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!

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!