Surly Nate 120 tpi

The other day we featured a bike that was sporting Surly's new(er) nobbie Nate fat bike tires.  Seeing as we just took stock of a few of the tires we figured we should feature them on their own too.  

When fat bikes first appeared on the market they were intended mainly for use on snow and sand, where extremely high volume, low pressure tires help float over, instead of cutting into, such terrain.  However, as the bikes have gained a wider acceptance folks have begun using them for other things too, like trail riding.  In most situations a fat bike won't be as fast on the local singletreack but they might be a solution to getting beaten up by all of those roots and rocks.  Essentially the high volume tires, when run at low pressure, provide you with a form of light action dual suspension. They also provide good grip over technical terrain, sort of....

The problem with fat bike tires until recently was that they were designed specifically for rolling in a straight, flat line on top of snow and similar terrain, and accordingly they didn't really have much grip when the going got really technical. Adding knobs to the tires adds weight to an already heavy piece of rubber. However, if you're spinning out at the bottom of a hill because you can't grip the loose dirt the weight becomes a secondary concern, so the 27 tpi steel bead nobbie Nate was born.

As expected though it was indeed heavy.  1.62 kg per tire to be exact.  Yup, that's just over 3 1/2 pounds for those using old math, and that's the weight we found on our own scale - we've seen the weight listed even higher on other sites.  Fortunately things have gotten a little lighter with the fairly recent introduction of the 120 folding bead tpi Nate.  It weighs in at 1.36 kg by our count (some sites have it listed lighter).  For some reason that doesn't sound like much to us when expressed in metric but the truth is that's more than half a pound weight savings per tire.  Not bad. Or at least better.

The higher tpi also provides a more supple ride, so there's really no down side other than the slightly higher cost of course.  The 27 tpi steel bead is $85, whereas the 120 tpi folding bead is $135.  

Finally, it's worth noting that the tire casing on the Nate is close to the same width and height as the Larry or Endomorph, so if you're riding either of those the Nate should fit your set up BUT beware that the extra nob does create a bit more width and height - that shouldn't likely be a problem in the front but you'll want to make sure it doesn't cause you any chain line issues in the rear.

29er vs. 26 inch wheels

This is arguably the most hotly debated subject in mountain biking these days, and we have plenty of customers asking us if a 29er or 26 inch wheeled mountain bike is better for their needs on an almost daily basis, so we figured we'd take a stab at the answer here. Truth be told there's no info below that hasn't already been shared on umpteen other websites so we're not really adding anything new to the dialogue, but if you want our opinion here it is...

Dog Baskets / Trailers

Argus the shop dog would like to point out a couple of dog specific items that we have in-store.

The first is a dog basket. Well, two dog baskets actually, in a small and large size. They're essentially conventional bike baskets but with a hinged wire top to keep your dog from jumping out and into traffic.

Argus thinks the baskets are great and all but he kinda needs something bigger so he's also featuring the dog trailer. It's pretty much a cargo trailer with a tent on top to keep your dog from jumping ship. Actually that's exactly what it is. It has large vents front and rear so it's very breathable on hot days but it also has clear plastic flaps for rainy or cold days.

Big or small we've got your dog covered. Bring your mutt in to check them out for yourself.

Knog Blinder

Blinkie lights are all pretty much the same, right? We'd forgive you for thinking so, until you check out the Blinder. With 4 LED's that pump out 80 lumens in front and 44 in the rear these things are bright. They claim to be visible over 800 meters and we're not going to dispute that. 

They have a 3 hour constant beam or up to 50 hours in flash mode, and they have a very discreet, simple, built in USB recharge system with no extra cables or converters - just plug the light directly into your USB hub or computer to get it going again. 

The Blinder comes in 4 anodized aluminum covers, it weighs only 35 grams, and it's fully waterproof. No tools are required to easily install or uninstall from your bike in seconds. 

Honestly, they're about as awesome as a blinkie light can get. We have a bunch in stock now for $50 each, so come and choose your colour today!

WeeHoo Child Carrier

We've sold the Trail-a-Bike for many years now and it's been a huge success for kids who want to ride at their parents' tempo but can't yet keep up on their own. 

The only shortcoming of the Trail-a-Bike, for some, is that the child must support themselves atop their seat pretty much as they would on their own bike (though they aren't responsible for keeping the bike itself upright). 

The WeeHee overcomes this shortcoming by offering siderails, handles, and a high backrest with shoulder straps. This means that even if your child can't balance on their own they can be strapped in and ride behind you in the open air and pedal along with you at the same time if they wish. 

As an added benefit the WeeHoo also comes with side bags to stash away a lunch, some extra clothes, or whatever. 

The WeeHoo fits easily on just about any bike. For $399.00 you can roll out of the store with one attached to your bike today.

Garmin Edge 800

If you're a bit of a bike geek (just admit it - we know who you are) the Garmin Edge 800 bundle pack is going to make you very happy. 

It has a touchscreen GPS, heart rate monitor with chest strap, speed/cadence sensors and readout, street maps, location data, elevation and more. You can download and follow routes, analyze all of your stats, and much more. 

The whole package is $645 (yes, the price tag on the the pic above says $850, which is the MRSP, but we've price matched with some competitors and brought the price down) and we have a couple in stock now. Satisfy that inner geek in a socially acceptable way and take a look at one today.

Niner Rigid Fork

Do you want to seriously lighten up your Niner or other 29er mountain bike (equipped with a tapered head tube)? Go rigid with this monocoque carbon fork. 

No, you obviously won't have the same suspension available to you riding rigid but you will learn to be a better rider and you'll also find that the Niner carbon fork does an excellent job of dampening road vibration and small trail bumps (trust us - many of us in the shop ride Niner rigid forks ourselves). 

We have a couple of nude carbon Niner forks (tapered) in now for $520 each so feel free to check 'em out in person. 

For a visual of just how tough the forks are check out the video below. No, you won't likely be attacked by a pack of hammer wielding thugs on your next ride, and you're correct if you think the demonstration below isn't the most scientifically controlled experiment ever, but we still think it makes a pretty good point and demonstrates how tough carbon can be.

FSA Orbit MX Headsets

Looking to add a little bling to your ride while uping the performance at the same time? These sweet FSA headsets may be just the ticket.

Their sealed bearings roll very smoothly, they're pretty light (a little under 100 grams for the whole unit) and most importantly they come in all the colours you see above.

For $80 we'll pop one in for you!

Cannondale Foresite Plus

Now that longer days are here you may not need a really powerful light to get you home from work or school or to guide you on that epic night ride, but you still may occasionally need something to assist you after the sun goes down. 

That's where the Cannondale Foresite Plus comes in handy. It packs away into the smallest of spaces but can be pulled out and mounted to your handlebar in seconds. What's more, it has 5 powerful LED's that provide both a remarkable amount of light for it's size and a very wide beam of light so you have decent peripheral illumination as well. 

Run time of the light is reported to be 20 hrs and you just need to replace 4 aaa batteries to start the clock on run time over. 

All this for just $35. Not bad - bike light value had come a really long way in a relatively short amount of time.

Centre Kick Stand

Looking for a little more retro flair to match your cruiser? Do you remember those double sided centre kick stands from back when you were a kid? So do we, and frankly they didn't really work that well. 

Well thankfully now that retro is the new modern there are new centre stands available that look like the old ones but have much improved performance. They fit most cruisers that have space to mount a stand to the chain stays just behind the bottom bracket (near the crank area for those less into bike-speak). 

We've got 'em in stock now so be sure to grab yours, at $26 a piece, in time for the spring thaw.

Handlebar Cage Mount

This is a pretty darned straight forward bike accessory but one that's still with sharing.  Some bikes, even some good quality ones, just don't have 'normal' water bottle braze-ons in the 'normal' places (i.e. the top of the down tube or front of the seat tube) due to size constraints or for other reasons.  Or in some cases you just need more than what the bike already has, maybe because you're using the standard braze-ons for other things or maybe because even though they're not being used per se you've taken up too much room near them to properly install a water bottle cage.

Whatever the case one of the simplest ways to get another bottle on your bike is to use the handlebar mount pictured above.  It simply clamps onto the bar with the use of one allen key and then your cage bolts down just as it would to regular braze-ons.  That's it really, and yet we've managed to type two paragraphs about it, and a third is about to come:

Just like the price tag says these mounts are $9 a pop.  We're told that's less than one beer at a Jet's game, and unlike said beer it will actually help keep you hydrated and improve your biking ability.  We have plenty in stock now so feel free to grab one anytime.

10 Speed Grip Shift here soon?

Grip Shift has been a favourite of many of our staff and customers for years, especially but certainly not limited to winter riding applications where big mitts can make trigger shifting more cumbersome.  Grip Shift has also long been the lightest way to build up a cross country racing bike (or any bike for that matter).

However, Grip Shift has been left behind on many new builds for the last couple of years because the maximum number of rear shifts it offers is 9, and newer high end cross country mountain bike set ups are moving to 2x10.  A 10 speed Grip Shift has long been rumoured, and frankly it either had to happen or Sram may as well have abandoned the product completely, and we can't imagine that was ever a consideration.

Well finally some concrete rumours, with pics no less, have surfaced, and things are looking very promising.  Surf over to bikerumor.com to check out what they have to say on the matter, including news on a near bearing design and a lock ring that doesn't apply pressure to the grip itself, both of which are bound to contribute to a smoother feel.  We're looking forward to getting our hands on this product later this year!

Reba RL 29er Fork

This is one of our favourite higher-end cross country racing suspension forks.  The Reba RL has been around for a while and gets better every year.  It's always been great at taking big hits (as far as cross country riding is concerned anyway - 50 foot drops will require something else) and also dampening those small bumps we encounter on the local single track.This year's improvements include weighing in at 100 grams less than last year - now 1584g for the 29er version pictured above and in stock now.

The RL version has an external rebound adjustment, low speed compression to lock, and air pressure adjustment via dual schrader valves.  The one we have in stock is for a 1 1/8th head tube top and bottom (1 1/8th to 1 1/5 is also available) and a 9mm QR (15mm Maxle is also available).

Obviously the one pictured above is white, but black is also available for order, and if you're still rocking a 26 inch mountain bike all of the specs listed above are available for that dimension as well.

Come into the shop with $670 and we'll cut the steerer tube to size, pound the crown race into place, and get you on your way!

Ritchey Marathon Saddle

We just received into stock some new saddles from Ritchey, and while we're impressed with them in general what we might like most of all is that they come in two different padding densities.  

This means that you can purchase their new Marathon saddle with just a little, or a little more padding based on your personal preference and style of riding.  The overall shape and dimensions of the saddles are pretty much the same no matter which type of padding you choose: Approx. 280 L x 138 W mm.  The heavier of the two is 279 grams; you save a bit of weight on the less padded option.  

For $130 this is a pretty high end saddle at a reasonable price.  Check 'em out!

More Toques

We have more toques in! It's not like we were running low but we still thought it was worth pointing out that we have a large variety in stock in simple and complex print designs, and in synthetic and wool weaves.

You can never have too many! Seriously. Toques are to Winnipegers what shoes are to Carrie Bradshaw. Except way more practical and less costly.

Mountain Hard Wear Parkas

If you're having trouble day to day knowing if it's going to be -5 or -35 C outside you're not alone. While we can't help you with the weather forecast we can help you dress for whatever the weather ends up being by offering you a good selection of outerwear from Mountain Hard Wear, like the Hunker Down Parka pictured above.

This parka is exceptionally warm for its weight, but amazingly it can also be used in warmer winter temperatures without causing you to overheat. We can attest first hand to using this jacket in -30 temps with nothing but a short sleeved shirt underneath and also using it in -5 temps with a sweater underneath, and in both instances we were cosy but not too warm. Whatever they're doing at Mountain Hard Wear they're doing it exceptionally well.

Feel free to check out this, plus many other, jacket and parka choices available in the shop now.

Clown Shoe Rims

Okay, we've made of a lot of fat bike related posts on here recently, so we're declaring a week long moratorium* of sorts...after this post.

It all started a few years ago with the 65mm Large Marge rim (the fat bike craze, not these posts), and the stakes were raised more recently with Darryl 80mm rims.  Now Surly has come out with the outrageously wide 100mm Clown Shoe rims.  These are the rims that come stock on the new Moonlander.  

If you have an existing fat bike (if you got one from us you're likely riding a Pugsley or a Mukluk) and you don't want to spring for a whole new ride just to accommodate the larger rims you may be able to use them with your existing bike.  

First the bad news: They will not work in the rear end of a Pugsley because the seat stays just aren't far enough apart.  Well, that may not be entirely true if you wanted to run the Clown Shoes with something smaller than a Big Fat Larry (like, say, an Endomorph or a Nate), but you'd still have a problem because the Pugsley rear end is offset.  Yes, the Clown Shoe is drilled to be laced offset as well, but to a different dimension than the Pugsley (16mm vs. 24mm, or something like that) so you're just out of luck there.

Up front you could accommodate the Clown Shoes on a Pugsley by setting the bike up with a Moonlander fork.  That fork is centred (ie. non-offset) and the Clown Shoe rims are drilled to also be laced without a dish, so that set up will work fine, and will accommodate any tire you'd like.

Compatibility with the Mukluk is more of a guess to us at this point.  It looks like the stock Mukluk front fork should be able to accommodate the larger width of a Clown Shoe rim and a Big Fat Larry (the widest overall combo available at the moment), and because the Mukluk fork is not offset it is compatible with the Clown Shoe in that regard, but until we build a wheel like that up for the Mukluk we won't know for sure.  Yes, we could take some width measurements but we never trust exactly how the tire is going to seat on the rim, what rim and tube flex will do when the bike is actually ridden, and how much gunk will stick to the tires and be a problem clearing the frame or fork even if the rubber technically fits.  Of course even if the Mukluk's front end doesn't accommodate the larger rim and largest tire (and we think it might) you can always stick a Moonlander fork on the from to work with the larger wheel combo just like we suggested for the Pugsley above.

We can say without a doubt that the Clown Shoe will work in the Mukluk fork with a 3.7 inch wide tire such as a Larry or Nate because (and follow this closely) a Clown Shoe with a 3.7 inch wide tire is very close to the same net maximum width as an 80mm rim (such as the stock Darryl) with a 4.7 inch tire (such as the Big Fat Larry), and we've run a Darryl/Big Fat Larry combo up front on a Mukluk with no problem.  Why would you want to run a Clown Show and Larry instead of a Darryl and a Big Fat Larry if the net width is pretty much the same?  Because with a wider rim width the tire sits differently and with low pressure it provides more traction because it flattens out more, even though it clears the fork with pretty much the same width.  This is especially applicable if you want to run Nates or Black Floyds, which only come in a 3.7 or so width (as opposed to the Larry / Big Fat Larry, where you have the option of two tire widths with the same tread pattern).  The only way to effectively make the Nates or Black Floyds  'wider' is to increase the rim width.

Finally, it looks like there's a chance the Clown Show / Big Fat Larry combo will even fit in the rear of the Mukluk (the larger rim with a Larry or other 3.7 inch tire will fit for sure), and this is helped by the non-offset nature of the rear of the Mukluk (compared with the Puglsey) BUT for some not satisfactorily answered reason the Mukluk actually comes stock with minor chain rub issues which will only be emphasized with a larger rim, tire, or both, so think about that before you decide to beef up the rear.  There are ways to compensate, but you'll want to talk to us or do your own research first.

So there you have it, sort of.  Hope it's more helpful than it is confusing.

*the moratorium will last a full week unless something new fat bike related unexpectedly shows up in the shop  before then.

Nate - Knobby Fat Bike Tire

As fat bikes have figuratively found traction in the local market more tire options are slowly being produced, and the latest rubber iteration from Surly finally finds literal traction!

For the last while the 'standard' fat bike tire set up has arguable been a Larry (or now the Big Fat Larry) up front and an Endomorph in the rear.  This is a great set up for many conditions, especially the intended primary purpose of fat bikes, which is to float over snow, sand, and other soft or uneven surfaces that narrower mountain bike tires struggle with.    They don't however excel when you hit slick or loose uphill or off camber sections - they just don't have enough tread to grip well in those conditions.  That's not a shortcoming per se, it's a purpose built design that isn't perfectly applicable to every condition.

So, what if you find yourself riding your fat bike more like a traditional mountain bike and less as a point and shoot machine for flat patches of snow and sand?  You buy a Nate, that's what.  We recently brought in a few and they have received rave reviews from those we sold them too. Rather than trying to recap what we've been told, and what we've found elsewhere online, below is a link to a great write up by some dude unaffiliated with our shop.  Check it out, and think about picking up a Nate or two for yourself.

Dear Nate, I love you...

Rollers

If you're getting bored of your indoor trainer already (and let's be honest, there are more exciting things to do than riding on an indoor trainer, no matter how good it is for you) why not try out some new rollers?

For just $240 you can really change up your indoor training routine. Rollers require you to balance the whole time you're pedaling and definitely break thru the monotony of a regular resistance trainer.

Rollers also take up very little room and can be shoved under a bed or other furniture with ease, or be left unobtrusively in the corner of a room.

So, unless you have vertigo there are really no excuses :).

Torker Unicycle

Yes, we know that the picture above is sideways.  It fits better on the page that way, and that's usually the position you'll see it in when we're attempting to ride it (or at least that goes for the guy typing this).

Unicycles have kind of come back into vogue in the last few years, and we're trying to keep a few styles in stock but we ran out for a little bit.  We've had a recent shipment of them come in though, so we now have the 20" model you see here for $150, and a 26" model for a bit more.

We can't think of a better New Year's resolution than to learn how to ride one of these things.  It's certainly a better resolution than giving up chocolate.  If you ride one of these you can probably eat more chocolate guilt free.