How to Choose Mountain Bikes

Stable and confident on rugged descents while still being a capable climber, the Salsa Blackthorn Deore 12-Speed bike offers a well-balanced feel that you'll love for all-day, all-mountain pursuits.
Imported.
Best Use | Mountain Biking |
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Frame | Blackthorn Alloy V1 |
Mountain Bike Style | Trail |
Bike Suspension | Full Suspension |
Fork | RockShox 35 Gold RL, 160 mm, 44 mm offset |
Fork Travel | 160 millimeters |
Rear Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Select |
Crankset | Shimano MT512, 30T |
Bottom Bracket | 73 mm BSA, threaded |
Shifters | Shimano Deore M6100 |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano Deore M6100 SGS |
Rear Cogs | Shimano Deore M6100, 1051T, 12-speed |
Number of Gears | 12 gear(s) |
Brake Type | Hydraulic Disc Brake |
Brakes | Shimano MT4100 |
Brake Levers | Shimano MT4100 |
Rims | WTB ST i30 |
Front Hub | 400-B 15 x 110 mm |
Rear Hub | Shimano SLX M7130 12 x 157 mm |
Wheel Size | 29 inches |
Tires | Front: Maxxis Assegai 29 x 2.5 in.; rear: Maxxis Dissector 29 x 2.4 in.; Maxx Terra, EXO+, TR |
Tire Width | 2.5 inches 2.4 inches |
Handlebar Shape | Riser Bar |
Handlebar | Race Face Chester 35 |
Stem | Salsa Guide Trail 50 mm |
Seat Post | TranzX YSI05, Shimano MT500 lever, 30 mm |
Dropper Post | Yes |
Saddle | WTB Volt 250 Steel, 250 x 135 |
Pedals | Not included |
Headset | FSA Orbit 1.5E NO.57E ACB, ZS44/ZS56 |
Chain | Shimano Deore M6100 |
Weight | Unavailable |
Gender | Unisex |
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THIS BIKE IS FREAKIG AWESOME IT HAS EVERYTHING K NEED. IT HAS SPACE FOR A TUBE AND A TOP TUBE BAG THAT CAN HOLD FOOD AND TOOLS. IF YOUR A XC RIDER TRYING TO GET INTO ROUGHER TERRAIN THIS IS THE BEST BIKE FOR ANYTHING
To be clear, I just purchased this and this is my first mountain bike in 20 years, so keep that in mind while reading this. This review will mostly cover the purchasing experience and my initial impression and experience after 5 rides. Decision to Buy: I picked this bike based on several positive reviews online, specifically on Reddit. Also, the bike was on sale, and purchasing through REI meant I could return the bike for up to a year and get about $220 back for being a Co-op member. Purchasing: The purchasing experience was fine. It did take almost 2 weeks for my bike to be ready for pickup, which was about a week longer than I expected. Overall, it was fine as the weather was bad anyway but I would have liked to have known it could take that long. Initial Impression: The bike is cool! The REI shop did a great job of putting it together and even installed the new pedals I brought with me. I double-checked when I got home and everything was tight and appeared to be installed correctly. I really like that the Blackthorn comes tubeless ready. Everything you need is included except the valve puller and sealant. I weighed the bike on a scale and it comes in at 36 lbs. Ride Experience: I have some Utah desert hills behind my house that have various trails created by various off-road vehicles. The climbs are long and somewhat steep, which means the downhill is too. The surface is mostly packed dirt and loose rubble with areas of large rocks partially exposed in the road. For my first couple of rides, I was careful and took my time as I needed to get familiar with the bike. By my most recent ride was was comfortable enough to take the downhill at nearly full speed. The bike handles great and I really haven't run into any issues. Conclusion: I'm happy with my purchase and feel the bike will carry me through years of rides. I'm sure more expensive bikes are better but, for what I'm doing, it's great!
I've had this bike for two weeks and I love it. It's everything you could want in a bike plus a little more.