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Salsa Woodsmoke delivers 3 wheels in one, New Mukluk, affordable plus, & other 2017 MTB highlights

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Salsa Woodsmoke 27 29 plus

By now, you’re sure to have seen bikes that advertise two wheel sizes in one. Due to the similarity in size between 29″ and 27+ wheels and tires, we’re seeing a number of new models that can run one or the other. As one of the highlights in their new 2017 lineup, the Salsa Woodsmoke is taking that to the next level.

Not content with simply 27+ or 29″ as an option, the new hardtail adds another dimension with the addition of 29+ wheel compatibility, all in the same bike. To make it all work the frame resorts back to the days of elevated chain stays and a wild bottom bracket junction to offer super short chain stays with some massive tire clearance.

Just one of a slew of new and updated models, Salsa is bringing a big line for 2017…

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One frame, three different builds. If you’re wondering how three different wheel sizes play well together in the same frame, the answer lies in the suspension and in the dropouts. Up front, the 27+ builds run a 140mm travel suspension fork. To accommodate the extra height of the 29″ and 29+ tires, those builds will use a 120mm travel fork.

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Between the 27+ and the 29″ wheels and tires, Salsa’s new Alternator 2 dropout allows additional adjustment of the chain stay length and wheel base with chain stays measuring 409-417mm. The Alternator 2 plates move the slider mechanism to the plate instead of the carbon frame for a cleaner, lighter, and more robust system.
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That crazy short chain stay length is the result of a combination of the elevated stay design, Boost rear hub, and BB92 bottom bracket which work together to provide the needed chainring and tire clearance. To go along with the short rear end, the bikes have longer front center measurements meant to be used with shorter stems for a modern ride.

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Meant as a bike for single track, bike packing, or just offroad exploration, the bike is fitted with top tube mounts for their new EXP top tube bag, three bottle mounts, and there will be a custom fit EXP frame bag available in the future.

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Both the 27+ and 29″ builds will be 1x or 2x compatible with a slick hidden derailleur mount behind the seat tube.

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Offered with all carbon frames, there will be 5 Woodsmoke builds available, a 29+ Xo1, 27+ X01, 29+ GX1, 27+ GX1, and a 29″ NX1 complete bike.

Models and Pricing:

  • Woodsmoke 29+ XO1 – U.S. MSRP $3999.00
  • Woodsmoke 29+ GX1 – U.S. MSRP $2999.00
  • Woodsmoke 27.5+ XO1 – U.S. MSRP $3999.00
  • Woodsmoke 27.5+ GX1 – U.S. MSRP $2999.00
  • Woodsmoke 29 NX1 – U.S. MSRP $1999.00

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While not quite as wild, the new Timberjack is equally interesting due to its dual wheel size options and more affordable price. An aluminum hardtail, the Timberjack could be viewed as a gateway offroad bikepacking bike or as a competent single track slaying hard tail. Offered in 27+ or 29″ builds with 120 or 130mm travel forks, the aluminum frame uses Alternator dropouts to adjust for the difference in wheel size.

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At its most affordable build, the NX1 29″ Timberjack comes in just under a grand at $999. That includes a pretty solid build with a pieced together NX1 drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic brakes, and a Manitou M30 fork.

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All of the Timberjack models feature fairly short chain stays, with longer front centers and shorter stems. The frames are dropper post compatible, rack compatible with Salsa’s Rack Lock adapter, and will also have custom EXP frame bags available in the future.

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Available in 2 models (27+ and 29″), there will be two colors of each model and even a frame only option.

  • Timberjack 27.5+ GX1 – U.S. MSRP $1,399.00
  • Timberjack 29 NX1 – U.S. MSRP $999.00
  • Frame Only – Timberjack will be available in the Matte Gray colorway – U.S. MSRP $399.00

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A bit of a departure from their previous fat bike design, the new Mukluk grows with bigger hub spacing and an all new frame. In order to fit the biggest tires available, the frame now runs a 197 x 12mm rear dropout and moves to a 100mm threaded bottom bracket with a narrower q-factor. Like many other brands, Salsa maintains the narrower q-factor with the wider rear hub spacing by running a direct mount chainring flipped so it is dished to the outside of the bike. However, Salsa has not abandoned 2x options with both the aluminum and carbon models still 2x compatible.

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Also equipped with the new Alternator 2 dropouts, Salsa claims the Mukluk has the shortest stays available with a 430mm measurement – though for bigger tires the dropouts will need to be pushed back, up to a 450mm chain stay length.

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Along with other bikes, the Mukluk gains top tube bag mounts, and offers internal cable routing including compatibility for stealth droppers.

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All of the bikes look particularly good in person, but the bikes with metal flake in the paint really stand out in the sun.

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Offered in aluminum and carbon frames, there are 5 builds total with availability by October/November depending on the model.

Builds:

  • Mukluk Carbon XO1 at $4,499.00
  • Mukluk Carbon X1 at $3,499.00
  • Mukluk Carbon GX1 at $2,699.00
  • Mukluk ALU NX1 SUS at $2,499.00
  • Mukluk ALU NX1 at $1,799.00

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One of the first production carbon fat bikes on the market, the Beargrease remains in the line mostly unchanged in its 4th year. That means it still clears 4″ tires and uses a 177 x 12 rear axle. The bike will have carbon and aluminum frame options with 100mm suspension corrected rigid forks, four builds from $1599 to $3999, and some wild paint jobs.

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The Powderkeg tandem MTB remains unchanged as well, but as one of the few mountain tandems available, it’s worth a mention.

For complete spec, visit salsacycles.com.

 

 

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29 Comments
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David Butcher
David Butcher
8 years ago

looks like a stache….but way better

Seraph
Seraph
8 years ago
Reply to  David Butcher

(deleted)

Antipodean_eleven
8 years ago

Why I completely fail to see why that DT has a bot belly, making it a prime target for any sort of log strike (can’t be for strength, a direct line from the HT to the BB would be stronger, can’t be for clearance issues… strange design styling language perhaps?), I am digging the return of the asym elevated CS design to a frame. It just makes so many things that little bit easier.

Paul McKenna
Paul McKenna
8 years ago

The frame is odd looking, but really functional for carrying stuff. Got a chance to ride it at Saddle Drive. It is a ripping fun hard tail that happens to be very practical for loading up with bottles and bags. You forget how funky the frame looks as soon as you throw a leg over it.

will
will
8 years ago

Allows for a bigger frame bag. But agreed, that’s a bit goofy looking. And the drive side chainstay seems like it’s elevated higher than it needs to be. Regardless, I dig it. It’s not pretty, but that’s a bike I’d love to own. Dig the new Mukluk too.
As usual, pretty nice work Salsa. If my El Mariachi ever shits the bed, we’ll see if you’re still making my kinda bikes.

Antipodean_eleven
8 years ago
Reply to  will

Ahhh yea, frame bag (and ) bottles on smaller sizes. OK, see that. Still not liking it as a solution though 🙂 As far as the height of the elevated stay, having designed a similar rear end, it’s surprising how high you need to go to clear the crank rotation cleanly, especially if you are trying to keep everything tight.

Greg
Greg
8 years ago

The “pot belly” down tube is so the frame has a usefully open front triangle for bottles n other stuff, especially in the smaller frame sizes. Compounded with the bend at the top of the down tube to clear fork crowns, I agree it’s not that aesthetically pleasing.

Brian
Brian
8 years ago

Looks like the Woodsmoke would be belt drive compatible with that missing chainstay on the RHS. Any word on whether these are belt + rohloff compatible?

Woody
Woody
8 years ago

Would be interested to see standover figures for that Woodsmoke. For a bike designed to get a bit rowdy it sure looks a bit ‘garden gate like’ in the photos.

Reminds one of the past it does
Reminds one of the past it does
8 years ago

That elevated stay bike reminds me of the 1994 Rocky Mountain Suzi-Q. Look it up. This is return of the Jedi.

Now bring back a genuine Ross Shafer jelly bean edition bike!

Ryan
Ryan
8 years ago

Sighted at Northstar today

ascarlarkinyar
8 years ago

How big a tire on the new fat bike then? Just “bigger” is vague.

gringo
gringo
8 years ago

The Timberjack looks like a great b+ option,…hope to have one in my basement soon!

gringo
gringo
8 years ago

>Agreed on the way too vague tire description for the new Mukluk………the only thing we want to know is if it fits the Vee 2XL’s?

motarded
motarded
8 years ago

do you even adventure bro?

Velaro
Velaro
8 years ago

the Woodsmoke seems to have picked up some ideas from the 2016 Edge Design Phantom.

Boosh
8 years ago

Hey look another Stache copy, just like that Edge Phantom and all the other cheap Chinese knock offs. Way to go Salsa…

Dirty Sanchez
Dirty Sanchez
8 years ago

That Timberjack looks cool….that Woodsmoke looks like my 5 yr old tried to draw a bicycle from memory and failed.

RP
RP
8 years ago

I bet the Woodsmoke is produced for two years at the most. It screams “what were we thinking?” right from the get-go.

Collin
Collin
8 years ago

Remember how the Y frames of the 90’s look so dated now, that’s the Woodsmoke, in all its retro grunge. I like the dropouts but besides that, it looks SO ugly, and looks like as others have said, looks like the knock off Stache from the company “works well” (in S-works font lol)

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
8 years ago

If you draw in a rear shock, the woodsmoke frame looks fine even with the elevated CS. It’s like they took an FS drawing and made it rigid. Should be a nice bikepacking frame when the frame bag is done. However not pleasing to the eye. Purchasing should keep it to one production run to cut down on the closeouts.

Tom
Tom
8 years ago

I had to scroll all the way down to the Beargrease before I found a bike that didn’t look so unappealing.

atlbikeshop
8 years ago

Wow, the woodsmoke is freaking ugly. However, the Red-white-blue Beargrease looks great and that scheme should be offered on more frames!

stringer bell
stringer bell
8 years ago

SIMPSONS DID IT

rich hargus
rich hargus
8 years ago

i like it. i like it.

freewheeler
freewheeler
8 years ago

Having an elevated stay certainly doesn’t make it a “Stache copy”. Elevated chainstays have been around since the 90’s at least. Mrazek, anyone? Look ’em up. It’s the only way to get big tires, chainrings, mud clearance, and 400mm (!) stays all in one go.

Furthermore, anyone serious about the “copy” talk should recall the first Trek Farley, which was literally a geometric copy of the Mukluk. “We bought the number one selling fatbike, measured it out, and straight up just put our name on the downtube” isn’t a very good tagline.

As for the looks, I haven’t yet decided… doesn’t look horrible, but I do like classic steel lines.

Eddiemc
Eddiemc
8 years ago

@gringo
No the new mukluk will not fit vee 2xl.
Judged by the pictures of the crank (169mm axle and RF turbine cinch) there’s plenty of room between the frame and the crank arms.
The vee 2xl needs a much wider chainstay than what we can see here and since the mukluk also has only 450mm at the longest end of the chainstay that will probably limit it too.

Smoke'm if you got'm
Smoke'm if you got'm
8 years ago

Woodsmoke frame only price ???

RickyBob
RickyBob
8 years ago

I honestly got a little nauseous looking at that thing…

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