Fat Bike Fun

Last year I made a decision that I wanted to really focus on year-round riding. When we lived down South, that was relatively easy. Winter was an ideal time to ride.  Now in Minnesota, winter riding takes on a whole new meaning. Snow, ice, winds, and short days all present challenges that can be overcome with gear and perseverance.

Here is my old (circa 1995) Trek bike that I took snow riding last winter. The tires were narrow and it was a challenge to keep moving and stay upright. Nonetheless, I was able to get in several good rides. Here is a video I made on one of the trips to Eastwood Park.

By the end of the winter, I was ready for a "fat bike". A fat bike is just a mountain bike with extremely fat tires. Well, "just" doesn't do it justice. I don't shy away from saying I'm a fan of Trek Bikes, but Trek didn't have a fat bike as of last winter. Rumors were that Trek was indeed developing and testing a new fat bike. Late this summer, the Farley was introduced for a late fall release. Only 500 were to be produced the first year, so demand could be high. My local bike shop, Rochester Cycling, was getting a list of interested buyers together. I put my name on the list. Last week, I got a call that the bike was in and it was mine if I wanted to buy it. I rushed over after work and had it in my truck in no time.

I promptly started putting it through its paces. The ride was incredible. My initial impressions were as follows:

• *The bike is a blast to ride. Very quick and lively despite looking like Bigfoot.
• Climbs beautifully--very stiff frame and feels efficient
• Light steering - not twitchy, but definitely lighter than I'm used too
• It is a bit front heavy. I'll need to learn how to wheelie it.
• The top tube length fits me nicely. The bike feels very much like my Superfly with the exception of lighter steering
• Trek appears to have tried to keep the bike lively for singletrack use. A side effect is that the rear triangle is tight. The stock tire is as large as I'll be able to ride. I don't see any issues with that.

Here is an action sequence from the first real fat biking done on the Farley.  Winter is coming. I can't wait to put it to work on some snow-covered trails.