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New Salsa Cycles Cutthroat Gets Updated Abrasion Resistant Plates on Fork & Frame, UDH, More

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat Ana Jager hero(Photos/Salsa Cycles)
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Minnesota’s own Salsa Cycles is excited to share that they’ll be launching new models of the popular Cutthroat in the next few months. The release of the new Cutthroat comes right after Salsa rider Ana Jager placed an impressive 2nd Place in the 2024 Tour Divide on her own Salsa Cutthroat. The new Cutthroat models sport a plethora of new features and details.

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat with bags
(Photos/Salsa Cycles)

The Cutthroat Carbon Fork

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat Three-Pack mounts
Three-Pack mounts…

Salsa claims that the new Cutthroat carbon fork is 32% more compliant than the OG Cutthroat fork. It carries updated abrasion-resistant plates in high-wear areas. This prevents damage from things like mud buildup and debris. It’s hard to see in the pictures, but these plates are to either side of the tire, and if you’re really slogging through the mud on the Divide, these plates should help keep that mud and grit from wearing into the carbon on the fork or chainstay.

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat Ana Jager sleeping pad

Additional Fork Features and Specs

  • Backward-compatible with all Cutthroat frames
  • One set of Three-Pack mounts for each fork leg
  • Salsa Down Under rack compatibility
  • Internal brake hose and dynamo routing
  • 483mm axle to crown length
  • Boost 15x110mm hub spacing
  • Full carbon with carbon steerer tube
  • 51mm offset
  • Flat mount brakes
  • No fender mounts

Cutthroat Off-Road Capability

The new Cutthroat frame has tire clearance for up to 29×2.4 tires in the rear and 29×3.0 in the front, just in case you want extra flotation up front. The compliant carbon frame and fork will help smooth out the rough stuff and trail impacts.

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat top tube logo

The Cutthroat has suspension-corrected geometry and is ready for a 29″ fork with 100mm of travel.

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat sprint

The Frame now includes a SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger making it Transmission compatible. A dropper post will come on select models and is a great tool in tricky spots of a trail.

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat ana Jager out and about

Additional Frame Features and Geometry

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat Rival road levers
Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat places to mount stuff
  • The frame is available in sizes 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60cm.
  • Class 5 Vibration Reduction System (VRS) absorbs rod vibrations for a more comfy ride.
  • 69° head tube angle and longer wheelbase provide greater stability for long days on any surface.
  • SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) reduces the risk of damage and makes replacement easier.
Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat protective plate

Impressive Cargo Capacity

  • Custom frame bags can be bolted directly to the frame with EXP Series Direct Mount Thumb Screws.
  • Three-Pack and Low Rider Rack mounts on fork legs.
  • Three bottle mounts inside the main triangle on 56cm – 60cm sizes; two on 52 and 54cm sizes.
  • Two accessory mounts on the underside of the downtube that allow for the use of Salsa Anything Bracket Mini and/or fuel, water bottle, or KEG.
  • Top tube mounts for Salsa EXP Series Direct Mount Top Tube Bag or K-Edge Top tube Mount for computers.
  • Compatible with Salsa Wanderlust Rack using rear rack mounts and Salsa Rack-Lock seat post collar.

Road Boost Drivetrain

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat Boost MTB drivetrain

Salsa feels that road drivetrains with mountain boost cranks create the best drivetrain and tire clearance for the unique needs of a drop-bar bike with 29″ wheels, which is what you’ll find here.

  • 1x mechanical-compatible using mountain boost cranks (max 40t chainring) and a road drive drivetrain in all other areas
  • 2x mechanical-compatible using Race Face mountain boost cranks and Easton direct-mount chainrings (max 50/34t, complete bikes ship with 46/30t) and a road drivetrain in all other areas
  • Shimano Di2 1x and 2x-combatibile
  • SRAM Transmissionand AXS 1x-compatibile
Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat places to mount stuff

Other Forward thinking Specs

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat internaql routing
  • Boost 148 frame spacing and Boost 110 fork spacing (Boost 148 increases drivetrain compatibility while maintaining tire clearance and chainstay length)
  • Flat-mount brakes on the frame and fork
  • SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH)
  • Sleeved internal brake, shift, and dynamo routing in frame and fork
  • Dropper post-compatible with 1x and 2x drivetrains (2x mechanical drivetrains use external cable droppers)
  • All complete bikes come with tubeless tape and valves installed; sealant is included but not installed.

The Salsa Cutthroat Pricing

Retail: $5499 (SRAM Rival GX AXS)
Retail: $2499 (Frameset)

Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat full drive side

The latest version of the Cutthroat features the following updates:

  • High-modulus carbon frame and fork are compliant and efficient
  • Modern geometry features
  • A wide range of setup and cargo-carrying options
Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat UDH and cassette
UDH Action
Salsaa Cycles New Cutthroat view

SalsaCycles.com

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Tom
Tom
5 months ago

I would quibble with the claim that the new Cutthroat has a “plethora of new features and details.” As far as I can tell it’s really just five changes, which are incremental updates: new carbon fork (that looks extremely similar to the old one), UDH-compatible frame (that is otherwise identical to V2 in terms of geometry), new frame/fork protection plates, tires set up tubeless, and new graphics. These are welcome changes, but it’s not really a new generation.

Seán O'B
Seán O'B
5 months ago

What is meant by “road drive drivetrain in all other areas”? The photos don’t show anything like that.

Tom
Tom
5 months ago
Reply to  Ron Frazelle

I think the most accurate way to describe it is a MTB drivetrain with road shifters. The BB, crankset, RD, and cassette are all MTB components.

mud
mud
5 months ago

Wow just Sram Rival GX. Haven’t they offered Shimano in the past?

Tom
Tom
5 months ago
Reply to  mud

Sounds like more builds are coming. Yes, they have offered GRX builds.

Michael
Michael
5 months ago

Wow, no mention of the actual women’s TD winner, Meaghan H. On her Salsa Cutthroat.

Oliver
Oliver
5 months ago

“2x mechanical-compatible using Race Face mountain boost cranks” – this is why I don’t have one. You can only run 24mm Race Face MTB boost cranks, which are absolute garbage.

Tom
Tom
5 months ago
Reply to  Oliver

I disagree that the RF cranksets are garbage, but I do think the Easton chainrings are garbage. The little ring bolts sheared off mine in the middle of a ride. I switched to 1x after that.

Oliver
Oliver
4 months ago
Reply to  Tom

The cheap 24mm ones compatible with this frame are … and as you rightly point out, the mounting interface is also garbage.

Pathlesstraveled
4 months ago

I feel like Salsa has changed their company motive. Remember the first generation salsa spearfish? It had a focus on being economical and being the best it could be a that price point.

Half of Americans have less than 50k in retirement, I don’t know how much longer $5,000+ bikes are going to be sustainable for the largest group of enthusiasts.

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