We’re in peak snow season now: races are stacking up, snow-bike worlds are coming, and half the internet is arguing about whether e-fatbikes are cheating (again). This week we’ve got big event news from Colorado to France, an updated “Best Gear” hub on Fat-bike.com, fresh winter layering chatter, and a Yukon story that proves 20 hours of darkness is still plenty of time to ride. Let’s get into the good stuff.

Fat Bike Worlds 2026 returns to Leadville (with Sauna Fest!)
Classic Worlds vibes, high-altitude racing, and hot-box recovery.
Fat Bike Worlds is headed back to Leadville, Colorado, January 23–25, 2026, with the 11th edition bringing updated courses and a brand-new Sauna Fest bolted onto the start/finish scene. Think lung-busting laps followed by steam-room diplomacy.
https://fat-bike.com/2025/12/fat-bike-worlds-leadville-2026/

Fat Viking 2026 — Winter ultra in Geilo, Norway
Iditarod energy, Euro flavor, and 150 km of “are we having fun yet?”
The Fat Viking winter ultra rolls out of Geilo, Norway on January 24, 2026, with 50 km, 100 km, and 150 km distances on snowmobile tracks, dog-sled routes, and ski trails, plus multiple checkpoints and bailout options if things go sideways. Training camp, fat-bike rental (with limited studded options), and a global “ride your own Fat Viking” variant round it out.
https://www.fat-viking.com/en
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fatviking/

UCI Snow Bike World Championships hit Châtel again in 2026
Super-G + dual slalom + studded rubber = proper snow bike chaos.
The 2026 UCI Snow Bike World Championships return to Châtel, France on February 7 with Super-G in the morning and dual slalom under the lights, all on stud-friendly courses carved into ski slopes—basically alpine racing but with fat tires and softer landings.
https://mbaction.com/the-snow-bike-world-championships-are-coming/

Gobi Desert Fat-bike Epic — 1,285 km in 26 winter days
Frozen chocolate, broken frame, and a very stubborn Polish cyclist.
ExplorersWeb profiles Mateusz Waligora, who rode ~1,400 km by fat bike across Mongolia’s Gobi Desert in winter 2025, dragging a trailer with 21 liters of water, 35 kg of food, and dealing with deep mud, broken bearings, and a cracked frame 25 km from the finish—plus losing a tooth to frozen chocolate. He still calls it “fun,” which tells you everything about fat-bike people.
https://explorersweb.com/polish-cyclist-completes-brutal-winter-ride-across-the-gobi-desert/

Yukon Winter: fat-biking through 20 hours of darkness
Giant’s Yukon E+ and a whole crew proving winter is a feature, not a bug.
Pinkbike teamed up with Giant to profile Whitehorse, Yukon’s winter fat-bike scene—groomed night laps, resurrected homemade snow groomers, and plenty of studded tires keeping things upright at stupid-cold temps, with e-fat assist helping folks juggle cold, effort, and long darkness.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/north-point-fat-biking-in-the-yukon.html

Best Gear for Fat-Biking (Updated Monthly) goes live for winter
Fat-bike.com just refreshed its Best Gear for Fat-Biking (Updated Monthly) page, pulling together studded tires, racks, pogies, lights, and winter clothing with in-stock, winter-ready links (many via AvantLink so you support the site while you shop). It’s basically your “buy once, ride all season” cheat sheet.
https://fat-bike.com/2025/12/fat-bike-gear-recommendations/

What’s your go-to layering system for cold fat-bike rides?
Fat-bike.com throws the question to the tribe.
This week’s Fat-bike Question of the Week digs into winter layering: readers are sharing real-world kits from merino-over-merino to plaid jackets and heat-exchanger masks. It’s a nice reminder that dialed layers matter more than fancy frame material when it’s properly frigid.
https://fat-bike.com/2025/12/whats-your-go-to-layering-system-for-cold-fat-bike-rides/

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Old Man Mountain Divide Fat Rack
Bombproof cargo for snow, sand, and “I brought too much stuff” season.
OMM’s Divide Fat rack is built to clear up to 26×5.0 / 27.5×4.6 tires and can haul serious weight with the right Fit Kit—perfect for winter groceries, hut trips, or dragging your coffee addiction into the woods. Winter-ready upgrade if you want one rack that does literally everything.
https://oldmanmountain.com/product/divide-fat-bike-rack/?srsltid=AfmBOorf8gHqijSmSqv60yXiJ0n5j7snjvaLhQVza8XXZlAreOb-AGhR

Bontrager Gnarwhal Fat Bike Tire (studded or studdable)
Deep-winter bite for when “hero snow” is just ice with PR ambitions.
Bontrager’s Gnarwhal fat tires come in both 26" and 27.5" options and are stud-ready so you can add carbide fangs when things get glassy; they’re built specifically for slippery winter conditions and low-pressure float.
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-tires/fat-bike-tires/bontrager-gnarwhal-fat-bike-tire/p/13271/

45NRTH Concave Carbide Tire Studs + Install Tool
For when the trail is more Zamboni than singletrack.
45NRTH’s concave carbide studs and matching insertion tool let you stud (or re-stud) your favorite fat tires with big surface-area crowns for maximum grip on glare ice. Think of it as winter mode: ON for your existing rubber.
https://www.45nrth.com/collections/studs-tools

Specialized Thermal Balaclava (on closeout all over)
Cheap insurance for ears, nose, and general “face region.”
Year-end sales have this balaclava heavily discounted at a bunch of shops, making it a low-risk upgrade if windchill keeps ending your rides early. Winter-ready, budget-friendly, and way better than a frozen beard.
https://mackcycle.com/products/specialized-thermal-balaclava

Weekly Dose of Fat Is Moving (and Why That’s a Good Thing)
How the Weekly Dose hopped over to Beehiiv and picked up a podcast feed on the way.
If you missed this site-news update, it explains why Weekly Dose now lives at news.fat-bike.com as an email-first newsletter with an audio version, while fat-bike.com focuses more on evergreen reviews and guides. Required reading for Dose lifers.
URL: https://fat-bike.com/2025/12/weekly-dose-of-fat-is-moving/

Fat (Video) Tuesday – Why You Need a Fat-bike Year ’Round
In case you needed a reminder that your snow bike still rips dirt and sand.
A Fat (Video) Tuesday pick that makes the argument for twelve-month fat-biking—snow, shoulder seasons, beach, whatever. Great share for that buddy who still thinks fat bikes are “just for winter.”
URL: https://fat-bike.com/2025/10/fat-video-tuesday-why-you-need-a-fat-bike-year-round/

Maine Huts & Trails x CRNEMBA Fat Bike Ride — Stratton Brook Hut (January 18, 2026)
Guided hut ride, lunch stop, and 8+ miles of groomed Maine winter goodness.
Part of the Winter Program Series, this group ride leaves the Stratton Brook trailhead at 11 a.m., uses CRNEMBA-groomed fat-bike trails and the Maine Hut Trail system, and lands at Stratton Brook Hut where food and drinks are available for purchase. Intermediate level, RSVP recommended.
Details/RSVP: https://mainehuts.org/event/winter-program-series-crnemba-fat-bike-ride/

Fat Pursuit — Island Park, Idaho (January 9–11, 2026)
30K, 60K, and 200K for the “I think sleep is optional” crowd.
Ultra-distance fat race in Island Park with distances from “fun suffering” to full 200K expedition. If you want to test your winter systems under real-world conditions, this is the lab.
https://www.fatpursuit.com/

Fat Bike Worlds 2026 — Leadville, Colorado (January 23–25, 2026)
Worlds, but make it party.
Three days of racing, group rides, and shenanigans in Leadville’s high-altitude snowpack, now with an even spicier course plus Sauna Fest at the venue. E-fat categories and fun races mean you don’t have to be fast to have a ridiculous amount of fun.
https://www.fatbikeworlds.org/

Frozen Fat Fondo Fest — Davenport, Iowa (January 31, 2026)
Midwest snow, river views, and a big group ride vibe.
QC FORC’s Frozen Fat Fondo Fest returns to Davenport with snow (usually), laps along the Mississippi, and plenty of post-ride beverages. Great event if you’re Fondo-curious and don’t want World Champs pressure.
https://www.bikereg.com/73181

Winter Woolly — Highland Mountain Bike Park, NH (February 14, 2026)
Lift-served fatbike day. Yes, really.
Highland’s Winter Woolly opens the lifts for one day of groomed DH fat-biking and a dedicated fat DH race. Tires must be 3.8"+, stoke must be high. If you’ve ever wanted to ride proper bike-park lines in the snow, this is your sign.
https://highlandmountain.com/winterwoolly/

Fat Bike Birkie — Hayward, Wisconsin (February 28, 2026)
North America’s premier on-snow bike race.
The Big Fat 47K, Half Fat 21K, and Fun Fat 10K all roll on the professionally groomed Birkie ski trails, plus an expo and a solid post-race party. If you’re in the Midwest, this is basically fat-bike prom.
https://www.birkie.com/bike/events/fat-bike-birkie/

Giant Yukon E+ keeps Yukoners rolling through the dark
E-fat in the Yukon: more laps, fewer frostbite incidents.
The Pinkbike/Yukon story features Giant’s Yukon E+ as the go-to machine for long, dark winters—helping riders manage effort and temperature while still logging meaningful rides on groomed trails.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/north-point-fat-biking-in-the-yukon.html

HOVSCO HovAlpha 26×4 commuter e-fat (via Fat-bike.com gear list)
Torque-sensor e-fat for snowy errands and all-weather commuting.
Fat-bike.com’s gear hub calls out the HovAlpha 26×4 as a budget-friendly 26" e-fat option for winter commuting and grocery hauling, with proper 4.0" rubber and plenty of mounts.
https://fat-bike.com/2025/12/fat-bike-gear-recommendations/

Aventon fat e-bike pick for adventure duties
Suspension, 4.0" tires, and enough wattage to drag camp into the snow.
The same Best Gear page also highlights an Aventon adventure-oriented e-fat with 80 mm suspension and 4.0" tires—a solid fit for long winter rides, packed snow, and light bikepacking where assist makes the difference between “fun” and “I can’t feel my soul.
https://fat-bike.com/2025/12/fat-bike-gear-recommendations/

Quick note on e-fat battery care in the cold
Don’t murder your expensive bricks.
Across winter e-bike guides, the consensus is: keep batteries warm before rides, avoid fast charging when they’re frozen, and expect some range loss in sub-zero temps. Treat your pack kindly and it’ll get you home when the groomer hasn’t been out yet.

Where to Go Fat Biking in Maine This Winter
From hut networks to coastal views, Maine’s quietly stacked.
Down East’s “Where to Go Fat Biking in Maine This Winter” highlights how many of the state’s ski areas, preserves, and trail centers now groom for fat bikes and offer rentals—great pairing with Maine Huts & Trails resources and other local guides like Green & Healthy Maine’s fat-bike roundup.
https://downeast.com/travel-outdoors/fat-biking-in-maine/

That’s the updated Dose for this week: Worlds, Vikings, hut trips, a desert epic, and plenty of ways to keep riding instead of staring at the trainer. If you end up at Fat Viking, a Maine hut ride, or any of the events above, send photos and a quick report—we love sharing real rider stories.

If you know someone who’s fat-bike-curious (or just winter-grumpy), forward this along and help them find a little more snow and sand in their life.

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