At the end of February, I shared my first impressions of the Borealis Fat Bikes, Crestone and now I’m very sad to report that our test bike has moved on and left a rather large void in the old fat dash bike dot com stable. My previous article took a look at primarily snow and ice riding. I loved this bike on snow and ice, but I think that it’s even better on dirt. Once the spring thaw was in full swing, I mounted a pair of Husker Du’s tubeless on the elite carbon wheels and reveled in the resulting traction sweet chewiness of the Crestone.
I mentioned that the Crestone has left a large void in the bike quiver and I dare say…..that the Crestone will linger on, in my mind as one of the legendary bikes that I’ve ever had the pleasure to ride, like Charlie the Unicorn’s Moonmen or Bill Fleming’s twenty-two pound 9:Zero:7 or my Moonlander, Thparkle.
When you throw a leg over a fat-bike that is as light as the Crestone it changes your perspective about what a fat-bike is and what it can do. A fat-bike that weighs in the 22-24 pound range, really renders a lot of what the industry is grinding out these days obsolete. Who needs a plus bike, when you have a fat-bike that’s as light as most 29r race rigs?
We had several of our Bike Black Ribbon Test Pilots ride the Crestone. We did some side by side studded tire testing this winter and we used the Crestone as the platform for studded Dillingers vs. a Trek Farley 9.8 with Bontrager Gnarwhals. We rode back to back laps of icy, snow packed, singletrack and the testers evaluated the experience right after they completed both laps. We focused primarily on the tires, but how can you ride two bikes, of that caliber, and not compare them?
All 3 test pilots preferred the Crestone over the Farley. The Crestone was described as more compliant and smoother than the Trek. I was one of the three testers and the two other test pilots independently confirmed my analysis. The Crestone is, what my friend Blatz calls, a stone cold groove!
The Crestone is not just a great fat-bike. The Crestone is also an excellent mountain bike. The Crestone and other bikes in its weight class, are the reason that I post so much #fourseasonfatbikes rhetoric and push back on the paradigm that fat bikes are just for winter. If you buy a Crestone you won’t need a plus bike or a mountain bike, because the Crestone can be all of those things and still be your fat-bike with zero weight penalty. The thing is a rocket. A game changer. A true quiver killer. The Borealis Fat Bikes Crestone is already being talked about as a contender in this year’s Gnomie for Fat-Bike of the Year.
The things that stand out about this bike are the acceleration and the supple smooth, flickable, light and responsive handling. My only gripe about the Crestone would be the lack of shaped top tube for deep powder riding, but in the final analysis, this bike, is one of the best fat-bikes that I’ve ever tested on dirt!
I will miss this bike…
For more info about Borealis Fat Bikes visit www.fatbike.com
Nice bike! I already fret between witch bike to ride, fatty or carbon squish. My fatty has been getting more of the miles. Key reason this dirt season is the Husker Du’s. Love that tire, great fast rolling summer set of rubber.
Im also for the crestone and looking to purchase one with front susspention. Wondering howcome the crestone is not part from the 2022 and 2023 fat bikes review and recommendation. Thoughts?