This weekend I rode groomed (well, semi-groomed) trail centre trail, gravel fire road, old branch-strewn machine tracks through harvested commercial forestry, steep grassy fields crisscrossed by low stone walls (prime farmland as it's known in the west of Ireland), upland bog, tarmac national road, sandy beach, rocky beach, rocks pretending to be a beach, estuary mudflats at low tide and the steeply out-sloping sea wall of a small harbour.
Not bad for only my third time on a Fat Bike.
This weekend just gone was a Bank Holiday here in Ireland and the prospect of reasonably good weather was too good to pass up.
A very kind offer of 2 loaner Kona Wo's was also too good to pass up so a riding buddy was recruited in the shape of Derek O'D and a plan was made to hit the Coillte trail centre in Derroura on Saturday morning, do a lap for comparison purposes with the 26ers that we normally ride around there and then point the big bikes at the hills and head off-piste.
Saturday morning dawned, weather was looking good, warm and sunny but not to be trusted in Connemara so rain gear was packed. Coffee downed with one eye on the weather app and off out to Moycullen Bike Works to collect the bikes from Garry who was confined to the bike shop for the day.
The bikes in question are basically stock rigid 2014 Kona Wo's. Both are running Raceface 770mm bars. The medium bike is on a Surly BFL & Knard 3.8 combo with the large bike rolling on VRubber Missions.
I've ridden the smaller bike a couple of times now and am starting to get a feel for how to ride these big-tyred machines. It's Derek's first time on a fat bike but he's not lacking in skills having ridden for decades and I suspect I may have trouble keeping up once the going gets technical.
The trail centre at Derroura Mountain is only 30 minutes drive away and with dark clouds massing on the horizon we hit the road.
Derroura is a Coillte (Irish Forestry Service) mountainbike trail on the edge of Connemara wilderness. Built in 2007 and in need of redevelopment, the 16km loop winds around the peaks of Knockletterfore and Derroura and is generally rocky, wet, twisty and technical. It can be tough to get a regular trail bike around smoothly.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the Konas work on this terrain.
We arrive and unload the bikes to some bemused looks and questions from a group of roadies trying out mountain bikes for the first time.
I've learned that it's impossible to go anywhere on a fatbike without being stopped by someone who wants to know what the hell you're riding. I'm starting to feel like a fatbike evangelist at this stage and I do my best to convert these skinny tyre types to the cause. I don't think they buy my spiel.
Helmets on, rainjackets optimistically stowed and we hit the trail for three quarters of a lap to get around to a point where we can head for the hills.
My impressions of riding a fattie on 'normal' trails are mixed. There's no doubt that these bikes eat rocky climbs. This is probably helped by the fact that my normal trail bike is a 1x9 set-up so having 20 gears is luxury enough before you factor in the extra grip and stability of the Wo. Find the right gear to get that balance of traction and cadence right and this bike will climb anything, limited only by the skill and engine of the rider.
I'm not as sold on the downhill performance though. There's no getting away from the rigidness and the weight. Getting these rigs turned in takes muscle and skills that I've yet to develop, I think. The gyroscopic effect of the huge wheels is unusual and catches me out a few times when I try to move the bike around at speed. I suspect these are more failings of rider than bike though as on occasion I get the flow going and the bike just flies.
As if to prove that I'm definitely the root of any problems I might like to blame on the bike Derek leaves me for dead on the descent and arrives at the bottom with a huge grin.
I'm not unhappy to see the end of that rocky-as-hell downhill section and the start of the untracked terrain that lies beyond.
Following Garry's directions we pick up the years-old tracks of a logging machine and head off on a surface that looks unrideable to my eyes. Loose broken branches cover the machine tracks hiding rocks and sections of soft bog that look like they might eat a bike.
Once moving though, the Konas just keep on rolling. Once you keep momentum even mud up to the mech hanger won't stop these bikes. Only my lack of technique on the really steep climbs brings me to a halt and even then it's possible to get started again. On a 45 degree slope? These bikes are nuts.
We reach the top of a recently deforested ridge and realise that we've gone up the wrong side of the valley. The fireroad which we intended to rejoin is now a valley and steep hill away to out left and a long long hike-a-bike to get to.
On the plus side, the view from up here is stunning.
Lough Corrib is beneath us and I recognise a few landmarks from a previous hiking trip. If we can get to the track below us we can skirt around the top of the lake, join the N59 and get back to the trailhead on tarmac.
A quick calculation of the likely journey time, a quick phone-call home to phone in the plan and let the family know that I'll be late home, Saddles are dropped and we roll down the slope, dodging tree stumps with the rear brakes full on and roughly aiming for a stone wall that marks the edge of a steep grassy slope.
About 3 fields (that's a well recognised measure of distance over here, international readers...) lie between us and the track. 3 lush 45-degree-steep fields littered with big hillocks of grass and big rocks cleverly disguised as big hillocks of grass. Derek manages to find a rather picturesque 10 foot deep ravine and decides to inspect it more closely by dismounting over the bars for a look.
I narrowly avoid getting high-sided more than once but we make it down relatively unscathed. The Strava graph thinks we've ridden off a cliff.
The lakeside view is spectacular and we pause for the obligatory 'Bike leaning against.....' photo.
The trip from here to the N59 is largely flat and uneventful involving soft bog, forest road and about a dozen timber stiles to carry the bikes over. By stile number 6, I'm considering how many carbon fibre upgrades I can afford for my new Wo when it arrives. These bikes are not light.
We pop out onto the N59 via a section of bog and appear through a roadside hedge much to the surprise of a tourist motorist who could hardly have been expecting us.
The tarmac road spin back to the carpark is definitely not what the fatbike was invented for but still manageable and on the plus side, we can ride in the roadside verge should any passing motorist get too close. Try that on your roadbike.
All told, a great day out with not a drop of rain and the first time in a very long time that I've just gone exploring on a bike. We've been spoiled by trail centres and the convenience they provide. Mountain bikes for me were always about adventures and discovering untouched places and seeing hidden sights.
Fat bikes have reminded me of the fun we used to have as kids with self-imposed limits on where we could ride or how far. It's great to be back.
Oh yeah, I think Derek is a convert too. I'm getting good at evangelical Fat Biking. :)
Part 2 of this weekend of fatbikes follows shortly......
