Snow riding has given me a whole new enjoyment for winter. The cold is no longer miserable. Great beginner tips! Of course your decisions (investments) will change as you get deeper into the hobby.
I actually disagree on boots. Sure, use flats, but don't use a boot with aggressive bottom tread. Find a boot that has a more flat bottom sole so more of the pedals pins make contact with your boot. Too aggressive of a boot tread and your foot won't stay on the pedals very easily, especially if you like to get rowdy like I do with jumps and such. I use the Columbia Bugaboot and it is excellent for pedal grip. 45 NRTH makes good boots also, but they are pretty costly. You can do the hat under helmet trick like you show here. I actually have a Giro winter helmet, like a snowboard style one, for fat biking and it's excellent! Great ventilation when needed also. On hard pack snow 7 - 8 PSI is okay, but if you are sinking in and creating a rut you need to drop your pressure. Otherwise you cause a rut that all riders will hate you for. When the trail is softer I will run as low as 2 - 3 PSI in the front and about 4 - 5 in the rear. Your weight will be more rear wheel bias so you can make the front super soft and it will track a lot better. And lastly, add a dropper post. You will thank me later when you are having to get on your bike and moving in deeper snow. You want your seat at maximum height for good spinning power, but you want to be able to drop it down when you come to a stop or after you fall, which you will do from time to time.
Good comment! The whole point of my boot comment is to say 1. I don’t love clips in snow and 2. You don’t have to have cycling specific boots, so I wouldn’t say we disagree as much as you’re giving a really good tip/clarification about some winter boots having too aggressive of a tread pattern. Great advice!
I find the cleat is a heat sink on the SPD pedals in the winter, the ball of my foot is the first place to get cold. Enjoy your videos keep them coming !!
My favorite footwear for fatbiking are membrane work boots by Jalas(model 3318) Heavy, with an unnecessary toe cap but warm, waterproof and sturdy, and the sole grips very well on pedals. Paired with wool socks over wicking liner socks.
Snow riding is fun. I consider it gravel riding except it's snow and much colder with snow and ice. Of course, my co-workers think I'm nuts when I roll into work when there's snow on the ground (they think I'm nuts for riding every day but that's another story lol.) Years ago I would have been against SPD but nowadays, I love them and even ride with them in snow. Yes, I do own a couple of 45 NRTH riding boots for this occasion and Hell no, I didn't pay full price for them. They help insulate and keep my feet farm and I use wool socks to keep the smell down. For head gear, I have a snowboard helmet and ski goggles. Haven't quite figure out what jackets are best without having to layer up and look like the Michelin man. Still haven't figure out the right bike to use so it's a work in progress for time being.
For jackets I can't recommend enough jackets made with Polartec Alpha or Primaloft. You want something with synthetic insulation with breathable panels under the armpits, and windproof in the front and back. A benchmark it could be the Arcteryx Atom LT or the Rab Cirrus. They're very warm when you move, they're very breathable and very hydrophobic. So you'll never get very wet if you ride in the rain or snow, as they absorb very little water. And they dry very quickly. Any other brand it'll do, it doesn't have to be these two... I hope that you find the right one, and you enjoy nice and comfortable winter rides!
PSI wise, 175lbs on 26" 4.8s with 80mm rims = 6 up front and about 9 out back and it gives me a magic carpet ride. Get a good low PSI guage to get things right. My tires don't make ruts and instead my rubber grooms the trails. 🤘🏻
Drop that seat and lower the tire pressure. Wear gear to stay warm and understand you will have to stop and add/remove layers. Learn how to not fog up your eyes protection.
