Test debutant: Salsa Cassidy
The German distributor built the bike for us in style: DVO suspension, Crankbrothers carbon wheels and Formula brakes drive up the price, but reinforce its exotic status. Thanks to the lightweight frame, the bike weighs a total of 14.7 kilos. We first had to familiarise ourselves with the Cassidy on the trail. Not every tester got to grips with the geometry straight away. To put pressure on the front wheel, the rider has to actively move forwards. The very soft and sensitive suspension offers a lot of comfort, but we missed counter-pressure in the mid-stroke. For example, when pushing to conserve speed and on jumps. The three-stage platform in the shock is very well defined, but the racers in the test team lacked finer adjustment options at the rear (high/low-speed compression). The thick-stroke Onyx fork is a different story: tech fans can let off steam here. The bike is easy to pull onto the rear wheel, and the Cassidy shines on tamer sections and tours anyway. You sit compactly on it and the shock can be calmed down almost completely.
PLUSRange of application, equipment
MINUSDH performance, handling, price
Conclusion on the Salsa Cassidy:
The Cassidy is a classic enduro bike with exotic status. Great: the wide range of use. Despite the comfort suspension, the bike doesn't really score points on descents and handling.
Technical data Salsa Cassidy
- Material / Sizes: Carbon / S, M, L, XL (Tested size L)
- Price / weight without pedals: 9000 euros / 14.4 kg
- Suspension travel: 180 / 165 mm
- Fork / shock: Dvo Onyx SC D 29 / Dvo Topaz
- Cranks / gears: eThirteen XC / Shimano XTR
- Brake system: Formula Cura 4
- Wheels: Crankbrothers Synthesis system wheelset
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip TR 2.5 / Dissector DD 2.4
- Reach: 472 mm
- Stack: 637 mm
- BB drop: -27 mm
