Borealis Bikes

Crestone X01/Bluto Complete Fat Bike - 2016

While Borealis suggests that the carbon fiber frame at the heart of the Crestone X01/Bluto Complete Fat Bike is the efficiency peak of fat bike frame technology, it's the inclusion of a 100mm RockShox Bluto fork that really sets our fat-o-meter spinning for this build. The carbon frame — both stiffer and a claimed 150g lighter than Borealis' Echo — makes for surprisingly steady climbing, sure, but the extra plushness of a suspension fork mated to fat tires makes for even more surprising confidence across terrain.

The Crestone enjoys some other differences from the Echo, especially in the frame geometry. The Crestone has a slightly shorter top tube and stack, which combine with an equally subtle increase in head tube angle to tighten up the bike's steering. It's a more nimble chassis than we're used to seeing with such oversized tires, and its handling only serves to further underscore the frame's stiffness. Though it's the least expensive Crestone/Bluto build, the SRAM X01 drivetrain included here is by no means slop. The combination of simple, one-by efficiency and the Crestone's stiff-yet-plush fatness makes for a bikepacking rig for those who prefer to cover distance, fast.