Anderson: Pedaling a two-wheeler out to hunt

Four-wheelers have become a big part of hunting, worldwide.

In Minnesota, some deer hunters use the machines for transportation to their stands. Others employ four-wheelers to drag felled whitetails out of the woods.

For the past week or so, I've tried a quieter, more exercise-intensive variation of the access-by-wheel theme: a bicycle.

Not just any two-wheeler, but one generally known as a "fat tire'' bike. Or simply, a fat bike.

More specifically, the bike I tested was designed for hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts, and built in Bloomington by Quality Bicycle Products (QBP).

"We launched the bike a year ago at Game Fair in Anoka,'' said Bobby Dahlberg, sales and marketing manager for Cogburn bikes (www.cogburnoutdoors.com), one of a handful of popular two-wheelers produced by QBP.

Employing about 475 people, QBP is one of the world's largest distributors of bikes, bicycle components and accessories, and counts Surly, Salsa and 45North among its bike and bike accessory brands, in addition to Cogburn.

"A couple of years ago, we realized there really wasn't a bike platform on the market that was perfect for use by hunters,'' Dahlberg said. "QBP is one of the originators of fat bikes, and we knew these bikes already were in use nationwide by outdoorsmen, whether they were fishermen trying to get into the backcountry, or hunters doing the same thing.

"With a few changes to our fat bikes, we thought we could make a bike that would really fit the angler and hunter.''

First popularized about 15 years ago in Alaska, fat bikes quickly found homes in Minnesota, especially in winter, when snow makes riding traditional bikes impractical.

In 2005, Surly was first to deliver a production fat-bike frame, which had to be built up using the owner's components, and Salsa followed in 2011.

"Salsa was the first to deliver a completely built fat bike,'' Dahlberg said. "That's one thing that led to the explosion of the category. That and the fact that these bikes are now popular with dirt and trail users, not just snow riders.''

"Mountain bikes have a quicker handling front end, but we didn't want that for the hunting bike,'' Dahlberg said. "A few weeks ago, three other guys and I took four bikes to South Dakota on an archery mule deer hunt.

"I had 60 pounds of gear on my bike, and I wanted a stable feeling while riding.''

The Cogburn also has a lower top tube, so hunters can get off and on easier and quicker. This is particularly important when a vertical rack that can carry a bow or gun is mounted alongside the rear wheel and extends a couple of feet above the top of the rear tire.

"If you've got a bow or a gun mounted there, you can't swing your leg over the bike the way you would with a regular bike,'' Dahlberg said. "That's why we lowered the top tube, especially considering that hunters and anglers who ride the bike might be wearing boots or even waders.''

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My approach was a lot quieter than it would have been had I been riding a four-wheeler.

More important (because I wouldn't ride a four-wheeler to a deer stand in any event), my approach was relatively scent-free, in addition to being quiet.

The model I tested was painted camouflage blaze orange, which even some bow hunters might prefer to increase their visibility to other hunters. Realtree is among other camouflage patterns available.

With its wide (4-inch) tires, the bike is extremely stable, even when riding off-trail. I could easily maneuver among trees, and climbing over small deadfalls lying on the forest floor wasn't difficult.

In fact, as might be expected, the trip to and from the stand was more fun, and certainly more adventuresome, than simply walking there and back.

"The gearing is what we call a 2-by-10 system,'' Dahlberg said. "It has 20 speeds, 10 in the low range and 10 in the high.''

I also took the bike grouse hunting. For this purpose, I could have mounted my shotgun on the same rack that held my bow. But I chose instead to keep it in its case, which is outfitted with a sling, and swung the gun over my shoulder.

My intention wasn't to hunt off the bike but to get as far from the main road as I could, as quickly as I could, thereby accessing, perhaps, areas few hunters had.

In this respect, a bike is especially handy for traveling in areas closed to motorized traffic.

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I even forded some small creeks, and appreciated that the bike's hydraulic disc brakes were as effective when the tires and wheels were wet as when they were dry.

How much does the bike cost, and where can it be bought?

Answers: $1,799 if painted plain green, $1,999 if painted one of the camouflage colors. The bikes are available at Erik's Bike and Board shops in the Twin Cities, as well as Angry Catfish Bicycle in Minneapolis and Scheels All Sports stores.

Finally, why "Cogburn?''

"We were trying to think of a name, and one night Justin [Julian] was watching the older version of the movie, 'True Grit,' '' Dahlberg said. "Rooster Cogburn was the name of John Wayne's character in the movie. He was a tough guy, and we thought it fit.''