Video: Salsa’s New Blackthorn Trail Bike – First Look

Blackthorn Body Particulars

Salsa has ticked all of the packing containers with the Blackthorn, together with on-frame storage options by the use of many threaded holes and an built-in body strap slot on the ahead shock mount. They don’t seem to be the primary to do that, however they did add a rubber scuff guard to maintain the tube and no matter else you carry from scratching your body. Bosses on the toptube allow you to connect a bag or pc mount as properly, and the ‘three-pack’ bottle mount on the downtube offers you much more choices.

One other threaded gap you may get enthusiastic about: The underside bracket, which is the place you may additionally discover a set of ISCG 05 chain information tabs. These are detachable on the carbon body through an adapter, and so they’re welded onto the aluminum model.

Cable routing is inner and molded-in guides contained in the carbon body imply that it is as straightforward as pulling out the outdated line and pushing the brand new one in. When you get the aluminum body, you may discover giant openings that ought to imply the job is not too difficult. And talking of cables, there’s even a small opening for a distant shock lockout, do you have to really feel the necessity.

Salsa has an extended historical past of providing bikes that may settle for all types of wheel and tire sizes, and that continues with the Blackthorn; you’ll be able to squeeze in as much as a 2.6″ huge tire in the event you follow 29″ wheels, and even 3.0″ rubber in the event you go to a 27.5″ rear wheel, regardless of brief 432mm aluminum chainstays. That is doable, Salsa says, as a result of bike’s 12mm x 157mm Tremendous Enhance hub spacing that is certain to rile a few of us up.

Cut up Pivot Suspension

Salsa’s been utilizing Dave Weagle’s Cut up Pivot suspension structure for a few years now, and that is precisely what you may discover on the again of the Blackthorn. It is a design that permits the rear pivot to rotate concentrically across the axle, and a rocker hyperlink and clevis drive the shock to ship 140mm of journey. There’s additionally an almost hidden flip-chip on the clevis that provides 0.3-degrees of angle and 4mm of backside bracket top adjustment.

It is a easy trying structure, and Salsa additionally says that it is ”uniquely suited” to let riders swap out the clevis, rocker, and shock to these used on the 165mm-travel Cassidy. Salsa will promote you the rocker and clevis for $150 USD. After all, you may want an extended stroke shock and fork, too, making it a not-so-inexpensive transformation. It additionally implies that Salsa can provide two platforms from a single entrance and rear triangle.

Lengthy and Slack Geometry

Salsa did not take any half-steps with the Blackthorn’s geometry, as an alternative leaping in toes first with a 64.6-degree head angle, 76.5-degree seat angle, and 490mm attain on my large-sized take a look at bike. You can even steepen it up by a 3rd of a level by flipping the rearward shock mounting {hardware}, which additionally raises the underside bracket by 4mm. Small adjustments, for certain, however possible helpful in the event you’re contemplating a 27.5″ rear wheel.

Two different numbers value mentioning: A brief 455mm seat tube on a size-large leaves room for long-travel social gathering posts, and the extra-large dimension sports activities a 510mm attain that ought to make beanstalks glad.