Crested Butte, Colorado, played host to the first Fat Bike World Championships - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
A groomed, five-mile track was the setting for the first Fat Bike World Championship - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Turnout was good, with 207 riders participating in the main event - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Robbie Squire lead the men's elite field from the first lap to the last - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Taking fat bike fashion to the next level, even though temperatures weren't quite cold enough to warrant a full koala onesie - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
The most beautiful bike in the race: Twenty2 Cycles' stunning Ti fat bike - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Tiny welds and intricate details - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Fat trikes of different types had a strong showing at the race - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
One of several recumbent fat trikes spotted at the race - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
ReActive Adaptations builds custom handtrikes in Crested Butte, Colorado - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Jake O'Connor, owner of ReActive Adaptations, races to the finish - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
More proof that aero really is everything. Skinsuit, check. TT helmet, check. TT bars, check. Rear wheel cover, check! - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Definitely not UCI legal for cyclocross. Nobody could care less about that at Fat Bike Worlds - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
This Foes Mutz was one of a few full-suspension fatties at the event - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
The Foes Mutz can't run a front derailleur, so this owner relies on index finger shifting. It provides a very tactile, positive response to the drivetrain, we're told - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
A rare Ibis Trans-Fat in the wild - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Just another parent contributing to childhood obesity - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
This TykesBykes 20in fat bike was outfitted for a weekend of bikepacking with mom and dad - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Scott had this Big John kitted out for alpine touring adventures - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Justin Lindine is a professional mountain and cyclocross racer. Fat Bike Worlds was his first time racing a fat bike - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Lieutenant Dangle was showing off his tan lines - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Gettin' rad - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Trek's own Travis Brown showed up to race. Brown finished third in the men's elite field - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Travis Brown was riding a yet-to-be released 27.7x4.5in version of a Bontrager Barbegazi tire - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Fine tuning tire pressure was critical to gaining traction on the churned-up course - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
We're not sure this counts as a fat bicycle, but boy could this guy carve through corners - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Fat Bike Skis is a start-up based in Vermont - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
The ski mounts in place of the front wheel... - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
...and is held in place by the fork's 15mm thru-axle and disc mount - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
The fastest, most capable fat bike at the race, the Rokon Scout - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
The Rokon Scout is all-wheel drive - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
The Rokon was set-up for grooming duties - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Best bar mitts at the race - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Dave Wiens and Travis Brown traded stories after the finish line - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
When Robbie Squire isn't speeding away from the field aboard his Pivot LES Fat, he's a professional road racer with Holowesko-Citadel (formerly named Hincapie Racing) - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Unlike the Singlespeed World Championships, which switches locations each year, Crested Butte has no plans to give up Fat Bike Worlds to another city. Until next year, Crested Butte - Josh Patterson / Immediate Media
Last weekend, the picturesque ski town of Crested Butte, Colorado, played host to the inaugural Fat Bike World Championships. Fat bikers were treated to groomed racecourses, an advocacy summit on the future of fat biking, a seeming endless stream of Odell's craft beer and the possibility of getting branded — with a red-hot cattle brand — for victory.
First and foremost, the Fat Bike World Championships was not sanctioned by the UCI, nor any other governing body. It was created in the spirit of the Singlespeed World Championships. Which is to say, this event is equal parts riding and partying, and nobody should take themselves, or the event, too seriously. (For US riders looking for a more structured event, USA Cycling will sponsor Fat Bike Nationals in Ogden, Utah, on February 27.)
Here's a snapshot of the event. Click through the gallery above for even more images from the Fat Bike World Championships.
Turnout was good, with 207 riders participating in the main event: turnout was good, with 207 riders participating in the main event
Turnout was very good for a first-year event, with more than 200 fat bikers taking part in the main event
Taking fat bike fashion to the next level, even though temperatures weren't quite cold enough to warrant a full koala onesie: taking fat bike fashion to the next level, even though temperatures weren't quite cold enough to warrant a full koala onesie
Could koala suits be the future of fat bike fashion?
Fat trikes of different types had a strong showing at the race: fat trikes of different types had a strong showing at the race
Fat trikes of different types
Jake o'connor, owner of reactive adaptations, races to the finish: jake o'connor, owner of reactive adaptations, races to the finish
Jake O'Connor, owner of Crested Butte-based ReActive Adaptations, rides toward the finish line
More proof that aero really is everything. skinsuit, check. tt helmet, check. tt bars, check. rear wheel cover, check!: more proof that aero really is everything. skinsuit, check. tt helmet, check. tt bars, check. rear wheel cover, check!
Aero is everything! (Joking aside, the disc rear wheel actually makes a lot of sense when it comes to preventing snow build-up)
Lieutenant dangle was showing off his tan lines : lieutenant dangle was showing off his tan lines
There's a new sheriff in town, and his tan lines are perfect
We're not sure this counts as a fat bicycle, but boy could this guy carve through corners: we're not sure this counts as a fat bicycle, but boy could this guy carve through corners
Not quite a bicycle, but it was carving through turns where other riders were washing out
The ski mounts in place of the front wheel...: the ski mounts in place of the front wheel...
The Fat Bike Ski mounts in place of the front wheel and is held in place by the fork's 15mm thru-axle and disc mount
The fastest, most capable fat bike at the race, the rokon scout: the fastest, most capable fat bike at the race, the rokon scout
Without a doubt, this was the most capable fat bike at the race. Braaap!
Unlike the singlespeed world championships, which switches locations each year, crested butte has no plans to give up fat bike worlds to another city. until next year, crested butte: unlike the singlespeed world championships, which switches locations each year, crested butte has no plans to give up fat bike worlds to another city. until next year, crested butte
Unlike the SSWC and the SSCXWC, which switch venues each year based on the outcome of some sort of drunken feats of strength competition following the main event, Crested Butte has no plans to relinquish Fat Bike Worlds to another town. After spending a few days there, enjoying the food, the trails and mountain culture, I can’t say I blame them.
Josh Patterson is a BikeRadar contributor and former technical editor. He has spent most of his career working in the cycling industry as an athlete, mechanic and journalist. He holds a master's degree in journalism and has more than 20 years of experience as a cyclist and 12 years of experience riding and writing for BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Dirt Rag, RoadBikeReview and Outside Magazine. A native of the Flint Hills of Kansas, Josh was a pioneer in the gravel cycling movement, having raced the first Unbound 200 and many other gravel events around the globe. He considers himself a cycling generalist and enjoys road, gravel and mountain biking in equal measure. When not traveling for work, he can be found exploring the singletrack and lonely gravel roads that surround his home in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to his love of cycling, Josh is an enthusiastic supporter of brunch, voting rights and the right to repair movement.
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