the Winter Bikes (Evingson front fork on Surly Pugsley frame, although he also makes frames himself.) we went back out on the snowmobile trail, and there is simply no comparison! I rode over the same icy spot, twice, with no problem. The wide tires float over the ice and snow on the snowmobile trails, and even work in the (slightly) softer stuff alongside the trail. We came back in and went out on Linwood Lake itself. (The ice fishermen must have thought we were crazy...but then again, the feeling is mutual!)  

The key component of the Winter Bikes are, of course, the 29 inch tall, 3.7 inch wide, relatively low pressure Surly Endomorph tires which are designed for use on snow and sand. There are several tires available in the 3-inch-plus category. The Endomorph is the widest by a half an inch or more. The extra size of these tires makes up for the fact that the front forks do not have suspension, and gave me a smooth ride even over snowmobile-produced corduroy on the trail. Of course at tire that wide requires a special frame and fork to fit them, which is where Evingson, Surly, and a couple of other manufacturers and custom frame builders come in. Most of the custom builders are, not surprisingly, located in Alaska.

What a great ride.

More info and photos at www.trailpatrol.org


Hans Erdman, WEMT
Backcountry Trail Patrol-MN
www.trailpatrol.org