Salsa Bicycles has revamped its lineup of mountain bikes for 2025, with the revamped models launched at the Sea Otter Classic. While attending a press event pre-Sea Otter, I had the opportunity to swing a leg over the new Salsa Blackthorn Carbon 145 and rally it on some dry NorCal trails.
The Blackthorn and Spearfish are the two main platforms for the Salsa full suspension mountain bike lineup, covering the trail, all-mountain, and endurance XC bike categories. They also introduced a new Notch Carbon eMTB. The Blackthorn is sold in two different configurations: the Blackthorn 145 C and the Blackthorn 125 C. The model I spent time on was the 145mm iteration.
The 2025 Blackthorn Mountain Bike models utilize the same frame with different shocks and links to provide – you guessed it – 125mm and 145mm of rear wheel suspension covering the all-mountain category. As such, they’re long forked – ie, equipped with suspension forks with a bit more travel than the Rear. The 145 C is equipped with 160mm travel Fox 36 Float and Rockshock Lyric forks.
The Blackthorn 125 and 145 share most of the same components in the chassis, with a different rear shock and links to optimize the frame for each travel class, and utilize the Split Pivot suspension design.
Unique utility: the Salsa Adventure Tool Kit
If you’re in the market for a new all-around trail bike and you plan to do some longer rides, there are a few unique elements to the Blackthorn that should put it on your radar. Like many modern trail bikes, there are some minor geometry adjustments you can use to tailor the ride to your riding style, utilizing a flip chip. It’ll even run a 27.5 rear wheel should you want to run a mullet setup.
However, the most unique feature (IMO) is the ability to run two water bottle cages and bottles on the frame. Salsa also carries its accessory mount design over from the previous model, allowing ride accessories to be mounted in multiple locations.
Bike packers looking for a full suspension option, take note: the space in the frame could easily accept custom bike packing bags in place of water bottles.
Geometry Highlights (Blackthorn 145 c, size large, as tested)
- Reach: 492-489 (dependent on setting)
- Head angle: 63.9/63.6
- Seat angle: 77.4/ 77.1
- BB drop: 25-30
- BB Height: 351-346
- Chainstay Length: 432-433
- Wheelbase: 1268-1269
- Stem length: 40mm
- 160mm travel front fork
- Tire sizes: 2.2-2.5″
- MX/27.5″ rear wheel compatible
On the trail
The trails I rode on the new Blackthorn 145 were in Toro Park, in Salinas, California. The Toro Park trails are reminiscent of much of the Bay Area riding: lots of climbing, with grassy hills and dry, occasionally rutted trails. And of course, it felt like there was more climbing than descending. In this case, the descending trails don’t extend to the parking area, so it indeed was the case.
The Blackthorn 145 climbing experience was familiar to me – it rode similarly to other bikes I’ve ridden in the all-mountain travel category, which is to say it gets you there. The large volume of the Teravail Clifty 29 x 2.5 tires makes for a comfortable ride in varied terrain, but didn’t do it favors on the pavement climb. They seemed ok on the hard pack single track descents, but I’d need to do a few laps on familiar home trails to get a better read on how I got along with them.
Descending felt similar as well – nothing crazy happening here, just a solid handling bike with good manners. At this point, bikes are all pretty good, so it really comes down to optimizing for your personal preferences.
While I didn’t spend time on the 125 model, I’d argue its climbing experience is not too far off. Between the two, I’d choose the 145 every time. Since they utilize the same chassis, you’re not saving weight by giving up the suspension travel, but instead get a livelier ride. If your local trails aren’t very technical, going shorter travel can make less interesting terrain more exicitng as you’ll get more feedback from the trail. Versitality is the game here.
One of my personal bikes has 120mm of rear travel, and it climbs acceptably as well; however, it’s not ever going to be confused for an XC or downcountry bike. If climbing prowess is your priority over descending, you would be better served checking out the Salsa Spearfish model.
I’m very particular with the component choices,; if I picked up a Blackthorn, I’d swap out the bar, stem, saddle, pedals, and brakes immediately to my preferred models. I’ve had bad experiences with some Code Brake models in the past, and prefer other brakes. That said, all the parts the bikes were spec’d with are solid performers. The wireless GX shifted cleanly and reliably, though I still haven’t come around to the shift buttons- I simply don’t like the placement of the thumb pads.
Overall, my experiences on the Blackthorn were positive, I can see why it has its fans. Many of the folks at Salsa enjoy their adventures by bike, and you can tell it filters into the end product, riding philosophy, and the product features. If I were in the market for a new ride in this travel category, I’d consider it, especially with its two-bottle capacity, which to me is a standout feature of the bike. With similar riding manners to competing models, I’d take the one that lets me carry a second bottle. A friend of mine stocks the Blackthorn at his shop and has been trying to get me on one for a while. He and the local crew love them, and I can see why.
The Salsa Spearfish C endurance XC bike
As it is, I’m more intrigued by the Salsa Spearfish C, their endurance XC mountain bike. After spending a winter riding eMTBs, I want to pedal more, but would prefer something under 30 lbs so climbs feel like less of a chore. (and I’d long fork it with a 130 or 140mm Pike as seen in the photo above!) The 2025 Spearfish model carries many of the design elements over with its flip chip, multiple water bottle mounts, as well as the aesthetic lines from the Blackthorn models.
Learn more at SalsaCycles.com