The Cannon Beach Fat Bike Festival - Fun for the Whole Family

Mark your calendars for May 17 - 19, 2019. Get your helmets ready.

It's time for the Second Annual Cannon Beach Fat Bike Festival!

Unique to the Oregon Coast, the Cannon Beach Fat Bike Festival had its first beach bike cruise in April of 2018 and plans to more fun in the future. It's a weekend full of activities that are great for family fun!

Whether you are a bike enthusiast or just enjoy an occasional cruise, this event is a great one to add to the calendar.

The name comes from the fun filled main event, a 14-mile ride along the scenic Northern Oregon Coast. In 2018, the 14-mile sandy beach ride followed Ecola Creek to Arch Cape and back. This is not a race, rather a joy ride in which participants will be stopping at destinations to learn about the Northern Oregon Coast while discovering poker cards that can be turned in for prizes.

How fun is that?

Throughout the weekend you'll find lots of additional activities:

sunset beach ride
big bonfire
fat bike games and activities
the main event 14-mile ride
party at a local pub
beach cleanup

Follow the Cannon Beach website to get updates on specifics of the event for this year! The details for this weekend event have not been released yet but it is expected to look similar to 2018. Last year was a blast and we are expecting big things for 2019!

Rental Bikes Perfect for the Northern Oregon Coast

If you’re interested in joining the festival or just interested in joy riding along the coast, it is important to know what types of bikes are needed for your activity. Depending on what you are doing on your vacation, there are two types of bikes that you should look into when renting bikes in Northern Oregon: cruiser bikes and fat bikes.

Below is a quick overview of the difference of the bikes and when you might use then while visiting or traveling the Northern Oregon coast. And don't forget: the local bike shops are experts and willing to answer any questions regarding which type of bike is needed for your specific adventure.

What is a Cruiser Bike?

Cruiser bikes are single-speed bikes that are meant for casual rising. Think of these bikes as the classic bikes you see people riding on boardwalks. Designed for comfort, the bikes have upright seating position and have large seats.

The cruiser bikes are designed primarily for paved roads. These are great rental bikes if you are looking to cruise around town or on paved trails throughout the area. The cruiser bikes are known for their easy ability to ride, so someone who hasn’t ridden in years will be able to jump on this bike and ride with stability. The stability comes from the large balloon tires, rather than thin or tubeless tires.

Despite the cruiser bike being designed for paved roads, some have used them on the sand as beach bikes. Although, if you are looking for a bike that can be ridden on the beach comfortably without causing negative environmental impacts, you should consider renting a fat.

What is a Fat Bike?

A fat, or fat tire bike, is exactly how it sounds: a bike with fat tires. The tires on fats are unique because the bike has larger rims, and larger tires in regard to height and width. Think of the fat tire bikes as a beach cruiser bike. Although the fat bikes are for all types of terrain, using this bike to ride on a beach is a must when in Northern Oregon!

The fat tire bikes took off in popularity in recent years for their ability to have a smoother ride on all types of terrain (snow, sand, mud) than mountain bikes. For riding in the sand, these tires will have you feeling like you are floating on the surface due to the low pressure it when riding.

It is important to choose the correct bike not only for comfort while riding on specific types of terrain, but also to protect the environment. The thought is riding fat bikes on the beach creates less pressure on the sand than regular bikes. Just like when walking in the sand, the tire tracks of the bikes will disappear.

This is an important feature of the fat bikes, because instead of harming the environment, we can protect it while still enjoying the ride.

Importance of Riding the Correct Bike at the Beach

Having the right bike is important when riding the ocean front in Northern Oregon. As mentioned above, if you don’t use the right equipment, then your ride will not be as enjoyable as you may put extra strain both on your body and the environment. We want you to feel comfortable while riding on you next vacation in the Northern Oregon Coast.

If the wrong bike it can cause back pain, unnecessary extra effort to ride, and other issues.

The environment is also an important factor when riding bikes in the area. The northern Oregon Coast is public beach and bike-friendly. Although, if damage from beach bike riding happens there is possibility for regulations and restrictions in regard to biking in order to protect the environment. We strongly encourage vacationers to be aware of all this so the right type of bike is chosen for your next ride.

Where to Rent Bikes on the Northern Oregon Coast

Thinking of attending the Cannon Beach Fat Bike Festival or simply going for a fun ride on the beach? When you are vacationing in the area we definitely recommend you to rent a bike on your next adventure. The scenery is beautiful and seeing it on bike can help you experience the atmosphere in a whole new way, while covering more ground than walking!

If you are unsure as to what type of bike is best for your specific adventure, a bike rental shop will be able to help assess the type of bike needed.

Below are four northern Oregon Coast bike shops for your bike rentals:

Bikes & Beyond in Astoria
Prom Bike Shop in Seaside
Family Fun Cycles in Cannon Beach
Bahama Mama’s Bikes, Boards & Beach Fare in Manzanita Oregon

When visiting this area for the Fat Bike Festival, you'll also want to

Refer to our updated event calendar of fun things to do on the north Coast.

Find out what to expect regarding Oregon Coast weather.

Visit the beautiful nearby Hug Point Waterfall.

Refer to this list for what to pack when visiting the Coast.

Stop by one of the Best Oregon Coast restaurants!

Enjoy your visit to Cannon Beach for the festival ~

Looking for a great place to stay while visiting the Oregon Coast? While Cannon Beach Rentals may be close by, why not check out our Manzanita Rentals? We're only 13 miles south, surrounded by the incredible Oswald West State Park and Nehalem Bay State Park.

Take a look at our Oceanfront Manzanita Vacation Rentals. And be sure to contact us for more information about vacationing on the beautiful northern Coast. We love to help!

The Houses On Manzanita Beach