Tested: Salsa Timberjack SLX 29 Hardtail Mountain Bike

I had been looking for a mountain bike to bring me into this century for a little while, but my search had often left me scratching my head, feeling like I was lost in a foreign land.

My previous all-terrain rides had all been second-hand, steel-framed 26ers circa the mid-’90s. In other words, they were heavy, twitchy, and you would feel every little stick, root, or rock along the trail.

A lot has changed in the world of mountain bikes within the last 30 years: 29-inch wheels are now the norm, along with hydraulic disc brakes, more relaxed or stretched out headtube angles for stability, and cable-actuated dropper posts for increased confidence in descents and jumps. All of this was completely foreign to me and, frankly, a little overwhelming.

I knew I wanted a modern mountain bike to handle modern trails, but I also knew that a full-suspension trail bike was not in the budget. So, I sought guidance on a mid-level, all-around hardtail from my local bike shop.

Nick, the owner of Red Wheel Bike Shop in Jefferson City, was patient with my onslaught of questions (why is a dropper post necessary? Why are 29-inch wheels better than 26-inch wheels? How much travel is ideal for a front shock?) and requested test rides. I test rode a Trek Roscoe 8, a Trek Marlin 7, and a Salsa Timberjack SLX. All three landed in the $1,500-$2,000 price range, which seems to be the starting point for a reliable, capable hardtail that can handle most trails and adventures without completely breaking the bank.

The bike that checked all my boxes was the Salsa Timberjack. The Timberjack, in typical Salsa fashion, was designed to be a jack-of-all-trades hardtail that’s perfectly capable of tearing up your local singletracks and equally comfortable tackling multiday bikepacking adventures in the backcountry.

The Build
I ended up purchasing the Timberjack SLX 29. The alloy frame is rigid yet pliable with multiple boss mounts on the top tube, seat tube, and interior and exterior of the downtube for optimum liquid and cargo-carrying capacity. The progressive frame geometry means descents are a lot of fun, and pedaling uphill is not an awkward battle (as it can be with some more aggressive builds).

The 130 mm travel RockShox 35 Silver TK front fork handily manages trail chatter for a controlled ride, while offering rebound adjustments and the option to lock out the fork for extended climbs and fast flats.

 

The Timberjack also comes equipped with Salsa’s Alternator 2.0 drop-out, which allows the rider to adjust the ride’s characteristics by lengthening or shortening the chainstay to provide more stability or more responsiveness. It also makes swapping over to a single-speed setup a breeze.

On the Trail
Once I took the Timberjack out on the trails, several things stood out to me, most obviously the dropper post and 29-inch wheels. Both were game-changers.

No longer did I need to fear every root, rock, or rut. The 29-inch wheels, equipped with 2.6-inch Maxxis Rekon in the rear and Maxxis Minion DHF in the front, rolled over everything with ease.

And with the press of my left thumb, my seat could be out of the way for technical sections and fast descents, so I didn’t need to worry about getting caught on the saddle while standing or in an attack position.

The 1×12 Shimano SLX drivetrain proved to be smooth, capable, and much simpler than switching between the custom three-chainring setups on my ’90s bikes. The gearing ratio provided plenty of room at the low end for hard, steep climbs and enough torque through the high gears to really lay the hammer down when needed.

Thus far, the Timberjack has exceeded every expectation for fun rides on local singletracks, private mountain bike parks, and several gnarly trails in Northwest Arkansas. I’m now eager to find out how well it does on a multi-day adventure in the backcountry.

For more details on the Timberjack, go here.

Author: Kyle Wayne Stewart is a frequent contributor to Terrain.

Top image: the Salsa Timberjack SLX 29. (Kyle Wayne Stewart)