Biking Across Rough Terrain: Examining the Salsa Blackthorn's GX Transmission for Cross-Country and Bikepacking Adventures
The Salsa Blackthorn 125 C GX is a versatile all-mountain bike that offers a balance between uphill efficiency and downhill stability. With its 125mm rear suspension, it straddles the line between trail and all-mountain performance, making it a strong contender for riders seeking a do-it-all trail bike.
The Blackthorn 125 shares its frame with the Salsa Blackthorn 145, giving it a stable and capable geometry suitable for a range of terrains. Its long, slack geometry (adjustable head tube angle from 64.7° to 64.4°) offers confident handling on descents, while the relatively upright seat tube angle provides an aggressive yet comfortable climbing position. Short chainstays enhance agility for cornering, making it neither sluggish nor overly twitchy.
The bike comes with plentiful braking power and consistency, thanks to SRAM Code brakes. The top-of-the-line version features a Fox 36SL Performance Elite Fork and Fox Float X Performance Elite shock, providing excellent suspension performance.
The Blackthorn 125 is versatile, at home on technical trails, deep backcountry adventures, and occasional bikepacking trips alike. It offers two build options: C GX Transmission ($6,499) and C Deore 12 ($3,999). Both versions are made of carbon and feature a wheel size of 29", with the option to convert to a "mullet" 29/27.5" configuration.
The bike's geometry is aggressive, but the suspension travel is limited, making it capable on moderate trails but slightly less so on technical bike park features. The Terravail Drawpoint rear tire, while suitable for gravel roads, may not be ideal for technical backcountry trails or bike parks with low-profile knobs.
The Blackthorn 125's design prioritizes stability, versatility, and balanced performance over extreme specialization or weight savings. This positions it as a compelling option for riders seeking a stable, capable all-mountain bike without needing the maximum suspension travel—and often the higher price—of more specialized enduro models.
The bike is versatile, offering excellent accessory mounts for bikepacking. With the addition of Tailfin's Long Top Tube Bag and Bar Bag System, and Tailfin's Cargo Cages and Bags on the Fox 36's lower legs, the Blackthorn 125 is ready for deep backcountry adventures. It also features a slot through the carbon frame for storage, which can secure a tube bundle and CO2 cartridge with a removable Velcro strap.
The bike's shock's climbing switch gives a nearly locked-out feel akin to a cross-country race bike, making it a capable climber. However, when weighed down with camping gear, it is a slow and steady climber, but gets the job done in a comfortable fashion.
The Salsa Blackthorn 125 is offered in four sizes: S, M, L, XL. While it is slightly heavier and burlier than a cross-country bike, it is not a bargain at $6,500. Despite its cons, such as tires that are terrible for technical trails and a high entry-level cost, the Blackthorn 125's strengths make it a worthy consideration for riders seeking a versatile all-mountain bike.
This versatile Salsa Blackthorn 125 C GX bike, ideal for a range of sports like biking and bikepacking, excels in both uphill and downhill conditions. Its long, slack geometry offers confident handling on descents, while its short chainstays enhance agility for cornering.
With the addition of suitable accessories like Tailfin's Long Top Tube Bag and Bar Bag System, the bike is ready for deep backcountry camping adventures. Its shock's climbing switch allows for a nearly locked-out feel, making it a capable climber, even when weighed down with camping gear.
