State’s budget fat bike gets slacker geometry and hydraulic brakes for v2

Fat bike news has been pretty quiet for most of the 2020s, but now, things seem to be picking up. In September, Salsa announced an updated Beargrease fat bike, and today State Bicycle Co. is updating its 6061 fat bike. The State 6061 Trail+ v2 sees significant changes from the geometry to the build, and though the price is a little higher this time around, it still looks to be a good value.

State 6061 Trail+ geometry and build kit

The biggest change with the Trail+ v2 is the geometry. The new hydroformed 6061 aluminum frame has a 66° head tube angle, down from 71° (!) previously, and long, 455mm chainstays across all sizes. Reaches have grown too; the largest frame size gets a 480mm reach, up from just 443mm.

The cockpit gets a 740mm-wide handlebar (up from 700mm on v1) and a 50mm stem (down from 70mm). Like the recently updated Beargrease, State is touting their fat bike’s trail-bike-like geometry.

For the v2 6061 Trail+ fat bike, State uses Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic brakes (upgraded from mechanicals on v1) with 180mm rotors front and rear. Both axles are now thru-axles, 150x15mm in front and 197x12mm in the rear, replacing quick-release hubs on the v1 frame. The rear dropout is UDH-compatible, and the frame has internal routing for a dropper post, which v1 didn’t have. There are also cargo mounts on the top tube, down tube, and fork, plus bottle mounts, which makes the bike a better fit for bikepacking.

Though the v2 lost a gear, down to eight speeds from nine, it actually offers a wider 11-45T cassette range paired with a 28T chainring. “Fat bikes are ridden where cadence collapses: soft sand, deep snow, loaded climbs,” State says. “Range matters, gear count doesn’t.”

The bike rolls on 26″ double-wall alloy rims with Kenda Juggernaut 26×4.5″ tires and tubes. Sadly, the wheels and tires are not rated for tubeless. State says the maximum tire size is 26×4.5″, though the official product page notes the frame has clearance for 4.8″ tires while the fork maxes out at 4.6″ tires. However, the $299.99 carbon fork upgrade is said to fit tires up to 4.8″ wide.

State generally offers good bikes for the price

Last year I tested the State 4130 Trail hardtail, and found the bike offers a nice feature set at a reasonable price. On that bike, State saves money on parts most riders don’t think about, like the headset and bottom bracket. Like the 4130 hardtail, the 6061 looks great and is a bike that most owners will probably upgrade over time. One interesting thing to note is that State requires proof of professional assembly to activate the warranty.

The State 6061 Trail+ v2 Fat Bike costs $1,199.99, up $200 from the $999 price of the previous version. That’s still less than many other fat bikes. The aluminum Beargrease Eagle 70, for example, sells for $1,999. Adding a carbon fork to the State 6061 Trail+ brings the price to about $1,500, and a PNW Range dropper post adds another $199.99.

Available in small, medium, and large sizes, in Firehouse Red or Raw/Black. State expects the bikes to ship in late October.

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