BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Hot on the heels of two brand signings – Apidura and HT Components – Ison has picked another brand to join its distribution portfolio.
Sarma Bikes, founded in Irkutsk City, Russia, is a specialist fatbike frame and rim manufacturer and join Ison’s growing range of specialist fatbike products.
The Sarma team is used to winter and snow riding, being based in Siberia. Dmitry Shindyakin, CEO of Sarma, was an early fatbike convert and being located in Irtusk where there was a large Russian carbon fibre aviation industry, he started working with local engineers to produce one of the lightest and best looking carbon Fatbike frames, the Shaman.
Sarma were also amongst the first manufacturers to produce carbon fatbike rims; initially with their Naran 80mm rim for 4” tyres, followed by a 100mm version for 5” tyres. They were also the first to make carbon 29+ rims which not only convert fatbikes into a summer speed machine but support a growing 29+ specialist and custom frame market.
Weighing in at 1250g in Medium, the Shaman frame features a tapered headtube, 170mm rear thru axle dropouts and internal cable routing. The Shaman may be bought with or without Sarma’s own carbon Hoboy fork. If you choose the Hoboy fork you should easily be able to build up a sub 26lb Fatbike and if you opt for Sram’s XX1 Fat groupset and Sarma’s own Naran rims that should drop to nearer 23lbs.
Ison’s Patrick Joscelyne, who will be the brand manager for Sarma, said: “Ison have long been known for selling Fatbikes and Fatbike kit well before the current surge in popularity and we have been looking for a high end product to complement our existing offering from Surly, Schwalbe and Halo. Sarma fills this gap perfectly for Ison producing fantastically light and good looking products which will appeal to our more race orientated or lightweight Fatbike customers."
Dealers can get a first look at Shaman XX1 and X9 builds in January at the Core Bike Show in Ison’s Hungaroring room.
