You know how it goes. It's been a great summer of off-road biking, and you're looking forward to a couple months of spending fall on the woods and mountain trails. But when the ground begins to freeze, ice appears and then a dusting of snow, it's time to bail, strap fiberglass to your feet and hit the slopes.

Not anymore, said Andrew Dailey of Sidecountry Sports. That's because fat bikes have arrived on the scene, and they are the newest thing to help your legs carry you through the woods to Grandmother's house for a sip of rocket fuel.

What the heck is a fat bike? The most noticeable component is the freaky big tires. Those whoppers begin at 3.8 inches and go up to a 5-inch-wide tire. Compare that to a normal mountain bike tire, which is on average about 2 inches, and you see why it’s freaky fat.

And it's all that rubber, combined with lower tire pressure, that gives great traction to be able tackle, and even float, over the loosest of terrain. Fat bikes were originally developed and used in the snow in Alaska and deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. But it's fast becoming the all-terrain bicycle across the country.

That's not the only reason fat bikes have become the fastest growing segment of the bicycle industry over the past two years, said Dailey.

"Fat bikes have broken down a lot of barriers for people who might have difficulty riding bikes or are intimidated by biking," he said. "From people who have balance issues, to folks who are intimidated by roots and rocks on the trail to those avid bikers who want to bike in the winter across frozen lakes or hard-packed snowmobile trails. These bikes are for everyone and a lot of fun."

Adding to all that, Midcoast Maine is loaded with great trails.

The new section of trails on Rollins Road in Camden, near the Camden Snow Bowl, offers roughly 8 miles of excellent riding, said Dailey. There are miles of snowmobile trails in Warren just off of Route 90, the multi-use trail into Camden Hills State Park, the Kuller multi-use trail at the Camden Snow Bowl, not to mention any one of the many frozen lakes or ponds in the winter are spots to ride these bikes.

Because fat bikes can go places lesser (thinner-tire) bikes can't, it can be a lonely ride unless more people start doing it. To find other fat bike riders, other mountain bike riding enthusiasts in general, and trail and event information, visit the New England Mountain Bike Association at nemba.org.

Sidecountry Sports in Rockland and Maine Sport in Rockport are currently the two fat bike retailers in the Midcoast, so head over and jump on for a test ride or rent one for your next off-road biking adventure.