It is important to know that without a powerful drivetrain, your bike is nothing but an ornament. That’s why a great bike drivetrain will make your riding efficiency pull full circle.
This bike’s Shimano SLX 1×12 drivetrain features a comfortable, aggressive angle and a stunning aluminum oxide finish. And equipped with a dense gear ratio of 10-51T, the Shimano SLX 1×12 drivetrain is built to last.
In my actual riding, the excellent drivetrain not only makes my riding easier, but the inherited shadow RD+ optimized chain retention also allows me to not have to worry about dropping the chain during speed changes.
In addition, the wide 1×12 shifting range is enough to allow you to ride any route for speed change. The silent system is designed so you can listen more to the wind whispering to you while riding. The simple and smooth 1× drivetrain allows even a novice to feel confident enough to try riding.
Shimano SLX Four-Piston Hydraulic Disc Brake
Can you imagine the scenario when you need to brake in an emergency and the brakes don’t work? It’s a scary problem and hopefully, all riders won’t encounter such a predicament.
First off, we can see this bike’s Shimano SLX four-piston hydraulic disc brakes. SLX – 4 piston gives you more braking power than 2-piston brakes, adding control and confidence to your descents. The advanced hydraulic disc brakes provide consistent and precise braking on any route and in any weather.
In addition, it has a faster response time and reduced rotor noise from the SLX four-piston disc brakes, as well as increased braking power by a significant amount.
On this descent ride, I did not anticipate another rider protruding out in front of me. In the nick of time, excellent braking allowed me to stop, just an arm’s length away from that rider. So without a strong brake, I could have been in a situation I can’t imagine. In short, excellent brakes will make you much less dangerous.
Tires
To be honest, I understand that the front and rear tires on this bike are not the same sizes. The front tire on this bike is a 29 x 2.5″ Maxxis Assegai, which provides a tough, predictable grip whether you’re leaning close to the ground for technical drift riding or vertical ground for regular riding.
We can see that the rear tire is a 29 x 2.4″ Maxxis Dissector, which is more suited for speedy descents and aggressive trail riding on mixed routes. Then, if you look closely you will see that the center knob of this tire is heavily angled at the front edge to reduce rolling resistance and give it a faster-rolling speed.
It’s also worth noting that it has excellent traction on slippery forest trails or rocky routes. Both tires play an integral role in various routes. The puncture protection of the front tire and the 120tpi setting of the rear tire give them unparalleled performance and a relatively long service life.
Shock Absorber
To start, we all know that this is a full-suspension bike, so it has excellent front and rear shock absorbers, which can bring you a relatively comfortable riding experience when facing rough and harsh routes.
RockShox ZEB Fork This bike uses a RockShox ZEB fork with a sturdy 38mm chassis and an excellent DebonAir air spring. The 38mm chassis provides increased stiffness for a more confident ride, and the DebonAir air spring provides butter-smooth rebound cushioning for increased confidence on steep terrain. Notably, the Maxima Plush damping fluid reduces friction and eliminates damper noise. So, it allowing you to ride over bumpy terrain with a smile on your face.
RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ Rear Shock Absorber Many trail riders enjoy exciting rides, challenging rugged and steep climbs, and conquering technical descents. I don’t think I need to overemphasize the importance of the rear shock absorber at this time.
This Deluxe Select+ rear shock with DebonAir+ gas springs with adjustable positive and negative chambers effectively cushions heavy impacts when hitting potholes or taking a hard hit, taking the pressure off of you.
In addition, the easy-to-operate lever is intuitive to activate or lock, and the setting with locking gives you more power when you don’t need the shock, giving you more speed.
TranzX YSI05 Dropper
There is also a special shock-absorbing device – the dropper. The adjustable dropper with 30mm of travel may not look too impressive, but in rough terrain, this adjustable dropper allows you to adapt your position change to your riding terrain to achieve a better ride. It achieves the ride you need with another form of shock absorption.
We review the Cassidy aluminum of this Salsa Cassidy SLX, the excellent RockShox ZEB and RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ shock, the smooth Shimano SLX 1×12 shifting, the powerful Shimano SLX four-piston brakes, and other components. To have a more comprehensive understanding, we took a look at its other versions as well.
In the series Salsa Cassidy, we find the Salsa Cassidy Carbon SLX and the Salsa Cassidy Carbon GX Eagle.
In terms of frame material, these two models are made of relatively stronger and lighter carbon, with the same tire configuration. However, the 2021 Salsa Cassidy Carbon GX Eagle has a relatively better SRAM GX Eagle 1×12 shifting range. The smooth feel, quick shifting, and better performance of the SRAM Code R four-piston brake made it a successful seduction for me. But the $6,399 price tag is hurting my wallet.
Also, the 2021 Salsa Cassidy Carbon SLX retails for $4,999. This bike in green paint is the same as the 2021 Salsa Cassidy SLX, both in terms of shock and brakes. But the relatively lightweight carbon frame will give it some appeal.
All in all, the Salsa Cassidy series has impressive riding performance no matter which model it is. However, in terms of combined price and performance, we would prefer the 2021 Salsa Cassidy SLX.
The full suspension design allows you to challenge more routes. The red color of the car paint makes you turn heads. Outstanding tire design allows you to do more riding activities. The sturdy, high-quality Cassidy Aluminum frame allows you to take on more challenges. The Shimano SLX 1×12 drivetrain makes your shifting even faster and quicker.
There are too few choices of paint colors. Some people think the dropper stroke is too short (I think it is sufficient).
What is the Salsa Cassidy SLX frame material? The Salsa Cassidy SLX frame material is Cassidy Aluminum.
What is the brake on the Salsa Cassidy SLX? The brakes on the Salsa Cassidy SLX are Shimano SLX four-piston hydraulic disc brakes. What sizes are available for the Salsa Cassidy SLX?
Size chart for Salsa Cassidy SLX
Size SM MD LG XL Recommended Rider Height 165cm -174cm 172cm – 181cm 179cm – 189cm 187cm +
Salsa Cassidy SLX Salsa Cassidy Carbon SLX Salsa Cassidy Carbon GX Eagle Frame Cassidy AluminumBB Standard: BSA, 73mm, ThreadedColor: Red Cassidy CarbonBB Standard: BSA, 73mm, ThreadedColor: Green Cassidy CarbonBB Standard: BSA, 73mm, ThreadedColor: Yellow Fork RockShox ZEB, 180 mm, 44 mm offset RockShox ZEB Select+, 180 mm, 42 mm offset Fox Float 38 Performance Elite GRIP2, 180 mm, 44 mm offset Rear Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ Fox Float X2 Performance Handlebar Race Face Chester 35.0, 780mm Race Face Aeffect R 35.0, 780mm Race Face Turbine R 35.0, 800mm Saddle WTB Volt 250 Sport WTB Volt 250 Comp WTB Volt 250 Comp Seatpost TranzX YSI05 w/ Shimano lever, 30 mm travel height adjustable, travel: SM = 125 mm, MD = 150 mm, LG = 170 mm, XL = 200 mm TranzX YSI05 w/ Shimano lever, 30 mm travel heigh adjustable, travel: SM = 125 mm, MD = 150 mm, LG = 170 mm, XL = 200 mm TranzX YSI13GL, 30 mm travel height adjustable, travel: SM = 125 mm, MD = 150 mm, LG = 170 mm, XL = 200 mm Rear Derailleur Shimano SLX Shimano SLX SRAM GX Eagle Front Derailleur 1x chain guide MRP 1x chain guide MRP 1x chain guide Crank Race Face Ride, 32t Shimano SLX, 32t Truvativ Descendant 7K, DUB, 32t Shifters Shimano SLX Shimano SLX SRAM GX Eagle Cassette Shimano Deore, 10-51t, 12-speed Shimano Deore, 10-51t, 12 speed SRAM GX Eagle, 10-52t, 12-speed Chain Shimano Deore M6100 Shimano Deore M6100 SRAM GX Eagle Brakes Shimano SLX four-piston (203 mm rotors) Shimano SLX four-piston (203 mm rotors) SRAM Code R four-piston (200 mm rotors) Rims Shimano SLX 15 x 110 mm hub, WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 29″ Tubeless-Ready rim Shimano SLX 15 x 110 mm hub, DT Swiss EX 532 29″ Tubeless-Ready rim DT Swiss M 1900, 15 x 110 mm hub, 29″ tubeless-ready rims Disk Rotors Shimano SLX four-piston (203 mm rotors) Shimano SLX four-piston (203 mm rotors) SRAM Code R four-piston (200 mm rotors)
BIKE PRICE DRIVETRAIN TIRE FRONT FORK TRAVEL CLICK VIEW 2021 Salsa Blackthorn SLX $4099 1×12 29 x 2.5″ front 160mm Click View 2022 Scott Contessa Genius 910 $3099 1×12 29×2.6” 150mm Click View 2022 Canyon Torque 27.5 CF 7 $4399 1×12 29″ x 2.3” 180mm Click View 2022 Cube stereo 150 c:62 SL 29 $3989 1×12 29×2.4” 160mm Click View
Salsa Cassidy SLX vs Salsa Blackthorn SLX
We can see that both bikes are the same price, but the Salsa Cassidy SLX is a little heavier than the Salsa Blackthorn SLX. But if you look at the fork travel on both bikes, you’ll notice that the Salsa Cassidy SLX 180mm RockShox ZEB has 20mm more travel of fork than the Salsa Blackthorn SLX. The longer travel of fork will make for a more comfortable ride on bumpy roads.
It has to be said though that both bikes are made by Salsa, so they share a lot of similarities in many components. If I had to choose a bike, I would choose the Salsa Cassidy SLX with the longer travel of fork.
Salsa Cassidy SLX vs 2022 Scott Contessa Genius 910
Both of these bikes are nice enough looking. But in my actual riding, its tires made my riding a bit difficult when facing very slick surfaces. This did not happen when I rode on the Salsa Cassidy SLX.
Still, the 1×12 gearing is relatively good. The simple 1× drivetrain gives it a more responsive and simple shifting start. Of course, the Salsa Cassidy SLX’s 1×12 shifting is no slouch either. Enough speed options and a dense gear ratio will make your ride more enjoyable.
In addition, the Scott Contessa Genius 910’s fork with 150mm of travel of is a little less than that of the Salsa Cassidy SLX. The Salsa Cassidy SLX has 180mm of fork travel, which gives it better damping on rough terrain.
If you need a bike with better damping, I think you should try the Salsa Cassidy SLX.
Salsa Cassidy SLX vs 2022 Canyon Torque 27.5 CF 7
I have to say that the frame design of the 2022 Canyon Torque 27.5 CF 7 looks somewhat radical. The carbon gives it a weight of only 33Ibs, which is relatively light for a full suspension bike.
In addition, its seat tube angle (77.5°) is steeper than that of the Salsa Cassidy SLX. And it also has a fork with 180mm of travel, so the fork also has an excellent performance in damping.
Not only that but its 1×12 gearing system has a more sheer gear ratio (10-52T), so it has to be admitted that it is also good enough in terms of gearing.
But that doesn’t mean that the Salsa Cassidy SLX concedes defeat. The wide range of 1×12 rpm is also very easy to shift and the use of anti-drop chain technology gives me increased confidence in riding.
Its hydraulic disc brake also has the performance of stable braking in any situation, and with the cheaper price of $300 also makes, also lets my wallet not have to bear so much pressure.
If you are on a budget, I think you can try this Salsa Cassidy SLX, which will also amaze you.
Salsa Cassidy SLX vs 2022 CUBE STEREO 150 C:62 SL 29
The first thing that attracted me was the wonderful paint color mix of the 2022 CUBE STEREO 150 C:62 SL 29. I have to say that the mix of more than three paint colors makes it very individual to me.
The price of $3,989 has a carbon frame, which surprised me. However, with only 160mm of fork travel, I’m not as happy with its damping. I would find the grip and saddle of the Salsa Cassidy SLX more comfortable compared to the ride of the Salsa Cassidy SLX.
In addition, the Salsa Cassidy SLX, with its excellent dampers, will have a better ability to absorb vibrations when faced with bumpy and rough terrain.
If you need more of a bike with excellent damping, I think the Salsa Cassidy SLX is a good choice.
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