Salsa Mukluk Fat Bike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 XL

A couple in Maine contacted us to build up a his-and-hers set of fat bikes, both with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 XL internal gear hubs. Living on the East Coast, they deal with with lots of snow and wanted bikes ready to handle the winter riding conditions they face every year. Both wanted a comfortable ride that would need very little maintenance. He chose a Ventana El Gordo, and she picked this Salsa Mukluk, which is a great platform for building a Rohloff bike.

Salsa bills the Mukluk as their "exploration fatbike." It is a multi-purpose bike that can be built with a suspension fork for more trail-focused use or with their rigid Bearpaw fork with three-pack braze-ons for added carrying capacity and a more bike-packing focus. Three sets of bottle cage bosses provide ample water-carrying capacity. Salsa's adjustable Alternator dropouts make single speed or geared setups possible and allow the frame to be set-up with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 without a chain tensioner.

Every build starts in our wheel house while the frame and parts are being sourced. In this case Surly Rolling Darryl rims were laced to a Hope Pro 2 Fatsno hub in the front and a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 XL in the rear using Sapim Race spokes and brass nipples. Both wheels received 3.8" Surly Knard tires.

In keeping with our focus on function and comfort, we selected a Jeff Jones Loop H-Bar with ESI latex foam grips and Terry Butterfly saddle mounted to a Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension seatpost.

This couple came to us wanting a bike to fit each of their individual needs as riders, but wanted the bikes to be compatible and capable of keeping them together on the trail. This Salsa Mukluk with Rohloff SPEEDHUB XL with stand up to everything they plan to encounter and the rest of the build will keep her comfortable and able to pack what she needs for their rides.  

If you are looking for a bike that is ready to take on adventure with you, give us a call and we can help you make it happen.    

Build details

• Frame: Salsa Mukluk
• Fork: Salsa Bearpaw
• Headset: Hope
• Stem: Thomson X4
• Handlebar: Jeff Jones Loop H-Bar
• Shifter: Rohloff twist
• Grips: ESI
• Seat post: Crane Creek Thudbuster
• Saddle: Terry Butterfly
• Seat Clamp: Salsa
• Front Hub: Hope Pro 2 Fatsno
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 XL
• Spokes: Sapim Race
• Nipples: Sapim Brass
• Rims: Surly Rolling Darryl Rim
• Tires: Sury Knard
• Cranks: Race Face Turbine
• Pedals: Shimano XT
• Bottom Bracket: Hope
• Chain ring: Profile Racing MTB
• Rear Sprocket: Rohloff
• Chain: Wipperman 7R8 IGH
• Brakes: Avid BB7
• Brake Levers:TRP
• Rotors: Magura 180mm / 160mm