Salsa come loaded for Bear(grease)

BREAKING NEWS! As we went to press (as in pressing “post”), Salsa sent notification that they’d just won the EuroBike Award for Mountain Bikes. Congratulations to the entire Salsa team!

Have you ever felt like your fat bike was too… fat? Sure the big, bouncy tires are fun (and more than a little handy come winter)- but true to their names, fat bikes are rarely svelte. Well, US nichemasters Salsa have heard your cries- and answered with the carbon fibre Beargrease. With their impressive 1,245g (2.75lb) frame and matching 700g fork, the two bikes (plus frame option) are likely to be as exclusive as any fatbike not crafted by an elaborately mustachioed artisan.

Matchy matchy

Here is the Beargrease XX1, which comes spec’d with fat dream kit: SRAM XX1 drivetrain, Avid XX brakes, a carbon bar and seatpost, and massively wide colour-matched Salsa thru-axle hubs (142mm front, 177mm rear). The XX1 crankset is a Salsa exclusive, with matching green highlights and an extra-long spindle to span the 121mm bottom bracket.

See? Fun!

The more pedestrian Beargrease (above and below) comes fitted with a SRAM X9/X7 double kit and Avid BB7S mechanical disc brakes. The blue-purple fade is plain awesome, bringing to mind the classic Giro Hammerhead SC helmet “fingerprint” colour scheme. Tyres remain Salsa stablemate 45Nrth’s Dillenger 26×4.0s- though with a heavier casing than on the XX1 model.

Mmm… fades.

Salsa’s crystal ball has clearly been working overtime as both the Beargrease and aluminum Mukluk are compatible with 100mm fatbike suspension forks- of we can think of none beyond a modified Maverick DUC or SC32. Finally, we were provided with images of Beargrease (Beargreases?) fitted with substantial Salsa/Revelate frame bags. UK bike pricing is not yet available, but a frame/fork/hub starter kit will run £1599. Hurry up and preorder, though: Sideways Cycles reports that they’re nearly sold out.