New fat bike events keep cyclists rolling through winter

Photo by Herb Swanson

EAST BURKE — Tim Tierney, executive director of Kingdom Trails, is used to seeing the cross-country skiers, snowshoers and lately fat bikers ducking in and out of the woods.

It’s the fat biking crowd that’s new to the scene, Tierney said, and it’s a growing part of the winter community.

“I just passed my 17th fat bike on the trails and it’s only a Tuesday,” he said in a recent phone interview, adding that Vermont’s biking culture has plenty of room for this new addition to the trails, and that fat bike events are popping up throughout the state.

On Dec. 7, the Catamount Outdoor Family Center in Williston hosted the first annual Global Fat Bike Day, kicking off a six-event series that spans the Quebec-Vermont border. “Le Grand Fat Tour,” as the series has been titled, continues from now until March with events in East Burke, Vt. and Coaticook, Bromont, and Oka in Quebec. Fat bike enthusiasts enjoyed demos, races and a scavenger hunt.

“Fat Biking has been exploding in the Northeast,” says Ryan Thibault, founder and co-owner of Mountain Bike Vermont, an online resource for all things mountain-biking related in Vermont. “After our Winterbike event drew over 300 participants last year, many of whom are Canadian, we decided to partner with our Quebecois friends and create a series that spans the border.”

The goal of these events, Thibault says, is to promote areas and trail networks that would like to see more bikers, provide opportunities to demo fat bikes through local shops, and promote local products. In addition to the rides and races, the events also highlight local breweries and other beverages, and food producers.

The events so far have attracted more than just committed cyclists. Many, he says, are simply curious.

“People are coming to these events because they feel so intrigued by the bikes,” Thibault says. “They’re like monster trucks, like them or not, they have a gravity to them. The appeal is undeniable.”

The upcoming Le Grand Fat Tour events in the Northeast are:

Jan. 17: Le Velo Neige de Coaticook – Coaticook, Quebec

Jan. 31: Le Jour de la Marmotte – Bromont, Quebec

Feb. 15: Oka Festival­ – Oka Quebec

Feb. 28: Winterbike – East Burke, Vt.

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Other events around the state include:

• Weekly group rides with the Fat Wednesday evening group at the Catamount Outdoor Family Center, starting Jan. 7.
• On Jan. 10 and 11, fat bike enthusiasts from all over Vermont will gather in Ripton where they will explore Rikert Nordic Center’s 50-kilometer trail system. Rikert director Mike Hussey expects numerous participants this year, noting that the best part of last year’s event was that it attracted winter sport enthusiasts from all corners of the state and beyond.

“Right now we have 3 kilometers of pretty good ski trails, but at the same time we have 55 kilometers of really great fat biking terrain,” he says. “Fat biking really helps extend the trail network at times like this when the snow might not be where you want it.”

The interest in these larger bikes started during low snowfall winters when bike riders would rather keep riding than head to the mountain. Bike companies took notice and models like the Pugsly by Surly, or the Farley from Trek were specifically developed to ride through snow-covered trails. Tire treads of 5 inches wide add grip and prevent the wheels from sinking into soft surfaces such as sand and snow. Fat bikes also require lower tire pressure than regular mountain bikes—10-15 psi or even lower.

In February, the festivities continue with Ride, Glide & Rawhide, a Valentine’s Day race at Kingdom Trails that celebrates several winter disciplines; and on Feb. 22, fat bikes will make their debut at the 70th edition of the Stowe Derby. One hundred Fat Bike riders will navigate Stowe’s historic Toll Road and sprint down the scenic town bike path before crossing the finish line at the center of Stowe village.

As biking becomes a year-round activity, Nordic trail centers around the state have moved to include “fat bikes” as a way to increase the use of their trails. Last year, the Catamount Outdoor Family Center in Williston as well as Kingdom Trails in East Burke officially opened their terrain to riders.

“We’ve seen exponential growth in fat bike riders coming to Vermont from all over the East Coast,” says Tierney, in East Burke. “A few years ago, only a few companies made fat bikes. This year, who doesn’t? People want to pedal year round, whether it’s the road or the trail.”