Cogburn fatbike a workhorse
Pack Wheel game cart carries it all
Rambo handles a range of gear
ultimate-hunting-e-bike /). Rambo also offers a fat bike as well as practical accessories like a bike cart and extralarge rack for carrying game out ( see the sidebar on this one too ).
Will Jenkins , founder of thewilltohunt . com , says hunting by bike is just a different experience and , once tried , will have hunters wondering why they didn ’ t do it sooner . He and Mark Waters , owner of Backcountry Recumbent Cycles , have written about the pros and cons of two-wheel hunting .
On the positive side , a bike is silent and can easily traverse varied terrain with little trace and less damage to the habitat . It can be fast , well , faster than walking anyway , and you can carry more gear with less effort by using a rear bike rack or a bike cart or even a trailer .
Fat bikes typically have less than 10 pounds of pressure in their wide tires , which makes travel over rough terrain , and even snow and sand easy . The lowpressure means wheels hug the ground more than a traditional mountain bike while providing increased stability and less erosion . OK , fatbikes are heavier ( 30 to 40 pounds ), can be slower uphill and cost more ($ 1,800 to $ 4,000 ) than a cheap mountain bike . But they ’ re rugged enough to stand the test when the going gets rough .
Besides being quieter , another advantage over the ATV is bikes don ’ t use fuel , so they don ’ t smell . ( Will Jenkins even uses a scent-free chain lube made by Rand Innovations , a company that also makes scent-free gun cleaner .) So there ’ s no scent to clue in a passing deer .
Also , riders can often get into areas off limits to motorized vehicles it . Often , animals in these areas are unaccustomed to humans and their behaviour hasn ’ t been patterned to avoid confrontation . So they ’ re easier to track and hunt .
Mark Waters notes that the expanding group of “ locavore ” youth are changing the traditional norms of hunting . This movement is coming from people who are highly aware of the environmental and ethical consequences of their activities , and are choosing bikes as an alternative to ATVs during hunting season .
What ’ s the downside to bikes ? Jenkins concedes that bikes get flat tires , especially if you run over cactus ( not much of that in Ontario ) and you ’ re more likely to fall off a bike going over a rotten log than just by walking over it .
And , by the way , to hunt by bike you need a non-couch-potato level of fitness , basic cycling skills – and a helmet !
Cogburn fatbike a workhorse
By Sheila Ascroft
Cogburn describes its CB 4 fatbike as “ a humanpowered all-terrain vehicle built to take hunters and anglers far into the backcountry quickly and quietly . Its massive 3.8-inch wide tires run at very low pressure to provide flotation and amazing traction over rough or soft terrain . The frame and fork receive a tough camouflage finish and the components are anodized black and bead blasted to a no-glare finish .”
Sounds like a hunting workhorse for the backcountry , and it is . The American-designed CB4 is equipped with wide-range gearing , disc brakes ( for stopping in water , snow and sand ) and a wide handlebar for control even while loaded .
Cogburn seems to have thought of everything : the aluminum frame ’ s lowered top tube The frames lowered top tube gives riders more ( ahem ) crotch clearance and comfort , making it easy to mount and dismount . This is really a help when a vertical rack to carry a bow or gun is mounted alongside the rear wheel and extends a couple of feet above the top of the rear tire ( try throwing your leg over that ).
“ If you ’ ve got a bow or a gun mounted there , you can ’ t swing your leg over the bike the way you would with a regular bike ,’’ says Bobby Dahlberg , Cogburn ’ s sales and marketing manager . “ That ’ s why we lowered the top tube , especially considering that hunters and anglers who ride the bike might be wearing boots or even waders .’’
Dahlberg said selecting gears for the bike was important , given the weight of equipment some hunters carry while riding off-road , and considering that hunters and anglers might have to ride uphill . “ The gearing is what we call a two-by-10 system ,’’ Dahlberg said . “ It has 20 speeds , 10 in the low range and 10 in the high .’’
Full-length housing for brakes and shifters protects the cables in rain , mud and dust . TIG-welded attachment points on the frame ’ s rear end allow the addition of a rack . ( Gear on the bike rather than your back means more agility and less fatigue for back and feet for longer hours in the field .)
In short , this high-quality bike is light , strong and responsive so you can go everywhere your hunting or fishing take you . Prices start around $ 2,200 U . S .
Pack Wheel game cart carries it all
By Sheila Ascroft
It doesn ’ t attach to a bike , but the Pack Wheel game cart ( www . packwheel . com /) uses a sturdy 20-inch bike wheel and operates much like a wheelbarrow . The collapsible cart is small and light enough to carry on your backpack while hunting or backpacking . If you shoot a deer or elk , just bone out the meat and use the cart to haul it off the mountain . No extra trips or help required !
At 8.75 pounds ( on a 20-inch wheel , with a medium handle ), the Pack Wheel is the lightest game cart or backpacking style cart on the market .
If you are worried it might act like a tippy wheelbarrow – don ’ t . The Pack Wheel has all the weight balanced over the wheel so that – not your arms – carries all the weight . Another difference from a wheelbarrow is a disc brake that controls the cart on the steepest of slopes , and in snow or mud .
Rambo handles a range of gear
The Rambo R35C is a camopainted fatbike designed to accept a gun / bow holder , a bike cart and any other necessities like an extra-large rack for transporting game from the woods . Prices start around $ 1,300 U . S .
And it offers add on options . Rambo ’ s universal lightweight gun or bow holder mount allows for secure attachment of any gun , bow , or even crossbow for hands-free , safe travel with your weapon . Price $ 130 U . S .
Rambo ’ s rugged yet lightweight extra-large rack offers increased tie-down storage space on the rear of the bike for gear or small game . Price $ 80 U . S .
Its bike cart is quickly and easily attached and can haul gear , camping equipment , tree stands , or larger game out of the backwoods . The cart also has a handle grab for use without the bike for hauling firewood , etc . Price $ 180 U . S .
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