Fat Bikes
Salsa Bucksaw Carbon FS
If the fat bike is the most significant MTB revolution ever, then Michael Paul’s Salsa Bucksaw Carbon is the single most revolutionary bike in the the short history of mountain biking… ever. Carbon frame: check. Full sus: check. A 1x drivetrain, 35mm diameter bar and clamp, tires big enough to spec on a Geo Metro, carbon freaking rims, and a dripity-dropper: check, check, check, check, chickity-check! What’s more, our Bucksaw feels more like a handsaw, weighing as much as any of your endur-bro AM steeds.
This 30lb bike felt like a 20lb XC racer when I started pedaling, and I zoomed up the trails with ease. I could not believe it… it pedaled as fast, or faster, than any bike I’d been on in the past. Gone was that sluggish feeling on takeoff that fat tires and fat rims usually cause. The front end felt lighter–wispy, even. The Bucksaw quickly became such a renaissance bike that I looked forward to riding it more than my Mach 6…
-Michael Paul
See Michael ride Endur-snow in his full review of the Salsa Bucksaw.
[see_also id=”185197″][/see_also]
Scott Big Jon
To say our Editor in Chief, Greg Heil, loves fat bikes is an understatement. But, Greg doesn’t just gush over any human-powered, two-wheeler with rubbers over 4 inches wide. Greg has a keen eye for good ones and, in the Big Jon from Scott, he saw greatness. With modern fat bike geometry, a dependable yet affordable build, all at a respectable weight and more than reasonable sub $2K price, Greg was impressed enough to add the Big Jon to his permanent stable.
After starting off my winter riding season on my old fat bike and then switching to the Big Jon after a couple of weeks… the Big Jon’s intuitive handling, reminiscent of a quality trail bike, was such a breath of fresh air, and a weight lifted from my back while riding… The Big Jon is so on-point and is so affordable considering the quality that it offers that I couldn’t resist.
-Greg Heil
Read the full review of the Scott Big Jon from our Chief self-flagellating luddite.
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Sarma Vortex 1.0
If fat bikes from frame designers located in the Upper Midwest, Colorado, and Alaska make sense, how about one from an area with some of the longest, harshest winters on earth? While the carbon wheel upgrade likely did wonders for the this fatty, the tires and Bluto fork did not, as John would go on to conclude the Sarma Vortex is best built as simply as possible. Staying true to its Siberian roots, the Vortex does not pretend to be something it is not–an uncompromising, do-it-all, quiver killer transcending all genres while revolutionizing the industry. In other words…
It’s a fat bike.
-John Fisch
Read more of the eloquent stylings of John Fisch in his full review of the Sarma Vortex 1.0
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Advocate Cycles Watchman
Okay, forget about another half-ass summary of another bike review. Also, forget about everything anyone has said about effecting change in the bike industry, because the following about Advocate Cycles will blow your mind:
In the case of Advocate Cycles, they put 100% of profits from the sale of their bikes towards bicycle advocacy efforts. Half of that money goes towards already-existing organizations such as the IMBA and People for Bikes. The other half goes toward running their own bicycle advocacy programs, such as educating non-cyclists and kids on the joys of cycling for pleasure and transportation, teaching bicycle safety and maintenance, lobbying for the rights of cyclists, helping various trail organizations, and more. When you buy a bike online, you can even choose which of Advocate’s partners you’d like the profits from your purchase to go to.
-Helena Kotala
See Helena do what Jesus would in her full review of the Advocate Cycles Watchman.
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Borealis Crestone XX1
I think I’m getting fatter just reading about all of these fat bikes.
Having made a very big impression with the Yampa and Echo, Borealis took what they learned worked well and further refined frame geometry, durability standards, and design elements when crafting the Crestone. While burly 4.8″ Maxxis Minions mated to 80mm alloy rims carry more weight penalty than most care for, the rest of the component check is arguably as light as any factory-built fatty, including: NEXT carbon bar, seatpost, and cranks from Race Face, and an XX1 drivetrain and Guide Ultimate brakes from SRAM.
There is nothing I would change about the ride quality or the way that the Crestone handles, particularly if you are looking for a do-it-all fat bike that has XC roots but all-mountain capability. This bike may not be for the rider who likes to huck a fatty off a roof, but it is a very versatile race machine that can handle almost anything most riders can throw at it.
-Michael Paul
See Michael ride the flying purple people eater in his full review of the Borealis Crestone XX1.
[see_also id=”183097″][/see_also]
