Fat Bike on the MINI

 

My fat bike is almost as big as the car!

I decided to try the Thule ProRide Fat Bike Adapter for my car, again. Back in ‘19, when I first got the MINI, I put Fat Amy up on the roof racks in the very same manner. I got rid of the roof racks in favor of the MINI Cooper bicycle holder, however, I could never get Fat Amy never to fit/hold onto the rack well. Also, I don’t like using the rack in the winter time due to all the salt spray that accumulates on the back of the car. 

Riding with Studs

Had to wait until after lunch to head over to Pine Hill Park today because I wasn't really excited to ride when it was 10 degrees.  I got my tire pressure dialed in and my new frame bag secured. Loaded the bike in the truck and drove over to the park. I wore my hunting jacket, a Columbia Wind Stopper Fleece with zip pits. This used to be my go to winter riding jacket and I brought it up to Rutland to give it a try.  Once again, I went with a short sleeved base layer, long sleeved thermal shirt, and a thin long sleeved riding jersey and I was sweating while climbing up Pond Hill Road today.

Fat Bike Upgrades and Accessories

You know what they say, get your kids into mountain biking and they will never do drugs, because they won't have the money!

More than a couple of people that I have spoken to over the past week recommended that I get studded tires. After my last ride at the Park, I totally agreed. I looked on FB Market Place and online but couldn't seem to settle on a particular brand or size. Also, I hate changing tires on wheelsets so at the same time I was looking for another wheelset, too.

2nd Fat Bike Ride

 As luck would have it, all that good snow last week got washed away in what I call the Vermont December Warm Up. Saw this last year skiing at Killington, we were skiing knee deep powder the first two weeks of December and then there was a warm up and some rain, and then freezing temperatures to reinforce the meaning of Ice Coast skiing again. Apparently, there was still some snow at Pine Hill so I threw the Fat Bike into the back of the truck and headed over to do some riding.

New Fat Bike Day!

For the longest time I have avoided buying a fat bike because I didn't want it to interfere with my other winter activities but I finally pulled the trigger on one.  Mountain biking was my first love and this year that love has been reawakened at Pine Hill Park in Rutland, VT. In the winter, Pine Hill is off limits to tire sizes less than 4 inches which prompted me to get a fat bike. The Park Manager put me in touch with Doon at Green Mountain Bikes in Rochester, VT who hooked me up with this great deal on a SevenPeaks Tracker 11 Fat Bike.  It's a discontinued model but a new bike, for around $1000 with 4.5" tires and a dropper post, I couldn't pass it up.

Another Napoleon Death March Ride

With the power back on, it was out for 24 hours due to the storm, I thought I might check out the forest.  My neighbor's son got a mountain bike for his birthday and I promised him I would take him riding with me.  After a few starts and stops, he couldn't find his helmet, he needed a pant strap, and I had to put his water in my Hydrapak, we finally headed towards Upper Paugussett State Forest.

Riding down Tamarack Road we came upon this obstacle.

Heading to the Echo Valley parking area we encountered another obstacle.

The snow was pretty crusty and almost impossible to ride

I was able to pedal through it just barely and Bucky was having a terrible time.

We turned around at the gate and headed home.

Fat Biking in Winter Storm Quinn

Winter Storm Quinn started out kind of slow Wednesday morning.  We were expecting a lot more snow but when I met up with Pete at the Echo Valley Lot there was only a 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. Still, perfect conditions for fat biking.

Riding up the Brody Road to the Upper Gussy Trail head was pretty sloppy.  Glad I brought the fender but it only kept the mud off my back side.  Once on the Gussy, I took some videos of Pete riding all the good terrain features.

Fat Biking on the Upper Gussy from Mark on Vimeo.

So, does this mean Anne-Margaret is not coming?

I had to drive to Newton, MA on Friday to pick up my daughter from a friend's house so I asked a friend who lives in the area if he wanted to meet in Milford and do some mountain biking at Vietnam.  Joe posted the ride on Facebook and a few others in the area said they would join us. Also, John Goeller, whom I have met in the past on various Route 66 mountain bike races was also there. He happens to live less than a mile away from the trails and knows them like the back of his hand.

The guys on the real fat bikes tore off and we were playing catch up, mainly because, as I discovered a 3 inch wide tire doesn't have the same float as a 4.6 or 5 inch wide tire. Also, I started out with too much pressure in my tires and had to stop a few times to let it out. John, Joe, and I broke off from them because Joe and I, on our 3 inch wide tires were still having a hell of a time, even with the tires adjusted. Since the trails weren't broken in really well it was a Napoleon's Death March three quarters of the ride. 

Fat Amy's White Christmas

As luck would have it we woke up to a white Christmas.  After the presents and everyone was ensconced in their electronic distractions I headed out to Upper Paugussett State Forest to take advantage of the perfect conditions for riding in the snow.  We got around 3 inches of snow and it was light and fluffy but still grippy.

Cannondale Cujo 1: It's 10 PM, do you know where your children are?

From the first time I saw a fat bike on a Route 66 bike race series almost 10 years ago, I have always wanted a fat bike but couldn't justify getting one because I don't want further competition of my wintry activities.  However, in a 1 to 3 inch snowfall, I will still ride my mountain bike and having a wider tire makes a lot of sense.

With the introduction of the 27+ wheel size or what we came to learn after the post 29" craze, 650b wheel rim, a whole new market of making fat bikes a lot more feasible for year round riding came to being.  Rolling a 3 inch tire at 20 to 30 psi not only will give you an extra grippy tire, but just enough cushion to make the ride a little smoother.

I decided to thin my herd by selling the Spot and Surly and depending upon the proceeds from those two sales purchase a Mid Fat bike.  Originally, I was targeting a Bad Habit but that was just too far out of my price range so I spent some time with Shawn at the Bicycle Center to get his opinion on what I should get and he recommended the Cannondale Cujo 1.  It comes as a 1x11 with a Rockshox air fork and a decent component group, Hayes disc brakes and Sram XG rear derailleur.  Since it comes tubeless ready I had Shawn make the conversion.

After adding pedals and a carbon seatpost, removing the reflectors and adding my Brooks saddle it was 9:30 PM and figured, lets throw some lights on and go for a test ride.

Headed out to Upper Paugussett for the basic loop which consists of riding up the Poly Brody Forest Road to the Upper Gussy trail head and then down the Upper Gussy and then out on Jeep road to Sanford Road.  It was really windy earlier that day there were a few blow downs here and there but no trail blockages, that is until I came upon this one right after the Snowtober Reroute.

I took this opportunity to get a good side view shot of the Cujo when I discovered that I left the wheel reflectors on the bike - DOH!  

Further down the trail I found more blow downs but nothing really impeding the trail until that is one at this stream crossing.  A tree came down parallel to the trail but knocked a sapling down perpendicular to the trail.  Fortunately, the root structure came up with it and it was easy to move out of the way.

First ride impressions:

The 1x11 gearing is perfect for trail riding.  I never felt like there wasn't enough gear for any of the climbs and on the descents and flats I was able to keep up a good pace with what I had.  

I might have ridden the Gussy with the fork locked out but with the lower tire pressure I never felt like I needed more squish.  In fact, I blasted through the rock gardens like they weren't even there.

I am still getting used to the cornering.  It's like riding a 29er tire only the tread is stuck to the trail like a gastropod on a leaf.  

I can't wait to ride more!

Further Adventures in Fat Biking on Fire Island

I don't know what it is but I can never sleep past 6 AM when I know there is an opportunity to go riding.  Sunday morning was no exception and Will and I were off at ten after 6.  The intention of this morning's ride was to head down in the opposite direction towards Robert Moses State Park by way of the central access corridor, which to our delight was mostly a gravel road.

Fatties on Fire Island

Will's wife Sondra hooked us up with a deal to rent Fat Bikes from Ocean Beach Hardware when I took my family out to visit them on Fire Island in early August.  I had ridden a few fatties before, at NEMBAFest in the past but this would be the first time on a beach.

The only redeeming quality of this bike was it had four inch tires, otherwise it was just another cheaply made bike probably purchased from Dicks or Sports Authority to offer up the Fat Biking Beach Experience for the tourists who know nothing about bikes.  Not to mention, a singlespeed on the sands of Fire Island does a Fat Biking adventure enjoyable not make.  

Stolen Cannondale Fat Bike: Danbury, CT

Cannondale Fat CAAD 1

stolen on Christmas Eve in Danbury, CT 

If you have any information please contact the Danbury Police Department.

Down hilling tip: Don't ride rigid, even on a fat bike!

Keith Coughlin took this Carver, Ti O'Beast fat bike for demo ride but I don't recall what he said about it or whether he liked it.  That prompted me to give it a whirl.

Now, I don't know much about what a fat bike should weigh but this O'Beast was light!  Rolling on Surly Bud and Lou, 4.8" wide tires, and it felt like the John Deere tractor my great grandfather had back in Wisconsin that went anywhere and everywhere!

One major drawback is that the O'Beast doesn't fit on the rim hooks for the chairlift so I had to carry the bike in my lap.  Thankfully, it was light enough that it was really no trouble to hold onto the bike.  My first ever down hill ride, on the fat bike was on the Rolly Grail trail.  Not terribly challenging but a good warm up for something harder.

Harder, and even more fun was Jester.  Riding the fat bike, downhill, was intense and thrilling.  Reminded me of riding in a M-60 tank where the suspension smoothed out the ride while the gun barrel smoothly tracked it's target.  Overall it was a great ride and would like to try it again with some snow on the ground.  Riding this way is not a replacement for full suspension because the following day I was very sore!

SSAP13: The Fattys

Photo credits:  Glenn Vernes

There is a racing class at Singlespeed A-Palooza, the Fat Bike!

While most are rigid, there were a few with front suspension and from what I hear that tend to be on the heavy side.

Photo credits:  Glenn Vernes

They were quite the rage this winter and all the custom builders are making them.  Hell, one could it has already jumped the shark because there is even a Walgoose version (no thanks).

Photo credits:  Glenn Vernes

 But when they come flying by you it sounds like a freight train!

I don't think one is in my future.  When it snows, I want to enjoy the snow the old fashioned way.

Still, they do look pretty cool.

A Jeff Jones Fatty Front on the Upper Gussy

While doing trail maintenance on the Upper Gussy Sunday I ran into this guy Jason whom I met at Huntington this spring who has a bike mount on him BMW motorcycle.  Didn't know he rides the Upper Gussy but since he lives across the river, it makes sense.  Last time I ran into him, he was rolling on a Pugsley but now he's riding a Jeff Jones!

  

Awesome bike!  4" fatty up front and a 2.5" 29er rear!

A Fat Bike on a Motorcycle

After trail building on the South Park Trail on Saturday I came across this guy riding a Surly Pugsley but if that wasn't shocking enough the owner of the bike has a custom bike mount for his BMW Motorcycle!  I have seen pictures of these in the past but never one in the flesh!

The Pugsley was set up nicely with Titanium Mary-esque bars, a Cane Creek Shock Post, and of course the famous 135mm spacing front fork and free wheel cog on the front hub in case of a broken hanger scenario.

The owner's name is Jason and he lives in Bridgewater and while we ride all the same places such as Waldo, Sunny Valley, Upper Paugussett, and Huntington, ironically I never run into him.

 

 

Watson Cycles - Great Divide Fat Tire

Watson Cycles, an Eastern Connecticut Custom Bike Manufacturer, was on hand at CT NEMBA's Biketember Fest Saturday, September 10th.  The bike pictured here is the Great Divide Fat Tire Fat Bike sporting 4 inch wheels on 160mm QR axles!

Painstakingly attention to detail with wooden platforms both fore and aft.

Custom Phil Wood anodized purple hubs.  Andrew Watson happens to be a personal friend of Phil and these hubs were made specifically this bike.