Farley 8, Beargrease Carbon Fat Bikes Are In!

The Trek Farley 8 fat bike

With September closing out, we are starting to get more of our fat bike inventory into the shop. Here's one we've been pretty excited about- the Trek Farley 8.

The Farley 8 is using the same frame as the Farley 6's are, but it is outfitted with SRAM's X1 11 speed group that dismisses the front derailleur and still has the full range of gearing you will need to clean the terrain of your choosing. This also eliminates crap from getting collected in the critical bottom bracket/rear tire area, which is good when the going gets sloppy.

Furtermore, the new Rock Shox Bluto is on this rig. Again- you will not believe how much better a fat bike can be until you try this. Many died in the wool mtb'ers have left their full suspension rigs in the shed after getting a fat bike with a front suspension fork, and the Bluto is currently the only readily available suspension fork purposely designed for fat tires like the Bontrager Hodag 3.8 folding bead tires on this bike.

The color of the bike is arresting! It is a bright matt green finish, so you won't lose your rig in the mud or snow, that's for sure!

As you can see, the Alpha aluminum tubes are highly shaped and optimized for the fat bike design. Plenty of room for the frame bag of your choice, (I highly recommend Bike Bag Dude or Becker Gear Bike Bags), and there are triple bosses on the inside of the down tube which can accommodate Salsa Cycles Anything Cage, or simply a water bottle cage. There are rack and fender eyelets as well on the Farley 8.

The wheels are unique on this bike, and in the fat bike world. The new Bontrager Jackalope wheels use the time tested idea that Bontrager helped introduce in the 90's of using an offset spoke bed. Not to be confused with the offset Pugsley wheel idea, the Jackalope wheels are offset, (not the frame and wheels as with a Pugsley), to promote even spoke tensions which yield a stronger, longer lasting wheel. The central rib reinforces the rim structure where the spokes are pulling, and also lends more lateral stability. PLUS- these are tubeless ready rims! You get rim tape for both wheels to enable a tubeless set up with the Hodag tires. How cool is that?

The Farley 8 sports internally routed cables, which is nice from an aesthetic standpoint. It also is outfitted with a port for a dropper seat post. Obviously, dropper seat posts are only a down hill, mountain bike deal, right? Wrong! 

 Consider how difficult it is to remount any mtb if you lose traction on a climb, or lose momentum in very uneven terrain. Try a bike with a dropper seat post in these situations and you will be able to drop the saddle so low that remounting and getting going again will become like child's play. Plus, a dropper seat post can help you remount and start again in deep snow. Considering all the potential ride enhancing benefits of a dropper post for a fat bike, it is great to see that Trek included this port to accommodate using one.

Beargrease Carbon 1 (Catalog image)

Salsa Cycles Beargrease Carbon 1: We also have this rig on the showroom floor now. A gleaming white with black accents Carbon Beargrease 1. It also features SRAM's new X1 11 speed set up and has the new SRAM Guide brakes which we feel are a better design than past Avid Elixirs and what not. The Beargrease was a hot bike last year, and with good reason- it is light, (26lbs ready to ride), and has fantastic handling. This year this rig sports Surly Marge Lite rims and Dillinger 120TPI ties for the lighter weight, faster performance that the Beargrease line represents.

This bike is Bluto fork compatible as well, so it could be a year round mountain bike, or the fast paced snow/sand/mud bike, or just a great bike for any conditions you find yourself riding on/in off road. The handling is dialed too, and our past Beargrease customers would agree that you cannot go wrong with the combination of excellent handling and light weight the Beargrease has.

Stop in today to see these or any of the other fat bikes we have coming in soon or that are on the floor now for your riding pleasure!

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!

Tune Up Class & Other News

Hey there! It's been a while now, but the rogue shop blog isn't dead yet! In fact, I am just so busy rubbing my hands together to stay warm lately that I don't have time to type on this here page!

But seriously, it isn't the busiest time of the year, obviously. Now that Spring is nigh though, there are the thoughts that should be entering your brain like, "I should get my bicycle(s) looked at soon....." (At least you SHOULD be thinking along those lines!) Maybe you have always wanted to know just what sort of magic bicycle mechanics do to bikes. Maybe the dark art of wheel truing, perhaps, or the deep magic involved in derailleur adjustments. (Well, it really isn't magic, but I have been bombarded with J.K. Rowling references by my teenage daughter lately, so....)

If this vaguely describes you in any way, perhaps the new "Bicycle Repair Classes" is for you. (Click the flyer to observe the text in a larger format.) This year we decided that a more "in depth", hands on approach may be desired by a few folks. It costs more money since you get yer own wrenches to spin that you can keep forever, and the class is "hands on" your very own rig, so you get it tuned up as well. Maybe no one will care to sign up, which is fine by me, since I will go on a bicycle ride instead! (<====HA!)

Special deals to be had.....

In other news....

We have a few "Special Deals" on some Salsa Cycles rigs. How special? So special I can't even tell you openly about them. That's how special! Here are a few bikes that are on our "hot list"....

Size Large Beargrease XX1
58cm & 56cm Warbird 2's ('13 models)
54cm Casseroll ('13 model)
Mukluk 3's- A few to choose from.

PLUS: Several Treks and Raleighs that are RED TAGGED. 

Interested in buying anything like this for a special price? Tell us you will buy one, (or heck- all of them!), and we'll tell you the price. Don't come tire kickin', cause we won't give you a price unless you are buying. Yes- it is that good of a deal.

RAGBRAI Comes Close in '14!!

In case you had not heard, RAGBRAI 2014 is coming through our area. It overnights in Waverly and Independence. It will be a flat, easy as pie ride, so gear up your steeds folks. We'll be super busy come June, so do not wait to get your new bike or tune up on your old rig. Get in the shop now and beat the rush! Don't look all sorry when you wait till June 15th and we tell you it is a two week backlog on repairs.

Don't say I never told ya so!

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.

Carbon Beargrease XX1

Carbon Beargrease XX1

Well, there won't be many of these out there, but here is one that passed through the shop today. It belongs to a local rider who will be on the cutting edge of fat bike technology.

The Carbon Beargrease frame is as technical as any road or mountain bike frame out there in 2014. It features molded in bearing pockets for the headset and bottom bracket. It has internally routed cables, and an XX1 drive train. The carbon frame and fork is a tour de force of carbon wizardry. The tubing profiles and the sheer scale of the frame has to be witnessed in person to be understood.

Check out the green anodized bits that.....

The wheels feature through axles front and rear for the ultimate in torsional stiffness and precise tracking. The through axles themselves are DT Swiss RWS type which are very easy to use. The wheels slip into and out of the frame easily, unlike some other through axle set ups I've seen and handled.

All that stiffness is handled through a massive carbon fiber Beargrease fork that features a 51mm offset for nimble handling. Not only that, but that fork and frame are suspension corrected. (Yes......that is a hint)

Of course, the wheels have to look good too, just check out hose fancy anodized green hubs. (They are the very same used on the Muk 2, just with different end caps.)

.....match the green graphic on the downtube.

The XX1 drive train is a game changer. It is a top of the line drive train from SRAM. Best of the Best here. The technology is really amazing. There is no front derailleur. The chain ring has alternating wide-thin-wide teeth that mate with the chain perfectly. The reason for this is for chain retention. The theme of chain retention is carried over to the rear derailleur which has a clutch mechanism in it to help keep the lower part of the cage from flopping forward on bigger hits and bumps. This keeps the chain from whipping and coming off the front ring. Not only that, but it won't clatter off the chain stay either. Nice and quiet.

Need low gears? How about a 42T rear cog? (!!!) You can swap out front rings to get lower than you'd ever need to go, and the highest gear on the cassette is a 10T. This requires a special free hub on the hub, but it works very well. Oh yeah.....it has eleven cogs! 

The brakes are high end Avid and come with the two piece rotors which should prove to be great stoppers and quieter than the one piece rotors are. Those brakes will be stopping the Holy Rolling Darryl rims which are mounted with 45NRTH Dillinger tires which feature stud pockets in case you would want to use 45NRTH's excellent alloy/carbide studs. Those are really easy to install too, by the way.

All this goodness comes out to be about 26.3lbs with no pedals. Yes......it is expensive. We sold this one, and these will likely be non-existent for quite some time from Salsa. We do have two Beargrease Carbon x-9 bikes which have the same frame and fork with a 2 X 10 drive train instead of XX1. The price of those steeds will be just shy of $3500.00. We'll have a Large and Medium sized examples hitting the shop soon.

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......

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.