Neither rain nor sleet nor snow can stop a new phenomenon out on the slippery winter biking trails of Clark County.
Fat bikes — mountain bikes with tires that are about three times wider than normal — have been rapidly gaining popularity as a means to ride on snow, mud, sand and just about anything else.
“They’re basically a little rock cranker,” said Sean Vergillo, who’s been riding them for about 15 months. “You can ride in a variety of different conditions. On a typical mountain bike, I’ll ride low pressure; but on these, it really spreads the tire out even more, so you sit on top of sand or mud and you can roll right through.”
Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or relative newcomer, fat bikes are easy to ride and perfect for enjoying trails in the muddy winter mess of the Pacific Northwest, he said.
The fat bike phenomenon started a handful of years ago in Minnesota and Alaska, states with an overabundance of snow. But the versatility of the bikes on other terrain has spread interest and led several manufacturers — like Surly, Norco and Specialized — to introduce new lines, said Ed Fischer, owner of Camas Bike and Sport, which rents a few models for $60 a day.
“They go right over snow and get traction over everything,” Fischer said. “It’s been a real niche thing around here, but it’s gaining attraction and attention. People come by asking to rent them every day.”
Ed Knight, who’s been riding fat bikes since about 2012, said his whole family loves riding them. He has three models and uses them at least once a week on trails around Clark County.
“They’re addicting and fun,” Knight said. “It’s a different twist. It can make a trail you’re really familiar with seem new. And in the last year, a lot of the big bike manufacturers have gotten into the fat bike scene, so they’re becoming more available.”
He especially likes taking them out on Mount St. Helens mountain biking trails. While it hasn’t been the snowiest winter so far, there’s enough up there to have a bit of fun, he said.
“I just rode on snow on the Ape Canyon to Pains of Abraham trail (on Mount St. Helens) on a mid-week ride,” Knight said. “It was beautiful, sunny, goats running around. They’re great for winter.”
He also likes to take the bikes out to the beach in warmer months. They get great traction over sand, he said.
The bike tires, which seem almost as large as motorcycle tires, are inflated at lower than normal pressure, so they spread out and give a wider span of support on unstable terrain, much like a snowshoe, Fischer said.
Fat bikes have a special extra-wide frame, and the tires cost three to four times more than normal mountain bike tires, but overall they’re not too expensive. A typical fat bike can run from about $1,000 up, Fischer said.
They’re also a bit heavier than most mountain bikes, but not significantly so. In general, it’s four or five pounds heavier, Fischer said.
“It’s a completely different design,” Fischer added. “But price-wise, it’s not much more than a regular mountain bike.”
The bikes are also good urban transport. You can ride over curbs and up and down stairways with little effort, he said, demonstrating on the stairs outside his shop.
“I think the rest of the world thinks bikers are nuts,” Fischer said with a grin. “And fat bikes are even nuttier. But it’s just a great way to have fun.”
Vergillo said he’s hardly ridden his other bikes since he got his first fat bike. Seasoned cyclists often have several different bikes, and he has several friends that are seriously considering them, he said.
“Almost everybody, that’s the next thing on their list,” Vergillo said. “They’re a little slower, they’re heavier, but people out there aren’t riding for that. They’re riding to have fun.”
His favorite riding spots are Clark County’s Lacamas Lake Regional Park and Cold Creek Trail, and Portland’s Powell Butte Nature Park, he said.
Fischer said it’s probably better to rent a fat bike before buying one.
His shop is the only one in Clark County that rents them so far, although several other stores in the region sell them.
“It’s the kind of bike that, if you buy one and take it home, can get you in trouble with the spouse, so I think renting could be a way to save some marriages,” Fischer said with a laugh, adding that his wife has yet to let him buy one. “As cool as it is and as much as I love biking, renting is probably better.”
