Check out our Fat Bike page on all the details on fat biking in the Ottawa/Outaouais region.
Several of our sponsors are renting fat bikes during the winter season. It’s best to call in advance. Other bike shops may be renting but these shops have been confirmed. You should probably book well in advance as rentals are popular on the weekend.
Sponsors/Partners that rent fat bikes:
https://veloxpress.net
https://montebellovelo.com
https://www.domainekanawe.com
Other locations that may be renting fat bikes:
Expeditions Wakefield in Wakefield, Québec (North of Ottawa)
Relais Plein Air (in Gatineau Park)
Ottawa is very fortunate to have several official area’s to ride. Checkout our Fat Bike Trails page for more information. Please note that a snow shoe pass (or ski pass) is required to ride on the Gatineau Park trails. Also, an OMBA membership or Day Pass is required to ride at Larose Forest. The South March Highland trails are on City of Ottawa property and are free for all to use. Please be courteous to the other trail users, as they are shared trails. Bikes should yield to all other traffic.
Many of the shops have demo bikes available, but there aren’t many places that rent bikes. You will have to call or visit some shops to find anything specific. One of our sponsors rents hard tail bikes Expeditions Wakefield in Wakefield, Quebéc
A quick web search finds two more locations that rent bikes:
Rent a bike located in downtown Ottawa under the bridge going over Rideau Street at the Canal. It is on the East hand side.
Cyco’s located in down town Ottawa near the Rideau Canal
You are in luck! Ottawa has two places for riding instructions: Ride Ottawa and LaRocca Mountain Bike School
OMBA does not offer lessons or training, we are a mountain bike advocacy group working with land owners and stake holders to keep our existing trails open and to expand where we can ride. We do have frequent group rides and events. Please see our FaceBook page for details of any current events.
NO!! These trails are for everyone! They were built and maintained by mountain bikers but they are used by everyone.
The trails were built and are maintained by mountain bikers but the land is owned by the City of Ottawa. OMBA has a joint stewardship agreement with the City of Ottawa. Everyone is allowed to use the trails. Bird watchers, trail runners, hikers, snowshoers, skiers, etc….
Sort of… Some of our sponsors (Tall Trees Cycles for example) have an informal weekly group ride. If there is an OMBA specific ride it is usually posted on our Facebook page. We may have scheduled rides in the near future. If you would like post a ride on our Facebook page please do. You should also join the Ottawa Fatbike Society Facebook group. A lot of rides are posted there and it is a good place to meet other Fat bike riders. Lastly, just get out on the trails and meet people, make friends and go ride with them!
Yes. Check out the Bakker’s Trailblazers Trek Twighlight MTB Race Series. OMBA also holds a fun Decathlon race in the Fall (details to be found on our website). There are occasionally other more serious races, but not on a regular bases that we are aware of.
There are a few kids summer programs in Ottawa:
Creative Wheel runs the LaRocca Mountain Bike School which has a long history of teaching kids to ride.
Mountain Bike Kids has been running a summer school program for years.
Club Skinouk is a Gatineau based Ski club that has a summer mountain bike program
Bakker’s Trail Blazers – a kids mountain biking summer camp
Ride Ottawa – offers PMBIA certified instruction clinics for kids at most riding locations across the regions