The ride is steady and slow, like, say, driving a monster truck. And, enthusiasts say, beginners and experts alike can't help but wear a big grin when they pedal a fat bike. Sometimes called a cousin of the mountain bike, the fat bike features wide rims and tires with low air pressure, which provide more surface area and traction. That lets riders take on snow, sand, loose gravel and climbs that traditional mountain bikes can't tackle. Generally, tires are 3.7 to 4.8 inches wide, and tire pressure is 10 psi or less — about one-third that of a mountain bike.
Though you'll be biking through snow and ice if you hit the trails here in the Midwest, leave your subarctic apparel behind.
"Most people overdress — they show up wearing a parka," said Karl Mechtenberg, owner of Seward Bike Tours in Alaska. "Once you get moving, you heat up pretty quickly." He recommends layers such as a thin windbreaker over a non-cotton base layer and a lightweight fleece. Also helpful: gloves, winter boots, wool socks, a thin stocking hat and sunglasses or ski goggles.
Good gear
Fat-bikers swear by pogies, or bar mitts, which fit over the bike's handlebar and protect hands from blistering cold. Two companies that offer them are 45NRTH (www.45nrth.com; $125) and Revelate Designs (www.revelatedesigns.com; $95-$225). Check out 45NRTH's Wölvhammer cycling boot ($325), a redesigned mountaineering boot with insulation and breathable waterproof features.
In the Twin Cities, winter biking gear is available at the Angry Catfish in Minneapolis (612-722-1538; angry catfishbicycle.com), which also rents fat bikes; Freewheel Bike, with several Twin Cities locations and fat bike rental (freewheelbike.com); and the Hub Bike Co-op with locations in Minneapolis (www.thehubbikecoop.org). For cheaper options, check out gear for hunters and farmers at Menards or Fleet Farm.
Arctic Innovations' HydroHeater (www.arcticinnovations.com, $125) was invented by an Alaska cyclist who couldn't keep his water from freezing. It combines a battery-powered heating element with a drinking tube so riders can thaw their water and stay hydrated. It's compatible with CamelBak and most other hydration bladders.
For warming up après cycle: a neoprene-covered steel growler cage (www.growlercage.com; $55), which fits in place of any water-bottle cage on a bike and accommodates a 64-ounce glass growler filled with your favorite brew.
Remember: Don't drink and ride, and always wear a helmet.
Try it out
Now that you're all geared up, where to go?
Minnesota's own Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area near Brainerd grooms trails for winter riding that rivals trails anywhere in the country. Cuyuna's Sagamore Unit has 10 miles of groomed trails for fat bikes (tinyurl.com/d8x4xpk). But Minnesota has miles and miles of winter trails; go to the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists website to find trails and get information on trail conditions (www.morcmtb.org).
If you're headed anywhere snowy this winter, chances are you'll find fat-bike rentals. Here are more fat-bike trails, festivals, races and rental shops:
Great Lakes region: The Great Lakes Fat Bike Series (www.great lakesfatbikeseries.com) is in its third year; participants earn points across eight events in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. This year it begins Dec. 20 with the Solstice Chase in St. Croix Falls, Wis., and ends March 7 at the Fat Bike Birkie in Cable, Wis.
Michigan: The Noquemanon Trail Network (www.noquetrails.org) in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan is open to all nonmotorized bike users. Daily rentals of Salsa fat bikes are available at Sports Rack Marquette (1-906-225-1766, www.sportsrackmqt.com) for $50. A 20-kilometer fat-bike race will be held as part of the Noquemanon Ski Marathon on Jan. 25.
Vermont: Kingdom Trails (www.kingdomtrails.org) in East Burke, Vt., has about 20 miles of groomed trails, shared by fat-bikers, snowshoers and dog-sledders. Full- or half-day rentals of Surly Pugsley and Ice Cream Truck fat bikes are available at Village Sport Shop (1-802-626-8448, www.villagesportshop.com), for $55/$40, respectively.
Wyoming: Grand Targhee Resort (1-307-353-2300; www.grandtarghee.com), in Alta, 90 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, allows fat biking on its Nordic trails. The fourth annual Grand Targhee Fat Bike Race is Jan. 17.
Colorado: The three-hour FatBike and Brew Tour offered by BootDoctors (1-970-728-4525; www.boot doctors.com) in Telluride starts in town and ends at the Telluride Brewing Company with a tour, tasting and shuttle ride back to town. Rates from $99.
The annual Aspen Winter Festival, called Wintersköl (www.aspen chamber.org), includes a Fat Cycle Challenge on Jan. 10. Participants can compete, test-ride demo bikes, cruise around town and celebrate later at the Limelight Hotel (1-970-925-3025; www.limelighthotel.com), which has complimentary fat bikes for hotel guests.
Alaska: Seward Bike Tours (1-907-362-7433; www.sewardbiketours.com) offers a three-hour guided fat-bike tour along Resurrection River to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park for $85 including bike rental.
Star Tribune staff writer Matt McKinney contributed to this report.
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