My local bike shop (Calgary Cycle – Canada) runs weekly club rides in the local trail network all through the winter. They’re a hoot and so last night I decided to take my camera and take some photos as conditions were so good. Pretty pleased with the results so thought I’d share them for once…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BgRBRR]Rolling_along[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BoeQm1]Fat_bike_parking[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BN4LHS]Climbing_1[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BQnDnR]Singletrack_descent[/url]

Wow! Now that’s a winter trail ride!!

We had rain mud and 30mph gusting head eind on the cross ride last night!!!

Great. Thanks for posting those up.

It’ll be like that tomorrow on the GFBD ride

looks ace, Mark. Not jealous at all!

Aye, that looks ace.

Wow, that just looks fantastic fun. Lucky sod.

I’m not a fat bike hater by any means, as a matter of fact i’m thinking very hard about getting one. But all the pics up there, where the bike is actually being ridden look like I could ride my ordinary bike there. What kind of snow can they really cope with?

Currently applying for a job in Calgary, this has just made me want it even more.

8)

That Sir is a very cool set of shots of blokes riding bikes. Probs the best I’ve seen in a few months.

Jammy bugger, super jealous!

Wow, best post I’ve read/looked at today.

Ok, would kill me, but does look fun!

Damn you and your great weather. VERY envious. I have mud and gales to look forward to fatty fun in.

Very nice indeed. Jealous.

Thanks all. In answer to the question about how much snow can they cope with packed snowshoe trails are perfect but it’s very snow dependant. Snow with lots of moisture gives more support than dry snow.

Basically if a normal boot doesn’t leave an indent then normal bike okay otherwise fat better.

The only photo up there where I reckon a normal bike might work is on the xc ski trail climbing. The rest it might work but it wouldn’t be fun. I’m running studded 4″ at 7 psi and so even a 2.5 at 20psi is almost 3x the force so as soon as you tried to push through a corner you’d probably wash out. You would also have to be really gentle applying the power on climbs to stop it digging in.. We do occasionally see skinny tires trying the trails but they leave big grooves and don’t often get far unless it’s iced over. But powder skis don’t float right on top of powder so it’s unrealistic to expect a fat tyre to always float. There is often a bit of pushing up required.

Excellent pics. Thinking of doing a fat-bike exped across a mountain plateau in Norway in the Spring. Don’t suppose you could recommend any good sources/websites for all things fat-bike on snow? Cheers, Vard

Great photos, thanks for posting them !

Just going to wash all the mud off my fat bike following two days of abuse in sloppy mud.

@ varderik

Not snow specific but the ones I look at are UK Fat Bikes forum.
Plus these:
http://fat-bike.com
http://fatbiking.eu

Hope you find something useful. Sounds like a great ride.