Keeping warm on your fatbike
When you play outdoors in winter, it’s important to wear clothes that breathe and protect you from the wind. If you’re a seasoned outdoors enthusiast, you undoubtedly know about layering up…dressing in layers that can be peeled off like an onion as you warm up.
Unless your priority is performance, it’s best to put comfort and warmth at the top of your list. Please note that the products mentioned below are available in most specialized stores in Mont-Tremblant, including Cybercylce, Bicycle Quillicot, and L’âme du Sport La Source du Sport. If you have questions, staff in the stores will be able to advise you.
Boots
I have always believed that it was preferable to opt for less-warm, but lighter, boots. At – 30 °C, however, the experience is much more pleasant with a good pair of well-insulated boots, even if you lose a bit in terms of performance. Remember, the pedals are made of metal, which conducts cold.
Boots with a clip exist and they’re practical, but less so than in summer. On a fatbike you have to keep your speed slow, because strong pedal strokes definitely reduce traction.
Hands
Obviously, mittens are warmer, but can make braking more difficult. Gloves with three fingers, which look like lobster claws, can allow you to have a good grip on your handlebars and to brake with one finger, as well as reducing heat loss. When it’s warmer, traditional gloves will keep you warm, but don’t forget that your arms are much less active than in cross-country skiing and that the brakes also conduct the cold.
In some rental operations, you’ll even find installed hand-protectors, inspired by snowmobiling. And because the colder it is, the better conditions are in general, hand warmers (HotShots) can be very useful.
Drinking
The small envelopes for the tubes from flexible personal water reservoirs don’t stop the tubes from freezing. Filling your container with very warm water and blowing into the tube to clear it after you take a swallow may help. There are insulated containers, as well.
Your eyes
Ski goggles can fog up when you release heat. The ideal is to wear glasses that protect your eyes from the wind and allow air to circulate between the frame and your face.
Advice from the grooming guru, Philippe Poirier – Cybercycle
Start your trek with a maximum of 10 PSI in your tires. If the surface you’re travelling is soft, let some air out. You’ll have more control and do less damage to the trails.