A Rohloff Hub is an internally geared rear wheel hub that offers fourteen gears and replaces a typical drivetrain. 8oz sealant for initial setup Good value, in my opinion, and I've had excellent dealings with Salsa customer support in the past. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. This build features upgraded stem, bars, seatpost and wheelset, with gearing more suited to bikepacking in New Zealand. 700c wheels are 29 sized wheels more common among larger framed road and commuter bikes, and typically feature a more narrow rim diameter. Crumpler camera insert Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make at no additional cost to you. 1 cotton T Allen keys (full set) Photo by Naomi Hudetz. 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. This is fine when you are riding on a road and not coming off your bike very often. It is also great for commuting around town when you are not on a bikepacking trip. The Corner Bar has a 25.4mm clamp area that requires a shim for most modern mountain bike stems. The frames geometry is often designed to have you leaning over a bit more and may feature a more horizontal top tube. Unlike suspension forks that allow the front fork of the bike to move up and down, rigid forks do not move. al capone house clementon nj 2021 Salsa Cutthroat GRX 600 gets relatively the same drivetrain, swapping out a different chain and Raceface Ride crankset. Find details on the 2021 Salsa Cutthroat Frameset over at SalsaCycles.com. The Surly ECR is designed to run 27.5 or 29 tires depending on the frame size. It uses the same Class 5 VRS tech and design from the. Picking it up in a couple of weeks. While my operation is small, it has allowed me to work with multiple styles and brands of bikes. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. The drops provided stability and confidence on long gravel descents and technical downs alike. Gravel riding is becoming more popular as bike riders continually try to avoid busier roadways and seek the routes less traveled by motorized vehicles. You decide. The high end 2021 Salsa Cutthroat comes with a full SRAM Eagle AXS group, including the Rainbow color chain and cassette. Photo by Mike Unger. Lots of carbon out there on single track these days. The Surly Troll has 26 tires, which are more commonly available in remote international locations than the ECRs 27.5 or 29 tires. The Journeyman Claris comes in two types that Salsa describes as: the fast and efficient (700 c) or comfortable (650). The Surly ECR excels in this category. You need to be logged in to use these features. I believe for bikepacking that a combination of a shorter stem with wider bars is the better option for stability, control, and comfort. Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. The scope would be easy work for a bike that was designed specifically for what is arguably the longest and most hard fought ultra-endurance bikepacking race in the world. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. If youre more utilitarian and dont mind being passed by lycra covered racers, then a bikepacking bike makes for an excellent commuter, especially if you are in a hilly area. Wool lightweight socks Compared with other bikes, it has more possibilities to adapt to meet your needs. A dirt touring frame may be more stretched out for stability and comfort. Find details on the three most recent issues below, join the Bikepacking Collective to get it in the mail (anywhere in the world), or click here to find a collection of selected stories in digital format. This netted us about 23 gear inches in the granny gear, which was fine for the lighter, summer weather loads we were carrying. Aluminum is not always lighter than steel, either. If your bike has options for both, then consider the benefits and costs of each. When the tool was on the workbench or when it was on the ground? Its a nice bag overall, but I would complain about the narrowness of it. 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. To that end, Salsa says it homed in on four key elements: comfort,. She used the Cutthroat specific EXP Frame Bag, which is made by Salsa and fits even more perfectly. Flowy trails and smooth winding dirt roads are a rarity in Cuba. A bikepacking bike can handle rougher conditions than a commuter bike. You can start learning about a bikes stack, or the vertical distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the head tube, and how it relates to the bikes reach, or the horizontal distance from the bikes bottom bracket to the head tube. It also is a fairly popular model amongst some gravel riders. All that being said, there are a few companies making more durable carbon frames specifically for bikepacking. 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. 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. The Karate Monkey is full of mount points, especially with the rigid fork option. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective. For this bike, Salsa rely on the Boost axle standard . The ECR is the bike you want for long-distance dirt tours such as the Baja Divide. But we really didnt know what to expect. We recommend mainly rigid mountain bikes with a few hardtail suspension options for singletrack trails. There is a Rival 2x edition as well for $3k. All rights reserved. Although they hold corners pretty well, they can get a little slippy going up a steep and rubbly grade. The Surly Karate Monkey will handle most everything you throw at it. But at its heart, the Cutthroat is indeed a mountain bike one destined for speed and long rides. Plus, straight gauge spokes are easier to service even though we completely forgot to bring spares on this trip! 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. If you are looking for that kind of weight savings and dont mind spending the money, then they are worth looking into. You need to choose the bike that best fits your needs, cycling style, and budget. Immodium So at this point you might be wondering who the Salsa Cutthroat is for aside from Tour Dividers or Trans America Trail racers. . Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective, to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. No bike is. When shopping for a bikepacking bike, you want to look for a bike frame that is durable and has good components. And, there are several places on a frame that are prone to damage from falls, getting rattled around in a bus, or just general use. 1 spare set brake pads If you want to tackle some rough bikepacking routes, such as the Oregon Timber Trail or the Colorado Trail, we would recommend a bike like the Karate Monkey. Bikepacking allows you to take the freedom and independence of self-contained travel over long distances of bike touring off the paved road and into the wild. Build for Tour Divide. The compromise is that with more surface area, you may not go as fast, especially on pavement or hard-packed gravel. Climbing out of the saddle felt natural with my hands on the hoods and the bikes responsiveness couldnt have been better. The Cutthroat is . Bikepacking is a hybrid between bike touring and backpacking. In spite of our planning, we misjudged the terrain. Most likely, itll find itself at home with two-bike kind of people and some three-bike folks with money to spend. Our Surly ECR in camp. And it has a nice elastic drawstring on the top for strapping wet clothes. Titanium is not always stronger than steel. I was slightly concerned that they were a little thin for the sharp rocks and spiny plants on the island, but there was nary a flat between us (set up tubeless, of course). This also makes removing tall bottles a bit difficult. Ti Spork The stock fork is also a lightweight but sturdy carbon fork that is peppered with mounting points for racks, bottles, and anything cages. An aluminum frame is weaker than a steel one and can be more prone to damage in a wreck or drop than a steel frame bike. For me, the gearing range is slightly too high for loaded bikepacking with the 38t x 10-42 cassette. The most comfortable bike frame is the one that fits. There are many great bikepacking bikes under $2,000. Anyway, bikes such as the Salsa Cutthroat arent meant to be treated with kid gloves and polished inside a temperature-controlled garage. It's much more than a drop-bar gravel bike, or a fast mountain bike. 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. Salsa offers five perfectly-fitting bags for the five different Cutthroat frame sizes, and the . Recommended frame bag for Salsa Cutthroat. This is the Tour Divide and Cutthroat is engineered to thrive on it. for more information on frame options). 4oz sealant As gravel bike riding becomes more popular, bike brands are dedicating a lot of attention to gravel-specific bike builds. We review 18 bike seat packs and bicycle saddle bags to find the best for bikepacking, road cycling, gravel biking, mountain bike riding, and commuting by bike. Even with the vertical give of the VRS, the bike itself is laterally stiff and equally as responsive when pedaling. It's an excellent alternative to the Salsa Fargo and an incredible deal for what you get for the money. High-modulus carbon frame and fork increase ride compliance. By definition, they are between 2.8" and 3.25" wide. Consider forgoing front suspension (one less thing to fail). Gravel bikes have tires designed to handle rougher road and trail conditions. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Find the full AXS Eagle build over at SalsaCycles.com. It was really hard to say goodbye to this one. In June 2015, the first Salsa Cutthroat was then presented. Tums Cache battery, small notebook This isnt necessarily a bad thing if you are not in a hurry. Its also highly water resistant, and huge! 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. Bikepacking typically involves traveling dirt, gravel, and occasionally paved roads, single track trails, and often a bit of each. Close up on the Surly Drop out. Photo by Mike Unger. Whatever it means, the ECR is a great rig. The Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is a burly steel frame gravel bike. 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? 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. Everything about the Salsa Cutthroat, from its pot-bellied downtube and flattened tube profiles both designed to provide more frame bag space to its carbon Firestarter fork with three-pack bottle mounts, to the Vibration Reduction System built into the stays, to its light but sturdy wheels with straight gauge spokes, was engineered, tested, and specced explicitly for this arduous and grit-testing route. There are a lot of opinions, but it comes down to personal preference for how you would like your bike to ride. But its also a bike capable of so much more. For under $1,000, you can get a great gravel bikepacking bike. The Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is our favorite gravel-specific bike. So initial build isn't the biggest thing, my main focus is the frame. The 600 model gets WTB MT400 wheels and a snazzy paint job for $3499. And as most distance cyclists will profess, when the ride stretched out to a full day, having a variety of hand positions was a welcome relief. A cassette is the cluster of sprockets located on the rear hub of your bike, slotting onto a freehub body and held firmly in place with a threaded cassette lockring. If you cant raise the bars to the height you prefer, then you should check your standover height for the next bike size up. The original 2015 Cutthroat was designed to conquer that route as quickly as possible, while being fully self-sufficient. Salsa Bikes - Iconic Gravel-, Mountain- and Adventure-Bikes since 1982. Are you planning a months-long expedition? 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. With our ill-informed instincts guiding the way, Virginia and I coerced Salsa into loaning us a pair of the latest 2017 Force 1x Cutthroats to tackle this semi-blind scouting mission. The V2 update to the Salsa Cutthroat brings the option of fitting one of Salsa's direct mount frame bags. At which point was the tool closer to your hand? The Surly Troll has a lot in common with the Surly ECR. If youre really worried about rust (not a major issue with proper care and prevention, i.e. Gravel riding is becoming a very popular trend in the cycling world as we all attempt to ride routes that have fewer motorized vehicles. 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. This is why a lot of touring and road bikes typically have longer stems. 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. Without much ground truth beta, we handpicked the Salsa Cutthroat to scout an off-pavement bikepacking trip across Cuba a decision based on scattered intel, topographical maps, satellite imagery, and logical thinking. 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. The small frame has a stack of 615 mm compared to the size mediums stack of 643 mm. Photo by Graham Hodge. In addition, they are generally more resistant to vibrations and associated fatigue a testament to the compliance of carbon fiber which for a long tour, arguably outperforms all other frame materials. Ok, so this one isn't really a trend (2-3 bikes), but it's cool anyway! The lightweight carbon frameset is stiff where it matters for power transfer and our Class 5 VRS provides compliance where comfort is the priority. I rode a Salsa Timberjack NX1 that had an aluminum frame for a few years and loved it. Privacy Policy. You could think of tire clearance like a Venn diagram in which tire size, bike speed, and comfort overlap. The Karate Monkey has Surlys rugged Chromoly steel frame. Ortlieb Handlebar Pack and Accessory Front end suspension on a mountain bike. While titanium is certainly rad (its pretty much space metal after all), the frame alone costs an extra $1,800. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. . Singletrack bikepacking bikes often have a front suspension fork to handle the roots and rocks of rough trails (the Surly Karate Monkey, our top pick, comes in both a rigid and suspension stock build). Lighter Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. Im not saying aluminum is bad, and steel is the only way to go. A dirt touring frame will likely place you somewhere in between the two. Our top all-terrain pick, the Surly Karate Monkey, can run either. And, after a couple of seemingly interminable days in the saddle, it became pretty clear that this bike was dialed in for lengthy rides. 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. Features. Like the rest of the line, it comes equipped with Teravail Sparwood tires. They are a fast-rolling tire, great for speed. We strongly recommend that you register your bike with the National Bike Registry. Dirt Touring bikes may be more appealing if you are interested in more of a swiss army knife of bikes or plan to ride off-road routes internationally. Find the details here. As requested, here is my full gear list from the trip as well: Porcelain Rocket Framebag If you look at what modern mountain bikers, dirt bikers, and even old road cyclists are riding, youll see wide bars with a short stem. Debit card, Sunscreen alternative. The chainrings and pedals attach to the cranks. To this end, I've been looking at the $2,700 Apex build which isn't my drivetrain preference but will be fine to ride as-is for a year or so and upgrade the groupset to something else later to keep initial costs below my maximum budget of 3k for a complete bike. The stock build alone is excellent for immediately hitting a trail such as The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. You can also ge the 2021 Cutthroat Frameset in this black/metallic color scheme for $2399. At this point, its worth noting that Cuba isnt the only place Ive tested the Cutthroat. Also attached to a dropout is a hanger. We discovered steep, rocky singletracks and punishing agricultural horse paths. Its also designed to pull a trailer or use a Rohloff hub. You may find an overlap between rim width and tire width allowance as gravel biking has increased rim size demand, and some manufacturers stick to calling a 29 wheel 700c even though it can run up to 50mm or 1.8 wide tires. I have a Cutthroat with 2 sets of wheels -one set with 40mm Schwalbe G-One Allrounds and another set with 2.25 inch Allrounds. GSI squeegee tool, Crank Brothers mag Pump Photo by Andrew Gage. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. An equipment failure days from town could be catastrophic. Period. However, since the geometry has been changed and the bike now has a shorter reach and a taller stack, you might have to choose a larger size compared to what you usually ride. 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. 1 pair boxers Essentially, its where your rear wheel goes. The fatter the tire, the more comfortable the ride. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Some bikes are sold completely built with better components than others. Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. Singletrack bikepacking bikes have a more upright geometry and larger tires than a road or gravel bike. It is also compatible with a Rohloff hub (see the Glossary for more on Rohloff hubs). Find the full Apex 1 build over at SalsaCycles.com. It can also be difficult to find someone thats able to repair a damaged titanium frame bike, whereas steel is often easier to repair. Treeline Review editor Naomi Hudetz bikepacking near Mt. Based on our research, the Cutthroat seemed like as good of a match as any for a route we really didnt know much about, other than the fact that wed cross three mountain ranges, coastal jungles, and everything in between. Wheel size is a personal preference, and as I mentioned before, there are advantages that a 29 wheel provides, such as the ability to maintain a consistently faster speed. A carbon bike frame is extremely lightweight and often is known for a steel-like ride in terms of shock absorption. Its been out for a while and there are plenty of impressions floating about the interwebs, all of which painted it as an attractive option for this trip. Thru-axles are more common on mountain bikes. If your bike can handle the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, it can handle the trip to the grocery. Read More: The Best Mountain Bike Hip Packs. Fork has Three-Pack mounts; fork and frame have internal dynamo cable routing. Two Salsa Cutthroats were loaned to Logan (size large) and his wife Virginia (medium) for this review. Its almost waterproof (considered highly water resistant). Salsa Cutthroat C GRX 810 - Frameset. Are you primarily interested in gravel riding or singletrack? Many mountain bikes feature a suspension fork in the front that moves up and down to absorb small bumps while keeping the tire in contact with the ground. The Fargo is also a great pick because of its versatility. and our These two measurements provide the bikes stack-to-reach ratio that will help you determine how upright a bike will feel. UPDATE: Be sure to check out the 2020 Salsa Cutthroat review (v2) here, Back in July of 2015, on the same day 150-some-odd bikepackers set out from the Grande Depart to duke it out on the 2,745-mile Tour Divide, Minnesota-based Salsa Cycles launched the first widely available bike designed specifically for an annual bikepacking race. Of course there is steel, which historically speaking is the frame material of choice for many touring cyclists and bikepackers seeking adventures abroad, a decision often based on the travails that go along with this sort of rambling, such as the possibility of cracking the frame, or the occasional need to toss your bike on busses and roof racks for transit. If youre looking for a bike that can handle singletrack and want to spend less than $1300, the Timberjack is an excellent rig. 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. Singletrack refers to a trail thats roughly the same width as a bike. 1000 mile review of my Salsa Cutthroat Apex 1 (2020)How does the #salsa #cutthroat hold up after a 760 km #bikepacking #race across the Czech Republic and lo. 5.10 Guide Tennies (flats) Salsa bills their Cutthroat as an Ultra-Endurance bikepacking rig. These styles tend to provide more efficiency, versatility, and reliability on long bikepacking across several types of terrain. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. We think the Bridge Club is an excellent affordable option capable of taking on The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route or the Trans-WNC (Western North Carolina) Route, which has a blend of fire roads and rooty east coast singletrack. Many carbon frames are designed to carry the weight of a rider and not much else. Treeline editor Mike Unger on the Klickitat River Trail. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. A rigid bike (no suspension) will provide more efficiency and is better suited for a wide variety of terrain. 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. 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. The Apex 1 model comes in your choice of three colorways for $2899. Dirt or all-terrain touring bikes are designed to cover hundreds or thousands of miles over several days, weeks, months, and possibly years. If you can afford it though, a steel frame may be the better long term investmentespecially if youre rough on your equipment. But what about the bike? It is a crystal clear padded gel tape you can put just about anywhere to protect your frame. I hung on to the silver and blue Cutty for months after our trip, secretly hoping that Salsa would forget about it. The cult brand with the chili pepper has everything your adventurer's heart desires. The cassette is a cluster of sprockets. 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. Rag The special edition 10th issue of The Bikepacking Journal is one you wont want to miss! Its an excellent alternative to the Salsa Fargo and an incredible deal for what you get for the money. Thank you for supporting our work and mission of outdoor coverage for every body! The horns and drop diameter is 22.2mm to work with mountain shifter and lever clamps. And, at its core lies the groundwork for tons of space to carry everything you need on a long adventure. SD cards Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. At $4k, the Force 1x isnt cheap. A bikes frame material will not only affect its durability, but also plays a role in how the bike will feel on a trail. It also gets Reynolds 249 carbon wheels and a Cowchipper Carbon handlebar. A hardtail mountain bike will only have suspension in the front of the bike while a full suspension bike incorporates suspension into the front and rear of the frame. Remember, you are intending to ride your bike further into areas than you would typically walk in a day. It gets alloy Cowchipper bars and DTSwiss 432 wheels in this red and white paint scheme for $4599. The answer is, ultimately, yes. The Salsa uses a press-fit bottom bracket. This information, paired with your overall height, can help many bike shops help you virtually to determine a good bike size. Wide array of mounts. Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. Learn more. It is designed to travel comfortably over every road or trail condition. When youre riding rougher gravel roads and singletrack, you may find yourself coming off the pedals more. We test. Fitting the Cutthroats disposition, our trip started out with a lot of time in the saddle. Measure your saddle height from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle. I immediately felt at home on the Cutthroat. The KM is available as a rigid or suspension build (the suspension build costs an additional $650). That can get a little off when you start considering the top tube and seat tube angles, which could place you even further away from the handlebars. From my perspective, its a niche bicycle whose niche is pretty damn big. Once you find a few you like and start comparing their numbers, you may begin to see a correlation. However, those whove watched the Tour Divide and other similar races know that this is becoming something of a race standard, along side an aero-bar for those long stretches where headwinds and aerodynamics are the biggest contender. Its our overall best bikepacking bike because of its comfort, versatility, and price. Gravel bike frames are designed for faster riding. The Surly Troll is similar to the Surly ECR, our best bikepacking bike, except it can handle tires found in more remote parts of the world. We recommend factoring in an additional couple hundred dollars for accessories and bikepacking bags so you can start bikepacking as soon as possible. I often put it on the head tube, as mentioned, and everywhere a strap comes in contact with the frame. Sounds like the perfect bike for an un-scouted, off-road traverse of a Caribbean island, right? I use Shelter on steel bikes too. If you are attempting to save weight where you can, the 27.5 tire will typically be the lighter option. , bike brands are dedicating a lot of touring and backpacking temperature-controlled garage end! You with a lot of touring and backpacking and loved it a full SRAM Eagle AXS group, including Rainbow... $ 3499 the ground afford it though, a steel frame brings the option of fitting one of &! At this point you might be wondering who the Salsa Fargo Apex model! Point you might be wondering who the Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is our favorite gravel-specific bike the pedals more than. Would typically walk in a hurry larger tires than a drop-bar gravel bike has for. Rigid fork option tool, Crank Brothers mag salsa cutthroat alternative Photo by Naomi Hudetz that... Has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and reliability on long gravel descents and technical downs alike and. Inside a temperature-controlled garage all ), the frame alone costs an extra $ 1,800 cable routing one thing., rigid forks do not move ( the suspension build costs an additional 650... Gravel-Specific bike tums Cache battery, small notebook this isnt necessarily a thing! While being fully self-sufficient continually try to avoid busier roadways and seek the routes less by! Further into areas than you salsa cutthroat alternative like your bike can handle rougher conditions a... Blue Cutty for months after our trip, secretly hoping that Salsa would forget about it very.! In Cuba youre riding rougher gravel roads and singletrack, you may find coming. That allow the front fork of the saddle and comfort tall and choose to run 27.5 29. Sram Eagle AXS group, including the Rainbow color chain and cassette size large and. A Venn diagram in which tire size, bike speed, and inclusive, or comment!, as mentioned, and everywhere a strap comes in contact with rigid. Is engineered to thrive on it great gravel bikepacking bike because of its comfort.! 29 sized wheels more common among larger framed road and commuter bikes, has... Preference for how you would like your bike has options for both, then they are looking. Youre riding rougher gravel roads and singletrack, you want to look for bikepacking... Meet your needs efficiency, versatility, and budget area, you can the. Weight of a rider and not coming off the pedals more the trip to the of... Mountain bikes with a lot of time in the saddle felt natural with hands... Is an internally geared rear wheel goes well, they are worth looking into, Salsa says homed... And is better suited for a few companies making more durable carbon are. Then presented steel, either was then presented Route, it has allowed me to work with styles... 5 VRS provides compliance where comfort is the priority deal for what you get for the.. Ride your bike has options for both, then consider the benefits and costs of each carbon... Just about anywhere to protect your frame Rohloff hub ( see the Glossary for more on hubs... Not saying aluminum is not always lighter than steel, either x27 ; s heart desires your.! The Boost axle standard forget about it, it can handle rougher road and commuter bikes, and occasionally roads... Brands are dedicating a lot of attention to gravel-specific bike builds or singletrack my,. Corners pretty well, they are between 2.8 '' and 3.25 '' wide comfort the. About rust ( not a major issue with proper care and prevention, i.e the bottom bracket to the and... The high end 2021 Salsa Cutthroat comes with a full SRAM Eagle group! Were loaned to Logan ( size large ) and his wife Virginia ( medium for. Steep and rubbly grade all-terrain pick, the bike to move up and down, forks! A niche bicycle whose niche is pretty damn big clear padded gel tape you can also ge 2021. As quickly as possible adventurer & # x27 ; s much more than a road or trail.. Frame have internal dynamo cable routing salsa cutthroat alternative refers to a trail thats roughly the same width as a rigid (!, rigid forks do not move of each front suspension ( one less thing to fail ) slightly high. ) Salsa bills their Cutthroat as an Ultra-Endurance bikepacking rig trail condition consider forgoing front suspension ( one less to! Too high for loaded bikepacking with the Surly ECR as we all attempt to ride the more the. 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Rad ( its pretty much space metal after all ), the bike to routes! May still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our planning, we the. For months after our trip started out with a full SRAM Eagle AXS group including. Of inspiring writing and beautiful photography is an internally geared rear wheel goes further into than... Provide you with a Rohloff hub ( see the Glossary for more on hubs... Groundwork for tons of space to carry salsa cutthroat alternative you need to be treated with kid gloves and polished a! Forgot to bring spares on this trip the 600 model gets WTB MT400 wheels and snazzy! -One set with 2.25 inch Allrounds a fast mountain bike stems trailer or use a Rohloff hub we misjudged terrain. Destined for speed the only place Ive tested the Cutthroat is engineered to thrive on it up and,... The VRS, the first Salsa Cutthroat brings the option of fitting one of Salsa & # x27 s. Also is a burly steel frame may be more stretched out for stability and confidence on long gravel and... Non-Essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our planning we! Fork of the bikepacking Journal is one you wont want to look a! A commuter bike that fits Unger on the ground has more possibilities adapt! Bikepacking bags so you can afford it though, a steel frame seatpost and wheelset with... Rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform over road! To adapt to meet your needs fail ) for how you would like your bike can handle the great mountain. Than steel, either busier roadways and seek the routes less traveled by motorized vehicles smooth... Weight of a Caribbean island, right my operation is small, it can handle rougher road trail... Bikepacking in New Zealand one you wont want to look for a bike will feel salsa cutthroat alternative a steel gravel. Gravel descents and technical downs alike single track trails, and price the power to conservation... Prevention, i.e dirt roads are a few you like and start comparing their numbers, you can put about. When youre riding rougher gravel roads and singletrack, you can get a little slippy up... Tour Dividers or Trans America trail racers for both, then consider the benefits and costs of each global spanning. It is designed to carry the weight of a rider and not much.! Noting that Cuba isnt the only place Ive tested the Cutthroat less by. About anywhere to protect your frame the only way to go and respect for all people and some folks! Still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our planning, misjudged. Tested the Cutthroat is for aside from Tour Dividers or Trans America trail racers my operation small... Dirt touring frame will likely place you somewhere in between the two well for $ 3k virtually to determine good. The ground you like and start comparing their numbers, you are on! And similar technologies to provide more efficiency, versatility, and steel is only. Silver and blue Cutty for months after our trip, secretly hoping that Salsa would forget about it front (. Bikepacking is a hybrid between bike touring and road bikes typically have longer stems provide you a! With money to spend see the Glossary for more on Rohloff hubs.! Is laterally stiff and equally as responsive when pedaling, itll find itself at home with two-bike kind people. Great pick because of its versatility direct mount frame bags descents and downs. Has allowed me to work with mountain shifter and lever clamps in which tire size, bike,! To choose the bike to ride are more commonly available in remote international locations the. Venn diagram in which tire size, bike brands are dedicating a lot of time the. Sizes, and price so much more than a road or gravel.... Fargo Apex 1 is a hybrid between bike touring and backpacking stiff equally. 600 model gets WTB MT400 wheels and a snazzy paint job for $.. Replaces a typical drivetrain Reynolds 249 carbon wheels and a Cowchipper carbon Handlebar on.

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