Can You Ride A Fat Bike In The UK?

This is one of the most popular questions we get asked when it comes to customers looking to purchase a fat bike - whether or not the terrain in the UK is suited to the design and purpose of the bike and whether a purchase of a fat bike is a worthwhile investment here in the UK. Anyone who has been on a London commute of late will have noticed the increase in fat bikes on the daily commute, and we have to admit - the tarmac streets of our biggest cities are not the natural environment for a fat bike.

In the rough stuff, the UK provides plenty of terrain suitable for fat bikes and fat bike riders of all abilities, from the beginner to the advanced, which we will look at in greater detail later in this post.

What is a Fat Bike?

Before we discuss the best terrain in the UK for a Fat Bike, let’s examine this type of bike in greater detail and clarify what it is. A fat bike is a mountain bike with wide, low-pressure tyres designed to perform uncompromisingly on soft, unstable terrain like sand, snow, and even slippery mud. These bikes thrive where others struggle, turning the wettest and muddiest months into the most fun.

Why Ride a Fat Bike in the UK?

Whilst it may be the desert sands of Las Vegas or the Snow of the Alps that first attracted you to fat biking, here in the UK, we do pretty well on fat bike terrain.

First of all, we have plenty of mud - our famous UK damp climate allows us to enjoy riding fat bikes across muddy fields, boggy areas and muddy forests. Thick mud can often turn a mountain bike ride into a complete nightmare - but not with a far bike in your arsenal. Most bridleways, forest trails, and dedicated cycling paths are perfect for fat biking. Locations like Dalby Forest in Yorkshire and Grizedale Forest in the Lake District are great choices. These trails are well-maintained and suitable for fat bikes whether you're climbing steep hills or tackling rugged descents - in a completely new way.

Secondly, if you are lucky enough to live near the coast on this island of ours - you can enjoy all of the sand riding you can throw yourself at, this is perfect for both summer and winter months - with long coastal stretches such as the beach right here between Saltburn and Redcar being the perfect grounds for riding on sand. Fat Bikes are perfect for sand because their wide tyres simply glide over it. As well as the Yorkshire Beaches we have mentioned Crosby Beach near Liverpool or Perranporth in Cornwall are fantastic options for Fat Biking. It’s always best to check local rules to ensure riding is allowed on the beach, especially during peak tourist season - but it’s rare that anybody has any issues.

When we are lucky enough to get some snow here in the UK - Fat Bikes are the perfect choice to make the most of it - even making traditional snowsports such as sledging look boring! To maximise snowy enjoyment of your fat bike, we recommend taking a trip to hilly mountainous areas such as the Highlands of Scotland. As well as Scotland, Snowdonia and other national parks such as the North Yorkshire Moors National Park provide plenty of uninterrupted snow in the right weather conditions.

Regardless of waiting for perfect conditions for your fat bike, you can ride these extreme mountain bikes all year round, across a massive array of terrain, and have great fun in the process. Your local park, woodland, or common land is a great place to practice and get a feel for the unique handling of a fat bike, you may even get a few compliments and questions about your fat bike's radical design!

Can you Bikepack on a Fat Bike?

Fat Bikes make for the ideal bikepacking companion - they are comfortable enough to put up with long days in the saddle, and they are incredibly stable - providing excellent levels of traction across a range of terrains and weather conditions. Fat Bikes often also have really wide frames, and brands such as Surly who are the go to Fat Bike Manufacturer for many - often have loads of different mounting points and racks for everything from bottle cages to luggage - providing plenty of room for multi day trips.

Fat Biking Tips

One of the best tips when it comes to riding a fat bike, is to enjoy and experiment riding with low tyre pressures, 15psi is plenty for hard surfaces and 8-12 is usually good for soft surfaces such as snow and sand.

Fat Bikes can also be hard work to master at first - they are quite big and unwieldy when compared to standard mountain bikes - so get to know your fat bike well on flatter, less challenging terrain before pushing further and harder.

Lastly, because Fat Bikes can cover so much different terrain, remember to check where you can legally access and ride on bridleways, byways, and other such places, which are always our recommendations.

Buy Fat Bikes Online

Riding a fat bike in the UK opens up a world of diverse adventures, whether it’s exploring remote beaches, tackling forest trails, or braving snowy landscapes. Their versatility makes them perfect for the UK’s wildly varying terrains and weather.

At Westbrook Cycles, we stock and supply an excellent range of Fat Bikes from leading bike brands such as Surly. These fat bikes are all available to order online, and are shipped directly to you. Alongside the range of new fat bikes, we are also working hard to supply an excellent range of fat bike spares and components to support our customers.