New Salsa Timberjack Review - The Bike I Wanted to Love, but Couldn't!

New Salsa Timberjack Review - The Bike I Wanted to Love, but Couldn't!

[@jeffgriffin1875]

Was nice to meet you and ride with you yesterday at McAllister! Good luck in Bentonville and I look forward to your rides there!

[@CobraKyle]

Good to meet you as well Jeff! Thanks for coming to the ride, and sorry it took me this long to respond lol.

[@harrygrimley4352]

Nice. Good looking bike.

[@leigha6275]

Appreciate the helpful ride review. I've been looking at this bike as a bikepacking bike that could handle more diverse trail than just gentle gravel and some mountain trail riding. 1) I have no doubt the frame is stiff and you felt the ride on the harsh side, but wondering if this would have not been the case with 29 in. x 2.6 tires after watching the recent Pinbike test ride review right before your video. The Pinbike test ride review from Tucson comparing best value hardtails mentioned nothing about a stiff harsh ride, and all 3 riders rode it with the 29 in. tires, and it was their favorite pick of the bunch. Trying to figure out how they could have such a different experience. 2) Hardtail Party's ride review claimed the same bike works best as a mullet, with 29 in front and 27.5 in back. Again wondering how he could have such a different experience from the three Pinbike riders. 3) Also I think you mentioned being 6 ft tall - what made you choose 27.5 over 29 in. tires?

[@dummkompf]

hearing this take makes me really happy to have the old Timberjack. When I saw the hardtail party review on the new timerback, it made me want that one more. But now I'm glad I have the smoother all-rounder. Some day I will take it bikepacking. And some day I will get a full sus to replace it as my main trail bike.

[@mattblack133]

Great review dude.

[@sattvicvelo3506]

Have you tried 29x2.6 on some 35mm internal rims at lower psi? Makes a world of difference imo.

[@krolsky4608]

If this is stiff, then what is not stiff for around $2k or less? The 35 Gold is a superior fork compared to what comes on other bikes that are approaching $2k. It doesn't get much better in this price range. I don't think the frame can filter out the rocks. Perhaps it's the tire and pressure setup that needs to be tinkered with to smooth that out.

[@CasperRc81]

Agree I like to ride heavy on my front tire. Choose to hop and indo into Features along the ride. Also pull that rear end out to the 437mm or what ever. You could bust wheelies all day long on that I bet. I’m 230lbs also so I’ve already take similar fork a revelation to 15mm and idk debonair spring can’t remember it’s smooth. But mine always felts stiff and in accurate. Well when I serviced it the compression valve plastic tab inside the stanchion to the outside adjuster was not lined up in the slot and broken off crushed into the wall. So the valve turned nothing. It would change through the ride periodically was weird I hated it😂. But after the conversion oh my is like silky butter I’m in love with it. And it’a a pike chassis but not insane hi dollar fork. I like me a fat tire tho.

[@DJ-pt4wh]

I find i need to go down to around 16psi on my 27.5+ slx timberjack to eliminate the choppiness... But once you do it's golden... Also in tx(austin) btw

[@CobraKyle]

I usually run 15 psi too. I think it may be due to the lighter tires I have on the bike. Not as much rubber to absorb those little vibrations.

[@JaredRMorgan]

That’s my beef with AL hardtails in general. Harsh harsh harsh. Love the chromoly hardtails.

[@matrixracing8268]

I've never ridden a Chromoly hardtail but I have heard its a big difference compared to Aluminum

[@s14tat]

You should ride a ragley aluminum frame. My Big Al rides as good as my chromoly Kono Honzo ESD but without the weight penalty of a steel frame.

[@CobraKyle]

Certain aluminum frames ride pretty well. I loved the Growler, and have heard good things about the Ragleys too. Chromoly is usually more forgiving, but a bit more sluggish. Ideally...I'd have one of each! haha

[@erraldstyler]

should try a banshee paradox then, hardtail party loves it

[@enriquejaimes3368]

​@@CobraKyle Lol! Definitely having both is the way to go. I own a super aggressive Cotic Bfe 27.5, steel, 150mm fork. It is a beast on everything except climbing. I am looking for a better climber now, either aluminum or carbon 29 wheels with

[@ironmendm9]

So hardtails is a no go for people with back problems? looking at chameleon, timber jack, commencal meta , fathom 1. would like to know before I put money into one or just stick to my full suspension bikes

[@scottshipp2980]

The reach on Timberjack sizes is long compared to other brands. A 2023 Salsa Timberjack 27.5+ has a 475.5 cm reach. This is going to cause a 6' tall person to lean too far forward. The seat will kick them in the butt and their back will become sore. Their weight is more on their hands too. Everything will feel "harsher." Someone who is 6 feet should aim for a reach around 457cm plus or minus. (Based on LeeLikesBikes RAD calculations.) The medium Timberjack has a 453.6 reach. That would be about perfect. If I had to say, I'd attribute the stiff ride and back soreness to the possibility that a large is too large for @Cobra Kyle. He should try on a medium TJ instead. It will change the perception of the Salsa Timberjack most likely.

[@johnnydoe66]

I almost pulled the trigger on a Salsa Timberjack a couple years ago, but call me fickle, the colors Salsa seemed to have were grotesque. I ended up with a 2020 Trek Roscoe 8 and to me the only flaw is no thru-axle. Oh, and the RS 35 Gold blew apart only after two weeks after purchasing the bike. Sram warranted the fork, but not even a year later it would dive like it had zero pressure. I ended up upgrading to a RS Revelation. Here in Oklahoma the Roscoe 8 has been a great bike for myself and I love challenging techy trails. I prefer more natural terrain vs. flow/jump lines like everyone seems to be building.

[@sporkcrx]

Love my older Roscoe as well. Trek now makes a wheel for it that uses the rapid drive hub (with adaptors) and also use a DT Swiss skewer. My fav bike of many so far

[@johnnydoe66]

@sporkcrx Thanks for the information, I was looking at wheelset upgrades w/ either DT Swiss 350 hubs or Hope Pro 4. Nice that Trek makes an adaptable hub.

[@sporkcrx]

@@johnnydoe66 yep! Much cheaper, and great hub. It screams and has great engagement. I may still have part numbers if you have issues tracking it down

[@johnnydoe66]

@@sporkcrx Awesome!

[@madmikemtb105]

it's beautiful

[@CobraKyle]

Agreed! It's a fantastic looking bike. It's just so close to being everything I wanted! So Close!

[@glennsweet9957]

I would ride a full suspension bike if I were you. What you are riding over seems brutal.

[@glennsweet9957]

What about this bike frame makes it so uncomfortably stiff? I’m hurting just watching this video.

[@CobraKyle]

I think it's just the frame design/build itself. Depends on the type of aluminum used, thickness of the tubes, amount of flex engineered into it etc...I would love to personally learn more about frame design as I'm no expert, but I have a different alloy bike now, and it doesn't leave me nearly as sore as this bike did.

[@smeekteek]

@@CobraKyle Which alloy ht frame would you recommend that has good flex?

[@briangostinger8644]

seems like that Salsa almost put you in a body bag, Johnny!!!

[@CobraKyle]

lol excellent use of a reference!

[@skyb8687]

Wow...I've never had this problem..not gonna agree..I've owned a lot of ht,try my last bike azonic steelhead, you would be crying 😢

[@fredherzberger4677]

This bike is designed for bikepacking. It is designed to carry a heavy load. Of course it's stiff without a load. Unfortunately they are marketing it as a "jack of all trades. "

[@ondrejmanych5688]

imagine this bike being steel

[@DigiBentoBox]

I love the colors on the bike. Least important, i know, but honestly looks are as big a reason to fall in love with a bike as any.

[@enriquejaimes3368]

Definitely. Especially now that there are a lot of bikes with similar specs and capabilities from great brands competing in the same categories. Looks and price are usually deciding factors.

[@marksandoval5361]

Hardtails are only good if they have 29x2.6 or wider tires. They've got to have that tall low-pressure wheel to take off the edge. In addition, the geo of the Timberjack is just not progressive enough. A 76* STA and a 64* HTA would improve this bike immensely.

[@CobraKyle]

I like the geo of this bike quite a bit. My fear is every bike will get "Long, Low, and Slack" and we won't have these type of trail bikes anymore. I think that's why downcountry is booming at the moment. More pedal friendly bikes. Love hardcore hardtails, but a bit much for daily use at least where I currently live.

[@marksandoval5361]

@@CobraKyle From the looks of where you are riding, which is pretty flat, the Timberjack geo is fine. For anyone who lives where it is even a bit steeper, the TJ geo falls short. Modern XC Hardtails now have geo that is similar. With more progressive geo, the TJ would climb better and descend better. Unless it's a mullet for a short person, 27.5 for a Hardtail is dead, dead, and more dead. There is a reason that XC bikes don't come 27.5. The only way a Trail Hardtail works wells is if if it has the tallest wheel possible and it has modern progressive geo. I think that part of the reason that you are finding the TJ harsh is that you're running 27.5 and the geo is XC-ish. Downcountry is booming because people got tired of riding heavy bikes with heavy slow rolling tires. The Downcountry bikes that get the best reviews generally have the most progressive geo like the Transition Spur, Trek Top Fuel, and Rocky Mountain Element. The Downcountry bikes with XC-ish geo are not getting good reviews. Ultimately, the best Downcountry bikes are lightweight like an XC bike with the geo of a modern progressive Trailbike. Modern progressive geometry with 29er tires just works better for most people!

[@Locks9907]

@Mark Sandoval super hostile tone gets you really far with people. 🙄

[@marksandoval5361]

@@Locks9907 Who made you the tone police? When did speaking in a direct, confident assertive manner become hostile? Maybe the problem is you. Maybe you are the product of this woke, politically correct, victim culture. I won't change my tone, I won't be silenced, and I won't be canceled. Freedom of speech! Go back to the troll hole you climbed out of.

[@CasperRc81]

I get down at hawes Arizona on a 2016 haro double peak. 71* ht 440mm rear the bike is total 90’s geometry. We did 11spd sram clutch derailleur sram chain unbolted 3 chain rings put in a 34t. Changed terrible sun tour pogo stick 100mm. For an old 120mm recon gold air. Basic open close. Ks dropper idk my boy and rock that bike. Wheelies down switch backs at hawes, most the time I can ride down mine shaft. This bike has to rock. I’m going to try to get the xt build. Rode one at my LBS. beautiful bike. I would think you could fly.