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Fat biking is often associated with snow, but beach towns are embracing鈥攁nd shaping鈥攖his burgeoning sport.
Fat biking is often associated with snow, but beach towns are embracing鈥攁nd shaping鈥攖his burgeoning sport. (Photo: Courtesy of Bj酶rn Olson)

Fat Biking: For Beaches Too!

Escape the boardwalk at these 6 bike-friendly towns

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Although fat biking is most often associated with snow, it has another, decidedly more chill time and place: the beach. Read more.
(Photo: Courtesy of Bj酶rn Olson)

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Although fat biking is most often associated with snow, it has another, decidedly more chill time and place: the beach. Unlike traditional beach cruisers that limit riders to boardwalks and streets, fat bikes using 4-inch-wide tires can take on聽or, as David Hunger, the fat biking founder of , says, 鈥渇loat on鈥 sand. Wider tires allow for lower tire pressure and, ultimately, a more even distribution of weight. But not all shorelines are created equal, nor do they have fat bike rentals within a 50-mile radius, so here are the beach towns that are embracing鈥攁nd shaping鈥攖his burgeoning sport.聽

Oregon鈥檚 Beautiful, Bike-Friendly Coast

(Jereme Rauckman/)

Newport, Oregon

With 363 miles of dramatic聽and relatively undisturbed shoreline, Oregon is a blank canvas with huge beach biking potential鈥攅specially near Newport. At Newport鈥檚 Nye Beach, fat bikers pedal south to play on the dunes of South Beach State Park (camping is available) or head north to the tidal pools and historic Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. is one of only two bike shops on Oregon鈥檚 coast offering a fat bike rental fleet. ($20 per hour聽or $50 per聽day.) This spring, the shop will聽lead聽new guided tours along the seven聽sandy and scenic (whale sightings are possible) miles between South Beach State Park and Ona Beach State Park.聽


From Snow to Sand in Alaska

Fat biking on a beach near Homer, Alaska.
Fat biking on a beach near Homer, Alaska. (Bj酶rn Olson)

Homer, Alaska聽

Alaska was one of the first states to embrace fat biking as it evolved from the mountain biking scene in the late 1980s and early 鈥90s. The west-facing beach on Homer Spit鈥攖he world鈥檚 longest road into ocean waters鈥攊s popular with riders who do the nine-mile聽out-and-back at low tide to take advantage of Kachemak Bay鈥檚 far-flung vibes. Stop for a drink at the . Every February, more than 100 riders (a lot for this town of 5,000 people) turn up for the , a low-pressure weekend of fat biking and beachside bonfires. Check out , where travelers can rent Mukluk Fat Bikes for $55 per聽day or $325 per聽week.聽


Go Year-Round in San Diego

A man and woman take in the sunset after fat biking on Coronado Beach.
A man and woman take in the sunset after fat biking on Coronado Beach. (Holland's Bicycles)

Coronado Beach, San Diego聽

Being a meteorologist in San Diego is boring at best, but being a fat biker in the 鈥淐ity of Motion鈥 is 365 days of riding on the beach. From San Diego鈥檚 mainland, take your own fat bike on the Coronado Ferry (no extra charge for the bike) or rent one for $10 per hour聽from , located near Coronado Beach,聽home to the annual event where the Navy invites thousands to ride and run the 8.2-mile stretch of sand running south. It鈥檚 scenic, but be careful:聽If you ride too far past Imperial Beach and the wetlands of the Tijuana Estuary, you鈥檒l find yourself in Mexico.


Compete on the Atlantic

Competitor Ben Brown races in the U.S. Open Fat Bike Beach Championship at Wrightsville Beach.
Competitor Ben Brown races in the U.S. Open Fat Bike Beach Championship at Wrightsville Beach. (Courtesy of William Baggett)

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

On March 14, 2015, 聽hosted the country鈥檚 first . Thirty fat bikers in three聽divisions (8-, 16-, and 24-milers) battled each other and man-made hurdles, including inclines built of sand and speed bumps fashioned from logs. There was even a fat bike unicycle division (digest that for a minute). If obstacles and one-wheeled exploits are too daring, rent a fat bike from for $100 per聽day and admire the Atlantic as you cruise around on island time. 聽


Bomb the Dunes in Michigan

Three fat bikers on a Lake Michigan Beach.
Three fat bikers on a Lake Michigan Beach. (Courtesy of Ken Blakey-Shell)

Ludington State Park, Michigan

Bombing dunes are part of the thrill of beach fat biking, and there鈥檚 no better place to find a sand hill than Michigan鈥檚 , on the coast of Lake Michigan. The park鈥檚 5,300 acres include some of the country鈥檚 most impressive dunes鈥攕ome as high as 140 feet. One popular ride is to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse (allegedly聽haunted), where riders have reported seeing 15-foot聽waves breaking just offshore. Only 20 miles inland is the town of Free Soil,聽home to the headquarters of , the go-to place for custom-built tandem fat bike frames. 聽


Float the Hardpack in Florida

(Jereme Rauckman/)

Daytona Beach, Florida

The hard-packed sand of is easy to glide over and ideal for extended hours of fat biking. It was here that Mike Unklesbay set a for greatest distance cycled in 24 hours on a mountain bike (they call it a 鈥渇at聽tire鈥澛爉ountain bike) when he rode 283 miles (in laps) in April 2014. Unklesbay鈥檚 bike of choice? A 29-inch fat bike built by ,聽a company specializing in ultralight fat bikes designed for racing. When in Daytona, do as the locals do. Rent a fat bike from , which carries classic fat bikes and the new Xtreme Fat Tire Electric Bikes, or check Craigslist, where on any given day聽it鈥檚 easy to find more than a few dozen fat bikes for sale.聽


Bonus: Fat Tire Beach Biking Tips聽

  1. Resist the temptation to ride in the ocean. Saltwater will ruin your bike faster than you can curse the rust it causes.
  2. Rinse your bike off as soon as you return from riding. Don鈥檛 delay, and use a wax-based lube after your ride聽(most people make the mistake of lubing before) so it has time to dry.
  3. Pay attention to the tides and your timing. Otherwise, you run the risk of the high tide cutting you off and trapping you miles from where you need to be.聽
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Lead Photo: Courtesy of Bj酶rn Olson

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