Get Phat With Pat Winter Fatbike Races Return to the MN River Bottoms in January

Penn Cycle & Fitness will hold the Get Phat With Pat Fatbike Races for the fourth year at the Minnesota River Bottoms in Bloomington on January 23rd and 30th.  They are co-sponsored by and are a part of the Bloomington Winter Fete.

The Details: 

Both races will be held at the Russell A Sorenson Landing at the end of Lyndale Ave. S. in Bloomington, MN underneath the 35W bridge.  Registration will start and 9 am the morning of each race and closes 30 minutes prior to race start. Registration will require a $10 entry fee and also a $5 donation to MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists) which will help the non-profit volunteer organization pay for trail maintenance, equipment and fund their 2016 season.

Fat bikes (3.8” tires and wider) are recommended. Depending on course conditions and entries, there may be a separate class for non-Fat-Tire bikes. Spectators are encouraged and welcome!  There will be three race classes for each race day; Beginner, Recreational and Advanced.  The Beginner class race will start at 10:15 am and consist of one lap, the Recreational class race starts at 10:00 am and is two laps, the Advanced class race starts at 12 noon and will be three laps.

The race course will be similar to last year's race with a new section in the East segment that lies between Lyndale Avenue and Cedar Avenue.  Start and Finish will be under the 35W bridge with the course heading West before turning around near Nine Mile Creek for an additional loop East of the Lyndale Ave. parking lot.  The lap will be a loop of about 6 miles with one section of trail heading out and another heading back.

An agreement with the City of Bloomington will allow many temporary sections of trail for the races.  The race course will be groomed and ready to ride one week before the first race.  Riding the temporary course once established is encouraged to pack down the trail.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers in each category.  There will be plenty of swag given away to race participants at the conclusion of each day's races.  A Grand Prize Drawing for a Trek Farley fatbike frame and fork will be held at the January 30th race for race participants*.  All prize winners must be present to claim their prizes.  *To be eligible for the Grand Prize you must race in both races.

Get Phat with Pat will not only be fun but the weather will also make it challenging as we saw at the second race last year.  Thanks to Pat Sorensen and Penn Cycle & Fitness for organizing these races and the City of Bloomington for allowing them to take place at the Minnesota River Bottoms.  I'll see you there.

Facebook Event Pages

Get Phat With Pat-Race #1

Get Phat With Pat-Race #2 

3rd Annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival at Lebanon Hills October 3rd

The 3rd Annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival is coming up on Saturday, October 3rd at the West Trailhead at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan.  This fun-filled free event is made possible through Dakota County Parks and a partnering with MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists), local area bike shops, businesses and organizations. 

Join in on the fun and celebrate one of Minnesota's best mountain bike trail systems and the many hours of volunteer work that MORC members have put in to maintain nearly 12 miles of single-track.  This event is not only for the avid mountain biker but also a fun and festive way to introduce new riders to the sport.

Scheduled activities include Build Your Skills Sessions, Gear Talk Sessions, Fix-It Clinics, bike demos, group rides, timed competitive events, kids’ activities and live music.  Food and beverage, including beer will be available for purchase on-site.

"This is event is ½ fun community festival trying to introduce mountain biking and the fantastic amenities at the West Trailhead at Lebanon Hills Regional Park to a greater audience and ½ recognition for MORC for the many MANY hours their volunteers put in making that system possible." - Katie Pata, Park Operations Coordinator for Dakota County Parks

Updates for the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival can be found on the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival Facebook event page.  Let 'em know you're going by visiting the new online reservation system page for the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival or by calling 952-891-7000 during standard business hours.

 
Event parking will be available at the West Trailhead and at the School of Environmental Studies just a couple of blocks to the south on Johnny Cake Ridge Road.  Overflow street parking is also available along Galaxie Avenue with entrance to the bike trails.  Overnight camping at the Lebanon Hills Campground (located just across the road, and south about half mile from the event grounds) is an option for those needing accommodations.  Camping reservations can be made by visiting the Dakota County Campgrounds page.

Two Trek Factory Demo Days Coming to the Twin Cities This Fall

Trek has announced two more Factory Demo days for the Twin Cities this year.  They will take place at Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trails on Saturday, September 26th and Elm Creek Singletrack on Sunday, September 27th.  Both demos will be held from 10am to 3pm.

Some of the bikes (in various sizes) that will be available to test ride include:

Road Bikes
Domane 6.2 
Emonda SLR 6

Silque SLX

Madone 9.2

Mountain Bikes
Procaliber 9.8

Stache 9

Farley 9.8

Top Fuel 9.8

Fuel EX 9.9 29
Fuel EX 9 27.5

Lush Carbon 27.5

Remedy 9.8 29
Remedy 9.8 27.5

Slash 9.8

Don't miss this opportunity to ride some of Trek's best bikes.  The Trek Demo Rig will be loaded with new bikes that most people have yet to see, let alone ride.  These demos are a great way to try out several and get a feel for the one that will be your next new ride.  Bonus, receive a $100 coupon for demoing a Trek bike.

*List of bikes for demos is subject to change.

*Demo is subject to weather and trail conditions at that time! Riders will need their DL and CC in order to demo. Must be at least 16yrs old and have a parent present if under 18.

Two Trek Factory Demo Days Coming to the Twin Cities This Spring

Trek has announced two Factory Demo days for the Twin Cities this Spring.  They will take place at Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trails on May 23rd and Murphey-Hanrehan Park Reserve on May 24th.  Both demos will be held from 10am to 3pm.

Some of the bikes (in various sizes) that will be available to test ride include:

Road
Domane 6.2 C
Domane 6.2 Disc
Emonda SLR 6 H2
Silque SLX C

Cyclocross
2016 Boone Disc

Mountain Bikes
Remedy 9.8 29
Remedy 9.8 27.5
Slash 9.8 27.5
Fuel EX 9.8 29
Fuel EX 9.8 27.5
Stache 9
Lush S 27.5
Cali Carbon SL 29
Farley 6

Don't miss this opportunity to ride some of Trek's best bikes.  These demos are a great way to try out several and get a feel for the one that will be your next new ride.  Bonus, receive a $100 coupon for demoing a Trek bike.

*List of bikes for demos is subject to change.

*Demo is subject to weather and trail conditions at that time! Riders will need their DL and CC in order to demo. Must be at least 16yrs old and have a parent present if under 18.

Penn Cycle To Host Two Weekly Mountain Bike Rides This Spring and Summer

The 2015 Women's Wednesday Night Mountain Bike Ride is open to women of all riding abilities.  Riders must be at least 18 years of age and helmets are required.  The ride schedule starts May 27th and goes through September 16th where it will wrap up with an end of the season party.

Trail locations include Lebanon Hills, Murphey-Hanrehan, MN River Bottoms, Terrace Oaks, Carver Lake Park and Theodore Wirth Park.  Depending on the trail location, riders will meet either at the park or the nearest Penn Cycle store.  Rides leave at 6pm.  June 24th at Lebanon Hills will include a Giant Liv Demo and skills session.  Ride leaders Valerie Dosland and Janet Atkinson can be contacted for more information.  See the ride schedule for dates, locations and contact information.

The 2015 Penn Cycle Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Ride was put together and will be led by members of the Penn Cycle Mountain Bike Team.  It is for anyone (male or female) that has intermediate to advanced MTB riding skills.  Riders must be at least 18 years of age and helmets are required.  The ride schedule starts May 5th and goes through September 29th.

Trail locations include Lebanon Hills, Murphey-Hanrehan and the MN River Bottoms.  All rides will start/finish at the Penn Cycle Eagan store located at 2290 Cliff Road and will depart at 5:30pm sharp.  Ride locations will be determined by ride leaders by Sunday for the following Tuesday and will be posted on the Penn Cycle Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Ride Facebook Group.  Join the group to stay in the loop.  In cases of inclement weather or trail closures due to wet conditions, a decision to cancel the ride will be made by 5:00 pm.  Call Penn Cycle Eagan at 651-882-1241 for more information or for availability of mountain bike rentals.

Get Phat With Pat Winter Fatbike Races Coming to the MN River Bottoms in January

Penn Cycle & Fitness will hold the Get Phat With Pat Fatbike Races for a third year at the Minnesota River Bottoms in Bloomington on January 17th and 24th.  They are co-sponsored by and are a part of the Bloomington Winter Fete which runs from January 17-25.

Flyer Link

The Details: 

Both races will be held at the Russell A Sorenson Landing at the end of Lyndale Ave. S. in Bloomington, MN underneath the 35W bridge.  Registration will start and 9 am the morning of each race and closes 30 minutes prior to race start. Registration will require a $10 entry fee and also a $5 donation to MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists) which will help the non-profit volunteer organization pay for trail maintenance, equipment and fund their 2015 season.

All bike styles, fat or skinny are welcome to participate.  There will be three race classes for each race day; Beginner, Recreational and Advanced.  The Beginner class race will start at 10:15 am and consist of one lap, the Recreational class race starts at 10:00 am and is also one lap, the Advanced class race starts at 12 noon and will be two laps.
 

Nine Mile Creek Crossing

The race course will be similar to last year's race with a few areas that will be different.  Start and Finish will be under the 35W bridge with the course heading west past the railroad swing bridge before returning.  There will be an ice crossing for Nine Mile Creek but if the ice is deemed unsafe due to warm weather, the cottonwood tree crossing will have to be used.  The lap will be a loop of about eight miles with one section of trail heading out and another heading back.

An agreement with the City of Bloomington will allow many temporary sections of trail for the races.  The race course will be groomed and ready to ride one week before the first race.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers in each category.  There will be plenty of swag given away to race participants at the conclusion of each day's races.  A Grand Prize Drawing for a 9:Zero:7 fatbike frame and fork will be held at the January 24th race for race participants*.  All prize winners must be present to claim their prizes.  *To be eligible for the Grand Prize you must race in both races.

Top 3 Advanced Class Women - 2014

Pat was recently on Mountain Bike Radio and talked with host Ben Welnak about the upcoming Get Phat With Pat races.  Click here to listen to that segment of the show. 

See all of my photos and some video from last year's Get Phat With Pat races on Flickr.

Race #1

January 18, 2014 

Race #2 

January 25, 2014

Get Phat with Pat will not only be fun but the weather will also make it challenging.  Thanks to Pat Sorensen and Penn Cycle & Fitness for organizing these races and the City of Bloomington for allowing them to take place at the Minnesota River Bottoms.  I'll see you there.

Facebook Event Pages

Get Phat With Pat-Race #1

Get Phat With Pat-Race #2 

2nd Annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival at Lebanon Hills October 4th

The 2nd Annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival is coming up on Saturday, October 4th at the West Trailhead at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan.  This fun-filled event is made possible through Dakota County Parks and a partnering with MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists), local area bike shops, businesses and organizations.

Join in on the fun and celebrate one of Minnesota's best mountain bike trail systems and the many hours of volunteer work that MORC members have put in to maintain nearly 12 miles of single-track.  This event is not only for the avid mountain biker but also a fun and festive way to introduce new riders to the sport.

Image Credit: Dakota County Parks

The Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival is a family-friendly free event, however Dakota Co. Parks would like attendees to pre-register online or by calling 952-891-7000 during standard business hours.  Come down between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm for a day filled with activities.

Image Credit: Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook Page

Scheduled activities include Build Your Skills Sessions, Gear Talk Sessions, Fix-It Clinics and live music by Twin Cities bluegrass band Sans Souci.  Throughout the day there will be bike tune-ups, kids activities, timed competitive events, group rides and a VIP Lounge presented by Freewheel Bike.  Food and beverage, including beer and wine will be available for purchase on-site by Green Mill.

There will be plenty of new bikes to demo at this year's festival.  The Trek Factory Demo Rig will be there with brand new Mountain, Road and Cyclocross models to test ride on the mountain bike trails, skills park and nearby bike paths.  The Specialized Demo Rig loaded with 2015 men's, women's and kid's bikes will also be there and event partner Valley Bike and Ski is coming with Giant, Felt & KHS demo models.  All demo rides are free but may require you to bring your helmet, credit card and driver's license to demo bikes.

 

Parking is free but limited at the West Trailhead lot.  Overflow event parking is available at the School of Environmental Studies (12155 Johnny Cake Ridge Road) located just South of the West Trailhead entrance.  Additional street parking can be found along Galaxie Avenue on the west side of the park and in neighborhoods near the park.

Image Credit: Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook Page

This is a rain or shine event.  Dakota County Parks will have a large canopy tent on-site to keep people dry if it does rain.  Severe weather or lightening may postpone or cause events to be rescheduled later in the day.  If wet trail conditions close the mountain bike trails, nearby paved trails and the old gravel parking lot are available for test-riding bikes.  Check the Lebanon Hills Mountain Bike Trail Facebook page for hour by hour updates in the event of severe weather the day of the Festival.

Visit the Dakota County Parks Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival page for more information or call the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center at 651-554-6530.  Thanks to Event Partners MORC, Penn Cycle, Erik's Bike and Board, Trek, Freewheel Bike, Valley Bike and Ski and Health Source Chiropractic for making the Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival possible.

Penn Cycle Shoots for a Record Turnout for Last Thursday Night at the Races of the Season

Image Credit: Michael Speake

The finale of Penn Cycle's 23rd season of the World Famous Thursday Night at the Races is bound to be a great event.  Thursday, August 7th at Buck Hill is where it all goes down.  Bring the whole family out for the racing fun, food and music that has made this a summertime Thursday Night tradition.

If you've never raced at Buck Hill, come out for the fun or the competition of mountain bike racing on the slopes.  Whether you are a beginner, recreational or advanced rider, there is a race class for you.  Registration begins at 5:00 pm with races starting at 6:30.

Highchair Kings Performing

Pat Sorensen has booked special musical guests, Highchair Kings to perform live for the crowd.  This Minneapolis band headed up by singer/songwriter Trevor Lettman and bassist Jared Hedberg will bring their indie rock sound with hits like Crush Gravel, Endo and Suckers of the World.  To download a free 4-track sampler of their debut EP, click the Free Download button below.

Giant & Liv Demo

Giant will be holding their Liv Women's Demo and Ride Life Ride Giant Demo with a fleet of road and mountain bikes in a range of sizes to test ride.  Liv models available include Avail, Brava, Envie, Obsess, Intrigue and Lust.  Giant models available include TCR, Propel, Defy, Revolt, XTC Anthem, Anthem SX, Trance, Reign and Stance.  Please bring your helmet, shoes, credit card and identification to demo a bike.

Image Credit: Wyatt Jirsa

Image Credit: Wyatt Jirsa

As always there will be plenty of food and drink on hand to purchase.

Image Credit: Gal Alon

After the adult races watch the kids get their turn at racing on the kids course.

The adults then take to the kids course on kids bikes.  Watch the hilarity ensue as Pat shoots for the win.

The last race of the season last year drew a record crowd of 292 racers.  Pat told me, "I hope we can beat the record from last year. Everybody come on out!"