The latest Italian adventure tour trend to sweep the country is something called “fat bikes”. Many people have quickly taken to the fat biking experience and have begun to explore the scenic Italian mountainsides in style.
In this blog, we’re going to look at what fat biking is and how you can get involved in this exciting activity on your Italy holiday.
For passionate cyclists, not even the weather can stop them getting on their bike, even if snow is falling. However, normal bikes will have a bit of trouble navigating the snowy terrain in these weather conditions. Enter the fat bike, a multi-terrain evolution of the traditional bicycle.
What is a fat bike?
The reason for the name “fat bike” is evident upon seeing this new type of bike. The first thing you’ll notice is the wheels, almost twice as large as your standard bike, making it immediately apparent where the bike gets its name from.
Designed with larger wheels, the fat bike is ideal for more challenging terrain, such as snow, sand and mud. Where a normal bike might struggle to move in these conditions, the fat bike is perfectly suited to rougher landscapes, perfect for the diverse Italy landscape.
By using a bicycle with large wheels, which are actually partially deflated, the fat bike provides greater grip on numerous surfaces, helping you easily move over uneven terrain. Originally, the fat bikes were used on sand and rugged dunes but now they’ve been proven to work well in snowy conditions too.
From an experiment in the Sahara during the 1980s, fat bikes were eventually adopted for use in Alaska in the 1990s. Eventually, the first mass-produced heavy wheel bike, named Pugsley, was developed in the United States in 2005.
Where to ride in Italy
Valle D’Aosta, Val Ferret
In this northern region of Italy, bordering France and Switzerland, you can participate in biking tours along the snowy peaks of vast mountain ranges.
With the enlarged tires of the fat bikes, you’ll be able to effortlessly glide through the snow. This is ideal for anyone eager to try out fat bikes without having to wait for the spring or summer seasons. This essentially means you can get involved any time of the year.
Tuscany, Mount Amiata
For a sophisticated Italy fat bike tour, you’ll want to journey to the Italian region of Tuscany. Here, you’ll find exciting fat bike tours that are technology-assisted to provide you with an enhanced cycling experience.
To make your journey on the fat bikes even more pleasurable, pedal-assisted fat bikes are offered on Mount Amiata. This is an excellent benefit for anyone who would rather not expend too much energy.
These one-of-a-kind fat bikes are also equipped with a cyclocomputer and a navigator to ensure you have a smooth ride.
Abruzzo, Gran Sasso
Italy is a country full of mountain regions, and this next destination embraces the landscape to offer you incredible views of the country.
The Gran Sasso National Park is a location full of mountainous routes and scenic trails that are a perfect fit for the fat bike.
In the Abruzzo region, you’ll find the modern bike park of Prati di Tivo where you can practise your downhill mountain biking. Here, you’ll find six slopes of different difficulty, from the 2000 metres of the Madonnina del Gran Sasso to the 1500 metres of Prati di Tivo.
There are numerous places that offer fat bike rides where you can also immerse yourself in the striking views of the mountainous landscape.
Mountain biking is definitely an experience to try at least once as an alternative to traditional mountain leisure activities, especially if you are a bike lover.
Get in touch
If you’re interested in an Italian adventure tour with fat bikes, get in touch with our Italian travel experts today. Contact us via our online form or call us at 61 2 9056 7018.
