Top 5 Things to Do With a Fat Bike

If adventure is your name, you ride a fat bike.  No matter what mother nature serves up, a fat bike can more than likely ride it, taking you deeper, farther, and more extreme. Fat tires are becoming more and more popular on mountain bike trails, cross country ski trails, snowmobile trails, sandy dunes, beaches and even shallow river beds. But a hardy breed of cyclists are putting them to good use for hunting, delivering mail, and even ice fishing. To many, fat bikes open up new possibilities are really just another means of getting around. No more excuses. When the weather gets rough and the terrain gets nasty, a fat bike will excel where any other bike will founder. Standing water, shallow streams, mud and loose gravel will never stop you from riding again. 

And they are stealthy, comfortable rides. The standard mountain bikes typically have a wheel width of a little over 2 inches, while fat bike tires can be double that or more. The massive tires can also be ridden at dramatically lower pressure. Manufacturers suggest most standard mountain bike tires be filled to 25–65 psi, but the massive fat tires can run 10 psi or even lower. The lower pressure allows more of the tire to grip the ground under the rider’s weight, drastically increasing the rubber’s surface area and making a smoother ride over rough terrain.

The fun and versatility is endless with fat bikes. Check out five things to do with a fat bike…

1. Backcountry Snow Riding –  From flat, snow-covered meadows to steep and deep backcountry trails, fat bikes excel on snow. Some people even refer to them as snow bikes. Explore more in the winter! Branch out to frozen lakes and firm snow during spring. It’s an excellent way to extend the bike season and another opportunity for winter recreation. 
2. Beach and Sand Riding – Fat bikes are becoming a typical site on East and West coast beaches. See more shoreline and get a tan while cursing the beach on a rented fat bike. While not effortless, fat bikes can also plow through deep, soft sand that would paralyze a regular mountain bike. We’re not saying it’s easy, but mountain biking isn’t either! The oversized balloon tires run on low air pressure allow more surface area to grip the sand. Drifting sand can also accumulate in sandy areas and streets was with wind – a fat bike will make for perfect transportation in such areas.
3. XC Ski Trails – More and more places around the country are opening up nordic ski trails to fat bikes. The two sports can complement each other quite well because most skiers prefer softer snow, while firmer conditions favor bikes. When the skiing is bad, the snow biking is good – a win win.
4. Bikepacking and Touring – Creative route planning is central to life on a fat bike. Think of how fun it’d be to explore where no bike has perviously been – think unimproved abandoned railroad corridors, unrideable sandy tracks, various stone tracks and unpaved roads and sandy deserts. Let’s not forget secluded snowy winter paradises like Alaska, Northern Minnesota and Washington state. There’s a lot of wilderness out there and a fat bike might just be the ticket to seeing these new places.
5. Hunting and Ice fishing – That’s right. But it makes sense, right? There are just some places that you won’t find groomed trails. A fat bike is ideal for getting you to spots that are off the beaten path. And much quieter than an ATV. When the weather gets rough and the terrain gets nasty, a fat bike will excel where any other bike will founder.