The Salsa Spearfish and Kona Hei Hei were both updated last year, bringing each of these short-travel mountain bikes up to speed with modern trends. Both bikes are produced by mid-sized/core brands and are the shortest-travel and lightest-weight full-suspension models in their respective lineups. With 120mm of rear wheel travel, similar suspension designs, frame silhouettes, and geometries, these bikes are quite comparable on paper. The brands even market them as being for roughly the same intended use and rider. Several hundred dollars in price separates them, but they aren’t too far off in that department, either.
But after riding both extensively, I found that despite their obvious similarities, these bikes perform quite differently on the trail. So what makes two bikes that are seemingly cut from the same cloth have different demeanors and trail manners? And, if you’re considering a short travel mountain bike like these, which might be the best fit for you, and why? Let’s take a look.
Salsa Spearfish vs. Kona Hei Hei: From the Brands
To start, let’s hear how the brands describe each bike to get a little insight into their intended use.
Kona on the Hei Hei: “Our intent with this bike was to position it as something ‘more’ than just a race bike, because the Hei Hei embodies this incredible blend of sharpness and speed in a broadly capable, trail-friendly package that makes even the gnarliest climbs fun again.”
So, while the Hei Hei fits into the brand’s lineup as its most cross-country-oriented bike, and they even refer to it as “an XC race bike” on its product page, it’s positioned as a cross between an XC bike and a trail bike. For reference, the next closest bike in the Kona lineup is the Process 134, which falls much more squarely into the mid-travel trail bike category.
Salsa on the Spearfish: “Spearfish is our progressive XC bike. It’s designed to thrive in stamina-testing XC and endurance efforts, with plenty of fun built in for weeknight trail rides. With a supportive Split Pivot rear end, modern geometry, and ride-all-day cargo features, Spearfish is ready to go the distance.”
So, again with the Spearfish, Salsa is positioning it as a do-it-all XC and light trail bike. But they also refer to it as the “perfect endurance and XC mountain bike,” so it would seem they are intentionally leaning more heavily toward that side of the spectrum. In the Salsa lineup, the new Blackthorn 125 is a purpose-built short-travel trail bike with a beefier frame, more fork travel, relaxed geometry, and a heavier weight.
But even if there are some very minor differences in the way the bikes are described by the brands, it’s clear that both are intended to appeal to roughly the same consumer. Both are positioned for riders seeking a bike that’s XC-raceable and prioritizes efficiency while maintaining some trail bike chops. I’d say both fit that description, but lean toward opposite sides of that description in their stock configurations.
Salsa Spearfish vs. Kona Hei Hei: What’s the Difference?
These bikes have similar travel, frame designs, geometries, and they even look alike. Let’s examine the differences that set these bikes apart from each other.
Frame Design
The silhouettes of the Hei Hei and Spearfish resemble one another quite a bit. With thinned-out top tubes and beefed-up head tubes, it almost looks like both brands were after the same aesthetic. The primary visual difference is the rear triangle. The difference is that the Salsa uses a Split Pivot suspension design with a link attached to the frame’s seat tube. The Hei Hei’s “Swinger” suspension is a linkage-driven single-pivot design, with the shock linkage attached to the underside of the top tube, just in front of the seat tube. These suspension designs aren’t the same, obviously, but they aren’t wildly dissimilar either. The thing they share is that both brands opted not to use a single-pivot flexstay design, which is very common on the majority of today’s XC bikes.
Beyond that, both frames get 120mm of rear wheel travel and are designed for 29-inch wheels front and rear. Both frames offer ample clearance for the 2.4” tires that come on their stock builds. Kona and Salsa are big on frame mounts, and you could easily fit three water bottles inside the front triangle of either bike in size large that I tested. The Salsa also has a set of mounts on the top of the top tube, while the Kona has a set underneath. The wealth of mounts on both bikes speaks to their endurance XC/marathon intentions.
One of the biggest differences between these two bikes is that the Hei Hei comes with a 130mm travel fork, while the Spearfish matches its rear suspension with 120mm in the front. In addition to having 10mm more travel, the Hei Hei also has a stack measurement that is almost exactly 10mm higher, too – which makes sense given the 10mm extra travel.
Geometry
Both of these bikes have geometries that align fairly well with each other and with many other modern cross-country bikes. One of the key figures is the 66-degree head tube angle, which leans both bikes more toward XC than trail, by today’s standards, anyway. On the large frames I tested, the wheelbase measurements are only 1mm apart, the chainstays differ by 4mm, and the seat tube angles by 1 degree. They’re obviously not identical, but they have many similarities.
As mentioned above, the Hei Hei’s 130mm fork adds 10mm to that bike’s stack, which isn’t a huge difference, but it does result in a slightly taller front end. Another difference worth mentioning is the reach, with the Salsa at 487mm and the Kona at 474mm. That’s a fairly sizeable difference, but I found the Salsa’s steeper seat tube angle mostly accounted for that, and they felt roughly the same to me. Also worth noting, the Salsa has a flip chip in the lower shock mount that makes some minor changes to geometry between the high and low settings. Check out the charts below for all the details.
Spearfish Geometry
Hei Hei Geometry
Specs and Pricing
The Spearfish C DLX GX transmission build that I tested currently sells for $6,999, while the Kona Hei Hei CR goes for $6,299. Neither bike is cheap, but both are in roughly the same ballpark, which is considered to be mid-range these days (angrily shakes fist). The builds share some similarities but also notable differences that impact both their weight and performance on the trail. I think it’s worth noting that the Spearfish is offered in three complete builds/price tiers, while the Hei Hei CR only comes in one complete build. Both Kona and Salsa sell them as frame/shock only, with the Spearfish C priced at $3,499 and the Hei Hei CR at $2,950.
Let’s start with the similarities. Both bikes come with SRAM Motive Bronze 4-piston brakes and 180mm Centerline rotors. Both bikes come with TranzX RAD+ dropper posts and a whole bunch of house-brand cockpit components. Both bikes come with WTB saddles: Silverado on the Salsa, Volt on the Kona. Interestingly, press-fit bottom brackets are used on both of these bikes, too.
The Salsa is equipped with a higher-end SRAM GX AXS Transmission wireless drivetrain, while the Kona comes with the SRAM Eagle 90 Mechanical Transmission. I know the wireless GX is more expensive and considered to be fancier, but I think this is kind of a wash. The Eagle 90 works quite well, and I don’t find much of a performance difference between the two options (and some may even prefer the mechanical).
After those similarities, the builds start to move in slightly different directions, with the Salsa prioritizing weight and efficiency and the Kona leaning more towards ruggedness, comparatively speaking. In the suspension department, the Salsa is running the lightweight Fox 34 SL Performance Elite 120mm fork and the Fox Float SL Performance Elite shock. In contrast, the Kona has a heavier and sturdier RockShox Pike Ultimate 130mm paired with a RockShox Deluxe Ultimate shock.
Both bikes roll on WTB KOM rims, but Salsa chose the lighter KOM Light, while Kona opted for the more durable KOM Team. Moving out from the rims, the Spearfish rolls on lightweight, supple, and extremely fast-rolling Teravail Camrock tires. The Hei Hei comes clad with chunkier, heavier, and grippier Maxxis Dissector EXO tires front and rear.
Along with differences in frame weight, those component choices make a significant difference in complete bike weight. My size-large Spearfish weighed 27.1 pounds, while my size-large Hei Hei weighed 30.1 pounds. While neither is competing for the featherweight title, it’s quite clear that Kona’s deliberately more robust spec choices result in a higher weight. I know three pounds isn’t the end of the world, but my 135/150mm trail bike weighs less than the Hei Hei’s stock build.
On the Trail
I rode both of these bikes extensively over the summer and enjoyed both immensely. But when thinking about them recently, I was struck by how different they were despite their similarities and intended uses. Even if their marketing copy describes them as being for the same user, I’d argue that it isn’t that cut and dry, not in their stock configurations anyway.
Spearfish
The Salsa struck me as more of a full-on XC bike, and it was shockingly fast uphill and in the flats. I honestly felt superhuman at times and set a bunch of PRs on big climbs that I’ve been riding for many years. No, at 27.1 pounds, it’s not competitive with the featherweight XC rigs with flex stays and high-end builds, but I felt it rode lighter than that number suggests, and that was reflected in my times as well.
Not only did it feel incredibly efficient, but it was nimble and responsive, and more forgiving than its 120/120mm travel numbers might suggest. The Split Pivot suspension design performed well, providing support under pedaling yet remaining supple when needed. The seat tube angle was a tad steep for my taste, but otherwise, the geometry felt pretty much spot on for a modern XC bike. It was poppy, snappy, and quick, and I had a lot of fun riding this bike — it absolutely exceeded my expectations.
But although it was a blast to ride, it could definitely get a little overwhelmed in the rough stuff. I felt comfortable riding it pretty much anywhere, but with the 120mm Fox 34 and lighter XC tires, it required a more conservative approach to anything super chunky. So, much like Salsa’s description of the bike, I’d say it leans more toward XC than trail, especially in its stock build. I’d have no hesitation racing this bike, but might swap out the tires for something with a tougher casing.
Hei Hei
Right out of the gate, I was struck by how quickly the Hei Hei rolled and how efficient it felt on the climbs. My personal trail bike might be lighter, but with shorter travel, relatively supportive suspension, and more conservative geometry, the Hei Hei definitely pedals more like an XC bike. Given the comparatively heftier weight, however, I wasn’t lighting up the leaderboards like I was on the Salsa, even though it felt quick on the ups and through rolling sections.
The rear suspension performed admirably, but it didn’t feel quite as supple or ground-hugging as the Split Pivot on the Salsa. It worked well enough that I’m not really complaining, just making a comparison. Up front, however, the extra 10mm of travel, along with the stiffer Pike fork, added both sturdiness and forgiveness, giving it noticeably more composure in rough, chunky terrain. Combined with the heavier wheels and beefier tires, this translated to a more muted, confident feel in those situations, comparatively speaking.
The same fork, tires, and wheels that provide that added sturdiness and composure are also the primary contributors to the Kona’s heavier weight. That weight, and particularly the rotational weight of the wheels/tires, takes away a little bit from its overall pep and zippiness, making the Kona feel a tad more lethargic. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still fairly poppy and quick, but in my opinion, this bike feels much more like a trail bike compared to the zestier Salsa, in its stock configuration anyway.
Yes, And…..
Riding both of these bikes last year really highlighted the outsized role that components can play in the performance and ride feel of two seemingly very similar bikes. And if you know a lot about bikes, you’re probably thinking, well, yeah, duh. And that’s totally fair. But, for a couple of bikes that are so comparable on paper and are marketed as being more or less for the same intended use, you’d also be right to think they’d perform about the same on the trail. But, in the stock builds I tested, I wouldn’t take the Hei Hei to an XC race, nor would I really consider the Spearfish to be a trail bike.
Now, you could slightly change the character and performance of either bike with a simple tire swap. But you’d need to go a little deeper and spend a bit of money to make the Spearfish a trail bike or the Hei Hei an XC race machine. The Salsa would be a little easier and cheaper to convert with beefier tires and a 130mm air shaft to increase fork travel. If you really wanted to beef it up, you’d probably want to swap the fork out altogether for something with bigger stanchions, like the new Fox 36 SL, and that would cost you ~$1,000 give or take.
Turning the Hei Hei into a lightweight race whippet would be a little more involved and likely significantly more expensive. Fast-rolling tires would be the first step, but to get to a racing weight and unlock some speed, you’d want to upgrade to some superlight carbon wheels, like the Roval Traverse SL or the DT Swiss XRC 1200, either of which would set you back more than $2,500 (there are less expensive options, too, obviously). Of course, a carbon handlebar, lighter saddle, lighter dropper, and higher-tier cassette would help you get there as well. Realistically, it would make the most sense for XC riders chasing weight to start with the Hei Hei frame ($2,950) and build it out with light parts.
Results
So, after all that, my point is that while both of these bikes are super fun to ride, they aren’t quite as similar as the looks, numbers, and marketing copy might suggest. The Salsa’s lighter weight and zestier character ride a lot more like a proper cross-country bike, while the Kona’s more robust and sturdier components give it a ride feel that’s more trail than XC. And while you can adapt either bike to the other side of that spectrum, it’ll cost you a few bucks to get there. So, if you’re choosing between them, be honest with yourself about what you’ll be using it for, and it should be pretty easy to pick the one that’s right for you.
