2X, Sram brakes better in winter.

This is my second Farley. Had a 6 and now a 5. Bought it for the fatter rear end which helps in the snow.
But the round seat stays are way too fat. And way too wide apart. My calfs rub against them and I'm not a big guy.
They need to be oval and skinnier like the chain stays. Rocky Mountain, and others, have figured this out.
Was this new frame even field tested?
I've had many Treks and have grown to trust them but not anymore.

Stay away. This is a deal breaker.

Mine is the 9.6. Great frame, decent tires, & ok parts. The ride is great, and fun in good conditions too. 11 speed GX is good. Tire has a good grip & rolls fast.

The tire is a mf'er to get off the rim. GX doesnt downshift like XT. DB3 brakes are average, 160 rotor isnt adequate. Average parts in general. Tires are prone to sidewall tears.

The bike is fun to ride, not just in sloppy conditions.

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29ers, 26ers.

Full Carbon! what else can I say.

none.

Well, I was lucky enough to pick up a Farley 9.8 last week and I am almost at a loss for words. I have 3 rides on it in some tight single track here in SE Mich and the bike is scary fast! Shifts like butter and once the tubes were taken out (easiest conversion I have ever done) the bike is a rocket. I don't mind paying a high price for a quality product. The only thing I will change for the spring/summer/fall riding is a larger chain ring up front, 32 is way too small for a masher like myself. I will change the X-lite bar to a Truvative T-40 carbon flat bar in the spring. (lots of tight single track in mi) the bike is really light and that transfers into pedaling power and handling. the difference between this and my Beargrease 2 in night and day, but in defense of the BG, that's a less expensive model.

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now sold Beargrease 2.

Light frame, nice wheels, good components right put of the box

Stock brakes SUCK!

OMG! I absolutely love this bike! I upgraded the brakes to Shimano XT & left everything else stock (with the exception of grips & peddles, of course). This bike rides great, whether I'm riding nice groomed dry trails or sloppy mud. I haven't had it in the snow yet. I really like the dimensions of the frame. It seems to fit me perfectly. And, I feel like I can do things (like ride over anything) much better than my traditional 29er hardtail. It climbs well & corners well. I couldn't better happier with it.

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Surley Pugsley & Specialized Fatboy

Great color combo, drivetrain, pretty light for a fat bike

Avid DB1 brakes, I don't ride my other bikes now

Fun bike to ride, handles great and is not that heavy for a fat bike, mine came in a just over 30# for a 21" minus pedals. I was able to easily shed 2# by going tubeless which was a piece of cake because the Mulefut rims have a nice bead lock. One of the two issues I had with the bike was Shimano shifters/ rear der. combo (me, not the bike) and the Sram DB1 brakes (them, not me) which do not feel strong and have developed a nasty squeal/vibration even after sanding the pads. Overall I absolutely love the bike and have ridden snow, the beach, and dry trails and have left them all smiling. I will probably ride this bike all summer as well.

Solid components, great frame, seems lighter than it is....a ton of fun to ride

? no suspension, but do I need it ?

I live in Illinois and purchased this 2014 model three months ago to extend my biking season. I ride a road bike in the summer and an old Trek mountain bike in the fall. I liked the 2014 better than the 2015 models from Trek. I wanted the 2014 because of components - the Salsa hubs, the Surly Rims, the Surley Knard tires, the Avid brakes, and the SRAM shifters and Shimano Casette. The 14 model has a double chain ring up front so I have the granny gear if I need it. Future upgrades could include clipped pedals, and suspension forks.

Our winter started out slow - without much snow, so I was able to "break in" the farley on the frozen, sometimes wet snowmobile trails. Had a blast with it in the mud and sand. I took it up to Kettle Morraine in Wisconsin and learned to use it in the snow - great times. I recently added 45North snow tires and took it to the North Woods in MN - lots of ice, but the tires performed great. I look forward to using this all summer, and passing the old mountain bike down to the kids...

Bottom line - the bike has performed no matter where I have taken it, and yes it does bring a smile to your face !

Very comfortable, Goes fast in corners and good looking. Not too heavy.

Uphill not as fast a 29er due to heavier wheels.

What some say is true, it makes a smile on your face riding this bike.