Fat Biking in the Snow

Enjoy Riding All Winter!

By Dave Kraus

The newly fallen snow has made the forest still and quiet, and the only sound as I ride is the soft crunch of the tires on the groomed trail, and my own breathing as I work to keep the fat bike moving beneath me.

It’s a good workout. The fat bike’s super wide tires and wheels are heavier and make it slower than a regular mountain bike. But the huge, low pressure tires let me float over obstacles, and the snow has filled in most of the irregularities in the trail, making for a smooth ride. Plus, on this sunny January day there are no biting insects, I can see farther with no leaves on the trees, and there’s certainly no chance of heat stroke. Too hot? Just unzip my coat a bit. Simple as that. This is my first extended ride on a fat bike, but it only took a few minutes to decide this thing is fun!

What exactly is a “fat” bike? The fat part refers to the tires, which have to be at least 3.8 inches wide before it can have that name. Don’t ask me why it’s 3.8 inches rather than four or some other even number, but this is what experienced fat bike owners tell me. So, 3.8 inches it is, and going up to five inches, plus you can get tires with lethal looking studs that I suspect would let me ride straight up any of the trees here at Gurney Lane Recreation Area in Queensbury.

Of course, the wheels also have to be wider – and heavier – so you’re not going to get anywhere fast. But that’s not the point. The point is that you can go almost anywhere. It will take you to places that a regular bicycle could never tackle, and for winter riding in the snow, mud or sand there’s no better choice. It’s a perfect way to add variety to your winter sports pursuits so you can ride year-round and also avoid the dreaded “Basement Bike Trainer Syndrome.”

The key is the huge, low-pressure tires that are usually inflated to only 4-8psi, giving the bike traction on almost any surface, and also acting as suspension to absorb all but the largest bumps. The idea itself isn’t new, but it wasn’t until the late 1980s that some builders began experimenting with fat tired bikes to ride in snow in Alaska and sand in New Mexico. The Surly bike company released their mass-produced Pugsley model in 2005 along with specially built wheels and tires, and since then many other companies have hopped on the fat bike bandwagon, and turned it into a popular option for both riding and racing.

In my first two fat bike rides Gurney Lane, I found that it’s slow but fun, a great workout, and with almost a foot of groomed snow on the ground to absorb impacts, it wasn’t a big problem when I did go down once.

For fat biking, like any other winter sport, it’s important to properly dress with a wicking layer, an insulating layer, then something water and windproof on top. I used the same layers I would wear on a winter hike, with an outer shell and some snow pants. My usual hiking boots with the laces tucked out of the way worked well on the broad platform pedals, plus the usual gloves and hat. Add a good bike helmet and sunglasses, and you’re ready to go. Of course, you can also wear purpose-designed cold weather cycling gear, but for this experiment I went informal.

I’m not the only one who has discovered the value of fat bikes. 

“Fat bikes are all about fun,” says Allison Gubala of Saratoga Springs, who uses her Salsa Beargrease model fat bike as her only off-road ride. A cyclist for over 15 years, she tried out over a dozen different models of mountain bike over two years’ time before a friend loaned her his Salsa. Shortly she had her own and has never looked back.

“I really like it. I feel like a big kid when I’m on it. It almost forces me to have fun.”

For Sue Kohler of Round Lake, winter used to mean a forced break in the cycling that has helped keep her fit for the past 30 years. Then last year she bought a Trek Farley fat bike and enjoys the ability it gives her to ride all year. 

“I’m a road biker. I bought the Farley with the idea that I could ride it in the snow in the winter. I had it in the back of my mind that I could use it as a mountain bike, but I never really did.”

Sue, who is a petite rider, enjoys the fat bike’s ability to ride on any surface and the stability in the wind. “On this thing you don’t get blown around,” she says. “The wind doesn’t bother me. It’s like a tank.”

If you’d like to try fat biking for yourself, there are several locations in the region where you can rent a bike and get expert advice on where to go for a great ride: Grey Ghost Bicycles in Glens Falls, Garnet Hill Lodge & Outdoor Center in North River, High Peaks Cyclery and Placid Planet Bicycles, both in Lake Placid. During ski season at Garnet Hill, fat tire bikes are allowed on nine miles of designated trails from Tuesday through Sunday, and the whole groomed trail system on Mondays.

In addition, these shops offer fat bike sales and advice on riding: Adirondack Ultra Cycling in Schuylerville, Bike Barn in Cohoes, Grey Ghost Bicycles in Saratoga, Mountainman Outdoors in Old Forge and Saratoga, Rick’s Bike Shop in Queensbury, and Tomhannock Bicycles in Pittstown. Winter biking on snow is sure to bring a smile to your face!

Dave Kraus (dbkgrafik@gmail.com) is a longtime area cyclist, photographer, and writer who is always looking for new, interesting ways to experience the outdoors in upstate New York. Visit his website at KrausGrafik.com.