What is Fat Biking?

Originally designed for riding across snowy trails, fat bikes quickly turned out to be great fun on all terrains and in all seasons. Today, it is hard to escape the fat bike craze !

Most people will tell you it only takes one short ride to understand this new phenomenon's appeal. The super thick tyres allow the cyclist to roll over all kinds of terrain - including the ones that you would never dare venturing on with a conventional mountain bike! - from snow to sand and from rocks to mud.

These bicycles are heavier than most bikes and they tend to turn slowly, but speed is not the fat bike's main point. Rather, they are comfortable and easy going bikes whose big tyres absorb most shocks by creating a large contact area with the ground, thus ensuring good grip and efficient traction on all types of surfaces - dry or wet. You will feel comfortable driving them uphill and downhill, and these bikes could well be a good introduction to mountain biking thanks to their fat tyres which provide a true stability for bewildered beginners.

Fat bikes are perfectly adapted to the snow with their wide grippy tyres making biking possible all year round. Bikers no longer need to hang up their bike and put on a pair of skis in the winter! 

Where can you Fat Bike?!

In places where snow covers the ground several months a year, fat biking in the snow has become almost as popular as cross country skiing, with the advantage being you can carry on all year round! 

Many ski resorts like Orcieres in the Southern French Alps are adding fat biking to their list of activities on offer with descents on the pistes possible at the end of the day.

The big plus of fat biking in the winter is that they are great on all terrain so at the beginning and the end of the season or lower down the mountain when the snow is melting you can carry on riding and having fun, when other winter sports stop!  

The unique sensations provided by these fat tyres entice thousands of bikers year after year. These wide wheels are pretty addictive!!