Just moved to Arizona near some great trails and am looking to get into mountain biking.
There are plenty of trails nearby, but there are a few just outside of my neighborhood that are pretty chunky. After doing some research and speaking with some local shops, they recommended that I look for something with FS preowned instead of buying a new hard tail.
My criteria has been:
– dropper post
– XL frame
– <5 years old
– 130mm+ travel
– air fork
– Tubeless ready
I found this Salsa Rustler listed locally that says it’s barely been ridden listed for $900. I asked for the year and he said that he thinks it’s 2020.
Would this be a decent do it all bike to get started on?
For anyone familiar does this look like a 2020? The pictures look spot on, but I can’t find any 2020’s in this colorway, so it could be older.
Are there any red flags in the pictures or questions that I should ask?
Thank you in advance!
by Its-Moff
2 Comments
Kinda looks like the 2023 model
https://99spokes.com/bikes/salsa/2023/rustler-deore
The geometry looks a bit more xc oriented but you can always adjust the head tube angle if you find it too twitchy with a new headset.
I’d just ask when the last time the suspension was serviced/brakes bled. If I were in your position I’d say it’s a pretty decent deal, at least to get your feet wet.
Pretty good for $900! Only thing to consider is if you want 29 or 27.5 wheels. If you wanna go fast, I’d say 29, but not a deal breaker. Also, if you’re just starting out, I wouldn’t buy a bike for “the chunk”, so, not too slacked out and gnarly. All that being said, this is good and you’ll get a good resale on it when you find out what you REALLY want. 😉