The Horsethief was designed for long days in rugged terrain. The 130-millimeter front and 120-millimeter rear travel offers riders the option of conquering big roots and daunting rock gardens but with the all-day efficiency that 29-inch wheels have to offer. Combine these features with a relaxed geometry and the bike will take a trail rider anywhere.
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Lean it harder: The close rear triangle keeps the Horsethief stable and allows you to rip through corners like it’s a 26-inch wheel.
Lean it harder: The close rear triangle keeps the Horsethief stable and allows you to rip through corners like it’s a 26-inch wheel.WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Horsethief is suited for rugged cross-country and trail riders who are looking to ride aggressively without having to worry about destroying components that will break the bank to repair or need to be replaced in the event of a crash. The durable linkage and frame look ready to handle whatever any trail rider is ready to lay down. Salsa offers this bike in three different models; this is the only aluminum option, as the other two models are carbon.
At $3400, Salsa doesn’t waste any time in providing a bike with a durable build kit. The Horsethief 2 comes with a Shimano SLX/ Deore component mix, Fox CTD suspension, Stan’s Rapid rims with SLX hubs, and Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.35 Snakeskin tires.
WHAT’S IT MADE FROM?
The Horsethief 2 is a full-aluminum frame and rear triangle. One of the first parts of the frame build that we noticed were the clean welds and general quality of the construction of the frame. There weren’t any bulky welds sticking out or excess metals that we could find. The linkage came with anodized bolts that complemented the transparent gray frame and blue decals.
Every piece of engineering on the frame and rear triangle is geared towards durability and aggressive riding. The rear triangle has 12×142 spacing, and the front triangle features a tapered head tube to give the bike more stiffness and stability, along with a slacker head angle to handle the rough stuff. Salsa uses a Split Pivot rear suspension design to increase traction, improve climbing and keep braking influence at bay. Salsa shortened the chainstays to keep the rear wheel closer to the frame, making the bike more nimble in tight sections, and to allow for wider tire options. Salsa claims that 2.35-inch tires are ideal, but we noticed that the clearance was very close and that rocks and other small trail debris would get pulled up in between the tire and chainstays fairly easily, causing some cosmetic scuffs and wear.
All of these features complement the relatively slack geometry and seat-tube angles to culminate in a bike designed to handle the rockiest and steepest of terrain. To offset these trail features and offer more performance, Salsa created the Horsethief with a longer top tube to allow riders the ability to get into a more aggressive position for cross-country riding and increase climbing efficiency.
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Serious suspension: Salsa doesn’t mess around when it comes to suspension. The 130-millimeter-travel Fox CTD fork adds to the performance and value of the bike.
Serious suspension: Salsa doesn’t mess around when it comes to suspension. The 130-millimeter-travel Fox CTD fork adds to the performance and value of the bike.WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
We were impressed with the build kit that came on our Horsethief. With Fox CTD suspension in the front and the rear, Stan’s Rapid rims on Shimano SLX center-lock hubs and a Shimano Deore/SLX 2×10 drivetrain, we couldn’t poke a hole in the spec choices. The Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires handled rocky terrain well but did wear rather quickly.
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Bang for the buck: Value and durability are packed into this bike.
Bang for the buck: Value and durability are packed into this bike.One of the biggest standouts was the Deore brakes. We tested the bike through rocky technical sections and were very impressed with how well the Deore brakes complemented the suspension design. Even on long, steep descents, we could not get them to fade. Nice.
HOW DID IT PERFORM?
Our very first ride on this bike was a 15-mile descent over some of the rockiest terrain that Southern California has to offer. Once at the bottom of the mountain, our first thought was, “This bike can take a beating.” The slack angles allowed the bike to crawl down rocky shelves, and the short chainstays felt right at home on tight switchbacks. After breaking the Horsethief in on technical terrain, we took it out to some more forgiving trails for general riding and weren’t disappointed.
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Rocks for days: Horsethief likes to float over rocky sections and shelves on the trail. We were impressed with this bike’s ability to smooth out the trail despite its short travel nature.
Rocks for days: Horsethief likes to float over rocky sections and shelves on the trail. We were impressed with this bike’s ability to smooth out the trail despite its short travel nature.Moving out: The cockpit made the geometry of the bike feel tighter than it actually is. The short stem and wide bars gave the bike an enduro feel on the descents, while the long top tube made it feel like a cross-country bike on flats and climbs. Testers found themselves in fairly comfortable positions on the climbs and flats, but felt a little forward on descents given the long top tube length.
Cornering: Cornering felt pretty effortless on winding singletrack but was a little cumbersome on tight switchbacks. The Deore brakes allowed us to carry more speed into corners and come out with little momentum lost. We didn’t experience much (if any) flex from the rear triangle in hard corners.
Climbing: This wasn’t the best-climbing bike we’ve ridden, but only because of the weight. Overall, we were surprised by how well the linkage worked going uphill. We left the shock open on several long climbs and felt little bounce from the suspension or loss of performance compared to being in the locked-out position. On steeper climbs, the bike was harder to direct than other trailbikes we have tested. The front tire had a tendency to stray from the chosen line and required more upper-body work from the rider. The slack head angle did make it tougher to get over the front of the bike on steep sections, but the attack angle worked exception- ally well over rocks on technical climbs.
Descending: Overall, the descents were fun and effortless. With 130 millimeters of travel in the fork and the 29-inch wheels, the front end muted ruts and washboard sections of trail. We hit some kickers along the trail and felt the bike float, defying the knowledge that we were riding a 29er. The suspension soaked up bumps and provided a decent pedaling platform through rolling sections, especially with the Trail setting in place on the fork. While we appreciated the long top tube on the climbs, it did make it tougher to get over the rear wheel on steep sections. But overall, we were pleased with the downhill performance of the Horsethief.
TRICKS, TIPS OR UPGRADES?
One of the biggest drawbacks of this bike was the lack of a dropper post. Given the aggressive tires and trail-worthy build of the bike, we were left scratching our heads as to why there was no dropper post included. Salsa doesn’t spec the Horsethief with a dropper post until the top-of-the-line version. If you plan to buy a Horsethief, plan to budget for a dropper post.
There was noticeable wear on the Nobby Nic tires within the first few rides. We recommend running a slightly narrower rear tire given the tight clearance with the 2.35 that came stock.
Though the 2×10 was a nice feature stock, Salsa did include a mount cover for the front derailleur so that riders can convert to a 1×10 or 1×11. Getting rid of the front derailleur and shifter and reducing the cranks to one chainring could be a solid option for riders looking to reduce weight.
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With style: The Horsethief has a range of capabilities; being able to handle a whip is just one of them.
With style: The Horsethief has a range of capabilities; being able to handle a whip is just one of them.BUYING ADVICE
If you ride hard and want versatility, the Horsethief 2 is a good option. The price for the quality of the build is tough to beat. We wouldn’t call this the ultimate trailbike, but we will give it credit for its ability to handle adversity with confidence. Bang for the buck, the Horsethief is a serious competitor for riders looking for a bike that will do it all.
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