Fat Bike Worlds - Photo Epic

Feb 1, 2016
by Devon Balet  
The first annual Fat Bike World Championships went off in Crested Butte, Colorado this past weekend with a looming snow storm knocking at the door. Luckily for racers and event organizer David Ochs, the snowpocalypse held off until sundown post race. As the snow began to fall on Crested Butte the event organizers breathed a deep sigh of relief as their months of hard work paid off.

The weekend kicked off with a relay race on Thursday under classic Colorado blue skies. With warmer temps the trail conditions worsened as the day progressed. Friday was the Fat Bike Summit hosted by Gary Sjoquist of Quality Bike Parts. But it was the main event on Saturday that really drew the crowds and racers. The field was stacked with heavy hitters like Travis Brown, Robbie Squire, Judy Freeman, Erin Huck, Amy Beisel and many more.

The day threatened to be a typical white-out snowstorm, but the fat bike gods were on the side of the racers and instead we got heavy cloud cover and flat light. Conditions held up fairly well, but after hundreds of laps, the surface began to make things more difficult. Downhills became treacherous, really testing riders skills and power to make it through the mash potato conditions. After five lightening fast laps, the Elite Men and Women were crowned the first ever Fat Bike World Champions.

Everywhere you look in Crested Butte is like a post card waiting to be captured.
  Everywhere you look in Crested Butte is like a postcard waiting to be captured.

Classic Crested Butte culture. What does bike season mean to you
  Classic Crested Butte culture. What does bike season mean to you?

The nordic center in Crested Butte was gracious enough to open up many trails normally closed to fat bikes for the weekend s event.
  The nordic center in Crested Butte was gracious enough to open up many trails normally closed to fat bikes for the weekend's event.

The weekend s event kicked off with a relay race on Thursday under picture perfect blue skies.
  The weekend's event kicked off with a relay race on Thursday under picture perfect blue skies.

Bike culture is engrained into Crested Butte and the people that live there.
  Bike culture is engrained into the town of Crested Butte and the people that live there.

There were plenty of libations provided by Odell Brewing Company. This was the first delivery of the day.
  There were plenty of libations provided by Odell Brewing Company. This was the first delivery of the day.

The day called for an epic snow storm but thankfully it held off for 12 hours. Crested Butte reported 27 in 2 days as of Monday morning.
  The day called for an epic snow storm, but thankfully it held off for 12 hours. Crested Butte reported 27" in 2 days as of Monday morning.

Mass start of the Championship race on Saturday saw a few costumes and plenty of heavy hitters in mountain biking.
  Mass start of the Championship race on Saturday saw a few costumes and plenty of heavy hitters in mountain biking.

Every type of rider and bike was seen at Fat Bike Worlds.
  Every type of rider and bike was seen at Fat Bike Worlds.

The mass start made for some cool visuals of riders under the snow covered mountains of Crested Butte.
  The mass start made for some cool visuals of riders under the snow covered mountains of Crested Butte.

Women s race leaders Alexis Skarda L and Amy Beisel R road side by side for a few first lap before Amy upped the power and left the rest of the field racing for second.
  Women's race leaders Alexis Skarda (L) and Amy Beisel (R) road side by side for a few first laps before Amy upped the power and left the rest of the field racing for second.

Riders like lines of ants on the nordic trails in Crested Butte.
  Riders looked like lines of ants on the nordic trails in Crested Butte.

Taylor Shelden and Travis Brown making their way past the Cliff Bar aid station as Robbie Squire puts in the first attack of the day breaking apart the front group.
  Taylor Shelden and Travis Brown making their way past the Clif Bar aid station as Robbie Squire puts in the first attack of the day, breaking apart the front group.

Things can get a little dicey even though the track may be very wide. Steward Poweroy with a perfect foot dap keeping it up.
  Things can get a little dicey even though the track may be very wide. Steward Poweroy with a perfect foot dab keeping it up.

An unknown female rider makes her way towards the finish of another lap.
  An unknown female rider makes her way towards the finish of another lap.

Robbie Squire put the screws to the Elite Men s field with a dominating win finishing nearly 4 minutes ahead of Taylor Shelden in second.
  Robbie Squire put the screws to the Elite Men's field with a dominating win finishing nearly 4 minutes ahead of Taylor Shelden in second.

Grand Junction local Alexis Skarda comes in for the final lap with Judy Freeman right on her wheel. The two battled it out most of the race with Skarda edging out Freeman for second.
  Grand Junction local Alexis Skarda comes in for the final lap with Judy Freeman right on her wheel. The two battled it out most of the race with Skarda edging out Freeman for second.

Rebecca Gross is finally able to break away from Stan s No Tubes rider Jennifer Smith on the final lap of racing.
  Rebecca Gross is finally able to break away from Stan's No Tubes rider Jennifer Smith on the final lap of racing.

Amy Beisel first to come across the finish for Elite Women with no one in sight
  Amy Beisel is first to come across the finish for Elite Women with no one in sight!

A fat bike works great to transport your injured friend in the winter.
  A fat bike works great to transport your injured friend in the winter.

Fort Collins local Sara Sheets finishes out the final straight away for her last lap.
  Fort Collins local Sara Sheets finishes out the final straight away for her last lap.

Lez Zeppelin is a leading protagonist in a trend of all-female hard rock tribute bands.
  Lez Zeppelin is a leading protagonist in a trend of all-female hard rock "tribute" bands.

Close your eyes and you might just think you have gone back in time.
  Close your eyes and you might just think you have gone back in time.

Goal number one for the event was for people to have a good time. I m pretty sure event organizer Dave Ochs did just that
  Goal number one for the event was for people to have a good time. I'm pretty sure event organizer Dave Ochs did just that!

1. Amy Beisel 2. Alexis Skarda 3. Judy Freeman
1. Amy Beisel
2. Alexis Skarda
3. Judy Freeman

1. Robbie Squire 2. Taylor Shelden 3. Travis Brown
1. Robbie Squire
2. Taylor Shelden
3. Travis Brown

Preparing the iron in the fire.
  Preparing the iron in the fire.

Single Speed Worlds has tattoos and Fat Bike Worlds has branding. Easily the craziest thing I have witnessed at a sporting event.
  Single Speed Worlds has tattoos and Fat Bike Worlds has branding. Easily the craziest thing I have witnessed at a sporting event.

Full results can be found here.
Photo and words by Devon Balet.


MENTIONS: @devonbalet



Author Info:
devonbalet avatar

Member since May 5, 2007
70 articles

90 Comments
  • 114 16
 Branding your ass because you love fat bikes... Fuck that. I will never ever love a fat bike.
  • 47 7
 Fat bikes will always be like fat girls, you secretly like to ride them from time to time but if you're ever confronted you say "well it's winter, the snow is bad so I didn't want to ski, I was bored, at least it's exercise, and I can't really do better for myself right now:
  • 18 8
 That and your bare Willy onto the snow. Don't race on Fatbikes...
  • 1 1
 Those fatties look like prime candidates for a Femke conversion to Mo-Fat Bikes.
  • 19 6
 Good news for Fatbike racing is that batteries don't like low temperatures.
  • 1 3
 where's stevie smith?
  • 1 2
 Just pack the battery in da pants...
  • 13 2
 i don't even hide it. mine is on its way. they are rad and goofy. exactly what bike riding should be.
  • 8 1
 That could be the stupidest thing I have ever seen. Actually it is the stupidest thing.
  • 2 0
 it depend from the level of blood in to your alcohol !! Razz
  • 2 0
 i'm a vegan
  • 31 4
 so, awesome this was the first worlds and all, but fatbikes are mountain bikes, no? why use a nordic ski tracka nd have zero tech features/jumps? XC racing has that element, why not fatbiking? would be easy enough to construct things in a similar fashion to a terrain park for skicross course. this is is just a test for fitness not skill.
  • 11 0
 Exactly. The fastest fatbike racers are generally the cyclocross racers coming out of their fall/winter race season. A whole lot of power coupled with even just minor bike handling skills will make the best fatbike racer on a course like this. 2015 Fatbike Nationals had 10ft high berms made with a halfpipe machine and a single-track section through the trees, both of which were awesome. The rest of it was pretty mellow though, honestly. I'd like to see something a bit more technical in fatbike racing, but with the massive variance in course conditions it's difficult to make anything really technical. Still a good time though, bikes are fun.
  • 1 0
 I think that may just be a few shots of the course, maybe some 1 track and berms somewhere else on the course. Then again maybe not. Like any new sport, it still appears to be trying to find itself. And ski resorts are notorious for trying to adapt any sport on the mountain to skiing. Maybe next year it will look more like Shandro at the old winter x games, and we will have come full circle.
  • 3 0
 @todd i had friend there who posted several IG videos it was smooth corduroy
  • 4 0
 I was hoping for some tech or at least some singletrack. Thats what makes mountain biking fun. I had absolutely no need for my suspension fork. I wouldnt exactly call it corduroy though. The snow was soft and chunky as fuck which made it kinda difficult and interesting. I think they should make a downhill fat bike race with features and a gnarly track. That would be the best winter race for the offseason. Or even better have it a studded tire race instead of a fat bike one.
  • 1 0
 Yeah the course on Saturday was pretty jejune and would've been way better with more features. We came prepared and it was pure entertainment. Lucky enough to pre-ride the DH course on Friday night, plenty of technical features - flumes, berms, booters, and wide-open descents with extremely variable conditions. Want more of that! Wish we could have rallied the lift-served laps up there on Sunday but damn they got so much snow overnight.
  • 3 0
 Now we know the difference between pros and joes...a motor in the frame.
  • 1 0
 The funny thing is that here in Brazil almost every local XC race is just a bunch of guys and gals pedalling on smooth dirt rodas, no techinique needed at all. It is a bit fun to race these, but I sure would like to see a competition with more technical stuff!
  • 28 3
 Why does the fat bike crowd have to be such a bunch of Yahoos. I enjoy owning a fat bike cause it prolongs my season and there are more and more trail systems coming into place. I find it more enjoyable than skiing and I love the fact I'm still maintaining my skills all winter long. But for some f*cking reason, fat bike riders are a new breed of there own. It's all about craft beer, rotational weight, heavy tire discussions, bullshit overpriced N49 product etc. It's like a bunch of fixie riders made love with some Die hard road bike riders (not racers, just rich ass dentist with excess cash dropped on carbon bike). They baby, which came out of there ass, is what we call your typical fat biker. Just sayin, I want my summer dirt crew and park rats back!
  • 5 1
 True! The bikes themselves are great pieces of technology. It's just that the riders' attitudes that are so elitist. Where were they 10-20 years ago when we were out riding singletrack on our 3" Gazzalodis? So many make it sounds like riding in snow just began 2 years ago.
  • 9 0
 Guys don't kid yourselves. "They" are really no different than any other bikers. You could apply the @BoneDog's comments to many discussions on this forum from endurobruhs, as well as cross country, CX and road forums. The topics are slightly different but we are all bike dorks.
  • 3 3
 usually pseudo bike discipline asshole whereas is fat bike rider or single speeder is a guy who lacks talent or will to improve and just ends up linking a lifestyle to his bike riding and blaming the bike instead of himself. there are fun people on all bike disciplines just the ones who rationalize their own lack of skills the ones who suck. fatbikes atract this type of crowd very well cause they are usually on environments where they wont be around many guys who can actually make them realize how much they suck.
  • 4 0
 I feel like all the roadies are buying fatbikes for the winter.

Fatbikers eyehump the sht out of eachothers bikes and pretend to not care about eachothers bikes. It's silly.

My roadie buddy that i ride with in the winter asked me on sunday if i look forward to fatbike season. I was like "hell no, gimme my skinny bike back" and he looked at me like i was crazy.
  • 3 0
 Ha ha, that is one of the funniest comments on here. It is really difficult to hit that perfect snow consistency on singletrack where you can feel some good flow, drift the turns, and narrowly graze the trees. Last 2 times I went it was a total hike-a-bike cluster, and I was like "What am I doing out here?" Whenever I ride a fatbike, I wish the ground was dry dirt below me, and when I come screaming down a packed road I wish I was on skis. The one redeeming thing on a fatbike is that you can push your limit because it usually doesn't hurt when you fall, you can just dive off into the powder. And it kinda mixes things up. Look forward to it, no, use it, sometimes.
  • 25 7
 Wow..,fat bikes and naked man ass and red hot pokers...there's so much ammo here that I'm just going to back away and let it be its own insult...
  • 9 5
 well there it is, showed this genre's true colors, NO THANKS !
  • 11 5
 I think it looks like a heck of a good time!
  • 3 1
 @richierocket So you think bare man ass and red hot pokers sound like fun? To each their own I guess..
  • 1 0
 Ah, he has got shorts on… and whats wrong with branding? Come on, open your mind a little. ^^
  • 16 3
 Branding for the winner? If I was leading the entire race, I would stop short of the finish line on the final lap and gladly take second place. I'm sure this is optional...I hope.
  • 24 2
 You won't have to worry about it. If you're too soft to get branded, then you're too soft to win.
  • 5 0
 I think those cowboys branded each others asses in Brokeback mountain as well.
  • 2 0
 " I think those cowboys branded each others asses in Brokeback mountain as well."

Busted out laughing.
  • 1 0
 Yeah I think they busted out too in that film
  • 11 1
 Am I the only one who finds it just a bit ironic that " ...thankfully the snow storm held off..." - for a fat bike race of all things??!!!...
  • 1 0
 Yeah a bit ironic, except then they got like 30 inches of snow in 3 days. Fucking Winter!
  • 12 0
 K, what??

Branding?
  • 5 1
 Ok, this is really the antithesis for me. Picture 11 is just the complete opposite of anything that turns me on in biking. There is nothing in that picture that I feel I can relate to at all. twatty glove things, 80's as chuff power sunnies, and shameless lycra everywhere. oh you did a branding!? woop de f*cking do. my buddy Tom got a brand from a pile up half way down Le Pleney from my red hot rotor and that is the only branding Im willing to accept. The ride should hurt more than the reward. nuke 'em from space. Its the only way to be sure.
  • 8 0
 Number 29 is my hero!
  • 6 0
 give us a real course! that looks like the most uneventful track ever! we need some singletrack!
  • 6 0
 Note to self.... never win a fatbike race.
  • 5 1
 We need a close up of that brand! That is just awesome. Is there a badass brand for 1st and a horrible one for last?
  • 5 0
 Holy hell branding? I'll pass thanks...
  • 5 3
 For all you fat bike haters... I used to be one too. Then I got one. This is what it should be... check it out!

www.facebook.com/aaron.west.733450/videos/10153776071251138
  • 1 0
 OR this...mass start DH Fat race!

www.facebook.com/art.oconnor/videos/10153876107487486

Clever intro, racing starts at 0:49.
  • 2 0
 Absolutely. I just bought one this season as we have a lot of technical single-track that is covered in snow most of the winter. The ride above doesn't paint a picture of what fat-biking can be.
  • 5 0
 Yeah! In your face Winter!
  • 3 0
 Ok branding is one thing but having to make sweet love to snow is just lame.
  • 3 1
 Saw a race last Weekend at Bromont Québec while snowbording, and well... It's like skiing on sand dunes or eating Tofu dog, I just dont get it...
  • 5 0
 Looked like fun!
  • 3 0
 The dude dressed as a cop from Reno 911 was the best part of this whole article.
  • 7 8
 Fat bike world championships... instead of a race, I was expecting a contest as to who had the shittiest hipster beard, or who could talk for the longest amount of time about microbrews and artisinal gastropubs. Still looks goofy as fuck. Would not attend. Downhill or nothing. Fatbikes are dumb.
  • 5 2
 So the white race slips another notch!
  • 2 1
 Who the hell agrees to being branded? Does anyone else feel like there is something wrong with this? No thanks I will stick to regular bikes and bike races.
  • 3 1
 You win the race so they snap off your head and brand your arse. No thanks, I'd prefer a cheque!
  • 3 0
 Sooo... how did the guy who started the race with no pants make out? LOL
  • 1 0
 Oh man, i am rolling over here. I saw that photo and just thought, what the hell is this guy doing?
  • 1 0
 Pfft. Is that some sort of gay sleeper hold he's puttin on that dude? It's so weird. Does he run to a pay phone after to call the cops? It's all just so strange and creepy.
  • 7 6
 Looks like a blast! Except for the Led Zep estrogen Cover band. Thats just wrong!
  • 12 3
 Dude sang like a girl anyway, might as well have a girl sing it. I bet they are awesome.
  • 2 2
 I dont think they cover show tunes PHeller.
  • 5 1
 Lez Zepplin is a tribute band, they play only Zepplin stuff, and yes, that includes that raddest guitar solos.
  • 3 1
 Enjoy your lez fest.
  • 1 0
 So did any of the ladies; Amy Beisel, Alexis Skarda, or Judy Freeman take the plunge and do the brand?
  • 3 3
 Wondering if an MD or RN could weigh in and assess the risk of a serious infection from the branding? Non-sterile, heated over propane, minimal post burn care, etc.
  • 1 0
 Rossland Fat Tire Fest had way more interesting riding last weekend with the Fat-Duro and an XC TT.
  • 1 0
 Didn't read article. Went straight to comments. Was not disappointed. Go PB commentors Go!
  • 2 0
 The short shorts sheriff on the 8th photo made me laugh!
  • 1 0
 Is that branding for real?
  • 4 0
 Welcome to Colorado!
  • 1 0
 Is there an organsisation behind fat bike racing?
  • 1 0
 dear, i want show you my new sport tattoo)))
  • 1 0
 when crosscountry meets hipsters
  • 3 2
 Branded with a hot iron for winning? Awesome!
  • 5 0
 That will teach you for spending too much time training! hahaha
  • 1 0
 Well obviously the goal becomes... Don't win... just take second place.
  • 2 0
 Where is the photo epic?
  • 1 1
 Dat Telecaster is damn sexy
  • 2 1
 Neat! Great job, Devon!
  • 2 1
 Flat
  • 2 2
 like a weird dream.
  • 2 2
 lameness
  • 2 4
 Why? Fat bikes, why!??!!
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