As winter finally comes to Upstate New York, many mountain bikers may believe their cycling days are done for the rest of the calendar year, to be resumed in April with the melting snow, but they are fortunately mistaken. Hamilton students may resume their cycling days this winter with a fat tire bike, an option that keeps the cycling season open all year long.
To learn more about the fat tire bike, I spoke with my dad, Leo Boyd, who enjoys participating in both cycling and the sport’s broader community. He often drinks from a water bottle that says “bikes & coffee & coffee & coffee” and has recently invested in cycling’s newest trend: gravel biking. He provided some engaging commentary on the fat tire bike.
Fat tire bikes are, just like their name implies, bikes with fat tires. As you increase tire width, you increase your bike’s floatation ability and traction, making fat tire bikes ideal for cruising over mud, bogs, or, if you’re in Clinton, snow pack!
Mud, ice and snow are unavoidable around Hamilton and in the Adirondacks during the wintertime, but with the right bike the colder elements are not an obstacle. Both Hamilton and the Adirondacks boast trail networks and roads ideal for winter fat tire biking.
“It’s an alternative to the established mediums of road biking and mountain biking, so I kind of view it as an adventure biking kind of deal,” my dad replied when I inquired what differentiates fat tire biking from traditional mountain biking or gravel biking.
“It extends your cycling season,” my dad mused. For those itching to stay off stationary bikes this winter, fat tire bikes are the best way to keep cycling outdoors all winter long.
Thrill seekers be warned: fat tire bikes are difficult to pedal and can’t reach high speeds. However, where cyclists sacrifice velocity, they gain fresh air, snowy views of familiar trails and upgraded resistance training.
I wondered if fat tire biking was the newest trend in the sport of cycling, which made my dad laugh; apparently it was trendy a bit ago, but we are currently seeing the downside of the hype. But don’t tell that to the bikers at the Glenn House! In the snowy conditions here, fat tire biking may have found its ideal spot.
Hamilton has its own small fleet of fat tire bikes, open to anyone who has been on a group ride with the Hamilton Bike Co-op. According to Co-President Jacob Sichlau ’23, those bikes will be available to rent when the Glen House begins loaning out cross country skis as well. This winter, the club will lead several group rides around the Glen for those wanting to get started on a fat tire bike, which is an excellent opportunity whether you are new to the sport and looking to get into it or an expert looking to shake the rust off.