Last week Jeff & Jeff drove 13hrs, crossing 5 states, to take part in the Fruita, Colorado Fat Tire Festival.  We had perfect weather (mostly) and a great spot to pitch our demo tents at the 18 Road demo expo.  It was awesome getting the Onset and Haste in front of some new and very pleasant CO faces.  The responses to demos were, as usual, complete affirmation that AFS is a game changer.  Our first day in the demo pits now in the books, we headed out for a couple Friday afternoon laps on Joe’s and PBR.  The Onset 120 proved to be perfectly suited for the rolling fall lines of the trails and short burst climbing sections.  It was a nice sample of what our demo bikes had been hitting, but the best was yet to come…

Saturday was BUSY.  Bikes were out non-stop and once again the responses were pure stoke.  We had multiple “best bike I’ve ever ridden” statements.  After a day in the sun we did a sightseeing tour up Rim Rock Drive into the Colorado National Monument to check out views.  They did not disappoint.  Props to the well-choreographed sheep, which were right next to the yellow sheep sign.  We took the opportunity to snap a couple of quick shots of the Onset 120 in front of Independence Monument, cause hey, they’re both stunners, right?

The finale on Sunday was once again super busy, but wound down earlier.  This allowed us to pack up the ol’ Eminent trailer, grab lunch, and then… hit Grand Junction’s Lunch Loops on our Onset 140s.  We dropped from the top of Ribbon Trail down huge slick rock faces that plunged into red clay drainages and flowed down into the canyon gorge.  Then the rain hit… hard.  The wet red clay packed up big time in our tires and pedal cleats as we descended further into Holy Cross.  Despite this, the bikes handled the slick mud amazingly.  I still can’t get over just how planted the bike feels, but at the same time takes rider feedback, popping and jumps whenever you ask it.   Usually planted equates to dead/muted feeling.  Not the case with AFS.  

The rain and wind increased and temps decreased all the way through the ride until we got to our pick up rendez-vous.  I waited in the lot with bikes while Jeff shuttled up to grab the truck.  The clouds parted, throwing sun light on the stratified rock formations in the hills behind the lot. Beyond them the skies were still black and ominous.   It was the perfect setting to capture both bikes, completely filthy from an amazing ride. 

Our first trip out to CO was outstanding.  Big thanks/props to the Fruita locals, food, and festival staff.  The town definitely knows how to throw a great event and we will be back.  The trails in Fruita and Grand Junction are world class… we definitely have unfinished business in CO and will be back.