Salsa Beargrease Vs Mukluk

Lately I have been looking for a fat bike, to ad to my collection of adventure bikes! So in this article we have the Salsa fat bike battle! Well which bike is best? We are going to compare these two iconic fat bikes side by side and see what the difference is between each.

In a nutshell the Salsa Beargrease comes with 27.5 x 4.0″ wheels/tires while the Mukluk has 26 x 4.6″ wheels/tires. The Mukluk has a slightly more upright riding position. The trail is less on the Mukluk making it handle a little more faster in the front. While the Beargrease is a bit more stable and slower handling. The Beargrease SLX and X01 Eagle bikes are lighter than the two Mukluk options.

If the widest tires is what you want then the Mukluk is best but if you want the lightest weight then go the Beargrease! But there is still so much more to cover. Want to see how else these bikes stack up against each other?

When it comes to price the mukluk is $1,599 which is the cheapest only because this is the Alumium option. The Mukluk has two models and the Beargrease three to choose from. All other models are carbon. The cheapest Beargrease comes in at $2,249. But what really is the difference and which one is best for you and your riding goals?

We are going to take a look at all models of each bikes latest 2021 options and compare them side by side to make choosing them so much easier for you!

2021 Salsa Beargrease Carbon Deore

The Beargrease Carbon Deore features the same 27.5 wheels as all the Beargrease options. With upper mid-range components. The bike weighs 30.0 lbs / 13.6 kg and price of $2,249. The 1 x 11 Deore groupset features a Samox, 24 mm spindle, direct mount, 30t crank and Shimano Deore, 10–51t cassette.

Other differences to the bikes is this has the Tektro HD-M275/HD-M276 brakes and Bearpaw fork which are the same as the Mukluk Deore 11.

2021 Salsa Beargrease Carbon SLX

The Beagrease Carbon SLX has upper mid-range components with hydraulic disc brakes like all the other bikes. It does weigh 29.0 lbs / 13.2 kg and costs $3,199. The 1 x 12 Shimano SLX groupset, includes a Race Face Aeffect, 30t crank and Shimano SLX CS-M7100-12, 10–51t cassette.

It comes with the Sun Ringle SRC 15 x 150 mm hub, Mulefüt SL 80 mm rims with those same 45NRTH Vanhelga, 27.5 x 4.0″ tires. Also the only bike out of the bunch to feature the Kingpin fork and SRAM Guide T, Centerline rotors (160 mm) brakes.

2021 Salsa Beargrease Carbon X01 Eagle

If you want to go all out, lightest weight and ultra high-end components then I would opt for this Beargrease Carbon X01 Eagle! It weighs 27.0 lbs / 12.3 kg and features that 1 x 12 X01 Eagle, Truvativ Stylo Carbon groupset.

It comes with the Kingpin Deluxe fork which is the same as the Mukluk Carbon XT. it comes with the SRAM Carbon Stylo C Eagle DUB FAT5, 30t crank and SRAM XG 1295 Eagle, 10–52t cassette. SRAM G2 RSC, Centerline rotors (160 mm) brakes and DT Swiss 350 15 x 150 mm hub rims. Priced at $5,999

2021 Salsa Mukluk Deore 11

The cheapest bike out of the bunch. The Mukluk Deore 11 comes in 33.0 lbs / 15.0 kg but only cost $1,599 with upper mid-range components.

It is recommended to choose as light weight possible bike when it comes to fat bikes. And a 2.7 kg difference between this and the previous bike is rather considerate for a fat bike. But if you are on a budget and looking for an entry level bike then this might be best.

It features the 1 x 11 Deore groupset with Mukluk Aluminum frame and Bearpaw fork. Samox two-piece, direct mount, 30t crank and Shimano Deore, 11–51t cassette. These Mukuluk fat bikes comes with the 45NRTH Dillinger 5, 26 x 4.6″ tires.

2021 Salsa Mukluk Carbon XT

Then we have the top end Mukluk option which is full carbon with the Kingpin Deluxe fork and weighs 30.0 lbs / 13.6 kg. Featuring high-end components it has the 1 x 12 Shimano XT groupset with Race Face Turbine, 30t crank and Shimano SLX, 10–51t cassette. Comes with the SRAM G2 RS, Centerline rotors (160 mm) brakes and the same Sun Ringle SRC 15 x 150 mm hub rims as the first two Beargrease bikes. Priced at $3,699

Geometry – Beargrease Vs Mukluk

Geometry can play a big part in the difference of how I bike rides and feels. It is definitely something to consider when buying a bike. It seems that the Beargrease is more suited for adventure cycling out of the two with a more stable front end. And it has a little more horizontal coverage with a longer wheelbase. But it is slightly less upright than the Mukluk. But all the measurements below are in mm and are for both Medium sized bikes.

Want to learn more about understanding bike geometry? Read this article which goes through all the jargon and what it means for a comfortable ride!

All the Beargrease bikes have the same geometry while the Mukluk options vary between each other which is why there is two Mukluk option in the table below.

About The Author

codey

Codey Orgill, a seasoned bicycle adventurer, has been exploring the world on two wheels for over 10 years. Since embarking on his initial cycling journey, Codey Orgill has traversed numerous countries, experiencing a series of epic adventures.

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