Fats or Studs? which are best for winter riding?

daju

Active member
Apr 21, 2019
134
86
manchester by the sea, ma
Today with 2" of fresh in New England fat tires might have helped me up on steep hills that I spun out on with the 45 North studded tires. But that would mean an entirely different bike. Can anyone tempt me with a great fat tire electric bike?
And we only have deep soft snow for a few days a year here....

63355485439__97A07234-3068-4043-8CA9-AFA6A4631C6F.JPG
45north 8-11-56 PM).png
 

Mabman

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Feb 28, 2018
1,126
1,856
Oregon USA
What psi are you running? At that depth you shouldn't need fat tires IMNSHO just go as low as you think you might be able to get away with, tubeless will help/ Studs help on ice and slick roots but don't have much effect on actual snow I've found.
 

Stihldog

Handheld Power Tool
Subscriber
Jun 10, 2020
3,667
5,226
Coquitlam, BC
Today with 2" of fresh in New England fat tires might have helped me up on steep hills that I spun out on with the 45 North studded tires. But that would mean an entirely different bike. Can anyone tempt me with a great fat tire electric bike?
And we only have deep soft snow for a few days a year here....
This week I was wishing I had the fat tire. Again I headed up a slushy-snowy double track that turned into a 15% grade. In my last few meters I looked like a snake trying to go up a waterfall. Peddle assist helped and my rapid steering kept me vertical …for a while.
There are other trail options here and the snow melts quickly (sometimes). If I had to plough thru snow on a regular basis I suppose I could justify a fat bike or fat tire.
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,853
1,583
USA
Fat tires with studs. ;-)

When the snow is deeper, I ride my fat bike with 26" x 4.6" studded tires at around 4-5 psi. When it's not as deep but still icy in spots I run 27.5 x 3.0" studded tires on my regular bike or eMTB at around 8-12 psi.
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,853
1,583
USA
What psi are you running? At that depth you shouldn't need fat tires IMNSHO just go as low as you think you might be able to get away with, tubeless will help/ Studs help on ice and slick roots but don't have much effect on actual snow I've found.

But man are they awesome on ice and roots...

I do notice that riding studs on rock and frozen dirt usually results in a few missing studs.
 

daju

Active member
Apr 21, 2019
134
86
manchester by the sea, ma
What psi are you running? At that depth you shouldn't need fat tires IMNSHO just go as low as you think you might be able to get away with, tubeless will help/ Studs help on ice and slick roots but don't have much effect on actual snow I've found.
Point well taken. The 45 North tires are (I'm pretty sure) not tubeless compatible so I'm running the lowest pressure I dare put in the tubes--about 28psi
 

CRFan1

Active member
Dec 2, 2020
173
142
NW Indiana
This week I was wishing I had the fat tire. Again I headed up a slushy-snowy double track that turned into a 15% grade. In my last few meters I looked like a snake trying to go up a waterfall. Peddle assist helped and my rapid steering kept me vertical …for a while.
There are other trail options here and the snow melts quickly (sometimes). If I had to plough thru snow on a regular basis I suppose I could justify a fat bike or fat tire.

Fat tire bikes are fun all year round, not just for the snow! The grip they offer is outstanding. :)
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,853
1,583
USA
Good to know. Thanks

And the answer to the original question is
Fat tires with studs

And a whiskey flask holder on your Fatbike.

 

hogicid

Member
Jun 2, 2023
64
10
United States
Today with 2" of fresh in New England fat tires might have helped me up on steep hills that I spun out on with the 45 North studded tires. But that would mean an entirely different bike. Can anyone tempt me with a great fat tire electric bike?
And we only have deep soft snow for a few days a year here....

View attachment 51458 View attachment 51459
This week I was wishing I had the fat tire. Again I headed up a slushy-snowy double track that turned into a 15% grade. In my last few meters I looked like a snake trying to go up a waterfall. Peddle assist helped and my rapid steering kept me vertical …for a while.
There are other trail options here Fat Tire Electric Bike and the snow melts quickly (sometimes). If I had to plough thru snow on a regular basis I suppose I could justify a fat bike or fat tire.
Hello. What is the best brand fat tire e bike for salt water beaches
 

Mabman

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Feb 28, 2018
1,126
1,856
Oregon USA
Hello. What is the best brand fat tire e bike for salt water beaches
As someone that has ridden many miles of Ocean beach and never owned a fat bike I am not going to be able to give you an answer. However note that while a fat tire bike can outperform a narrower tired bike in the soft sand above the tide line it also is wildly inefficient at doing so and 99% of the time you will be seeking the harder sand below the high tide line and keeping an eye on the tide book to ride at or on a lowering tide so you can ride the harder packed sand which can mostly be ridden on any size tire.
 

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