Salsa Bikes?

[Fred Pabst]

What is the overall feeling towards Salsa bikes? Quality built stuff? Sound warranty? Do they make your shorts tight? They don't seem to be as bling as some of the other high end boutiques, ie Ibis, Santa Cruz, Transition. Specifically eyeballing the Horsethief Carbon XT.

[smartyiak]

In my experience, the MSRP is higher than expected, but they usually come with a decent discount, so they're not as expensive as some other comparable bikes. (Dunno with COVID though).

I have a first gen AL Beargrease that I've put through the wringer. Lesser bikes would be in the trash heap by now. It just keeps chuggin along.

I like the split pivot and it's been around long enough to know that it works well and isn't a maintenance nightmare.

Summary: they're good bikes and can be a good value. They don't have the cache of SC, Pivot, or Yeti...but they're nice bikes and they work.

EDIT to add: My friend had the 1st gen Horsethief. He liked it and it worked well...still has it as a backup. I don't know about the new one.

[XXX-er]

the Timberjack is a real swiss army knife of hardtails, 29 or 27.5 , single speed lots of rack mounts not too expensive

they make some good touring bikes & fat bikes

[Iowagriz]

I could be considered a Salsa fandad, but only of the older stuff (own El Mar Ti, PowderKeg and Beargrease). I have no experience with riding any of the full susp models (but they do look intriguing. I've never had a problem with them and all of my builds have been solid performers. I think they had a problem with an early Pony Rustler and I know the full susp fatbike had problems. But, those were specific to new designs and theories. I agree with smarty that the current models are on a tried and true linkage system.

[jackstraw]

I think they're good bikes. A couple of friends have them and like them a lot. I demo'd a Rustler and wanted to buy it immediately! I would have if I could have found a deal, but with limited dealers and inventory, they were getting full retail at that time. Ended up with a discounted SC instead.

I also have a Beargrease fatty and it's been fine...but it's a plain jane fatty.

[Conundrum]

I was really interested in a Rustler and couldn't find one to ride within eight hours. My local Salsa dealer told me they were about six months out to even get one in when I was looking a year and a half ago so I gave up. I also wanted a knockaround do it all (trail, bar, commute) bike at the time so he cut me half off on a Fargo because he couldn't sell me a Rustler. I've moved on from thinking about their full suspension stuff but the Fargo has been great for it's purpose. Gravel roads when the trails are too muddy, riding downtown for happy etc. It's even okay on trails but I'm not a huge fan of drop bars on trails.

[ticketchecker]

I had a Bucksaw and the split pivot is a nice platform, sold it because a FS fatty just seemed like an indulgence even I couldn't justify.

Buddy of mine has a FS trail bike, can't remember which one but it creaks like a MoFo even after two bearing kit overhauls. Redpoint maybe?

The gravel/all road offering is nice for sure

[toast2266]

I think the brand had struggled because on one hand, they're based in Minnesota and owned by QBP. That has tended to pull the brand towards more conservative, mid-west appropriate bikes. On the other hand, the industry has trended towards more aggressive bikes, and for the most part, that's what sells.

Salsa's mountain bike lineup has really waffled between those competing ideals. The bikes are nice enough, and they've done well with their fat bikes and gravel bikes, but their mountain lineup never quite seems to have the focused intention of the more popular brands.

This means that some of the bikes have some curious spec and geometry choices, but often it just means that the bikes are fine but their marketing is terrible.

[milestogo]

For what its worth, they are the defacto steed for Great Divide race, so that should speak to at least the quality of their frames.

[nickwm21]

I owned an and enjoyed El Mariachi....

They’d be one of the first places I’d look for a hardtail, gravel, touring, commuter, or fat bike. I wouldn’t discount them for a FS bike or Road bike


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[rt17]

I have an El Mariachi and a Fargo. I think their steel touring bikes are fantastic, as well as the warbird and cutthroat. I wouldn't trade my fargo for anything. don't know much about their full suspension MTB.

[Fred Pabst]

Thanks all. Very interesting perspectives. Want one more rad bike before I give it up and become a full time golfer. Global supply within the bike industry screwing this all up!!

[panchosdad]

Want one more rad bike before I give it up and become a full time golfer. Global supply within the bike industry screwing this all up!!

What are you, 80?

[schuss]

Local shop loves the new blackthorn. I rode it around and feels a bit like an Ibis (on the bike vs. in the bike feeling).

[grabtindy]

No experience on their mtn bikes, but I asked the LBS about a Warbird and their best guess on availability was Sep-Oct. Which, come to think of it, is probably when I'd start riding it.

[JPaul]

I have a 2012 Spearfish that has been flawless* through 2 Leadvilles/training, a second life as my main road bike for rides <40 miles, and now as my main MTB as my stupid daughter has claimed its (non-Salsa) replacement as hers. This specific model is moot, but at the time I found that Salsa specs to be much better at each price point than Trek, Specialized, or Cannondale could match.

I've not needed any warranty, so can't comment on that, which is good because I had to drive 45 mins to the nearest dealer if I needed help. What may be helpful for your decision is that REI has recently picked the brand up and, IME, their bike shop will help a member with warranty claim even if the original purchase wasn't through REI.

Good luck!

* not worried about jinxing it now -> bike owes me nothing.