Tumbleweed Stargazer Review

Tumbleweed launched the Stargazer last month, the adventure-forward brand's second bike. Even with so many drop-bar mountain bikes on the market, the Stargazer stands out among the crowd. Tumbleweed didn't reinvent the wheel, but they certainly improved it. The result is a fun, stable, and efficient steel rig that's ready for day rides on singletrack and month-long excursions alike. Neil walks through how Tumbleweed accomplished this in our latest detailed video review...
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Outline:
Intro - 0:00
Written review & support - 0:38
Frame - 1:26
Fit - 4:16
Geometry - 5:16
Components - 6:11
The ride - 9:49
Bikepacking & cargo - 11:52
Stargazer vs. ULTD - 12:47
Availability & Pricing - 13:25
Mentioned Links:
TUMBLEWEED STARGAZER REVIEW: ANOTHER STEEL DROP-BAR BIKE? - (bikepacking.com/bikes/tumblew...)
GUIDE TO MULLET DRIVETRAINS: PAIRING ROAD SHIFTERS WITH MTB DERAILLEURS/CASSETTES - bikepacking.com/gear/guide-to...
THE BEST BRAKES FOR BIKEPACKING? MECHANICAL VS HYDRAULIC - (bikepacking.com/gear/best-bra...)
Other Dropbar Mountain Bike Reviews:
KONA SUTR ULTD REVIEW: BEYOND GRAVEL - Kona Sutra ULTD Review: Beyond Gravel - • Kona Sutra ULTD Review...
DECATHLON RIVESIDE TOURING REVIEW - • Decathlon Riverside To...
SALSA CUTTHROAT V2 REVIEW - bikepacking.com/bikes/salsa-c...
Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: bikepacking.com/join/?...
#PEDALFURTHER #BIKEPACKING
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Hosted by Neil Beltchenko
Music by Ben Weaver (benweaver.net)
More at bikepacking.com

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: bikepacking.com/join/?

[@n1sm0r]

Your reviews are overall some of the best in the industry. No nonsense, and it’s clear that you put a lot of time and effort into these reviews.

[@gsrossco]

Your vid pushed me over the edge, I've ordered one, really excited about building it up.

[@samcampbell850]

Great review. It’s great to see all these options for quality bikes in the market now. They’ve come along way from my fully ridged Diamond Back that I magivered a rear rack to do my first bike packing trip 25 years ago! Lol

[@joeumbrell8774]

Beautiful scenery.

[@rogervancleave8670]

Nice to see that they went ahead and did a 12 speed conversation with the Ratio upgrade. It sounds like this bike is well suited for bikepacking.

[@glenzigdan]

Awesome review, the riding footage is sweet!

[@danielmolloy5776]

Just an update, the Stargazer fits a 29x2.6" tire with lots of room to spare!

[@kan708]

Hi, Daniel. Would you know if the Stargazer accomodate 3.0" tires? like the Maxxis Chronicle?

[@emiliansabev4108]

Hi there! Here is my question: I'm considering to buy a Stargazer frame set, but there is one thing which i'm not sure about. Here it is : I already have wheels, both Stans Arch 27,5: the front is 15x100 and the rear is 12x142. Stargazer specks are as following : front (fork ) 110x15mm thru axle (thru axle included) and rear 148x12mm Boost. Do you thing that my wheels are compatible with the frame set specs? Thanks for any kind of suggestion.

[@danielmolloy5776]

@@kan708 In 27.5" it will fit a 3.0" tire

[@eniojurko]

@@emiliansabev4108 i think there are conversion kits, that it should be possible

[@jovenguardian]

@@kan708 I can fit a Vittoria Bomboloni 3” tire (true to size) in a WTB Scraper 45mm rim, in the front. In the back I can fit the same Bomboloni but on a gravel style 22m internal rim. Tight though, barely any room left. Hope that helps

[@thomreynolds1318]

Congrats Neil!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

🙏🏼

[@dispatchbike]

Solid review and a great looking bicycle.

[@josephredbeard2137]

Ordered the complete build. Only thing I may add is a dyno hub. I can’t wait to get my hands on mine! (Hopefully next month 🤞🏻)

[@outtatrex]

Great review, looks like awesome bike.

[@KillingTimewithStyle]

Great review (in combo with Logan’s). Congrats on the new baby Neil!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Thanks, it's been a wild three weeks, but we are finding our groove!

[@ShiftyJim]

Solid review! I want one.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Thanks!

[@bobohunter1776]

Saw you testing this out by N. Table a week or two ago. Looks awesome.

[@michaellane8483]

Excellent video review! This is dangerously close to tempting me to buy a frameset and transfer my build kit over from my 2020 Sutra LTD...

[@Potz4pizza]

Do itttt

[@Alex_564]

This a really good review & has me tempted to save up for one. Do you think you can at some point review the Black Mountain Cycle La Cabra, which is in the same class as this & the ULTD/LTD.

[@hansschotterradler3772]

This looks like an awesome bike. I want it.

[@SaddlesAndBars]

It is a spectacularly nice bike indeed! ;o) H

[@bilalchaudhary8268]

Congrats on NB...:)

[@buckroger6456]

I'm not a drop bar guy but dang this bike checks almost everything off for what you could want in a bike packing bike. The only down side would be no sliding dropouts but that's a very minor issue.

[@outbackwack368]

Thanks! That looks like a nice bike. Weight? The Cutthroat didn't fit me at all in any size and that's the kind of bike I'm interested in, but not a 28 pounder...

[@clintford75]

Good review! Pretty sure I have not wanted a bike more than this one.

[@buckroger6456]

I don't even like drop bars and I'm sold.

[@BoiseTDI]

@@buckroger6456 Who said you have to use drop bars? 😉

[@chrisblacklock9468]

I'm just building up a Black Mountain LaCabra, they look so similar!

[@jimkodet7908]

I much prefer the more 'upright' geometry of the LaCabra to the Tumbleweed. Unfortunately the max single chainring of the LaCabra is only 34T. For me that might be a showstopper, since the Tumbleweed allows 38T.

[@chrisblacklock9468]

@@jimkodet7908 I do indeed have a 34T front ring mated to a 10/51 cassette. So if you need to pedal much over 46kph, you'd be spun out.

[@mickeyvicente8629]

Great review, i was just wondering, would it be possible to put a 27.5 x 2.4 wheelset on a MEDIUM frame? Since a 29er wheel will definitely too huge for my height (5'5"). Thanks

[@sush3450]

Awesome video! Quick question: if someone was building this bike up from scratch, do you think the surly corner bar would be a good fit?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I mean you could, but the Corner Bar was really designed to give a hardtail/flat bar bike, a drop bar feel. It's a convenient way to transition the bike without swapping over to all drop bar components and spending an arm and a leg. That's not to say you can't build this bike up with them, but If it was me, I would build it up with the Ritchey Venture Max XL bar.

[@reeceholmes8546]

that looks like fun, thanks man

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

It has been a fun ride, thanks for watching.

[@bryanwall6284]

How does it compare with the Salsa Fargo? Looks VERY similar. Love your reviews!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Very similar. Major differences: Fargo is suspension corrected, comes with a carbon fork, has adjustable dropouts and has a lower bb. The build kit for the Fargo comes with cheaper components, so it's overall a more affordable build.

[@user-in1up9mp2t]

Очень интересно!

[@FaustBusserl]

Thank you for the review. How tall are you, and did you consider the medium?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

missed this, sorry. I'm 5' 9.5" and yes i did, but after talking to Daniel, we decided on the Extra Medium. I have pretty long arms, this fit seemed perfect.

[@carlberto7214]

This looks ready to roll

[@BoiseTDI]

How does this compare to the Stanforth Pamira and Ritchey Ascent?

[@_dmart]

Have magazines been sent out yet ?

[@ambig07]

Possible to put a GRX or a 105 groupset on this?

[@phildogfather]

Hi Guys, I have a simple Question. Which triangle Framebag is it from 11:50 min? The grey one. Thanks. Great Review. Cheers Philipp

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Its from Road Runner, check it out: roadrunnerbags.us/products/wedge

[@warrenzausa3145]

ayus yan pre ah ang ganda!!!

[@emiliansabev4108]

Hi there! Great review! Here is my question: I'm considering to buy a Stargazer frame set, but there is one thing which i'm not sure about. Here it is : I already have wheels, both Stans Arch 27,5: the front is 15x100 and the rear is 12x142.The Stargazer specks are: front (fork ) 110x15mm thru axle (thru axle included) and rear 148x12mm Boost. Do you thing that my wheels are compatible with the frame set specs? Thanks for any kind of suggestion.

[@stevenelsbury6474]

Not compatible. You'll need boost hubs. Also seems like this is designed for full size 29" tires or 27.5 + your arch rims are 26mm I.W. which is a little narrow for a 3" 27.5 tire. if you run 27.5x 2.1/2.2 you'll change bottom bracket height and trail a fair amount from the design intent. It'd still pedal but handling characteristics would be different from reviewers description. You probably want set of boost hubs with either 584x35ish mm rims for 27.5+ or boost hubs with 622 x 25-30mm rims for 29x2-2.5

[@clintandtracyevans9538]

Sooo, would you buy a Stargazer or a cutthroat? If so, could a 1x10/52 fit a Stargazer?

[@MrKimberr]

$3,875... Wow

[@pgreenx]

Looking at a Fargo apex. How do you compare to this and why is this so much more expensive. I’m a bike noob looking for a great divide bike. Thanks

[@SiopaoSauc3]

Salsa is just a far bigger company so they can have lower prices on stuff like raw materials, production costs or even set lower margins compared to a small specialty outfit like Tumbleweed.

[@pgreenx]

@@SiopaoSauc3 so the quality of build, materials and components are same or same level?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

@@pgreenx Yeah, Siopao.sauce is spot on. As far as materials, Tumbleweed has mentioned that they use a different tubing from everyone else, but they have not shared what it is. The quad butting is also interesting, something I have not used before this bike. Re Components: They are a bit nicer on the Stargazer, better component spec across the board, bigger gear range with the 12 speed via Ratio Tech (which I assume Daniel hand installed himself), it also comes with a dropper post and finally has some pretty awesome wheels. The one thing the Fargo has going for it is the Carbon fork, which will lighten and reduce vibrations a bit, but it will create a more stiff front end.

[@Potz4pizza]

The Stargazer is so hot right now.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

🔥

[@51249ca]

I'll take a 100mm suspension corrected frame, 2x gearing compatible, Boost spacing, steel, stock fork with triple pack bosses (bonus if it is like one of the Salsa's forks with two sets of 3 pack bosses), thru axles, 73mm BB, more upright position. 30.9 or 31.6mm seat post, dropper post compatble, external cable routing, 700x50 or up to 29x2.3 even. A 85% version of a Salsa Fargo. Frame only option Does such a frame exist?

[@eliasprimmer4955]

this is a very funny episode of portlandia… you had me at “extra medium”

[@johnparedes5670]

Is the frame made in the US?

[@ploegdbq]

Taiwan, by framebuilders who know how to do internal gussets. Taiwan makes great frames nowadays.

[@Seebema]

Pinion one off? plz

[@antonroux6737]

What is the best frame size for someone who is 6 foot with a 34.5 inch inseam? Extra Medium or Large?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I would go with a large if I were that size.

[@TheTalkingMoose1]

1:25 he calls it a prospector xD

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Whoops, good catch.

[@DiegoGonzalez-uj8qn]

Hi Prospector review ?????

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I misspoke at the start, sorry.

[@duxxling103]

Without the front suspension, it's capability is limited to tamed road

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Is that what you found?

[@duxxling103]

@@BIKEPACKINGcom it's only my observation because I happen to bike with guys with their ritchey and surly gravel bikes but they cannot seem to keep up with me, using my budget hardtail on unpacked and fire roads. I just think that they are just being cautious to avoid damage on their bikes 😀

[@chevpowr]

#extracomfortable

[@coreygolphenee9633]

1x ogre with more time clearence

[@alanhanley9515]

Hey Neil, great review as ever but showing your age badly if you had to look up gussetting on a steel frame? No criticism intended!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Haha, we’ll just to be clear, I knew what gussets was, just not internal gussets and how it was done. I found that interesting but the BMX forums cleared things up for me.

[@swray2112]

Interesting bike, but lost me at boost spacing.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Why don't you like boost? Just a simple comparison between the Stargazer and Sutra ULTD, the Stargazer has a slightly more "relaxed" geo, but because of the boost spacing, it gives the ride more life. It's stable and confident in corners and at high speeds, it snappier on the climbs and it allows for more tire clearance. I guess if you're not looking to ride much trail or dirt, it's not as important, but I think boost is awesome. Anyways, thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@thaynamite]

@11:46 background , go and fire the camera man , immediately. "It shines on the decent" .... all my bike´s did that and me even more i shine bright like a diamond when it comes to decents

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Sorry there were people in the background, fire me. -NED

[@elmundodemiki2298]

Its simply... I dont like gravel bikes!!! For me dont have any sense...