Yes, It Is Supposed to Look Like That

Bruce was kind enough to lend me his Trek Farley for a bit since he has been focusing on road miles for an upcoming event.  I am however focusing on fun, exploration and adventure this year.

 He should have known that I would get it dirty - I say it is supposed to look like that.

 I was fortunate to receive an invitation to play hooky on Friday afternoon to explore the Mt. Spokane Trail system from Fat Bike Dan.  Overall, the trails were rough but surprising little mud. I know from both that I was running too much pressure in the tires as ride quality and traction both suffered.  The other thing I noted was that I did not get that nice pull to the inside of turns when I set the tires on edge.

I also was not running clipless pedals so all power was produced on the down stroke which caused the rear to spin in the mud necessitating a points-robbing stab of the right foot during the ensuing stall.  I must also point-out that Fat Bike Dan cleaned all of the sections and somehow he and his bike repelled the mud.

 

Sporting an aluminum frame, the Farley is one of the lighter fat bikes on the market and has it pretty dialed in terms of components, geometry and ride quality.  I declare fat bikes are here to stay and will enjoy watching the upcoming battles of weight reduction (as if it matters in this class) and price increases as carbon frames, forks and wheels become more available in the market.

In the meantime, I will be working to convince the Chairwoman of the Domestic Finance Committee of the value of investing in this particular bike this year given its year-round capabilities.

Two Wheel Transit - Cycling for Life