In the last couple of years we've seen a real rise in popularity of snow-specific bikes. We're not saying they're going to suddenly outpace our recreational mountain bike sales but the Surly Pugsley in particular has definitely gained traction among those looking for a solid snow bike.Well now we can actually offer options to our snow biking friends, because we're also stocking the Salsa Mutluk (actually we're stocking a few different Salsa models this year; more info to come). Much like the Pugsley the Mutluk's frame is designed to accommodate very wide 26" rims and tires that will provide you with the traction and float required to get through heavy snow. It also has relatively relaxed geometry better suited to snow riding, a taller headtube for a more upright rider's position, and a lower bottom bracket and stand over clearance to allow for easy dismounts in sketchy conditions (a high bottom bracket is useful when you're clearing logs and such, but not really as helpful on a power sled trail).
The Mutluk also accommodates the use of a purpose built 170mm hub'd rear wheel or it can be used with an adapter and offset conventional 135mm hub - a pretty good idea. All this comes in a relatively light weight aluminum package. The key word here is 'relative' - the medium frame is 4 lbs, 8 oz, certainly not featherweight by today's standards but not bad for this type of bike.
Most parts required for this bike have common dimensions like the 27.2 mm seatpost and 1 1/8th inch headset so there's a decent chance you have some parts kicking around in your basement or garage that can be used to build this frame up, or we'd be happy to help you build one with parts from the shop. Either way this bike is definitely worth the look if you're a winter bike adventurer, or would like to become one.