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Has anyone put a lot of miles on a Mukluk yet?

1919 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by singlespeedstu, Feb 21, 2011

Jongrd

Discussion Starter · Feb 19, 2011

Hi

I am very interested in a Fat bike to do some rough terrain, low speed exploring. My jumping days are probably behind me but I still commute 12 months a year and ride 4000 km in a year. I already do a lot of biking in the winter but would like to do more.

My funds probably run to either a Pugsley or a Mukluk. Everything about the Mukluk sounds like a better fit for me but I wonder how the aluminum frame will hold up to the stresses of single track exploring in the summer. Lots of places I ride are soft, sandy and loose.

My Kona has held up well to the abuse and it is aluminum but it is gussetted and very solid.

I still ride my steel xc bike from the 90's, only the stem and frame are original, but that's they type of durability I like.

I'm not overly familiar with Salsa either, are the frames any good?

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

JAGI410

· #2 · Feb 19, 2011

Mukluk's low availability has kept them out of the hands of a lot of people, and there aren't nearly enough ride reports. Salsa makes excellent products, I wouldn't worry about their durability, they know how to make a great bike. If there ever was a problem (there won't be) their customer service is some of the best in the world, not just the bike industry. Fat bikes aren't just for snow, they love singletrack and the beach too, so no worries there.

I would have loved to get a Mukluk, but bought a Pugsley instead since it was readily available. If you want a Mukluk, you'll have to wait until late March (last I heard).

I use my Pugsley as a commuter most days, and today I'm headed out on a long ride around town. Fat bikes can do everything a "normal" bike can do. Not as quick, but a lot more fun.

sryanak

· #3 · Feb 19, 2011

Jongrd said:
Hi

My funds probably run to either a Pugsley or a Mukluk.

Both the 907 and Fatback have builds that are close in price to the Mukluk. This is especially true after people change out some parts to make the Mukluk lighter, course changing out parts can be part of the fun. I don't know what either of their availabilities are right now but it might be worth a call.

My Kona has held up well to the abuse and it is aluminum but it is gussetted and very solid.

I still ride my steel xc bike from the 90's, only the stem and frame are original, but that's they type of durability I like.

I have an aluminum Klein Pinnacle from 1990, it has thousands of miles on it, only crank and frame are original it has held up fine. There is no need for the fear of aluminum from quality manufacturers.

Johnclimber

· #4 · Feb 19, 2011

I can't say I've put in hundreds of miles on mine as I stupidly crashed it big time keeping me off any of my bikes for 4 weeks.

Note to self when getting air (at my age and skill level) don't use flat pedals.

To sum up it rides very well, doesn't feel like a 36lbs bike and it rides well over all terrains and in all (UK) conditions both up and down hills.
Tomorrow I'll be doing a 40+ mile ride down to the coast and up and down the long beachs nearby, movie and pictures to follow.

Sand and snow shots here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157625624523830/

Jongrd

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 20, 2011

Thanks for all the information.

Now I will have to do more reading of all the posts.

I hadn't realized that the Fatback and 9:Zero:7 were possibly in my range as well.

I like the beach pictures and to hear that a 40 mile ride is possible. I really want to be able to set out for the day and head wherever I want no matter the conditions. I really want my rides to be fun and from what I've read a fat bike fits that description.

I'm glad to hear some reassurance about the summer riding. My current winter bike is a Kona Stuff with Nokian Extreme 294's on it and it does really well on ice and most snow conditions. But what I really want to do is take my snowmobile out and set out a private track for winter riding.

Nice that Salsa is a good company to deal with.

I'm not afraid of Aluminum in general. I was just idly wondering that without suspension and the possible unusual loads imposed by the giant wheels would there be any additional chance of cracking a frame.

Again thanks for your replies. I'll sit down for a few hours now and try to digest all the info here.

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Andy FitzGibbon

· #6 · Feb 20, 2011

Jongrd said:
I'm not afraid of Aluminum in general. I was just idly wondering that without suspension and the possible unusual loads imposed by the giant wheels would there be any additional chance of cracking a frame.

With the low pressures usually run in these tires, there's probably less chance of that than on a standard aluminum MTB.

anthony.delorenzo

· #7 · Feb 20, 2011

If you're not doing anything extreme I wouldn't think twice about any fat bike frame, they are all pretty bomber. Even if you are, a number of guys around here are hitting big tables and 8-foot drops on their Pugsleys, so I can vouch that they can take a lot of abuse.

njbisme

· #8 · Feb 20, 2011

Freeride Fatties

anthony.delorenzo said:
If you're not doing anything extreme I wouldn't think twice about any fat bike frame, they are all pretty bomber. Even if you are, a number of guys around here are hitting big tables and 8-foot drops on their Pugsleys, so I can vouch that they can take a lot of abuse.

You gotta post some photos of these guys hitting tables and drops on their fatties!

saltyman

· #9 · Feb 20, 2011

I think mine has covered just 42miles from new! I did manage to snap the chain riding up a snowy bank in west Yorkshire yesterday, apart from that, no issues.

Jongrd

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 20, 2011

If you're not doing anything extreme I wouldn't think twice about any fat bike frame, they are all pretty bomber. Even if you are, a number of guys around here are hitting big tables and 8-foot drops on their Pugsleys, so I can vouch that they can take a lot of abuse.

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm not super hard on equipment but I weigh on the wrong side of 200 at the moment.

I think mine has covered just 42miles from new! I did manage to snap the chain riding up a snowy bank in west Yorkshire yesterday, apart from that, no issues.

Are fat bikes a North of England thing? Although I grew up and live in Western Canada I was born in Middlesborough.

saltyman

· #11 · Feb 20, 2011

i have never seen another fat bike before........my friend has a pugsly but we have never rode together on fats.

even though im in tyne and wear, theres never been any snow since the big fall of november. it was all gone by december.

i wanted a fat bike regardless, just to try one out.

timhMN

· #12 · Feb 21, 2011

As of right now I have just under 700 miles on my Mukluk. No major issues so far. I wouldn't call the riding I've done extreme (except for temperature - it was -35F on the Arrowhead). Mostly just snow pack and general city riding. In the extreme cold it complained a little bit but nothing a lot of other bikes were not complaining about, too.

As for Salsa itself, they are a pretty high quality brand. The Mukluk is my second Salsa, the other being a steel road bike that's about 7 years old now. I bought the road bike 3 years ago from a buddy and have put 8000 miles on that one, again with no real issues. I have been very happy with my two bikes.

mikesee

· #13 · Feb 21, 2011

timhMN said:
In the extreme cold it complained a little bit but nothing a lot of other bikes were not complaining about, too.

Just curious what the complaints were when it was cold.

Thanks,

MC

timhMN

· #14 · Feb 21, 2011

mikesee said:
Just curious what the complaints were when it was cold.

Thanks,

MC

Freehub started freezing, but I take responsibility for this as I didn't have time to change the lube out of it before the race. It never stopped working, but often the crank might go around a half-turn before it would catch... I was having some problems with the grip-shifting - a few times I would have to go to a lower cog to loosen it up before it would go back to a bigger one... I was using power-grips on my pedals, which worked pretty well until they froze stiff and I couldn't get my feet into them... My rear brake was freezing up, too (BB7) - it never stopped working, but for a while there I only had about 1/2 power.

These all showed up on the overnight when it was -35F, when it got a little warmer everything was working fine again.

Johnclimber

· #15 · Feb 21, 2011

Up to 40 miles done on Sunday morning, the only thing I don't like (that much) are the silly looks you get riding on a UK beach in the middle of winter.

Here's my video to see how smooth/rough it is as the camera is mainly chest mounted.

timhMN

· #16 · Feb 21, 2011

Better cables / housings would also prob have eliminated my shift & brake issues.

singlespeedstu

· #17 · Feb 21, 2011

Mine has done in the region of 500 miles and apart from the freewheel missing a couple of times it's been great.

Dead easy job to strip the grease out of there and put some King drivering lube in and it's not missed a beat since.

hanging around by singlespeedstu, on Flickr

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