Hi Chaps,
After buying a Salsa Spearfish I've had the revelation that 29er wheels work very well for me.
So I'm selling up my Turner 5-Spot, which I've absolutely loved, to buy something longer travel for the more gnarly Scottish trails.
Does anyone have a Horsethief, and could give an idea of how it rides compared to the Spearfish? The geometry and suspension design work very well for me, so was thinking a longer legged version would be ideal.
Cheers
Ricks
I think they ride better than dented Giants 😀
Written a lot about mine on here before, just search.
In summary tho, it's boss.
I think they ride better than dented Giants
Awesome 😉
Yes, I have one; a 2013 Horsethief 3 (lowest spec) that I got from Billy's Cycles in the sale - was £1150. Think they still have them?
Can't compare it to a Spearfish as I've never ridden one. In comparison to my Genesis Core 20 it is faster, more comfortable and deals with rocks much better.
I've ridden it at Glentress, Mabie, Ae (including the second half of the downhill track) and Dalbeattie and nowhere did I feel the bike wasn't able to handle it. I sometimes felt that on my Genesis when it was very rocky.
If it's any use I'm gonna be down at Glentress tomorrow for the demo day, but I'm taking my bike with me anyway. We could meet up and you could have a go?
Had a Spearfish, quick but way too shot in the front end, bought a Horsethief, love it, recent move to 35mm stem improved it even more as the top tube is long, run 140mm forks
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but way too shot in the front end, bought a Horsethief, love it, recent move to 35mm stem improved it even more as the top tube is long, run 140mm forks
Assume you mean the Spearfish was too "short" in the front end? Did you ever think that's because you have a penchant for ridiculously short stems on a fairly racey bike!?
er, no.
he HAD a Spearfish, and then he bought a Horsethief - he's put a 35mm stem on it and he likes it.
(considering a similar mod myself - a large Horsethief is a bit more reachy than i'm used to)
The ETT and reach are almost identical between the two bikes. So, I can only assume DLR meant the lack of travel, and the steeper head angle.
he HAD a Spearfish, and then he bought a Horsethief - he's put a 35mm stem on it and he likes it.
He had a Spearfish, complained it was too short, bought a different bike (with same geometry) and put 35mm stem on it, ergo I'm assuming he wasn't running a 90mm stem on the Spearfish...
To confirm lol......
I found the front centre of the Spearfish too short (about50mm less iirc) as I run flat pedals with size 13 feet so on the steeper tight bits it was too nervous/close to toe tapping, I ran a 70mm stem on it which isnt relevant to this point but just for reference.
Yes I know they are two different bikes, summary is I like the HF, was running a 50mm stem, now run a 35 which I prefer (I have long legs but short upper body/arms)
Had it for a year, just redone the bearings ahead of a weeks holiday up Newcastle way visiting relatives. Mine is a 2013 so flex rear end, has the Fox factory shock so pedals ok on longer rides. Might still be some of the cheap 2013 full bikes around or go for a new split pivot one
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On the subject of racing, I have raced the HF, had my best Gorrick Open XC result last spring using flat pedals, 13th, much to my amusement when mocking friends in the same race, also done a few gravity enduros on it
The HF geometry is quite different to the Spearfish njee
The HF geometry is quite different to the Spearfish njee
Rickon said they were the same - I didn't bother looking. Anyway, we digress!
Ah, balls. I was wrong. How'd that happen.
ETT for SF is 600, reach of 410
ETT for HF is 618, reach of 422
Both mediums.
So.... yeah, I was proper wrong. Bizarrely, Salsa recommend both mediums for the same height range, which seems odd. If you were on the lower end of the scale for the SF, then surely the HF will be massive.
620mm ETT for someone 5'8" is just wrong. Even with a 35mm stem.
Awesome
HTH 😉
I considered buying one of the heavily reduced ones hence doing a bit of research. They have changed the Horsethief and newer models have a much shorter rear end which is allegedly an improvement and I assume Billy's heavily discounted ones are the older model from the description on the site (no mention of the split pivot).
The 2014 version is shorter at the back, stiffer, and half a degree slacker up front. It's also a lot better.
A consideration when youre comparing reviews and looking at buying.
The chainstays on the older ones are quite long and I do notice the difference between it and my Solaris but I still ride and enjoy the bike after a year (others have been known to last only a few rides!) which is saying something and I certainly haven't got off mid ride and thrown it in the undergrowth with annoyance due to the chainstays being too long
The rear suspension works well on the older ones as a rocker actuated single pivot, tis only 120mm at the end of the day, you might notice the rear brake effecting it but I trail brake (way) too much and get on with it fine, no difference to riding anything else with no pivot at the rear ie vpp etc
If any of those cheap ones are still available then it's down to cost, they were £1200 odd I think for a full bike, not top end spec but then a new 2014 frame will be similar or more so double that once built to similar spec of the 2013 reduced one.
the chainstays may be unfashionably long, but it means you get loads of front wheel grip.
the head angle may be unfashionably steep, but it means you get really precise low-speed steering, it's especially calm going uphill.
the long top-tube moderates both of these, and the end result is really rather good. it's not a poppy little play bike, but bikes like that are not without disadvantages.
I actually find the Horsethief better at tight uphill switchbacks compared to my Genesis Core. I didn't expect that from the reviews.
Happy with mine
The chain stays are looooong. This may be an issue for you, or it may not be. The chain stays aren't exactly short on a SF. Does it make singltrack boring? errr no. Sometimes you might get into switchback difficulty, more so than any other 29er? maybe, maybe not.
The head angle is not steep, 68.6 is (still) not that steep for a 29er trail bike, slacker than a tallboy lt, steeper than a 5 29.
It might look like a long travel SF but up close the SF is much more svelte. The HF has some pretty chunky tubing, dropper routing, and a chain guide mount, which should tell you the kind of thing its for.
The only way you'll know is to try.
Here's mine when it was shiny and new, it's a bit more lived with now:
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It looks so much better in black than the green.
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