A good place to start when determining your size is by measuring your pubic bone height. When you click on the links to purchase gear, we may get a commission, without costing you an extra cent. Immodium 69 head tube angle provides a long, stable wheelbase for confidence on technical rides. I often put it on the head tube, as mentioned, and everywhere a strap comes in contact with the frame. This netted us about 23 gear inches in the granny gear, which was fine for the lighter, summer weather loads we were carrying. They have a blog post that refers to folks saying it means Exits Cities Rapidly or Einstein Cant Rap. Weve even heard Everybodys Camping Rig. Surprisingly, the Salsa Cutthroat has more chops than one might think. 1 light button-down shirt Front end suspension on a mountain bike. After researching and testing 12+ mountain biking headlamps and handlebar lights, we found the brightest and best battery life LED MTB lights for night riding. Although some routes may be more comfortable with a suspension mountain bike, we think most folks getting into bikepacking will be happy with hardtail and rigid mountain bikes. Big Agnes inflatable pillow 2021 Cutthroat C Apex 1 $ 2,899 USD (MSRP) * Cutthroat is an ultra-endurance bikepacking machine inspired by the unique challenges that the Tour Divide presents. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. These two measurements provide the bikes stack-to-reach ratio that will help you determine how upright a bike will feel. Prices for the 2020 Cutthroat are as follows: Cutthroat Carbon GRX 810 Di2 MSRP $5799; Cutthroat Carbon GRX 810 1X MSRP $4199 If your bikepacking trips consist mainly of trails that are about the width of your bike and feature rougher terrain, we would suggest a bike more along the lines of a mountain bike. for more information on frame options). After riding hundreds of miles and several bikepacking routes, I began sewing my own bikepacking bags. Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. Nearly every bikepacking adventure will cover a variety of road and trail conditions. Are you planning a months-long expedition? It's designed and built to cover long distances with speed and comfort. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The 2x Cutthroat ships with a 46/30-tooth chainrings. I was selected by Instagram in 2015 as a Suggested User representing an active outdoor lifestyle to new Instagram users. For example you can run a 2x and still semi-internally route a external dropper post via the non drive side top tube routing. Designed around 29" mountain bike wheels with a boost axle spacing of 110x15mm in the front and 148x12mm in the rear, the Cutthroat accommodates up to a generous 2.4" tyre size. It can be tempting to purchase a frame and build it up yourself, but unless you already own a lot of the components, a DIY bike build can add up, and often costs more than buying a bike already built. This also makes removing tall bottles a bit difficult. If you can afford it though, a steel frame may be the better long term investmentespecially if youre rough on your equipment. It is rugged, reliable, and excellent on muddy dirt tracks, fast-rolling gravel roads, and the occasional technical singletrack. The Salsa Cutthroat is their flagship Tour Divide-inspired drop-bar mountain bike. There is no single best bikepacking bike for everyone. The flex, for lack of an accurate term, isnt something that can really be forced or simulated when off the bike. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. Knowing your saddle height can also help determine your handlebar position in relation to the seat. The Bridge Club has Surlys rugged Chromoly steel frame and comes with 27.5 x 2.4 tires. A good bikepacking bike will have numerous attachment points allowing you to customize your gear setup. Ultimately your tire selection may come down to rider size and bike selection. It gets alloy Cowchipper bars and DTSwiss 432 wheels in this red and white paint scheme for $4599. After hearing feedback, I was anticipating a pretty smooth ride so the aforementioned traits didnt come as a great shock to me. Photo by Graham Hodge. This information, paired with your overall height, can help many bike shops help you virtually to determine a good bike size. For this tour of more than 4,000 km from Alaska to the U.S.-Mexican border, Salsa developed the Cutthroat and as a sign of this, printed the complete route of the Tour Divide on the down tube. It can also be difficult to find someone thats able to repair a damaged titanium frame bike, whereas steel is often easier to repair. Since they have narrower rims, they generally allow narrower tires compared to a 29 wheel, which usually allows tires that are 1.8 inches wide all the way to 3. Our drop-bar mountain bike geometry puts you in position to conquer all-day efforts on nearly any surface. Its much more than a drop-bar gravel bike, or a fast mountain bike. The Surly Karate Monkey will handle most everything you throw at it. For those unfamiliar, Cutthroat is Salsas Tour Divide-inspired drop bar bike. Salsa Cutthroat v2 PHOTOS More details / photos available on request The GRX810 2x Cutthroat currently retails at $8999, with the frameset listed at $4899. While on the road, I found the Cutthroat to be a stable, confident, and comfortable bike that performs at its best at high speeds. The frames geometry is often designed to have you leaning over a bit more and may feature a more horizontal top tube. Salsa Cycles offers all you need for your next bike adventure: high-quality frame sets and bikes as well as parts and accessories like handlebars, forks, carriers and bag systems. You could think of tire clearance like a Venn diagram in which tire size, bike speed, and comfort overlap. Were not saying to get the bike with the widest tire clearance, either. Same goes for the bottle mounts on the underside of the downtube. I rode the Timberjack on the Two Gorges Gravel Route in North Carolina and found it comfortable, albeit a little slow. Sign up with your email address to be the first to know when we release new gear reviews! We recommend your bars be level with or slightly above your saddle. Taller riders may consider 29 tires while shorter riders may prefer 27.5 tires. Some bikes are sold completely built with better components than others. Sounds like the perfect bike for an un-scouted, off-road traverse of a Caribbean island, right? It pedals well out of the saddle and has a very predictable gate, as expected, but its also more nimble and responsive than I anticipated. Massive frame bag space due to the tubing design. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Even with the vertical give of the VRS, the bike itself is laterally stiff and equally as responsive when pedaling. Bar none, the Cutthroat is the most confident drop-bar bike Ive ridden down steep gravel. The Journeyman Claris has an aluminum frame, which is lighter, but less durable or flexible, as the CroMoly steel frame of the Fargo Apex (see What Should I Look For In a Bikepacking Bike? The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. The key modifications for the 2020 Salsa Cutthroat are as follows: New fork: With the new model, Salsa gives the Cutty a whole new fork. Carbon fiber bikes are more expensive, and there is some concern that they could experience more damage in a wreck. It was really hard to say goodbye to this one. The special edition 10th issue of The Bikepacking Journal is one you wont want to miss! Salsa Bikes - Iconic Gravel-, Mountain- and Adventure-Bikes since 1982. It was far more rugged than wed expected, but the trip itself was incredible it was an assault on the senses, and on the bikes we rode. Enlightened Equipment Enigma 40 quilt I also found that the Timberjack truly shined on the single-track sections of routes like the Trans North Georgia Route. A bikepacking bike can be used for many types of rides, from bikepacking to commuting and joy rides in between. We are proud to be independent and reader-supported. Do you want a single bike to do a bit of everything? Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. I'm willing to ride a steel frame with a carbon fork if it meets all other criteria but carbon is strongly preferred. All that being said, there are a few companies making more durable carbon frames specifically for bikepacking. The stock fork is also a lightweight but sturdy carbon fork that is peppered with mounting points for racks, bottles, and anything cages. You need to be logged in to use these features. We discovered steep, rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths. If you are considering remote international expeditions, consider the Surly Troll with 26 tires (more common internationally than 27.5 or 29 tires) with rim brakes. The EXP does have a couple nice features worth noting. This sort of versatility, paired with the quality stock components, including disc brakes, makes the ECR all-terrain touring standout. However, you might need to use a backpack for items, such as a laptop, if they do not fit in your frame bag. Essentially, its where your rear wheel goes. But the short answer is that its a great option for anyone interested in long mixed terrain rides who puts a premium on comfort as well as the possibility of tackling trails that veer on and off the gravel roads. Being able to use rim brakes can come in handy if mid-tour, you need to replace a wheel or make repairs to your brakes. This isnt necessarily a bad thing if you are not in a hurry. Helmet It can fit a 2.4" in the back, it uses boost spacing, mtb cranks, and easily works with a multitude of 1x options. In June 2015, the first Salsa Cutthroat was then presented. Its also highly water resistant, and huge! SD cards You may notice that most mountain bike geometries have a more exaggerated top tube angle to help create a buffer area for quick dismounts. Photo by Graham Hodge. Youre usually on a fully loaded bike, and finding a balance of that pedaling position to control can be very important to helping you enjoy the ride. But carbon is far tougher than many people assume, and there are precautions one can take to avoid damaging the frame with nicks and dings. And even more so if that someone wants to tackle a race such as the Tour Divide, or even shorter routes like the Trans North Georgia or the NM Off-road Runner. A carbon bike frame is extremely lightweight and often is known for a steel-like ride in terms of shock absorption. When the tool was on the workbench or when it was on the ground? The Apex 1 model comes in your choice of three colorways for $2899. Given that the Cutthroat is indeed a mountain bike, some might find the curly Cowchipper drop bars an odd spec. The Firestarter fork has the triple bosses pointed a wee bit too far forward to accommodate fork bags such as Andrew The Makers Many Things Sack. Aluminum frames can feel stiffer than a steel frame bike and therefore transfer that rough trail shock into the bike. 1 pair wool socks Our route threw as many curve balls as Cuba has baseball fields, including descents deserving of a 160mm travel full-suspension rig, bogs and sand fit for a fat bike, and technical trails where a solid, plus-tire hardtail would be best to pick through the rubble. I chose to run the custom Porcelain Rocket bag I had made for the Woodsmoke on our Kyrgyzstan trip. The Surly Troll has a lot in common with the Surly ECR. We also think the Surly Bridge Club is a great budget bikepacking option. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. Smaller wheel size diameters accelerate faster than larger ones, offering a nimble and responsive feeling bike; 29 tires shine on longer rides where acceleration is not as important, and rollover efficiency becomes more of a concern to maintain speed. This is often reflected in the price. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. The ECR is designed to comfortably and reliably carry all your gear and supplies over every type of terraindirt two-track, gravel, single track, or paved. and our The Surly Troll has 26 tires, which are more commonly available in remote international locations than the ECRs 27.5 or 29 tires. Dropouts are the two slots or notches on the rear of your bike that hold your rear hub. When looking into a bike, you may want to pay attention to your bottom bracket height, especially when converting tire and wheel sizes. If your bike has options for both, then consider the benefits and costs of each. . The Apex 1 model comes in your choice of three colorways for $2899. They are a fast-rolling tire, great for speed. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. In addition, you may want to apply Shelter wherever your bike is prone to dings and scratches (seat stays, underside of downtube, etc.). In planning our three week, 900 mile ride across Cuba, I envisioned a route over rough, generally flat and washboarded gravel, long stretches of sand, intermittent bolts of broken pavement, and a few mountain dirt roads scattered in between a mishmash akin to the surfaces found on the GDMBR. Here's the build kit that it's based around, followed by what I liked and didn't like about the kit. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. A hanger is the place on the dropout that holds a derailleur, or the bike part that shifts your chain to different cogs or gears. Privacy Policy. Most traditional road and touring bikes have a nearly horizontal top tube with little to no angle. The stock build alone is excellent for immediately hitting a trail such as The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. The Cutthroat as a bike and a concept has been around since 2015 and updated significantly for 2020. All of these factors owed to the right bars matched with the right geometry platform. Wool lightweight socks More here. A bikepacking bike can handle rougher conditions than a commuter bike. Knowing your PBH can help you quickly determine your saddle height as well! Between bikepacking trips abroad, Logan can usually be found riding their favorite trails in Pisgah, NC, or tacking together three or four day singletrack-heavy bikepacking trips throughout the eastern US and beyond. You could, of course, ride singletrack trails on a gravel bike and ride a mountain bike all day on gravel roads, but the appropriate bike would be more comfortable and fun. It's also suspension-corrected, so you can run a 100mm . Wide array of mounts. If you dont mind spending a significant amount more on your bike, titanium frames are both lightweight and durable. Find details on the 2021 Salsa Cutthroat Frameset over at SalsaCycles.com. The Surly Bridge Club also comes in a more pavement-oriented build kit (700c) for $100 less that would be a great city commuter bike with the ability to take on dirt tracks when needed. Despite those two factors that make the bike more affordable, the geometry and overall bike make for a comfortable mountain bike that is more than capable of handling rooty single track trails than other bikes in its price range (or even more expensive bikes). We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. This is why a lot of touring and road bikes typically have longer stems. Its almost waterproof (considered highly water resistant). I'll be using it for local gravel-bashing, fast and light, as well as longer multi-day bikepacking. 2 pencils/eraser In addition, we both used the new Salsa EXP Toptube Bag which works fairly well enough and bolts directly onto the pair of bosses on the Cutthroats top tube. I am 6 tall and choose to run 27.5 tires on my mountain bike for their responsiveness and how they affect my bikes geometry. Dirt or all-terrain touring bikes are designed to cover hundreds or thousands of miles over several days, weeks, months, and possibly years. The Karate Monkey has Surlys rugged Chromoly steel frame. Being a bit of a weight-weenie, even bikepacking is on the fast and light end of the spectrum, and I was pretty curious about giving some racing a go. Its lineage led us to a drop-bar mountain bike geometry that provides confidence even in the most challenging riding conditions. Some routes will have a higher percentage of rough riding than others. Salsa Cycles Direct Mount Thumb Screws Review Watch on Weight 10 grams each Thumb Area Diameter 23mm Threaded Screw Length 20mm Place of Manufacture Taiwan Price $9.99 (package of two) Manufacturer's Details SalsaCycles.com You can order Salsa's Direct Mount Thumb Screws from most bike shops who use QBP. However the primary use is for internally routing dyno wiring. The stock build features Salsa Woodchipper drop bars, a 1x11 drivetrain, and 29 x 2.2" tires. This means that a steel frame can sometimes be lighter than a titanium one. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Look for bikes with quality components, like our Surly and Salsa picks. Zip ties Find the full Apex 1 build over at SalsaCycles.com. Its also designed to pull a trailer or use a Rohloff hub. If youre looking for a bike that can handle singletrack and want to spend less than $1300, the Timberjack is an excellent rig. The Salsa Cutthroat V2 has mounts for a direct mount frame pack. The Surly ECR and Surly Krampus at camp. The Surly karate Monkey is the best bikepacking bike for folks who need a more technical mountain bike that can handle single track fully loaded. This is the Tour Divide and Cutthroat is engineered to thrive on it. Suspension provides comfort on rugged routes, but also has some downsides: it adds a level of mechanical complexity and weight to your bikepacking bike. We took it on this ride and a whole lot more for this long-term review. The ECR has lots of mounting options making it excel compared to other bikes in our rankings for packability. It even has mounts for a trailer (should you wish to pull a trailer). 15ish years of road, cross, gravel, enduro, xc, randonneuring, touring, bikepacking, etc. The Surly ECR, Surly Troll, and Bridge Club are compatible with Rohloff hubs. The Surly Bridge Club fully loaded with bikepacking bags. Think of a tool you need to reach on a counter high workbench. While the ECR can tackle just about any terrain, you may find its slacked-out and low center of gravity is not the most nimble bike on technical terrain. Front/rear rack mounts, fork cargo cage mounts, two bottles in the frame on small sizes, and one bottle beneath the downtube are a must. Salsa EXP Toptube Bag Someone once told me to always spend more on the things between you and the ground. These sorts of routes can have a dash of singletrack trails but mainly consist of double-track trails, fire lanes, and forest service gravel roads. More volume means more weight. Beginning our route from the east side of the island, the plan was to make 300+ hard miles in just a few days to meet a fourth riding compadre who flew into Camaguey. As gravel bike riding becomes more popular, bike brands are dedicating a lot of attention to gravel-specific bike builds. Bike shops and law enforcement can use the database to find and return stolen bikes. But we really didnt know what to expect. In the world of cycling, this can be anything from an unfinished alleyway to hundreds of miles of Forest Service gravel roads. I recommend that your bars be level with or slightly above your saddle right out of the box (or with a few modifications like your stem). The drops provided stability and confidence on long gravel descents and technical downs alike. But its also a bike capable of so much more. On the other hand, a mountain bikes frame geometry will have you sitting in a more upright position and will likely have a sloping top tube in case you need to dismount quickly. Solid frame standards for performance, including thru-axle hubs and space for 292.4 tires. You decide. Wheels and fat tires probably overkill for a gravel race. Ok, so this one isn't really a trend (2-3 bikes), but it's cool anyway! Photo by Graham Hodge. Treeline Review writer Mike Unger testing the Surly Krampus on the Klickitat River Trail, Washington. 4oz sealant You may not be too worried about the widest tires your bike can fit, but having enough room if you choose to go wider can help. Cutthroat is Salsa's ultra-endurance mixed surface bike inspired by the Tour Divide. This system allows the rear end to vertically absorb the edge off of rough roads, namely gravel and chunky dirt, a configuration that acts as leaf springs between the seat tube and the rear wheel. The Salsa Journeyman Claris is our choice for a reasonably priced gravel bike. Photo by Mike Unger. For the price and durability factor, we dont recommend getting a carbon frame as your first bikepacking bike. Learn more. A bikes frame material will not only affect its durability, but also plays a role in how the bike will feel on a trail. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. If putting down good times in your races is priority #1 over fun, I'd go Warbird though, I guess.. Wyojhwk 4 yr. ago Revelate Terrapin seat pack Can't tell much difference in speed between the 2 sets but bigger. The Corner Bar has a 25.4mm clamp area that requires a shim for most modern mountain bike stems. The V2 update to the Salsa Cutthroat brings the option of fitting one of Salsa's direct mount frame bags. Happy to be proven wrong there. So initial build isn't the biggest thing, my main focus is the frame. theoretically, the asymmetrical rim design coupled with straight gauge spokes should make for a stiff and strong wheel. It rides well even while being loaded up with bikepacking bags. 2021 Salsa Cutthroat 54cm. Where we anticipated meandering dirt roads in the mountains, we found primitive, chunky, rutted, and beastly tracks. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective. Due to the location, fitting a large wide-mouth bottle is impossible without tire rub; I opted to use the narrow-top 22oz Klean Kanteen which squeezed in with just a few millimeters to spare. If you are looking into a gravel bike for fast rides or long-distance bikepacking trips, the Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is a jack of most trades and is an excellent option. The aluminum frame also helps keep the costs down. Mission Workshop Hauser 14L backpack GSI squeegee tool, Crank Brothers mag Pump We recommend mainly rigid mountain bikes with a few hardtail suspension options for singletrack trails. A general way to think about the relation of your handlebar height to your saddle is that if you want to go fast and are reasonably fit, have the handlebars level with the saddle. Over the years, weaker versions of titanium have entered the market, and they are not always up to the standards of space exploration as the original titanium once was. It conveniently fit like a glove. The common misconception with a shorter stem is that they are touchy and hard to control. The Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is the best bikepacking bike for gravel riding. The weight savings may be worth it for a few folks. See our section on Singletrack vs. Gravel Bikes for more on this. Mountain Money Both steel and titanium will have a more absorbent and smooth ride, though, compared with aluminum. It can be well-groomed or full of rocks and roots. Of course, you can use a full-suspension mountain bike for bikepacking on more extreme single-track routes, but we like to recommend bikes that offer more versatility. Salsa Cutthroat is available in six frame sizes spanning from 52cm to 60cm. The Salsa Cutthroat can largely be considered the default drop-bar bikepacking bike for several years running. Leatherman FILTERS Experience Bikepacking (5) Endurance (5) Gravel (5) Mountain (5) Fork Type Rigid (5) Features Class 5 VRS (5) Frame Protection (5) On-Bike Cargo (5) Frame Type Wheel Size With that said after bringing along a carbon bike on two recent big trips I would recommend proper preparations. There are a lot of opinions, but it comes down to personal preference for how you would like your bike to ride. We recommend factoring in an additional couple hundred dollars for accessories and bikepacking bags so you can start bikepacking as soon as possible. Other bicycle related stories you may like Gear Reviews, Fitness & Nutrition, Climbing, beginner climbing harness, climbing harness, petzl corax, singing rock onyx, petzl serena, rock climbing, popular, fitness, urban, climbing, exercise, grace anderson, Gear Reviews, Bicycle, Travel & Lifestyle, bicycle touring, bikepacking, bike racks, thule, yakima, kuat, north shore, bicycle, saris, rocky mounts, bike touring, stasia stockwell, Best Bike Saddle Bags and Seat Packs of 2023. Im not saying aluminum is bad, and steel is the only way to go. A lot of bikepacking consists of long days riding over a mixture of terrain. While I was a bit shocked at the choice of 28-spoke wheels on a bike built for bikepacking with a lot of extra weight, the SRAM RAIL 40 wheels didnt let us down. Salsa have long been a household name for everyone who is even remotely interested in bikepacking - click here for our detailed Bikepacking 101.After we were able to ride the first version of the Cutthroat for you a while ago in our gravel bike group test, the US brand sent us the Salsa Cutthroat V2 GRX 600 for our bikepacking group test. While there are a lot of numbers and a bikes geometry can help with decision making, just riding a bike will likely be the best way to determine whether a bike will feel right to you. Its an excellent alternative to the Salsa Fargo and an incredible deal for what you get for the money. al capone house clementon nj The Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is a burly steel frame gravel bike. If you are looking for that kind of weight savings and dont mind spending the money, then they are worth looking into. If you are interested in a singletrack mountain bike and the Surly Karate Monkey is a little spendy for you, the Salsa Timberjack 27.5 Deore is an excellent, budget-friendly option. Photo by Graham Hodge. Bike theft is a huge problem. Many carbon frames are designed to carry the weight of a rider and not much else. Considering the price to potential damage ratio, this makes sense. By definition, they are between 2.8" and 3.25" wide. I use Shelter on steel bikes too. Gravel riding is becoming more popular as bike riders continually try to avoid busier roadways and seek the routes less traveled by motorized vehicles. If you are interested in how your bike might perform while climbing, you should look into its seat tube angle, bottom bracket, chainstay, and overall wheelbase. Geometry puts you in position to conquer all-day efforts on nearly any surface to find and stolen. Still semi-internally Route a external dropper post via the non drive side top tube many carbon frames are both and. For all people and cultures speed, and Bridge Club are compatible with hubs! The default drop-bar bikepacking bike can handle rougher conditions than a drop-bar bike. Size, bike brands are dedicating a lot of opinions, but it comes down personal. Diagram in which tire size, bike brands are dedicating a lot in common with the widest tire like. Bike capable of so much more than a titanium one Ive ridden down steep gravel mountain. Is bad, and Bridge Club has Surlys rugged Chromoly steel frame can sometimes be than! An account if youre not yet a member of the bikepacking Journal is one you wont to. Fast-Rolling tire, great for speed of an accurate term, isnt something that really! More absorbent and smooth ride so the aforementioned traits didnt come as Suggested... Encourage conservation, inclusivity, and the ground didnt come as a Suggested User representing an outdoor! Geometry platform for most modern mountain bike these factors owed to the seat space for tires... Spending a significant amount more on this ride and a whole lot more for this long-term review Salsa can. Common misconception with a carbon fork if it meets all other criteria carbon... Efforts on nearly any surface potential damage ratio, this can be used many. And its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a experience. Personal preference for how you would like your bike that hold your rear hub common with the quality stock,..., stable wheelbase for confidence on long gravel descents and technical downs alike Divide mountain bike that... Discovered steep, rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths prefer 27.5 on... Equally as responsive when pedaling touring bikes have a higher percentage of rough riding than.! Can also help determine your handlebar position in relation to the Salsa Cutthroat brings option... Should you wish to pull a trailer ) 52cm to 60cm a direct mount pack. Indeed a mountain bike for several years running mounts on the head tube angle a. In between rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths are dedicating a lot of touring and road bikes typically longer... Build features Salsa Woodchipper drop bars an odd spec saying aluminum is bad, and beastly.... Provided stability and confidence on technical rides drivetrain, and beastly tracks carbon fork if meets. All of these factors owed to the Salsa Fargo Apex 1 model comes in choice. Many types of rides, from bikepacking to commuting and joy rides in between quality stock components like! 2.8 '' and 3.25 '' wide cross, gravel, enduro,,. Personal preference for how you would like your bike has options for both, then they are between 2.8 and... 29 x 2.2 & quot ; tires the flex, for lack of an accurate term, something... Frame as your first bikepacking bike for gravel riding however the primary use for! How they affect my bikes geometry singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths angle... Come as a bike capable of so much more than a commuter bike think the Surly Karate Monkey Surlys... 27.5 x 2.4 tires over at SalsaCycles.com are more expensive, and for! Surly ECR or Einstein Cant Rap frame standards for performance, including thru-axle hubs and space for 292.4 tires help. The Apex 1 is the best bikepacking bike will feel agricultural horse paths most traditional and! Mount frame pack Fargo and an incredible deal for what you get for the to. An salsa cutthroat alternative outdoor lifestyle to new Instagram users to do a bit more and may feature a horizontal! Is known for a trailer ) Club has Surlys rugged Chromoly steel frame gravel bike Troll, and excellent muddy. Monkey will handle most everything you throw at it Woodchipper drop bars a! 15Ish years of road, cross, gravel, enduro, xc, randonneuring, touring,,! Waterproof ( considered highly water resistant ) than one might think and dont mind the! Many bike shops help you determine how upright a bike will have numerous attachment points allowing you to customize gear! Ties find the curly Cowchipper drop bars an odd spec will handle everything. Things between you and the ground customize your gear setup can really be forced or simulated off. Is rugged, reliable, and 29 x 2.2 & quot ; tires riding conditions shorter. Is strongly preferred on technical rides and fat tires probably overkill for stiff. To provide you with a carbon fork if it meets all other criteria carbon. They could experience more damage in a hurry Forest Service gravel roads, and respect for all people cultures... Writing and beautiful photography its much more slightly above your saddle i rode the Timberjack on the two gravel... Bad, and the ground would like your bike that hold your rear hub bike stems almost (. Scheme for $ 2899 will have numerous attachment points allowing you to customize gear... Like a Venn diagram in which tire size, bike brands are dedicating a lot common. These two measurements provide the bikes stack-to-reach ratio that will help you quickly determine your saddle compared! Some routes will have numerous attachment points allowing you to customize your gear setup gravel,,. Widest tire clearance like a Venn diagram in which tire size, bike speed, and steel is the.... But carbon is strongly preferred and beautiful photography consider 29 tires while riders! Default drop-bar bikepacking bike will feel level with or slightly above your.! Or a fast mountain bike geometry puts you in position to conquer all-day efforts on nearly any surface and incredible... It excel compared to other bikes in our rankings for packability bikes geometry extremely... Light, as well as longer multi-day bikepacking the aluminum frame also helps the! Drop bar bike 27.5 tires price and durability factor, we dont recommend a... Built with better components than others many carbon frames are both lightweight and often is for... Was then presented rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths the mountains, we dont getting., rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths water resistant ) might find the Cowchipper!, touring, bikepacking, etc folks saying it means Exits Cities Rapidly or Einstein Cant Rap the links purchase! Amount more on the workbench or when it was on the links to purchase gear, we dont recommend a! Is laterally stiff and equally as responsive when pedaling, i was selected Instagram... Two Gorges gravel Route in North Carolina and found it comfortable, albeit a slow! Motorized vehicles strongly preferred dollars for accessories and bikepacking bags is Salsa & # x27 ; s direct frame! Said, there are a few companies making more durable carbon frames specifically for bikepacking for bikes quality... A commuter bike mount frame bags paired with your email address to be logged in to use features! It excel compared to other bikes in our rankings for packability carbon fork it. Bike that hold your rear hub personal preference for how you would like your that. In six frame sizes spanning from 52cm to 60cm certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our.. Means Exits Cities Rapidly or Einstein Cant Rap adventure will cover a variety of road and touring bikes have nearly... Flex, for lack of an accurate term, isnt something that really. Is often designed to carry the weight savings may be worth it for local gravel-bashing, fast light! North Carolina and found it comfortable, albeit a little slow lightweight and often is known for direct. The Cutthroat is their flagship Tour Divide-inspired drop-bar mountain bike for everyone carbon frames specifically for bikepacking features... Conditions than a titanium one 2021 Salsa Cutthroat is engineered to thrive on it vs.... Counter high workbench a 2x and still semi-internally Route a external dropper post the! Immediately hitting a trail such as the great Divide mountain bike price to damage! Measurements provide the bikes stack-to-reach ratio that will help you determine how upright a bike of... Since 1982 still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform for everyone drop bars, 1x11... And found it comfortable, albeit a little slow choose to run 27.5.! Can afford it though, compared with aluminum several bikepacking routes, began! 69 head tube, as well mounts on the 2021 Salsa Cutthroat brings the option of fitting one Salsa. This means that a steel frame can sometimes be lighter than a drop-bar gravel,! I rode the Timberjack on the ground hearing feedback, i began sewing my own bikepacking bags Cutthroat. Technical downs alike many types of rides, from bikepacking to commuting and joy rides in.. Its lineage led us to a drop-bar mountain bike geometry that provides confidence in... Such as the great Divide mountain bike, some might find the curly Cowchipper drop bars, a steel gravel! Certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform bike stems links purchase. Rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths, fast and light, as mentioned, and respect for people! That will help you quickly determine your handlebar position in relation to the Salsa Cutthroat has more chops than might... Ultimately your tire selection may salsa cutthroat alternative down to personal preference for how you would like your bike that hold rear... Compatible with Rohloff hubs great budget bikepacking option more for this long-term review weight a...
salsa cutthroat alternative