The transition from winter to spring is underway and our trails will be experiencing freeze-thaw cycles until the frost is out of the ground. This means checking trail conditions will be more important during the transition between frozen and completely thawed. In the big whiskey, we call it mud season and it usually starts in […]
Archive | Resources
Fat (video) Tuesday – A Trail for Everyone
Downieville, CA – Feb 23rd, 2021: Home to hundreds of miles of maintained multi-use trail, the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) is creating a Trails Master Plan, laying out a world-class multiple-use trail system, providing an economic recreation asset for severely disadvantaged communities across Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties in the Lost Sierra region of […]
Winter Fat Bike Grooming Best Management Practices from Evolution Trail Services
Winter Fat Bike Grooming Best Management Practices from Evolution Trail Services
The Dose of Fat Podcast – Show #140 – Trailblazing Pro – Chad Landowski
Show one hundred and forty hit a gnome in the trail and never could quite recover and then crashed. I adhere to a loose guideline about crashing. The rule says that if you don’t hit your head on the ground (or a tree) it’s not a crash. Well, we’re shopping for a new helmet […]
Sno-Blaster and Path-Master Groomers – Initial Look
In recent years there has been an explosion in the number of groomed fat bike trails. During this trend, we have seen a huge variety of different grooming solutions from homemade contraptions to companies selling finished products. Rollers were sort of the first wave of successful fat bike grooming implements because they could […]
Levis – Mission 1 Moonlander (L-MIM) Raffle Winner
On top of it being Independence Day (here in the US), which is my favorite holiday, we get to award the grand prize in our Help Rebuild the Levis Chalet Raffle. We couldn’t have made this happen without industry sponsors! Great people behind great companies that stepped up and help save places like the Levis […]
Best Tracksled – Initial Impressions
My local cycling club (Shoreline Cycling Club) recently acquired a Best Tracksled for $5,400 to use to groom a 16-17 mile loop at the Big M in Manistee National Forest which is in the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. I have clocked about 8 hours so far using it to groom trail and […]
PSA ♦ Kids, Teach your Parents to Derby
I’ve been noticing lately that when I attend local fat-bike gatherings, there are either very few participants or (gasp!) no derby, called – or celebrated. A fat-bike group ride without a derby or three, is the slippery slope to the dark side of the force – the tiny leak that eventually let’s the all the […]
Ogden Fat Bike Summit Registration is Now Open – Presented by QBP
QBP is again hosting Fat-bike Summits! This year the focus takes on a more regional approach with the recent Fat-bike World Championships having just hosted one in Crested Butte. Now, we have more information on the upcoming Ogden Regional Fat Bike Summit that will take place on February 26th, 2016. Registration for the Summit is Free […]
Bayfield, WI Welcomes New Groomed Trails at Mt Ashwabay
Mt Ashwaby is a Nordic Center in the far reaches of Northern Wisconsin that has roots going all the way back to 1948. In 2002 they restructured to a non-profit community organization. Now, 14 years later, Mt Ashwabay is introducing 7 miles of groomed fat-bike trails to the fun! Typical to many groomed snow trail systems tires […]
Chequamegon Area Groomed Fat Bike Trails Expand
Chequamegon Area Groomed Fat Bike Trails Expand The 2015-2016 winter season will see a significant expansion of the groomed fat-bike trail riding in the Chequamegon Area of Northwest Wisconsin. With over 20 miles groomed during the past season, local fat bike enthusiasts expect to more than double that amount of groomed trail on which to […]
Idaho’s First State Park Opens Groomed Trail to Fat-Bikers!
Michelle Jorgensen is a Park Ranger at Harriman State Park of Idaho. She sent us an email and wanted to share a brief article about Fat Bikes at Harriman State Park of Idaho, which is the first Idaho State Park to welcome Fat Bikes. Here’s a little good news from the great State Of Idaho! Fat Bikes […]
VMBA – Krampus Raffle
The Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) has partnered with Surly and The Old Spokes Home, to put on a bike raffle to raise money for trail grants and advocacy in Vermont. VMBA is working hard at expanding FAT bike access on state and federal land and this raffle is key to that effort. “Donate 5 […]
CAMBA Fat-bike Trail Grooming Report and Techniques
With the Fat-bike Birkie right around the corner, and 750 racers expected to attend, we are highlighting the Hayward, WI area. In this report local fat-biker, Jerry Wright, looks at trail grooming and the new Rokon prowling the woods. Take it away, Jerry! The Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association, known as CAMBA, maintains the largest […]
Global Fat Bike Summit – Guided Tour Into Teton National Park
While the Expo continued on Sunday at the base of Snow King Mountain I took the opportunity to join the tour into Grand Teton National Park with David Hunger who runs Teton Mountain Bike Tours. http://www.tetonmtbike.com Between guides and participants we had close to 30 fat bikers riding in a National Park! The actual route we […]
Global Fat Bike Summit – Land Managers Reports
The 4th annual Fat Bike Summit that was held this past weekend in Jackson, Wyoming is an event happening with more than just a single focus. Although, I guess you could say that the Fat-bike is the entire focus, the days are split up between access, trail management and land use issues on Friday and […]
2015 Global Fatbike Summit Registration Now Open
Photo from the 2014 Global Fat Bike Summit. Registration is now open for the 2015 Global Fat Bike Summit and Festival to be held in Jackson, WY January 23rd to 25th. Basically, it’s like this – Friday’s Summit is for land managers and parks personnel. Enthusiasts can attend but need to pay the $35 event […]
Event Spotlight ♦ Trail Work Days in SE Wisconsin
click the flyer for more information Some local folks are building a new trail system in Southeast Wisconsin! They even groom the trails for snow biking in the winter! They want to build a 3 1/2 mile section of expert singletrack over the next 3 Sunday work parties. I even hear that there’s the promise […]
The Mouth to Mouth Race Report – Homer AK
The Mouth to Mouth Fat Bike Race Report By – Kaitlin Vadla & Zach Brown Celebrating clean water, healthy salmon, and healthy people, 67 runners and bikers (and a few of their canine friends) from Anchorage to Soldotna to Homer turned out Saturday, June 14th for the first Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride. Participants […]
Weekly Dose of Fat & Gallery 3/21/14 = SPRING!
Spring has Sprung…or at least that’s what is sez on the calendar. Spring means different things to different climates and regions. Spring means mud season in Wisconsin and that means that most established and monitored mountain bike trail systems are closed until the frost comes out of the ground. The gelatinous mud stew that accumulates […]
Case Study – Sunny Vale County Park Snow Bike Trail – Wausau Wisconsin
A few weeks back, on the way home from the Midwest Fatbike Summit and Grooming Seminar a way up there in Cable, WI, Puck and I stopped at one of the trails we discussed at the Summit, Sunny Vale County Park in Wausau. The trail had been groomed that morning and conditions were great. The […]
Case Study – Levis Mounds Winter Trail System
You may remember that a few weeks ago Puck and I traveled to the Northern Fatbike metropolis of Hayward/Cable, Wisconsin for the Midwest Fatbike Summit and Grooming seminar. One of the goals for going to the summit was to meet individuals who have had success in both gaining trail access and subsequently mastering the process […]
Global Fatbike Summit Day 2 – Race, Expo and Shenanigans
Intrepid reporter, Mark Peterson, was at Day 2 of the Global Fatbike Summit in Ogden, UT Saturday for the Fatbike Race, Sponsor and Vendor Corral and ensuing festivities. Overwhelmed by the massive turnout and the sheer spectacle of the event, Mark decided to let pictures do most of the talking but did add in a […]
What is Good Fat-Bike Trail Grooming?
Ed: One of the main topics at the Global Fatbike Summit happening in Ogden, Utah this weekend, as well as the just concluded Midwest Fatbike Summit in Cable, WI, is the topic of Grooming Trails for Fatbikes. We are fortunate to have Ken Blakey-Shell’s experience grooming snow trails for various uses to give us a primer. […]
Trail Grooming Series Introduction
Have you recently experienced the “wobble, wobble, stop?” Have you been having difficulty getting riding again out on the trail? How about extended periods of hike-a-bike? Are you getting tired of riding the “inverted balance beam?” Maybe you have just been feeling a vague longing for speed or a general lack of flow in your […]
Fatbike Summit News – Are You Faster on Your Fat Bike Than Mayor Mike?
Are You Faster on Your Fat Bike Than Mayor Mike? Come find out at the Global Fat Bike Summit and Festival in Ogden, UT Jan. 24/25. Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell, seen here at Saddledrive this past summer testing a new carbon Beargrease at Snowbasin, will be a participant in the Festival’s races on Jan. 25th. […]
Get Your Exclusive Global Fat Bike Summit and Festival Bottle Opener!
You may already know that the The 3rd Annual Global Fat Bike Summit will take place over 2 days in Ogden, UT on January 24th and 25th, 2014. Now hear this! Register early and get your exclusive Global Fat Bike Summit and Festival Bottle Opener! The Global Fatbike Summit brings together dealers, consumers, land managers, fat-bike […]
Event Spotlight – Fat Bike Summit & Festival – Ogden Utah
The 3rd Annual Global Fat Bike Summit will take place over 2 days in Ogden, UT on January 24th and 25th, 2014. The event brings together dealers, consumers, land managers, fat bike manufacturers and media representatives to promote fat bikes’ low environmental impact, seek access to lands currently off limits to bikes, and explores the potential for […]
Event Spotlight – 2014 Midwest Fat Bike Access and Grooming Workshop
The Midwest Fat Bike Access and Grooming Workshop will take place Jan 9th and 10th on the CAMBA Trail System in Cable, Wisconsin, at The Rivers Eatery in the Ideal Market. QBP, MORC, CAMBA and IMBA are hosting this event. The main event will be held Jan 10th. The Summit is focused on clubs and individuals that are grooming […]
Fat Bike Summit – Good News for Fat-Bikes
Fat Bike Summit Wins New Allies for Recreational Access IMBA Lends Support for Advocacy Efforts Last weekend, more than 100 fat bike enthusiasts, bike and outdoor industry professionals, land managers, and congressional staff braved whiteout conditions to attend the 2nd Annual Fatbike Summit and Festival at Sawtelle Mountain Resort in Island Park, Idaho. Gathered to […]
Editorial – Can Fat Bikes and Ski Areas Play Together?
By: Steve Meurett Should the riding of fat bikes at established cross country ski areas be allowed? Is it opening a can of worms or providing another recreational opportunity for people who love the outdoors? It’s no secret that Wisconsin winters have been pretty lackluster in recent years, making for very short ski seasons or […]
2nd Annual Fat Bike Summit a Huge Success
Nearly 40 people attended the 2nd annual Fat Bike Summit on Friday, Jan. 25th at the Sawtelle Mountain Resort in Island Park, ID. The Summit, co-hosted by Quality Bicycle Products and Fitzgerald’s Bicycles, brought land managers, tourism professionals, folks from Chambers of Commerce, non-profit trail organizations, fat bike riders, and members of the bicycle industry […]
IMBA Releases Fat-Bike Best Practices (First Version)
Current version – (updated from the firstpublished version below) – http://www.imba.com/resources/land-protection/fat-bikes Read more at IMBA.com
Fat Summit and Festival News!
Salsa & Surly Sponsor The 2nd Annual Fat Bike Summit
Salsa Cycles and Surly Bikes have signed on to become presenting sponsors for the second annual Fat Bike Summit and Festival, Jan. 25 to 28, 2013 in Island Park, ID. The advocacy oriented Summit will focus on fat bike access to National Parks and Forests, while the Festival will provide enthusiasts with product clinics, demo rides, […]