Fat tire bikes are considered by some to be an off-road hybrid of the mountain bike. So-named due to their wide tires (minimum 3.8” and some upwards of 5.05”,) they have the ability to better handle loose trails, particularly snow, making them prime for winter cycling. Soft, snowy, muddy or sandy terrain is no match for the versatility of the makes and models on the market today, and Ontario trails (specifically southern Ontario,) were the proving grounds for the 2 models I recently had the pleasure of experiencing.
Rewind to fall 2023 when Stan Gorecki, owner/operator of Heron Head Bikes in Brantford, suggested I try fat biking. In my opinion, these are the hot monster trucks of the bicycle world. I literally drool over them (or maybe that was a bit of the glaze from my standard post-ride apple fritter…) Because, let’s be honest, I like biking in that:
- It should be sunny,
- It wouldn’t hurt to also be warm out,
- The trail is usually flat, preferably paved, because given the chance to do goofy stunts on bush trails I tend to try them… unsuccessfully
- On (rare) occasion I’ve tried to take brilliant selfies from the seat of my beautiful, comfortable (read: has healthy shocks,) Kona Lava Dome, only to find out I can’t do 2 things at once
There you have it. My biking experience in a nutshell is “leisurely.” I get up at 6:30 a.m. on a hot, summer day, load up my bike and drive to the nearest Tim Horton’s where I purchase a medium coffee and a fresh apple fritter, both of which sit in my console patiently awaiting my return from what could best be described as a slow-roll of Brant County trails. And I love that. Do I also love trying new things? Hell yes!!
So, when Stan made his suggestion back in the fall, I jumped at it! Not realizing there was a tiny (50-km) caveat to this offer, I eagerly said an absolute yes to picking up a fat bike at the store and giving it my best unprofessional trial and review. In very short order, he revealed to me that January would be the perfect training time… especially since the end of that month was when the Global Fat Viking winter challenge was going to be held, and he was coordinating a group ride for the event. I could train to then join the group for the 3-day, 50 km winter fat biking ride. What had I done?! (*Sad trombone noise here*) I didn’t know how to bike in any other condition than what I’ve listed above. Instantly, the thought of my fingers freezing to my handlebars and never again being able to wrap themselves around that warm, steamy-hot cup of post-ride coffee came rushing to mind. But, like most stories, this one has a fairytale ending.
First: What is the Global Fat Viking challenge? The original event is actually called the Fat Viking. It’s defined as a “winter ultra endurance” event held in Norway annually, consisting of 3 options – 50, 100, and 150 km. It’s for fat bikes only, and riders sign up for long distances under somewhat “controlled” conditions. That being said, it’s still minus 20-30 degrees Celsius, can be stormy, and truly is a challenge. The global version launched during the pandemic when organizers recognized that all the riders who would normally have travelled to attend couldn’t make it. This option permits people throughout the world to ride where they are. Lengths of the challenge for this version can vary from 50 through 100 km and riders are encouraged to be safe, enjoy a 3-day weekend of winter fat biking, and most of all, have fun! This versatile model for global fat biking avails itself nicely to promoting winter cycling, healthy activity, and community-building.
Next: Training…
I picked up the first of two fat bike models from Heron Head Bikes on January 5, 2024. I remember this vividly because the week prior I was just recovering from an upper respiratory illness and looked the shade of an old bed sheet. I hadn’t set foot outside in almost a month, and exercise was a 4-letter word. (*Queue the tiny violin speech*) Stan reassured me he was also suffering from a serious case of Christmas cookie addiction that had produced a small spare tire and was floundering on the “training” aspect of, …well, training.
But, a desire not to let the group down (also known as peer pressure,) drove me to make the absolute best of the situation I found myself in. Over the next 3 weeks I met with friends or got out on a trail solo to traverse Brant County in the throes of winter. First on a Northrock XCF (a formidable bike in its own right,) followed by a Kona Wo – seriously the limousine of fat bikes. I started out on rail trails, made a dip into frozen-over harvested soybean fields, and onto twists and turns along the banks of the Grand River. From week 1 through week 3, I increased my rides from 2 km to 10 km daily – some of which were seasonally enjoyable (hovering at zero and no snow,) and others were during an arctic blast that held the area in minus 9 to minus 12 degrees Celsius, with drifting.
Hot take on this experience – 10/10. I would highly recommend fat biking whether you’re in it for a personal challenge, a health goal, or you simply want to cycle through the winter season. The massive contact area between the tire and the surface you’re riding enables a fat bike to manoeuvre through terrain others would quickly sink or become stuck in. The low pressure on the tires for both bikes Heron Head supplied gave my training a sort of “floaty” feel. Roots, bumps, and potholes were made light-work-of.
The tires on both the Northrock XCF and the Kona Wo (a difference of 3.8” to 4.8” respectively,) offered incredible grip regardless of terrain. The former I used on gravel/snowy rail trail and farm fields with minimal turning; the latter went out on slushy and snowy gravel-dirt mixed trail systems with corners and inclines, necessitating better knowledge of the turning radius required and the use of almost all 11 gears. Verdict: Dang!!! (Not yet coined as a technical biking term… feel free to use it as necessary.)
And, what of the Global Fat Viking challenge? An amazing personal experience and such a fun group ride was coordinated by Heron Head Bikes! Day one commenced on Friday, January 26th with a group ride on the Grand River Loop in the city of Brantford. We crossed the river in 2 places, saw a family of beaver along the way, and finished 16.9 km that day over delicious brisket chili and cornbread from Crazy Canuck Smokehouse. Day two was equally amazing with a ride over the Grand on the TH&B Crossing (also a public art exhibit,) Veterans Memorial Parkway, and parts of West Brant. We circled back to tour the city bike park and the Holmedale-Lansdowne neighborhood before returning to Heron Head Bikes for a savoury bowl of French onion soup from Fume RestoBar! Having completed 34.15 kms in 2 days, we had only to do 15.85 km on day three to reach our goal of the minimum 50 km total to become Global Fat Viking finishers.
Day three of the ride was on Sunday, January 28th. Our group set out on a portion of the Brantford loop coupled with the walking and biking path along the dike trail toward Mohawk Chapel. We returned on much the same route with 2 additional kms at the end to equal 50 for 2 of our riders – one took personal initiative to complete 75 kms over the 3-day event! And what did we have at the end of our ride? An amazing feeling, bragging rights, and apple fritters and coffee, of course!
Uncommonly Grand 