HAYWARD, Wisconsin (March 2, 2015) – The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) is proud to announce its ongoing relationship with Freewheel Bike as Title Sponsor of the Fat Bike Birkie on March 7, 2015. Now, in its third year, the Fat Bike Birkie event was launched in 2013 with input from Freewheel Bike and a closely aligned group of Fat Bike industry insiders who were seeing the potential for this kind of event. Fat bikes were just beginning to explode onto the biking scene, and the early-adopter support of Freewheel Bike helped the Fat Bike Birkie event take off as well. The first Fat Bike Birkie set and reached its cap of 300 riders. Now, the March 7, 2015, event has met its newest cap of 750 riders at a record pace, filling weeks before the race.
Freewheel Bike, with three locations in Minneapolis, MN, sells bikes from Trek, Cannondale, Surly, Salsa, All-City, Borealis, Electra, Co-Motion, and Waterford. Freewheel Bike is a full-service bike transportation station, complete with long- and short-term Bike Storage, Bike Rentals, Cafe, Repair Classes and even a Public Shop where you can do your own maintenance. “We also have a full service repair shop, bicycle and accessory sales, public restrooms and showers, and other ancillary uses,” says owner, Kevin Ishaug.
This year Freewheel welcomes Borealis Bikes as its partner and Presenting Sponsor of the Fat Bike Birkie. Borealis Bikes and the Fatbike Company, headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, are dedicated to designing and producing the lightest and most technically advanced fat bikes and fat bike components in the world. Borealis is Freewheel Bike’s online retail partner.
“With more and more people riding and racing fat bikes,” said Ishaug, “it seems only fitting that the venue grand enough to crown the fastest fat bikers in the U.S. is the greatest ski trail system in the country, the American Birkebeiner Trail in Hayward/Cable, WI.”
According to Ishaug, “The non-stop rolling hills on the Fat Bike Birkie course test your lungs and legs, but the reward of cresting these roller-coaster hills is that the downhills are fast and smooth. Ripping down the corduroy trails I found myself pushing gears that I hadn’t used since the Chequamegon! By capturing the downhill momentum I found Velcro-like traction, allowing out of the saddle ‘spider monkey’ attacks on the climbs. This style of riding is a BLAST. This is a whole other fat bike riding experience that you only get on this trail. There are no road crossings except at the turn-around on the long course. This mega-course is a must for any fat biker.”
“We are excited to host the largest and greatest Fat Bike race in the world,” says Ben Popp, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. “Seeing nearly 800 bikes roll down the Birkie trail is awesome—truly amazing and a fun!”
With a field of 750-plus riders, some participants will be racing for the podium—the 47-kilometer event will award cash prizes for the top three women and men. There is also a 20-kilometer event. Every fat bike rider, from new riders to elite will find their place here, start and finish, with the now famous fat-bike grin. Pre-riding the course on Friday, then the race, event expo in the big tent, food, beer, and awards, followed by the post-race party Saturday night at the Sawmill and group rides on Sunday, make for a perfect northwoods weekend fat biking the best snow and groomed trails in the Upper Midwest.
For Information about the Fat Bike Birkie on March 7, 2015, visit www.Birkie.com. For questions, email the American Birkebeiner at birkie@birkie.com or call 715-634-5025
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