Salsa Introduces the 2021 Timberjack

Salsa has been doing some rather un-Salsa things lately. The Cassidy and Blackthorn are cutting-edge full-carbon enduro and trail 29ers that are worlds away from the very edgy, very bearded, very drop-bar-fatbike vibe that we think of when we hear the name Salsa. But that doesn’t mean the Midwest-based adventure brand has given up on their roots. Case in point: Today’s release of the 2021 Salsa Timberjack lineup.

Billed as an aggressive trail hardtail, the Timberjack is actually several things. You can run anywhere from a 120- to a 150-millimeter fork, either 29 x 2.6 or 27.5 x 2.8-inch tires and, thanks to Salsa’s clever Alternator 2 dropouts, can go singlespeed or 12 speed. The default setup is a 130mm fork, which nets a 66.4-degree headtube angle, a 75.1-degree seat tube angle and a 476mm reach in a size large.

Those numbers are the stuff of a modern, if somewhat conventional shred-ready hardtail. But again, this is a Salsa. There are always a few twists. The Alternator 2 dropouts mean the chainstay length can go anywhere from 420mm up to 437. Those dropouts also have rack mounts that pair to Salsa’s Alternator Rack. And there are no less than four pairs of threaded mounts on the frame. If that’s still not quite enough, Salsa offers a suite of bikepacking goodies, including a frame bag that nestles perfectly in the Timberjack’s front triangle. That’s so Salsa.

The new Timberjack comes in four complete builds: a $2,500 GX build, $2,100 XT build, $1,800 SLX build, and $1,700 singlespeed build. Each is available out of the box with either wheel size option. And if you’ve got your own idea, there’s also a frame-only sold for $600. The titanium frame option is carried over from the previous year’s design.

Find it at salsacycles.com