18 NEBRASKAland • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016
Fatbiking
By Carl Gauger
The back roads of the Nebraska Sandhills have always been
off limits to cyclists. Even a mountain bike's knobby 2-inch-
wide tires sink into the sand, leaving you, quite literally,
spinning your wheels. However, with the advent of "fatbikes,"
purpose-built mountain bikes with 4- to 5-inch-wide tires, a
cyclist can float over sand, snow and rough terrain with far
less effort than on a traditional bicycle. The wide, knobby,
low-pressure tire, a disadvantage on smooth pavement or
gravel roads, enables you to get the traction you need to
propel yourself across the often soft and blown-out back roads
of the Sandhills. Here are a handful of essentials that you need
to know in order to have a good time.
Flat Protection - The Sandhills are riddled with sandburs,
and riding a traditional tube and tire setup is a recipe for
disaster. Talk to your local bike shop about setting your bike
up "tubeless," a method that involves latex sealant inside of
your tire rather than a tube. It fills holes as the punctures are
created. Through years of riding this way in the Sandhills, I've
never had a flat despite pulling hundreds of thorns from my
tires. A less effective but cheaper alternative is to use a self-
sealing tube, such as the Slime brand.
Low Pressure - This is key to maintaining traction in the
sand, even with a 4 or 5-inch tire. Run as low as 5 to 7 psi,
which will leave your tire soft and squishy, but will keep you
hooked up even in loose sand.
Moisture Content - Unlike other types of off-road cycling,
recent rain is your friend. The more moisture content in the
sand, the firmer it is and better traction you will get.
Take Your Time - Don't expect to cover the same distance
you would on a traditional bike. Fatbiking on sand is slow
going, so take time to pause and look around! Because you're
quieter than a vehicle, and covering far more ground than on
foot, fatbikes are ideal for taking in landscapes and viewing
wildlife.
Location - The best public places in the Sandhills to ride
fatbikes are Nebraska National Forest at Halsey and Samuel
R. McKelvie National Forest near Valentine. Detailed maps
are available from the Forest Service. Fresh water from
windmills, public facilities and campgrounds make these areas
ideal for exploration by fatbike. ■
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