From the preceding article, Shawn Pedersen, Master Tech and Pugsley racer, continued explaining studded bike tires. Studs in bike tires behave on pavement just as in car tires. “Studs either flex outward or push up into a tire,” explained Pedersen. For a bike tire this can cause damage. Braking on pavement is compromised with studs as well.
Pedersen further explained that tires designed for the Pugsley, such as the Endomorph, the tires he used in the Susitna, are designed to shed snow. The proper way to use them, is to ride with much lower PSI than seems normal; 10 or even down to 5 psi. Though he shared that it took him awhile to adjust, the low air pressure allows the tire to spread out creating more surface area. The extra wide rims further complement this capability. According to Pedersen, there are rims available now that are as wide as 100 mm or five times that of a typical tire.
The "fat bike,” one of which is the Pugsley, is a fairly new style bike. Surly, Pedersen credits, with being the first company to introduce them to the bicycle market. Surly first mass produced the Pugsley in 2006. Two other fat bike brands as also available. Made in Anchorage, Alaska, the Fatback and the 907 can set you back anywhere between $600 - $3000 for a frame. Prices increase with frame composition from aluminum to steel, or even Titanium which is the most expensive. The 9:ZERO:7 Snow Bike was so named, Pedersen explained, because 907 is the Zip code for Anchorage.
The Surly Pugsley is much more versatile bike than it appears at introduction. First, Pedersen equated owning a Pugsley as comparable to investing in a white water kayak or other recreational equipment that the enthusiast transports elsewhere to use. What’s great about the Pugsley is its adaptability to many of the recreational attributes of Washington State. Not only is it great to ride when there’s snow locally, but can be taken to the mountains for another way to enjoy the snow. The Pugsley is fun in sand as well. Pedersen talked about riding the stretch of beach at Long Beach that’s closed to motorized vehicles. The possibilities stretch beyond those. By simply using other wheels, a bicyclist can transform a Pugsley into a typical mountain bike. However, he clarified that smaller tires require building offset wheels to fit the frame. That investment adds even more versatility to an already great bike.
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