Fitness on a Fat Tire Bike
It’s time to set the record straight about Pee Wee Herman’s bike, the spiffy red Schwinn. It’s not the coolest bike in the whole wide world. Mountain bikes are, with their ruggedness and advanced technology that have fanned the craze for fat tire bikes everywhere. These bikes are every rider’s dream with upright seating on a comfy saddle, longhorn handle bars, plus disc brakes and shock absorbers. And, of course, those forgiving fat tires.
A Rebel and His Bicycle
A city-slicker fat tire bike ($300 to $700) is not what it seems. It’s actually a heavier hybrid of the mountain bike and is less reliable, although fine for the concrete jungle. Its components look similar, but are not designed for rough treatment, and the bike is more likely to break down. For real off-road adventure, look for bikes with frames and components made of strong, durable materials.
High end bikes are made of a carbon fiber material that doesn’t fatigue or corrode, and never wears out. You’ll pay a higher price, $1500 to $4000, but these bikes also feature disk brakes and rear suspension, and all the components are lighter and of higher quality. The technology of the new disc brakes offer easy one-finger braking, a response so powerful that you need to guard against grabbing the front brakes fully, which will cause an over-the-handlebars dismount.
A more modest steed will cost around $700 to $1500 and weight around 26 lbs. These bikes have strong, lightweight frames made of steel, aluminum or carbon fiber. Steel is the world’s most common frame material because it’s inexpensive and strong, and you’ll find Chro-moly steel used often on middle to high-end bikes (as well as aluminum which gives a frame extra strength and rigidity). Like the expensive models, these bikes will have 24 or 27 gears and you’ll have an option of including a front suspension fork if you want it.
Full Suspension versus Hard Tail?
Many hard tail owners will argue that you don’t need a full suspension bike. (Right. And Fat Tire is just a beer.) If your idea of fun is all downhill then chose a heavy 50 lb downhill bike where the fork and rear-shock have 8-12 inches of travel in the suspension. You’ll be making laps on the chair lift and bombing down some diabolical trails all day long. Adding full suspension to a bike will cause it to weigh more than the average bike in its class, cost a lot more, and require more maintenance (i.e., rear shock servicing and lube jobs). However, the advantages are tremendous: you’ll achieve faster downhill speeds and improved control!
A hard tail bike has no rear suspension but comes equipped with front-shocks. Some models are very affordable (under $400). The front suspension reduces the discomfort riders feel in the shoulders, arms and hands when they ride on bumpy trails. If you need more cushion, add a shock-absorbing seat post, which is cheaper than buying a full suspension bike.
If you’re riding for pleasure and don’t have a need for speed (or vertical climbing), then a single speed bike which dispenses with the derailleurs and runs the chain directly from the sprocket to chain wheel, might be your answer. You’ll find no shifters, cables, extra sprockets or long chain on these bikes, either. A single speed bike is more difficult to ride and not good for technical mountain riding, so be sure of your goals before you attempt one of these. While cyclists may consider these bikes as a way to overcome the complexity and weight of mountain bikes, they are not for the uninitiated.
So Uncool, It’s Cool
For epic helmet hair you’ll want to wear a brain bucket. Seriously, the helmet is essential equipment since head injuries are responsible for 75% of the over 800 annual deaths from bicycle crashes in the United States alone. Bike helmets use a stiff foam called Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) that crushes on impact to cushion the blow to your skull. Basically, it’s the same stuff that’s used in white picnic coolers and once crushed, it can’t be reformed, and the helmet must be replaced. Another feature of a helmet’s design is the slick plastic outer shell which helps it skid off the road, thereby preventing your neck from jamming. (Isn’t that a comfort to know?) Brain slosh inside the skull is still possible, but research shows a helmet can prevent 85% of head injuries, so put on that cool helmet.
You’ll want to protect your skin too. Many seasoned riders now wear elbow and kneepads as body armor to protect them in involuntary dismounts. Here’s a cheap trick: wear your kid’s lightweight soccer shin pads, with the pads turned outward, and you can protect your lower legs when raking against those brambles and wickedly sharp cacti on the trail.
Cycling gloves may seem like an extravagance but they are relatively inexpensive and will keep you from scraping your palms when you fall. They also help to reduce vibrations and ease the road buzz that occurs in the fingers on a long ride. Bike shorts are also important and should be worn by all levels of riders, since shorts help prevent soreness and chafing on the saddle. And as long as you’re going to dress properly, leave the tee-shirt behind and get a bike jersey made of soft, lightweight, and breathable micro fiber. Many styles offer elasticized pockets on the back for carrying snacks and maps.
The main function of bike shoes is to fluidly transmit downward force from the leg to the bike. You’ll want a pair with a solid, stiff sole, that has a sure grip in wet conditions but is also comfortable enough to hike the bike through the boulder fields. Some bike shoes attach the rider to the bike by clipping into the pedal (sort of like a ski binding) and others look like traditional shoes.
Some Assembly Required
As for the bike’s needs, a bum bag or tool bag is essential for on-trail repairs. Some are small enough to fit under the saddle or the top tube, and some are designed to double as shoulder pads for carrying the bike uphill. You’ll need to carry a kit that has everything for fixing a flat tire, including: a puncture repair kit (with pump and spare tube) and basic tools (4.5 and 6 mm Allen keys, spanner/wrenches, chain tool & spare pins, and some chain oil).
For the rest of your gear, you’ll need rain wear, a first aid kit, snacks and water. On longer rides, plan to carry one or two water bottles which provides not only water for drinking, but for cleaning dirt out of wounds, washing off poison ivy, and even flushing the mud splatter off the brake shoes before it dries.
Riding the Single Tracks
The most exciting trails for recreational riders are the single tracks, or little narrow paths that meander through the forests, deserts and open fields. Riding etiquette dictates that you must stay on the trail and avoid widening it, since bike tires accelerate erosion and it takes a long time for fragile vegetation to heal itself. Here’s a tip: avoid skidding around the switchbacks and tight turns, since locking your wheels thrashes the trail and creates needless damage. Riding a line through a turn cleanly is harder to do, but demonstrates a more advanced skill level.
Half the fun of riding single-tracks is to successfully negotiate riding over and through (not around) scraggly roots and puddles. If you meet up with an obstacle that you cannot negotiate, get off your bike and carry it over, rather than riding around. That will also lessen trail erosion.
One more bit of etiquette to observe off-road: yield to hikers and horses. When approaching a mounted rider, make sure he knows of your presence, and take care not to coast your bike past a horse-that rhythmic clicking sound coming from the derailleur gear can sound just like a rattlesnake to a nervous 1,200-pound animal. Wearing iron shoes.
Earn Every Downhill by Peddling Uphill
Horses aren’t the only ones that should be getting a work out on the trails. If you want to earn your downhill fun, get that uphill grunt in first. The body benefits from the overall aspects of cycling since it’s a form of aerobic exercise that helps to condition the heart, lower blood pressure, and increase the levels of good HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol. All those calorie-burning benefits come when you hear the sound of your heart pounding in your ears and your own panting, up just one more hill, before the downhill payoff.
Fat tire off-roading has caught on around the world and where ever you find bike shops or have access to the Internet you’ll easily find trails, equipment advice and groups to join. Most people are natural candidates to start mountain biking and the sport offers adventure to riders of all skill levels. So go out and join the fat tire counter culture, explore the trails, get a good lung workout, share a few stories and enjoy being a kid again. Just like Pee Wee on his Schwinn.
Well, maybe not.
Tags: bike riding, Fat tire bike, outdoor fitness