News

CRESTED BUTTE, CO – In a town where bikes outnumber people, cars and corporate jobs, it’s no surprise when a festival dedicated to all things biking goes off the chain. Such was the case during Crested Butte’s 30th annual Fat Tire Bike Week from June 22 to 27, 2010.

The festival combined races and rallies – recreational and competitive – plus live music, to create an all-you-can-pedal biking buffet. Companies from Titus to Trek to Green Guru rolled in trailers and set up tents at the tech expo adjacent to the Mt. Crested Butte base area; Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe played a free show uptown as well, on an impeccable June summer night.

Sure, portions of this event revolve around legitimate competition. When you think racing, maybe the Tour de France comes to mind, or Mountain States Cup races pitting über athletes head-to-head in a cross-country frenzy or on the downhill course. There was plenty of that during FTBW, with the Wildflower Rush Downhill, Fat Tire 40 cross-country race, as well as the 4X competition attracting top riders from around the Rocky Mountain region.

These sanctioned races go off all summer long at venues across the state and country. Participants are either wearing ultra light spandex suits or overbuilt Mad Max-like downhill protection. But other FTBW events like the Chainless World Championships and Bridges of the Butte 24-Hour townie race require only cruisers, costumes and canned beer. And they are unique to Crested Butte and FTBW.

I rode in the Chainless race for the first time this year, and it is officially my favorite local event. From the start, riders are dished paper plates with their registered number or name, bused up to the top of Kebler Pass and unleashed on the downhill. Rickety old balloon tire townies, custom cruisers, hand-built I-beam choppers…you’ll see it all in the Chainless. No pedaling aloud, so if you don’t remove your chain a zip-tie is fastened to the chain ring to keep you from spinning (while still allowing you to brake). No brakes meant there was some serious potential for carnage on the last couple of corners.

Mark Peterson, owner of Back Alley Bikes in Crested Butte, always has last-minute Chainless riders scrambling to get a bike together before the race. He also sponsored the cruiser-friendly Bridges of the Butte 24-Hour townie tour; proceeds from the ride benefit the Adaptive Sports Center. Participants secure pledges before the race and ride through the night either solo or on a team, touring through Crested Butte and across all its bridges.

Cruisers are becoming more popular all the time, and Peterson has the lone dedicated townie shop in town. “What’s cool is that everyone likes them,” he said. “Everyone that comes in here, they say ‘Oh, I had that bike when I was a kid.’ People can relate to them; it’s not as complicated as a high-end mountain bike and they’re just fun to ride. I had an 18-year-old girl that never rode a bike in her life come in and buy an old townie, and learn to ride a bike when she was here.”

That same spirit and passion for biking culture drives riders from around the country to Fat Tire Bike Week in Crested Butte each year. It’s a one-of-a-kind event, in a one-of-a-kind town. Whether you’re into the race pace, or just cruising around with the Elk Mountains as your backdrop, FTBW provides more than one reason to get on your bike.

More info: ftbw.com

Writer/photographer Mike Horn lives in Crested Butte, CO, and his cruiser is still busted up from bombing the Chainless Race. He’s editorial director for the StokeLab Digital Media Project, rider in chief for Backcountry Magazine, a reporter at the Crested Butte News and freelancer for a number of publications and clients.