Salsa Updates the Beargrease for 2026: New Geometry, New Fork, and 27.5 x 4.5" Tires

Salsa Cycles introduced the 2026 Beargrease today, marking the most significant update to the carbon fat bike since its launch in 2014. The new model is available in both carbon fiber and 6061-T6 aluminum, with four complete builds and a carbon frameset option.

Geometry and Frame

The 2026 Beargrease gets a full geometry refresh. The head tube angle is now 65.6 degrees across all five sizes, down from 68.56 degrees on the previous generation. The seat tube angle steepened to 77 degrees, the chainstays grew to 446 millimeters, and the reach increased significantly. On a medium frame, the reach is now 465 millimeters, up from 426.5 millimeters. The wheelbase stretched to 1197 millimeters on a medium, an increase of 68 millimeters.

Bottom bracket drop is now 69 millimeters, and the frame uses a SRAM UDH dropout.

Fork

The new Bearpaw Carbon 2 fork replaces the previous generation's alloy-steerer design. It is now full carbon construction with a 44-millimeter offset and a 485-millimeter axle-to-crown measurement. It still has the 15 x 150-millimeter thru-axle and adds internal brake routing. Salsa says the carbon fork will eventually be available aftermarket for $599.

Tire Clearance

The frame is designed around 27.5 x 4.5-inch tires, up from the previous 27.5 x 4.0-inch design spec. Salsa lists rear tire clearance at 27.5 x 4.5 inches or 26 x 4.8 inches. The fork clears 27.5 x 4.5 inches or 26 x 5.05 inches.

Builds and Pricing

The carbon frameset, which includes the Bearpaw Carbon 2 fork, is priced at $1,999 USD ($2,899 CAD).

The top-tier C GX AXS build ships with the new 45NRTH Levitas carbon rims, SRAM GX AXS Transmission, SRAM Motive V2 Bronze brakes, a TranzX dropper post, and 45NRTH Dillinger 5 tires.

Features

The carbon frames get direct-mount frame bag mounts in the main triangle, top tube bag mounts, downtube accessory mounts, and two to three bottle mounts depending on size. The aluminum frames share the same mount layout. A rear rack can be used with Salsa's Rack-Lock Seatpost Clamp. The fork legs each have Three-Pack mounts for cages or Anything Cages.

Availability

The 2026 Beargrease is available in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large. The carbon model comes in Twilight Purple.

For full specifications, visit Salsa Cycles.

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