Can’t ski? Join the ‘fat biking’ craze
All-terrain cycling offers the perfect antidote to winter lockdown blues
What has two wheels, oversized tires and is made for winter adventure?
If you know the answer, you might be among the many Canadians who have embraced the pleasures of fat biking this season. If not, prepare to discover one of the best ways to enjoy Ontario’s winter wilderness while combating the ennui of lockdown.
“It’s fun, it’s social and you’re breathing clean air,” says Eric Batty, a former competitive cyclist (and brother to Canadian Olympian cyclist Emily Batty) who took up the sport a few years ago. “It’s a great way to get outdoors right now.”
Batty was in search of a winter sport he could do near his home in Whitby when he discovered fat biking. “Winter was tough in Southern Ontario because we weren’t getting consistent snow,” says Batty, who was frustrated by the lack of favourable ski conditions at the time. “Then fat biking came along, and now I’m looking forward to getting outside for a few hours and having fun whenever I can.”
A relatively recent addition to Canadian trails, fat bikes are essentially mountain bikes made specifically for riding in snow or soft sand. While many of the components are similar to the bike you might have gathering dust in your garage, their extrawide studded tires (the “fat” in fat bike) provide excellent traction in winter, allowing riders to get out on the trail, no matter how much snow or ice is covering it.
Add to that a growing network of designated trails in Southern Ontario and it’s easy to understand the growing popularity of this sport in recent years.
“There are good trail networks everywhere, so it’s something you don’t have to travel far to do,” Batty says. “In the GTA there’s a trail within half an hour of almost everybody.” With bike rentals and dedicated groomed tracks more abundant than ever, he adds, anyone who can ride a two-wheeler can easily give fat biking a try.
“If you’re already a cyclist you don’t really need anything else except for warm clothes, a helmet and your winter boots.”
Where to ride
Whether you’re a newbie on a rental or a weekend warrior in thermal Spandex, these are the best places in Ontario to hit the trail on a fat bike this winter.
Durham Regional Forest
A local favourite with more than 20 kilometres of singleand double-track trails, much of it groomed in winter by the local bike club. Thanks to its elevation, there’s often more snow here than in other parts of the GTA. Visit durhammountainbiking.ca/the-trails.
Horseshoe Resort
This ski and golf resort in Barrie offers a nine-kilometre loop ideal for beginner and intermediate riders, as well as fat bike rentals and a food truck. Visit horseshoeresort.com.
Highlands Nordic
With 8 kilometres of groomed trails and bike rentals available in nearby Collingwood, this ski club is one of the best places in the area to try a fat bike for the first time. Visit highlandsnordic.ca.
Northumberland County Forest
This 2,200 hectare wilderness north of Cobourg has over 100 kilometres of hilly trails, making it a popular destination for more experienced fat bikers. Visit northumberland.ca.
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Mountainous terrain, abundant snow and views of Lake Superior make this wilderness near Thunder Bay a popular spot for fat biking, as well as ice fishing and cross-country skiing. Visit ontarioparks.com/ park/sleepinggiant.