Live between Oxford and Reading and reckon a Spearfish would be perfect for my needs, but have bought without a test ride previously and regretted it

Anyone know of any dealers or events with a demo… preferably size medium!

Get one.

Sadly, the fact that Ison have been dropped by Salsa – or vice/versa – is going to make it hard to get a test ride unless someone lets you on theirs.

I have what was the Ison size L demo, I also know that their M which I had rode, is also in the possession of someone…called Pat … from Ison.

The difference between the new, Split Pivot version, and the old one is like night and day. This years version is stunning.

Edit:
Also, it is capable of way more than you’d think. The geometry makes it feel like a much bigger travel bike.

Presume you mean the Split Pivot version? CTBM has a large Spearfish (his own bike but he’s happy for people to ride it) down in Dorset.

Don’t ride it though! I did and was so impressed I bought a new Horsethief 😯

Yes, was after the split pivot version.

i didn’t know Ison had dropped Salsa, surely someone will pick them up given the rave reviews their bikes are getting right now?

I already have a rigid El Mariarchi, which (probably because it fits me better than anything else i’ve ever ridden) is a revelation and the only question in my head is do I save for a Ti EM, to run with suspension forks or get a Spearfish

i didn’t know Ison had dropped Salsa, surely someone will pick them up given the rave reviews their bikes are getting right now?

Happened a few weeks back. At the moment there is no one taking Salsa on, part of the reason is the current 1:1 Dollar – Sterling issues on the bikes. Sure they are great, but rather expensive.

As an owner of 3 Salsa bikes, it makes me sad.

Here is the article on it for you: http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/ison-distribution-and-salsa-cycles-part-ways-after-a-decade/016709

I have an original spearfish and I love it, really lovely bike to ride. Just got a ss el mar (rigid) and amazed at how capable it is. Had a singular swift previous and that was a beautiful ride but didn’t seem to ‘attack’ as well as the el mar. The spearfish is very much a FS El Mar in my eyes.

Love my El Mar – the Spearfish feels .. safer on steep ground, but once you get the shock set up well it hammers out of corners like the El Mar. Super short rear end helps.

We must be close.

I have a large frame, it’s not built and not likely to be for a while.

2 things to note:-

1. The alloy frame will not be available frame only in 2015 so don’t wait too long

2. Race orientated 51mm offset forks are a bitch to find in Europe. Either 15mm maxle Rebas or 9mm QR SID RCT3 from bike discount/Bike24. I’ve ordered Foxs from US ebay and will have to pay import duty 🙁

Ditto the point about 51mm offset forks. I ended up buying 140mm Pikes for my HT then getting Loco to fit an 120mm air spring.

I checked with Salsa and they were adamant it should be ridden with the increased offset.

Charlie gave me the impression that he would be able to get stuff direct from Salsa?

Charlie gave me the impression that he would be able to get stuff direct from Salsa?

As far as I know this is still possible.

I spent a week googling, talked to Loco, Mojo, looked at lower swaps, csu swaps, seeing if I could get G2 forks from Trek etc. In the end I couldn’t take it any longer and bought from the US.

If you are happy with Reba or SID 9mm then Bike24 has them.

Now I’ve just got to find a set of 2x cranks and work out what to do with the BB….

ADSH, one of my queries will be about the “need” for the 51mm offset… I once rode a Gary Fisher with offset forks (he introduced them on his 26″ Roscoe) and hated them! Once i swapped back to standard offset the bike was transformed. I realise that for 29″ everything else is different, however the handling on my El Ma works fine with normal offset forks – similarly until last year Salsa managed to get by?

sorry, got distracted while typing my post, and see others have already answered…

I think with 29ers we started with steep head angles, these have slowly mellowed out (due to customer demmand mainly) but can leave the handling ’29er slow’, the 51mm seems to bring that back.

I fitted a works-componentns slackset on my spearfish and it made it much nicer/calmer for its intended purpose, mile munching and going quick, but slowed the handling down a bit too much. Managed to pick up a 51mm offset Fox and its now superb, infact the geo/set-up is almost identical to the new ones :0)

STATO I agree,,,, I had wondered whether the trend towards slightly shorter stems may also allow a slacker 29er head angle without needing the 51mm offset?

I fitted a works-componentns slackset on my spearfish and it made it much nicer/calmer for its intended purpose, mile munching and going quick, but slowed the handling down a bit too much. Managed to pick up a 51mm offset Fox and its now superb, infact the geo/set-up is almost identical to the new ones :0)

I presume the much shorter chainstay length makes a difference too? (437mm v 455mm?)

I had wondered whether the trend towards slightly shorter stems may also allow a slacker 29er head angle without needing the 51mm offset?

Possibly, but thats just changing steering speed rather than interaction of frame and front wheel, i doubt anyone would notice tho. Only problem with that approach is fit tho. I have a Large and would need an XL (should prob have one anyway) but the front end seemed too high buy comparing geo numbers to my previous frames.

I fitted normal offset forks to my el-mariachi, the steering is quite slow now and would be improved by being quicker, but there’s not much I can do about that now I’ve got them other than maybe drop the travel.