From the days of Flip-Off skewers to a range of modern mountain bikes, Salsa is a familiar niche brand in our sport that continues to evolve. Owned by QBP, the largest distributor of bike products in the U.S., Salsa introduced four new bikes today and we're focusing on their updated Spearfish — a 120mm-travel progressive XC bike ready for long days in the saddle.
Highlights:
- Two levels of carbon fiber construction, Deluxe and Standard
- 29-inch wheels only
- 120mm of Split Pivot suspension travel
- 66.3-degree head tube angle
- 77.3-degree seat tube angle in default flip chip setting
- 430mm chainstays
- Short stem and long reach
- Accommodates 29 x 2.0-2.4” tires (spec’d with 29 x 2.4”)
- Five sizes (XS–XL)
- Weight as tested: 27.9 pounds / 12.65kg (Size Large, Deluxe X0 AXS Transmission with XTR pedals, two cages and Garmin mount)
- MSRP: $3,999 - $10,999 USD; Frame only $3,499 USD
Spearfish Overview
By the numbers, the Spearfish is not a traditional XC bike. This made our initial task of selecting the correct size a bit of a challenge. Our six-foot-tall test riders for this bike almost always ride a large, but the long reach figures for the Salsa (490mm for a large) had us considering a medium (470mm). Per Salsa’s recommendation, we went with the large and were glad we did so. It was a perfect fit. The long reach was offset by the 77.3 degree seat tube angle and 40mm stem. We rode the bars at the full 800mm width but found them to be too wide for XC use and cut them down to 770mm.
Our test bike (size large) weighed in at 27.9 lbs which included two bottle cages, XTR pedals, and a Garmin mount. That’s not exactly heavy, but it’s also not a featherweight race bike either. The weight seemed to come from a variety of places. According to Salsa, the frame itself weighs in at a respectable 2,660g with headset cups and hardware. Salsa opted for a SRAM X0 Transmission build loaded with all the electronics you could wish for; Flight Attendant suspension, previous gen 170mm Reverb dropper post, a spindle-based power meter, and wireless shifting. Spec’ing components is almost always about tradeoffs when it comes to both price and weight. Salsa's choice to run heavier SRAM X0 drivetrain parts with Flight Attendant suspension compared to SRAM's lighter-weight XX SL and non-electric suspension felt like a very reasonable choice when on-trail performance and durability are concerned.
Some people who saw the top tube accessory mounts thought they were ugly, while others weren’t bothered by the aesthetics and thought they might come in handy. Decide for yourself. Max chainring size is 34T. That wasn’t a problem for our test riders, but it could be for some riders. The chainguide was a nice piece of added security, too.
Since Salsa is owned by QBP, the Spearfish is available through approximately 900 dealers across the US and more worldwide. QBP's backing means there is plenty of support for the Spearfish and it should be reassuring if you’re worried about a boutique brand going belly up.
Ride Impressions
We found the bike to be very capable in all the situations, and comfortable during long days in the saddle. The Split Pivot platform handle bumps and braking well, keeping the tires connected to the ground. The tires, however, Teravail Camrocks, were definitely the limiting factor in steeper, looser, and chunkier terrain. Tire choice is very situational and for our regular laps, they encouraged us to avoid the most challenging sections of trail that we normally ride on similar bikes with beefier tires.
This was our testers’ first time on Flight Attendant. After a frustrating hour or so of set up that was reminiscent of a grandparent installing a wifi router, we finally got it dialed in. During the first ride, Flight Attendant calibrates itself to the rider. For example, using data from the power meter, it creates personalized power zones. It then uses this data to help select the optimal suspension mode (hard pedaling will skew toward a stiffer setting, for example). Flight Attendant also adjusts for general trail conditions. Initially, it was a bit annoying to hear the suspension changing modes just because of a one bump in the trail. We did get used it, however, and having the suspension always being in the right mode without having to think about it or use manual lockouts was a huge plus. We tried Flight Attendant in manual mode a few times on our initial rides, but found that auto worked best and left it there. “Game changer” is a bit overused, but for XC, Flight Attendant comes pretty close. After spending time with it, both test riders said they would be hard-pressed to buy a new XC bike without Flight Attendant.
Brakes are the new four-piston SRAM Motives. SRAM claims Motives are nearly as powerful as their recently-discontinued Code brake. In our experience, that seems like a reasonable claim. Motives are about 20 grams heavier than Levels, SRAM’s outgoing two-piston XC brake, but we think this is a worthwhile tradeoff. We’ve spent a lot of time on Levels and always found them to be slightly better than horrible. Paired with 180mm rotors, the Motives offered excellent stopping power without being overkill. On long descents, fade was minimal. With beefier tires, braking and control would be even better. We did have a problem with a rubbing pad on just our third ride, but we fixed it and the problem didn’t reoccur. The Motives are a huge improvement over Levels and drastically improve the capability of any XC bike.
It should be noted to check pivot hardware bolts on the Spearfish. The bolts that connect the shock yoke to the linkage came loose and partially backed out during our test period. They are not easy to get to and require some disassembly to secure, but left unattended they could rub on the seat tube.
Overall, we found the Spearfish to be a very capable, comfortable and fun-to-ride bike that feels blends characteristics of a spritely trail bike with that of an XC race bike. Pedaling efficiency was outstanding, which we attribute to the Split Pivot suspension platform and Flight Attendant. The geometry, dropper, four-piston SRAM Motive brakes, 180mm rotors, and 120mm of suspension said “go” to rowdy terrain, but the tires said “no.” If this were our personal bike, we would swap out for more aggressive tires for everyday riding and would attack aggressive terrain without hesitation on the Spearfish.
Reviewers - Brad McDonald, Chris Sanchirico
Salsa's Press Release about the Spearfish
Spearfish is Salsa’s Endurance XC bike. It’s built to thrive in the world’s toughest single- and multi-day races, from Marji Gesick to the Arizona Trail Race. Spearfish is lightweight, efficient, and capable — a formula that makes all the difference in the 11th hour.
MSRP:
- Deluxe X0: $10,999 USD
- Deluxe GX: $6,499 USD
- SRAM Transmission: $4,999 USD
- Deore 12: $3,999 USD
- Deluxe frame: $3,499 USD
SPEARFISH IS OUR ENDURANCE XC BIKE FOR WHEN EFFICIENCY IS EVERYTHING
- In its element on long, rugged courses
- Endurance XC geometry for sharp handling and speed, whether climbing or descending
- Adaptable to multiple trail types and rider preferences
FAST AND EFFICIENT BOTH UP AND DOWN
- 120mm of Split Pivot suspension travel
- Responsive when putting down power
- Fully active while braking
- Supportive through the middle and end stroke of its travel
- Paired with a 120mm fork, Spearfish climbs swiftly and descends confidently
ENDURANCE XC GEOMETRY
- 66.3-degree head tube angle
- 77.3-degree seat tube angle in default flip chip setting
- 430mm chainstays
- Short stem and long top tube
FRAME HIGHLIGHTS
- Two levels of carbon fiber construction
- Deluxe: The most premium carbon construction Salsa has ever used, saving 255g of weight without compromising durability, stiffness, or ride quality
- Standard: The same high-quality carbon construction used on current Salsa bikes
- 148mm rear spacing
- SRAM UDH compatible
- Accommodates 29 x 2.0-2.4” tires (spec’d with 29 x 2.4”)
- Five sizes (XS–XL)
ADJUSTABLE FOR MANY RIDING STYLES
- Split Pivot + design philosophy allows for 100–120mm rear suspension travel
- Compatible with 100–130mm fork
- Flip chip adjusts head tube angle and bottom bracket height to suit terrain and rider preference
- Sizes XS–SM fit two full-size bottles in front triangle plus accessory mount for Anything Bracket
- Sizes MD–XL fit three full-size bottles
- Top tube mount compatible with Salsa EXP and EXP-R Series top tube bags or K-Edge Computer Mount
- Tool/tube mount location
SPEARFISH C DELUXE X0 AXS TRANSMISSION
KEY FEATURES
- Deluxe carbon fiber construction
- Split Pivot rear suspension design
- 2+ water bottles in the main triangle on all sizes
NOTABLE SPEC
- RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant 120mm fork and SIDLuxe Ultimate Flight Attendant shock
- RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post
- SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission 1x12 drivetrain
- WTB CZR Light Carbon wheels with Teravail Camrock 29 x 2.4” tires
SPEARFISH C DELUXE GX EAGLE AXS TRANSMISSION
KEY FEATURES
- Deluxe carbon fiber construction
- Split Pivot rear suspension design
- 2+ water bottles in the main triangle on all sizes
NOTABLE SPEC
- Fox 34 SL Performance Elite 120mm fork
- Fox Float SL LV Performance Elite shock
- SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission 1x12 drivetrain
- WTB KOM Light wheels with Teravail Camrock 29 x 2.4” tires
SPEARFISH C SRAM TRANSMISSION
KEY FEATURES
- High-modulus carbon fiber construction
- Split Pivot rear suspension design
- 2+ water bottles in the main triangle on all sizes
NOTABLE SPEC
- RockShox SID Select+ 120mm fork
- RockShox SIDLuxe Select+ shock
- SRAM Transmission drivetrain
- SRAM DB8 Stealth brakes
SPEARFISH C DEORE 12
KEY FEATURES
- High-modulus carbon fiber construction
- Split Pivot rear suspension design
- 2+ water bottles in the main triangle on all sizes
NOTABLE SPEC
- RockShox SID 120mm fork
- RockShox Deluxe Select+ shock
- Shimano Deore M6100 1x12 drivetrain
- Teravail Camrock 29 x 2.4” tires
SPEARFISH C DELUXE FRAME
KEY FEATURES
- Split Pivot rear suspension design
- 2+ water bottles in the main triangle on all sizes
- Accommodates 29 x 2.0-2.4” tires
NOTABLE SPEC
- Fox Float SL Factory shock
- FSA Orbit headset
To learn more about the new Salsa Spearfish or to find a local dealer, visit salsacycles.com
View key specs, compare bikes, and review the new Salsa Spearfish in the Vital MTB Product Guide.
| Where To Buy | |||
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Free U.S. shipping on everything.
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
Free U.S. shipping on everything.
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. $6,799.00
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4/9/2025 10:30pm
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