The Dirtiest Dirty 30

Fat Tire Bike Week, which begins today in Crested Butte, is billed as "the planet's oldest mountain bike festival" and, as Dirty 30 birthday bashes go, this one will certainly have plenty of dirt. Start with a core-skills training session (June 22-24) or the Rippin' Chix Clinic (June 25) to...

By Colin Bane

June 17, 2010

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Fat Tire Bike Week, which begins today in Crested Butte, is billed as "the planet's oldest mountain bike festival" and, as Dirty 30 birthday bashes go, this one will certainly have plenty of dirt. Start with a core-skills training session (June 22-24) or the Rippin' Chix Clinic (June 25) to prep for the nitty-gritty, then hit the infamous Crested Butte Chainless World Championships (June 25, 4 p.m.), where gravity, cojones and a cool costume will be deciding factors in a dusty, drunken drift down Kebler Pass. More serious cyclists will be chaining up for the Mountain States Cup Wildflower Rush (June 25-27, www.racemsc.com), which includes the Fat Tire 40 (June 26, 8 a.m.), the Colorado State Downhill Championships and a Super D gravity race (June 27, 9:45 a.m.) with equal parts thrills and spills.

To get some grit where the sun don't shine, go for the three-day singletrack Gonzo Ride. And if your idea of "Fat Tire" has more to do with amber ale and those rad red cruiser bikes, try the more casual Bridges of the Butte 24-hour Townie Tour (June 26-27, 3 p.m.-3 p.m.), which benefits the Adaptive Sports Center (register at www.adaptivesports.org). "If you can imagine riding a townie bike around Crested Butte for an entire day, it's quite a feat,” says ASC marketing director Erin English. “It's a really colorful event, and we'll have our own Adaptive Sports Center team participating, including Jake O'Connor. Last year, Jake was the first person to go all 24 hours riding a handcycle." For all the week’s details and deals, visit www.FTBW.com.
June 22-27, 2010

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