2014-2015 Upper Midwest Fat Bike Races
The popularity of fat bikes has, well, ballooned in recent years. So, too, have the number of events catering to the riders of these bicycles with their three-inch and wider tires that work so well in snow.
The upper Midwest is home to no less than five fat bike-specific race series this winter, which we include below. There are many more stand-alone events, and fat bike races paired with ski races, listed here also.
45NRTH Great Lakes Fat Bike Series
www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com
Sat., Dec. 20: SOLSTICE CHASE, 42K & 21K, Big Rock Creek Retreat, St. Croix Falls, WI
Sun., Jan. 4: FAT CHANCE FAT BIKE RACE, 50K & 25K, Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, MI
Sat., Jan 10: BREWERY VIVANT FARMLAND FAT BIKE RACE, 3 hours, Cannonsburg Ski Area, Belmont, MI
Sat., Jan. 31: PENN CYCLE FAT TIRE LOPPET, Minneapolis, MN
Sat., Feb 14: FAT BIKE FROZEN 40, 40 mile solo & relay, Elm Creek Park, Champlin, MN
Sat., March 7: FAT BIKE BIRKIE, 47K & 20K, Hayward-Cable, WI
Wisconsin Fat Bike Series
Sat., Jan. 10: TBA
Sat., Jan. 17: BADGER STATE GAMES FAT BIKE RACING, 21, 14 & 7 miles, 10 a.m., Sunny Vale Park, Wausau, WI
Sun., Jan. 25: ALTOONA WINTER FAT BIKE RACE, Winterfest Gounds, Altoona WI
Sat., Jan. 31: SHELLTRACK, Manitowoc, WI
Sat., Feb 7: SOUTH SHORE FROSTY HOG, Warnimont Park, Cudahy, WI
Sat., Feb. 7: FATTY PLATTY, Platteville, WI
Sat., Feb. 14: SOUTHERN KETTLE MORAINE IMBA CHAPTER WINTER FESTIVAL, Palmyra, WI
Sat., Feb. 21: TEAM SNOW BIKE ENDURO, 3-person teams, 3 hour race, Silver Lake Park, Salem, WI
Sat., Feb. 28-Tues., March 3: YETI FEST, Levis Mound, Neilsville, WI
Sat. March 7: FAT BIKE BIRKIE, 47K & 20K, Hayward-Cable, WI
Lapham Peak Fat Bike Race Series
Thurs., Dec. 4, 11, 18, Jan. 8, 15 & 22: 4-mile loops, 7:30 p.m., Kettle Moraine State Forest, Lapham Peak Unit, Delafield, WI
Wisconsin Trail Assail Series
www.silvercirclesportsevents.com/wwta
Sun., Jan. 18: Minooka Park, Minooka, WI
Sat., Jan. 24: Nashotah Park, Nashotah, WI
Sat., Feb. 14: Nashotah Park, Nashotah, WI
Short’s Brewing Fat Bike Series
www.shortsbrewingfatbikeseries.com
Sun., Dec. 21: THIRST MUTILATOR FAT BIKE RACE, Timber Ridge Resort, Traverse City, MI
Sun., Jan. 4: FAT CHANCE, Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, MI
Sun., Feb. 1: THE CONTROVERSIALE FAT BIKE RACE, Timber Ridge, Resort Traverse City, MI
Sat. March 7: BEARD OF ZEUS FAT BIKE RACE, Timber Ridge, Traverse City, MI
2015 Fat Bike Races
DECEMBER
6 DEADMAN’S GLOBAL FAT BIKE DAY RIDE, 10 a.m., JC Penney parking lot, Brighton, MI
20 SOLSTICE CHASE, 42K & 21K fat bike races, 10 a.m., Big Rock Creek Retreat, St. Croix Falls, WI
21 THIRST MUTILATOR FAT BIKE RACE, Timber Ridge, Traverse City, MI
JANUARY
1-3 TUSCOBIA WINTER ULTRA, 150, 75 or 35 miles, run bike or ski, Park Falls, WI
4 FAT CHANCE, fat bike race, Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, MI
10 BREWERY VIVANT FARMLAND FAT BIKE RACE, 3 hours, Cannonsburg Ski Area, Belmont, MI
10 WFBS TBA
17 BADGER STATE GAMES FAT BIKE RACING, 21, 14 & 7 miles, 10 a.m., Sunny Vale Park, Wausau, WI
18 WISCONSIN WINTER TRAIL ASSAIL WAUKESHA JANBOREE, 10K fat bike race, Minooka Park, Minooka, WI
24 WISCONSIN WINTER TRAIL ASSAIL NASHOTAH, 12.9K fat bike race, Nashotah Park, Nashotah, WI
25 NOQUEMANON SKI MARATHON, 20K snow bike, Marquette, MI
25 ALTOONA WINTER FEST FAT BIKE RACE, Winterfest Grounds, Altoona, WI
25 COLD CATFISH CUP, fat bike races, Carver Lake Park, Woodbury, MN
26-28 ARROWHEAD 135 ULTRAMARATHON, 135 miles, International Falls to Tower, MN
31 IRONLINE FAT BIKE RACE, 20-22 miles, Iron River, MI
31 PENN CYCLE FAT TIRE LOPPET, ice bike racing on Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis, MN
31 SHELLTRACK, Manitowoc, WI
FEBRUARY
1 CITY OF LAKES LOPPET, 38K fat bike race, Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN
1 THE CONTROVERSIALE FAT BIKE RACE, Timber Ridge Resort, Traverse City, MI
6 IOLA SNOW BULLY FAT BIKE RACE, 1 & 2 hours, Iola Winter Sports Club, Iola, WI
7 SOUTH SHORE FROSTY HOG, Warnimont Park, Cudahy, WI
7 FATTY PLATTY, Platteville, WI
7 CUYUNA LAKES WHITEOUT, fat bike race, Cuyuna, MN
14 U.S. FAT BIKE CRITERIUM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, 30 min. plus 2 laps, around Wis. State Capitol, 8 a.m., Madison, WI
14 SPEAR THE FATTY, 15 & 30 miles, 12:30 p.m., Fond du Lac, WI
14 SOUTHERN KETTLE MORAINE IMBA CHAPTER WINTER FESTIVAL, Palmyra, WI
14 WISCONSIN WINTER TRAIL ASSAIL NASHOTAH, 12.9K fat bike race, Nashotah Park, Nashotah, WI
14 FAT BIKE FROZEN 40, 40 miles, Elm Creek Park, Maple Grove, MN
14 SAWTOOTH WINTER CARNIVAL, fat bike races, 20K skate, Grand Marais, MN
14 NORTH AMERICAN VASA, 12 K & 35K fat bike races, Traverse City, MI
21 906 FAT BIKE RACE, Ishpeming to Marquette, MI
21 WFBS TBA
28-March 3 YETI FEST, Levis Mound, Neilsville, WI
MARCH
7 FAT BIKE BIRKIE, 47K & 20K, Seeley Hills Trails, Seeley, WI
7 BEARD OF ZEUS FAT BIKE RACE, Timber Ridge Resort, Traverse City, MI
For more information about these events and many more, check out the full online events calendar and in the back pages of each print edition.