Froze without snow, its all good.

December

Who knew all I had to do was buy a fat bike and we would be blessed with some really nice weather.  The mountain bike trails are completely thawed and muddy, but 50 degrees and sunshine make for some really comfortable road rides.  I was planning a fat bike trip up north next week, but even they are not at ideal snow conditions.  I put a comfy 80 miles in yesterday, winter will be here soon enough…

More 2015 Beargrease pictures... you sick of it yet? I'm not!

Tubeless Dillingers

Birds nest

Chain lube

My one complaint about the bike, white grips on an offroad bike.  Thats just silly.

I finally got a long ride in on the new fat bike.  Even better it was in elements that would have been no fun on a 29er.  I put a 110mm stem in place of the 90mm and it made a huge difference, I was surprised at how much better the bike felt with a longer stem.  

I am rethinking my 1x10 idea after todays ride.  There were some steep mud covered hills that had me using the tiny chainring.

I am really looking forward to more time on the beargrease.  

Beargrease Update

I got pretty sick last weekend so I wasn’t able to ride my new Beargrease at all.  It was a big bummer having this awesome brand new bicycle just sitting around, but I didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Since then I have gotten a couple rides in, enough for a good first impression.  All of my observations of the bike will be comparing it to my 2012 Salsa El Mariachi, which is a 29er hardtail, listed in the Salsa catalog for endurance mtb racing and bike packing. 

The El Mariachi is a 21” frame so I assumed I would need the same on the Beargrease, but Bob from Wheelwerks said no way, that the 21” frame on the beargrease is big.  So we went with the 19” frame.  I roughed out the dimensions on auto cad and turns out Bob knew what he was talking about.  The seat tube is two inches shorter, but the rest of the lengths are very similar.

So far I have noticed that the bike turns FAST, I don’t know which feature of the bike causes this feeling, but it feels much lighter and quicker turning than my Mariachi.  It is a lot of fun in tight switch backs, the extra traction and quick handling make me feel like a hero. 

Part of that feeling may be coming from the short stem and wide bars.  I need a longer stem, but I like the wide bars.  I could see this bike becoming my full time mountain bike, I just wish they put the alternator dropouts on it so I could run single speed when I feel like it.

I have already converted it to tubeless using gorilla tape, and I plan on going to a 1x10 setup instead of the 2x10.  The bike comes with a “clutch type derailleur” so all that is needed to convert to 1x is a Wolf Tooth or Raceface Narrow Wide chain ring.  I am also considering getting some studs for the Dillengers, but I am still deciding on that.

Overall I am thrilled with my new bike, more miles coming this weekend.

New Beargrease Photos

Ryan from Wheel Werks getting her ready.

I finally gave in and bought a fat bike.  Not only did I buy one, but I bought a pretty nice one. 

I am so pumped... I went out in 30 degrees dressed in long johns and a t-shirt and was too warm, the woods block the wind and the snow makes you work harder so it is warm.  

I have only spent an hour and a half on the bike so its hard to form solid opinions on it.  All I can say for now is that any other form of cycling today would have been uncomfortable or indoors.  Its winter, I rode my bike outside, and it didn't hurt.  How much better can it get?!

Update 12/14/14:  With more time on the bike I have a couple updates here and here.