Garneau Gros Louis 0
Trimmed (a bit of) the fat, but still all that
Trimmed (a bit of) the fat, but still all that
For those Canadians who enjoy getting out during the winter but not necessarily sliding around on frozen water, it’s fat-bike season. What better way to enjoy the Great White North than on a bike born in a frigid and snow-covered region of Quebec. Louis Garneau’s Gros Louis 0 is that bike. Garneau set out to make a dedicated race machine with the Gros Louis 0, starting with a full carbon frame and rigid carbon fork. Also helping to keep the weight down is a host of lightweight componentry including an 11-speed sram drivetrain paired with a Race Face Aeffect crankset sporting a 28-tooth ring. sram Guide RS brakes with a 180-mm-diameter front and a 160-mm-diameter rear rotor have plenty of stopping power to slow down the wheels and let the Kenda Juggernaut Elite tires bite into the snow. With a set of Shimano M540 pedals, the Gros Louis weighs in at a little more than 30 lb. – not bad at all for a bike sporting 4.5"-wide tires. After my first ride on the bike, I was impressed with how easy it was to get the Gros Louis up to speed. I am used to riding slightly heavier fat bikes. The Gros Louis accelerated notably more quickly, in part thanks to the hjc mp80 rims, but also thanks to Garneau’s cross country-style geometry. I always felt that I was in a good position to put power down to the pedals. I was also comfortable when the trail turned technical and needed to pull a foot out to avoid sliding sideways too much. I usually fit a size large frame, which holds true for the Gros Louis. The bike has a slightly longer reach than some other similar frames.
While the Gros Louis and I didn’t line up at the start line of a fat-bike race, I can see what Garneau was trying to do with this machine. The bike is light, fast and nimble in a category thought to be heavy, slow and lethargic. Previously, I might have opted out of a winter fat-bike ride with thoughts of grinding through snow slowly on a poorly maintained snowmobile trail. The Gros Louis, however, has reignited my passion for winter riding because it feels closer to a cross country race bike than a full-on fat bike, allowing me to maintain a pace that is faster and as a result, much more fun. This fun does come with a price. For most cyclists, a fat bike is usually a second or third bike, but at $3,750, the Gros Louis is a pretty big investment for what is commonly a seasonal machine. It would also be nice to get a branded cockpit with such a price tag, but those parts didn’t seem to take away from any performance. If you are a dedicated fat biker who spends a lot of time riding in the winter, possibly racing as well, Garneau has made the Gros Louis for you. It is a great mix of the characteristics that makes fat bikes functional in the snow, but also the technology and innovation that makes cross country mountain bikes fast on the dirt. Hold onto your toque, the Gros Louis is one fast fat bike.
“The bike is light, fast and nimble in a category thought to be heavy, slow and lethargic.”