45
The front tire replacement was long overdue
(feddit.uk)
The bike has over 7,000 km on it, and this was still the original front tire, while the rear one has already been replaced twice. I got lucky - the tire I had been eyeing on was 60% off, so I managed to get two for the price of one.
The new one is 5.05" wide, compared to the original 4.8". It fits the front just fine, but I’ll have to see if it works on the rear once the current tire wears out. I’d really like to get this wider tire on the rear too - I love how mean it looks.
The knobs on this Snowshoe 2XL variant are almost twice the length of those on the Avalanche model on the right (when new). I bet that, combined with studs, it would give infinite traction on just about any kind of snow or ice.
Generally, you want your best tire to always be on the front, at least for mountain biking. It gives you more grip and control. You can afford to lose the back wheel and have it slip a bit. But if your front tire slips, you are usually hosed on a tight corner or off-camber section.