What is a Fatbike?

2014 Surly Pugsley

Cogburn CB4 in RealTree camo with archery rack.

If you have walked into Country Squirrel Outfitters anytime over the last several months, you probably noticed one of our Surly Pugsley “fatbikes” among the other mountain bikes available.  Usually people ask “what is THIS for?”, while others simply squeeze the big tires, grin, and continue shopping.  Even if you aren’t a bike enthusiast, a fatbike is sure to catch your attention.  So that leads us to the question of “what is a fatbike?”  A fatbike is a mountain bike with oversized wide tires.  Usually the tires are 3.7 inches or wider and are designed for riding on soft, unstable terrain.  Obviously a 4 inch tire won’t fit on just any mountain bike.  These bikes have frames and forks that a specifically designed to accommodate the wider tires.  So why the larger tires?  The wider tire allows you to take your bike in places that you normally wouldn’t be able to take your average mountain bike – mainly, sand and snow.  Although these bikes may have originally been designed for places that are covered in sand and snow, their increase in popularity has caused many riders to venture into other types of terrain and other types of riding conditions.  It has been found that fatbikes actually perform quite well in all types of conditions.  Even those rocky, muddy, leaf littered trails we call single track here on the east coast.  Fatbikes are no longer just for beach bums and Alaskans.  Many people are using fatbikes as their everyday go-to mountain bike.

Fatbikes go beyond being just a mountain bike with wide tires.  Most are equipped with mounting points for racks, bags and other accessories, which allows you to equip your bike for a long adventure into the backcountry.  These bikes have spawned a new subspecies of cyclist.  A cyclist that is not afraid of any type of terrain, rides year round, and needs to carry a lot of gear for their extended trip into the backcountry.  Many fatbike races have popped up around the world.  Most of which are in places like Alaska, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin,   Perhaps one of the most demanding is the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational, which takes place on the famed Iditarod dog sled route in Alaska.  Fatbikes are also appealing to the outdoorsman.  It’s a quiet (compared to an ATV) way to expand your hunting or fishing range.  Bikes like the Cogburn CB4 (pictured above) are designed with the sportsman in mind, come in camouflage colors, and can be accessorized with racks to carry your fishing rod, rifle, shotgun or archery equipment.

Although fatbikes are the most popular type of bicycle on the market today (they are hugely popular in western states and are often sold out at many western bike shops), fatbikes certainly aren’t for everyone.  However, if you are looking for a different type of cycling experience and looking to go beyond what you thought were your cycling limits, then a fatbike might just be the ticket you are looking for.  Fatbikes usually start at around $1,700 and go up from there.  They are now available in different types of materials (steel, aluminum, and carbon) and are available in both 26" and 29" tires.

Fatbikes have been around for a few years now and more and more manufacturers are offering fatbikes.  Country Squirrel Outfitters has a number of fatbikes available (usually through special order) including the Cogburn CB4, Surly Pugsley, Surly Pugsley Ops, Surly Moonlander, and the Charge Cooker Maxi. So, if you are looking for a little bit of cycling adventure in your life, stop in CSO and ask about a fatbike.