First fat bike race cycles through Manitoba on Sunday

More than 85 cyclists participated in a fat bike race at Fort Whyte Alive on Sunday, and organizers say the event is the first of its kind in Manitoba.

Woodcock Cycle and 2 Wheel Revolution were behind the winter race.

"What encouraged us was to get a lot of people out and kind of get this sport organized because it is a bit of a different cycling sport," said Jackson Locken, one of the race's organizers, noting the race was called the Winnipeg Whyte Out.

"This was the first [fat bike race] in the province, first one in the city but there's really not a lot of events like this even in Canada so it's just to bring the community together," Locken said.

The goal of Sunday's race was to celebrate an active winter lifestyle, Locken said, and he said with no wind, participants couldn't have asked for better weather.

Fat bikesare larger than typical mountain bikes, with wheels a minimum of 2.5 inches thick, making it a stable ride, even in snow or over ice. According to race organizers, the bikes are growing in popularity in Manitoba.