Planning your fatbike rides

With most winter sports, you’re more likely to have a good experience if you check the maintenance condition of the trails before heading out. Fatbike trails, which have to be groomed, are no exception. Here’s some information to help you plan your outings.

HOW DOES GROOMING WORK?

There are two kinds of trails: single track and double track. These latter include the P’tit Train du Nord and the multifunctional trail. They are maintained by a grooming machine.

The single track trails are first packed down by snowshoeing and then widened with a shovel. About 25 cm of snow is needed to cover the ice of autumn, the roots and the rocks. As soon as there’s enough snow, out comes the snowmobile grooming machine. If all goes well, it takes about two hours to tour the full network of trails. If winds have been high, sometimes the groomer has to get out a shovel to allow the snowmobile to pass.

WHO SHARES THE TRAILS ?

Double-track trails are shared with cross-country skiers. On one side there are the twin parallel tracks for classic skiing and on the other, nice corduroy for skate skiing. It’s this latter that should be used. You’ll have to cross the classic tracks; it’s inevitable. When you do, try to cross at a perpendicular (90°, or a right angle) to avoid damaging them too much. Don’t forget that it’s easier for you to brake than it is for them, so be courteous and give them the right-of-way.

Some single-track trails are shared with snowshoers. We like them a lot cause they help pack down the snow.

Walkers without snowshoes, however, damage the surface in a way that’s hard to repair. Suggest they try a better experience. Maybe they don’t know it, but winter walking is allowed on the P’tit Train du Nord and on some trails in Domaine Saint-Bernard. No walking allowed on the multifunctional, but now there’s a nice trail on Le Géant golf course, starting from Tremblant Resort.

WHEN ARE CONDITIONS AT THEIR BEST?

First off, the harder the snow, the better. If it’s cold, that’s good. One small hiccup: dry snow softens the surface and makes traction more difficult. Wet snow hardens faster when it’s cold. If it’s warm, however, the snow changes to sugar snow and there again, traction becomes quite a challenge. In these situations, avoid steep slopes where you need good traction to get up the slope.

After a snowfall, double-track trails will provide good conditions more quickly than single, because the machinery used is heavier than on the other trails.

Grooming is usually done at night, which is why trails are closed then. Please note that if you set out on your fatbike too soon after the groomer does its work, you don’t give the surface time to harden.

WHERE SHOULD I START OUT?

Single-track trails are easily accessed from the Village, the Resort or the tourist office located at the intersection of montée Ryan and rue Labelle (which boasts a traffic circle now, but used to be called “the four corners”…and sometimes still is).

  • From the Village, take rue Séguin. The La Truite trail is on your left, just after the entrance to Circuit Mont-Tremblant.
  • From the Resort, take the multifunctional trail before meeting up with the Chouette Sud on your right, or on your left, the Pékan which leads to the Lynx.
  • From the “four corners”, there are options on the east side and west side of montée Ryan so as to avoid Villa Bellevue (double track).

Double-track trails are available starting from the Village, the Resort, the four corners, “centre-ville“  and even La Belle golf course and Le Maître golf course.

Let’s just note here that you don’t have to like mountain biking to appreciate the single-track trails. With its oversize tires, the fatbike provides better stability. And of course, the rocks and roots are covered by the snow.

WHAT’S WHERE IN THE TRAIL NETWORK?

 

Steep slopes

  • Cachée, both directions
  • Grand Pic, starting from the Jackrabbit Bridge
  • Les Pins Ouest, leaving from the Diable
  • Chouette Sud, on the Belvédère side
  • Belvédère, from the multifunctional trail

Beside a river

  • Diable, Lynx, Sciotte

The most beautiful view

  • Chouette Sud

The musts for trying single-track trails

  • Labyrinthe and Les Pins Est are the flattest
  • La Lynx runs beside the multifunctional trail so you can ride back on it easily if you prefer to do so.

Make sure that somebody knows your planned itinerary, particularly in winter. Cold prevents come phones from working. Always bring along a bottle of hot water to be sure that it doesn’t freeze.

ADVICE FROM THE “HEAD GROOMER”: PHILIPPE POIRIER, CYBERCYCLE

Traction is the key to success on the upward slopes. If you push suddenly and too hard on your pedals or if you stand up on your pedals, you decrease the pressure on your tires and don’t stick to the snow. Remain seated, lower your centre of gravity and stay centred to create equal pressure on your two tires. Pedal slowly but surely.

Be careful braking, too. Avoid blocking the tires to keep better control. What’s more, careful braking does less damage to the trails.

As seen in Tremblant Express journal, January 2018.

Keeping warm on your fatbike

When you play outdoors in winter, it’s important to wear clothes that breathe and protect you from the wind. If you’re a seasoned outdoors enthusiast, you undoubtedly know about layering up…dressing in layers that can be peeled off like an onion as you warm up.

Unless your priority is performance, it’s best to put comfort and warmth at the top of your list. Please note that the products mentioned below are available in most specialized stores in Mont-Tremblant, including Cybercylce, Bicycle Quillicot, and L’âme du Sport La Source du Sport. If you have questions, staff in the stores will be able to advise you.

Boots

I have always believed that it was preferable to opt for less-warm, but lighter, boots. At – 30 °C, however, the experience is much more pleasant with a good pair of well-insulated boots, even if you lose a bit in terms of performance. Remember, the pedals are made of metal, which conducts cold.

Boots with a clip exist and they’re practical, but less so than in summer. On a fatbike you have to keep your speed slow, because strong pedal strokes definitely reduce traction.

Hands

Obviously, mittens are warmer, but can make braking more difficult. Gloves with three fingers, which look like lobster claws, can allow you to have a good grip on your handlebars and to brake with one finger, as well as reducing heat loss. When it’s warmer, traditional gloves will keep you warm, but don’t forget that your arms are much less active than in cross-country skiing and that the brakes also conduct the cold.

In some rental operations, you’ll even find installed hand-protectors, inspired by snowmobiling. And because the colder it is, the better conditions are in general, hand warmers (HotShots) can be very useful.

Drinking

The small envelopes for the tubes from flexible personal water reservoirs don’t stop the tubes from freezing. Filling your container with very warm water and blowing into the tube to clear it after you take a swallow may help. There are insulated containers, as well.

Your eyes

Ski goggles can fog up when you release heat. The ideal is to wear glasses that protect your eyes from the wind and allow air to circulate between the frame and your face.

Advice from Philippe Poirier – Cybercycle

Start your trek with a maximum of 10 PSI in your tires. If the surface you’re travelling is soft, let some air out. You’ll have more control and do less damage to the trails.