A Fat Bike Q&A, Or: Why Fat Bikes?

Image: Rocky Mountain Bikes If you've ever wanted to extend your biking season past when most people— but not all —would throw in the towel and wait for spring, you're in luck. Because fat bikes . Purpose-built for soldiering through wooly winter terrain, their extremely wide and often studded tires can make short work of snowy trails that conventional mountain bikes would balk at. That's all well and good, you say. But what if you have questions about these floaty, mysterious velocipedes? Fear not, because we've already answered them for you. Below. This sentence.

Question 1: Why would someone want a fat bike?

Answer 1: The wider tires and low air pressure allow for float on soft conditions (think powder skis, or snowshoes in deep snow). A fat bike allows a cyclist to escape the normal winter trainer and instead still get outside and enjoy the trails come winter. In a place like Vermont, many trails are groomed for the express purpose of fat biking. Fat bikes are also the ATV of mountain bikes, allowing you to truly go anywhere that a bike could possibly go.

Question 2: How big are the tires and are there any restrictions on trail about fat biking? What about studs?

Answer 2: Tires range from mid-fat 3.8" to 5"+ tires. Most trail systems will have a minimum tire size of 3.8" to avoid damaging the trails. Narrow tires of a standard bike would dig into the trails and leave deep grooves in the snow. Most fat tires should have ~10 psi to increase traction and provide more float. Studded tires will help immensely when cornering or on icy trails or frozen lakes. Studs are mainly there to add predictable cornering and braking and help quite a bit.

Question 3: Can I ride a fat bike on normal trails?

Answer 3: You can! Expect loads of traction and stability. The extra rubber will feel slow going uphill but going downhill and cornering will feel surprisingly normal. The extra spin weight will also provide a stable gyroscopic effect if you get your bike in the air. The tires have the added benefit of whizzing like a TIE Fighter when you get them up to speed.

The Rocky Mountain Blizzard Carbon 30 is probably analogous to Darth Vader's TIE Advanced X1 if we run with the Star Wars premise

Question 4: Do I need suspension on a fat bike?

Answer 4: No, depending on what you want to do. If you're looking to get sendy, get some air and do some serious descending on your fat bike, you will appreciate the extra traction that suspension will provide over the roughly 40-50mm that the tire itself will provide. If you are looking for a XC fat biking experience and aren't looking to leave the ground much, then a rigid fat bike is probably all that you need. If it isn't in your budget, don't worry too much. Rigid fat bikes are still extremely capable machines.

Question 5: Where can I ride?

Answer 5: There are numerous places to ride in Vermont. The VT Department of Forests - Parks and Recreation lists VAST snowmobile trails, Perry Hill, Little River State Park, Butterfield Loop and Depot Brook in Groton State Forest and numerous others. 31+ miles of Kingdom Trails in East Burke is also groomed. The short answer is: anywhere is bike-able as long as it's allowed. Fat biking is always going to be easier on groomed terrain but they are still surprisingly capable on crunchy and dense snow. Highland Mountain Bike Park in Northfield, NH also has a lift-access day called Winter Wooly.

Question 6: How would I stay warm?

Answer 6: Layering is a huge part of winter biking. Aside from just the temperature, humidity and wind will intensify how cold you become while biking in winter. Wearing manmade fabrics and wool can really help with moisture management and can help wick sweat away from the skin to allow yourself to dry. Windproof layers can cut down on the effect that wind has on your temperature and waterproof layers can help a lot if it is snowing or precipitating. A buff, scarf or balaclava can help cover and protect your face and neck from the cold. Combining this with bike or ski goggles can help make the ride even more comfortable. Overall, a next to skin layer, an insulating layer, and a shell will be ideal for temp control and weatherproofing your ride. Underarm and leg zips will allow some extra ventilation when you need to air out. Starting your ride a little cold will allow you to ride without having to immediately shed a layer. Think about grabbing a pair of glove liners and a set of bar pogies —bar pogies can create a comfortable micro climate for your hands while still leaving you with plenty of dexterity.

Question 7: This sounds expensive. How should I start?

Answer 7: Rent one! We have some reasonably-priced fat bikes available for rental. Rental bikes will give you an idea of what you can expect when you go for a fat bike ride. We have the Rocky Mountain Blizzard Alloy 10 on demo currently. This bike is a great buy for $1599 and includes an alloy frame, 26 x 4.6" tires, mechanically actuated disc brakes, a 10-speed wide range drivetrain, and a progressive modern geometry. It's everything that you'd need to get out and on the trails. Have more questions about fat bikes? As always, just give us call at 888-547-4327 or drop into a live chat and we'll help you out. Shop our selection of fat bikes here!