We’re pleased to introduce Pony Rustler, our 27.5+ trail bike.
Pony Rustler Carbon X01…
Pony Rustler is based off its older sibling, the Horsethief; melding the same 120mm of incredible Split Pivot rear wheel suspension technology with the enhanced performance characteristics of 27.5 x 3.0″ tires. Like the Horsethief, Pony Rustler can tackle any trail, anywhere with confidence, while raising the bar for how hard you can push through corners, scratch and claw you way up climbs, and monster truck down chunky descents.
Pony Rustler features a Split Pivot chassis with a Boost 148 rear end that makes room for 27.5 x 3.0″ tires. The 27.5+ tire features a similar overall tire diameter as a 29er, but with a smaller diameter rim and drastically increased tire volume. Paired with the wider hub flanges of the Boost 148 rear hub, the end result is a stiffer and stronger rear wheel that has the same roll-over characteristics of a 29er, but with an insane amount of climbing and cornering traction due to the sub-20 psi (approaching single-digit tire pressures) than can be run. With traction and tire pressures approaching a fat bike-like threshold, one might mistake the Pony Rustler for feeling and riding like a fa tbike. Quite the opposite is true however. The magic of the mid-sized tires is closer to a modern 29er on steroids; think fast, smooth, and nimble. All that rubber on the ground means Pony Rustler redefines where and how you choose to ride your lines.
Pony Rustler Carbon GX1…
Pony Rustler’s new tire size is coupled with 120mm of Split Pivot rear suspension that is incredibly efficient, further enhances traction, and offers superior performance under braking. Pony Rustler retains the same short 437mm chainstays as Horsethief, making for a quick and agile handling bike, even with large diameter wheels. A 130mm travel, 51mm offset Boost 110 fork is used up front to compliment the stiffness and tire clearance of the rear, and provides a modern 67.5° head angle that allows the rider to unleash the full potential of the 27.5+ tires on descents and in corners, while still remaining balanced enough to handle technical climbs with ease.
Pony Rustler GX 2X10…
Pony Rustler will be offered in four sizes in both carbon and aluminum versions. Every frame size features a mount for a full size water bottle and stealth dropper seatpost routing. A Boost 148 compatible crank is required (and spec’d on completes) for adequate ring clearance and drivetrain alignment with the wider Boost hubs, while retaining a standard mountain bike Q-factor. All other components are standard sizing. Pony Rustler is compatible with both 1x (32t max) and 2x (34/24t) drivetrains. All Pony Rustler completes come with 27.5+ wheels and tires, but the bike is fully compatible with 29 x 2.2–2.4″ wheels and tires with no compromises to handling or geometry, so long as the wheelset is laced to Boost 148 and Boost 110 hubs.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
Pony Rustler will be available in carbon with an X01 build at MSRP $5,499 and a GX1 build at MSRP $4,499, and aluminum with a GX 2x10 build at MSRP $3,499. They’ll all be ready to roll in January of 2016.
BUILD KITS
GEOMETRY
This post filed under topics: Mountain Biking New Product Pete Koski Pony Rustler Split Pivot
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Pete Koski
Hi, I'm Pete and I am a product development engineer for Salsa. I like all kinds of riding from commuting to dirt jumping. I think flat pedals make you a better bike handler, that the thru-axle is vastly superior to the quick-release for off-road applications, and that moving through the world on bicycle allows one to see things they might not otherwise. I suffer daily from hunger-induced anger, also known as [i]hanger[/i]. Outside of work and riding, I enjoy kiteboarding, traveling, and watching hockey.
COMMENTS (23)
SLC Koltz | July 20th, 2015
Saw the bike for the first time on top of the Wasatch Crest Trail this past Saturday - beautiful bike… kudos once again to Salsa!!!
Matt | July 20th, 2015
Please, please, please bring a carbon version to Sandy Ridge next month!
Nick | July 20th, 2015
Looks amazing! Where are the claimed weights?
Marea | July 21st, 2015
Ponyrustler looks great. Hoping that you might consider bringing out a slightly smaller version for the smaller riders (150-165). When will they be available in Australia?
Izzy | July 21st, 2015
Dream bike!
Eric Hunter | July 23rd, 2015
Whoa this bike looks amazing taking adventure to another level. I need a new Enduro Bike this might work.
Franqui Albert | August 16th, 2015
Nice frame with short chainstay look out to build one next spring, only the 3 mountains logo on the frame comes to close to a Germain internet bike brand maybe?
Ride & smile
jason saunders | August 21st, 2015
I rode this bike at Alsea Falls OR. I wasn’t really that into her but was talked into taking her for whirl. She was game for whatever i threw at her and was totally willing. She climbed super nimble like and was a blast on rutted corners, she didn’t care that there were chunks missing. Sandy corners just locked right in. I wasn’t sure how I felt about her cause she was just so easy to ride! After the ride I just couldn’t stop thinking about how much fun she was! When I got back on my Cannondale 120RZ It felt like I was riding road tires on the trail. I think this might just be my next girlfriend
Abel | August 21st, 2015
Wow!!! What a nice bike. I want in on the + sized experience and this is, for sure, the coolest + sized bike out there. I already own a El Mariachi that totally rocks! Is the alu version equipped with a threaded bb?
Sascha | August 23rd, 2015
Nice one, exactly what I was wishing for complementing the Spearfish and Horsethief. Jumping onto Abels question, does the aluminum come with threaded BB? Will this also be available in Germany? Just read that here we won’t get the full bikes via distributor but just the frame only, assuming will be the carbon-
Sean | August 29th, 2015
Really like the bike and expect something like this to be my next ride. Having some trouble with the name!
matt | September 22nd, 2015
Awesome Bike? What is the deal with the cable routing on the downtube?? Can this be improved?
Frank Lee | October 13th, 2015
All the specs and riding reports look great. I could never purchase a bike with this name. Sorry. My issue.
Matt | October 27th, 2015
I like how every one of your bikes are ruinously expensive. Actually, I don’t.
Tony | January 18th, 2016
Pony Rustler! I like the name personally. :)
I would love to buy the Aluminum frame only with the RockShox Monarch RT3 shock in the rear and build it up very similar to the Carbon XO1. Can I order just the frame for the GX 2X10? Similarly, I would only be running a single up front, I am hoping the front derailleur can be removed without leaving an eyesore?
Finally does Salsa plan on offering the aluminum in an anodized flavor like say the 2014 Spearfish. That bike looks SICK! I would happily pay extra just to have a custom anodized version of it that looked just like the 2014 Spearfish.
Tarot amor verdadero | April 15th, 2016
It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you just shared this useful info
with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Mae | May 29th, 2016
Did you think of Ginuwine’s “Pony” when you so named the “Pony Rustler”?
David | May 30th, 2016
What is the BB height of the pony rusler?
Kid Riemer | June 7th, 2016
David - Hit the Geometry tab on the Pony Rustler page to see all the relevant numbers.
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/pony_rustler
altis | June 13th, 2016
I’d like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put
in writing this blog. I’m hoping to view the same high-grade content
by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own blog now ;)
David | June 15th, 2016
In regards to the BB height. I have already scoured the geometry page and it is not on there. Why is it so hard to find the bottom bracket height for some bikes. i think it is a pretty relevant number, especially for those of us who hate pedal strikes.
Kid Riemer | June 15th, 2016
David - We list BB Drop (item E in the above Geometry charts) for all our bikes. We do this because BB Drop is a consistent measurement (NOTE: changes with fork length measurement, however) and BB Height is not (it changes based on the diameter of the tire you are using).
So if you know your outer tire diameter, you simply take half of that and then subtract the BB Drop number, and the remainder is your BB Height.
Using the upper chart above that references a 120mm travel suspension fork, my math works out like this:
740mm wheel diameter divided by 2 = 370mm.
370mm subtracts 36mm = 334mm.
334mm = 33.4cm OR divided by 25.4 = 13.15 inches
I hope that helps. Thanks for your interest.
David | June 15th, 2016
Awesome! I never put two and two together.
Thanks for the geometry lesson.