For many bike riders in northern climes, winter is the time to hang up the wheels and catch a bus — unless they have experienced a fatbike: a mountain bike with wide, nubby tires designed for snow.
Three standout locations where travelers can rent and ride fatbikes on well-maintained trails are Fairbanks, Alaska; Minneapolis; and Breckenridge, Colo.
My experience two-wheeling on snow came in Fairbanks. The idea of even trying to pedal in snow didn’t seem to make sense. But after cruising up and down several hills with complete control, I was hooked. I found pedaling on a groomed surface surprisingly easy, and the tires gripped well.
“Winter biking is something you just do,” said Brandon Vasquez of Meet Minneapolis, a renowned cycling city. “There’s a lot of gear, planning, familiarity with trails, bicycle boulevards, cold and so much more.”
“A traveler could fly in, take light rail, grab a fatbike for the day and ride … trails for miles and miles,” said Parker Roenfanz, a manager at the Angry Catfish bicycle shop. In fact, the fatbike has achieved enough popularity that each February, cyclists ride 40 miles in Minnesota’s Fatbike Frozen Forty race (frozen40.com ).
Then there’s Breckenridge, which has 1,000 miles of world-class fatbike trails and guided rides by Breck Bike Guides. Breck co-owner Sydney Fox (a female Sydney) said enthused locals talked the owners into staying open this winter to offer fatbike tours. Ski one day, bike the next.
Info: In Fairbanks, I rented from Goldstream Sports (907-455-6520, goldstreamsports.com ), where fatbikes rent for $75 a day. In Minneaspolis, fatbikes can be rented at two shops are near light rail: Angry Catfish Bicycles & Coffee ($50, 612-722-1538, angrycatfishbicycle.com ) and One on One Bicycle Studio ($60, 612-371-9565, oneononebike.com
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). For tours and rentals in Breckenridge, try Breck Bike Guides. An hour tour starts at $35 for the first person, $10 for each added person up to five. Rental is $15 an hour up to $60 a day (970-846-0921, cyclebreck.com ).