Salsa Timberjack Deore 12 Bike - 29", Aluminum, Storm Blue

Why We Like It
The Timberjack doesn't try to be a race bike or a bikepacking rig — it just does both, well, without complaining. Aluminum frame, a 140mm RockShox Recon fork to soak up whatever the Continental Divide Trail throws at it, and Salsa's Alternator dropouts that let you tune the chainstay length or run it singlespeed if you're feeling stubborn. This is the bike we point beginners and veterans alike toward when they ask what handles both a rocky Gila descent and a loaded overnight into the Wilderness without missing a beat.  Salsa being salsa has plenty of mountain points on the frame to attach whatever bikepacking accessories you may dream up.

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• Aluminum frame w/ Alternator 2.0 dropouts — SRAM UDH-ready, and adjustable enough to run geared, singlespeed, or tuned for a shorter, snappier wheelbase
• RockShox Recon Silver RL fork, 140mm travel — enough cushion for the rock gardens without turning the climbs into a chore
• Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain — wide-range gearing that gets you up the switchbacks out of town and still has legs for the descent back down
• Shimano MT420 4-piston brakes — serious stopping power for the steep, loose stuff the Gila is known for
• Teravail Clifty 29x2.5" tires, tubeless-ready — grip for chunky high-desert singletrack, set up to run lower pressure without pinch-flatting
• Multiple bottle, rack, and frame bag mounts — goes from an evening trail lap to a loaded overnight without swapping bikes