Before we dive head first into this review, if you haven’t already, please read the summer review of the Trek Farley 9.8. For the purpose of time, this review will deal exclusively with the winter performance of the Farley 9.8 on snow. Let’s not waste any time getting to the heart of the matter on this review. How […]
Author Archive | Aaron Hautala
Cuyuna Yurt Adventuring: Year-Round Fat-Bike Fun
It was four years ago. I was in my first meeting as the newly elected volunteer president of the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew. The meeting was with the Advisory Council of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area (CCSRA) in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) Parks and Trail Division. The MN […]
Carbon beauty meets a single-track beast — Get to know the Trek Farley 9.8
The long-term red dirt review Having reviewed the original baby blue Farley and now it’s cousin, the 9.8, I’d like to make the following suggestion. Let’s change the name. Farley, I get it, ok, sure. But, the direction Trek is moving this bike frame is anything but fat, slow, or a jiggly belly bouncing on […]
Product Spotlight: Farley 9.8 by Trek
Walking into my studio last week I noticed two ginormous boxes. Immediately I thought to myself, “now what did we buy and what is it?” I was relieved to see instead the shipping address coming from Waterloo, Wisconsin and the contents reading Trek Farley 9.8. That’s a good way to start a work day. Over […]
Salsa Beargrease X01 en Fuego
So you get a new fat bike as winter 2015 comes to a close and the thought is, “O well, that was nice, put it in the bike storage until next winter so I can ride it again.” Wrong homie. I took out Salsa Beargrease X01 on the red dirt bacon strip of Cuyuna […]
Lazer Dissent: The Long Term Winter Wear Review
My story with helmets goes back to kindergarten. Back then I skated the outdoor hockey rinks of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range and was introduced to helmets like Pro-Tec and CCM. I learned quickly my helmets never fit quite right and they were always too warm. Since transitioning from the hockey rinks of my youth to […]
Framed Alaskan Carbon X1: The 6 month red dirt and white snow ride review.
The following story is an accumulated experience of now over six months of riding on the Framed Alaskan Carbon X1. The purpose of this extended test ride was to formulate a ride experience in both seasons. The red dirt of summer, the white snow of winter. All riding was conducted on Cuyuna’s summer dirt and […]
Bontrager Hodag – The Snow Ride Experience
Having tested the Bontrager Hodag on Cuyuna‘s red dirt single track, I was excited to experience first-hand how these 3.8″ tires perform on our groomed single track. This follow-up story was delayed as central Minnesota didn’t receive snow until the end of February. We were instead blessed with months of iced single track. Ice so […]
Vanhelga with a Whisky chaser – A pre-winter ride assessment of the dynamic duo.
Story and Photography by Aaron W. Hautala During our previously chronicled Salsa Bucksaw test ride, part of the never ending love fest needs to be attributed to the wheels, tires, and bars (handlebars, not brownies) on this not-so-average full suspension fat-bike. Enter the Whisky No.9 – 70mm Carbon Fat Rims, Whisky No.7 Carbon No-Rise 760 mm handlebar, and […]
Salsa Bucksaw – Bravely going where no fat bike has gone before.
The results and assessment of a three week ride. — Photography and words by Aaron W. Hautala When I received the opportunity to test ride the Salsa Bucksaw I froze. Then, when I received the test bike it was clear this wasn’t just off-the-shelf Bucksaw. I had in front of me a super-freak Bucksaw. While […]
Race Face Next SL Cranks — Light. Carbon. Fat? The long term review.
Here’s the deal, in my day job I’m an ad guy. You know, a Mad Man for lack a better example. That said, if you recall, Race Face announced the Next SL cranks last year with a stunning print ad featuring a helium balloon holding up a crank off the ground. I nearly bought the […]
In pursuit of never ending roll — Fatback Hadley Hubs, The long-term review.
Last year, when venturing into a custom wheel build for my then new Trek Farley, the strategy was simple – turn this fat bike into a never ending roll machine. Good hubs equal better rolling momentum. In speaking with Pete Hamer of Freewheel Bike in Minneapolis, MN, we reviewed just about every manufacturer that buillt […]