Titanium 'Snow Bike' from Moots

A growing niche in the bike world is that of the fat-tire “snow bike,” a group of monster-wheeled rides from Surly, Salsa, Chain Reaction Cycles, and now this week it was announced that Moots Cycles of Steamboat Springs, Colo., will launch a snow-capable fatty as well.

Known for its high-end titanium frames, Moots’ new FrosTI frame banks on the same titanium build as the company’s other models. But the FrosTI has geometry with 170mm rear spacing and major wheel clearance for max tire sizes up to 3.7 inches fat.

Moots plans a limited run of 20 frames, which go on sale now for a mid-December delivery date, right in time for winter riding. The price, an outrageous $3,975, is not far out of whack when put side by side with other titanium bikes.

The Moots model is for sale as a frame alone — no option of a complete bike is available at this time. You or your shop mechanic build the snow bike up from the frame, including most likely Surly and Salsa parts (wheels, tires, fork, crankset). Moots’ frame sizes for this bike will range from 16 to 22 inches.

Through-guides on the frame offer weather protection for derailleur cables that’d otherwise be exposed. Design features include a curved down tube and a fit that allows swapping out the fat rims for 29-inch mountain bike wheels in the summer and other seasons when the snow does not fly.

—T.C. Worley