Bought a 2019 Cutthroat, and completed DK200 this year. The only things I did were flip the stem, I put a 38T chainring up front (it comes with a 34) and 700x45C WTB Riddlers. It comes standard with 2.1 tires, I switched to smaller 42C tires before going up to 45s. ZERO issues completing DK, no flats, and it was very comfortable.
Yesterday I started selling 4 of my bikes to buy a cutthroat - My touring, mountain, racing and cargo bikes all are great - but I think this one bike will handle each of those tasks fine because now that I am over 60 nothing is about ultimate speed or distance, it is about ultimate enjoyment and I think this bike will be be fine for all of it. Thanks for your first review and I look forward to the long term.
I bought a 2019 Salsa Cutthroat last October (the Apex suspension model) and I absolutely love it. I have put over 800 miles on it mainly on paved (but rough) country roads in Southern Indiana. While I know it isn't a true road bike, it has been a great choice for rough pavement with a lot of loose gravel. I've done a little bit of trail riding with it as well and you are right about the all day comfort and stability. It is an incredibly versatile bike and I could not be happier with my purchase.
I've got this bike, 36T front ring, 10-42 on back. Did the Crusher in the Tushar last month on it running 44c tires. Was beautiful. I throw some 2.3" tires on for low level single track and love it. It's also my commuter bike. The road bike and XC mtn bike don't get used anymore.
Nice review Russ. I have a Singular Gryphon (similar geometry, in steel) and love it. I bought a Surly Straggler frame and moved all the parts over so I could experience the different geometry first hand, and really enjoy both. On the road the Straggler feels quicker, but "feels" is the key word. Shorter stays don't actually make you quicker. The Straggler's shorter wheelbase is undoubtedly more nimble though, which is fun to ride. The most striking difference is when you take them off road, with the same tyre (I ran both setups with 42mm Specialized Sawtooth for quite some time). The longer stays of the Gryphon made it significantly better at climbing coarse loose gravel and rocks. It essentially had much better traction on the rear wheel, with the same tyre (this makes sense when you think about your centre of gravity, relative to the contact patch). The Gryphon's slacker head angle made it capable of picking its way slowly down much steeper descents, on which you feel like you're at risk of going OTB on a cross bike. It is basically a much more capable bike, and once you put bigger tyres on the difference increases. I also used the Gryphon a lot as a road bike, and really enjoyed it. Very comfortable for long miles in the saddle. So I can see at a glance that the cut throat is a belter. I'd love to get one! I run a 34 tooth 1x on both of them. When riding in the hills and loaded with soft bags I need a 40 tooth rear minimum, though 42 is better. For a longer trip, loaded with more great, I'd fit a 30 or 32 front ring. Love the 1x though...
LOVE my Cutthroat. 2 DK 200s. 2 Land Run 100s (tons of mud). Bike packing, gravel, single track, and most important, bike fishing. Best bike I ever owned. I do have the first generation 2x system that I prefer over the newer 1x.
Thank you so much for making the distinction between a drop bar mountain bike style bikepacking/gravel bike and a road style gravel bike. Bikes like the Cutthroat, Fargo, Trek 920 and others are in a very different boat than bikes like the Warbird, Domane Gravel, Specialized Sequoia and many many others. It's a simple misunderstanding, but it becomes a really expensive misunderstanding when people start cross shopping between the two ends of the gravel spectrum unknowingly.
I sold my road bike and my crossbike this past year to buy a Cutthroat and haven’t looked back. The Cutty has been a Great swiss Army Bike, doing well at a lot of things including bikepacking, off-roading and commuting. I’ve racked up over 3500miles since Spring and it still puts a smile on my face when I ride it. If you want a bike that can do it all you’d be hard pressed to find a better bike.
A bit pricey as you’ll need a XD freehub, but an e13 9/44 or 9/46 cassette really gives the Cutthroat a more versatile drivetrain. The 9T cog gives you a significant speed boost and prevents you from spinning out on flats or downhill.
Salsa is such a great brand. I love their "because we could" designs. May not always be the most practical, but dang it, they are fun! "Why would you make a full suspension fat bike!?" *"Because we could..."*
No Cuthroat but I've had a Fargo in the quiver for almost 5 years now. Pretty much as you've described, it doesn't do anything particularly well, but it does a LOT of things fairly well. And it's fun to ride, which counts for a lot.
Recently bought the Rival 1 Cutthroat and tested it on a one-niter this week (42k gravel each way with 900 m climbing.) First time bike packing and was awesome. I found the gearing OK. If there was a lower gear I would have used it, but didn't feel the requirement on this short test. Stable on softer stuff and having the drops or the hoods both very comfortable.
I rode one at a local Demo Day and it was freaking bada$$. The ultimate burritopacking rig! The Mukluk will take a spot on the back burner come tax time! Thanks for another great video and review.
I’m in the mountain state too! Looking at a cutty or maybe a warbird as a second bike to my Chameleon. Basically wanting something more suited to road/hollows (which can turn into single track pretty quick around here). Glad to see someone rocking one here already!
Watching this in 2021 and I’m amazed at how the Poseidon Redwood is a heavier and lower speced version of this. Far lower cost too. But I’ll be honest, this may be my dream bike.
Thank you for the video! Been looking for a more in detailed review/first impressions. I myself want to do the great divide race and I am eyeing this bike. Unfortunately, the price tag is a bit much. I am a fan of the geometry compared to the fargo.
They released this bike years ago. They were way ahead of the curve, even back then. Definitely the most forward thinking mass produced manufacturer out there. They Just have to add a pinion belt drive in there and they will take a lot of business away from the competition. I'm from the UK but I would like to move to the US because of all the amazing engineering going on.
Great Video's and I like looking back at Portland Oregon where I grew up in some of your Vids... Question.... I have a Raleigh Roker Comp that seems to be in the middle of the the Warbird and Cutthroat.... I use the bike on Trails More but it is good on the road. You can fit 2.1 650b's and it comes with Rival and only cost 1600... Also has one by chainring..... Question.... What kind of 36 single rings would fit? Also, Should I keep the Roker as a do all bike with an extra MTB 650b wheelset or would the Cutthroat be better? (Trade in) Thanks!!
Thanks for this first look. It's a gorgeous bike! Incidentally the main difference between a road and mountain bike is that the MTB has a longer effective top tube. Older road bikes had much longer chainstays. I'm talking 70s "10 speeds" here. Indeed, when mountain bikes used 26" wheels exclusively, it was common to have fairly short chainstays. Definitely shorter than you'd have found on a 1985 700c touring bike.
Hello! Love the Channel! I recently subscribed. I have been searching for a smooth Gravel Bike. I have a MTB and a Roadbike, so I'm looking for something to fill in the gap. I do 2-4 hour rides. One of the reasons I'm looking for a new bike is that my shoulders and neck hurt after a few hours, so I'm looking for a higher stack. I've always been interested in the Fargo...however, the the 2019 Cutthroat is on sale for a similar price. I'm also looking at the Midnight Special, I just like Surly and the idea of a super smooth road bike. Can you help me...what do you think? Also curious why you haven't tested the Fargo? Keep up the great work! Thanks, Jeff
I feel with these 1 x setups that the manufactuer should give no cost options for the front chainring, as you stated in the mountains you will be longing for more gears. A 2 x setup would be far better.
I’m looking for a bike to use for both long days as well as off-road and multi day rides. I’m worried this might spin out too easy on pure tarmac rides with the gearing, although it seems ideal for off-road and multi day riding. Thoughts?
In comparison with this Salsa is with similiar purpose my bike which I bought few days ago : new Ghost Fire road rage 6.9 LC and after first 100km I can say just awesome...versatile bike with perfect tire clearance,a lot of prepared threaded inlets for accesory and geometry/ feeling from bike still "roadie".I just can recomend it...
Trying to decide on what bike I want to replace my older first gen Trek Stache with for longer distance gravel riding. I'm stuck between this and the Salsa Warbird. This to me seems a little bit more usable for light trail use when I don't feel like riding my fat bike.
Thanks for the review! Just what I was looking for. If you change the front chainring to a 36, does the clutch derailleur take out the slack or do you need to shorten the chain? Thanks
Hello There, great review!! I have the same bike but in the Force X1 build. Do you know of any gravel routes or possible bikepacking locations? I live in Monterey and I thought there may be some good rides in San Louis Obispo?? Thanks...
I’m torn between a used Titanium Warbird and a new Cutthroat. The warbird sounds more fun on clean roads, but I also really enjoy cruising groomed single tracks. I want to try some distance training this summer. If you were going to ride 150 miles what bike would you use over mixed terrain?
I would choose Cutthroat for that, actually i am choosing the cutthroat for the tour the divide next year, ill have it this week and ill start training 🤘
You said that this bike is clearly a drop bar MTB rather than a monster cross. The large size has pretty much identical stack and reach to my 58cm 2013 Salsa Vaya. And the chain stays are actually a little shorter on the Cutthroat. Would you expect the Cutthroat to have a similar ride to a Vaya (I believe you reviewed the Vaya before) or do other geometry differences still make the Cutthroat more MTB than a Vaya? I'm pretty keen on replacing my Vaya with a Cutthroat to save weight and get thru axles. My hope is that the ride is similar.
Stack and reach are good indicators for fitment but not for ride quality in this case. The Cutthroat has a higher bottom bracket and is designed for larger tires. I still have the Vaya and have ridden both bikes on similar terrain. You get more clearance with the Cutthroat and more stability going down steep and rough terrain. The Vaya is definitely more road oriented. You COULD use the Cutthroat as a road bike, but I don't think it would be much fun.
Thanks! It's great to hear from someone who has ridden both. I don't really use the Vaya for pure road riding any more (I also have a Salsa Colossal - love me some Salsa). Instead, I use the Vaya for gravel events and mixed road/gravel rides. Ideally I'd get something like a carbon Warbird, but very few bikes have the extreme stack height I seem to need.
Rode both the Warbird and the Cutthroat today. Both were awesome bikes, however, I enjoyed the Cutthroat a bit more. I wanted to ask what your thoughts are on the press fit bottom bracket? I prefer threaded but salsa doesn't do that on the carbon bikes.
Kyle, cool. They are both great bikes. What did you like about the Cutthroat more than the Warbird? Not a fan of press fit, but have learned to deal with it. I had some initial squeaking with my Warbird during the first year, but then had a shop change the BB to some nicer Wheels Manufacturing and have had no problems since.
They both had a very similar feel to me, however, I really liked the Salsa Cowchipper handle bar setup on the cutthroat, and the tire size was a little better suited for what I wanted. I rode the cutthroat about 2 hours, on single-track and double-track and it performed exceptionally. I was only on the warbird for about 15 mins on a gravel road but it was long enough to get a feel for it. I felt that the Cutthroat could do almost everything the warbird can (change the tires), but the warbird would be limited by the tire size. Do you know if you can run tubeless on the stock Cutthroat tire/wheel setup?
Test rode a 2019 Rival and Apex. Noticeable different between hydraulic and mechanical brakes. What was your experience with the Apex mechanicals once the cable broke in? I really can't afford the Rival. So, debating between Apex (mechanical) Cutty or hydraulic Fargo.
My Salsa Timber jack saved my life after being hit head on by a car, it took the full force of the idiot woman who hit me, it was dragged 100 feet under the car, the front wheel survived with out even a buckle , I'm buying another Salsa as soon as my injury's to my body are gone. Thank you Salsa for creating a bike that not only saved my life, but having a bike that is so strong that even the front wheel could survive and impact so great. RIP my beautiful awesome Timber Jack. I will miss you.
Stand over height lost me. When I was looking for an all road/gravel bike. I ended up with a Cannondale Topstone 105, So far it does what I want, It's fun to ride and by having two up front chain rings it has a wider range. Compared to the Cutthroat which only has one chain ring and higher standover. I've never ridden a carbon frame. All the carbon fikes I've looked at don't come in a small enough size to fit me. Cannondale's new carbon Topstone might but I've spent my money now and so far the 105 is just fine.
Now that you've reviews the cutthroat and journeyman, what are your thoughts between the two if sticking to gravel and saving the single-track for the mtb? Basically a rigid 29er vs a rigid 650b. Thanks!!
Wow, this couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I'm trying to decide between the Niner RLT steel and the Cutthroat for a replacement to my mountain bike and Roubaix. Realistically the bike would be doing mostly paved road and fire road riding with the occasional weekend bikepacking jaunts and charity centuries. However, I would like to race the Tour Divide in 2019 and ride some more events like the Torino to Nice and Italy Coast to Coast and possibly some 2 week long road touring using frame bags instead of racks. Do you think the Cutthroat would be sufficient for road use if it was shod with some 32-35c tires?
The RLT-9 steel would be perfect for you, in my opinion. I almost got that myself, but ended up going for the Bombtrack EXT (2017 - the 2018 is improved from the previous year).
I think that might drop the BB a little much. If anything, I would attempt a roadplus tire first (48-50mm). Or a smooth tread 29er tire. I think you could use it as a road bike, but I wouldn't expect that road bike feel from it.
It's like PLP said in this video. Bikes like the Cutthroat, the Trek 920 that I have, the Fargo and others are not in the same category as traditional cyclocross style gravel bikes like the Niner. For the first set of requirements both bikes will do just fine but the Niner will be a bit faster, for the Tour Divide though it's no contest. The Niner doesn't stand a chance, the route is way too rough. The Cutthroat is one of the fastest tools for the job overall, but there are many places where you will wish you had a 3" tire. Doing it on a road/cyclocross style gravel bike would be brutal.
I'm not gonna lie, I really want one of these as a race/road group bike. I doubt that it's that much faster than my 920, but while I usually have that bike set up for daily practicality it would be nice to have a bike that is set up purely for speed. At the same time I have no interest in running anything narrower than a 2" tire, it's just not my style. So this looks perfect!
Thomas Rollins I’m on my second pair of G-ones on my Cutthroat and they are a very fast tire. The roll as well as any road tire I’ve tried, yet have a much more forgiving ride.
While I'd love to have a Cutthroat, the utility seems pretty focused on single track/mountain gravel roads. Here in eastern WA there isn't much mountains, but there is plenty of back roads and gravel. Wonder if something more like a breadwinner G-road has a bit more utility. Or is that where a warbird comes into play?
Also check out the National Forest Explorer for Elephant bikes, why not get a bike made close to you (Spokane). Its a bike designed/made with the endless miles of gravel in eastern WA.
I’m 5’7” and rode the small and the medium. Going back and forth. You lose so much storage on the triangle on the small but it felt more lively. The Salsa site recommends a small up to 5’8”.....the stand over height on the medium was pretty tight. Did you try the small as well?
For those that have the Cutthroat, would you mind telling me which size you went with and what your height/inseam is? I am 5’11”, and seem to be right between medium and large.
I'm 5'8 1/2"/ 29" inseam and purchased the medium. I feel I may have been a better fit on the small. I put a shorter stem on it and now it's much more comfortable.
Thanks for the review. I am curious on a comparison between the Fargo and the Cutthroat. I have ridden a Fargo since 2012 and really enjoy the bike. There seems to be some frame geometry variance between the two, and of course the carbon is going to make for a lighter ride. However in terms of ride quality, is there much difference other than the weight related issues?
granddadsgarage I can answer that one. I have ridden both bike extensively. There is no comparison, Fargo is a capable Backcountry workhorse, cutthroat is so much lighter faster and more nimble. I love the Fargo but it feels like driving a tank compared to a cutthroat.
I’m considering a cutthroat for gdmbr -you say in this video that you are going to do a long term review. I’ve gone through your whole video list and don’t see it-did I miss it or did it fall off your todo list?
It is really hard to find one in this area and I don’t know what I don’t know, if that makes sense. As I said, I’m trying to figure out the best bike for me to do GDMBR and I’m struggling with how it compares to a hardtail mountain bike for instance. I’ve not ridden drop bars off-road since I was a kid(cough cough 40+ years ago?) -there is a big difference between gravel road riding versus trails. How does the raised height of the front end make the decreased width of the bars compared to straight bars; I would expect normal drop bars to feel skittish. Beyond that, how is the comfort of the bike on extended multi day rides-does the geometry play nice? Is it worth going after one with front suspension or is the front end stable enough without it? Lots of questions... :-)
@@wolfeb99 from what I've heard about GDMBR there aren't too many techy sections of trail but there are long stretches of road. That is really where the drops will let you tuck in and hide from the wind and let you get comfortable on different positions. The bike is super comfortable. It leans on the stable side so it's great for when you are fatigued. You should watch our video on why we chose the Cutthroat over the Warbird for Dirty Kanza. I don't think front suspension is essential A lot of people ride GDMBR rigid. Redshift Stem is a great addition though for tad more suspension without adding weight and complexity. I think its great on flowy singletrack, but not my favorite on techy sections (we ride ours on singletrack in Missoula all the time). I do change the bar height when I'm riding either mostly trail (higher so its easer to get behind the saddle) or lower on gravel roads (so I can hide from the wind).
So now they have installed mtb tyres and drop bars mixed road and mtb . Why not to take an MTB which already is designed for rough terrain and "not invent the bicycle"? What are the advantages of touring if compared to 29er mtb with racks and stuff?
A big advantage is multiple hand positions that you don’t get on a flat bar bike. This let’s you get more aero in a headwind and switch positions for long hauls. I don’t like long rides on a flat bar bike because it locks me in a single position. This makes it ideal for endurance events.
I have a very nice Fuel EX, but am looking at this bike primarily to save 5lb+ for mixed GDMR. Doesn't sound like much, but I don't have an excess of power so every bit helps to let me carry 5 more pounds of food/water/comfort. I also expect for drops should help a bit with long stretches of headwind and the slacker geometry will help me stay right side up on the much less frequent trickier bits.
As they say here in the US, "Different strokes for different folks". Drop bars really are more fun and comfortable for multiple hours riding on relatively moderate terrain. They also offer a much more aerodynamic position for descending on roads. They also are in my opinion more stable and you are more capable of relaxing on the bike or pedaling hands-free, which is important for longer rides.
Bought a 2019 Cutthroat, and completed DK200 this year. The only things I did were flip the stem, I put a 38T chainring up front (it comes with a 34) and 700x45C WTB Riddlers. It comes standard with 2.1 tires, I switched to smaller 42C tires before going up to 45s. ZERO issues completing DK, no flats, and it was very comfortable.
Yesterday I started selling 4 of my bikes to buy a cutthroat - My touring, mountain, racing and cargo bikes all are great - but I think this one bike will handle each of those tasks fine because now that I am over 60 nothing is about ultimate speed or distance, it is about ultimate enjoyment and I think this bike will be be fine for all of it. Thanks for your first review and I look forward to the long term.
I bought a 2019 Salsa Cutthroat last October (the Apex suspension model) and I absolutely love it. I have put over 800 miles on it mainly on paved (but rough) country roads in Southern Indiana. While I know it isn't a true road bike, it has been a great choice for rough pavement with a lot of loose gravel. I've done a little bit of trail riding with it as well and you are right about the all day comfort and stability. It is an incredibly versatile bike and I could not be happier with my purchase.
You sound pretty happy with this bike. I think this is the next bike for me.
I've got this bike, 36T front ring, 10-42 on back. Did the Crusher in the Tushar last month on it running 44c tires. Was beautiful. I throw some 2.3" tires on for low level single track and love it. It's also my commuter bike. The road bike and XC mtn bike don't get used anymore.
It’s a mountain bike all right! I met a guy who runs his with flat bars and a 100mm travel suspension fork. It’s a very versatile platform.
Nice review Russ. I have a Singular Gryphon (similar geometry, in steel) and love it. I bought a Surly Straggler frame and moved all the parts over so I could experience the different geometry first hand, and really enjoy both.
On the road the Straggler feels quicker, but "feels" is the key word. Shorter stays don't actually make you quicker. The Straggler's shorter wheelbase is undoubtedly more nimble though, which is fun to ride.
The most striking difference is when you take them off road, with the same tyre (I ran both setups with 42mm Specialized Sawtooth for quite some time).
The longer stays of the Gryphon made it significantly better at climbing coarse loose gravel and rocks. It essentially had much better traction on the rear wheel, with the same tyre (this makes sense when you think about your centre of gravity, relative to the contact patch).
The Gryphon's slacker head angle made it capable of picking its way slowly down much steeper descents, on which you feel like you're at risk of going OTB on a cross bike. It is basically a much more capable bike, and once you put bigger tyres on the difference increases.
I also used the Gryphon a lot as a road bike, and really enjoyed it. Very comfortable for long miles in the saddle.
So I can see at a glance that the cut throat is a belter. I'd love to get one!
I run a 34 tooth 1x on both of them. When riding in the hills and loaded with soft bags I need a 40 tooth rear minimum, though 42 is better. For a longer trip, loaded with more great, I'd fit a 30 or 32 front ring.
Love the 1x though...
LOVE my Cutthroat. 2 DK 200s. 2 Land Run 100s (tons of mud). Bike packing, gravel, single track, and most important, bike fishing. Best bike I ever owned. I do have the first generation 2x system that I prefer over the newer 1x.
I have a Diamondback Haanjo Comp with the 1x. Took me almost a year to fall in the love with the 1x.
Thank you so much for making the distinction between a drop bar mountain bike style bikepacking/gravel bike and a road style gravel bike. Bikes like the Cutthroat, Fargo, Trek 920 and others are in a very different boat than bikes like the Warbird, Domane Gravel, Specialized Sequoia and many many others. It's a simple misunderstanding, but it becomes a really expensive misunderstanding when people start cross shopping between the two ends of the gravel spectrum unknowingly.
I sold my road bike and my crossbike this past year to buy a Cutthroat and haven’t looked back. The Cutty has been a Great swiss Army Bike, doing well at a lot of things including bikepacking, off-roading and commuting. I’ve racked up over 3500miles since Spring and it still puts a smile on my face when I ride it. If you want a bike that can do it all you’d be hard pressed to find a better bike.
A bit pricey as you’ll need a XD freehub, but an e13 9/44 or 9/46 cassette really gives the Cutthroat a more versatile drivetrain. The 9T cog gives you a significant speed boost and prevents you from spinning out on flats or downhill.
I think this is my next gravel bike, Russ. The GDMBR is calling, and I must go. Cool video. Its an oldie but goodie. Your channel is so helpful.
Salsa is such a great brand. I love their "because we could" designs. May not always be the most practical, but dang it, they are fun!
"Why would you make a full suspension fat bike!?"
*"Because we could..."*
Trail Features if you stand by this theory then I dare you to buy a bird of prey bicycle
Explorin’ Doran Brown - okay boomer
Would love to see a comparison to the Fargo Ti, if you can get your hands on one.
No Cuthroat but I've had a Fargo in the quiver for almost 5 years now. Pretty much as you've described, it doesn't do anything particularly well, but it does a LOT of things fairly well. And it's fun to ride, which counts for a lot.
Recently bought the Rival 1 Cutthroat and tested it on a one-niter this week (42k gravel each way with 900 m climbing.) First time bike packing and was awesome. I found the gearing OK. If there was a lower gear I would have used it, but didn't feel the requirement on this short test. Stable on softer stuff and having the drops or the hoods both very comfortable.
3rd comment today after finding your channel. So many things align.. getting my first Cutty early February. Thanks for the in depth review man.
I rode one at a local Demo Day and it was freaking bada$$. The ultimate burritopacking rig! The Mukluk will take a spot on the back burner come tax time! Thanks for another great video and review.
Spot on review! I do rail trails (packed dirt, gravel, some roots and rocky sections) around WV and it is the perfect ride for it.
I’m in the mountain state too! Looking at a cutty or maybe a warbird as a second bike to my Chameleon. Basically wanting something more suited to road/hollows (which can turn into single track pretty quick around here).
Glad to see someone rocking one here already!
Watching this in 2021 and I’m amazed at how the Poseidon Redwood is a heavier and lower speced version of this. Far lower cost too. But I’ll be honest, this may be my dream bike.
I truly love my cutthroat. But you never even mentioned that the geometry is corrected for a 100mm suspension fork! For full throttle bicycling!
Thank you for the video! Been looking for a more in detailed review/first impressions. I myself want to do the great divide race and I am eyeing this bike. Unfortunately, the price tag is a bit much. I am a fan of the geometry compared to the fargo.
They released this bike years ago.
They were way ahead of the curve, even back then.
Definitely the most forward thinking mass produced manufacturer out there. They Just have to add a pinion belt drive in there and they will take a lot of business away from the competition.
I'm from the UK but I would like to move to the US because of all the amazing engineering going on.
Yes they were released years ago. But this is the 2018 model.
Great Video's and I like looking back at Portland Oregon where I grew up in some of your Vids... Question.... I have a Raleigh Roker Comp that seems to be in the middle of the the Warbird and Cutthroat.... I use the bike on Trails More but it is good on the road. You can fit 2.1 650b's and it comes with Rival and only cost 1600... Also has one by chainring..... Question.... What kind of 36 single rings would fit? Also, Should I keep the Roker as a do all bike with an extra MTB 650b wheelset or would the Cutthroat be better? (Trade in) Thanks!!
Great review! That paint job looks amazing
Thanks for this first look. It's a gorgeous bike! Incidentally the main difference between a road and mountain bike is that the MTB has a longer effective top tube. Older road bikes had much longer chainstays. I'm talking 70s "10 speeds" here. Indeed, when mountain bikes used 26" wheels exclusively, it was common to have fairly short chainstays. Definitely shorter than you'd have found on a 1985 700c touring bike.
Hello! Love the Channel! I recently subscribed. I have been searching for a smooth Gravel Bike. I have a MTB and a Roadbike, so I'm looking for something to fill in the gap. I do 2-4 hour rides. One of the reasons I'm looking for a new bike is that my shoulders and neck hurt after a few hours, so I'm looking for a higher stack. I've always been interested in the Fargo...however, the the 2019 Cutthroat is on sale for a similar price. I'm also looking at the Midnight Special, I just like Surly and the idea of a super smooth road bike. Can you help me...what do you think? Also curious why you haven't tested the Fargo? Keep up the great work! Thanks, Jeff
I feel with these 1 x setups that the manufactuer should give no cost options for the front chainring, as you stated in the mountains you will be longing for more gears. A 2 x setup would be far better.
I’m looking for a bike to use for both long days as well as off-road and multi day rides. I’m worried this might spin out too easy on pure tarmac rides with the gearing, although it seems ideal for off-road and multi day riding. Thoughts?
In comparison with this Salsa is with similiar purpose my bike which I bought few days ago : new Ghost Fire road rage 6.9 LC and after first 100km I can say just awesome...versatile bike with perfect tire clearance,a lot of prepared threaded inlets for accesory and geometry/ feeling from bike still "roadie".I just can recomend it...
Trying to decide on what bike I want to replace my older first gen Trek Stache with for longer distance gravel riding. I'm stuck between this and the Salsa Warbird. This to me seems a little bit more usable for light trail use when I don't feel like riding my fat bike.
+christopher.unruh the Warbird definitely has more of a road bike pedigree and the Cutthroat more mtb DNA.
Thanks for the review! Just what I was looking for. If you change the front chainring to a 36, does the clutch derailleur take out the slack or do you need to shorten the chain? Thanks
Hello There, great review!! I have the same bike but in the Force X1 build. Do you know of any gravel routes or possible bikepacking locations? I live in Monterey and I thought there may be some good rides in San Louis Obispo?? Thanks...
That bike looks amazing!!!! I don’t like the white 2020 look
I’m torn between a used Titanium Warbird and a new Cutthroat. The warbird sounds more fun on clean roads, but I also really enjoy cruising groomed single tracks. I want to try some distance training this summer. If you were going to ride 150 miles what bike would you use over mixed terrain?
I would choose Cutthroat for that, actually i am choosing the cutthroat for the tour the divide next year, ill have it this week and ill start training 🤘
You said that this bike is clearly a drop bar MTB rather than a monster cross. The large size has pretty much identical stack and reach to my 58cm 2013 Salsa Vaya. And the chain stays are actually a little shorter on the Cutthroat. Would you expect the Cutthroat to have a similar ride to a Vaya (I believe you reviewed the Vaya before) or do other geometry differences still make the Cutthroat more MTB than a Vaya? I'm pretty keen on replacing my Vaya with a Cutthroat to save weight and get thru axles. My hope is that the ride is similar.
Stack and reach are good indicators for fitment but not for ride quality in this case. The Cutthroat has a higher bottom bracket and is designed for larger tires. I still have the Vaya and have ridden both bikes on similar terrain. You get more clearance with the Cutthroat and more stability going down steep and rough terrain. The Vaya is definitely more road oriented. You COULD use the Cutthroat as a road bike, but I don't think it would be much fun.
Thanks! It's great to hear from someone who has ridden both. I don't really use the Vaya for pure road riding any more (I also have a Salsa Colossal - love me some Salsa). Instead, I use the Vaya for gravel events and mixed road/gravel rides. Ideally I'd get something like a carbon Warbird, but very few bikes have the extreme stack height I seem to need.
Ben, I purchased an extra set of wheels and threw a set of Specialized 42mm Sawtooth tires on it for road and mixed use trail riding.
Rode both the Warbird and the Cutthroat today. Both were awesome bikes, however, I enjoyed the Cutthroat a bit more. I wanted to ask what your thoughts are on the press fit bottom bracket? I prefer threaded but salsa doesn't do that on the carbon bikes.
Kyle, cool. They are both great bikes. What did you like about the Cutthroat more than the Warbird? Not a fan of press fit, but have learned to deal with it. I had some initial squeaking with my Warbird during the first year, but then had a shop change the BB to some nicer Wheels Manufacturing and have had no problems since.
They both had a very similar feel to me, however, I really liked the Salsa Cowchipper handle bar setup on the cutthroat, and the tire size was a little better suited for what I wanted. I rode the cutthroat about 2 hours, on single-track and double-track and it performed exceptionally. I was only on the warbird for about 15 mins on a gravel road but it was long enough to get a feel for it. I felt that the Cutthroat could do almost everything the warbird can (change the tires), but the warbird would be limited by the tire size. Do you know if you can run tubeless on the stock Cutthroat tire/wheel setup?
Yep. Setup the stock wheels/tires tubeless. Need to tape it though.
Test rode a 2019 Rival and Apex. Noticeable different between hydraulic and mechanical brakes. What was your experience with the Apex mechanicals once the cable broke in? I really can't afford the Rival. So, debating between Apex (mechanical) Cutty or hydraulic Fargo.
Apex is OK. Not great. If you don’t ride hydraulic then you won’t know what you are missing out. But if you only ride mechanical its not bad.
Do you and Laura ever plan on racing in the Dirty Kanza? I think that is right up your alley.
+Gary G Yes!
Would love to meet you at the DK, in my home town!
Nice review. Would like to see price info included on your bike reviews.
My Salsa Timber jack saved my life after being hit head on by a car, it took the full force of the idiot woman who hit me, it was dragged 100 feet under the car, the front wheel survived with out even a buckle , I'm buying another Salsa as soon as my injury's to my body are gone.
Thank you Salsa for creating a bike that not only saved my life, but having a bike that is so strong that even the front wheel could survive and impact so great.
RIP my beautiful awesome Timber Jack. I will miss you.
It's definitely just a mountain bike with a dropbar. Maybe I should put a dropbar on my DJ bike and call it a Hardtail Gravel Bike.
Really appreciate the review. Can the 2018 run 2x if one so desired?
+David Butler yes. It has holes for a direct mount front DR.
Stand over height lost me. When I was looking for an all road/gravel bike. I ended up with a Cannondale Topstone 105, So far it does what I want, It's fun to ride and by having two up front chain rings it has a wider range. Compared to the Cutthroat which only has one chain ring and higher standover. I've never ridden a carbon frame. All the carbon fikes I've looked at don't come in a small enough size to fit me. Cannondale's new carbon Topstone might but I've spent my money now and so far the 105 is just fine.
Classic Russ!
Now that you've reviews the cutthroat and journeyman, what are your thoughts between the two if sticking to gravel and saving the single-track for the mtb? Basically a rigid 29er vs a rigid 650b.
Thanks!!
The Journeyman is the more road oriented of the two. So that would be the more appropriate tool. The Cutthroat is a drop bar mountain bike.
Wow, this couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I'm trying to decide between the Niner RLT steel and the Cutthroat for a replacement to my mountain bike and Roubaix. Realistically the bike would be doing mostly paved road and fire road riding with the occasional weekend bikepacking jaunts and charity centuries. However, I would like to race the Tour Divide in 2019 and ride some more events like the Torino to Nice and Italy Coast to Coast and possibly some 2 week long road touring using frame bags instead of racks. Do you think the Cutthroat would be sufficient for road use if it was shod with some 32-35c tires?
The RLT-9 steel would be perfect for you, in my opinion. I almost got that myself, but ended up going for the Bombtrack EXT (2017 - the 2018 is improved from the previous year).
I think that might drop the BB a little much. If anything, I would attempt a roadplus tire first (48-50mm). Or a smooth tread 29er tire. I think you could use it as a road bike, but I wouldn't expect that road bike feel from it.
It's like PLP said in this video. Bikes like the Cutthroat, the Trek 920 that I have, the Fargo and others are not in the same category as traditional cyclocross style gravel bikes like the Niner. For the first set of requirements both bikes will do just fine but the Niner will be a bit faster, for the Tour Divide though it's no contest. The Niner doesn't stand a chance, the route is way too rough. The Cutthroat is one of the fastest tools for the job overall, but there are many places where you will wish you had a 3" tire. Doing it on a road/cyclocross style gravel bike would be brutal.
That is one lovely looking bike 👍
Dan Webb
The Bombtrack EXP is also another I've been looking at.
I'm not gonna lie, I really want one of these as a race/road group bike. I doubt that it's that much faster than my 920, but while I usually have that bike set up for daily practicality it would be nice to have a bike that is set up purely for speed. At the same time I have no interest in running anything narrower than a 2" tire, it's just not my style. So this looks perfect!
Wild Outdoor Living just got a new set of wheels im gonna run schwable g one for the road. 29 x 2.35. I will let you know.
Thomas Rollins I’m on my second pair of G-ones on my Cutthroat and they are a very fast tire. The roll as well as any road tire I’ve tried, yet have a much more forgiving ride.
Compared to the Niner RLT 9? How does it stack up?
A little lighter, more comfortable ride, not as quick in the rear, but more stable for rough stuff.
@@PathLessPedaledTV Thanks. Any experience on the RLT 9 RDO ?
No experience with the RDO.
Hi,I knew that the new salsa bike generally suffer from poor paint quality..is it?
No problems with ours.
Have you tried the Fargo? If yes can you explain what makes the cutthroat better ?
Havent. My guess would be weight.
While I'd love to have a Cutthroat, the utility seems pretty focused on single track/mountain gravel roads. Here in eastern WA there isn't much mountains, but there is plenty of back roads and gravel. Wonder if something more like a breadwinner G-road has a bit more utility. Or is that where a warbird comes into play?
Cutthroat would be a little overkill. Warbird would fit the bill perfectly.
Also check out the National Forest Explorer for Elephant bikes, why not get a bike made close to you (Spokane). Its a bike designed/made with the endless miles of gravel in eastern WA.
So you like a medium in this bike... how tall are you? thx man.
5’8 29 inch inseam.
I’m 5’7” and rode the small and the medium. Going back and forth. You lose so much storage on the triangle on the small but it felt more lively. The Salsa site recommends a small up to 5’8”.....the stand over height on the medium was pretty tight. Did you try the small as well?
For those that have the Cutthroat, would you mind telling me which size you went with and what your height/inseam is? I am 5’11”, and seem to be right between medium and large.
Our founder is 5'8'' and bought the medium.
I'm 5'8 1/2"/ 29" inseam and purchased the medium. I feel I may have been a better fit on the small. I put a shorter stem on it and now it's much more comfortable.
Thanks for the review. I am curious on a comparison between the Fargo and the Cutthroat. I have ridden a Fargo since 2012 and really enjoy the bike. There seems to be some frame geometry variance between the two, and of course the carbon is going to make for a lighter ride. However in terms of ride quality, is there much difference other than the weight related issues?
granddadsgarage I can answer that one. I have ridden both bike extensively. There is no comparison, Fargo is a capable Backcountry workhorse, cutthroat is so much lighter faster and more nimble. I love the Fargo but it feels like driving a tank compared to a cutthroat.
Thanks. Pretty much what I thought. Next on my list of big purchases I think.
Very cool.
STEEL is REAL 😆
Hell ya 406!
Awesome 👀📸👍👍👍👍📸
I’m considering a cutthroat for gdmbr -you say in this video that you are going to do a long term review. I’ve gone through your whole video list and don’t see it-did I miss it or did it fall off your todo list?
Haven’t done the long term review yet. What do U want to know specifically?
It is really hard to find one in this area and I don’t know what I don’t know, if that makes sense. As I said, I’m trying to figure out the best bike for me to do GDMBR and I’m struggling with how it compares to a hardtail mountain bike for instance. I’ve not ridden drop bars off-road since I was a kid(cough cough 40+ years ago?) -there is a big difference between gravel road riding versus trails. How does the raised height of the front end make the decreased width of the bars compared to straight bars; I would expect normal drop bars to feel skittish. Beyond that, how is the comfort of the bike on extended multi day rides-does the geometry play nice? Is it worth going after one with front suspension or is the front end stable enough without it?
Lots of questions... :-)
@@wolfeb99 from what I've heard about GDMBR there aren't too many techy sections of trail but there are long stretches of road. That is really where the drops will let you tuck in and hide from the wind and let you get comfortable on different positions. The bike is super comfortable. It leans on the stable side so it's great for when you are fatigued. You should watch our video on why we chose the Cutthroat over the Warbird for Dirty Kanza. I don't think front suspension is essential A lot of people ride GDMBR rigid. Redshift Stem is a great addition though for tad more suspension without adding weight and complexity. I think its great on flowy singletrack, but not my favorite on techy sections (we ride ours on singletrack in Missoula all the time). I do change the bar height when I'm riding either mostly trail (higher so its easer to get behind the saddle) or lower on gravel roads (so I can hide from the wind).
Thanks Russ! I appreciate your thoughts on this. I’m going to do the ride with ACA next summer.
Is it 700c? I don't get the 29ier thing? thanks!
+ismael ramirez 29er is 700c in mountain bike speak. I'm
Thank you Russ. Hope MT is suiting well.
+ismael ramirez the fishing is awesome. Not so excited about winter though.
Does Salsa shipped direct overseas?
👍👍👍👍👍
So now they have installed mtb tyres and drop bars mixed road and mtb . Why not to take an MTB which already is designed for rough terrain and "not invent the bicycle"? What are the advantages of touring if compared to 29er mtb with racks and stuff?
A big advantage is multiple hand positions that you don’t get on a flat bar bike. This let’s you get more aero in a headwind and switch positions for long hauls. I don’t like long rides on a flat bar bike because it locks me in a single position. This makes it ideal for endurance events.
I have a very nice Fuel EX, but am looking at this bike primarily to save 5lb+ for mixed GDMR. Doesn't sound like much, but I don't have an excess of power so every bit helps to let me carry 5 more pounds of food/water/comfort. I also expect for drops should help a bit with long stretches of headwind and the slacker geometry will help me stay right side up on the much less frequent trickier bits.
drop bars off-road is the dumbest thing ever
What? It’s super fun!
Drop bars are pretty dumb on any sort of bike. This old fadioned idea needs a serious rethink.
As they say here in the US, "Different strokes for different folks". Drop bars really are more fun and comfortable for multiple hours riding on relatively moderate terrain. They also offer a much more aerodynamic position for descending on roads. They also are in my opinion more stable and you are more capable of relaxing on the bike or pedaling hands-free, which is important for longer rides.