LOCALadk Magazine

Nick Calogero 24 Winter 2015 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk "Sure, the purple trail," I agreed. Purple sounded fair, indifferent even. Nothing evil or dangerous ever showed up in purple. I pictured something friendly, maybe mildly techni- cal. Local maps and tourist pamphlets probably had it listed under "Bring the kids!". We hiked our bikes through brush on what appeared to be a trail once loved but since forgotten and eventually came back out to the road. We did make our way back to a trail though it was not the purple trail. It didn't matter. It was a bright October day, the kind that floats to the brain-surface when someone asks why you decided to set your previous life aflame to move to Lake Placid permanently. Light fell through the trees onto sections of the trail. It was cold enough to dress in layers, but we were working hard enough not to need them. Moving through shade and then patches of sun was like leaving and entering different rooms. Though volatile in the early stages, my relationship with bikes has im- proved drastically over the last year. Three thank you's are in order: 1.) Moab 2.) Rides with adventurous ladies and 3.) My introduction to the fatbike… Enter Fatbike The recent presence of fatbikes in our local bike shops rivals that of both road and mountain bikes. It's impossible to browse without gripping the beefy, cartoon-like tires. They're irresistible - fat, fresh and alien to many of us. Besides the obvious - tires that are typically 3.8 to 5 inches or larger - fatties are still mountain bikes. Geometry and components are rapidly evolving allowing them to shred in both snow and dirt during any season. It's important to note, though, that it's too cold for dropper posts, hy- draulic brakes and suspension to work properly during our harsh winter climate. So while our summer/fall mountain bikes get more and more technical (and expensive), fatbikes continue to be beautifully simple. Burly, wider tires grab for better traction and provide some suspension with the possibility of running at air pressures as low as 5psi. Just like other outdoor toys, the price range varies tremendously de- pending on the model. The market is exploding and there are choices from Walmart brand to carbon and everything in between. See the fine faces at Placid Planet (placidplanet.com), High Peaks Cyclery (highpeaks- cyclery.com) or Mountain Man Outdoor Supply Company in Old Forge (mountainmanoutdoors.com) to figure out what might be a good option for you. Adirondack (Fat)Bike Scene Thanks to members and friends of Barkeater Trails Alliance (BETA) Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Wilmington and surrounding areas are home to arguably some of the most bike-rabid, motivated, outdoor-loving people in the country. BETA exists to promote the sport of mountain biking (snow and dirt!) as a healthy and positive activity that compliments the outdoor culture of Fat Biking By Jaime McGiver Nick Calogero Jr cruising downhill on his Fat Bike

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