The Penn Cycle Fat Bike Loppet, this last Sunday afternoon, before the Super Bowl, was again a big hit, even with man-made snow on the course. With many cycling enthusiasts here in the upper Midwest registered, fat biker’s were held to doing laps in Theodore Wirth Park, vs. riding down the Chain of Lakes in in Minneapolis, Minn. As wave, after wave, of racers started, the sun offered a balmy 15 degree air temp with a chilling wind out of the Northeast as they made their laps.

Lined up for the start of the 2015 Penn Cycle Fat Bike Loppet

Because of above normal temps in January, here in Minnesota, the racers stayed in the park doing three laps for a total of 24K. Normally, after pushing through the first leg of the course, in the hilly terrain of the park a 33K course takes contestants south – First under Highway 55 underpass, then bee-lining it to Brownie Lake, over to Lake of the Isles finishing on the west shore of Lake Calhoun.

Wave, after wave leaving the starting line for 24k of hilly trails. photo by Gal Alon

Each year, at the Penn Cycle Fat Bike Loppet riders of ‘Faties’ have a chance to ride on the groomed Loppet cross-country ski trail. Fat Tire bikes are otherwise not allowed on the snow covered groomed trail system and mountain bikes or other non-fat tire bikes are never allowed.

To view the list of riders and their standings who raced on Sunday, see Fat Tire Loppet 2015 results. To see all the photos taken by Gal Alon and Chris Chavie, go to the Penn Cycle Fliker site.

For photos of the 2014 Event click here.