Hypno Toad

Let's see who's racing a fatbike! Name the event, photographer, and results (optional).

I'll start with a couple pics (I'll add more over time, 'cause I race mine all the time):

2016 Almanzo 100 - 136th of roughly 1,000 riders registered and 504 finishers. Official time of 7:35:37(Photo credit - TMB Images)
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2017 Almanzo 100 - Best ranking at 28th place (100 riders finished, about 300 started)! Also worst time ever 8:09:38 (Photo credit - David Phillips / Spring Valley Tribune
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2017 Flithy 50 - 113th place overall (521 finishers & 610 started), 4th place fatbike men (21 riders) 2:56:57 (photo credit Mark and Laura Broadwater
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Aug 23, 2017 WNCX (beer league) at Hopkins MN, 30 min race, finished 11th of 46 riders (Photo credit - Lisa aka wife)
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Siu Blue Wind

Yes yes, thank you for mentioning that credit must be given to the photographer. I might add that you do need permission from them to post it if it is their property.

We've gotten fines before ($1,000 per day) when someone posted a photo without credit or permission.

So please be sure, okay?

Thanky!

Hypno Toad

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I rode the Arctic Fever Fat Tire race yesterday. Challenging race with temps around 0F and large patches of bare ice on the lake ice sections. The course was 11 miles, mostly on the ice of Lake Minnetonka, some single-track sections, and a couple short rail-trail sections. The lake was very difficult mix of bare ice and deep snow drifts; transitioning from bare ice to 4-inch deep drifts was a very unique challenge! The bare ice created interesting challenges too; to stay upright while avoiding all the riders and bikes that didn't! Most riders were riding studded tires, but many rode with only one stud on the bike.

I finished 37th place of 133 finishers (200 riders registered) with a time of 1:04:43. I happy with this, since my primary goals were: avoid frostbite, avoid bruises, and finish it. I achieved all three goals!

I actually overdressed and worked up a sweat, which made the 7-mile ride home interesting. Happily, I have nearly all wool gear so wet gear wasn't an issue.

The finale of the day... riding home was really tough and I was super slow; I blamed my tired legs and the -5F temp for making me weak. But when I found myself on bare pavement I could hear my rear tire, didn't sound right, and I got off to check and find it was damn near flat. I was two miles from home, called Lisa to meet me with the car. She met me about a mile from home to save me the last mile of walking. Looks like my tubeless sealant wasn't happy with 5 hours out in sub-zero temps. Time to look for new sealants that can handle the cold.

PdalPowr

That is just so cool.
I will never run races but you all are sure having fun doing it.
The filthy fifty looks like a hoot.

There is another race where I read some riders have only one stud in their tire.
Is that to qualify in a studded tire only race?

Please feel free to edit out my post after all is said and done.
That in case you want this as solely a participant's thread.

Hypno Toad

Thanks! We have a great race culture in Minnesota. We race, but having a great time is the most important part for most of us. (there are some serious riders that wanna win, but they tend to avoid these kinda events since they are really about fun... then racing)

The 'stud' comment is meant to say that the person riding without studded tires is the only stud on the bike. These conditions are so tough with studded tires, I can't image riding bare ice without anything to give you a little grip. Studded tires have never been required at any race I've been to, but I've been the non-studded rider when studs were 'recommended'... I still have scars from the race

Most people are avoiding studded fatbike tires because they are so much $$$$; I spent nearly $500 on my tires! Love them and use them a ton, so it was worth it for me. But I totally get that this is a lot of money and not everybody has that kinda money to spend on tires or live in an area where they have long winters.

PdalPowr

Your stud reference was my first good laugh of the day.

Yeah tires are so important.
My buddy has a six hundred dollar M.T.B. that he upgraded.
He too has five hundred dollars worth of winter tires on there.
He is a bike mechanic and rides to work each day summer and winter.

rjones28 

First race.

CNY Snowfest Fat Bike Race. Lafayette, NY at Beak and Skiff orchard.

Entered the 10k distance. Didn't finish last.
Photo: Teammate, Andy.

PdalPowr

Didn't finish last?
There's the spirit.

Seriously though you look like it was fun at least.

gettingold

How was the snow at Beak and Skiff? I rode elsewhere yesterday and it was horribly wet and heavy. From the pictures I saw in that race, lots of people wiping out on turns so I assume it was the same slop.

rjones28 

Yes. Wet and heavy. The sun was out softening things up throughout the race.

rjones28 

It was my first-ever fat bike race, I usually race cyclocross. Hills and challenging snow conditions totally wiped me out. It was a good time.

rjones28 

Not much snow at this week's race.

PdalPowr

The spectators seem few and far between as well.
But you sure look good on your fatty.

rjones28 

I had just passed a bonfire surrounded by spectators, before that picture was taken.

PdalPowr

If women who like skiers are called snow bunnies,
Are women who like fat bike racers called fattys?

Hypno Toad

I'm going to buy a couple pics over the weekend from my favorite race photographer, in the mean time, I'll share some of the bar-mounted GoPro video of the Fat Bike Loppet 35K

The start was a little chaotic:


We had some fast descents, I looked at my Garmin data to see we were doing over 20 mph here:


I was over 30 mph on a longer, steep hill later in the race. 30+mph on snow with a bike is a bit freaky, those soft snow sections that take out riders in the first clip, those were peppered throughout the course.

Here's the finish line selfie with teammate

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BTW - it was 0F for the race... that's why I have a nice snot-cicle and a nice glacier forming under my sunglasses.

FargoRider

This is the BBBRRR 2018 in Fargo, ND on Jan 28th. There were about 100 riders out there. Temps were at a balmy 2°F. Fun ride with plenty of beer and brats afterwards.

PdalPowr

Brat's,brat's?
You dare say brat's to someone who hasn't had one in a year?
May someone half fill your tires with jello.

Just joking.
It sure sounds like you had fun.Now please excuse me.
I have to go to the market for brat's.

rjones28 

Last race for me this winter. Mostly no snow. It was the week before the Nor'ester hit and dumped a foot and a half of new snow on us, oh well. The organizers built some snow banks, but no pics of those.

ColonelSanders

Fat bikes look like so much fun.

PdalPowr

I admire your fortitude.
You must sleep well at night.

rjones28 

Fat bike racing season is back. Well, many of the cyclocross events around here include a fat bike race. Snow is still a couple of months away, but a couple dozen fat bike riders duked it out in the September heat.

Hypno Toad

Forgot to post this over here - 2018 Filthy 50



photo credit Markman Outdoor Photography

Hypno Toad

Dang, this thread's sleepy, my last post from the 2018 Filthy 50.... and now I'm posting 2019 Filthy 50.

New course in Lanesboro, MN - great scenic course! Conditions started dry, and I was too warm, but we turned into a strong winds and the snow started coming down and I was no longer to warm

Fastest Fat Bike, I was too cold to wait for the other riders to fill out the podium.





photo credit Markman Outdoor Photography

JeffAbe

Hypno Toad which drop bars are you using on your Pugsley? I like drops better than flats and think that may help quite a bit.

Never mind, just found in another post that you are using Salsa Woodchippers.