mountain bikes: Test: Salsa Beargrease X7 Carbon – I hate fat bikes?!

Test: Salsa Beargrease Carbon X7 Carbon – Fatbikes? For me so far it was more of a topic that I, as an XC/marathon-oriented rider, smiled at or almost despised. When I was given the Salsa Beargrease for testing, I was quite skeptical at first. But the salsa and the muddy conditions with residual snow on the peaks of the Bavarian Forest in spring have shown once again: You shouldn't get stuck in your prejudices and try something new more often!

Salsa Beargrease X7 Carbon: frame and fork

Salsa is considered to be one of the pioneers in the field of fat bikes and therefore there is already a lot of experience in the development of the Beargrease frame. It comes in a striking violet-blue effect finish that is almost reminiscent of the famous Klein frames from back then. The carbon fork comes in a matching color and nestles well into the soft curves of the carbon frame. The frame is made of high modulus carbon and saves around 350g compared to the aluminum version. Cables and brake lines are laid discreetly in the frame and do not disturb the overall picture. In addition to a rigid fork, the frame can also be used with standard 100mm fat bike forks; for everyone who likes it a little more comfortable.

You don't have to commit yourself completely to the fat bike with the frame, because 27,5″ wheels with up to 3,25″ or 29″ wheels up to 3″ can also be ridden. If you want to, you can spontaneously swap wheels and change the character of the bike. A 177mm x 12mm axle with symmetrical alignment is used at the rear for a stiffer wheel at the rear and a better chain line, which can often cause problems with fat bikes due to the wide tires. The fork is also made of carbon and is equipped with a 150 mm thru-axle. There are threads on the sides of the fork that can be used to attach luggage racks or bottle holders.

Salsa Beargrease X7 Carbon: Geometry

The first look at the geometry table sticks with the seat and steering angle. 73° seat angle and 68,4° head angle are pretty sporty for a fat bike. The seatstays are also rather short at 440 mm and promise a rather manoeuvrable bike. Salsa has been using this geometry with the Beargrease almost unchanged since 2012. The aim was for the bike to feel good in a wide variety of conditions. In addition, a good compromise between smooth running and agility should be found with the geometry, despite the fat tires. Bottom bracket height is always an issue with fat bikes. This was also kept as low as possible with the Beargrease in order to achieve a low center of gravity, which ensures better control of the bike.

Salsa Beargrease X7 Carbon: Features

With 3099 € you start in the Salsa Fatbike world with a carbon frame. We tested this version with the Beargrease X7 Carbon. To get started, you get a carbon frame with rather average parts. Shifting is done with a mix of Sram X5 and X7 in a 2×10 configuration. The gear ratio, with 22-34 on the crank and 11-36t cassette, also offers enough reserves for steep, muddy climbs. The brakes also come from SRAM with a DB1, although the brake discs are rather sparse at 160 mm at the front and 140 mm at the rear. The wheels are equipped with in-house Salsa hubs and SunRinglé Mulefut SL tubeless rims with a width of 80 mm. A 45NRTH Husker Dü tire with a width of 4,0″ provides the necessary grip on the fat bike. Otherwise, mainly salsa parts and a WTB Pure V Comp as a saddle are installed in the cockpit. The average parts add a bit of weight, which is a bit of a shame for the lightweight carbon frame, especially considering the hole the bike already leaves in your wallet. But you have solid, reliable parts that can survive several adventures with the fat bike.

Salsa Beargrease X7 Carbon: On the trail

Of course, my skepticism about fat bikes meant that the Salsa had a hard time with me at the beginning of the test. So I made the best of it and looked for snow in the higher elevations of the Bavarian Forest for the first test drive. On the first climb on tar and then on a forest road, the Salsa showed an unexpected side: thanks to its sporty geometry, the Beargrease climbed surprisingly well and the rolling resistance was also limited. First prejudice already destroyed. On the downhill over the still snow-covered paths, the bike showed its advantages to the full. Despite the thaw and the relatively deep, soft snow, the 4,0″ wide tires provided sufficient lift at enough speed not to break through the snow cover. At the end of the descent, a ski slope was rocked, which was really fun again.

Impressed by the positive impressions, I decided to take the bike with me on my Saturday morning XC ride with my colleagues. First of all, the question of the air pressure arose. The air pressure is everything on an unsprung fat bike, because it significantly influences the handling. With my almost 80 kilos, I decided to start with 0,6 bar in the tires with regard to the rolling resistance. So it got a little stubborn on the track with bumpy root passages. So air out. In the end I got around 0,3-0,4 bar in the tires. But I think everyone has to find their optimal setting depending on the track. For me personally, the mentioned 0,4 bar in the tires was perfect. On the round, the salsa proved to be very suitable for touring. A little helped by the very muddy conditions, I was able to ride with the standard 29er hardtails. Downhill, the Salsa was surprisingly light-footed and safe to ride and was a lot of fun.

I could hardly push the small brake discs to their limits, because the smooth running and the almost infinite grip allowed corners to be driven damn fast. The bike also proved to be surprisingly lively and fast on the ups and downs on the trails. Of course, at the end of the tour on asphalt, you have to do a lot more because of the rolling resistance in order not to be left behind by your colleagues. The attachments, as well as the gearshift and brakes functioned perfectly throughout the test and no abnormalities were observed. Only the saddle was maybe a bit too wide for me, but that's a matter of taste.

Well... maybe fat bikes aren't that bad after all, but personally I would see them more as a second or even third bike, since you don't always find conditions in which you can exploit all the advantages. Thanks to the Beargrease, I am now a lot more positive about the subject of fat bikes!