Fat Bike Snow Race & Snowcross dates 2012

[Scotty]

Updated 11/2

It is official. Versluis Orchards and Ada Bike Shop will host Michigan's very first Fat Bike snow race on Saturday January 14, 2012! Organized by The Farm Team, Farmer's Fat Bike Race will follow a multilap format. Fat Bike riders will compete to log the most laps on a closed course that will take them through the rolling hills of Versluis Orchards and the surrounding woodlands. For 3 hours riders will tackle a loop that will consist of two track, single track and weather permitting, lots of snow!

We will offer categories for Solo Men and Solo Women, as well as a Duo category. If you don't own a Fat Bike, find a friend who does and enter the Duo Category! The two of you can share a bike. If you don't own a Fat Bike and you don't like to share, we will allow entrants in a seperate Solo Skinny Bike class. But be warned, we will NOT be plowing or clearing the course of snow. Last January there were 6 foot high snow drifts in the orchard! And this year Farmer's almanac says "expect plenty of snow in 2012".

On race day Salsa Cycles and Ada Bike shop will be there with a fleet of Salsa Mukluks to demo. If you've yet to ride a Fat Bike, this is your chance to test the best Fat Bike on the Market, the Salsa Mukluk. We will have a bonfire burning throughout the race to help riders and spectators keep warm. And we'll be putting up a temporary shelter in the orchard to act as a transition area for those racing Duo.

Registration will go online soon at bikereg.com We will cap preregistration at 75 people (total). If we hit 75 preregistered riders prior to January 10, 2012 there will be no day of registration. Because this is a grassroots event and we want people to have value for their money, we will charge only $30 per person for preregistration. But on race day any preregistered rider who shows up for packet pickup with a Fat Bike will get $5 of their entry fee back. That means solo Fat Bike Racers get $5 cash back. A duo team sharing a Fat Bike will get $5 cash back. And a duo team with two Fat Bikes will get $10 cash back ($5 each)!

We will offer awards to the top 3 riders/teams in each category, and we'll have a schwag drawing after the race! We will also be adding additional sponsors over the next few weeks. Check back often to see what else we have in store!

Register nonline now: http://www.bikereg.com/14581

more details on The Farm Team blog! http://www.farmteamracing.com/2011/11/f ... -race.html

check back soon! we will be adding sponsors and additional info regarding the race over the next few weeks.



in the mean time, check out videos from last year's snowcross races at the farm and go put your order in today for a Snow Bike, cause winter is coming.

http://youtu.be/XmvuR40WAN0

http://youtu.be/MCDWwiX6Ie8

http://youtu.be/b7j8N6WZzlA

[utabintarbo]

Ooooh, keep us apprised! There are many new Fatbikers out here, and this looks like a great opportunity!

[Scotty]

We are in the process of locking down a venue for our Fat Bike race. Can't announce it now, but it will be familiar to everyone in the Grand Rapids area. Once the insurance is signed off on we'll put out all the detailed info and set up online registration! We expect that to be at the very end of October/beginning of November, probably just after Halloween.

Also, we have made plans to have Salsa Mukluks to demo on race day!!!

stay tuned!

[Steve_Balogh]

We are in the process of locking down a venue for our Fat Bike race. Can't announce it now, but it will be familiar to everyone in the Grand Rapids area. Once the insurance is signed off on we'll put out all the detailed info and set up online registration! We expect that to be at the very end of October/beginning of November, probably just after Halloween.

Also, we have made plans to have Salsa Mukluks to demo on race day!!!

stay tuned!

If the course is short enough to do laps, I'd recommend doing a Fatbike race first, then a "skinny" race afterwards. When I did that Team Enduro Race last year it only took a couple laps and the course was pretty well packed down from 33 Fatbikes. By the end of the race some sections were almost solid ice.

[deuxdiesel]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

[c0nsumer]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

I want some Black Floyds.

[utabintarbo]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

I want some Black Floyds.

How about these?

[c0nsumer]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

I want some Black Floyds.

How about these?

I don't believe that'll fit in any current fatbike. The skulls are ugly, but otherwise it seems to have promise.

[utabintarbo]

I don't believe that'll fit in any current fatbike. The skulls are ugly, but otherwise it seems to have promise.

Just think of the tracks that would leave in the snow!

[dirt]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

I want some Black Floyds.

How about these?

I don't believe that'll fit in any current fatbike. The skulls are ugly, but otherwise it seems to have promise.

When I look at new tires, my first consideration is the ascetics of the tread.

[brookes]

Oh man, the fat bike snow race sounds awesome! Keep us posted on the race details.

[Scotty]

The January 14 Fat Bike Race will be held at the Versluis Farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan!

We considered half a dozen other venues and were very close to using a popular local trail system, but finally decided that we could do a better job on the Versluis Farm, both in course layout and in keeping costs down so this event will be affordable!

The course will be completely different from our Snow Cross Races. The area of the farm used for previous snow cross events is only one small piece of the Versluis property. The course will include two tracks and trail. Yep! Trail that today is on private land and open only to The Farm Team members! Terrain will be some flat stuff and some that is hilly/rolling. The Fat Bike Race will use much more of the available land anlong with some surprises!


Skinny bikes are welcome to race. For those who are concerned about "skinny tire" riders on the course with 15lb warm weather bikes, there will be a "penalty" for people riding skinny bikes. If mother nature has her way, she will also provide them with a penatly in the form of lake effect snow (the course will NOT be plowed)! They will also be scored seperately from fat bike riders for awards. We will offer incentives for people to "share a fat bike" and ride Duo with a Fat Bike owning friend instead of riding skinny tires.

Event sponsors include Ada Bike Shop and Salsa Cycles. More sponsors to be announced soon!

In about two weeks (first week in November) we will announce all necessary event details and put registration online.

See you at The Farm!

[Indigenous]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

I want some Black Floyds.

How about these?

They scare me.

I am looking forward to this race! Should be a hoot, now...if I can only get squeeze my 3.7 tire into the regular tire tray on my bike roof rack, I'll be good to go!

[Steve_Balogh]

I hope this turns into a "what tires are ya gonna run" for the fat bike race. Let's see... Larry, Endo, Nate or....

What would be a real hoot is if someone shows up with a "stitched" 26X4.0 version of their favorite MTB tire, a few people out there are still doing that. A 4" wide Kenda Karma would really get Scotty's attention

You got me thinking - I have a small stockpile of Larry's I got from a trade with Mike Curiak. I should bring those in case someone shows up with an Endo on the front. Once things get packed down, they may get an unexpected surprise if they've never experienced the "self-steer" of the Endo before. These tires are easy to swap out, done it many times with gloves on and tire levers are not necessary.

[jasondean]

Looks like this could be a fun event! I like to make it down for this event, would love to demo a Mukluk!