I’ve been going back and forth for a few weeks trying to decide which bike to get, and I’ve narrowed it down to two options: the Salsa Horsethief SLX and the Canyon Spectral CF7.
To be fully transparent, the main reason I’ve landed on these two is because I can get 0% financing for a year on either one. That’s how I bought my last bike, and I prefer the payment plan—so I’m not really looking for advice on that aspect.
What I am looking for is input on the bikes themselves. They both seem like solid options, and I’d love to hear any thoughts or experiences with either one.
I currently ride a Salsa Warbird GRX600 gravel bike and have been really happy with it, so I’d be glad to continue supporting Salsa. One big benefit of going with the Horsethief is that I can buy it from my local REI, have it set up for me, and be riding it as soon as tomorrow.
The Canyon has the carbon frame, which is appealing, but in terms of weight, there’s barely a difference.
https://www.salsacycles.com/products/2023-horsethief-slx
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/spectral/cf/spectral-cf-7/3637.html
https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=salsa-horsethief-slx-2023%2Ccanyon-spectral-cf-7-2024
by Mr_beowulf