Looking Ahead At 2014

Hey there folks! It's been a few months since any posts have shown up here, but that's because it was dig-doggity-busy! Someone's gotta turn and pull the wrenches around the shop, and that guy is me. So.....anyway.

Plans are laid and bikes have been ordered. Here's what you can expect to see coming soon at Europa Cycle & Ski.......

Salas Cycles' X-9 Beargrease Carbon

 Beargrease Carbon: Okay folks, here's the rig that will fundamentally change fat biking for the masses. A fat bike that will come in at around 25lbs or so with a fully functional 2 X 10 drivetrain, through axle hubs front and rear, which will increase handling feel and handle those big meats better, and finally, be trail tuned for dirt, racing, snow, and sand. The new rig comes with an astounding carbon structure that you will not believe until you actually see this thing. The fork is suspension corrected, (hint), and beefy as all get out. A truly amazing rig. We thought last years 28+ lb Beargrease aluminum was hot. Yeah.....

Okay, with a tag at about $3500.00, this ain't cheap, bro, so it is what it is. The best fat bike you can buy now. (That's right, you could come in and claim it now, if you want, before it arrives) One is coming. Size Large. These will go fast, (everywhere),so don't dally.

 The staple bike in the fat bike line up is the Mukluk 3. This year you'll see a few tweaks to components, making this an even better bike than before. Salsa Cycles says this is the "expedition" fat bike, which means it will roll over stuff like small logs, under brush, mud, sand, and that Ford Pinto down the block from your house.

The biggest news is the aluminum fork, which came from last year's Beargrease, but is fully featured with Anything Cage Mounts, and rack mounts. That'll cut weight, ride nicer, yet still offer the Mukluk's versatility which we all have come to love. Alternator Drop Outs means ease of using the biggest Surly rubber on the 82mm Rolling Darryl rims, along with single speed capabilities.

The Muks will roll on Surly Nate 3.8"ers and will come in this lucious red with black wheels, or a mean looking flat black with white rims. (See the carbon Beargrease above for a hint on what that will look like.

We're getting in four: Two in each color in Medium and Large sizes. Expect to pay around $1800.00 each. These are vastly improved from the standpoint of weight and critical components, so check 'em out soon.

The Mukluk 2 will be showing up soon as well. Check out the gold metallic lusciousness here! A total pimp machine? Only in looks, because this is an awesome trail riding bicycle folks. Same aluminum fork, Nates, and Alternators as the Muk 3, but here we see an upgrade in components to 2 X 10 SRAM, and those wheels are lighter too. It's the best value in the fat bike line from Salsa, if you ask me. Lookin' at about $2500.00, and if I am right, we got a Medium and a Large in this too.

We must be nuts! Well, I'll tell ya this much- You can not buy a more capable, versatile, performance fat bike that can do it all than with what Salsa offers. There will be other players, but Salsa is ahead of the curve with fat bikes since 2010 and they've gotten noticeably better every year.

Anyway, all of the above is expected to hit the shop by September/October.

Fargo: For 2014 we are stoked to be bringing in the most versatile hard tail 29"er on the market now- The Salsa Cycles Fargo. There have been some awesome tweaks to this ride for 2014. Let's start with the blue one first....

That's the Fargo 2. It will be showing up to Europa with a Carbon "Firestarter" fork, which has a 15mm through axle Maxle QR, front facing Anything Cage mounts, and is suspension corrected for a 100mm fork. Now did I remember to tell you that fork is carbon fiber? Yep! Light, strong, and versatile. This is the best steel Fargo yet. Now that isn't all folks. This bike also has the Alternator Drop out in back now- a first on the Fargo. Single speed? Yes. Internal gear hub? Yes. Multi-speed derailleur drive train? Yes. All with one frame. Plus- if you should KO your rear derailleur on a bushwhacking trip, you can scooter on back home on yer SS'ed Fargo, no problemo.

Yes- it still will have all the rack mounts too, so set this up for touring, or bag it with bike packing gear, or slap a 100mm travel tapered steer tube suspension fork on this and ride it as your main mtb. Fargo don't care.

Now that mustard colored beauty is the Fargo 3. You get a bit lower end components, and a steel fork, but everything else the Fargo 2 does the Fargo 3 can as well, just at a lower cost of entry. Expect to see these super versatile, fun rigs in at Europa late in the Winter.

Raleigh Tamland:

A bit of back story here: The Tamland is a gravel specific geometry rig from Raleigh that can cyclo cross, do light touring, commute, or tear it up on RAGBRAI with a rack on the back. But there is more to the Tamland story here and it has to do with myself.

You see, I've not been too quiet about what I think is the "right" way to do an all-arounder bike that would be better on gravel roads. Raleigh heard me making noise, so they called me up, put me on the speaker phone with their brand manager and product engineers, and asked me what I would do. Unbelievably, they did everything I asked for, and here it is: The Raleigh Tamland 1 for 2014.

So, of course we're bringing in some of these and you'll have a chance to tell me I am utterly mad or a genius. Whichever, here's the skinny: The frame is 631 Reynolds. There is a good reason for this. Raleigh went to their long time partner, Reynolds, when they wanted to do this bike, and asked for the prestigious 831 Reynolds tube set to be used, but when Reynolds heard the plan, they offered a suggestion. They thought 631 would be a better ride, so the tube set was designed, (specifically for this bike), and made into what you see above- the Raleigh Tamland rig. 2 X 10 drivetrain, disc brakes from TRP that have dual piston action, (which no other rig out there will have in this class), and new wider rimmed Weinman wheels shod with the most excellent Clement MSO tires. Expect to pay about $1600.00 for this bike which will be more versatile and better suited to gravel travel, sport touring, (rack mounts!), and commuting than the competition's rigs in this range. Plus, (not to toot my own horn here), it has geometry specifically suited to the roughest roads and will be the most stable rig with the highest level of comfort around.

Or maybe I'm crazy.....we'll see! 

 Now there is a premium Tamland as well, but it goes at about $2400.00, which we at Europa weren't sure about stocking. But rumor has it that one example in a 58cm size might just be floating around for your perusal, (and test riding pleasure, if you are this size), in the Spring. Stay tuned...

The Tamland 2 has the same frame, fork, wheels, tires, brakes, and geometry as the Tamland 1, but it comes decked out in Shimano's newest Ultegra 11 speed, which is a big improvement upon the old Ultegra gear. We're pretty excited to see both of these Tamland's coming in the months ahead.

Stay tuned. There will be more soon......