Thinking About A Salsa Timberjack... Thoughts, Deals?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Cyclotourist, Aug 20, 2017.


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  1. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    All the new bikes popping up with 27+ wheels combined with riding Big Bear the last few weeks have me really thinking about a new bike. I think a hardtail would be fine, especially with the larger tires, so not quite thinking full suspension at the moment. Right now my mind is spinning, trying to decide between a Chameleon and a Timberjack... The Salsa is $300 cheaper, and I like the way the swoopy tubes look. Geo is VERY close to each other, with the SC being a little tigther with shorter stays/touch longer reach.

    So question is, are there any guesses if these will go on an end of season sale anywhere? Do Salsas tend to go on sale? Or Santa Cruz for that matter?
    REI seems to be the best bet for getting the Salsa, and I would get the co-op credit, but saving 10-20% in cash up front would be even better.

    Similar/better bikes I should be looking at?
     
    Mikie likes this.
  2. LLPoolJ

    LLPoolJ iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Moreno Valley
    Name:
    James Johnson
    Current Bike:
    Specy Epic, Stumpu and Enduro
    Talk to Dean at Neighborhood Cyclery he is a salsa dealer and may be able to get you deal on it.
     
    Mikie, Sidewalk and Cyclotourist like this.
  3. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    Try this shop, http://www.topangacreekoutpost.com/, they are a huge Salsa dealer and probably have one in stock. As for the Santa Cruz, that is a new model and it won't go on sale any time soon.
     
    Mikie, SnakeCharmer and Cyclotourist like this.
  4. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Thanks @LLPoolJ & @Danmtchl Neighborhood is practically in the neighborhood, and Topanga isn't that far out of the way for a weekend trip. Pro Bike Supply in Newport seems like a pretty big Salsa dealer as well. Would it be safe to say that after labor day would the time to look? Could be in time for the updated Skyline ride!
     
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  5. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Are you looking at a complete bike or frame only?
     
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  6. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Don't forget we have a Santa Cruz connection in Santa Clarita.
     
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  7. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    That's where I got my Timberjack!

    Timberjacks have been out of stock from the factory for several months already. You may be able to track down what you are looking for in a shop hopefully not too far away. The 2018s are just about due to be released. There is a titanium version of the Timberjack available if you want the bling and are willing to pay the high price.

    Frame only? Wait for the 2018s.
     
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  8. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    I think Dean at NCyclery has a Timberjack in stock.
     
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  9. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    I can look tomorrow and see when the TJ are supposed to be available.
     
    Mikie likes this.
  10. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    @SnakeCharmer & @Faust29 Complete bike at the RS Recon level. Would LOVE a Ti version, but don't have the scratch for that. Really not for any new bike, hence the nosing around to save a few $$$ where I can.

    @UPSed I'm all ears... tell me more! Willing to make a drive. Like I said, I like the 'look' of the TJ's swoopy tubes more than the SC, but am not married to them!!! And LOVE the paint job of the SC. So that's a wash! The TJ looks to have minimally better shifting bits, and costs $300 less retail.

    @Sidewalk & @LLPoolJ I'll give him a call manana (needs tilde) and see. Need a large/19". I'll throw your names around liberally!

    @Danmtchl Thanks. I'm plenty happy waiting on a model, but figured the '17 models would start getting price drops right around now.

    So are there any other 27+ bikes at around that price point ($1,400/Recon fork) that I should consider? I'm pretty happy with the GX/Recon level builds, but wouldn't mind finding something with better/lighter/stronger wheels. Yeah, I know, it's only money, right...
     
  11. riiz

    riiz Member

    Location:
    Redlands, CA
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Heckler/Killmaleon
    It might not be helpful with the decision process, these options were stolen from a dirtrag online review of the Timberjack:

    Also in the aluminum 27plus bike family (around the Timberjack’s price point) are the following:

    • Kona Big Kahuna at $1,400 (100 mm fork, Shimano Deore, 440 mm chainstays, 69-degree headtube angle)
    • Cannondale Beast of the East 3 at $1,600 (120 mm fork, Shimano SLX, 435 mm chainstays, 68.4-degree headtube angle)
    • Scott Scale 720 Plus at $1,700 (120 mm fork, Shimano Deore, 439 mm chainstays, 67.7-degree headtube angle)
    • Norco Torrent 7.2 at $1,450 (12o mm fork, Shimano Deore/SLX, 422.5 mm chainstays, 67-degree headtube angle).
     
    HBkites, OTHRider, Mikie and 4 others like this.
  12. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    THANKS Eric. Interestingly, those are all Shimano builds, which I actually prefer (SRAM derailers in particular fall apart in my experience). Quickly perusing those, I like the Norco the most, but not sure about those wheels... looks like that's where they cut a few bucks out. So far, I'm still liking the TJ the most, with the Chameleon a very close second!
     
    Mikie likes this.
  13. M Chambon

    M Chambon Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    Mountains
    Name:
    Chambon
    Current Bike:
    Mugrienta
    I had a local shop call Salsa for the TJ, they said they were out of stock. Apparently, they will be offering 4 different builds for 2018 but they won't be out for the next 2-3 months. That sent me in another direction and I ended up with the Big Honzo. I only had it for four days (about 10 hours) and all I can say is that I really love the bike. Is a bit heavy but somehow is efficient on long climbs. I've done Clarks and Alder creek so far.
     
  14. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Thanks for that 411, Mauricio! I was up in OR this summer, and should have got one then... No tax and the 10% back at REI! But it took me this long to decide I 'need' one.

    Looks like Saturday was the big day for Alder Creek climbing... lot of hot sun on that right now, did not look fun!!!
     
    Mikie likes this.
  15. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    The only thing that really turned me off on the factory build Salsa was the wheels... They are made by Whisky, but there isn't much out there about that particular wheel. Is it a Salsa only? For me, the 40mm Eastons were a better bet on the SC. And I picked up a set of the Easton 27mm 29ers with DT Swiss hubs for a pretty good deal. My thinking was that the factory plus wheels would be good enough, and I would run the 29ers with the good hubs the majority of the time. I'm not sure that's going to work out that way, though. I'm really enjoying the plus wheels, and fortunately, the Novatec hubs spin really nice. Better than the Stan's hubs I used to run, and damn near as nice as the DT Swiss. Longevity on the hub... We'll see. SC did change the rear hub from the first production run to the second. If the wheels on the Salsa tick your boxes, though, that's what counts. :thumbsup:

    Also... After riding almost all of my dirt miles in the last 5 years on a recon fork (silver & gold- 100 & 120), it would be hard to go back to after trying the Fox 34. As a "budget" fork, it's hard to beat.

    Other bikes? The Konas are really nice... And The Path sometimes has demo bikes and last year's models for pretty good deals. I'd keep an eye on their sale page.
     
    mtnbikej and Mikie like this.
  16. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Thanks @Faust29 I haven't seen any wheels at this price level that jump out and say "Awesome!"... They're all very basic. But that's really okay, as long as they're 'good enough' wheels and not pure junk. My Gunnar has King/Stan's Crest on it, so anything is going to potentially feel heavy but flex can't get any worse than the Crests! :) The Fox 34 is aspirational... will see what's out there. I wish the R build had a few other upgrades than just the fork and a dropper... GX shifty bits would be nice.
     
    mtnbikej, Faust29 and Mikie like this.
  17. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    One more note for the Fox 34... The Recon is maxed out at 120. @mtnbikej performed surgery on my gold version, and bumped it from 100 to 120, but that's as far as she goes. The Fox 34, on the other hand, can be taken from 120mm t0 130 or 140mm for about $40 in parts. Labor... ?

    That upgrade path was in my decision making process. It might not be in yours...
     
    Cyclotourist, mtnbikej and Mikie like this.
  18. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Slippery slope, off camber, with ruts, and erosion I'm riding along...
     
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  19. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Faust29 and Cyclotourist like this.
  20. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    That was one thing I noticed right away with the complete builds. When I bought the el Mariachi, there were 3 distinct build levels. The $1600 mid version got me XT level drive train, and a recon Gold fork. I'm still running the cranks and fork!

    If the rumor is true that they are going to expand the build options, that would be a case for waiting and watching a bit...
     
    Cyclotourist and mtnbikej like this.
  21. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Thanks J... I'll dig into that later on. Chameleon is looking shiny right now...
     
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  22. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    I stopped by Neighborhood Cyclery yesterday. I was wrong, it was an El Mariachi he had, but it also is gone now.
     
  23. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I meant to do that (call)... but didn't. THANKS for checking it out! Way to help out!!!
     
  24. Grassblade23

    Grassblade23 Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Surly Karate Monkey
    If you are willing to contemplate steel, don't overlook Surly's Karate Monkey which is now a 27.5+/29er bike. $600 for frame/fork, $1175 for 29 SS, and $1300 for geared. That's fighting with the Chameleon and BotE for top spot in my next purchase. (Although the Salsa Woodsmoke and Trek Stache are still intriguing. Love me some elevated chainstays.)

    The fact that someone was able to squeeze 29x3 into the frame now has me contemplating how 29x2.6 would be. Hmmm...
     
    mtnbikej and Cyclotourist like this.
  25. riiz

    riiz Member

    Location:
    Redlands, CA
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Heckler/Killmaleon
    I was on the fence between the KM and Chameleon, I already own two Surlys and almost made it a three-peat but went with the Chameleon. I choose the lizard because I liked the better drop-out system and aggro trail-geo over the Monkey. The Karate Monkey has a great geometry and a lot of utility options for long epics or bike-packing with the amount of braze-ons.
     
  26. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    It's official... I'm going w/ a Chameleon! Eric and I can be twins about town!
    I decided on it based on the geo, out the box build, and yes, company reputation. Marketing works, yo!
    The Salsa was my original choice, but ended up going SC's way. The only real unknown is how well the Novatec wheels hold up. I presume they're probably going to be heavy. But if I really dig the B+ thing, I can see upgrading and sticking with this for a while!
    If I could have bought a complete, and not have to build up a frame, I probably would have picked up a Stanton Sherpa. But very happy with the Chameleon choice. Hopefully will end up in my garage toward the end of September for some autumn riding!
     
  27. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    Awesome...it's a really nice rig. I had a lot of fun on it with my limited time.
     
  28. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Yeah, I want it to be a lot of fun... that's the right word here!
     
  29. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Congrats on your decision @Cyclotourist. :thumbsup:

    I do agree that the builds offered for the lizard are supreme to the Timberjack offerings. Santa Cruz wins again!

    I have only seen the lizard in that one color scheme. Is that all it is available in for the model year?
     
    Faust29, Runs with Scissors and UPSed like this.
  30. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I think that's it for '17. Luckily I really like it!
     
    Faust29 likes this.
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