Backpedaling a bit, prior to unboxing and throwing a leg over it in Santiago de Cuba, there were a few things I knew about the supposed ride characteristics of the Salsa Cutthroat. FWIW I would say if you test an ISO one aspect I quickly realised is this bike is best ridden almost entirely on its drops -I never go on the hoods like a road bike even when climbing. Offering excellent ride quality and versatility. Made of Kona Cromoly Butted steel to help provide bump absorption and ride quality. I'll be using it for local gravel-bashing, fast and light, as well as longer multi-day bikepacking. Weather that be road, gravel, rugged commuter, and bikepacking. Salsa has a gravel bike for almost every type of riding, and their models include high-end carbon models like Warbird and Warroad, as well as the Cutthroat. when I say I rarely ride on drops Im talking about my road bike. A way to simply have fun. But its also a bike capable of so much more. The 2021 Salsa Cutthroat maintains the same frame and fork as the previous model (which we reviewed in depth here), that includes a more compliant fork, VRS seat stays, a wide range of drivetrain options, a direct-mount frame pack, and loads of accessory mounts. Strong stopping power with the SRAM Rival 1 hydraulic disc brakes. According to All City this steed can do it all. The Cutthroat Carbon Rival 1 ($3,999) gets a 111 drivetrain, SRAM hydraulic Rival Hydro brakes, and SRAM . I do question the general logic of dirt drops once you go beyond a basic randonneuring / rough stuff type of use but I guess it comes down to your riding attitude. I used to bike pack my El Mariachi & the switch to drop bar specific adventure bike was huge, far more proficient, safe & balanced handling. Helmet Slide off the GRX nut and replace it with the cover and nut from the MTB lever - in the correct order! The fork is made from a FC-440 Cross full carbon with a tapered steerer tube plus rack/water bottle mounts so you can mount everything you need for bikepacking adventures. Only alu and carbon. Period. And the 32T on the Surly usually allows me to grovel up all but the steepest of climbs when fully loaded. Interested in Ti? A large front frame triangle would be great allowing space for a frame bag. The only downside I can find with the ISO is its not fast on the road but I feel this is mainly due to the spec that made me choose it (XT 34 front ring & wide tyres & rims) but it still feels really comfortable on the road & not out of place. In addition, you may want to apply Shelter wherever your bike is prone to dings and scratches (seat stays, underside of downtube, etc.). Its a fantastic bike and so comfortable and efficient. Build for Tour Divide. Then do a back to back test with the XC bike and the Cutthroat on all surfaces-pavement, gravel, and singletrack. The looks definitely grow on you and the integrated front mudguard / carrier is ace. This bike knows no boundaries. Out of all the three options this bike looks like the most capable, bikepacking-friendly fat bike. 2 lenses You can pick this bike up from $2,899. Do some fire road touring? The new 2020 external cable routing bike. The bike fits up to 29 x 2.4 tires. Camping? Gorilla tape And according to Salsa 46T is the. Additionally, the Force hydros are a nice choice to help reduce hand fatigue on long rides. You can pick up the 2020 Cannondale Topstone Ultegra option which is their top of the line option from $2,100 USD. Unfortunately running a smaller chainring is supposedly not possible, because you cannot get the derailleur low enough on the mount to achieve the 1-3mm clearance required between the derailleur cage and the chainring. The Fit Link lowers the FD by between 8.8mm and 15.9mm, which after a bit of maths gave me confidence my derailleur cage would be close enough to use a smaller outer chainring in the 38-42T range. This long, twisty, and, at times, chunky gravel and two-track climb led to a ripping return descent which Ive experienced on several other gravel and adventure bikes. This also makes the bike easier to get on when loaded. I havent tried suspension on my ISO but have seen some interesting builds with Lauf etc. Apart from the aforementioned Gravel rings (which are too big for my liking), finding a suitable 2x crankset or chainrings in 11-spd world was proving difficult. Carbon frame with VRS rear-end + a stable and comfortable geometry + 2.1 tires = a bike that's comfortable and perfectly dialed in for long and rough rides. I was listening to a podcast from the designer of the Cutthroat and he was espousing the benefits of using a suspension fork on it to tackle tougher singletrack. Patch Kit This bag features the bolt on design. The front triangle space is maximised for a full frame bag and a toptube bag can be mounted. The new Vela colour looks great too. 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. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. Series title. 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. But then Id want a bike thats light with a quicker geometry that feels more road-like anyway. Best frames? With a adventure-driven geometry. 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. Instead, hacks are required. Cap I ride a Cervelo C3 at the moment so Im used to riding a lightweight carbon bike (perhaps why I liked the Salsa) so not sure how much of a shock the Steel Insearchof would be?! 69 head tube angle provides a long, stable wheelbase for confidence on technical rides. Brother mehteh is another option in steel. I chose to run the custom Porcelain Rocket bag I had made for the Woodsmoke on our Kyrgyzstan trip. At the fork crown is a spot to mount your front light. In hindsight, our most accurate description, albeit a modest one, is that Cuba doesnt give up its goods easily. @jameso when I say I rarely ride on drops I'm talking about my road bike. The bike has a nice downhill feel on the bars with a 16-degree flare. With a racing-inspired geometry, made from full carbon, with the Class 5 Vibration Reduction System for increased riding comfort. The 2021 Salsa Cutthroat Apex 1 is the mainstay of the lineup and comes with a 111 Apex 1 drivetrain featuring a Raceface Ride crankset (36T), WTB Sera/i23 wheels, TRP Spyre brakes, and an 11-42T cassette. A true source of freedom! 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 Fit-link is pretty small but still moves the Front derailleur both down and across towards the back of the seat-tube, probably by about 4-5mm. Complete curve ball but have you looked at a Kona Sutra LTD? The main recommendation was a Salsa Fargo 27.5+ with the Salsa Cutthroat and Salsa Warbird as nearby options. Kona describes this bike as the ultimate fat bike utilizing our favourite attributes from its siblings in the lineup.. A truely do it all bike for all terrains. Every feature was evaluated and designed to obliterate long-distance cycling route and event records. This is supposed to be butted up against the frame (or a tiny stick-on plate for carbon frames) to prevent the cage moving out of alignment under shifting. This approach allows me to keep my seat pack and handlebar bags as light as possible, thus lowering the bikes center of gravity. The Cutthroat fork, with clearance for 29 x 3.0in. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The Cutthroat is Salsa Cycles carbon drop bar mountain bike which is aimed at bike-packing and long rides in remote territory, ala Tour Divide. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. Theyve also brought out the ULTD this year with dropper post and geometry which to me at least looks like a Unit. 18. I'm not riding for podium places, but I do want respectable times. And, at its core lies the groundwork for tons of space to carry everything you need on a long adventure. The title, 983,000 revolutions, is based on the estimated wheel rotations during my ~1400 mile test period with the Salsa Cutthroat. Is categorised as gravel bike. Plenty of steel is real folks may disagree about the durability of carbon vs steel, but what is your mtb made of? The Cutthroats stance is not as upright as its cousin, the Fargo, making it more comfortable at higher speeds. Toothbrush/paste The V1 Cutthroat is a quite a different design, but nevertheless I was still interested to know what gearing others were running on theirs. Models are available with either 1x (11 speed) or 2x (22 speed) gearing. 1 wool long sleeve Riding bikes in circles generally makes little sense either so I dont want to sound too polarised here : ) The final list of parts is below: Note also that Im using the RX812 GRX Rear derailleur which is designed for 1x with 11-42t cassettes. In spite of our planning, we misjudged the terrain. Priced to sell at $7000 CONTACT The limiting factor for the outer rings is the Braze-on Front Derailleur mount. 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. Anyway .. not saying either of these bikes are wrong, just a counter-point to the trend for drop-bars off-road at the moment. As it turned out, the drivetrain part of the build would throw up some interesting challenges thanks to the unique combination of standards used in the Cutthroat design. This frame set comes well equipped with mounts galore Search Products search 02380 282028 Login Basket Menu HomeShopHireDemoRoutes RepairsCafeJournalBuild GalleryContactBasket BackShop HomeBasket Category Bikes Bike Packing Rigs Cube 2023 E-Bikes Touring Bikes 11sp quicklinks x 2 Ive never ridden a Cutthroat but did consider it. Ive spoken To Dom from Mason and the Insearchof seems (on paper anyway) close to my perfect bike. It didnt look like there was enough spare meat on the bracket to extend the slot with a dremel either. Inspiring stuff. No VS threads without photos and or links. Salsa are calling this Road Boost a mix of MTB standards like the 148mm Boost hub spacing and BB92 bottom-bracket, but with a roady style front derailleur mount that allows larger chainrings than are typically available on modern MTB Cranksets. I've ridden the Salsa Cutthroat. I have much more riding options available to me on the bigger tyres. Seems like it would be relevant. 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. I will search out Carbonfiends writeup on this forum. I regularly ride it on mixed terrain with a mate on a Scott gravel bike and as soon as the gravel gets looser the benefits of the 29er 2.4 tyres and confidence inspiring geometry help it maintain speed, so overall theres little in it. Lack of gear range might be an issue. 28-32T for climbing, 38-42T for faster grinding. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. 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. A very scientific survey was carried out to see what some other Cutthroat owners (n=2) were running here in NZ: Road Brifters dont work particularly well with MTB derailleurs so both ran an inline barrel shifter to fine-tune gears when the Front Derailleur cage-rub got annoying. Ive ridden the Salsa Cutthroat and loved it. Making it a great bike for bikepacking and off-road touring. More here. The V1 Cutthroat isnt boost spaced and uses a High Direct-Mount Front Derailleur. Debating whether I should consider a steel hardtail with flat bars and add some options to get a more aero comfortable position for longer gravelly stretches and road. I sometimes switch to a 32T but of course run out of gears pretty quick if theres flat or road sections inevitable on most multi-day rides. Both excellent choices. Ever since a young kid bikes have been a source of inspiration, expression of creativity and identity for myself. Salsa Classifies the Cutthroat as a "drop bar mountain bike". The Outer ring, where Id be spending most of my time, is therefore pretty close to the Boost chainline of 52mm! This bike can pretty much go anywhere you want! 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. It is quite possibility the best bike you can get for under $1000 for bikepacking! I suspect the ISO has a more compliant ride but its not slow josh ibett just won the gbduro on one. Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. What Is a Gravel Bike? Crossed a desert in the Sudan earlier this year.. not by bike though! With a lightweight, efficient carbon frameset, ample tire clearance, and thoroughly thought-out mounts for all of your ride and camp essentials, Cutthroat is equally suited to setting records or seeking R&R. Chainbreaker Salsa Classifies the Cutthroat as a "drop bar mountain bike". The Kona Woo is a combination of both the Wo and Wozo. This Scott Spark might be the one! @jameso when I say I rarely ride on drops Im talking about my road bike. Did a mega road/gravel ride yesterday ending with a lap of Ladybower. 54cm. Efficiency too & the angles of say an ISO lends itself to one being perfectly positioned for long periods of time (days) with an ability to effortlessly switch from one terrain to another (trail, singletrack, road & gravel). Particularly interested in doing routes like An Turas More in Scotland. They tried (unsuccessfully) to do Dirty Kanza on a Cutthroat, but ultimately stood by their decision. The Cutthroat is . Sounds pretty much like a Fargo with Cowchippers, not sure if youve considered that option. I would have preferred a 32-spoke count for my own sanity, but the RAIL 40s are specced as enduro/all-mountain specific wheels. 1 cotton T I have compromised on chainset with 1x but it can take a front mech if needed. Before I ordered the V2 Salsa Cutthroat frameset, I hadnt given the gearing much thought. Salsa engineers also thought about fans of dynamo hubs and their related charging units and lights. 1 spare set brake pads 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. Ive watched a few of the josh ibett videos on YouTube. The SRAM GX 210 speed drivetrain provides reliable, fast, light and accurate shifting with improved durability. I have set it up for speed, with a 660mm high sweep bar and a low stem. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. My first priority is off-road and bikepacking functionality. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Which is rather pricy at $185.00. I often put it on the head tube, as mentioned, and everywhere a strap comes in contact with the frame. Being re-designed specifically for 27.5 or 29 wheel platforms and has been updated to include Surlys Gnot-Boost rear hub spacing; compatible with Boost 148 x 12mm thru-axle, 142 x 12mm thru-axle and 135mm quick-release hubs. Plus, Salsa has a few entry-level models: the Journeyer and Stormchaserwhich feature a suspension fork similar to a mountain bike. Sometimes called a "carbon Fargo," the Cutthroat is an excellent alternative for folks with a higher budget and/or more performance-oriented goals. Two bikes have caught my imagination: The Mason Insearchof and the Salsa Cutthroat. Three mounts for bottle cages. They have been around since the 1980s and have built up a solid reputation for producing a range of different bikes, including: Mountain bikes Gravel bikes Touring Bikes They also make bicycle and BMX components, clothing, parts, and gear. I think Im struggling because Ive never ridden a steel bike (well not since I was a kid). But at its heart, the Cutthroat is indeed a mountain bike one destined for speed and long rides. 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. The Fit Link is an adapter for mounting a braze-on style front derailleur to and below a bicycle frame braze-on tab to accommodate smaller front chainrings.. I sure do! Generally speaking, the Force 1x Cutthroat is a solid spec without much room to quibble over necessary upgrades. Salsa Substitute: Top 8 Alternatives You Can Try Now! Making it suitable for gravel and adventure-focused riders who demand a bike that ticks all the boxes. But when moving quickly across variable bumpy terrain, the full carbon frame along with the VRS and relatively beefy 2.1 tires (set up tubeless) adds up to the most vibration absorbent drop-bar bike Ive ridden to date. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Comes with a budget SRAM SX 12-speed Eagle drivetrain which powers 26 Sun Ringle Mulefut 80mm tubeless rims. As far as we could tell, no one had completed a full off-road traverse of Cuba, and there wasnt much detail on many of her tracks, both mapped or otherwise. This Norco bike is a bike that you could call a do anything kind of bike. Also comes in a front suspension fork option. Salsa Cutthroat v2 PHOTOS More details / photos available on request The GRX810 2x Cutthroat currently retails at $8999, with the frameset listed at $4899. Find the full Apex 1 build over at SalsaCycles.com. Especially with the 29 x 2.2 wheel and tire combination providing excellent rollover, low rolling resistance, and great momentum. Although they hold corners pretty well, they can get a little slippy going up a steep and rubbly grade. The Cutthroats front derailleur mount is bolted to the frame in 3 places a custom bracket that didnt look very movable. The Woo speaks off some incredible bikepacking utility features. The bike has 210 Speed gearing which is plenty. Im also a big fan of the 44cm Venturemax bars, and the GRX brakes plus XT Di2 combination is brilliant. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. Older 2x cranksets like Shimanos M785 or SRAMs GXP had suitable chainring ranges, but were designed pre-boost so wouldnt have an ideal chainline. Surely it comes down to whether you want carbon or steel? Studda Step. But along with the ability to take proper big tyres it also means its an MTB so I can ride all manner of singletrack if I want. Id like to add that my flat barred Salsa is the best balanced and best handling bike Ive ridden by far. to put together this bike! 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. It was designed for the Tour Divide so comfort is key. ReVolt Headlamp, Can stove (make there) The bike comes with multiple mounts for bottle cages and storage. Salsa EXP Toptube Bag You can replace salsa with hot sauce any time, and you'll love the kick it gives to your recipes! Just wondered if anyone had ridden either or both of these bikes and had an opinion? Welcome to take a look at mine (Im in Totley). We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. You can also ge the 2021 Cutthroat Frameset in this black/metallic color scheme for $2399. You can get bikepacking bikes in carbon, titanium, aluminum and steel. The cutthroat seems great, and if you like the ride Id say that one!. Cutthroat brings speed to the mixed surface, ultra-endurance bikepacking race scene. Revelate Mountain Feedbag, NZO Dobies Shorts I have been researching what exactly to look for when considering a bikepacking bike. EDIT: I guess it would be a tad overkill for those races but nothing smaller wheels wouldn't solve. The key section is at the bottom of the article: That brings us to the future of bikepacking gearing. Salsa achieves its stack height by fitting the Cutty with a rigid carbon suspension-corrected fork. The Atlas mountain race looks right up my street. Theres a 100k ride I do in the Chilterns its a mixture of mainly single track trail, Ridgeway bridlepath & 10% road & I choose to ride it on the Mason as I can carry all the provisions I need including extra water as theres only one shop on route which is near the end, I wouldnt ride this route on any other bike I own. bicycles Thats the major sticking point for me buying an ISO, its a leap into the unknown! You can find all the details on that review, and scroll down for details on each of the 2021 Salsa Cutthroat builds. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. Take a look at the Bombtrack Facebook group. Bombtrack also do the steel hook adv which has a sus fork and a great paint job, the beyond adv has the Jones bars but theres also the drop bar beyond Which may be worth looking at. Carbonfiend and Hanky: thanks so much for your input on the Mason. All powered with a SRAM Apex 1 drivetrain for smooth shifting. 200,000 feet of climbing. The venturemax bars on an ISO arent low set as you would equate to a road/CX or gravel bike this is what caught me out when I first rode it and why I suggested to the OP to go straight to the drops, there is a contour to them that fits perfectly into your palm plus the higher pivot point of the GRX brakes allows you just cruise in & out of corners and never feel twitchy on anything technical It really is a one of a kind bike. I got it for future adventures such as TD. Making it a great bike for bikepacking and off-road touring. Have you tried a suspension fork on the ISO? So at this point you might be wondering who the Salsa Cutthroat is for aside from Tour Dividers or Trans America Trail racers. Features. MSRP for a complete Carbon Rival 1 is $3,999, and the frame-only retails for $1,999. However, as with Cuba itself, the Salsa Cutthroat held its fair share of surprises. At Cycle Travel Overload we are all about inspiring people to get outside and explore more! Volume. 10.1080/02705060.2003.9664487. Passport Salsa Cutthroat, Much More Than a Tour Divide Rig Words By Spencer Harding, bike photos by Spencer Harding, with action shots by Locke Hassett While I was able to finagle this incredibly snazzy bike solely for the purpose of reviewing a framebag on it, I figured why not squeeze a bike review out of it as well? Im sure the ISO is great to ride. Make sure to read more about our Cuba trip here, and see the route here. I went for the ISO due to its leanings towards being more off road its boost spacing has a 1x XT front ring can be converted to 27.5 and frankly its just that bit more bespoke. I was looking at a used 2017 cutthroat (light blue/silver), but it was only $350 cheaper than the 2020 Cutthroat, so I opted for the 2020 Cutthroat. Built for the rigors of America's longest mountain bike race, the Tour Divide-inspired Cutthroat C GRX 600 1x is one of the best bikepacking bikes for long rides through a variety of conditions and surfaces when speed is of the essence. On the outset, some might see the Salsa Cutthroat as an adventure bike, or something of a gravel bike on steroids. Super glue, iPhone/earbuds/USB cable At that time, there was not yet the Gravelbike hype and the . With a full carbon fork which adds an extra touch of comfort and the 12mm thru-axle with tapered steerer enables light and responsive steering for predictable handling no matter the conditions. Salsa's 'Class 5 Vibration Reduction System' helped reduce fatigue on long rides. By Esther888 / How To Substitute / updated: September 25, 2022. 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.