Fatbiking | Information and technique for Beginner fat bikers to help you have the most Fun! 

thanks for the feedback. cheers!

Thank you 🤗 It really is an incredible part of the world for summer and winter riding.

Thanks for the feedback. Let us know your experience after the first couple rides. Hope you have some great rides!

thanks and thanks for watching

Hi Gerald, yup great trails at the Canmore Nordic Centre. The two systems (bike and ski) are kept separated as a way to try to keep fatbikers off the ski trails.

Glad you liked it! Thanks

Thanks so much for the feedback!

Wow, thanks for the kind words! I'm curious which particular words resonated with you so much.

In Banff

Thanks 👍

Hi, there actually is a winter riding clothing video however the core is probably the least touched on subject ( partially because it seems the least cycling specific) I think overheating is the most common issue and the trade off is starting the ride feeling chilled. I think the best solution is making sure you have the couple thickest layers with zippers and using them to let air in when you first start feeling the heat. I also strategize to ride multiple 1 hour or less loops from home/car and switch out sweaty clothing each loop.

I agree. Much of the time plus or normal studded tires are all that is needed. I also experience a fair number of days (5 or 10 days each winter) that regular and plus tires mess the trail up for fatbikes because the conditions can't support the narrow tires. The grooves left over on those days makes for a miserable experience for fatbikers. Also, it is usually the fatbike traffic that help the trails set up firmly enough for all those days when narrower tires work out well so in a sense, fatbikes are kind of necessary in the winter so narrow tires can have some fun trails. I also love riding the Canmore Nordic Center and Bragg Creek Trails in winter where they either require or request minimum of 3.8" tires which I respect. Though unlike some people who have a hissy fit when narrower tires are used, I say, If the conditions work for narrower tires then go for it.

@@BikeBrosBikeShop ​ Good points. I do not ride my bike with narrower tires on the trails unless the conditions allow for it, and there are certainly days where I pick up my skis instead of a bike. I also dont ride at the nordic centre in the winter as it is clearly not allowed and I respect that (though I assumed it was more to protect the ski trails that you cross than the bike trails). I do think fat bikes make sense for the true enthusiast that wants to be out a lot or on a consistent basis.

Had studded 2.35 ice spikers for the last few yrs before this Blizzard and you could absolutely fly in the right hard pack conditions last yr.

If possible, see if you can rent a fatbike before buying to make sure it gives you the experience you're hoping for. No worries about bears in the winter: they're hibernating. I Never think about wolves. Cougars are the only thing we think of in winter but the chance of that sort of encounter are pretty slim.

I'm currently using some Northface boots that I'm quite happy with though we have some staff using Adidas Terrex boots which have the 5ten stealth rubber on the sole. I struggle a bit to recommend anything in particular because fit and sizing is so crucial.

Hi Steve, thanks for watching. I might be overly cautious but here's my thinking: a)I don't enjoy the feeling of tires when they're too soft, b)when conditions are prime and good ruts develop in corners, I have seen signs of sealant on the tire at the rim when below about 5 psi, c)I am concerned about hitting rocks or roots at speed and getting a rim-ding or sliced sidewall, d)One thing I am very conscious of on a fatbike is that a mechanical could be dangerous - given the amount of sweat that builds up and clothing to match, a substantial mechanical (flat tire) far away from the trailhead could be a dangerous situation if I had to walk back to the car, temps dropping, in soaking clothing. e)From my experience I haven't had days where I feel like other riders (with softer tires) are able to get traction where I'm not, my fitness is the biggest factor, so going lower in tire pressure just hasn't been that appealing. I had an awesome ride a couple days ago: hope you have lately too - that is the important part.

@@BikeBrosBikeShop Ya, the super low pressure thing is applicable to very soft snow which is coincidental so ridiculously difficult that we often don’t feel the benefits because we’re sliding off the trail anyway, like last weekend. Btw I took my gravel tires off my bike yesterday and could barely do it. I needed extra help. The point being, modern tire beads really hold on well so you have nothing to worry about there.

Hi Marc, no temptation to lengthen the stem. I find the seated reach feels a bit stretched. if anything I've thought of shortening the stem for seated comfort. This is a bike that could use a bit steeper seat tube - it would be less comfortable by putting weight on the hands but would improve the seated reach and help with seated front wheel traction.

@@BikeBrosBikeShop I also thought the seated position was great with the 40mm stem. I think you are right in that it would be too stretched out too. The long chain stays help a lot with this bike and a steeper seat tube would be awesome. Thanks for the insight! I did increase the stack with a 35mm rise OneUp bar as the front end was low on the large. I could not go to an XL for increased stack with how big the rest of the bike got!

Hi Go Riders. Welcome ;) At one point I took a huge CO2 cartridge and a 29er tube. The reality is that I find it smarter to plan my rides to be shorter loops from the parking lot (in most cases) rather than huge loops. In most conditions I think it isn't practical to consider doing serious tire repairs on the trail - dexterity with gloves on is limited, fingers would be too cold to do anything with gloves off. So I have given up on even taking tire repair stuff with me. If something were to happen I'd be off the bike and quickly walking my bike out. I take a pack with a dry thin long sleeved shirt and warm gloves in my pack to quickly change if something does happen and I have to push my bike out. The short loops are also practical because I find I'm so sweaty after a 1 hour loop that if I want a longer ride I quickly change gloves and shirt in the car at the trailhead and head out for another loop. I find I spend a bit more time checking my bike and tires before every ride to mitigate on-trail issues.

I somehow got the camera in that mode... not intentional... I'm still more of a bike guy than a camera guy. Sorry. Once I got back to editing I realized and have switched the camera back.

In reference to what? Should I change the video title to Kilobiking? 😉 The units I mention reflect the units the majority of my customers understand and relate to.

I made this video a while back and have made a bunch since, so don't recall if I said anything negative about non-winter use of fat bikes. If so, that wasn't the intention. Anyone riding any type of bike is good in my books. Yes, I know there are people who enjoy fat bikes year-round. That is great. For many, however, including myself, it is a winter thing and I wanted to teach others about riding fat bikes in the winter.