When I asked for information for the purchase of a fat bike the brand that came back more often was Moose Bicycle for its quality / Price / components ratio. It didn’t take more to go to their website and see the models. The Price versus the components was very interesting but the fear of buying online and the fact that no retailers were in my sector was a barrier to me.
On My improvised trip to Quebec City I made a stop at Bosk Vélo Café and Moose was on the floor. What hit me was the flawless finish of the bike and the geometry that seemed interesting and more like a mountain bike. Still there, I couldn’t come back with a bike.
I contacted Moose and they kindly offered me to lend me a bike for a few days. Moose is not a big box, it’s really a start up of bike enthusiasts. You can order online or visit a retailer near you.
At first sight the bike looks the same weight as my Norco Bigfoot 6.2, and the medium was perfect for me. From time to time we have to change the gallows but in this case the greatness was perfect. At the level of geometry she looked perfect too. Not too compact and not too long for me. At the level of components we are talking about shimano hydraulic disc brakes. At the rear derailleur we have a 10-speed deore. Also the cables pass inside the frame. In the front we have a simple tray so 1 x10. As for tires, we’re talking about 26 x4. 8 that we can studded as needed later. The bike is compatible with 26 x5 tires if you would like to have wider tires.
To be able to make a just review of the bike I’ve been in different places. My first day of trial was in Tremblant last Saturday. Beautiful hot weather and extraordinary conditions. Later it was at the Parc du Domaine Vert where the conditions of the trails were exceptional. On Monday I had the chance to go to oka with Jean-Philippe from Sur deux roues or it was a first for me. I’m going back quickly with pleasure! For the last day, I went to the Parc de la Coulée of Prévost where the heat and maintenance of the slopes was perfect! A big thank you to the volunteers for giving themselves so much to have exceptional conditions.
My bike evaluation was going to focus on the impact of bike weight in climb and descent, the grip of the original tires, the geometry of the bike and are comfort and the mechanical aspect of the bike. Whether it’s for the brakes and the derailleur.
Very quickly I attacked a climb and the derailleur was fluid and did the job well. However, during more difficult climb, I would have taken one more speed. In General (9/10) everything was perfect on this aspect. The tires had a very good grip even in a bit more iced. Used to ride studded, I was very surprised.
At the hydraulic brake level, I had a fear in the terms of the regulation of these. I like being able to press the controller slightly and that it brake quickly. For Entry-level shimano it was surprising.However, during more intense descent, they missed some times. Is this a simple fit? I asked moose to check it out.
Versus my Bigfoot 6.2 I loved the geometry of the frame. We are very close to a mountain bike and for me this is exactly what I was looking for in a fat bike. Talking to Etienne, he told me that this was the goal and that’s my opinion!
After 4 days of trial I have to admit that for $ 1299 Moose have an exceptional product.
The person with a smaller budget will be more than served! I’m giving a score of 7/10 for Moose 2.
