and ‘I’ is for impulse!

This week Alan and I introduced a new steed to our stable.. It started with me wanting to replace my full suspension mountain bike, it ended with both of us purchasing fat bikes – hard to go past an almost half price deal.. I described fat bikes to my mum as looking like something a child would draw if they were told to draw a bike.

So we are the proud owners of 2 Surly Pugsley’s – the fat sibling of my Surly Troll that I have been touring on. We broke all rules by buying before trying – but we did do some research and in the US the fat bikes are very popular – but here in Wanaka we might be on the front wave.

They turn heads when we ride them and it is hard not to smile whilst riding them as they are fun with a capital F. They look like they are for the specialist but in reality they make mountain biking easy – the traction of the 4 inch tyres (normal bikes have maybe 2 inch tyres) is incredible and we can ride up and down things that we would normally push as they are so stable and grippy. There is no suspension, they have a simple chrome alloy frame, and cable disc brakes.

Fat bikes were invented for places like Alaska where people wanted to ride bikes in winter so we took them up to the snow to give it a go. We had perfect conditions – good grooming and a firm base – and we were able to ride up to the Kirtle Burn Hut (normally a ski or snowshoe in winter) as they had just cut a track – amazing!

We plan to tour on them, both in NZ and overseas – watch this space!