SUAMICO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A frigid Sunday morning couldn’t stop hundreds of people from hitting the local trails for a 21-mile bike race.
Travis Bangart of Milwaukee said his beard was frozen, possibly due to the exhaust, sweat, snot, and a little bit of beer.
Bangart, along with 200 other fat-tire bike riders, took to the trails at the Brown County Reforestation Camp as part of the Snow Crown Bike Series.
“It wasn’t too bad, fingers and toes were cold a little bit but once you get moving, you get alright,” said Bangart.
Ten-year-old Ava Sanderson of Darboy agreed, saying, “At first it was really cold but as you get into it, it gets warmer.”
When the race started, the weather felt like three degrees. But racers weren’t braving the cold, instead they were embracing it.
Race director, Sarah Kapitz said, “We are happier with the cold weather, it’s better for the trail and the race.”
Kaptiz explained that the trails are hard packed. If the temperature goes over 32 degrees, the trails will get softer making it more difficult to ride on.
Riders told us that fat bikes, with its extra wide tires, are able to float on the groomed snow.
“Fat bike is kind of like a tractor or monster truck, you just go over everything, always way more fun for me,” Bangart said.
Kaptiz explained, “The course loop is 7 and a half miles, so if you’re doing beginner level, you’re doing it once, if you’re intermediate twice, advanced three times.”
Winners received cash prizes. But the real prize was having the cold temperature show up just in time.
“The warmer weather was scary for us, we didn’t know how that was going to play out but it’s been perfect,” said Kaptiz.
The next fat bike race will be held at Snowkraft Nordic in Sturgeon Bay next Saturday.
