Fat Bike Birkie

Saturday, March 13, 2027
Big Fat 47K / Half Fat 21K / Fun Fat 10K
American Birkebeiner Trailhead, Cable, WI

2026 Participant Guide

2026 Results

The Big Fat 47K Race • The Half Fat 21K Race • The Fun Fat 10K Tour

The Fat Bike Birkie is North America’s premier on-snow bike event. Riders test their skill and endurance on the professionally groomed American Birkebeiner Ski Trail, with options for every rider’s ability level. Choose from three epic distances: the Big Fat 47K race, the Half Fat 21K race, and the Fun Fat 10K Tour. And the fun doesn’t stop after the finish lines – test equipment at the Birkie Fat Bike Expo and enjoy the post-race party!

Fat Bike Birkie was voted the #1 Best Fat Bike Event in the Midwest by readers of The Nxrth.

The Fat Bike Birkie was also rated one of the American’s Top 5 Premier Fat Bike Events by Hycline.

Join us this winter and ride the route that riders can’t stop raving about — the snow-covered, world-famous Birkie Trail.

Fat Bike Birkie is an Open-Class Bike Race

The Birkie Trail Staff groomers share the goal of providing a firm surface to ride on for the races. However, course conditions and weather can vary widely, from hard packed to soft powder snow. We recommend that participants be prepared to race in any course conditions. Just like in the Birkie Ski race, Fat Bike Birkie participants are free to choose different equipment based on the conditions of the course. Bikes should equipped with at least 3.5 inch wide tires, suitable to course conditions.

Please note, Class 1 fat bike e-bikes are allowed in the Fat Bike Birkie. At this time, e-bike riders will not be eligible for awards or results placement. You must notify registration@birkie.com or tell us at bike plate pickup if you are riding an e-bike.

Riders will be assigned to multiple start gates based on the last 3 year’s of Fat Bike Birkie results for all races.

The Big Fat (47K) race will feature 4 start gates. Riders will be placed in one of these gates based on their best finish time from the previous 3 Big Fat or Half Fat (21K) races. Riders without a result in the past 3 Big Fat or Half Fat races will be assigned to Gate 4. If you have recent outstanding bike race results from other races and would like to be considered for an earlier starting Big Fat start gate, please fill out the upgrade application before February 6, 2026: Fat Bike Birkie Gate Upgrade Application – Google Forms

The Half Fat (21K) has just one start time and gate.

2026 Big Fat Gate Assignments Based on BIG FAT Results

Big Fat Gate	2025 Big Fat Finish Time	2024 Big Fat Finish Time	2023 Big Fat Finish Time
Gate 1	1:46:56 to 2:16:52	1:46:25 to 2:10:54	1:49:57 to 2:06:27
Gate 2	2:16:53 to 2:40:24	2:10:55 to 2:34:18	2:06:28 to 2:31:44
Gate 3	2:40:25 to 3:07:08	2:34:19 to 3:00:55	2:31:45 to 3:06:55
Gate 4	NEW PARTICIPANTS & PARTICIPANTS WITH NO RESULTS FOR LAST 3 YEARS	NEW PARTICIPANTS & PARTICIPANTS WITH NO RESULTS FOR LAST 3 YEARS	NEW PARTICIPANTS & PARTICIPANTS WITH NO RESULTS FOR LAST 3 YEARS

2026 Big Fat Gate Assignments Based on Half Fat Results

Big Fat Gate	2025 Half Fat Finish Time	2024 Half Fat Finish Time	2023 Half Fat Finish Time
Gate 1	ACHIEVED WITH BIG FAT RESULTS ONLY	ACHIEVED WITH BIG FAT RESULTS ONLY	ACHIEVED WITH BIG FAT RESULTS ONLY
Gate 2	0:49:06 to 0:56:28	0:38:35 to 0:46:18	0:51:35 to 0:59:19
Gate 3	0:56:59 to 1:08:44	0:46:19 to 0:53:15	0:59:20 to 1:11:11
Gate 4	NEW PARTICIPANTS & PARTICIPANTS WITH NO RESULTS FOR LAST 3 YEARS	NEW PARTICIPANTS & PARTICIPANTS WITH NO RESULTS FOR LAST 3 YEARS	NEW PARTICIPANTS & PARTICIPANTS WITH NO RESULTS FOR LAST 3 YEARS

American Birkebeiner Trailhead

All Fat Bike Birkie races start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead in Cable, WI. Access to the start area is available ONLY from Telemark Road off of WI Highway M. From Cable, WI, Take Highway M traveling East out of Cable for 2 miles. Turn right on Telemark Road.

Follow Telemark Road as it passes the former Telemark Lodge to the designated parking areas. Follow the directions of the parking attendants. The start is accessed via a short pedestrian path.

Friday, February 27

3:00 pm – 6:00 pm — Derksen Family Great Hall

Saturday, February 28

7:30 am – 9:30 am — Derksen Family Great Hall

*Subject to Change

Friday

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Tentative Pre-Ride
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm	Bike Plate Pick-up *New time!

Saturday

7:30 am – 9:30 am	Bib Pick-up
9:00 am	47k Big Fat Start
9:10 am	21k Half Fat Start
9:25 am	10k Fun Fat Start
11:00 am – 3:30 pm	Post Race Party!
11:00 am	Half Fat Overall Awards
11:30 am	Big Fat Overall Awards
12:00 – 12:30 pm	Age Group Awards
3:00 pm	Finisher Cut-off

Fat Bike Birkie Expo

The Fat Bike Birkie Expo provides riders with an awesome opportunity to test out top-of-the-line fat bike and outdoor lifestyle gear, chat with industry professionals, and collect event swag.

Course Maps

Big Fat

Half Fat

Fun Fat Tour

Course Description

The Big Fat 47K course will ride out on the Birkie Skate Trail to the Powerlines, make a quick turn to the left and rejoin the Classic Trail. After riding on the Classic Trail to OO, the course will return on the Birkie Skate Trail to the Powerlines where it will come into the finish.The Half Fat 21K course will ride out the Birkie Skate Trail to the Powerlines to Timber Trail where it will enter the Half Fat only course. The Fun Fat 10K Tour will ride on a mix of Birkie Classic Trail, smaller ski trails, and the Half Fat course before finishing the same way as the Big Fat 47K and Half Fat 21K races.

Aid Stations

Big Fat Aid Stations	Distance from the Start (K)	Cut-Off Time
Timber Trail Southbound	8	10:00 AM
Fire Tower Southbound	14	10:40 AM
Boedecker Southbound	19	11:15 AM
Boedecker Northbound	29	12:30 PM
Fire Tower Northbound	34	1:00 PM
Timber Trail Northbound	38	1:30 PM
Finish	47	3:00 PM

Half Fat Aid Stations	Distance from the Start (K)	Cut-Off Time
Timber Trail	8	10:30 AM
Ullr Hytte	13	11:15 AM
Finish	21	1:30 PM

Pre-Riding the Course

Stay tuned to find out when and where the pre-riding of the course will happen.

Please note that riding bikes on the Birkie Trail during the winter is only allowed on the days designated for the Fat Bike Birkie event. However, winter bike riding can be accessed from many of the trailheads utilizing the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association trail system. Trail conditions can be found on the CAMBA Winter FAT BIKE page.

No special equipment classes will be recognized in the Fat Bike Birkie results or awards. Tandems bikes are allowed but will not be eligible for an individual award category.

Award Ceremony

11:00 am – Half Fat Overall Awards

11:30 am – Big Fat Overall Awards

12:00-12:30 pm – Age Group Awards

*Awards will be given on a rolling schedule – must be present to receive your award!

Overall Awards

Overall Trophies will be presented to the first three male & female finishers of the Big Fat and Half Fat races. And the custom vests are BACK – overall finishers will also receive a vest from Borah! Cheers.