Those itching to hit the trails no longer have to wait for summer.
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park and Cochrane’s Bike Bros are collaborating for a group winter cycling tour on Feb. 24 but with one caveat – you’ll need a fat bike.
Fatbiking – a modern winterized twist to cycling is similar to mountain biking. However, the fat bike has no suspensions, a wider frame and wider tires to navigate snowy terrain.
Graham Pye, manager at Bike Bros, said fat biking opens a new way to get through the park no matter the conditions while learning new aspects of Glenbow Park.
“At the very least it’s just a mode of transportation for the tour and at best, it’s a really exciting new experience on a bike.”
Pye explained fatbiking by some measures is like cross country skiing – ideally, tracks will have already been set before you head out since fresh, fluffy snow may be tricky to plow through even with an appropriate bike.
Biking in the winter returns an element of childhood fun to the experience, he added.
“We’ve grown up our whole lives where in the winter you don’t ride your bike but on a fat bike you’re out there and it feels like such a gift that you get to ride,” Pye said. “When you’re at the trails that are busy with fat bikes, it almost feels like everybody is a kid again because everyone has this big smile on their face. If you wipe out, you’re falling into snow. It brings the fun back.”
The tour is open to participants 15 years old and older. The cost is $60, which includes the guided tour, swag and fat bike rental. Participants bringing their own bike will be charged $35. Helmets are required but are not supplied.
