Snow Bike Gruppo

[wild_bike]

What does it cost to outfit a frame with fat wheels, mechanical disk brakes, a single speed drive train, etc -- in other words how much for all the parts to make my bike a snow bike. I'll be looking at a Pusglsy or 907 frame...but want to see how much I'll be needing to negotiate with my wife for a snow bike this winter.

And while I'm at it, is a snow bike already to go for beach and sand riding or are there some other mods/components?

Thanks

[wild_bike]

Went to the bike shop today and saw the specs on the Salsa Mukluk snow bike (Muktuk would be a cool name, too).

At $1500 and 34 pounds I was psyched. This for a full bike with wider hubs than most of the others, which bike shop John said makes the wheels easier to get on and off (I think that's what he said -- I am a complete newboner and am not sure why this would even be true, but am certainly interested in this feature, if true)-- anybody else have some impression on this new (out in Nov) Aluminum rig?

BTW, What's best for beach/river bar cobbles,  45 (?) mm, 65 mm, 80 mm rims --100 mm wide rims seems too goofy big.

It doesn't have the high end Surly cranks -- and other stuff -- I just don't know enough about what's good/bad, but the price seemed right.

Anybody ride a three in the front and single in the rear? John at the bike shop said the chain tensioners available wouldn't likely be able to wrap all the extra chain -- I'd like to run a 32-38-44 or so in front and  a big ole' 32 or 34 single in back.

Is this silly?

[Eric]

just like snow - wide is best for sand & cobbles.

drivetrain sounds funky, why the big rings when you can do the same with smaller ones? what tensioner works with cogs that big?