45NRTH showed off their latest fat bike tires at Frostbike this past weekend, the Flowbeist and Dunderbeist, and what’s interesting about these two is that they’re front- and rear-specific fat bike tires that are optimized for riding groomed fat bike trails. And unlike many fat bike tires on the market today, 45NRTH designed both tires with decent side knobs for improved cornering.
The Flowbeist (front) is designed to be a fast roller while the Dunderbeist is designed for better braking control and acceleration. Both are tubeless-ready and feature 120TPI casing. Look for limited availability in April and full availability in September.
Another interesting fat bike tire from 45NRTH is the Dillinger 5, a 258-stud tire designed for added traction in icy conditions. Looking to ride your fat bike up a frozen river superhighway for your next adventure? I’m pretty sure this is your tire. This iteration of the Dillinger features aluminum-carbide studs that are actually concave at the tip for maximum bite.
Beyond fat bike tires, 45NRTH also offers cycling footwear for extreme cold environments and even soft goods. I got away for a 2-hour fatb bike ride during my time in Minnesota last week and borrowed a pair of Sturmfist 4 gloves from the folks at Gear Junkie. For those who don’t know me, I’m from Georgia, so I’m really not acclimated to Minnesota cold… and yet, my hands felt at home in the Sturmfist 4 gloves. And by “at home” I mean hot and sweaty–these gloves are seriously roasty when you’re pushing it on the bike!
Beyond the warmth factor, the Sturmfist gloves are interesting because they feature just four fingers instead of five. This works well for control on the bike and decreases fingers’ exposed surface area for added warmth.
As more and more people get out to mountain bike in the winter, it’s great to see gear like shoes and gloves keeping pace. Tire selection is clearly important to fat biking… and so is not freezing.
