Rocky Mountain Blizzard Fat Bike Build BBSHD

Joined
Aug 10, 2022
Messages
4
I think it turned out great. Only made a quick shake down ride so far, but I love it.

I bought this 2016 Rocky Mountain Blizzard 10 XL last year in anticipation of this build, I’ve put a few hundred KM’s on it pre conversion, and I love it. I’m a BIG dude 6’5” and 375lbs and 50 years old.

I built the bike to cruise that multi use paths in my town we have a great river valley area with lots of hills, so I need the torque to pull my big booty up the hills with pedal assist.

I cruise with my wife who has a an Electra Townie Go 8d With the Bosch mid drive. It’s great for her and with an 8 speed IGH and torque sensing it’s excellent for her. (Not enough power for my big frame)

So I built this.

Here’s the specs.

2016 Rocky Mountain Blizzard-10 Size XL
Surly Sunrise Bars
Miss matched tires is (laziness) lol.

Bafang 52v BBSHD 120mm
DM03 Display
Gustavo 42 tooth offset chainring (AliExpress)
52V 13 ah Battery from affordable bikes.ca highly recommend if your in Canada.

The Chainline is perfect!!

I need to install the brake cut offs, on the way (my kit sent levers in stead of cut offs)

I have a Wald front basket to go back on for Farmers Market runs and I want to give a Brooks Saddle a try.

Also have 203mm rotors on the way.
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Looks nice! Do you ride in the snow? I'm converting my fatbike mainly for that purpose. Snowmobile trails are great on manual power once they are well packedl, but a lot of work otherwise!
 
Looks nice! Do you ride in the snow? I'm converting my fatbike mainly for that purpose. Snowmobile trails are great on manual power once they are well packedl, but a lot of work otherwise!
I haven’t yet, but I have a set of Studded Cake Eaters that I’ll try out next winter. I’ll be riding this all summer too.
 
Well with a weekend and some beautiful evenings around here in the last week (when it wasn't trying to still snow in the Edmonton AB Area), I know what my next upgrades are.

I have a new 9 speed steel cassette showing up tomorrow to install, I am skipping on the 7/8/9 gear of my current 9 speed cassette, which looked okay by inspecting, the bike never had more than a season or two riding on the current cassette, but it seems to be the culprit. That and I am going to get the 203mm rotors and semi metallic pads installed on my MT200 Shimano brakes. Currently I'm running 180mm/160mm on the bike.

I didn't realize how much stopping power my big ass would require going down the bigger hills lol. I can stop, but I can tell the brakes are screaming at me for trying.

I also know that I need to do some programming at a minimum, but likely going to install the OSF and tweak from there. I find that PAS 1 & 2 are great for "pedaling" if I'm in the right gear (7 thru 9) and anything else is ghost pedaling, or going up a hill in gear 1 PAS 5.

I have spent more time on a bike now in the last week, than most of the last few years combined. That makes me very happy! Thanks to this forum, and the resources on Youtube that sent this way rather than buying a Rad, Himi, Aventon bike!!!
 
Nice looking bike!

I bought a used 2017 (I think) Blizzard and put a BBSHD on it. It has Sun Ringle mulefut rims and the biggest problem I've had with the bike is getting tires on and off. It came with Wrathchild studded tires which I took off for summer use, but the Kenda Juggernaut Sport non studded tires will not come off unless I use a bench vise to wrestle the beads off the rims. I also tried a cheap pair of mail order Chinese 4" tires before the Kendas, with the same problem. It seems like any kind of stiff or wired bead is very difficult to dislodge. I tried all the youtube hacks, but the only one that worked was the bench vise. So I don't take the bike into the back country because I can't change a tire!

The limited riding I have done on it was fun, but it is a very heavy object to lug up and down the stairs!
 
Nice looking bike!

I bought a used 2017 (I think) Blizzard and put a BBSHD on it. It has Sun Ringle mulefut rims and the biggest problem I've had with the bike is getting tires on and off. It came with Wrathchild studded tires which I took off for summer use, but the Kenda Juggernaut Sport non studded tires will not come off unless I use a bench vise to wrestle the beads off the rims. I also tried a cheap pair of mail order Chinese 4" tires before the Kendas, with the same problem. It seems like any kind of stiff or wired bead is very difficult to dislodge. I tried all the youtube hacks, but the only one that worked was the bench vise. So I don't take the bike into the back country because I can't change a tire!

The limited riding I have done on it was fun, but it is a very heavy object to lug up and down the stairs!
The Model I have uses Rocky Mountain branded hubs and Rims, I have kinda the opposite problem to you. The rims I am running could slightly "taller" on the bead wall. I have some tires that would rather blow off the bead if the bead of the tire is in any disrepair. I have a set of Vee Tire White Compound snow tires, and I can only get 1 of them to stay on the bead, the other (they are foldable beads) will pop off even with straps holding it ( I run tubes) so I have been sticking with solid wire bead tires.

I scoop up used fat tires on marketplace when they are a good deal and in good shape, so I'm stocked, just lazy to get the Cheap Juggernaut Sport off the rear. I'll wear it out and put on a fresh one.

I also don't (knock on wood) have a problem with flats.

Lastly, lugging my bike up the stairs would suck! Happy and privlidged to have a garage on the house for alll the bikes. lol
 
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