IN BRIEF
Salsa has rebuilt its Beargrease fat bike around 27.5 x 4.5in tyres, a width both the frame and the fork now take. The geometry settles down: a 65.6° head tube angle, a 77° seat tube angle and 446mm chainstays, which the brand says create a long wheelbase for stability and control in steep terrain and soft conditions. The bike comes with a UDH-compatible frame, in carbon or 6061-T6 aluminium depending on the build, in five sizes from XS to XL, with a Salsa Bearpaw fork (carbon on the C GX AXS, aluminium on the Eagle 70) that also takes a suspension fork with up to 100mm of travel. In the United States, complete builds range from $1,999 to $5,999; as of 18 September, Salsa’s store viewed from France showed no euro price list.
| Frame | UDH-compatible carbon, or 6061-T6 aluminium depending on the build |
| Tyres fitted (C GX AXS) | 45NRTH Dillinger 5, 27.5 x 4.5in, 120 TPI, tubeless, studdable |
| Tyre clearance, frame | 27.5 x 4.5in or 26 x 4.8in |
| Tyre clearance, fork | 27.5 x 4.5in or 26 x 5.05in |
| Head tube angle | 65,6° |
| Seat tube angle | 77° |
| Chainstay length | 446mm |
| Fork (C GX AXS) | Salsa Bearpaw Carbon, 485mm axle-to-crown, 44mm offset |
| Drivetrain (C GX AXS) | SRAM GX Eagle Transmission, XS-1275 10-52 cassette, 12-speed |
| Brakes (C GX AXS) | SRAM Motive V2 Bronze |
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL |
| Compatible drivetrain | 1x only, 32-tooth maximum chainring (all builds) |
| Prices in the United States | From $1,999 (aluminium Eagle 70) to $5,999 (C GX AXS) |
Fat bikes remain Salsa’s historic playground. The Minnesota brand has just overhauled its flagship, the Salsa Beargrease, and the change shows first in the rubber: according to its official product page, the bike is now built around 27.5 x 4.5in tyres.
The Salsa Beargrease, built around the 27.5 x 4.5in tyre
On its official product page, Salsa writes that the Beargrease rides on massive 27.5 x 4.5in tyres for rollover, traction and float on soft surfaces. The stated tyre clearance confirms the measurement: 27.5 x 4.5in or 26 x 4.8in for the frame, 27.5 x 4.5in or 26 x 5.05in for the fork.
The brand also details the possible combinations, and they are broad: 27.5in wheels with 3.0 to 4.5in tyres on rims up to 82mm internal width, 26in wheels with 3.8 to 4.8in tyres on rims up to 100mm, or 29in wheels with 2.6 to 3.0in tyres on rims up to 50mm. Enough to make the Beargrease, depending on the wheels fitted, something other than a pure snow bike.
A geometry borrowed from trail bikes
The second area of work is the geometry. Salsa announces a slack 65.6° head tube angle and a 446mm rear centre, which it says create a long wheelbase for stability and control in steep terrain and soft conditions. At the front of the triangle, the seat tube angle is steepened to 77°, a figure the brand justifies by an even weight distribution between the front and rear wheels.
The frame is presented as UDH-compatible — SRAM’s derailleur hanger standard, on both the carbon and 6061-T6 aluminium versions — and described as stiff for pedalling efficiency. The 6061-T6 aluminium version opens the range at the bottom. Both come in five sizes, from XS to XL, and take a dropper post with internal cable routing.
At the fork, the Beargrease gets a Salsa Bearpaw Carbon measuring 485mm axle-to-crown with 44mm of offset. Salsa states that the bike also takes suspension forks with up to 100mm of travel — an option not every fat bike offers.
Four builds, from $1,999 to $5,999
Salsa’s official catalogue lists four complete builds for the 2026 model year. The aluminium Beargrease Eagle 70 opens at $1,999, followed by the carbon Beargrease C Eagle 70 at $3,299, the C Eagle 90 at $4,299 and the C GX AXS at $5,999. The bare carbon frame is offered at $1,999 as well.
The top-of-the-range version, photographed here in the Twilight Purple colourway, gets a SRAM GX Eagle Transmission drivetrain with an XS-1275 cassette running 10 to 52 teeth across 12 speeds, SRAM Motive V2 Bronze brakes and 45NRTH Dillinger 5 tyres in 120 TPI, tubeless and studdable.
One reservation for the French reader, however: viewed in a browser from France on 18 September 2026, Salsa’s store served a price list exclusively in dollars, the site declaring itself to be on the American market. The prices above are therefore those of the United States, excluding shipping, taxes and the margin of the brand’s European distributor (Cosmic Sports, which covers France according to Salsa’s official distributors page).
