From Sand to Snow: How Minnesota Became the Fat Tire Bike Capital

Episode notes

Send us Fan Mail What do New Mexico sand dunes, a snowmobile trail in International Falls, and single track in Cuyuna have in common? They're all part of the wild origin story of fat tire biking - and Minnesota is at the center of all of it. In this episode we trace the fat tire bike from its scrappy beginnings as a 60-pound Franken-bike prototype to a legitimate winter sport that's reshaping communities across the state. You'll hear from: David Gabrys , Founder/Brand Director of 45 North at Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) - the largest bicycle parts distributor in North America - on how Surly's Pugsley brought fat biking to the masses, and how 45 North's pioneering studded tire technology opened up winter trails for good. Stephen Regenold , founder of Gear Junkie and reportedly the first journalist in America to ride a Pugsley prototype - including a brutal Arrowhead 135 attempt in 2006, in the dark, at 20 below zero, on a bike that felt like a motorcycle.

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