Cutthroat

The second-generation Salsa Cutthroat remains a dedicated ultra-endurance machine, purpose-built for massive days on mixed terrain and events like the Tour Divide. It blurs the line between a gravel rig and a rigid cross-country mountain bike, prioritizing long-haul comfort and cargo capacity over sharp racing agility. For this redesign, Salsa modernized the chassis to handle rougher surfaces with greater composure. The update introduces Boost spacing, flat-mount brakes, and a heavily revised carbon fork designed to drastically improve front-end compliance. While it retains the massive frame triangle and extensive mounting points that made the original a bikepacking staple, the revised geometry stretches the wheelbase and slackens the front end for enhanced stability. It is a highly specialized tool aimed squarely at self-supported racers and adventure riders who need a reliable, comfortable platform for crossing states or continents.

Gen V2

Salsa Cutthroat

Build

Size

03 / Geometry

Geometry & fit.

5 sizes published.

The Cutthroat geometry is heavily influenced by mountain bike design, resulting in a distinctly upright and relaxed rider posture. A tall stack and relatively short reach keep the rider's weight comfortably distributed, reducing neck and back strain during extended efforts. This upright position is paired with a slack head tube angle and long chainstays, creating a stretched wheelbase that prioritizes straight-line tracking and predictable handling over quick steering corrections.

Salsa equips the Cutthroat with its Cowchipper handlebar, which features a generous flare and shallow drop. This setup provides a wide, stable stance when descending in the drops, offering the leverage needed to muscle the bike through technical sections or deep gravel. The frame is also suspension-corrected, meaning the rigid carbon fork can be swapped for a short-travel mountain bike fork without disrupting the handling dynamics. Additionally, the sloping top tube exposes a significant amount of the seatpost, which flexes under load to further isolate the rider from rear-wheel impacts.

Reach × Stack · size 52cmmm

Where the handlebar sits relative to the bottom bracket — the single most important fit pair.

01Fit geometry6 values

Stack584.98 mm

Reach357.77 mm

Top tube520 mm

Headtube length90 mm

Standover height700.44 mm

Seat tube length355.6 mm

03Handling geometry6 values

Headtube angle69°

Seat tube angle74.5°

BB drop70 mm

Offset51 mm

Wheelbase1049.54 mm

Chainstay length445 mm

Which size should I buy?

Slide your height to see the recommended size. GearWise's fit algorithm works from the published stack, reach, and ETT — the brand's own recommendation may differ.

Your height

5'8"173 cm

5'0"5'5"5'10"6'3"6'7"

Recommended size54cmBased on stack, reach & ETT for your height · score 49/100.

→Calculated from GearWise's own stack / reach / ETT algorithm — the brand's size chart may recommend a different size, and a proper bike fit beats any calculator.

04 / Other builds

The lineup.

5 builds, ranging $3,500 – $7,999.

The Cutthroat lineup spans from accessible mechanical groupsets to premium electronic drivetrains, all utilizing the same carbon frame and fork. Because the frame uses Boost spacing, Salsa employs a specific drivetrain configuration that pairs road shifters with mountain bike cranks to maintain proper chainlines and tire clearance.

Entry-level and mid-tier builds feature Shimano GRX components, available in both single-ring and double-ring configurations. The double-ring option provides tightly spaced gears for riders who want precise cadence control on long, rolling routes. Moving up the ladder, the premium builds shift to SRAM AXS Transmission setups, offering wireless electronic shifting and massive cassettes for steep, loaded climbing. These higher-end models also introduce dropper posts for added descending clearance and upgrade the wheelsets from standard alloy rims to lighter carbon options.

Across all builds, the bike rolls on large-diameter wheels wrapped in high-volume tires, maximizing rollover capability. The true value of the platform lies in its cargo integration, with every model featuring extensive mounting points for racks, cages, and a custom direct-mount frame bag that bolts cleanly into the front triangle.

—C Force XO AXS Transmission

Model year: 2025

$7,999

—C Rival GX AXS Transmission

Model year: 2024

$5,899

—C Apex AXS Transmission

05 / Reviews

From the press.

11 reviews from the cycling press.

Reviewers consistently praise the Cutthroat for its exceptional stability and vibration damping over punishing distances. The combination of the frame's engineered flex and the redesigned fork effectively mutes trail chatter, allowing the bike to "hum along with a purposeful and unfussy manner" (Rideonmagazine). On fast, rough descents, the chassis remains remarkably planted, helping riders feel "much more in control and connected" (GearJunkie) when navigating chunky gravel or rocky doubletrack.

The primary tradeoff for this high-speed composure is low-speed agility. The slack front end and long wheelbase mean the bike "requires a significant amount of input from the rider in very tight and slow corners" (Granfondo). It is not a bike that snaps to attention under hard acceleration, but rather one that builds momentum steadily and maintains it with minimal rider fatigue.

While the ride quality earns near-universal acclaim, the component standards draw some mixed feedback. Several testers expressed reservations about the press-fit bottom bracket, noting its historical tendency to creak, though most acknowledged they did not experience actual issues during their test periods. Ultimately, the consensus frames the Cutthroat as an incredibly capable drop-bar mountain bike that excels when loaded with gear and pointed toward the horizon.