Salsa Bucksaw X01 Review - Part II

Pulled a fast one on you with Part I, eh? Thought you were getting a review, but what you got was the prelude. Sorry about that, but I think the best product reviews demand context. If I don't know what you're about, why you bought the product, your level of experience and knowledge, and the expectations you brought to the situation, I have no way to judge whether or not the review is useful to me.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - My Bucksaw X01 ROCKS!

With that out of the way, here's why...

It gives me confidence, and that means speed: The combination of bigger, grippier tires, along with full suspension that soaks up the terrain means less time worrying about my line and more time ripping it. Roots and rocks that would have thrown me off-line, or even off-bike are no longer a big deal. Pick a line and charge it. The Bucksaw delivers.

The handling is DIALED: All the reviews I'd read told me this bike wasn't really like others. the soul of a trail bike in the body of a fat(ish) bike. I especially love this bike on fast, flowy trails. Pick a line, set your speed and GO! The biggest challenge going faster is between my ears (or maybe in my shorts...).  

It's just right: At 6' with a long torso and shortish legs (31" inseam), fit is an issue for me. I've been wrestling with other bikes for over a year now. Large is just a touch too big, while Medium feels cramped. Not so the Bucksaw. I have zero doubts about the sizing of this bike. From my first test ride, I knew the Large was perfect.

It doesn't beat me up: I'm not 22 anymore. Hell, I'm not 42 anymore. Given that I'm rapidly approaching 52 trips around the sun, I find myself more interested in comfort than I had been in the past. With full suspension and bigger tires, I get a ton more compliant ride so I can go faster for longer. What's odd is that the Bucksaw doesn't ride like a fat bike. It's much more precise, yet still has the forgiving qualities of a fat bike.

The build is oh-so-right: Kudos to Salsa for packing value into this ride. The solid SRAM X01 drivetrain shifts flawlessly, the RockShox Reverb dropper seatpost has brought an interesting new dimension to my riding. Thomson stem (my fave) and carbon bars (not my fave). Sure, I have some minor quibbles, but that will come with any bike.

A caveat on my experiences - as mentioned previously, I had a second set of 27.5+ wheels built for trail riding. Bearclaw Bicycle Co. carbon rims, Industry Nine Torch hubs, and DT Swiss spokes. Light. Fast. Smooth. Really glad I made this investment! I'm eager to ride the stock 4" fat tires on 80mm rims. The Bucksaw was designed around these, so it will be interesting to see how they perform. As of now, my plan is to swap them over after the Iceman Cometh race next weekend.

Salsa hit a winner with this unconventional ride. It's smooth, fast, and feels very nimble. I have some questions of how it will be in the snow, but time will tell. 

MISSES

The Bucksaw X01 does an incredible number of things right. Which makes it easy to overlook some misses. Honestly, these misses are incredibly minor.

It comes stock with a WTB Pure V Race. Initially, I couldn't decide if I like it or not. After some hours in the saddle, I reached the conclusion that I didn't. Just to plush and cushy. That's not surprising, given my predisposition toward more race-oriented saddles with minimal padding. Interestingly, when I put my standard SQ Labs 611 Race on it, I didn't like that either. On the recommendation of the guys at Einstein Bicycles, I went to the WTB Volt Pro. Perfect. The goldilocks of saddles. Not too firm. Not too soft. Just right.

The actuator button for the RockShox Reverb dropper post rubbed me wrong from the outset. The push-button actuation seems doomed to always be in the wrong place. It makes for a weird angle, and at those critical moments when I need to find it quickly, I can't. Enter the Wolf Tooth Components ReMote Sustain. Traditional lever, and it looks to offer a better actuation interface at the post, too. We'll see -- dropping the bike off today for installation.

The Salsa carbon bars initially made a good impression. They seemed to soak up some shock, and hey carbon bars are cool. Right? An unfortunate incident rubbing against another bike on my previous rack left them with a solid gouge. One that both Einstein head mechanic Dan and I decided we didn't want to take chances with. Fortunately, they had a Salsa Rustler 3 alloy bar in-stock. 

Finally, the SRAM Guide RS brakes aren't my favorite. Sticking issues had me with warranty replacement levers within a few months. And they still don't have the greatest feel. Are they awful? Heck no! Also, if I'd realized this big ride needs a bit more stopping power, I'd have considered moving up from the stock 160mm rotors to 180mm. This is a minor issue however and I have no intent to replace two sets of rotors.

SHOULD I BUY ONE?

At the end of the day, that's why your reading this, right? My answer is simple - "yes, but...". Do yourself a favor and build up a pair of 27.5+ wheels for trail riding. Now you have one bike that can competently be both trail bike and fat bike and be pretty darn solid at both.

Not that the Bucksaw is for everyone. If you're a flat-out XC speed demon, this isn't your bike. Stick to your 29er carbon hardtail. Likewise, if you're doing challenging bike part terrain, you're going to want something with more than 100mm of travel.

But, if you want to ride a wide range of singletrack and have a blast, throw a leg over a Salsa Bucksaw soon!

Salsa Bucksaw X01 Review - Part I

The lines of modern bikes continue to blur as we evolve from a few clearly defined categories toward bicycles that cross and expand functionality. Road bikes with wider tires now enable occasional rambles on gravel roads. While we're a long way from the "one bike quiver" (the holy grail of skis), some surprising new offerings truly expand functionality.

My Salsa Bucksaw X01 is just such a whip. Described by Salsa as "blurring the lines between a fatbike and a full suspension mountain bike" the Bucksaw was designed around 4" tires and nimble performance in a wide range of situations. This is not just marketing BS, it truly does.

But first, some context. This Summer I decided that after 51 trips around the sun, my body was feeling a bit beat up by hardtails. My Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon World Cup is superlight, fast, and handles pretty well, but the hardtail really forces me to choose lines carefully, and often leaves me sore the next day. Plus, I'd been reading a lot about 27.5+ full suspension bikes and they looked mighty appealing.

On a visit to Traverse City, MI, I decided to go out and look around. TC has a collection of solid shops. Specifically, I was interested in the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 6 Fattie, and the Salsa Pony Rustler GX1.

I really wanted to like the Specialized - good price, dealer had some end-of-season deals, well equipped. But... I just didn't. I found the suspension to be typical of what I've experienced with Specialized. It's as though the front and rear just aren't working in-sync. It had some of the same 'pogo stick' as my buddy's five-year-old FSR. Nope. That's not going to work.

After this, I headed over to Einstein Cycles hoping to check out a Pony Rustler. I had the good fortune to get connected to owner Jason Lowetz (more about Jason and his shop later). I quickly learned he didn't have any Pony Rustler's in stock, and with the new model year coming, wouldn't have one for several months. But, he quickly moved into solution selling mode (I'm a sales and marketing guy, so I get it) and asked me what I planned to do with it and why I wanted to make a switch.

I shared that I wanted to ride places like Glacial Hills up North and Potowatami in SE Michigan, as well as my usual haunts of the DTE Energy Trail and the VASA Trail. What I was looking for was comfort, greater confidence in choosing lines and dealing with rocks, roots, and other obstacles. Here's how the conversation went from there:

Jason: "Dude, you want a Salsa Bucksaw with a second set of 27.5+ wheels!"

Me: "Ummm, but that's a fat bike. I already have a fat bike..."

Jason: "Better still. Get a Bucksaw, sell your fat bike and we'll get you on some SWEET carbon 27.5+ wheels!"

Damn. You got me, Jason. Bike consolidation has been a theme in my stable. Owning, riding, and maintaining multiple bicycles is a hassle. I already had things on my Salsa Beargrease X5 that I felt came up short -- the lack of front suspension, the 2x drivetrain, the mechanical discs. He had me.

But, it got better. Salsa had a few 2015/2016 Bucksaw X01's left that they were blowing out at a ridiculous price. For the same price as a current Bucksaw GX1, I got a bike with a Thomson Elite X4 stem, carbon bars, a RockShox Reverb dropper post, and other component upgrades. Literally $2,000 off.

Quick test ride on a current model to determine if I liked it (I did) and to check size (Large), and the trigger was pulled. Over the next few days, Jason and I arrived at a build for the wheelset. Bearclaw Bicycles Co. carbon rims (Bearclaw is Einstein's own brand of mighty sweet bikes), DT Swiss spokes, and Industry Nine Torch hubs. He cautioned me that I9 fat bike hubs get "mighty loud". Bring it. I love a screaming drivetrain. Saves me needing a bell on the trail!

To say I was excited is a polite understatement. "F_ _k yeah!" would be more like it. I knew I could sell my Beargrease for nearly what I'd paid (I did -- within a day of listing it). And now I'd have one bike that could be my plush, fast trail bike, AND with a quick wheel swap be a fat bike for Winter riding.

Do I like it? What's it ride like? Any shortcomings? Well, now you're going to need to wait for Part II of this review. Yeah, call me a tease. I'm good with that. Good writing is about building anticipation...

One final note on this whole process - Einstein Cycles is AWESOME! Finding a first-rate bike shop for sales and service is a true gem. I still haven't found a downstate shop that combines a great selection of products with a great repair shop. I've found one or the other, but not both in one place. In addition to Jason, shop guys Dan and Dustin are solid sales types, as well as ace mechanics (Dan builds the wheels). The shop has a friendly, mellow vibe, but they take customer service and satisfaction incredibly seriously. This initial impression has been reinforced on every interaction. I wouldn't hesitate to send anyone, at any level, to them. In fact, after hearing about and riding my bike, a buddy ended up buying nearly the same ride and wheels!~