Fat bike races coming to Cedar Rapids GO CR Fat Sac & Fox Enduro Ride is Dec. 9-10

CEDAR RAPIDS - The world of fat bike racing is coming to Cedar Rapids next month.

Local bike shops, tourism officials, Linn Area Mountain Bike Association and the city have organized a race called GO CR Fat Sac & Fox Enduro Ride on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9-10. The event features three categories of endurance races - for women, men and teams - on a course near Indian Creek Nature Center, and a free expo with food and beer vendors, bike gear, fat bike demonstrations and discussion panels.

'It is going to be a lot like the I Am Fat endurance event World of Bikes puts on in Iowa City,” said Logan Orcutt, who is on the organizing board and plans to compete. 'It's an endurance ride. It's pretty casual. You will see a lot of people there enjoying the race; heckling is a word tossed around at the races a lot. The atmosphere is kind of a party.”

The course is to consist of a 3.75-mile loop on single-track off the Sac and Fox Trail starting and ending at Indian Creek Nature Center, 5300 Otis Road SE. The competition is based on who can ride the most laps in a three-hour time frame.

Riders can register online at GOCRFatBike.com until Dec. 7, and on Dec. 8 or 9 at the event. Registration is $30.

This is the first race of this scale in Cedar Rapids, said Scott Tallman, an organizer and director of community events with Go Cedar Rapids.

'The fat bike world is exploding and we are riding ahead of the wave,” Tallman said. 'We are always looking to produce and have events, especially in a slow time of the year like winter when people don't think there's much going on.”

Fat tire bikes are like mountain bikes on steroids, typically with wide studded tires, suspensions and disc breaks. They provide good traction and stability on a variety of challenging surfaces, such as sand, mud and snow.

They have become increasingly popular in recent years.

'It lets you get out in the elements and not be restricted by the types of terrain you can ride on,” said Orcutt, a co-owner of Goldfinch

Cyclery, 208 C 12th Ave. SE, one of a handful of race sponsors. 'It adds to the appeal of cycling year-round.” The tire width requirement is between 3.8 and 5 inches to participate in the Fat Sac & Fox Enduro, Orcutt said.

The event includes;

l Friday, Dec. 9 - Night ride with on-trail and off-trail legs and stops for food and drinks. The race will start at 7 p.m. at Comfort Inn and Suites, 2025 Werner Ave. NE, at 7 p.m. and end at the SAG Wagon Deli & Brew, 827 Shaver Road NE, with an after-party. People can register for any of the weekends events from 5 to 7 p.m. at Comfort Inn, which will have discount rates for those coming to the area for the race.

l Saturday, Dec. 10 - Events begin at 10 a.m. at the Indian Creek Nature Center with a free expo for riders, fans and the public. The expo includes panel discussions, Fat Bike demonstrations, a family area with bike related games and activities and a Fat Santa Kids ride, in which kids can bring their own bike. Food trucks and beer vendors are to be on site. Registration will be open at the Nature Center.

l The Enduro races begin at noon on Saturday, Dec. 10, and take place on parts of the Sac and Fox Trail. Winners are to be awarded in individual and team categories, and an awards celebration takes place Saturday evening at the Broken Spoke, 2010 Sylvia Ave. NE.

l A raffle for a 2017 Specialized Fatboy SE Fat Bike with a retail value of $1,400 is planned during the two-day event.

l Comments: (319) 339-3177; brian.morelli@thegazette.com