Fatness

I finally rode a fatbike.  They’re actually really fun.  I shit on them for a long time but I totally get it now.  If you have ever done any mountain biking in the snow, and you know how futile that can be, these are the liberation you have waited your whole life for.

One of my first impressions was that these bikes should be standard issue for all New Hampshire residents.  Like magic, the riding season continues.  They just work.

I think the lighter you and your setup are in the snow, it’s less advantageous.  That said, I would HAPPILY accept that disadvantage right now as I have at least ten pounds to drop.

My Fat CAAD 2 demo in a size Large weighed about 31 pounds.  Honestly, unless you are trying to pin it up a climb, the weight goes unnoticed.  You’re generally having too much fun to think about it.

And when you do try to pin it, it’s a workout.  You won’t replicate this on the road in the winter unless your bike weighs a ton, which is zero fun.

December is the wrong time to decide you really want one of these bikes.  Everything worth owning is long gone.  Like any discipline, you need to plan well ahead of the season.

Every trail becomes a new trail in the winter.  In years past, I would XC ski the singletrack at Bear Brook, and it was a different planet.  It interrupts the monotony and makes you want to get back out there.  That’s the greatest selling point of these bikes for me, as I don’t think I can face another winter of nothing but the trainer.  I have eyes and ears out there, so hopefully something will materialize.