Frame Bags: I haven’t posted a picture yet of my new frame bag and gas tank by “Epic Designs” out of Alaska. Even with the -6df weather at Triple D and last nights 4 hour ride at -10df the bottles that I keep in the bag with a chem. heater were able to stay thawed. They are also great for keeping things that I need immediate access to without stopping the bike and digging though panniers. The gas tank is my absolute fav! I can operate it with mittens on (it has a dual zipper, that I can loop over the top of my steering damper). If you’re wanting to get serious about winter riding and are tired with having to stop and take off your camel back to get at stuff conceder purchasing a set of these. Eric at Epic custom makes each one, so you’ll need to get him a template and dimensions. If you don’t plan on standing get the expanded pocket on the front, give you more room for storage.
Steering Damper: I’ve been using the Hopey Steering damper for about two weeks now. While I could say its use has not been noticeable, what has been is that I have not racked my knees wrecking the bike on soft rutted trails. It may have been a b.i.t.c.h. to install according to Sam at FFB’s but that’s not my worry (lol). The weight was minimal. I would recommend this to anybody who rides in the nasty stuff and doesn’t want to get wacked by the bars coming around at 90 mph.
Wheels: While the Surly fatgirl front end had been nice for flotation on weak surface trails, it’s a pig when it comes to acceleration or speeds above 10 mph. If you’re not doing long overnight treks carrying loads of gear or plan on only riding well packed trails, stick something 4 lbs lighter. What has worked well in the back is the Echo free ride rim with 2.3-2.5” tires. The double wide Echo rim flattens the profile giving more surface area and better control with slightly higher pressure.
2 comments:
Is that the Echo trials rim? The 40mm or the 46?
Yes, Echo Trials rim (40 mm with 32 hole). they also have a 36 hole version for a beefier setup.
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