A fat bike is about opportunity. An opportunity that opens up the seasons, and opens up the terrain. You can go places where you’d never consider before owning one. Fat bikes’ wider-than-normal wheels provide extra grip, making them ideal for riding in snow or through deep mud, so perfect for riding in winter. The tyres, which are designed to be run at really low pressures, spread the load and add a bit of suspension to what is otherwise a rigid frame too.
People who mock fat bikes for their motocross-style looks are usually people who haven’t tried them. Get one of these on a skiddy, wet trail or a snowy slope or the kind you’d never ride on your regular whip and it’s guaranteed to a put a grin on your face.
The full-carbon Sonder Vir Fortis fat bike, made by Alpkit, is basically the perfect bike for a winter bikepacking trip. Like all the bikes Alpkit sell (which they market under the Sonder brand) these can be built to order with fully customizable kit: different stem length, saddle, wheelset, gear ratio – it’s all up for grabs.
“Fat bikes’ wider-than-normal tyres provide extra grip, making them ideal for riding in snow or through deep mud.”
