Trail Testing: Salsa Horsethief 2
There’s nothing like getting a test bike that feels like it can handle anything a rider can throw at it. The Salsa Horsethief 2 feels like one of those bikes.
Our first ride included steep loose descents with tight switchbacks and gnarly rocky segments that pushed the suspension through its whole travel. After a couple single track climbs the Horsethief had us looking for more technical descents to push the bike’s capabilities. Thanks to some rare California rain we have been able to test the bike in fairly diverse conditions in the first few rides.
The Horsethief 2 came stock with a durable build kit that included: Schwalbe 29×2.35 SnakeSkin tires, Deore brakes, Deore/SLX drivetrain, Fox CTD 130 fork, Fox CTD shock. A kit that is sure to give longevity and general bang for the buck. The Split Pivot design is probably one of the biggest features we will be exploring during our testing period.
So far we have had fun and enjoyed the solid feel of the Horsethief 2. Check out some of the details and technology that Salsa included with this bike.
Features
- Horsethief Geometry
- Designed for all-day riding in rugged terrain. Short chainstays, slacker angles, a low stance, and a longer toptube paired with a shorter stem length and wider handlebar, combine with 29in wheels to create an aggressive chassis that floats over rock gardens, motors up and over the roughest ascents and inspires confidence on descents. The bike to take when you want to enjoy conquering difficult terrain
- Split Pivot Rear Suspension
- The concentric rear axle pivot in conjunction with precise wheel link, brake link, and control link placement, results in several performance gains:
- Exceptional bump compliance
- Maximum traction
- Incredible pedaling efficiency
- Predictable braking
- Improved frame geometry due to the elimination of unwanted suspension movement during acceleration and braking
- 120mm Rear Wheel Travel
- 120mm of Split Pivot rear travel, combined with 29er wheels and our Devour Geometry, make the Horsethief capable of tackling terrain you might not typically expect a 29er to excel on
- 120 – 130mm Fork Compatible
- Designed for use with 120 – 130mm travel suspension forks with axle-to-crown between 528 to 532mm
- 6066-T6 Aluminum Tubeset
- Top-shelf, double and triple-butted, heat-treated 6066 Aluminum tubing. Formed and shaped for optimized and appropriate stiffness, strength, and weight for the Horsethief model
- Designed for 51mm Offset Suspension Fork
- Steering and handling feel (mechanical trail) was designed using a 51mm offset suspension fork. This offset allows for a slacker headtube angle and longer front/center, which results in increased cockpit room and a better angle and attack, leading to improved handling
- Super Short 437mm Chainstays
- Provide increased agility, quicker cornering, easier front-end lofting, increased climbing traction, and improved descending capabilities
- Control Link & Clevis Combo
- Forged and CNC-machined Control Link and Clevis; extremely stiff; designed to precisely deliver the desired leverage ratio for the Horsethief model and its intended use and ride quality; provides incredibly supple small bump performance early in travel, offers tons of mid-travel cornering support and pumping the terrain, and a bottomless feel at the end stroke
- Fox CTD Performance w/ Boost Valve
- Horsethief specific tuning, Boost Valve, three-position CTD compression adjuster, external rebound control
- Tapered Headtube
- Allows use of tapered forks or standard 1-1/8″ forks. Combining the tapered headtube with the large downtube greatly increases the front-end stiffness and strength of the frame without adding significant weight
- Forged Two-Piece Bottom Bracket Shell & Fittings
- Combined with Split Pivot’s 12 x 142mm rear thru-axle results in increased rear end stiffness (18% over 2013 Horsethief model) for improved rear wheel tracking, while creating clearance for 2x front derailleurs and up-to-2.35” tires
- PressFit 92mm Bottom Bracket Shell
- Compatible with all 1x and 2x mountain cranks, with both GXP and 24mm spindles
- ISCG-05 Tabs
- Allows mounting of 1x and 2x chain guides for added chain security when the going gets fast and rough
- 12 x 142mm Rear Spacing
- Features hub-catches and a tool-free axle for simple and quick wheel removal/installation. Split Pivot-specific RockShox Maxle included (12 x 182mm-length, thread pitch 1.75, thread depth 20mm)
- Waterbottle Friendly Layout
- Front triangle design provides space for full-size waterbottle
- Replaceable Derailleur Hanger
- Salsa Split Pivot Top Cap Dropout Tool (included with frame) or 22mm cone wrench needed for removal/installation
- Replaceable Sealed Cartridge Bearings
- Standard bearing sizes. Removable with standard bearing installation/removal tools. 172872RS (QTY 4), 68012RS (QTY 6)
Specifications
| Frame | 2015 Horsethief Aluminum |
|---|---|
| Wheelsize | 29″ |
| Travel | 120mm rear; 120-130mm front |
| Tire clearance | Clearance for 29 x 2.35″ tires |
| Fork | Designed for 528-532mm axle-to-crown, 51mm offset 29er suspension fork; 45mm offset acceptable |
| Headset-Upper | 1-1/8″ Zero Stack (ZS44/28.6) |
| Headset-Lower | For Tapered: 56mm zero stack (ZS56/40); For Straight: 56mm reducing zero stack (ZS56/30) |
| Rear Shock Size | 184 x 44.5mm (7.25 x 1.75″) |
| Seatpost | 31.6mm |
| Seat Collar | 35.0mm |
| Front Derailleur | High Direct Mount; 2x compact; top-pull only |
| Bottom Bracket | PressFit 41 (92mm width) |
| Crankset | Mountain 1x or 2x compatible; Max chainring sizes 1x (34T), 2x (38/24T) |
| Rear Brake | 51mm I.S., minimum rotor size 140mm, maximum rotor size 180mm |
| Rear Spacing | 142 x 12mm Thru-Axle |
| Bottle Mounts | 1 per frame |
| Derailleur Hanger | FS2322. Split Pivot Dropout Tool Top Cap available for field repairs. |
| Rear Thru-Axle | Ø12 x 182L, TP=1.75, TL=20 |
| Cable Routing | Full length housing; 1x, 2x, moto/regular, and dropper/stealth dropper routing compatible |
| Frame Weight | SM 2795g, MD 2900g, LG 3000g XL 3050g |
| Color | Transparent Gray |
| Frameset | |
|---|---|
| Frame | Horsethief w/ Split Pivot, AL6066 |
| Color | Transparent Gray |
| Fork | Fox F29 CTD Evolution, 130mm, 51mm offset |
| Rear Shock | Fox CTD Performance w/ Boost Valve |
| Drivetrain | |
|---|---|
| Front Der | Shimano Deore M616-D, 10-speed |
| Rear Der | Shimano SLX M675, 10-speed, Shadow Plus SGS |
| Cassette | Shimano HG50, 10-speed, 11-36t |
| Chain | KMC X10 |
| Crankset | SRAM S1000 22 x 34t |
| Components | |
|---|---|
| Headset | Cane Creek 10 ZS44/56 |
| Stem | Salsa Guide |
| Handlebar | Salsa Rustler 3, 15mm riser, 750mm wide |
| Grips | Salsa Backcountry Lock-On |
| Shifter | Shimano Deore M610, 10-speed |
| Front Brake | Shimano Deore M615 |
| Rear Brake | Shimano Deore M615 |
| Brake Lever | Shimano Deore, included with brake |
| Rotors | Shimano RT54, 180mm front, 160mm rear |
| Seatpost | Truvativ T20 |
| Saddle | WTB Volt Comp |
| Wheels | |
|---|---|
| Front Hub | Shimano SLX M678, 15 x 100mm |
| Rear Hub | Shimano SLX M678, 12 x 142mm |
| Spokes | Stainless, butted, black |
| Rims | NoTubes Rapid 28, 32-hole |
| Tires | Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29 x 2.35″ TL-R |
| Weight | |
|---|---|
| Complete Bike Weight | 30 lb 4 oz for size Medium |
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