Double Budded

A late Friday test run just before dark with the Double Budded Ti Muk

I have had this idea for a few years that maybe I could shoehorn bigger tires into the Ti Muk.I used to have Big Fat Larrys on this bike but the minimalist tread design was/is horrid for our typically looser, sand-like snow we get. Lateral sliding out and generally a lack of traction were the downfalls of that tire for me.

Last year I ran a combination of a front Surly Bud and a rear tire that was made by a Chinese company but looked a lot like the tread on a Panaracer fat bike tire.It exhibited much better stability and traction than the Larry tread pattern, but I was still thinking about even better performance. I figured a Bud-Bud set up, or "Double Budded" (<====HA!) would work better.

At first glance a Bud doesn't look very good as a rear tire, but the tread blocks are so deep that they slice and bite more than one might guess. Plus, there is no other tire that I am aware of for fat bikes with this high a level of lateral stability. that's a big deal on snow that stays unconsolidated and on "car snow'- that ugly brownish, mashed potato-like stuff that comes around after a snow fall and makes the streets treacherous on two wheels.

So, this will be the geared Winter commuter at times. I'm going to stick with the Blacborow DS as much as I can for the sloppy messy times, but when it is really cold and dry, I will pull this one out and maybe the Snow Dog as well. That is if I ever get it all done! I'll be interested in how this does when I get out in the woods soon.