Are you ready to experience your favorite activity with a winter wonderland backdrop? Here are some tips for finding a bike to rent or purchase a fat-tire bike.
Mountain bike buying in the last couple of years has become a little more challenging, but fortunately, supply-chain issues seem to be easing a bit. My team and I have found some winter bikes for you at local shops and online. These listings are current as of today.
How to Choose a Fat Bike:
You get what you pay for. As with all bikes, your safety and enjoyment will largely depend on the quality of your bike’s frame and components. In other words, we don’t recommend buying bikes at the same store from which you buy paper towels and dog food. Look for good brands with solid components!
Size is critical. As with any other bike, a properly fitting winter bike is necessary to obtain maximum spoke stoke. You’ll not only be able to travel more efficiently on a well-fitting bike, but you’ll also reduce the risk of injury.
Shocks are less important with winter biking. While we generally recommend dual-suspension mountain bikes for dry-weather mountain biking, hardtail and rigid winter bikes are very common and sufficient for most winter biking paths. Snow-covered rock gardens allow for smoother rides, and fat tires' increased width and decreased pressure absorb impacts better than regular tires.
Make sure your rack is fat-tire compatible. You might need a different transport rack for your fat-tire bike. We highly recommend the Kuat N.V. 2.0 rack, which can accommodate all standard and fat-tire mountain bikes.
Chat with your favorite local bike shop. Most bike shops currently have lower-than-usual inventory, but there is more flux than you might think. Your bike-shop friends can tell you if they’re expecting any winter bikes, and many will reserve a bike for future purchase with a deposit.
Check your local classified sections! Browsing classified ads (KSL, Craigslist, etc.), as well as used-bike shops (PinkBike, Bike Blue Book, The Pro’s Closet, etc.), can get you a great deal! Just be sure you do your homework first.
Here are some great fat-tire bikes to consider (that are in stock)!
OTSO ARCTODUS SLX $2,590
TREK FARLEY 5 $1,999
TREK FARLEY 9.6 $3,499
OTSO VOYTEK XT / NEXT KIT $4,530
SALSA MUKLUK CARBON XT $4,249