Floating above it all

It’s official: wider is better.

That seems to be the consensus, as the popularity of fat bikes continues its upward trend.

So what exactly is a fat bike? For those uninitiated, the “fat” refers to the fatter tires, which range from just over 3 1/2 up to nearly 6 inches in width. The broad track of these tires allow the bike and rider to float over obstacles that would trip up a narrower tire.

The other end of the equation is the revaluation that fat bikes can do more than just negotiate snow and uneven surfaces — they are also well behaved in sand and provide a very stable and comfortable platform to enjoy a ride on surfaces including grass, gravel or asphalt.

People who have put in a good amount of years on bike seats are also converting.

David Wayne of Post Falls bought a Scott Big John fat bike from his old friend Mike Gaertner at Vertical Earth recently after riding his brother-in-law’s fat bike during a trip last summer.

“(Fat bikes) have been out for several years, but I started to keep my eye on them this summer when I was in Utah and Colorado,” Wayne said. “I got to ride one down there and I thought it was pretty cool.”

Wayne has been riding for decades, often racing in his younger days.

“I had a health issue this year and was diagnosed with cardiomyopaty, so I have kind of a weak heart,” Wayne said. “One of the things the doctors recommended was I stay active cardio-wise. But I’m not a gym rat and I can’t stand trainers and spin classes aren’t that interesting to me. I like to hike but there’s a lot involved in going hiking in the winter and I thought a fat bike would get me out and I could do a 10-15 mile ride at least twice a week.”

So far, Wayne’s impressions on his new bike are encouraging.

“I had never really ridden one until this year, but I’m finding they are really easy to ride. You look at them and they look like a real beast, and they are 30 pounds, but by the time you put a full-suspension mountain bike together, you’re over that weight.”

Wayne had a mountain bike recently, but found he’s now at an age where riding single track is “not really my gig anymore.”

“I managed to ride all those years without breaking my collarbone or anything, but now I like to ride fire roads and a little bit of milder single track, and this is fun and it gets you outside, and I ski, but the cardio and skiing is a little more difficult to accomplish.”

Wayne also is anxious to get his new bike out in the snow.

“On a fat bike, they are geared low enough you can get somewhere without a really hard effort,” he said. “I figure if an old guy like me can ride up Saltese (Uplands, south of Liberty Lake) without getting off and walking, then the bike must be pretty easy to ride.”

Gaertner and his shop have carried fat bikes since 2002 and now offer models from Rocky Mountain, Kona Scott and Pivot. Surly started offering fat bikes in 2000.

“These days, just about every big company has a line of fat bikes,” Gaertner said. “Every year there is more and more people getting into it. They are usually looking for a good entry-level one, just to try it out.

“For under $1,000, you can have a nice bike.”

Gaertner said often those first-time buyers will look to upgrade the next year, wanting a model with more bells and whistles, more lightweight, etc.

If it seems North Idaho is a perfect location for owning a fat bike, Gaertner agrees. “Most of the mountains around here have groomed trails, and if you don’t go on the weekend (with all the skiers) you can ride them. Another trick Geartner shared is taking a fat bike and riding on a snowmobile track. “Sometimes its slow and sometimes it’s fast and you’re cruising.”

Vertical Earth offers Thursday Night fat rides from the shop, which travel up to Canfield Mountain and its plentiful trails. “We can always get up the road to the overlook and there are various ways to get down from there,” Geartner said.

Aside from snow travel, Gaertner has ridden fat bikes on other surfaces for years. “They are a lot of fun year-round — you can just cruise on them, they are super stable and have plenty of traction.

Unilke other bikes, you don’t have to look out for the little stuff — the rocks and root — so you can just concentrate on enjoying the trail or the road.”

More recently, Gaertner has seen a trend of customers buying fat bikes for hunting.

“They are great at carrying loads, and I have seen people haul a whole elk off a mountain, with the aid of a rear-mounted trailer,” he said. “They have enough volume in the tires and are capable of giving you a smooth ride without much tire pressure.”

Unlike road bike tires, fat bikes can deliver a very nice ride with as little as 10 pounds of pressure.

“The advantage (fat bikes) have is that it takes a low skill level to ride them,” Mountain View Cyclery owner John Bowman said. “They are the monster trucks of bikes — with a lot higher stability factor for people who have balance issues.”

Bowman’s shop offers fat bikes from Felt, Jamis and Framed. “Fat bikes are the most versatile bike out there and they allow people of any age or healthy status to get started — or get back into — the cycling world. They can improve trail conditions, since they smooth everything out — just like a steamroller.”

Two Wheeler Dealer in Hayden carries mainly the Specialized line of Fatboy men’s bikes and Hellga women’s fat bikes.

“They come in both carbon fiber and aluminum frames and Specialized even has a Turbo Fatboy electric assist offering,” General Manager Shane Myr said. “Many riders have found the fat bikes are really all-season bikes and are fun on many different types of terrain (especially when a suspension fork is added to the bike.”

Myr said with the added traction and roll-over of the large tires, a rider is able to make climbs that are just not possible with regular tires.

“Beginner or older riders that are searching for ultimate stability are inclined to enjoy fat bikes in all terrain options,” Myr said. “Most people that come in and look at the bikes assume that they are heavy beasts and then are totally surprised how light they actually are.”

Myr said many fat bikes are in the 21- to 22-pound range, with others between 25 and 32 pounds.

Kent Eggleston of Bicycle Sales and Service on Fourth Street said the shop sells Trek brand fat bikes. “Farley is our model name; they come in all sizes, carbon to aluminum, with 24-inch tires for kids to 27-inch or more for larger riders, with either full or no suspension.”

Eggleston got his first fat bike because he was commuting to work and wanted to continue through the winter. “But, I found it makes a great utility bike for carrying chain saws and equipment hauling, etc.”

After he suffered a stroke, the fat bike is what Eggleston relearned his balance on. “It is very stable and rolls over everything. It was the only bike I used this year recuperating and regaining my balance and strength.”

Coeur d’Alene Bike Company co-owner Alex Castagno said fat bikes can break up the monotony of a North Idaho winter.

“We sell the Cannondale Fat CAAD here at the shop,” Castagno said. “One of the benefits to having a fat bike here in North Idaho is that the rider doesn’t have to sit on a bike trainer all winter. They have the ability to continue to ride outdoors on groomed snow trails, when other bikes are unable to do so.”

Fat bike demo day

Many of the Coeur d’Alene area bike shops are planning a fat bike demonstration day, allowing those curious to spend some time aboard various fat bikes offered for sale locally.

When: Dec. 4

Where: Blue Creek Bay trail system

For more info, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/226331344458825/