State Bicycle Co. is getting ready for winter with a substantially reworked version of its 6061, aluminum fat-bike. The original State 6061 Fat Bike dates back to 2016, and while the bike has stuck around in various forms since then, State says this is the first major overhaul of the platform in about a decade.

Calling the new bike the 6061 Trail+ Fat Bike v2, State has built a new hydroformed aluminum frame around decidedly more modern geometry, added current axle and drivetrain standards, stepped up to hydraulic brakes, and kept the starting price at $1,199.99.

Longtime readers may remember the steel 4130 Megalith that started State's fat-bike line even earlier, back in 2014. The 6061 brought the line to aluminum and an even lower price in 2016, and it stuck around largely unchanged until now.

This new model is considerably more than a new paint job and parts swap.

The geometry is probably the biggest departure from the previous Trail+. The new bike gets a 66-degree head tube angle, 74-degree seat tube angle, 455mm chainstays and a 65mm bottom bracket drop. Up front, State pairs that with a short 50mm stem and 740mm handlebar.

A 66-degree head angle puts the Trail+ v2 solidly into modern trail-bike territory and should make for a much calmer bike when things get steep, loose or soft. That's particularly interesting on a bike selling for just over $1,000. Entry-level fat-bikes have traditionally been one of the last places to see current mountain-bike geometry trickle down.

State is sticking with 26-inch wheels and 4.5-inch tires, rather than moving the Trail+ to 27.5-inch fat-bike wheels. We're fine with that choice. A big 26 × 4.5 tire still provides plenty of float, particularly for snow and sand, and there remains a broad selection of 26-inch fat-bike rubber.

The stock tires are 30 TPI Kenda Juggernauts. State's current product page lists clearance for up to a 26 × 4.8 tire at the rear. The standard alloy fork accommodates up to 4.6 inches, while the optional carbon fork increases front clearance to 4.8 inches.

There are several less glamorous changes that may matter just as much over the long haul.

State has ditched the quick-release hubs of the previous generation in favor of a 150 × 15mm front and 197 × 12mm rear thru-axle setup, both using sealed-bearing hubs. The frame also gets a UDH derailleur hanger.

UDH on a $1,200 complete fat-bike is a welcome sight. Even if you never have any intention of bolting an exotic drivetrain onto this bike, being able to find a replacement hanger without hunting down a proprietary part is a practical advantage.

The frame also gets internal dropper-post routing for a 31.6mm post. A conventional alloy seatpost comes standard, but State offers a PNW Range dropper, or a Skeerun Wireless dropper, as an upgrade, and owners can obviously add their own later. Cargo mounts have also been added to the frame and fork, giving the Trail+ considerably more potential for bikepacking and loaded winter riding.

The drivetrain is refreshingly simple and may be just the ticket for those riding their new steed on sand. State uses Shimano's ESSA RD-U2000 rear derailleur with an 8-speed 11-45T cassette and a 28-tooth chainring.

Eight speeds may not sound like a lot these days, but the gearing makes more sense when you look at what a fat-bike actually needs. The 11-45 cassette delivers a 409 percent range, compared with the narrower range 11-36 cassette used on the previous bike.

That 28 × 45 low gear should be much more useful when you're grinding through soft snow, climbing loose terrain or hauling camping gear on the beach. Larger jumps between the top gears are the tradeoff, but we'd take the lower climbing gear over another closely spaced cog on this kind of bike. Note that the bottom 5 gears are closer spaced and should work well on trail rides.

There's also something to be said for inexpensive and readily replaceable 8-speed chains and cassettes on a bike that's likely to spend its life getting covered in snow, salt, sand and muck.

Braking gets a substantial upgrade as well. State has moved from mechanical discs to Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors front and rear.

That's an upgrade we're especially happy to see. Fat-bike wheels and tires carry a fair amount of rotating mass, and good brake modulation becomes even more important when you're trying to manage traction on snow or loose surfaces. Hydraulic brakes and 180mm rotors are much more appropriate for what State appears to want this bike to do.

The standard $1,199.99 build comes with a rigid aluminum fork with cargo mounts and a 150mm thru-axle.

State is also offering a carbon fork upgrade for $299.99. Besides dropping some weight from the front of the bike, the carbon fork increases tire clearance from 4.6 to 4.8 inches. It uses a slightly longer 491mm axle-to-crown dimension and slightly less offset than the stock alloy fork, so it should also make the front end just a touch more relaxed.

Whether the carbon fork is worth turning a $1,200 fat-bike into roughly a $1,500 one is something we'd rather answer after riding both the bike and, hopefully, the upgraded fork.

There are still some clear signs of where State hit its price target.

The Shimano 1 × 8 drivetrain is functional rather than fancy. The Juggernauts are the inexpensive 30 TPI versions, and the stock wheels and tires are not rated for tubeless use. That last point will probably be the specification that catches the attention of experienced snow riders first.

We'd also like to know the internal width of the stock rims and the complete-bike weight, neither of which jumps out in the launch specifications. Those numbers can make a substantial difference in how a fat-bike performs once tire pressures start dropping into the single digits.

Still, at $1,199.99, the Trail+ v2 appears to put the money into some sensible places. Modern geometry, proper fat-bike thru-axle spacing, sealed-bearing hubs, UDH, hydraulic brakes, dropper compatibility and a genuinely useful low gear are all things we'd rather see than a couple more gears on the cassette.

The State Bicycle Co. 6061 Trail+ v2 is available in Firehouse Red and Raw / Black, with Small, Medium and Large frame sizes. Complete bikes start at $1,199.99.

More importantly for us, State has offered to send Fat-bike.com a Trail+ v2 for review, and we plan to take them up on it.

We've had good experiences with State Bicycle Co. bikes in the past, but this one is particularly interesting because it lands in a part of the fat-bike market that could use some fresh options. Twelve hundred dollars is still a significant purchase, but it is well below what many current enthusiast-level fat-bikes cost, and State appears to have put together a platform that can be upgraded as a rider's needs change.

Once we get one in Milwaukee, we'll get it built, take a closer look at some of the details that aren't apparent from a spec sheet and, with winter just around the corner, put those 4.5-inch tires to work.

6061 Trail+ v2 Highlights

State Bicycle Co. provided Fat-bike.com with launch information and photography and has offered a bike for future review. We have not ridden the Trail+ v2 yet.

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