Yesterday Yan and i drove to Burlington, VT, the customs were packed and it took a bit more than 2 boring hours to cross the border. It's funny how the service is always very bad along the lines, take for instance any other professional fields and imagine the same level of motivation, efficiency and courtesy as most custom officers provide. How would it work for restaurants, shops or administrations? simple... it wouldn't, employees would all be fired on their very 1st day!
Anyways, we eventually reached our destination:
Old Spokes a nice little local bike shop i've contacted a few days ago for a test ride. They do have an amazing selection of fat bikes for such a small place with
Surly,
Salsa,
Borealis and
9:Zero:7. After relentlessly searching for information about "fatties" I've narrowed it down to 2 similar mid-range models which seem to offer the best bangs for the bucks, the 2015
Ice Cream Truck and
Mukluk 2.
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| Great service and charming shop, check Harris' customized ICT |
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| so here are the 2 beautiful models we tested! |
we took the bikes for a ride around the block, going through the cemetery and we had a blast rolling through the blocks of ice and snow, going up and down the hill and smiling like kids on acid! nothing but yourself can stop these beasts.
On paper i gave the Mukluk an advantage for it has a suspended Bluto fork and appears to be lighter, both bikes are made by some of the most dedicated companies in this field, they have very good reviews, as well as comparable basic equipment/parts. The best solution is to try them and see which one fits the best right?
Yes indeed and now i know that the trail-oriented geometry of the ICT has definitely a more familiar vibe, i like downhill/dirt jumping and on top of that it confirmed my slight preference for steel frames VS Aluminium. If you feel concerned by the weight of those excellent products, don't be, they ride well, are easy to maneuver and feel surprisingly agile.
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| there is a bike museum upstairs too with unbelievable showpieces... it's really worth it! |
Before heading back to
Canada, we stopped at the
Our House Bistro to enjoy some Mac 'n Cheese specialties (they have a lot of choice actually).
Yan insisted on buying some fuel at the
Beverage Warehouse after what we left with some rare beers and
Vermont ciders, what a great day!
oOohh... did i say we are going back soon to pick up some Ice Cream, glitter blue flavor if possible ;-)
#OldSpokes
