Have snow, will cycle
The sky is grey. A cold, pounding February rain is turning a pearly white blanket of fresh snow into an unappetizing dirt parking lot slushie as a group of friends arrive at Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site.
One by one, they emerge from their vehicles dressed in tight- fitting thermal base layers and varying levels of waterproofing, and methodically unload bike frames off of car racks.
One of the first guys to arrive is 30- year- old Adam Luffman. He has braved the threat of freezing rain and a highway drive from Brampton to make it here on time.
He looks to the sky and smiles. “I’m making this happen,” he announces decisively.
He sits on the tailgate of his vehicle and pulls on a pair of waterproof boots.
The rain continues. More vehicles pull into the parking lot. Friends greet each other with fist bumps and shout out encouraging comments about the weather.
They have plans to ride the snow- covered trails that meander through woodlots and fields, leading to the forest near Morningstar Mill. And a little rain isn’t stopping them.
They pretty much conform to a simple motto: have snow, will ride.
Their bikes aren’t the usual mountain variety. They are called fat bikes, a reference to the noticeably colossal size of the tires — deeply treaded and some five to seven centimetres wider than the average mountain bike tire. The tires are squishy — not filled with the usual amount of pounds per square inch of air — which contributes to the ability of the bikes to maintain traction over slippery, packed snow and without a suspension system, to absorb the inevitable bumps.
And in the spring, as trails thaw into mud, fat bikes are less likely to chew up the paths.
“Fat bikes don’t leave the same footprints,” he said.
Luffman used to ride the winter trails on a mountain bike. Back then, there was no other choice for riders who became easily bored on an indoor trainer and wanted to extend the biking season. Even 15 years ago, fat bikes were uncommon, expensive ( an entry- level bike could cost upwards of $ 2,500) and very niche, he said. These days, more mainstream and less costly, fat bikes are not just for the extreme mountain bikers looking to ride through the winter. Although, a decent off- road fat bike will start at about $ 900, he said.
In the St. Catharines parking lot, Connie Cain rolls down her car window and smiles. She started mountain biking seven years ago and acquired a fat bike and went on her first ride Christmas Day, when the snow was light, fluffy and fresh.
“In my mind, I thought it was instantly going to be easy because of the fat tires,” said Cain, who works in sales and merchandizing at Liberty! Bicycles in St. Catharines.
“But your technique has to change a bit.
“I had some good wipeouts that day. It was fun.”
She quickly learned not to lean aggressively into turns or else she’d end up in the snow.
“You can’t fly into corners like you can on a regular bike,” said Cain, 39.
But the experience of riding through the woods in the middle of winter is worth the effort.
There’s a group of at least 10 riders as the rain eases off and the leave the parking lot. A half- hour later, the first riders exit the woods along Decew Road and cut a slow, steady trail along the road shoulder and over a bridge towards Lake Moodie. The snow is wet and heavy.
“It’s kind of a like a game of follow the leader,” said Luffman.
“Everyone’s trying to mimic the line of the person in front of them to optimize their chances of staying upright.”
The goal is to stay on the smoothest, hard- packed sections of the trails — if there are any. Otherwise, riders will sink into the snow and progress will be slow.
“It requires more concentration,” said Luffman. “If you let your concentration lapse and go off the trail, your progress stops completely. And you sink up to your axles. It’s fun.”
On this day, a group of faster riders takes a longer loop and covers about 20 kilometres, while another group does 10 km.
“It’s so much fun to ride,” said Carl Robson, 40.
He stops for a few minutes to chat on the trail. His heart is pounding and he remarks how much he enjoys the rush of adrenaline.
“You’re going slower but in some ways it’s more difficult,” he said.
There’s more pedalling, less rolling and a certain finessing needed when he feels the tires start to slide.
“You’re working harder to keep the bike straight.”
He appreciates the bike’s easy, uncomplicated anatomy and it’s versatility.
“I refer to it as a Tonka truck because it rides over everything,” he said.
In fact, without a fat bike he would not have considered riding in the rain and slush. He’s a bit more protective of his mountain bike with full suspension and other accessories.
Deep into the woods behind Morningstar Mill, the bikers follow a narrow trail that winds through a deciduous forest. In the summer, the view consists primarily of a blur of tree trunks and leaves. In the winter, free of foliage, the view is expansive.
“Everything is wide open,” said Luffman.
And in the winter months when darkness sets early into the woods, a simple headlamp is all riders need to navigate the paths. The beams of light reflect off the white snow and illuminate the forest, he said.
It’s the medley of experiences that he enjoys.