Salsa Journeyman (APEX 1 650b) Long-Term, All-Terrain Review

[@HikePaddleBike]

See it in action on gravel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZW9qJqMrdGqiLc See it in action on singletrack here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqe5d3ujerGgmZo

[@Lepercurtidoo]

Thanks for the review, it has pretty much convinced me to go for the Salsa Journeyman. I do own a Cannondale Topstone Sora that i really really like but i just have a crush for the Journeyman, especially the purple Sora 650b version :)

[@estafonthewizard4674]

“The dad bod Sasquatch physique” gotta be one of the top ten quotes from you lmao

[@HikePaddleBike]

It really is the quickest way to describe myself.

[@Tommyd139]

@@HikePaddleBike lol, i was going to comment the same thing

[@jogger1987]

Just sent that line to my buddy and said dude you have to subscribe to Iowa Hike, Paddle, Bike. With a line like that how could you not !!! #adventurealways

[@smith42066]

Thanks for the review and info on the your weight I’m looking at this bike and I’m 6’2” 270, you hit all my questions

[@Sonicbutslow]

Whoa, an Iowa channel!! Good to have found this, subbed! A little late but here to stay. Thanks for this!

[@garyhuston3107]

Really nice review. I haven't ridden literally in decades and it's time to get in the saddle again while I'm still able. Have been researching about this type of bicycle for days now and got it down to Surly Bridge Club and this 650 Apex Journeyman. I too am an "outsized" man at about 230 lbs, 6' but based on your excellent review am going with Apex Journeyman...you have a great attitude and again thnx for the review

[@HikePaddleBike]

Here's to many adventures on the new bike 🍻

[@bikeislyfe9662]

I have this exact bike in 54cm and I love it. I highly* reccomend getting setup tubeless and getting a redshift stem. It makes it soooooo comfortable. Love this bike

[@terrymtbnurse4760]

Hey Adam, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on this bike. I was wondering how tall are you ? I'm just under 5'10" and I'm not sure if I should get the 54cm or the 55.5cm? Thanks man.

[@davidbee9563]

Nice review. Good to get a long term perspective not just a few rides. Regarding tire pressure for the road. I am a bit shorter but similar weight with 650x55mm tires on my touring bike. I run about 10psi less on the front. Since the rear carries about 60% the front does not need as much pressure and it smooths out the ride. I run my bike 50r/40f on road and 45/35 for mixed riding. On the commuter bike with 700x37 about 60r/50f. Here in Ontario the frost heave also makes for uncomfortable on pavement. Have a good 2020 when we can ride free again.

[@WalfredoCirne]

Thanks for the review! And, yes, shock stems are awesome! :-)

[@HikePaddleBike]

Thanks for watching!

[@daviskennedy3338]

Awesome vid and great review overall. Truly made my xmas one to remember! Much thanks hike paddle bike! :)

[@HikePaddleBike]

I'm sorry you had such a lame Christmas, lol!

[@TheDarKris]

If you’re ever in the market for new tires I recommend the Continental Race King Protection Tires. I’m running the heavier Shieldwall version and yet they still roll very fast on pavement and can hold up well off road for a tire of their size

[@HikePaddleBike]

Hey, thanks for the tip. I'll check those out!

[@P194-s3i]

Cool. I'm considering this bike to get into the sport, eventually maybe do a short triathlon, and also Ragbrai is something i've always wanted to do. Cool to hear that you've taken this on ragbrai

[@smokeycanuck8058]

Try the RaceFace Ride pedals bro. All plastic, no pis to mess with. Not quite as much grip but if you're not doing anything aggressive, they are fine.

[@pinonoir7287]

Love it, thanks for the honest review.

[@donl7163]

Thanks so much for a great review on your Salsa Journeyman. I am a roadbiker but looking for a second bike. A lot to choose from out there with Cannondale Topstone, Trek Checkpoint, Tommaso, etc. I also considered a Kona Sutra but that is even heavier and set up mostly for touring. I think after seeing your review, the Journeyman should work for me. I'm 6'2" and usually use a 61mm frame so the size bike you have should fit for me. I'm only 178 pounds so i have a lot of gear to load up before reaching your weight at 250 pounds! I am looking at the Sora model instead of the Apex due to a great price point offered by REI. So thanks for your time to share your thoughts on this great bike.

[@ryanw8987]

Came across this as I was researching a used Journeyman Sora 700 I'm thinking of getting. They're asking not much below new price but they say it has less than 50 miles on it and it looks like it. The quick releases do give me pause, simply because I'm looking for a solid frame I can upgrade over time, and the one piece that could get difficult to find in a few years are decent disc brake wheels that use qr. Plus, I had a bad experience with a MTB several years ago that was running qr wheels and could just not get rid of brake rub, but maybe the mechanical discs on the Journeyman will allow easier adjustment to work around that. I don't know, everything else on the bike seems great!

[@HikePaddleBike]

Yeah, I ended up selling it because I had a hard time finding a cheap but reliable wheelset for it. I loved that bike though! I see that salsa has a new version of this out called a journeyer that has thru axle. Might be worth looking into. Good luck and happy riding!

[@ryanw8987]

@@HikePaddleBike thanks for the reply! I saw the Journeyer, looked interesting. Unfortunately, the lower spec models still use a qr, you have to go up to the $1499 Sora to get thru-axle, which means they're using a different frame rather than just cheaper components. They do offer a bare frameset that has thru-axles, which could work since I was planning on swapping most of the components out anyway, but I was wanting a complete working bike (though still relatively cheap) where I could take my time getting the new parts over time. But I'll keep an eye out for any used thru-axle versions over the next couple years. For now, I'll keep working on and tweaking my 2004 Giant TCX 🙂

[@joestillwell6789]

I've had the Journeyman 700 Apex 1 for about 10 months. I love the bike! My only complaint is the wheels as well. I weigh about 230 lbs and I think I just need to upgrade to a stronger wheelset. Other than that I swapped out the saddle, put on Cow Chipper bars that are a little wider than the stock Cow Bells and I jut put on a set of Raddler 700x44 tires. They roll a little slower and are noisier than the 700x37 riddlers that came on the bike but the ride is very plush now and way more cornering grip in dirt and gravel.

[@HikePaddleBike]

That sounds like a sweet set up! Wheel upgrades are my next plan. Might try 700 x 44 or as big as I can fit! Happy riding!

[@joestillwell6789]

Iowa Hike Paddle Bike 700x44 fits with room to spare but I do get a lot more toe rub than I did with 700x37 it came with

[@simonbartolomeo8548]

Great review. I got my 650b Journeyman Apex a couple of months ago and couldn't be more psyched on it. I agree, it handles paved surfaces well but really excels on the mixed terrain stuff. Pretty early on, I summited Mount Tamalpais on much more of a mountain bike type ride. Was the Journeymen the ideal bike for the ride? Probably not, but it handled it better than just really well. Thanks for your video content/reviews. Cheers!

[@HikePaddleBike]

Thanks for watching! I had to look up Mount Tamalpais and now I'm super jealous. Incredible that you were able to use the Journeyman on that ride but I'm not surprised!

[@simonbartolomeo8548]

@@HikePaddleBike btw, where is your handlebar bag if you don't mind me asking?

[@HikePaddleBike]

I've got two handlebar bags. The big yellow one is an ortlieb ultimate 6 classic and the small one is a revelate designs feedback. I would recommend either of them!

[@simonbartolomeo8548]

@@HikePaddleBike right on! thanks!

[@PudgyPedalPusher]

Nice review. I’ve got a JMan as well but nothing is stock on it at this point. (Used to be a Sora) Don’t let the idea of 650b 2.1 tires lock you in at wheel size. The JMan can run that same tire size in 700c as well.

[@madcapper6]

How does someone prevent those pedal screws from rusting?

[@kenuescobedo9787]

Been looking around for this bike but can’t find it! Where did you purchase it? Wonder if Salsa is making new ones for 2020..

[@baldyhead1]

Thank you! A very helpful review. Are you still having trouble with the loose spokes?

[@mightylaser0000]

Where can i find a fairly nice but cheap luggage rack for my journeyman?

[@lincolnblunt3479]

Sick bike! I just got a Purple Journeyman

[@madcapper6]

I know it's been a while since you put out this vid so I'm wondering, do you still have this bike? The question I have about concerns the brakes. I'm thinking your bike comes stock with mechanical disc brakes rather than hydros. Did you keep the brakes as they were or did you upgrade? If you kept the mechanicals, how were they, did they work well enough? Thanks. I hope all is well.

[@HikePaddleBike]

I never had a problem with the stock brakes. I did have to adjust them at the start of each season but after that they were good to go. I ended up trading the bike for a surly karate monkey because the journeyman always felt small to me even with the largest frame available (I’m 6’5”). The only thing I ever disliked on the bike were the spikes in the stock wheels, they broke often and I haven’t had that problem on my other bikes ridden under similar circumstances. All my current bikes run hydraulic brakes and honestly, I sometimes miss the simplicity of Salsas mechanical brakes.

[@RussGoerend]

That pink never gets old

[@nigelmccomb8106]

Is it journeyman or journeyer?

[@caseysimpson1806]

It should come with a map and compass. Edit: In Northern Arizona, there are endless combinations of highway to USFS road rides.

[@josemariarobainasantiago6619]

Quick question, Im debating between this and the checkpoint did you happen to try it before buying the salsa?

[@61tree_Studio]

Really enjoyed your review.

[@HikePaddleBike]

Thank you, glad you liked it!

[@joemolly]

Great review. Thank you. A normal guy like me (kind of review) 👍👍

[@goldtoothcat4578]

Cheers dude for the review

[@HikePaddleBike]

Thanks for watching it!

[@kennykraft6594]

Thank you. Great review.

[@HikePaddleBike]

Thanks for watching!

[@westernimagesnevada7849]

It was geared too high so I switched to another crank.

[@Osteoandyogi]

Great review thankyou

[@ralphkeith501]

I'm deciding between the Journeyman flat-bar versus the Specialized Sirrus X 4.0. Any experience with the Specialized?

[@HikePaddleBike]

@ralph Kieth my last mountain bike was a specialized rockhopper comp and it lasted over a decade with no issues. I think most bike brands make excellent bikes so test them both out if possible and go with the one that made you feel the happiest!

[@joemolly]

I'm thinking of getting a apex journeyman. I'm 5' 11" can you recommend which size i might need. (No stores near me have any to try out)

[@amit2897]

loaded..as in how much? and what kinda set up? and video on that?

[@HikePaddleBike]

Loaded with standard stuff. I never weighed it but I had a tent, food, and jet boil flash. Frame bag plus a topeak with fold out panniers on a rack in the back. Unfortunately no video on that :)

[@willford850]

What saddle did you end up going with? I was looking for one that's more comfortable than the stock one.

[@HikePaddleBike]

Respiro Athletic from REI. Has a lot of gel cushioning which works well for me, but some people dislike gel seats. Good luck on your saddle search!

[@willford850]

@@HikePaddleBike Thanks!

[@KentuckyCycling]

I'm curious to know how tall you are? I'm 6'1" and trying to decide if the 57 or the 59.5 would be the better way to go?

[@HikePaddleBike]

Just a hair shy of 6'5" and the 59.5 fits me well.

[@KentuckyCycling]

@@HikePaddleBike You're tall! I don't guess there was much decision making to be made. Go big or go home. LOL

[@HikePaddleBike]

@@KentuckyCycling pretty much, lol!

[@daytch9485]

Bummer on the wheels. Need em' rebuilt, don't forget double butted or 2.0 (,20?) spokes and retention or checked after some miles.

[@Sonicbutslow]

Is there a website or facebook page or some social media for this channel??

[@HikePaddleBike]

This is just a fun hobby of mine. A way to share my adventures with others and try to convince people Iowa had some cool outdoor rec opportunities :) I'm not big into social media but I'm working on a simple Google site to organize the content a bit better. I'll probably get that done this winter :)

[@Sonicbutslow]

@@HikePaddleBike i look forward to seeing that! I'm from Iowa as well and will be heading off to college so it'll be fun to explore a bit more

[@idkutet]

QR rant 🤣.... feel the same way , been riding to long to get excited about what the industry deems I need

[@laxmike643]

What handlebar bag do you have?

[@HikePaddleBike]

Ortlieb ultimate 6 classic and a revelate designs feedbag

[@boxingboys]

Im 6’1 will a 55.5 frame fit me ty

[@BurlyExplores]

I am glad that is the frame size I just ordered, went around quite a bit on this.

[@shamrock4840]

Why 650 over 700??

[@HikePaddleBike]

The bike I had before it was 700 and I thought I would just swap the wheels out if I didn't like it. Ended up really liking the 650 though ;)

[@shamrock4840]

Iowa Hike Paddle Bike I’m the same gorilla size as you - so 650 b Rolls nice ? Not too much pedaling ?

[@HikePaddleBike]

@@shamrock4840 On pavement they felt *slightly* slower sometimes but usually I couldn't tell a difference, BUT they gave a huge boost to cushioning over cracks/bumps so I felt it was worth it. On gravel they were noticeably faster and more stable. I ran my 700s around 75 PSI and these I usually run around 55 PSI on pavement and lower it for gravel or light singletrack. The 650s are knobby but not as knobby as MTB tires so when on pavement they don't have the "knob buzz" feel, if that makes any sense. I felt like they rolled nice and passed almost everyone coasting down hills on RAGBRAI...Probably has more to due with my mass than the tires though ;)

[@shamrock4840]

Iowa Hike Paddle Bike You know you make a great point regarding the pavement cracks holes etc. I hit a pothole the other day one that wasn’t obviously visible and I nearly killed myself I caught control just before I went otb. Well the idea of a smooth slick 700 tire is appealing it’s really not conventional if you’re riding road pavement.

[@outdoorjoe9083]

Hey nice videos. Just found your channel. Hey if your ever make it back to the east side of the state an want a riding or floating partner should look me up. If I’m off be glad to ride with you.

[@Bengmar]

It's amazing 😍

[@LightW]

Its an 80's mountainbike lol

[@rdj-tn8oh]

Shouldn’t you spend Christmas Eve with your family

[@HikePaddleBike]

Yes, you are right. Next year I won't waste 1.3 seconds clicking the upload button and spend that time with my family.

[@KVMerry]

Here we go again with fake annoying music