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Reader’s Ride(s) ♦ Indy Fab – 45NRTH – Chubby D-Lux Fat-Bike

Our Reader’s Ride(s) articles are always more than just a story about a bicycle. There’s always a back story about the people and the places that the bikes gets ridden. Today we get to introduce you to a pretty spectacular bike with any equally interesting story about the rider and the race series that the bike was built to represent. We interviewed Arlon Chaffee, the mastermind behind the build and owner of LOCO Cycling, Inc. about this fine machine and he gave us the full run-down.

Independent fabrications fat bike sideview

(click any photo to enlarge)

 

Build Sheet

Frame – custom Independent Fabrication steel, painted in 45NRTH scheme, 170 mm rear axle spacing

Fork – MRP

Headset & BB – Chris King, orange

Wheels – Surly Rolling Darryl with Salsa hubs & orange skewers

Tires – 45NRTH Dillinger un-studded (4” rear, 5” front)

Cockpit – Crank Bros Cobalt 2 stem, bars & seat post

Seat – Fizik Gobi

Crank – RaceFace 175mm, 36/22T

Pedals – 45NRTH

Groupset – Shimano Deore XT:

Brakes – rear disc 160mm, front disc 180mm (post-mount caliper)

Rear Cassette – 11/36T

Front D – incl Problem Solver adapter

Independent fabrications fat bike closeupfront

F-B.com – The RIDER – Tell us about Dylan. His accomplishments in and out of racing and maybe share his pathway to the fat-side.

Dylan with IF Chubby D-Lux fat bike AArlon – Dylan McNicholas races cyclocross at the top national level of the sport, first came to cycling in 2007, at the age of 27. Sure, he rode some BMX as a kid, but in 2007 he was racing motocross and some of his racing buddies convinced him to come along on a cross-training bicycle ride. He was hooked. He discovered he had quite a knack for cycling. Naturally competitive, he found his MX background transferred nicely to the human-powered side and that his motocross skills came in handy at both MTB and ‘cross events. How nicely? By 2012 he had ridden his way into the upper reaches of cyclocross and captured the Men’s 30-34 National Title that year and then finished 8th in the Elites the next day!

Since then, Dylan has had much success in Road, MTB and (especially) cyclocross. For the 2014 & 2015 seasons he is sponsored by Polartec and campaigns the cyclocross season on gorgeous Independent Fabrication Corvid carbon fiber bike. That bike was introduced at NAHBS 2014.

Independent fabrications fat bike chainstay

Polartec and IF, what a combo. It just so happens that Polartec is the sponsor of a fat bike series in NH (see below) and IF introduced a fat bike prototype (Chubby D-Lux) at NAHBS 2014. From that association, along with build-bits support from 45NRTH, a plan was hatched to build the custom IF Chubby D-Lux for Dylan to ride in the Polartec Winter Fat Bike Series. This will be Dylan’s first serious foray into fat bike riding but, if his past results in other disciplines are any indication, look for him at the front of the pack!

Independent fabrications fat bike outsid quarter

F-B.com – The RACE (Series) – Tell us about the race series and any background information that you think would be helpful if people want to come out to spectate or race.

Arlon – The Polartec Winter Fat Bike Series is in its 2nd season. For 2015 we added a variety of venues, mostly in NH with one in MA. The first 2 races this year were held at Gunstock Nordic Center (Gilford NH) on groomed Nordic ski trails and presage a growing trend toward ski centers welcoming fatty riders. Series events attract around 50 riders each date and, as expected, draw heavily from the MTB crowd that has embraced the fatty culture; but is encouraging to see a good number of total noobs come out to stick Old Man Winter in the eye! The series is presented by LOCO Cycling, a NH-based company that also directs a couple of gravel grinders and a road ride with pro Ted King.

For more informtion about Independent Fabrications visit – www.ifbikes.com

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