If you’ve ever wondered what kind of mountain bike a Top Pro Road Racer would ride….here it is. It is a custom Ti Fatback, equipped with belt drive and custom carbon fork, from Speedway Cycles.

This is Dave Zabriskie’s Fatback. I talked to Greg Matyas, custom builder and owner of Speedway Cycles based in Anchorage, Alaska. Fatbacks are made from Ti (now also available in Aluminum) and they also build custom handlebars and wheels. Their bikes are made primarily for snow, but may also be used in sand.

Here are some close-ups of Greg’s handy work:

Here is a shot of another Fatback, this one is more typical of the usual build. Dig the classic Saronni colors:

more bikes and info at the Speedway Cycles website: http://speedwaycyclesak.com/

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Jason and Mike from Salsa are a couple of good guys and have been long time supporters of Mtbr. They can often be found lurking in the 29er forum checking things out and getting feedback.

One of the new-er things that they were showing at Sea Otter was the new sliding dropouts on the El Mariachi 29er. It’s called the “Alternator” which makes dialing in proper chain tension very easy and allows hassle free quick release rear wheel removal. The other new feature on the Mariachi is the “Kung-Fu” tubing. MSRP on the El Mariachi frame is $599.

more bikes and info at the Salsa Cycles website: http://salsacycles.com/

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Next up is a quick look at the Flightline Two from Haro.

The big change to the Flightline series is the use of mandrel formed top tube. Instead of hydroformed (where fluid is used to shape the tubing), a mandrel is used to statically form the tube shape. Also featured are the Direct Power Transfer stays (it IS a hardtail, after all!) and eyelets for rack mounts. The Flightline is available in Expert, Trail, Comp and Sport levels as well as the 3, 2 and 1 models.

More bikes and info at the Haro website: http://www.harobikes.com/