Dec 13, 2019

Nalovardo the Movie - Cycling on top of the World

'Nalovardo' might sound a bit like a South American tv-detective from the seventies, with a moustache as big as a small dog and jeans so tight they make your eyes water... the truth however is so much cooler. We must admit though, he does look pretty cool.

Nalovardo is a beautiful place in the north of Sweden that's becoming known for a very distinctive cycling event that comes but once a year, a bit like Christmas. This event is "Nalovardo Fatbike Race". We've blogged about this before, but so what, here's some more Nalovardo goodness!

We ran into Pontus, one of the organisers (and founder!) the other day when he popped down to Sigr HQ from Nalovardo to show us his new Nalovardo movie (FYI 'popped down' in Sweden can be used for journeys anywhere up to 300 km) and before you get excited, no enormous moustaches in sight. More about the movie later.

Pontus explains "Why Fatbike?"
- With a Fatbike you can extend the season. I love to ride outside all year round and a Fatbike helps me do that. I can ride any terrain in any conditions. I also ride a road bike for Team Sigr when I'm not half way up a mountain or deep in a forest somewhere.

We asked Pontus to tell us a bit about some of the myths and misconceptions, 'mythconceptions' if you will, that people have about Fatbiking. Here are his top 6...

1. Fatbiking's just a fad isn't it, soon to go the way of the dinosaurs?

- Fatbiking has actually been slowly but surely gaining traction over the last 20 years and is spreading like wildfire across the globe. Large bike brands have not been able to keep up with demand and Nalovardo Fatbike Race entrants have increased by about 20% year after year. Even more than that actually in the women's class.

2. Aren't they heavy and slow?

- Nope, where other bikes stop, a Fatbike keeps on going. You can tire yourself out on any bike if you want to, but in winter, a Fatbike is just the right choice.

3. Is Fatbike more like MTB or road?

- Fatbike is actually more like road cycling. You need to plan your ride and get in a flow. MTB is more technical in comparison.

4. Won't I look fat on a Fatbike?

- Due to the very advantageous tyre to butt width ratio (τ/ß), your bum will definitely NOT look big on this.

5. You need to pump the tyres as hard as you can for max snow float?

- As a rule of thumb, always have less air than you think you need or you won't get the best out of the tyres. Last year's winner stopped to let air out to improve grip! Everyone thinks that high pressure means easier rolling but on loose surfaces like snow or mud, the opposite is true. A softer tyre will stop you sinking. 0.3-0.8 bar is a Fatbike's optimal zone.

6. You must have thighs like the Incredible Hulk!

- Do I look like the Hulk? Time for you to try Fatbiking for yourself!

And now for the fanstastic new Nalovardo film. If this doesn't make you want to try Fatbiking, we don't know what will!