Salsa  Journeyer Apex 1 700c Bike

I am a mountain biker at heart and bought this because other reviews I have seen mention its similar geometry to a mountain bike. This holds true. It has a very comfortable feel and is just a really fun bike to ride. I have had it for three weeks and have put over 300 miles on it. The Apex 1 groupset has been flawless so far. The tires are fast and have performed well. Could not recommend this bike more for someone getting into gravel or looking for a hybrid bike. It's also a good looking bike that you have to see in person to really appreciate!

This bike exceeded my expectations in every way. I like the way it fits (I am 5'2", 122 lbs.; I bought a 53cm), the way it handles, and how light and fast it feels. I like that it has mechanical disc brakes. Initially, I was afraid I might run out of gears, so I took it on a couple of rides that I normally do with my Specialized road bike so I could compare. I did not run out of gears, and I rode the route as fast as I do on the road bike. TBH, I was surprised, (pleasantly!). I can't stay off this Salsa, and I have multiple bikes. It is so fun to ride! I have over 130 miles on it after two weeks of owning it. I added Shimano two-sided pedals (have clipless on one side, flat pedals on the other), stayed with the stock tires for now but made it tubeless ready, added bottle cages, and a couple of small bags. This bike is a great value for the money.

Quincy, Austin and team were amazing to work with! They took the time to answer my questions and set the bike up to fit me perfectly. I am over the moon happy with the service, they are a stellar team to work with! Go buy a bike from them- you won’t be disappointed!! Happy riding! 🤙🏻

I test rode cannonale topstone, trek checkpoint before taking this for a spin. I chose this for below factors: better fit and ride quality Easy shifting mechanics lower price point Flashy Color

If you are wanting a solid all-around bike this is a great choice! Going off what the previous reviewer said about having issues with the stock wheelset; I did get an email from REI that some of the spokes from the Journeyer series were de-tensioning quicker than expected and to take it in for a free trueing if it happened. I paid attention to my wheels intently for the first couple hundred miles but did not notice anything but it was nice that I was notified about it. Speaking of wheels, this comes stock with the Washburn tires, which is great for tarmac/ pavement, but I ended up switching it out with more of an all-terrain tire so I could zip around on gravel more. In my opinion the frame runs small by just a little, but it is not terrible. If you are able to try one out in person, I highly recommend it, but in-store inventory is a hit or miss these days. I really like the 1x drivetrain; however I can definitely see people who are getting into cycling wanting a wider range of gears. This is a bike geared towards folks who have a little more experience and stronger legs and if that is the case, best to look for a bike with a 2x or 3x drivetrain. Before this review gets too long, I am going to quickly say the things I love about this bike. The carbon fork with a lot of clearance, wide drop bars for control on dirt, the color (get compliments on it all the time), and the many spots for mounting gear (for bikepacking or very long day rides). Side-note: the REI Link frame bag size medium fits like a glove on the frame! For a reference, I got the 55cm size bike.

Bought this bike to replace my older road bike and couldn't be more satisfied. Gearing on the bike provides enough range to climb almost any hill and to pick up a decent amount of speed on flat segments. Excellent bike for commuting or just riding around town after work and on weekends.

I am an experienced cyclist, road, mountain, foldable bikes. I raced mountain bikes, and I have done long organized rides including the Tour de Tucson multiple times. I shopped for a gravel bike for a long time. I finally settled on the Salsa Journeyer, even over a bike that was about 3x as expensive. I chose the Apex 1 700c, and I believe it is the best value for the price. The first time I rode it at the store, I knew immediately that it fit me perfectly and was the right choice. I chose a 53 cm, and I am 5'2", 122 lbs. At first I didn't know whether to choose the 51 or the 53, but once I rode the bike it was obvious that the 53 was the right one. This morning was the bike's "maiden voyage" with me, and it felt so effortless to make it go super fast. I rode on the canal (in the Phoenix, AZ area), and also took a short detour in some gravel. I will want bigger, more dirt-worthy tires when I do more extensive dirt riding, but I like the tires the bike came with for the road. I think the slight flare of the drop bars is more comfortable than conventional road bike drops. My riding position on this bike is very comfortable overall. The stock saddle works great for me. Overall, I am super happy that I chose this bike.

I bought this bike as a retirement present for myself. I've been road biking as an adult for 15 years, and wanted a bike that could handle light touring and some easy dirt roads. I could not be happier than with the Journeyer Apex. Going from maximum 28mm wide tires on my road bike to the 38mm (plus room for more) on the Journeyer has been an eye-opener as far as comfort and confidence is concerned. The paved roads in my town in Ventura County, CA, are deteriorating, as I think is true in many towns. I can ride over cracks and bumps without having to choose my line carefully. I do not see any loss in speed over my usual routes, probably because the comfort and confidence of the wider tires offset the weight penalty of a few pounds over my previous road bike. The Sram Apex shifting took me only a few rides to get used to. The range of gearing (11 to 42 in the rear with a 40 up front) is slightly easier than my old triple, and I find myself using all the gears more often on the 1x set up than I did on my triple. For me, the highest hearing of 40-11 is plenty. I purchased an Ortlieb Fork Pack Plus to carry gear on the front fork, which seems not to affect the handling at all. I will ultimately add a rear rack to allow light touring. I will caution prospective buyers to trust the size guide for this bike. I am relatively short at 5'5", and in a typical road bike I need a size 50cm. In the Journeyer, the 53cm fits me very well indeed. Note that the brake levers' reach can be adjusted for smaller hands, which helped me a lot. I did change the seat to a more- comfortable-for-me Brooks B17, as the stock seat is just too narrow for me; YMMV, of course. I am looking forward to many adventures on this bike, which will take me more comfortably to more places, regardless of the road surface.

I do not live near an REI-an hour at best. Whenever I order a bike online, I expect the bike to be tuned and ready to go. I have owned enough bikes to understand that there is a break in period but when I have to drive home just to learn that brake pads are rubbing, tires are not true, it’s pretty frustrating. I had to take it to the pro shop in town to get it all corrected…was not a free service of course. I know they “stand behind their work” but why would I put my bike back into the hands of people who do not know how to truly set up a bike. I would recommend the bike but not service.

I’ve had no issues with the bike so far. I’ve rode about 50 miles. The shifting is smooth and accurate. The mech disc brakes have superior stopping power compared to the rim brakes on my last bike, especially at higher speeds. They do make some grinding sounds occasionally, but that is apparently normal during the “bed in” process of the pads. Overall, I’m happy with the bike.