I live kind of remote in Canada so don't have much to choose from for selection. This will be my first fat bike and also replacing a hardtail I used to have.

I did find a used Garneau Gros Louis 2 from 2018 on Facebook Marketplace for $700 and just need a sanity check.

It has Jumbo Jim 26×4.8" tires which I am really digging after reading about. Deore Shadow Plus derailleur with SL-M610 shifter which seem OK and SRAM AVID DB1 brakes with 180/160mm rotors.

The components seem OK to me. I have been shopping around for some other fat bikes, and even with sales, the components don't seem to match this one until I get to $1600 CAD+, and even still I see some $1800 bikes that don't have great components, and the frames are no lighter. Like there is a Giant Yukon used for $1200 that seems to be similar.

I do see 1 bike on a huge sale, which is a Devinci Minus Deore 10S for $900 new marked down from $1800. It has a Deore M4120 derailleur which does not have a clutch, Maxxix Colossus 27×4.5, which I'm indifferent on, and SRAM Level T brakes.

I don't live near any groomed trails so I'll just be riding on ATV trails, sandy/rocky beaches and unpacked snow in the winter. Maybe 4 or 5 times per year I will go to a groomed MTB trail. I got rid of the Hardtail because it basically sucked for the ATV trails and couldn't do anything else, so I was only using it a handful of times per year when I drove to some trails that are all multiple hour trips from home.

Which bike would you go for in this case? I would most likely add a dropper and upgrade the handlebar. If I got the Devinci I suppose a drivetrain upgrade might be in order or maybe I'm over thinking it.

by loose–nuts

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  1. If it comes to buying new over used I always go new. I personally have Sram Level T on my 29r hardtail and they are amazing and handle well on cold Midwestern winters. Not to mention upgrading to a better Deore derailleur is as easy as making sure it’s the right size and has the matching speed range. Also the 900$ bike is made in Canada so extra points for patriotism.

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