The Birkie is hosting a Ladies Fatbike Getaway this January 6-8. It will be a weekend to ride the legendary Birkie Trail, polish your fat biking skills, and meet other women who aspire to or love to ride.
To learn more or register, visit the Ladies Fatbike Getaway
Interview with Kristy Maki, Event Director
All Photos: American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation ®
How many years has this been done and what were other year's like?
This is the 4th year of the event. We first held the event in 2018, but didn’t hold the event in December of 2020. In the past, we have held the event in December. The December event was a shorter event and snow wasn’t always reliable. In 2023, we are holding the event the first weekend in January with the hopes of more riding possibilities and a longer weekend to add in more skills, expert talks, good food, and fun!
How did Ladies Fatbike Getaway come about?
As fat bike riders ourselves, we recognized that the skills required for riding fat bikes are a little different than mountain bike skills- different body positioning, pedaling, gearing, etc.
Skills plus the care and maintenance of a bike in winter meant there were plenty of things to discuss and share with other women. It’s become a fun weekend of community building, sharing stories and knowledge, and increasing skills.
Tell me about the importance of women-specific events and why you chose to have it be this format.
Traditionally speaking, there aren’t as many women in bike and ski events. We felt a women-led event might help break down some of the worries that women have over trying fat biking. It quickly became a time for women to share experiences, knowledge, and passion with each other in a fun and community building way.
The Ladies Fat Bike Getaway is a time for women to focus on themselves, their health, and sport. We want everyone to have fun biking and feel prepared- the more questions the better, we have a lot to share with each other!
What would you want to tell someone who is new to fatbiking and doesn't know anyone else?
Visit your local bike shop, attend an event, and meet people that like to fat bike! Fat biking is so much fun with a group and you can increase your skills much faster with a few pointers.
Lots of fat bike tips and tricks aren’t things that are common (ex. lemon essential oil in water bottle to help it not freeze), so finding people to help you learn faster and make things more enjoyable helps you stay prepared and motivated! And bike at night- winter nights are so beautiful!
