Crazy Daze

Ask about special pricing on some cool fat bikes!!

Often times in smaller cities they have what we used to call, "Crazy Daze", or maybe "Sidewalk Sale" days, where merchants would slash pricing during the Summer months for one day to move old inventory. Well, at Europa Cycle & Ski, we have some bikes we need to move. Prices will never be better on items like these, (limited to in store stock), so get yerself on in to find out what great deals are to be had. I cannot even list the prices here, but if you want to know, give us a call at 319-277-0734. There are some fat bikes, a few nice road bikes, and maybe an odd deal here or there, but ya gotta call. Business hours are Weekdays: 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am -5pm, and Sunday Noon to five.

The next crazy thing coming up is Saddledrive, which is when we will find out what Salsa Cycles has cooked up new for 2017 and beyond. I know there will be a fat bike introduction, some "plus" bike madness, and more. But if you want to know the coolest thing about these new bikes, well, read on....

Europa Cycles will be welcoming Salsa Cycles' demo truck on August 15th at Geo Wyth State Park, and guess what? That truck will be stuffed with the newest bicycles for you to try out. Look for a more detailed announcement coming soon!!

Want A Great Deal On A Fat Bike?

Waiting for you......

We've got an overage of 2015 fat bikes and we need to move these down the road, or trail, or.....wherever you want to ride. Fat bikes are great training aids for Winter, great, stable mountain bikes, and super-capable sand, snow, and mud bikes. They can take you where other bikes cannot, or won't without a lot of hassles.

Hunters, explorers, and those who like to get off the beaten path are tailor made for fat bikes. Is this describing you? Think you cannot afford a quality fat bike? Well, now you can.

Get in while we have the bikes to deal on. While we cannot publish the prices that we would sell these for, it is definitely "deal time". Come see for yourself before they are all gone. This won't happen again in this area, so don't wait. Seriously. It's crazy deal time at Europa Cycle & Ski on fat bikes.

Don't say I didn't tell ya........

A Big, Fat Sale

Get some big savings on this fat bike and more!

It is no secret that this past Winter wasn't too friendly for fat biking here. We didn't really have any good snow until late in January, then it got brutally cold. By the time the weather straightened out, many of you out there were over Winter and were looking forward to Spring. Subsequently, our forecast for how many fat bikes we'd sell was wrong. We did sell some, but not to the level we thought we would. So, it's quickly becoming Summer, and shortly we'll be hearing about 2016 models. That can only mean one thing....

A Big, Fat Sale!

Get 15% off any fat bike we have left. Models must be currently in stock. We have some outstanding fat bikes just waiting to be ridden and these all would make excellent all-year around mountain bikes or platforms for a 29+ conversion in many cases. Some of the excellent bikes include...

• Beargrease Carbon XX1
• Titanium Mukluk
• Beargrease Aluminum
• Farley 8

Check out Europa Cycle & Ski or email me @g.ted.productions@gmail.com for prices and sizes available. Sale is on till everything we have in fat bikes is gone. First come, first served.  

Mukluk Ti- Overview Of The 2015 Model

The 2015 Mukluk Ti

Mukluk Ti- Overview Of The 2015 Model : by Guitar Ted

The Mukluk line is Salsa Cycles' core fat bike offering. Salsa Cycles introduced a titanium Mukluk first for the 2012 model year and they have consistently upgraded this bike into the super-versatile, do anything anywhere bike that it is as you see it here. Before I get into the specific things that make the Mukluk Ti unique in the Mukluk line, let's see the basic features of this model.....

• Frame: Seamless, triple butted 3/2.5 titanium alloy frame tubing. 
• Fork: The new, ground breaking, game changer that is the Rock Shox Bluto. (A discussion about a suspension fork on a fat bike will follow these feature listings.)
• Alternator Drop Outs: Make for a very versatile set up. Single speed, Rohloff specific, and geared versions of this drop out are available for this frame depending upon your preferences. Plus- A longer or shorter wheel base can be selected depending upon load carrying/terrain demands. 
• Wheels: Rolling Darryl rims with cutouts for weight savings and a great balance between flotation and trail performance. Surly Nate 120TPI folding bead tires for ultimate grip in all situations. Salsa Conversion hubs with the front being the "new" standard of 150mm, which will be the go to width for fat bike front hubs going forward. 
• Drive Train: SRAM X1 fat bike drive train featuring an 11 speed, wide range cassette with a Type 2 rear derailleur for "slap free" and stable chain performance. No front derailleur eliminates the muck gathering component and cleans up the handle bar with one less shitfer and cable to maintain. 
• Components: Premium Thomson components, WTB Pure V saddle, New SRAM Guide Brakes, and Salsa finishing kit put a worthy finishing touch on this top-shelf model.

Okay, so two things about this model that we get asked most often about are the "need for a suspension fork on a fat bike", and whether or not titanium really makes a difference in the ride versus the aluminum. First, the ride question.....

From personal experience with my aluminum Mukluk and my titanium Mukluk, the answer to the ride question is, "Definitely yes. The difference in smoothness is very noticeable with the titanium frame." Not only that, but the titanium frame is corrosion resistant, and the aesthetics are nicer on the titanium version versus the aluminum Mukluk. The titanium details concerning the ride quality alone are worth the upgrade though.

Now for the suspension fork- The fat tires have a degree of suspension absorbing ride feel for sure, however, the tires get bouncy. There is no rebound control at all. With a suspension fork, the fork damper works in concert with the tire to provide a much more controllable ride feel along with a deeper, smoother bump absorbing performance. You will get better traction up front, plus the Mukluk Ti becomes an all year around bike, capable of going faster around corners and over bumpy terrain than many traditional 29"ers or 27.5"er hard tail mountain bikes. The bottom line is that the Bluto fork makes the Mukluk more versatile, faster, and more fun.

That said, a carbon Makwa fork from Salsa is compatible with the Mukluk Ti for those who insist on or want the rigid fork option.

Conclusion: The Mukluk Ti is Salsa Cycles most refined, all around capable fat bike. It has options galore, unlike anything else in the fat bike line up from Salsa, or other fat bike producing marques, for that matter. If you can only have one fat bike, this is the one to aspire to. The Mukluk Ti has you covered in any situation you might find yourself in. Come on down and see this beauty, or any of the other fat bikes we have on the floor at Europa Cycle & Ski soon!

Salsa Mukluks Arrive!

Possibly the best color on a fat bike I've ever seen.

The Salsa Mukluks are arriving and in this post I will detail what we have in so far. The Mukluk is Salsa Cycles mainstay fat bike. The fat bike with versatility and all-year-around use designed right in.

Common to all Mukluks is the aluminum, 170mm rear spaced frame with Alternator Drop Outs. This frame with these special, swinger type drop outs, allows for several drive train set ups. You could go single speed, use an IGH hub, (internally geared hub), or utilize the drop outs as a way to change your wheelbase for different handling characteristics.

These frames also feature continuous cable housings to seal out dirt and grime. All Mukluks have 31.6mm seat posts so you can easily swap in a dropper post for more versatility. Rack mounts are standard, as are the triple bosses on the down tube which support Salsa's Anything cages or a water bottle cage in two different positions. There are also water bottle bosses on the seat tube on Med-XL sizes, and one under the down tube.

Mukluk 3 in White w/Red & Blue anodized accents

Mukluk 3 in Ruby Red

The Mukluk 3 has been seriously upgraded this year and remains the same price as it was last year. Upgrades include the brakes, which are Avid hydraulics this year.  Wheels are upgraded to Holy Rolling Darryl rims. Ten speed SRAM drive trains are upgraded from last year's 9 speed set up.

The Mukluk 3's get the Salsa Bearpaw Aluminum fork with Triple Bosses for two Anything Cages or two water bottles. A rack could also be subbed in as an alternative set up.

NOTES: The Muk 3's are seriously good deals. Salsa Cycles is a leader in the fat biking market place and competition has refined the breed to give customers of the 2015 models the best value in a fat bike yet from Salsa. The look of the past Mukluks has been okay, but this years graphics and paint jobs are the best, in my opinion, that Salsa has yet put out. On any of their fat bike models. That Ruby Red may be the prettiest fat bike color ever.

The Mukluk 2 in this crazy sparkly Orange

 The Mukluk 2 is also upgraded for 2015, and- obviously- the fork is the new Rock Shox Bluto suspension fork. Salsa Cycles had a big hand in getting this fork produced and were able to plan geometry and the resulting handling ahead of time for their fat bike range. For instance, last year's Mukluks were all suspension fork ready. Not convinced a fat bike needs a suspension fork? Read this. My buddy MG tells it like it is and he's a really good mountain biker.

The Mukluk 2 also brings a refined drive train with Surly's OD crank set and SRAM components featuring the Type 2 derailleur which has a clutch mechanism to keep the cage from whipping the chain over rougher terrain onto the chain stay. The result is a much quieter ride, and less dropped chains.

NOTES: The Muk 2, second only to the Ruby Red Muk 2 for the best paint job ever, is a serious all terrain, all year around fat bike. You could enjoy maximum traction, crazy cornering grip, and all with more control than ever via the front suspension fork. Of course, you can easily swap to a rigid fork for a lighter weight set up.

Come on down and check out our growing fat bike corner in the shop and look for more posts coming soon on our new arrivals.

Farley 6 Is In!

We have Trek Farley 6's in stock now at Europa Cycle & Ski. This is only the first of our "fat bike fleet" which should start trickling in now over the next month or two.

The Farley 6 is Trek's entry into the fat biking world. The Farley 8, which we will also have, will be Trek's top of the line fatty for '14/'15. The 6 is a great bike, and calling it "entry level fat bike" is really an insult. Check out the features to see why.....

• Trek hydroformed aluminum frame and fork with the Convert rear through axle and braze ons for racks front and rear and even fender mounts!
• Bontrager "Hodad" tires which are 26 X 4.0 and really are that big. 
• Rims are Sun Ringle' "Mulefut" 80mm wide with cut outs.
• Race Face crankset, 2X- with 30mm pipe spindle, outboard bearing bottom bracket
• Shimano XT Cluth Type rear derailleur with a 10 speed cassette. 
• Avid Elixir Hydraulic Brakes

And the price? Two years ago a fat bike like this would have cost you close to 3G. Now you can walk out the door with this bike for under $1800.00 (plus tax) There really isn't anything "entry level" about this rig.

Stay tuned for more fat bike announcements coming soon!!

The Fat Cometh!

A full suspension fat bike will be at Europa Cycle & Ski soon

We've placed our orders and following is what you can expect to see at Europa Cycle & Ski in the coming months for fat bikes. It will be the widest selection of fat bikes we have brought in to date.

Leading the charge will be the wildest fat bike produced to date, the Salsa Cycles Bucksaw. A full suspension fat bike utilizing Dave Weagle's Split Pivot design. This will be for the rider looking for the most traction mated with one of the best full suspension designs produced today. Go over stuff that you never imagined you could. Go up stuff you never had the traction for before. Ride it all year, anywhere. The Bucksaw 2 will be as shown in this stunning gold-ish orange color.

 

The Beargrease XX1 and X01 will be represented as well. Last year this was the hottest selling model we had on the floor. With a light, nimble carbon fiber frame and fork, this was the lightest production fat bike you could get. Now it's even better. Two spec levels to choose from too. 

 

The Beargrease Aluminum model is one we're pretty excited about. Same great Beargrease geometry and handling, same carbon fork, (The Makwa), and set up with a wide ranging 2X10 drivetrain with Marge Lite rims and 45NRTH tires. At well below three grand, this may be the best value in the line up. 

 The magical ride of titanium mated to the Rock Shox Bluto fat bike fork? Amazing! And with a 1 X 11 SRAM drivetrain, this will be a crazy good fat bike for all year around explorations. Fitted with the Alternator drop out, the possibilities open up for tailoring the bike to your specific adventuring needs, or just know it is there if you need it to bail yourself out of trouble should you find it necessary to go single speed. 

 The Mukluk line up will also be represented by the Mukluk 2. The same Mukluk 2 you know and love with a color change, Rock Shox Bluto fork, Holy Rolling Darryls, and Nate tires. Not just for snow and sand anymore, but a capable, all year around trail bike. 

Looking to just get in the door on fat biking? Look no further than the capable, versatile Mukluk 3. This year the upgrades are hydraulic brakes, Holy Rolling Darryls, (last year these had undrilled rims and mechanical brakes), a Salsa Bearpaw aluminum fork, and a 2X10 drivetrain highlight the changes. All for the same cabbage as last year's model! 

Whoa! The bike that blew us out of the water was the brand spankin' new Salsa Blackborow. Not a Mukluk! This is a brand new model featuring the widest rims and tires for the most flotation possible in fat biking. Based on the 197 X 12mm rear axle standard, and a new 150mm wide front fork, (Rock Shox Bluto compatible wheel!) and through axles front and rear, this is the epitome of expedition/back country/do anything fat biking today. Blackborow features a full range 2 X 10 drive train and geometry dialed in for maximum stand over clearance and maximum stability in soft conditions. It doesn't get any fatter than Blackborow!

I'm throwing this one in there to show ya'all I am puttin' my money where my mouth is. The Blackborow DS, (Dingle Speed ya'all!), will be my fat bike for the coming Winter commutes and trail bustin' in the Cedar Valley. It's a variation of the Blackborow more fine tuned for bushwhacking fun, which is what I like to do come Wintertime. Dingle Speed? Yep! A two chain ring/two rear cog drive train. Each cog/chain ring combo adds up to the same total teeth, so you don't have to change tension on the chain to use either the high or low ratio. No derailleur bits mean nothing to get iced up or whacked off in the under brush. We won't be bringing in another one for the floor, but if ya see mine and want one, let us know! We can order this or any of the Salsa fat bikes, (or other fine bicycles), if we don't have the size or color you want. 

That's it for the Salsa stuff. Stay tuned for a separate post on the Trek fat bikes coming in soon to Europa Cycles!

Salsa 2015: Fat Bikes

The 2015 Beargrease 2: Alu Beargrease returns!-$2599.00

Saddledrive in Utah has just concluded for QBP, which is the dealer only show our distributor has every Summer. The new Salsa Cycles rigs have been revealed and in this first post we will get a look at the newest fat bike offerings.

New for 2015 are three fat bikes, the Blackborow, the Bucksaw, and the Aluminum Beargrease, (which really is a returning model). Continuing models include Beargrease Carbon and Mukluk line ups (with suspension forks!)

So enough with the words! Let's look at the new rigs first!

Beargrease Carbon 1- $3699.00

The range topping Beargrease XX1- $5599.00

Range topping Bucksaw 1- $4999.00

The Bucksaw 2- $3999.00

The Mukluk Ti for 2015- Now with suspension!- $4899.00

The Mukluk 2 also will sport a Rock Shox Bluto fork- $2999.00

The Mukluk 3's get Holy Rolling Daryls and hydraulic brakes- $1899.00

The Muk 3 also is available in the stunning Ruby Red

The Blackborow 1- Biggest tires on the widest rims! $2799.00

Blackborow DS- 2 speed bushwhacking machine. $2299.00

So- There ya have it! The line up for 2015 from Salsa Cycles in terms of fat bikes. I'll be bringing you some finer details on the bikes later. Stay tuned!

Fat News

Sub-Grand Fat Bike!!!

Fat Bike Sale:

If you've been on the fence about this fat bike thing, and needed a shove, well now is the time. We've reduced the prices on all remaining fat bike inventory, including a smokin' deal on the Origin 8 Crawler, which is marked so low I can't tell you on-line. Seriously!

We've got two Mukluk 2's and a couple 3's on the floor and when they are gone, they are gone. They won't last long at the prices we've marked them at, in fact- one sold already! 

The new full suspension Bucksaw

 Bucksaw Full Suspension Fat Bike:

We've known for three years that Salsa Cycles was working on a full suspension fat bike, but we had almost given up hope of  ever seeing it. Well, recently Salsa Cycles introduced Bucksaw full suspension fat bikes in the "1" & "2" levels. Based upon the highly acclaimed "Split Pivot" rear suspension design by Dave Weagle, the Buckshot is no novelty. It is a serious, trail oriented mountain bike.

The question we keep hearing is "Why the fat tires mated to full suspension? Aren't the big tires enough?" Great question, and here are a couple of reasons why Bucksaw makes great sense:

• Big tires have Big Grip: Mountain biking is all about traction and keeping your traction under control. Think about that. Without traction, you are either out of control, or not going anywhere. Fat bike tires have a huge contact patch with the ground. A much larger contact patch than an ordinary mountain bike tire could ever have. More knobs equal more grip. You can go faster, climb better, and brake harder. 
• Big tires are Undamped Suspension: While it is true that big fat bike tires have "springs" of air that can absorb a lot of trail deformities, that energy that is absorbed has to be returned either as heat, or an equal and opposite force. In terms of pneumatic tires, that energy returned will cause the tires to bounce. Suspension can arrest that energy and dissipate it, instead of your arms and legs doing that job. (Which I think sounds better than me having to deal with that energy!) With Bucksaw, you not only have superior traction, but you have a system to keep it under control as well. 

Bucksaw models will be available in the Fall of 2014, but if you want one, you may want to pre-order the bike, as these will be in high demand, being the first out of the gate with such a design on a wide scale. Come in and talk with us about these or any of the other excellent Salsa Cycles bikes we have or that we can order in for you.

Spring Will Be Springing!

Playing teacher for a day.

Here at Europa Cycles we are fixing up things in preparation for Spring to come. It's going to be here before we know it!

We helped several folks recently get their rigs readied for Spring and put some knowledge and tricks of the trade into their hands recently. Europa Cycles hosted a maintenance class which provided the knowledge and tools to help these lucky folks learn about repairing and adjusting their own bicycles. They even got to take the tools home with them that they used in the class.

We'll probably do this again during the "pre-season" next Winter, so stay tuned if you are interested in learning how to wrench on your own rigs.

We've been busy primping and preening the store recently as well. If you haven't been in lately, you'll see several details that have been added or subtracted from what you might remember. Come in and see how we've tweaked out things soon! We've also been busy doing some administrative changes that should make for a better customer experience. We've streamlined the service department, we've changed the way we do some procedures, and we've added some structures to hold items in a more efficient, more pleasant to look at way. Small things, maybe, but all will improve the customer experience at the shop.

Need a fat bike? Here's a smokin' deal!

We have a few really smokin' good deals on fat bikes and some left over 2013's at the shop yet. Here's one that I'm featuring today. It's the Origin 8 "Crawler" fat bike.

This is a unique bike in the fat biking world as it is equipped with a super low maintenance Nuvinci hub and has no derailleurs hanging down to get snapped off, iced up, or clogged with mud. It may be the perfect "bushwhacking" bike! Come in and we'll show you this bike, or any of the other great deals on left over bikes. Of course, we have a ton of new 2014's as well to check into.

Hope to see you soon. Ask for the tour of new things, and a cup of coffee!

Beargrease X-9 Arrives!

2014 Medium sized Beargrease Carbon x-9

Another stunning fat bike showed up a few days ago at Europa Cycle & Ski. This time it is the Carbon Beargrease equipped with the x-9 SRAM package. In many ways, I think this is the "smart man's" Carbon Beargrease. Why?

Well, for one, the drivetrain has a slightly lower gear on tap than the XX-1 Beargrease does. That's maybe what it might take to get you through that snow bank, or through that sand trap. Or maybe what it might take to get you three miles up a mountain.

Secondly, the x-9 set up has a faster gear on it for your Summertime riding. Yes- that means you have a front derailleur and front shifter. Boo-hoo! You won't care when you are actually riding this bike if it gets you up, around, through, or makes you go faster. Wider gearing range = good.

But besides this, the Carbon Beargrease x-9 is a different look. It has white Holy Rolling Darryl rims. A white Salsa downtube decal, and a different graphic treatment on the downtube than the XX-1 Beargrease has. Maybe its a bit more "showy"? Hmm..... All I know is everyone that has seen it says they think it is super cool.

Oh, and did I mention that it is about $1500.00 less than the ultra-cool XX-1 bike? Yes. It is. You still get the Beargrease carbon fork and frame, through axles front and rear, and the same great new geometry that the XX-1 bike has. Pretty darn cool, if ya ask me. This one is here, and we have another, size Large, which is to come soon. Stop by and check this out, or our Mukluk 2 & Mukluk 3's which are in stock and ready to slay snow which is coming.

The Fat Bikes Are Coming! (And Here!)

Salsa Cycles Mukluk 3

The fat bikes are coming! The fat bikes are coming! And...........some of them are here!

Just recently we saw a size Large Mukluk 3 come in which is stunning this year. The black with white rims is striking, and the top tube detail in blue and red, along with white decals on the down tube is a nice touch.

But what is really cool about the 2014 Mukluk 3 is that it comes with the super-light, newly designed Bearpaw aluminum fork. This saves a lot of weight over the previously spec'ed Enabler fork, which was steel. And I might be crazy, but the Bearpaw looks to have even more clearance as well. The 82mm Rolling Darryl rims could be mounted with a Surly Bud and should clear the fork with no issues.

The Mukluk 3 also comes with SRAM's new fat bike specific X-5 crank and X-7 rear derailleur controlled by 9 speed trigger shifters. Shifting performance should be top notch with the Mukluk 3. All cables are fully housed as well to protect them from the elements and to ensure that long term shifting performance stays at a high level.

Surly Nate tires grace the rims here and are a solid, all around choice for a fat bike for ultimate traction and Winter or Summer riding. However; Europa Cycle & Ski is carrying a selection of alternate rubber from Surly, 45NRTH, and Vee Rubber should you desire something a bit different than the Nates seen here. Just let us know and we'll make a swap to your preferred tires.

It should also be noted that along with this size Large Mukluk 3, which retails for $1800.00, we will also be getting a size Medium in this same color scheme along with a size large and Medium Mukluk 3 in red. We also just received and built up a Mukluk 2 in size Medium.

So, come on down and check out the selection of fat bikes at Europa Cycle & Ski for a bicycle that may allow you to enjoy the outdoors 12 months out of the year!

2014 Updates

Farley Complete & frame only option

Europa Cycle & Ski will be receiving a Size Large Farley this Fall which should be pretty exciting to see. The Farley features a few nice things that will set it apart from other fat bikes, and some things that are proven components as well.

Farley will be aluminum in its construction, both the frame and the fork. This bike will feature suspension corrected geometry, a tight rear triangle for better dry weather handling, and a super low standover height, important when the conditions are softer.

The bike will also feature Trek's rear through axle design which should really stiffen up the rear end and better handle the higher traction/leverage inducing rear wheels of fat bikes. Internal cable routing will not only clean up the overall look of the Farley, but it will also protect the cables from the mucky-muck that fat bikers like to ride in. That should also play well with frame bags.

Farley will come with proven, industry leading Surly rims and tires. The tires will be the fast, grippy 3.8 Knards, but if you need something grippier than that, a 3.8" Nate will slot in there perfectly. Farley will be a 170mm rear/135mm front design and can handle up to 4" tires on the 82mm rims with ease. (We'll have to do some checking on Big Fat Larrys when our rig lands at the shop.)  The really monstrous Bud and Lou will likely be a no go here, but Farley is about fast fat biking, not the ultimate snow/sand/bog biking.

UPDATED: I got a hold of some specs. The Farley will have dropper post routing and a 31.6mm seat post, (standard dropper post size), plus the spec sheet is listing Husker Du 4.0" tires. We'll see what shows up on the bike. Every image I've seen, (including the dealer preview), has shown Knards.  Hubs are Salsa hubs, but I do not know if they are the Level 2 or 3. Brakes are listed as Avid "DB3" hydraulic brakes. (A new brake from Avid?) The frame set option lists the black as well as the Powder Blue shown. Framesets come with an FSA head set, Closed Convert drop outs, and take a low, direct mount derailleur.

I'll post more on this exciting new rig when we get ours in, likely in October sometime.

 Fargo 3: 

Our shipment of Fargo 3's arrived already, and next week we should see them out on the sales floor. This is an all new Fargo and will be the best Fargo yet.

The big changes here are found at the front and the rear of the new Fargo frame. Still made from Salsa Cycles' own custom designed CroMoly tubing, the Fargo now comes with Alternator drop outs. This is a big deal, since that Alternator opens up more options to the rider such as single speed set ups, hub gearing options, and a way to bail your self out in case of a derailleur damaging accident. (Don't brush that one off, I've seen it happen a couple times myself!)

At the front, you have the new, 100mm suspension corrected steel Fargo fork with new, front facing bosses for water bottle cages or Salsa's "Anything Cages". The longer fork matches up with current XC suspension fork lengths, so if you want the Fargo to be your mountain bike with suspension, it's a snap to swap in any straight or tapered steer tube suspension fork. The front mounted bosses are there because they are going to resist load inertia better than the old, rear facing cage mounts and they still are easily reached while riding. It's an improvement over the old design, showing that Salsa isn't going to rest on their laurels, but they are looking to refine the bikes to be the best that they can make them.

The component spec has been improved as well, but I'll put up another post soon with actual spec and actual bike images next week. Stay tuned for that and for the Vaya 3 images and spec as well.

2013 Specials: We have a couple Warbird 2's and Colossal 2's at amazing prices right now. Check in with Europa Cycle & Ski and see the deals, or e-mail the shop for pricing on these great road bikes from Salsa Cycles. We need to move these on out the door, so the prices are attractive and you get one of the best gravel rigs, (Warbird), or long haul road bikes,( Colossal), that you can find anywhere.

We also have some 2013 Vaya 3's and a Vaya Travel at great prices as well, so be sure to not miss these deals on some fantastic road/gravel/touring bikes from Salsa Cycles.

The "Thick" & The "Thin" Of It

Today I want to introduce you all to two new, and vastly different, bikes we just got in at Europa Cycle & Ski recently. The "thick" one is Origin 8's "Crawler" fat bike and the "thin" bike is Salsa Cycles new "Warbird" model. Let's take a look at the Crawler first...

Origin 8's Crawler fat bike

The Crawler is a bike I am somewhat familiar with having ridden the previous pre-production version two years ago at Interbike and the final version you see here last year at Interbike. The Crawler is in the"fat bike" class of bike, sporting 26" X 4" wide rubber, but it diverts from the Surly/Salsa type fat bikes you may be familiar with from that point on. This is a very unique bike, even without the ginormous tires and wheels. I'll detail ot all the nuances for you now..

Note the derailleur hangar

This bike's drivetrain is very unique for a fat bike. It has a NuVinci 360 hub that features Constantly Varying Transmission, (CVT), for a wide range of drive ratios. Notice that I didn't say the word "gears" here. That's because the NuVinci transmission doesn't have "gears" inside it. It also gives the rider a very different sensation at the pedals.

Without going into deep technical jargon, the deal here is that you have the ability to vary your ratio without "steps" that a traditional drive train would feature. Even internal geared hubs have "stepped ratios" and you feel this as a change to your cadence/pedal pressure as you change gears. With a CVT, you have no such "steps", only a smooth change from "easy" to "hard" and anywhere in between.

Massive tire clearances

The other distinguishing factor here is that the Crawler is not a "symmetrical" rear triangle frame, although it uses a 135OLD spacing, like a traditional MTB. It is also not as offset as a Pugsley by Surly is. It is offset very slightly to the drive side to optimize the chain line with the 100mm bottom bracket/crank set fitted to the bike. All this allows plenty of clearance by the tire.

The hydro-formed aluminum frame is also designed with plenty of rear tire clearances, so while I do not know that bigger than 4.0" tires would work, it looks like they may with the 80mm rims the bike comes with. Also, more versatility is offered with the provided rear derailleur hangar, which with a traditional geared set up and rear hub, may allow for a truncated drive train and therefore a slightly lighter set up. Obviously, single speed set ups are supported as well.

Clearances at the chain stay

The frame also has rack mounts on the rear and on the CroMoly steel fork up front for load bearing duties. Braking is handled by the ever reliable Avid BB-7 mechanical disc brakes, and the Origin 8 Devast8er fat tires are a good all-around snow/sand/mud/dirt tire for year round fat biking. Of course, Surly tires in the 3.8" range or Big Fat Larrys will be okay here. The larger Bud and Lou are unknown fits at this time.

Finally, the icing on this fat cake is that the retail price for owning this unique 20" framed monster is less than anything currently available in fat bikes. MSRP $1400.00 is over $300.00 cheaper than anything else out there. Check it out! These Crawler's are hard to get right now and we expect this one examnple will be all we'll see until Fall. Don't wait! Check this out now.

Salsa Cycles Warbird 2

I've talked a lot already about the next "thin" bike for this post. It is the racing gravel grinder bike by Salsa Cycles: The aluminum Warbird 2.

The Warbird 2 is a disc brake bike bred to deal with the rigors of rough gravel and go really fast doing it. It features a hydro-formed, lightweight aluminum frame that has been tweaked to allow maximum front triangle space so a frame bag and water bottles will all fit there with no problems.

Carbon fork

The Warbird 2 also features an Enve Composites carbon fork with tapered carbon steer tube. Yes- it is super-light! The tapered head tube hides an inset sealed bearing head set from the harsh elements. Braking duties on this bad bird are handled by Avid Road specific calipers and rotors are 160mm front, 140mm rear to help keep the weight in check.

You'll note that all cables run under the top tube in full run housings. This is done to beat inclement weather, mud, and dust while you enjoy perfect shifting and braking despite the conditions.

Frame fitments are sparse, as Salsa believes that a top tube type frame bag and a seat bag are how most garvel racers will carry the goods they need. There are three water bottle mounting points: One on the seat tube, down tube inner triangle, and one underneath the down tube.

Geometry is slightly relaxed for stability on loose surfaces like gravel and dirt. Tires are the excellent Clement USH, which features a smooth center tread strip allowing for fast pavement riding, yet has some aggressive "diamond file tread" on the sides for stability and purchase in dirt and loose gravel. These tires are 35mm wide, but the Warbird 2 can swallow up to 38mm rubber if necessary.

Nice orange ano appointments

The Warbird 2's drivetrain features a 2 X 10 set up with Tiagra "brifters mated to a rear derailleur from Shimano's excellent 105 group. Hubs are Formula for Salsa and anodized a nice orange hue to match the bike.

The tubing on this frame is shaped for some comfort to the rider and for maximum mud and tire clearances. The bottom bracket is a PF-30 type and it allows the FSA Gossamer 46T/36T crank set to spin freely. This sort of gearing is really great on gravel roads.

So- is this only for gravel grinding? Oh no! This is a lightweight, disc brake equipped rig that will go on any road, fast and efficiently, with nary a blink at bad weather, mud, dirt, dust, or whatever you can throw at it. Commute, use it as an "all road", all weather bike, or just as your hard core road rat rig. Whatever you want, really. I think of the Warbird 2 as the road bike that fears no road or weather.

This one is a 58cm, and we also have a 56cm on hand. Either will run you $2499.00 and are available now at Europa to scope out and take home. Hit the road on a Warbird 2......any road!

Carbon Beargrease

The Beargrease carbon will come in two versions

Well, you've heard by now, (unless you live under a rock), about the fantastic new Carbon Beargrease fat bike from Salsa Cycles for 2014. (But if you do live under a rock, here is the story.)

Salsa Cycles will be working with us this week to determine how many of these fantastic bikes we order for our shop. If you are a small, or a XL kinda guy or gal, and were thinking this is a super cool rig, you'd better tell us you are interested. We probably will not order those sizes unless we have a customer.

So- you figure you'll just wait till fall to order. You won't likely get one for next Winter. These will likely sell out in pre-order. Yes- the pressure is on a bit, but you have six months to figure it out, or more, and we can find another buyer if you bail, no problem. But if you want your name on one, you'd better get in line and put your claim in now. These bikes will be in high demand, and they are the best, lightest, and most cutting edge fat bikes in existence now.

Prices should start at $3499.99 for the 2 X 10 version. The high zoot, XX-1 will be significantly more, but will be the lightest, with a Medium going right at 24-24.5 lbs. That is a full 4lbs lighter than an aluminum Beargrease.

Salsa Cycles has yet to introduce the 2014 fat bike line up other than this- publicly- but we will also be bringing in Muk 3's, Muk 2's, and aluminum Beargrease bikes. So, if any of those trips your trigger and you want to plant your claim now, tell us.

This pre-order goes in later this week, so do not delay. If we do not get any names on the Carbon Beargrease bikes, our current thoughts are to bring in two of them in a medium and a large. They will sell to someone, we're sure of that, so do not wait too long to lay a claim on one. Just call the shop or reply to this post if you are interested.