After making my own rim and wheel, I got the loan of a tyre off of drew, stuck it all together (ss for now) and had a wee spin on the beach (10/15psi).

[url=https://flic.kr/p/EtsGcp]2016-03-08_06-36-27[/url] by alan cole, on Flickr

Worked OK on sand, I have to guess the 3″ tyre (well 65mm on a 20mm ID rim) was slower/harder than full fat, and ss wasn’t helping on the deep soft stuff. I then popped a 29×2″ front wheel which, as you’d expect, ground to a halt/washed out in the soft stuff. Self steer on tarmac was bad. The rear wheel lived!

This made me wonder if it’s more the front you need the width on? I can’t try B+ on the front without more bodgery which I CBA with.

Does anyone ride 3″ odd on sand?

I have both 29+ and full-fat and live in an area where deep, soft sand is common – fatter front certainly of help in really soft conditions, it also packs down the trail for the rear. However, 3″ tyre is OK for short distances (better than regular 2.4″) but only 4″+ gives you enough float and traction to allow you to continue regardless. Your SS gear is probably too high for soft conditions too – a really low gear and smooth pedalling is better than mashing, unless you like digging ditches?

I was thinking about this at the weekend, as I tried to ride my B+ bike over fresh snow.

Normally you might choose to have a bigger tyre on the front, but that’s because you are looking to maximise front wheel grip (to avoid the front washing out in corners etc). On soft ground though, it is the rear that is most likely to sink as it carries most of the weight. So, if anything, you’d probably want a fatter tyre on the rear.

I agree(d) roverpig – until I rode my 2nd try above.

Maybe sand is different to snow in this regard.

I’ve just come back from racing in the arctic @ Rovaniemi 150:

Knee deep

Not me in the photo, but taken at the same event – I had 38 hours to ‘experiment’ in these conditions and can conclude that front-wheel wash was more a problem to maintaining forward progress than rear-wheel traction (except steep ramps). I’d definitely consider Snowshoe 2XLs next time as they were making better progress than my studded Dillinger 5s and it was pretty hopeless for those on 4″ rubber. Many simply quit. If it had been colder the snow would have crystallised and been grippier but give me a bigger, floatier tyre but once it was over your boots, it was time to start pushing….

I will admit that I am sort of 29+ curious currently, or maybe 29+ front 29×2.3″ rear…
I’ve no prior with 29ers or Fat/plus tyres, just sort of curious to try the concept…

Dovebikers point about the front wheel creating a track for the rear is a good one and would also work for snow.

As with all the softer surfaces (snow/sand/mud) there’s a lot of variation in consistency and what works best sometimes is shit other times. As has been noted, a wide tyre can float across wet surfaces where a thinner one grips much better.

Also – momentum is important. I reckon it’s easier to get/keep the bike moving if the front wheel isn’t bogging down whereas I can accept a little bit of that on the rear.

Hmm, to sell my fatty or not!

I’ve just discovered that 26+ tyres exist. They don’t seem very popular but might fit the bill.

try less than 10 psi in the front if you can, i found about 5psi to work much better on hard pack, soft and dunes (full fat though)

Well, having read Sanny pad’s article on fat bikes I am now undecided.

Anyone know owt about the various cheap Vee 26 x 2.5 etc tyres cheap on CRC?

Does that mean you’re finished with the FBN? If you take a spin out to the Pentlands over the weekend you could drop it off at The Vanilla Pod for me – hence saving on postage.

(No hurry if you want to hang on to it longer though).

Not yet ta!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/surly-instigator-frame-rabbit-holeslx-wheels

I have a 50mm 26″ rim from fat bike days ta!

A 2.4 RR comes up at 65mm on it!

Interestingly a 26″ fatbnimble comes up at 82mm on a 40mm rim,.

It might fit!

Anyone know owt about the various cheap Vee 26 x 2.5 etc tyres cheap on CRC?

I’ve just ordered a pair. According to vee website they’re heavy! 1230g…
But in the absence of any fat/plus budget or options, I thought I’d give them a go for 15 oiros a piece.
Going to be close if they fit in my sektors but plenty of room at the back in 26er YT wicked frame.

Well I got those tyres on. 26×2.5 Vee fluid folding
2 things:
They’re not all that fat. Come up at 63mm to edge of nobs, which OK is 2.5, on Stan’s flow rim (not the skinniest rim) so only a mm or 2 wider than the 2.4 fat Albert’s I had on before. So a little dissapointed.
On the plus side they weigh about 875g, not the 1230g stated on website. And in fact on their own packaging it says as much.

Compound is a bit odd to me tho I’ve not had hunners of tyres, mostly schwalbe.
Anyway it feels quite hard, but squeaky sticky at same time. Tempted to say it feels cheap, but not convinced it’ll be had. Proper ride tomoro. Think they’ll be good in the dry conditions I have mostly anyways.