It may still be September, but those in northern latitudes know Winter is just around the corner. For many, that means hanging up the bikes for the season. But for the hearty, it simply means a change of scenery – and clothing.

No one knows that better than 45NRTH. The name says it all, but the winter clothing and tire experts from up north live it every year. Their newest footwear option is called the Öland, and they don’t look like your typical cycling boots.

Instead, the Ölands are built with a “premium waterproof” leather construction that instantly reminded us of the 45NRTH x Red Wing Leather Limited Edition Wölvhammers. It’s important to note that the Ölands are NOT made with Red Wing Leather, but the ECCO leather used for the Ölands should break in similarly to the Leather Wölvhammers which is part of why those boots have become my favorite winter option. 45NRTH points out that ECCO’s leather is “made with Bioscavenge and DriTan technology to save and recycle water during manufacturing. Leather Working Group-certified.”

Inside the Ölands, you’ll find 100g Primaloft insulation which gives them a recommended temperature rating of 20º to 45ºF / -7º to 7ºC. Unlike the Wölvhammers, or any other 45NRTH boot, the Ölands use a traditional lace closure with a high top cut. The lower lace guides are captured, while the upper two pairs are hooked so you can easily unlace and open the tongue – which is required to get your foot in.

When it comes to fit, the Ölands seem to be right on the money with past 45NRTH boots. I requested a pair of 42s which are the same as my Wölvhammers and Ragnaroks, and the fit is just about perfect with a pair of 45NRTH Swiftwick winter socks (which are definitely thicker than most cycling socks, but not the thickest winter sock).

Inside you’ll find a thin, but sculped Syksol insole. There doesn’t appear to be any insulating feature here, just a metatarsal button and a sculpted arch.

On the bottom, you’ll find a real rubber outsole with anti-slip microglass inserts that will continue to provide grip even as the sole wears. The boots are compatible with flat pedals utilizing the included cleat plate, or with two-bolt cleats for clipless pedals.

Where these differ from your traditional winter or hiking boot is that the outside shaping is more slender to prevent rubbing against cranks and frames. Also, the back of the upper cuff is made from a more stretchy material to allow it to flex as you pedal. I will say that initially, pedaling in the Ölands is a bit stiff, but better than expected – and it should only improve as they break in.

On the scale, a single 42-size boot checks in at 651g. Compare that to 894g for the same size 45NRTH x Red Wing boot and it’s clear that the Öland is a good bit lighter.

The 45NRTH Öland will sell for $260 in sizes 36-44, 46, and 50. Available now.

45NRTH.com

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Wolf Tooth Components has gone digital. Don’t worry. Their precision-machined parts aren’t going anywhere, but to help you get the most out of your ride, WTC just released their first app – the Bike Tire Pressure Calculator.

WTC is not the first company to release their own tire pressure app, but they wanted to address their own specific tire pressure needs. Specifically, fat bikes and bikes with wider tires. According to WTC, the calculator is based on the Wolf Tooth philosophy that lower pressures are better for performance, and “the lowest possible pressure consistent with terrain, riding style, and equipment is better”.

The WTC Bike Tire Pressure Calculator is available for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play, and starts with the option to choose from Advanced or Basic options. The Advanced setting gives you more input parameters to get a more precise pressure recommendation. Basic will get you off and running with half those inputs. Simply punch in each field and the app spits out precise front and rear pressure recommendations.

Advanced:

• Weight of Bike + Rider + Gear
• Tube/Tubeless/Inserts
• Casing Type
• Riding Conditions
• Inflation Temperature/Riding Temperature
• Tire/wheel Diameter
• Sidewall Tire Width
• Measured Tire Width
• Inflation Pressure
• Riding Pressure

Basic:

• Rider Weight
• Ebike
• Riding Conditions
• Sidewall Tire width
• Inflation Pressure

First Impressions

I’ve been using the WTC Bike Tire Pressure Calculator for about a month on gravel, mountain, and fat bikes. So far, the recommended pressures are almost exactly in line with what I would typically run – which is a good thing. I spend a lot of time riding and testing different tires, wheels, components, etc., and I’d like to think that I’m pretty good at choosing the right tire pressure by this point (and being able to feel the difference). One of the most critical parts to getting the right tire pressure is considering the entire weight of not just you, but your bike, water, gear, etc. Before your next ride, guess how much you weigh completely ready to ride with your bike and all gear/water/food, and jump on a scale. You might be surprised…

The one thing that the app has convinced me, is that I should be running my front tire pressure 1 or 2psi lower than I have been. I typically run 1 or 2psi lower in the front than the rear, but the app often suggested 2-4psi lower, which I now use.

But for those that don’t ride almost every day and have decades of experience dialing in tire pressures, the WTC app seems like it will give excellent advice on where to start. The app is also a handy way to store your pressure preferences for multiple bikes, or even the same bike with multiple tires. Note that you have to click on the ‘My Bikes’ tab first, then hit the ‘+’ to add a bike before calculating tire pressure to save it.

There’s also a Temperature Compensation calculator which isn’t that important when you’re riding a normal bike in the summer, but it becomes far more critical in the winter. If you’re filling a tire at 72ºF and you want your tire to 5psi once you’re outside in 0ºF weather, you have to inflate that tire to 8.1psi while inside. You can use the Compensation calculator alone, or it is integrated into the Advanced Pressure Calculator.

The app won’t work for everyone as there isn’t an option for road bikes with tires narrower than 30mm, and some wheel and tire sizes (like the new Surly 24 x 6.2″ fat bike tires) aren’t included. Also, it could use a few improvements like replacing invisible cursors to let you know what field you’re typing in. But like any app, it can be updated in the future. For a free app, it seems to work pretty well and is highly recommended if your riding buddies keep telling you your tires are way too hard…

wolftoothcomponents.com

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Just when you thought fat bikes couldn’t get any bigger, Surly swoops in with a new Moonlander. Now, this is not your typical Moonlander. Sure, the model was known as Surly’s biggest fat tire bike at a time when 4” was still considered large, but this is different… for a few reasons. 

24 x 6.2″ Tires!

The biggest (literally) of these may be the all-new 24 x 6.2” Surly Molenda Tires. Yes, you read that right. Surly downsized the rim, and upsized the tire for even more extreme flotation on all terrain. Surly states that the Moonlander frame can also roll on 26 x 5.1”, 27.5 x 4.8”, and 29 x 3” tires. Molenda tires feature a 2-ply 60 tpi casing that is tubeless ready, and have a claimed weight of 2200 – 2300g and will cost $150 each. 

If you don’t want to run tubeless, you’ll need to use Surly’s new TPU inner tube in the matching 24 x 6.2” size that supports low pressures (2-10psi). The inner tubes alone are $49 a piece, but given the size that doesn’t seem too bad considering regular TPU inner tubes are pushing $30-40. 

To mount those gargantuan Molenda tires, Surly has also introduced a new 24 x 100mm Clown Royal Rim. The 32h rim requires the use of the Surly 24” Nylon rim strip, and will be available aftermarket to build custom wheels. Rims will run $280 each with another $8 for the rim strip. 

One of the goals of the Moonlander project was to create a fat bike with the largest tire footprint possible without creating any new standards or q-factor that was unrideable. To that effect, the Moonlander uses standard 197 x 12mm hubs front and rear (rear hubs on both), and has the same q-factor as the existing Ice Cream Truck. 

To accomplish that, the Moonlander uses a longer rear end which allows the proper tire/chain/crank clearance while also increasing stability. Surly claims that the Moonlander looks, feels, and rides like a normal bike in spite of the comically wide tires. 

A Gearbox?

While the 100% Surly Chromoly steel frame is familiar, the drivetrain is decidedly not – at least for Surly. On a bike like the Moonlander, weight and efficiency play second and third fiddle to reliability in extreme conditions. That’s why Surly opted for the Pinion 9-speed gearbox instead of a traditional derailleur system. This is Surly’s first-ever use of the Pinion system, citing that it protects the drivetrain from inhospitable conditions and offers higher ground clearance than the typical fat bike thanks to a higher BB shell.

Geometry

Offered in four sizes from S-XL, the frames have a smaller front triangle for better standover and easier on/off. Those front triangles can house one water bottle for small frames, two on the medium, and 3 on L/XL frames. You’ll also find accessory mounts on the fork blades, and plenty of mounts for racks, fenders, and more. The frames are internal dropper post compatible and run a 30.9mm post.

How much does it weigh?

Complete weight is claimed to be about 45 lbs for a medium frame. Just the frameset alone (frame, fork, collar, axles) is 12lbs, 4oz. Not light. But look at it!

Pricing & Availability

Pricing is set at $4,199 for the complete bike and $1,199 for the frameset (which doesn’t appear to include the gearbox). Moonlanders are available for order on Surly’s website, including the option to ship to your home from a participating dealer close to you.

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The latest news from Revelate and Corvus is a bit of a 2-for-1 special. The brands shared a booth at Sea Otter complete with the new Corvus Akio decked out with the latest Revelate Bags. But Revelate was also showing a prototype of the new Pitchfork Aerobar Harness which was delayed until this week.

Calling it an Aerobar Harness System, the Pitchfork is a perfect way to add handlebar bag capabilities to a bike with aerobars – without losing any functionality of the bars. This is perfect for ultra-racing events where positioning is just as important as storage space that is quickly accessible.

The Pitchfork is a two-part design with a harness and a 6L drybag that slides into the harness. The harness itself has 1L pockets on each side that are stretchy and easy to access while riding. There’s also a top-mounted bungee system for quick stowage of clothing layers, snacks, etc. Revelate states that adjustable hypalon slots allow for different bar spacings and accommodation of multiple setups.

The Pitchfork will be available soon for $160.

On the new Akio, Revelate had a few new products including these pannier prototypes. The idea here is that you mount soft bag harnesses to your rack, and then removable dry bags are loaded inside. The resulting system is still lightweight, and allows for much easier access to your gear.

The drybags feature a custom fabric with a white interior for easy location of your gear inside, and will be offered in three sizes. The outer cradles utilize a urethane hook with rubber straps for rattle-free installation.

Up front, the first production samples of their new Cargo Cage were mounted to the fork. These feature replaceable TPU pads, a removable foot, and keyed mounts so you don’t have to fully remove the bolts to install. We were told to expect these around the end of June.

New Corvus Akio

Now about that fat bike all those accessories are hung on – the new 2025 Corvus Akio. First introduced as the first carbon bike after Fatback rebranded as Corvus Cycles, the new Akio has been in the works for four years. The bike includes some big changes, including being one of the first fat bikes we’re aware of with internal storage.

Designed around 27.5 x 4.3-4.5″ wheels and tires, the bike features an updated geometry with a more “sit in feel”, and is based around a 485mm axle to crown with a 55mm offset fork.

Making the most of the wide carbon downtube that flows into the bottom bracket area, Corvus added an access hatch on the bottom of the downtube. Why the bottom? Corvus is a big fan of frame bags (the frame now features a straight top tube to fit bigger bags), to the point that each Akio bike will include a Revelate frame bag with complete builds. Fat biking requires a number of layers to adjust to changing weather and personal heat output, and frame bags are the perfect place to stash them when not needed – among other necessities. Placing the access hatch on the bottom of the tube means it’s still accessible with a frame bag installed, and the hatch makes a perfect place to store a spare fat bike tube.

Other details include the first production carbon portage handle to help lift the bike over obstacles and 197 x 12mm rear spacing with aggressively flared chainstays for heel clearance.

The frame features fully sleeved internal cable routing with native 180mm rotors, and is claimed to weigh in at 25 lbs with a SRAM GX build with dropper post. The new Akio will first be available in 16, 18, and 20″ frames this fall, with a 22″ frame coming the following year. Pricing is expected to start at $4,400 for a complete build.

corvuscycles.com

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QuietKat says their new Apex HD and XD ebikes ‘redefine capability’, and with their lengthy list of features, it’s hard to argue with that claim. These bikes are built for adventurous explorers, so QuietKat has decked them out with features and components that ensure off-road capability and durability.

Internally geared automatic transmissions, motorcycle chains, 1000w motors with up to 200nm of torque, 30Ah battery options, switchable Class 1, 2, or 3 settings, 118 accessory mounting points, and even a dropper post with seat suspension are all found on the Apex ebikes. And that’s just the highlights…

Frame Features and Key Specs:

The Apex ebikes are built around aluminum hardtail frames, and both models are available in Kick-through and Step-over options. The Kick-through style is roughly equivalent to a small-medium bike, and the Step-over (with the higher top tube) lines up with typical medium-large frames. The frame was redesigned for the Apex bikes to offer better accessibility and adaptability, and QuietKat says it’s their most rugged frame yet.

To ensure a comfortable ride, the Apex ebikes get air-sprung 120mm KKE inverted suspension forks and dropper posts with integrated saddle suspension. Both models roll on 26×4.8” Kenda Juggernaut tires for comfort on rough terrain and solid traction. Four-piston hydraulic disc brakes provide plenty of stopping power.

The Apex ebikes include QuietKat’s modular rear rack with class-leading load capacity (325 lbs). They can also host a new optional front rack and have a whopping 118 more mounting points to help haul your camping, fishing, or hunting gear (or tow a trailer). Rear fenders are included on both models. To further customize your adventure machine’s capabilities, QuietKat offers a whole line of racks, bags, and trailers.

Automatic Transmissions:

One significant feature of the new Apex ebikes is their automatic transmissions. QuietKat says they’ve found that most issues with off-road ebikes are related to damaged derailleurs and broken chains. The Apex ebikes’ internally geared automatic transmission eliminates the derailleur and allows QuietKat to use a beefy motorcycle chain. They say the motorcycle chain is almost impossible to break and transfers power to the rear wheel better than a traditional bike chain. The mid-drive Apex XD offers five gears, but the hub-driven HD model has just two.

Motor and Battery:

The hub-drive or mid-drive Apex models are both powered by a 1000w VPO (Variable Power Output) 2.0 motor. If that wasn’t enough, the motors have a 1500w climb mode that boosts their output to tackle steep climbs. The XD’s mid-drive motor cranks out a massive 200nm of torque, while the HD’s hub-drive unit will produce 85nm. 

The newly developed VPO 2.0 firmware offers five drive modes: Eco, Trail, and Boost modes are now joined by new Climb and Stealth modes. What’s really nifty is how the VPO compliance technology can switch the bikes between Class 1, 2, 3, or unlimited modes, thus making the Apex ebikes legal on any trail. Of course, you might have to convince enthusiastic law enforcers you’re not going to use your throttle where you shouldn’t! On that note, the Apex ebikes feature a twist throttle.

The Apex ebikes’ batteries are enclosed in the down tube, and buyers can choose between a 15Ah or a 30Ah version (both 48V). With a full charge, the 30Ah battery provides up to 90 miles of range.

Of course, the Apex ebikes feature integrated smart technology. Built-in cellular, GPS, and IOT capabilities allow remote tracking, alarm, and locking features. The bikes also provide real-time battery statistics, maintenance reminders, and over-the-air firmware updates. A color LED display shows your metrics/settings, etc.

Model Lineup:

QuietKat Apex HD – $2999-3599 (depending on options).

Frame color options for the Apex HD are Veil Relic Camo, Moss, or Dull Grey.

QuietKat Apex XD – $4499 – 5099 (depending on options).

The Apex XD’s frame color options are Charcoal, Red Clay, or Wideland Camo.

The Apex HD and XD are available to order now, with deliveries expected to begin in early June.

quietkat.com

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Nearly eight years ago, Otso Cycles was born from Wolf Tooth Components. In the process, they introduced a bike that changed my perception of what a fat bike could be. Rather than a beast of a bicycle that was also a burden to pedal, the Otso Voytek relied on some clever engineering to create the best pedaling fat bike yet. More importantly, Otso accomplished this while still providing just enough clearance for a 26 x 4.6” tire.

The Voytek quickly became my favorite fat bike, ruining me on bikes with much wider Q-factors. But eight years is a long time in the world of bike development, and a lot’s changed since then. More fat bikes are running 27.5” wheels and tires, and geometry is constantly evolving. The Voytek could no longer survive on its Q-factor alone, so Otso went back to the drawing board. 

In the Fall of 2023, Otso introduced the Voytek 2. A bike that is undeniably still a Voytek, but one that has a number of changes to help make it more modern – and still one of the best.

Finally some snow… kinda

Initially, I held off writing a full review of the Voytek 2 at the time of launch because I felt that for it to be a worthwhile fat bike review, I should actually ride in… snow. Sadly, every year since the original Voytek launched, we’ve seen less and less snow. This year was no different. Realistically, we only had one storm that resulted in conditions that were actually ‘fat bike worthy’. Fortunately, I was able to make the most of those few days and got a solid amount of snow testing in on the Voytek 2. 

26 vs. 27.5″

Over the years, and especially recently, I’ve had a lot of discussions with Wolf Tooth and Otso Co-Owner Brendan Moore about fat bike tire size. Specifically about (some of) the industry’s push towards 27.5” wheels and tires. Brendan is a big fan of 26” fat bike tires for snow use, and I’d have to mostly agree. 

On one of the few snowy days I had to work with, I decided to run back-to-back test runs on the same bike and the same trail conditions – first with 27.5” then with 26”. The tires weren’t identical, but both were 45NRTH Dillinger models, a 26 x 4.0” Dillinger 4 and a 27.5 x 4.5” Dillinger 5.

What I found was that while the speeds and segment times were similar for both setups, the 26” setup felt like I could push harder for longer. That tracks with my experience with 27.5” fat bike tires as a whole – they offer incredible traction and roll-over ability, but you pay for it with the weight. Apples to apples, the 27.5” setup will always be heavier than 26” (up to 2lbs!), and in the worst place to carry extra weight. 

With that said, there are times when I prefer the ride of the 27.5” tires like when riding over chunky rocks and ice. Also if you can find a lot of the really light, early 27.5” fat bike tires which were way undersized, they make for great dirt or hardpacked sand tires. 

This is all a long way of saying that regardless of your personal 26” x 27.5” beliefs, the Voytek 2 can run both so it’s the perfect choice for both camps. That’s thanks to the combination of the Otso Tuning Chip dropout system and the new rear wheel offset. 

Rear wheel offset – a necessary evil

The offset will be a polarizing topic, but it was added for a very good reason. With a Q-factor as narrow as the Voytek’s, there just isn’t enough clearance between the chain and the widest tires when it’s in the biggest cassette cog. Rather than compromising on the Q-Factor, the Voytek 2 was simply designed around a 5mm offset of the rear hub to the drivetrain side. This pushes the cassette and the chain out from the tire, solving the clearance issue. 

Thanks to the offset, the Voytek 2 now officially has clearance for 26 x 4.6” tires. You could technically run those on the original Voytek, but not in all axle positions, and the chain would rub on the tire in the biggest cog. The frame will also accommodate up to 27.5 x 4.5” tires. The fork will also clear up to a 26 x 5.4” tire on a 100mm rim if you want to maximize flotation. 

The offset rear does make it less convenient for wheel swaps if you already have a bunch of fat bike wheels. But most can be re-dished to work with the new setup. To me, this is a non-issue for the fat bike wheels since you probably only have one fat bike – and even if you have more than one, there’s a good chance they have different rear hub standards anyway (I recently had four fat bikes on hand, and every one of them had a different hub standard combination!).

A fat bike for more than just snow

Even if the hub offset bothers you, you should still give the Voytek 2 a chance because the bike is that good. Remember how I was just talking about how little snow we’ve had in successive years? That’s making me rethink my relationship with fat bikes – except the Voytek. That’s because it’s the most enjoyable fat bike that I’ve ridden outside of snowy days. 

The narrow Q-factor makes it the perfect option for loaded bikepacking expeditions on terrain where plus or even full-fat tires are preferred. It’s even narrow enough that it wouldn’t be bothersome to build it up as a trail hardtail and use it as your one bike all year long. 

I’ve actually been using the Voytek 2 mostly as a platform for riding with my daughter using a Kids Ride Shotgun Pro seat. That may seem like an odd choice, but the bike is uniquely positioned to be the perfect bike for the job. The Voytek 2 has the narrowest q-factor of any fat bike out there, but it’s still slightly wider than your average trail bike. That puts your knees slightly wider, which makes it easier to pedal around the toddler seat in front of you.

A big part of that is also due to the updated geometry which is very good in stock form. It’s also completely adjustable with headset and dropout chips that make it one of the most adjustable bikes around. It’s so adjustable that I haven’t gotten close to trying all the combinations with all the different wheel options. While the stock geometry is now on trend with many XC and Trail bikes with a 67.8º head tube angle and 73.8º seat tube angle, the 2º slack chip will drop that to a 65.9º HTA and 74.4º STA. 

Both the Tuning Chip dropout system and the Geochip headset system are typically well-designed by Otso, and neither has ever made the slightest noise or caused any issues in a lot of testing. I have less time on the Geochip system, but the Tuning Chip system may be the most reliable axle position adjustment system I’ve tried. 

While we’re on the subject of maintenance and hassle-free frame specs, the Voytek 2 runs a PF107 bottom bracket like the Voytek before it. I know, I know. Pressfit – ugh. But here’s the thing, proponents of the pressfit bottom bracket have repeatedly told me the same thing: it’s not the standard, it’s the lack of precision on poorly-made frames that causes issues. 

I still have that original Voytek, 7 years later. As a fat bike, it’s seen the worst conditions and at this point probably has more miles on that particular bottom bracket than any other bike here. And it has been flawless – no noises, and it still spins freely. Considering the PF design is integral to the narrow Q-factor design of the Voytek, it’s something to be aware of, but not worried about. 

Along those lines, optimizing the carbon around the bottom bracket shell and chainstays means that the Voytek 2 hasn’t lost anything in terms of efficiency. If you’re into fat bike racing, this bike is still as fast as ever. Yet, the Voytek 2 seems to offer better vertical compliance for trail riding and out-of-bounds adventuring. 

Going along with the incredible versatility of the geometry and wheel & tire choice, the rest of the bike can be built to suit as well. Rigid fans will appreciate the stock carbon fork with accessory mounts, while more aggressive riders will happily swap it out for a 100-120mm travel suspension fork (I added a Manitou Mastodon for riding with the kiddo, which made a big difference). Along with the fork mounts, the frame has tons of accessory mounts including a four-pack on the top of the downtube, top tube mounts, rack and fender options, and frame bag mounts on the inside of the front triangle. Otso now offers a custom frame bag by Cedaero that can be customized with your choice of material and color. 

Riding Away

Over the past few years, we’ve seen the fat bike market rapidly dwindling. I firmly believe that a big reason for that is the number of brands that jumped on the fat bike bandwagon without fully understanding what goes into creating a great fat bike and seeing poor sales in return. But the changing climate also can’t be ignored – if there’s less snow, fewer people will see a need for a fat bike. 

Unless, it’s something as versatile as the Voytek 2. 

The Otso Voytek 2 excels in snowy conditions and is still one of my favorite fat bikes on the white stuff. But it’s outside of those winter months where the Voytek 2 really sets itself apart from the competition. Wherever your adventures take you, the Voytek 2 can be built for it – regardless of the weather.

For more technical details on the Voytek 2 including actual weight and geometry numbers, make sure to check out our first look, here.

The post Otso Voytek 2 Review: Still the Best Fat Bike Even if the Snow Isn’t appeared first on Bikerumor.

Today the mobility experts known as Tern announced that they are launching a new eBike that is ready for some real offroad adventuring. The new Orox Adventure Cargo Bike is the latest eBike from Tern and their first venture into true offroad adventure bike territory.

Cargo and adventure are two of my favorite bike-type words… whether used together or apart. Using those words together sparks my imagination. Where a bike like the Orox can go and what it can do? Let’s get into it and find out.

Tern says the Orox was specifically designed to navigate any terrain and weather conditions with ease. It’s optimized to haul a passenger, a pet, plus all of your adventure gear. It has dual battery capacity and an efficient Bosch motor.

Using two 800wh batteries gives the Orox a possible range of more than 300km….that’s about 186 miles for the countries that are scared of the metric system. All metric system jokes aside, that kind of range opens the door to all kinds of epic shenanigans on this bike.

A Word From Tern

“Six years ago, we introduced the GSD with the belief that a compact and easy-to-ride bike capable of carrying passengers and cargo would get people out of their cars and onto bikes, says Josh Hon, Tern Team Captain. “We were right, and we love seeing all the amazing things people are doing with the GSD in crowded cities. But we also realized that there are plenty of places people want to go that are unpaved. And they want to bring their gear. For those trips, we made the Orox.”

Orox, a Go-Anywhere, 4-Season Adventure Cargo Bike

Some users of both cargo bikes and adventure-specific bikes may have experienced some limitations with their particular bicycles. For instance, there aren’t many, if any, legit cargo bikes that can go deep into the backcountry. In contrast, an off-road bicycle can’t carry the substantial load of a full-fledged cargo bike, which leaves you picking and choosing what to pack for your next adventure.

Go Anywhere

The Orox brings cargo bike utility to all types of terrain. With its large-volume tires and powerful motor, the Orox will get you up and over any challenging terrain you throw at it. The adventure could be a potholed and poorly maintained urban street, a quick S24O (sub-24-hour overnighter) in your local State Park, or packing all of your fishing gear to fish a backcountry lake.

Tern says it’s the perfect blend of a rugged MTB, a versatile trekking bike, and a utilitarian cargo bike.

Go Any Time

With extra wide tires, the Orox will inspire confidence not letting any extreme condition get in the way of your next adventure. With extreme conditions in mind, Tern has designed Orox’s frame and fork to be compatible with 26″x5″, 27.5″x4″, or a 29″ x3″ tire combos. Heavy-duty fenders will keep the rider and the bike cleaner when the adventure gets sloppy.

The Orox is ready for adventuring in colder temps too. The included frame pack not only holds some of your small essentials but acts as a battery insulator when the temp drops. So you can ride the Orox in the snow during the winter, the mud in the spring, the sand in the summer, and enjoy your favorite camp spot in the fall.

Bring it All

Being a heavy-duty hauler, the Orox has a max on-road gross vehicle weight of a whooping 210kg (again, for the metric challenged, that’s 462lbs), and “an unmatched” off-road GVW of 180kg (397lbs). So, get your kids to school in the morning with ease, and scoot to dinner with your partner in the evening. On the weekends pack the Orox up with more creature comforts like that extra six-pack, your second tackle box, or your new cast iron skillet, and hit the backcountry without a worry.

Inclusive Design

The Tern team designed the Orox to fit a wide range of riders. With special adjustments to frame geometry and component choice, the large size can fit riders up to 195cm (6’5″) and 130kg (286lb) in weight. For the smaller riders, the medium-sized Orox uses a mid-step frame design that allows riders from 155cm (5’1″) tall to fit and be comfy.

Built for Work (if you must)

Orox makes an ideal vehicle for organizations and businesses that need to move people and gear to tough-to-reach places. With Tern’s commitment to their Bikes for Business program and the cargo bike in general, they know a thing or two about the subject.

The Ornox is a bike that is purpose-built to get the job done. That could mean shovels and chainsaws for trail building/maintenance. Or medical equipment for EMTs and sporting events and festival-style concerts, to safety equipment for first responders. The Orox can do it.

Orox Tech Models and Details

Orox Models

• R14: 14-speed Rohloff Speedhub and Gates belt drive
• S12: Shimano Deore XT 1 x 12-speed
• Colors: Granite and Pine

Techy Details

• Bosch Performance Line CX motor for up to 75Nm torque and up to 340% pedal assist
• Bosch DualBattery-ready, accommodating up to two fast-swap 800 Wh batteries for a range of up to 300+ km.
• Bosch ConnectModule for advanced functions like eBike Alarm and eBike Tracking
• Chromoly rigid fork with 14 braze-ons for additional cargo customization
• Atlas X Cargo Wheels with burly double-wall rims, Boost axles, and thick gauge spokes to support extra heavy loads
• Heavy-duty Atlas Kickstand XL to make loading of cargo or small passengers easier and safer
• Custom 27.5″ x 4” / 29″ x 2.6” Schwalbe Johnny Watts all-terrain tires or 27.5″ x 4” stud-compatible Vee Snowball tires
• Powerful and responsive Magura 4-piston 203 mm hydraulic disc brakes
• Max Gross Vehicle Weight of 210 kg (462 lb) on pavement, and 180 kg (397 lb) off-road

Orox Availability and Retail

Retail: Starts at €6.799 / £5,900 / CHF 6,699 / $7,444

Orox will begin to arrive in bike shops in Europe and North America this April, with other markets following later in the year. But, you can check some of the other cargo offerings that Tern has to offer by checking the link below.

TernBicycles.com

The post The Tern Orox Fat Cargo eBike Has Us Scheming Our Next Off-Road Adventures appeared first on Bikerumor.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen fat bike tire options melting away faster than the snowpack. But now, some good news – WTB has just introduced their first-ever fat bike tire. Packed with WTB DNA, the all-new Bailiff looks like it could be a great option for those looking for an aggressive fat bike tire.

This may be WTB’s first fat bike tire, but they’re quick to point to their four decades of tire design and hundreds of hours of testing in places like Vermont that went into the creation of the Bailiff. Offered only in 27.5 x 4.5″, we’re told that there are currently no plans to offer the tire in a 26″ size.

Built around a TCS Light High Grip 120 tpi casing, the Bailiff focuses on providing a supple feel when aired down to fat bike pressures. The tire also gets a snow-specific tire compound that is intended to stay pliable in extreme cold to maintain traction. That TCS casing also means the tire is fully tubeless compatible with tire sealant. In case you’re wondering, the WTB tire sealant is optimized for temperatures down to 15F° / -9.4°C.

Tread Pattern

The tread pattern itself features closely spaced center knobs to minimize rolling resistance, but there are still plenty of working edges to bite when you need traction to slow down. The knobs are fairly tall compared to some lighter fat bike tires and are widely spaced to dig in both soft and hard snow, mud, sand, etc.

When fitted to a 77mm internal width rim, the tire has a nicely rounded profile.

Offered in studded or studless versions, each tire has 312 stud pockets which are compatible with Terrene, 45NRTH, and other popular tire studs. WTB also has a stud placement guide to help you plan out your stud placement if you don’t want to utilize all 312 pockets. The WTB studded version uses carbide studs with a 2mm-wide tip.

WTB Fat Bike Tire Actual Weight

These are big, meaty tires. As such, they’re hefty at 1617g for the studless version. The studded version comes in at 1693g. That’s in-line with other tires of this size that have aggressive tread and aren’t terribly undersized, though.

First Impressions

I’ve had these tires for a few weeks now, and here we are in January. Still no snow. It looks like we’re in for a brief Arctic blast next week, so hopefully I can finally get out on these tires and the Otso Voytek 2 in the snow (or at least frozen trails).

I can tell you that while the tires were tight to get onto my Whisky No. 9 80w wheels, the tires seated up tubeless without issue. The rubber on the bead felt particularly grippy, so I applied some Schwalbe Easy Fit to the bead which made it much easier to fit the tire to the rim.

Once seated and inflated to 12psi, the tires measured an actual 4.3″ wide on the rims with a 77mm internal width. Upon measuring them the next day, they had already expanded to 4.4″, measured at the widest point of the tread blocks. So while a little undersized out of the package, it seems like these might expand to the full 4.5″ width with some time.

About that Packaging

Fat bike tires are big, obviously. Some brands package them in large cardboard boxes. Others zip tie them to cardboard or plastic sleeves. At one point, Maxxis was even putting them in reusable drawstring bags. But of all the fat bike tire packages I’ve opened, the WTB Bailiff is the best yet.

When you go to unwrap a Bailiff, you’ll find a reusable 25″ cargo strap and a small label made from recycled cardboard that is further recyclable. I’ve been meaning to buy some longer cargo straps for a while now – but now I have some thanks to the packaging of these tires. I can’t tell you the difference in quality between these straps and something like a genuine Voile Strap, but these will definitely come in handy. Use them to cinch down a spare fat bike tube for your ride. Or maybe strap an extra layer to your bike.

Kudos to WTB for coming up with a design that reduces the amount of packaging headed to a landfill while being actually useful.

WTB Fat Bike Tire Pricing & Availability

Starting today, the Bailiff is available in North America for $134.95 per tire. The studded Bailiff will sell for $279.95 and is also available in North America. European availability won’t come until March.

The post WTB’s First Fat Bike Tire, the Bailiff has the Best Packaging You Could Ask For appeared first on Bikerumor.

This Borealis Crestone review is a long-term look at a bike that has been on the market for many years, but still is delivering smile after smile. Easy to maneuver, yet still stable in notoriously loose conditions. Lightweight & light feeling, even with those massive tires. Not exceptionally progressive geometry these days, but still ahead of its time to create a versatile ride from snow to soft leaves to mud to summer sand dunes…

Borealis Crestone, a benchmark lightweight carbon fat bike

The Borealis Crestone first debuted all the way back in fall 2015. And yes, we’re about to write thousands of words and share tons of photos of a bike that has been virtually unchanged in more than 8 years. You want to know why? Because it is still a great bike, and still getting better with the addition of modern fat bike tires and suspension. Oh, and it’s actually more affordable now than it was eight years ago.

Plus, we’ve spent most of last winter playing in the snow on this bike. Winter is back, and it’s getting thrashed in the snow again. And we learned some lessons, that could be helpful to pass on if you are contemplating a fat bike purchase.

Now, I don’t know if you really do need a fat bike (n+1, and all notwithstanding)? But we live in the mountains and totally do.

Let’s break it down

The Borealis Crestone is a lightweight carbon fatbike with big tire clearance – up to 26″ x 5” or 27.5″ x 4.5” or even 29″ x 3.0″ – and geo ready for 100-120mm of fork travel. We never stripped the frame bare, because a bike with tires this massive is never gonna break the UCI 6.8kg weight barrier.

But built up complete with a KS Lev Si dropper post, an affordable GX Eagle mechanical group, burly alloy cranks, low-cost 26″ wheels but nice 4″ tires, flat pedals, and a Manitou Mastodon fork, it still weighs just 14.16kg (31.2lb). And with the full carbon Borealis fork, it’s 1375g lighter at 12.8kg (28.2lb). Sure that’s no ultralight compared to a carbon XC hardtail, but with tires that easily range from 1200-1700g a piece and tubes that weigh up to 450g, it’s pretty light. And it feels like that out on the trail.

Fat bike standards-wise, the Crestone features a BSA threaded 100mm bottom bracket, 76.5mm chainline, a 31.6mm seatpost, 1.5″ tapered internal headset, plus 15x150mm front & 12x197mm rear thru-axles. It has conventional internal cable routing, including for a stealth dropper seatpost AND a front derailleur if you are still living in 1999.

Borealis Crestone’s limited evolution

This fat bike hasn’t really changed its geometry in a decade, mostly dating back to its Borealis Echo predecessor. But in a wide 4 size range (S-XL), it actually offers longer Reach and lower Slack on our Small test bike than many newer fatbikes. Perfect for out short 165mm tall test rider.

Old School Modern Fatbike Geometry

The fully rigid geometry of the Borealis Crestone seems oddly steep compared to modern hardtails (or some newer fat bikes) with a 70° headtube. But its secret, is that fat bikes are weird. And the loose terrain you ride them in with heavy tires is not normal. That “quicker” handling helps counteract the slow steering you get from 2 kilos of front tire & tube. And Borealis balances it at the other end with long 455mm chainstays, that help keep the bike moving in a straight line for stability, when grip is lacking. It’s much more common to spin out your rear wheel on a fat bike than a normal hardtail. And I can’t remember sliding many snowy freeride downhills where I wouldn’t have killed for more stability.

Oh, and swapping in the 120mm fork… at 30% sag, it does slacken the head angle by 1°, raise the effective Stack by 7mm, and effectively shorten Reach by 11mm. It’s at 50% of that suspension fork travel where the geometry evens out completely with the full rigid setup, which feels like a sweet spot suspension-wise, since it’s only momentary big hits that really go beyond that.

We’ll also ignore the 73° seattube angle a little bit, because Reach is a better measure of fit. And with zero offset MTB posts, you can usually slide the saddle a bit forward for a steeper ‘virtual’ seat angle and improved climbing efficiency, if you want. The trick here though, is that you actually do a lot of seated pedaling to power through loose terrain on a fat bike, so you don’t actually want quite as steep a seat angle as you’d expect on a modern trail bike.

As I said, good fatbike geometry is weird.

But what tires and what wheel size should you get?

This is genuinely the biggest dilemma in the fat bike debate. And really, we’re gonna have to truly answer it in a separate article. But tires and wheel diameter really make the fatbiking experience (as does wildly-low tire pressure). Make the wrong choice in wheel diameter (hint: 26″is dead) and your fat bike will just feel a bit slower than it already is. But get the wrong tires for the conditions you ride. And you genuinely won’t be having a good time.

In ultra-abbreviated fashion. Fork out the money for lighter, more supple tires if you are really riding in snow. If you ride hardpacked or groomed trails – whether dirt or snow – low-profile treads do roll noticeably quicker. But if your terrain is properly loose, make sure you have some structured directional shoulder knobs, as they’ll help hold your line.

If it freezes and thaws at all in your winter season, seriously consider lightweight studded tires – their grip is out of the world. And don’t forget, even though bigger diameter is better, wider isn’t necessarily better. A longer slightly more narrow tire contact patch is likely much easier to pedal through soft conditions, and is easier to control in a straight line.

It’s a lot more complicated than this. But that is a decent starting point.

And what about the actual wheels, themselves?

That’s another more complicated question. We tested 4 basic wheelset options. A super fancy HED carbon 26″ wheel, and more affordable ally 27.5″ HED wheels. Then 27.5″ alloy DT Swiss BR2250 wheels, and budget alloy Sun Ringlé Mulefüt wheels in both 26″ & 27.5″ sizes. The carbon HED wheels cost $2000 for the pair. The alloy Sun Ringlé pair sells today for $420. The difference in weight of a 26″ wheelset is 614g for the pair. It’s not nothing, and we could notice the difference a bit, but it’s not $1600 of performance difference.

Maybe more important, even sticking with butyl inner tubes, we realized we could save 420g for a pair of wheels just using light 27.5+ tubes vs. 26 fat tubes. For no additional cost. Butyl tubes are quite stretchy, and fat bike low pressures are pretty forgiving. All of our wheels are tubeless compatible, but swapping tires around and worry about sub-freezing sealant performance, we never set any up tubeless. And had no issues.

OK, but how does the Borealis really ride?

Fat Bike setup and riding style

My (Veronika) main focus is trail riding and enduro, then gravel riding, and then in winter primarily fat biking. All of last winter and sometime this past summer, I tested the Borealis Crestone. It’s maybe my 4th or 5th fat bike, with a lot of time spent on a couple alloy Duratec expedition Big Paws, faster Fat Jacks, and the more trail-oriented Cannondale Fat CAAD over the past few years. All with rigid forks. The majority of my fat bike riding is on hard frozen surfaces and ice. But I also hunt fresh powder to ride and extend into the melting snow of spring.

Last winter I didn’t get as much packed snow as I wished for. But luckily, we live in a mountain pass, so I still got in 5-600km of snowy trails over 25 separate rides. Those snow freeride rides often don’t rack up the kilometers very fast!

Then, in summer I grabbed the chance to ride sandy beaches on the Baltic Sea.

Borealis Crestone fat bike’s first rides

My first rides were on the original setup that I obtained from Borealis, with a price-conscious mechanical GX build and a rigid carbon fork. Think a roughly $2500 build with a dropper and alloy wheels. The dropper is optional, but obviously a pretty key feature to have on a fat bike. Like any trail bike, it is nice not to stop on the top of a hill and just fly down the trail. BUT with fat bikes specifically, I found it very useful when you need to get back on your bike after crashing in deep snow, passing a non-rideable obstacle, or just simply starting to pedal in steep uphill in deep, uneven snow.

Personally, I don’t love the KS Lev iS dropper, as you have to press the remote pretty hard/far to get the “action”. And once it shoots up, it is like a rocket launch, while I prefer softer, smoother dropper action.

How does it look, and how does it compare?

I rode the bike in differing snow conditions – powder / icy snow / slush / mud / or dust over loose leaves. And I used at least 3 different sets of wheel & 5 tires, in both 26″ & 27.5″ diameters. Always hunting that best combo of weight, grip, steering control & general ride feel.

Compared to the other fat bikes I rode previously – no matter what wheel+tire combo – the Crestone felt lighter, handled extremely well and I fell in love with it pretty quickly. Plus, who couldn’t love the amazing color-changing green-tinted raw carbon frame, that in light (especially in direct sun) really resembled the Aurora Borealis. I know it sounds corny, but when the sun shines this bike looks great.

Without direct light, the dark green frame looks nearly black. But in the light, the carbon structure shines in shades of light green to blue. It’s a simple personal thing, but I wish all my bikes popped like that in the sun.

Curiously, we did a lot of riding inside clouds and in the dark. Such is winter in the Czech mountains.

Fat Bike Riding Review – Borealis Crestone carbon fatbike

While riding, the Crestone and its curious fatbike-specific geometry is simply responsive and climbed easily. I felt I was flying on flats. And I even enjoyed going uphill, as well. Speed was especially pronounced with the larger diameter 27.5 wheels and narrower 3.8-4″ tires. The combination of light carbon frame, rigid carbon fork & oversized carbon handlebar felt really responsive. It’s really a great setup riding smoother packed snowy roads and groomed snow trails. But…

What I actually love the most on winter riding is the possibility to go wherever and feel a freedom of movement, not restricted on roads or defined paths. I like to call the concept Fatbike Freeride!

Fat biking in my mind is linked with the exciting opportunity to explore off-piste riding in untouched snow. Laying down fresh tracks. I can ride in areas that are nearly unrideable in summer. Or simply unpleasantly bumpy due to so many roots & rocks. Once we get that first 30cm of snow and it packs down & freezes, all terrain smooths out. And then, riding in the next couple centimeters of fresh powder is a real joy.

Upgrading for trails to the Manitou Mastodon 120mm suspension fork

However, for such path-free riding or fat freeride trail riding, the super stiff carbon fork is less than ideal paired to the also stiff frame. Riding full-tilt downhill is possible. But it lacked some of the fun. And my upper body quickly tired from all the impacts. So, I swapped in suspension with the 120mm gen 2 Manitou Mastodon Pro fork. At the same time as swapping the fork, I also exchanged the 35mm Borealis bars for a straighter 31.6mm flat Beast carbon bar.

The swap made the Crestone a lot more fun as a winter trail bike. Then, the only thing I had to care about while riding was setting the appropriate tire pressure. Actually a tough call, often in the unbelievably-low 4-8psi range. A shout out to the analog Borealis low-pressure gauge for sorting tire pressure!

Now, I can imagine using the Crestone as an almost year-round hardtail with narrower or wider or studded tires, depending on the season. With huge tires, the bike is quite heavy to lift and get proper air time. But it’s still perfectly comfortable with small jumps or drops, up to say 1/2 meter. It is still a carbon hardtail after all.

Fat Bike Cons

The only real downside being that wider bottom bracket (3cm more than a normal trail bike) that makes Q-factor, pedal stance, and then foot & knee placement wider than a more ideal setup. Since I ride this bike only with platform pedals, I can ‘cheat’ my feet a bit closer together. But the wide stance is certainly noticeable after swapping from my enduro bike in the autumn. And I don’t feel like I will do too many 100km rides on the Crestone.

Also, it is necessary to mention that uphill pedaling efficacy was better with the fully rigid original setup. A suspension fork really depends on individual taste. For off-road fun trail riding I would certainly recommend the suspension fork. But for ultra longer snowy-packed road rides, I would go with the Borealis rigid fork. The one major benefit of the Manitou Mastodon fork though is that it is (relatively easily) internally adjustable down to 80mm of travel, which would be a happy medium compromise for many fat bike riders.

Bike-to-ski

Wrapping up last winter, we played with using the fatbike as a commuter bike to go skiing, too. Ride to the local lift, pedal to groomed XC ski tracks, or just getting up to a good starting point for backcountry skiing. It seemed to me like a really cool idea. So with some versatile 4″ Cake Eaters, I strapped my skialp skis to my backpack and pedaled up to higher elevation to reach deep skiable snow.

It involved a little bit of ski+pack shuffling to make it work. And pedaling up was slow going. Mostly in the granny gear. And we just locked the fat bikes up deep in the snowy woods when we couldn’t pedal any further. But it worked.

We’ll dial it in this winter for a bit more efficiency, and probably some longer approach rides. Because riding to ski is bit of a fun idea, and a pretty solid workout!

Beach life, too!

Looking at the fattest 5″ wide 26″ Terrene Johnny 5 tires, I struggled slowly with them a bit in the snow. But, on sandy beaches, they made the Crestone a lot of fun. That massively fat tire was able to cover soft, deep sand with grip and control.

I don’t usually enjoy the relaxed, lazy beach life. And taking the Borealis Crestone with me to the Baltic seaside was a game changer. And, now I/m looking forward to the next fat bike beach trip, and exploring sand dunes, just as much as I was excited for the first powder this winter.

Winter returns and Final Thoughts on the Borealis Crestone carbon fat bike

So where does that leave us two and a half thousand words later about an old bike?

Well, the Borealis Crestone is a beautiful carbon fat bike that is genuinely a blast to ride. In all types of conditions. Yes, we’d love to see what Borealis could do by modernizing the bike with slightly longer, slightly slacker geometry, and maybe even an flip-chip at the dropout to give you the option for shorter summer chainstays. And really, if we keep riding this bike, we’ll sort out a 100mm BB crankset, but with narrower Q-factor.

But in the end, the carbon Borealis Crestone is a light and versatile fat bike. And it brings smiles every time we ride. Whether riding groomed snow tracks in the winter, muddy root-strewn trails in the spring, or summer sand dunes… we’re happy all year round.

Oh yeah, and it’s hard to argue with this URL:

FatBike.com

The post Fat Bike Review: Borealis Crestone is Still a Fun Bike to Ride, Years Later appeared first on Bikerumor.

Italian ultradistance cyclist Omar di Felice is 5 days into an estimated 2 months to cross Antarctica on his own by fat bike, fighting some of the harshest conditions on the planet. It is an ambitious adventure project aiming to draw attention to the issue of climate change. And he knows how difficult it will be, having to be evacuated on his first attempt last December.

But he’s back, and making headway. Riding an aluminum prototype fat bike built for him by Wilier, and pulling a sled with all the food, fuel, shelter, and extreme weather gear to survive the windswept frozen landscape…

Antarctica Unlimited: A solo crossing of Antarctica by fat bike

Starting at sea level from Hercules Inlet, Omar di Felice plans to ride roughly 1100km climbing up to the South Pole, then will descend down to the Leverett Glacier, before ultimately climbing back up to the pole for a total 1600km distance. We can all easily grasp that the extreme weather will be windy, cold, and with white-out conditions likely. It is Antarctica after all. But we easily overlook the elevation gain, while hauling all the necessary gear.

Immediately, leaving base camp at Hercules Inlet, Omar climbed 800m in the first 30km, while of course riding a heavy fat bike loaded with gear AND pulling a sled / ski pulk laden with everything he could need for a couple of months alone. Then, he faced the same elevation to climb again, instead skirting the mountains for another forty kilometers, before continuing the ascent to the South Pole which sits at 2835m above where he started.

Unexpected obstacle crossing Antarctica by fat bike

Once cold, wind & elevation are overcome, the next major obstacle is very much psychological. Because it definitely isn’t always sunny.

The physical effort is something you can train for. As is the solo self-supported aspect. Omar di Felice did win the 6800km Trans America Bike Race this summer after all.

But in December in Antarctica, the sun doesn’t set. Stuck in a storm, you may spend days sheltered inside your tent with no visible passage of time. That happened last year for 3 days of whiteout conditions, that literally broke Omar mentally, leaving him alone sleep-deprived with his thoughts in never-ending daylight. Past trauma returned, in what could probably be described as a walking nightmare.

Ultimately, he realized that he couldn’t safely continue, even after the storm subsided. So the support team evacuated Omar, early into the attempt. But he vowed to come back again.

So what has changed, with Omar and his prototype Wilier fat bike setup?

Obviously, now Omar Di Felice knows more what he was getting into. Beyond the psychical prep, he’s more ready for the unique mental test as well.

As for his bike, not that much has changed really.

We last had caught up with his raw aluminum prototype fat bike, produced as a one-off project from sponsor Wilier.

But even for last year’s expedition, they had custom painted the bike and its matching alloy fork in the “Warming Stripes” graphic of climate scientist Ed Hawkins from the #ShowYourStripes campaign.

Each of the blue & red barcode stripes represents a year of deviation from the climate average for the last 160 years, with the red warming of the past 22 years quite obvious.

Antarctic Expedition hauling

On the custom bike Omar fits a set of custom made Miss Grape bags, including a custom full frame bag and a new long Big Node toptube bag for more ready access storage. Plus, a couple of Trunk 6 Waterproof bags on each fork leg.

The majority of Omar’s 90kg of gear though, is packed inside a new customized Norwegian sled, the Fjellpulken Xplorer expedition pulk. But the on-bike bags from Miss Grape provide quicker access. Get to key gear to deal with fast changing weather, to maintain proper nutrition. And to set camp as quickly as possible once he stops riding.

Tech Details & Bike Setup

A Garmin InReach system handles navigation. And he mounts it to a Miss Grape Ilcoso combination extension bar and bar bag holder, off of his handlebar. He’s also newly using a Iridium Go Exec modem and solar panel recharging. That brings better communications with basecamp, and the ability to send live photos like these we have from the current expedition.

Drivetrain is upgrade to XT. But it’s still the uniquely durable thicker Shimano XT LinkGlide 11-speed system (in 12sp spacing) with a wide 11-50T cassette.

And he tops it off with a new ti-railed Selle San Marco Aspide Short Supercomfort saddle. Because he’s going to spend a lot of time sitting on this thing going slow for the next several weeks. Plus, ESI Chunky grips.

Officially, Continental tires and Mavic wheels sponsor Omar. But since neither make fatbike kit, he’s rolling on stealthily blacked-out kit. DT Swiss BR 2250 wheels and 27.5 x 4.0″ 45NRTH Dillinger 4 studded tires.

Follow along live, now

And now we just have to cross out fingers, follow-along, and wait.

Follow Omar di Felice’s live position via ENDUlive. It’s relatively slow-going in the ultra-distance dotwatching scheme of things. But we are enthralled.

The post Omar di Felice is Again Crossing Antarctica on a Prototype Wilier Fat Bike appeared first on Bikerumor.