Salsa Beargrease
With the raciest geometry of the three monster tyre bikes, the Beargrease is built for speed with a full carbon frame, Salsa's rigid Kingpin Deluxe Fork and 80mm rims paired to 27.5x3.8in tyres.
A 68.5-degree head angle, 73-degree seat angle and 440mm chainstays throughout the sizes and a low bottom bracket has resulted in trail-bike handling.
By using 27.5x3.8in rubber, there is a sizeable contact patch, good flotation and plenty of traction in snow, sand and hardpack, too, without too much rolling resistance. Even though the bike comes stock with 27.5-inch hoops you can run a 29x3in tyre on a 50mm rim or 26x5in rubber on a 100mm rim.
The Kingpin Deluxe fork features internal dynamo hub-wire routing, offers three bosses on each fork leg so you can mount bottle cages, Salsa’s Anything Rack or pannier racks. The axle to crown length of the fork is the same as a 100mm suspension fork at 25-per cent sag so you can run a RockShox Bluto or Manitou Mastodon without altering the geometry or handling characteristics.
Speaking of racks, Salsa has updated the mounting points on the Beargrease with provisions for the Alternator 10/177 rear rack, bosses for a top tube bag, two bottle mounts inside the frame (depending on the size) and a third set of bottle mounts under the downtube.
Salsa has also designed the Beargrease frame with 197mm symmetrical rear spacing, and a 100mm threaded bottom bracket to reign-in the Q-factor and also allow for up to a 32T chainring at the front — the frame is 1x only.
All the cables are routed inside the frame and there are internal sleeves to eliminate the poke-and-pray method of running new cables and housing. There is also routing for a stealth dropper, too.
The Beargrease will be available in SX, NX Eagle, GX Eagle and X01 Eagle builds.
Salsa Mukluk
The Mukluk was the fatty that started the revolution for Salsa and serves as the most versatile fat bike in its line-up. Rolling on 26-inch wheels and tyres, the latest Mukluk is available in carbon and alloy frames, both featuring a slightly more conservative geometry — a 69-degree head angle, 73-degree seat angle with a stack of 611.4mm and reach of 438.2mm in a size medium. At the back, the Mukluk gets a sliding dropout, allowing the chainstays to go from 432mm up to 449mm, for those who may want to run single speed or to allow space for bigger tyres.
The carbon fibre version sees a Kingpin Carbon fork at the front, which is nearly identical to Deluxe versions but is made of a slightly lower-grade carbon. The alloy frame gets the brand's Bearpaw Carbon fork, which only sees the three mounting bolts on each fork legs.
While the Mukluk is designed around 26 x 4.8in rubber on a 100mm rim for max flotation, the bike will also accept a 27.5 x 5in tyre on 100mm rims and 29x3in tyres on 50mm rims.
Like the Beargrease, the Mukluk features 197mm symmetrical rear spacing and a 100mm threaded bottom bracket but it's 1x and 2x friendly with max chainring sizes of 32T and 36/24T respectively.
The cable routing is all internal including provisions for a stealth dropper, but here you don't get the inner sleeves like the Beargrease.
Salsa has also given the Mukluk plenty of accessory and rack mounts and drilled two sets of water bottle bosses inside the frame and one under the down tube.
Salsa Blackborow
Serving as the 'get lost bike' in Salsa’s range, the Blackborow has nearly endless mounting possibilities and is designed to carry heavy loads.
It's based around a similar geometry to Salsa's other fat bikes with a 69-degree head angle, 73-degree seat angle and respective stack and reach figures of 608mm and 434mm. But it's the 650mm chainstays where the bike gets interesting.
The Blackborow comes with a rear rack designed to take four panniers with a max weight capacity of 50kg/110lbs. The bike can also take a top tube and frame bag, and with the miles of chainstay there is room behind the seat tube for a 'stowaway bag' too. Inside the frame, there are two sets of bottle mounts and a third under the down tube.
Salsa spec'd the Blackburrow with the Kingpin carbon fork with bosses for bottles or the brand's Anything Cage.
Like its shorter siblings the Blackborow has 197mm rear-hub spacing, meaning the bike maintains a standard chain line, albeit a long one, for both 1x and 2x drivetrains
The cable routing is internal and should you decide to get extra rowdy on the Blackborow the frame accommodates routing for a dropper post.
Range and pricing:
- Salsa Beargrease X01 Eagle - US$4,699
- Salsa Mukluk Carbon NX Eagle - US$3,149
- Salsa Blackborow GX Eagle - US$3,099
International pricing is to be announced.
