▁The ▁sport ▁is ▁sometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" f at b ik ing ". ▁ ▁Us age ▁F at b ikes ▁were ▁invent ed ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁snow ▁and ▁sand , ▁but ▁are ▁capable ▁of ▁travers ing ▁diverse ▁terrain ▁types ▁including ▁snow , ▁sand , ▁desert , ▁b ogs , ▁mud , ▁pav ement , ▁or ▁traditional ▁mountain ▁b ik ing ▁tra ils . ▁In ▁several ▁US ▁states , ▁fat bi ke - ded ic ated ▁gro omed ▁winter ▁tra ils ▁have ▁been ▁created . ▁W an oga ▁s no - park ▁in ▁Central ▁Oregon ▁gro oms ▁two ▁loop ▁tra ils ▁in ▁winter ▁months ▁for ▁fat bi ke ▁users . ▁ ▁Development ▁ ▁Although ▁early ▁versions ▁of ▁fat - t ired ▁b ikes ▁were ▁probably ▁built ▁on ▁a ▁limited ▁basis ▁as ▁long ▁ago ▁as ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s , ▁the ▁first ▁modern ▁versions ▁were ▁not ▁developed ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁An ▁early ▁example ▁is ▁the ▁custom ▁three - w he e led ▁in - line ▁long tail - style ▁bi ke ▁with ▁fat ▁t ires , ▁designed ▁by ▁French ▁cycl ist ▁Jean ▁Na ud ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁for ▁desert ▁travel . ▁He ▁rode ▁it ▁from ▁Z inder ▁in ▁Niger ▁to ▁T aman r asset ▁in ▁Al ger ia , ▁and ▁later ▁rode ▁a ▁similar ▁bi ke ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁across ▁the ▁Sah ara ▁using ▁fat - t ire ▁pro tot ypes ▁from ▁Michel in . ▁ ▁In ▁the