These two components are another highlight of the 2021 Trek Farley 5 build.
When I first saw the Gnarwhals’ big lugs I was concerned they wouldn’t do as well on smoother snow and would slow me down on the descents.
My former fat tires were Bontrager Barbegazis: they had a lighter tread, plenty of grip on smoother surfaces, and were fast.
I’m happy to say the Bontrager Gnarwhals have been a pleasant surprise: they have enough contact for smoother snow, bite hard on steep ascents and loose conditions, and cruise. And they’re studdable.
I’m looking forward to the tubeless conversion, lower PSI, and squeezing even more grip out of them.
The 27.5 wheels, compared to the 26 on my old bike, are noticeable as well. There’s plenty more grip with the longer contact patch. I’m convinced 27.5 is the way to go with fat bikes.
The Rapid Drive Hub is also fantastic. It is the best hub you will find on an entry level fat bike. Most fat bike hubs are extremely cheap and fail quickly, especially if you are a Sasquatch Mountain Biker. You typically don’t see good rear hubs on fat bikes unless you spend over $3000.
Fat bike freehubs experience more torque due to wider axles and are a major weak point.
It is nice knowing the 2021 Trek Farley 5, which is Trek’s lowest spec fat bike, comes with a hub found on many of their higher end mountain bikes.
I ordered an extra set of pawls and springs, just in case. From what I’ve heard, I won’t need them.