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This winter\u2019s ample snowfall has created ideal conditions for fat-tire snow biking, the latest winter sports craze.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stoke factor has been high with all the snow, so we\u2019ve had good rentals,\u201d said Ken Fagerlin, of Kokopelli Bike and Board in Cortez.<\/p>\n
But strike from your mind blasting through deep powder on a bike, he said. Winter fat biking requires a compacted trail or road groomed by machine, snowmobiles or snowshoers.<\/p>\n
Fat bikes have 4- or 5-inch-wide tires, wider rims, wider forks and stouter axles, but are otherwise the same as a mountain bike.<\/p>\n
It sounds crazy, but they\u2019re designed to run at tire pressures of 3-5 pounds per square inch.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt creates a flotation effect over the snow, similar in the way a fat ski performs,\u201d said Scott Darling, co-owner of Kokopelli.<\/p>\n
The low pressure causes a 4-inch-wide tire to compress to 5 inches on contact with the snow surface, creating a stable platform with good traction, he said. Too much pressure causes tires to dig into the snow, defeating the purpose.<\/p>\n
To accommodate local interest in the sport, the San Juan National Forest approved a new groomed snow-bike trail system at Boggy Draw, north of Dolores.<\/p>\n
The Southwest Colorado Cycling Association has been voluntarily grooming a 4-mile and a 7-mile loop that follow forest roads. The trail is open to skiers and snowshoers too.<\/p>\n
On a recent tour, conditions were firm on a 20-inch-wide trail regularly compacted with a grooming device pulled behind a snowmobile.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt provides an opportunity to get out and ride and explore during winter,\u201d said Eric Cheever, who started snow biking three years ago. \u201cIt\u2019s amazing how much traction they have.\u201d<\/p>\n
His friend Ryan Buff added that winter cycling is much more scenic and fun than the getting on the spinner at the gym.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the chance to bike year round, and is cheaper than skiing at Telluride,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Snow cycling is more of a workout compared with mountain biking, because the flat, wide tires and snow put up a lot of resistance as you pedal.<\/p>\n
From the Boggy trailhead, ride up the main Forest Road 527 for 2 miles, then turn right on 527E. (Follow the knobby tire tracks). Here the fun really begins as the trail leads riders deep into the snowy forest, climbing and descending medium-size hills and banking around turns. A junction at the Italian Canyon-Maverick Trail intersection is the beginning of the longer loop route along FR 259B.<\/p>\n
Riders must concentrate to stay on the compacted trail. One slip off and the bike abruptly stops in deep snow, but the inevitable over-the-bars wipe-out has a nice landing in soft snow.<\/p>\n
Taz Vass, of Dolores Grocery, set the pace Saturday, easily covering ground, then stopping to let some air out of a tire to improve flotation. He\u2019s taken up biking year round, thanks to snow bikes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m having so much fun with it. I\u2019ve noticed an uptick in business as well with snow bikers stopping in for snacks before and after riding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Darling said the price of fat-tire bikes are coming down. A Surley Pugsley model cost $2,400 last year, and is down to $1,500 this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the manufactures adjust their tooling for the wider rims and bigger axles, the prices should continue to go down,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Other areas for fat-tire snow biking are the Geer Natural Area in Cortez, and La Plata Canyon beyond where the road is closed and compacted by snowmobiles.<\/p>\n