In this article we will be taking a look at Salsa’s and Kona’s premium gravel bike options. The Cutthroat vs the Libre!
Kona has come out with their new 2021 models. While Salsa still only has the 2020 Cutthroat. We will be comparing these models. I have chosen three of each brands bike choices. For better comparison. However Salsa also has a super premium model which is the GRX 810 Di2 and priced at US$5,799. While Kona also has a gravel e-bike option with the 2021 Kona Libre EL, which we will skip for this article.
Well which bike is best? We are going to compare these two gravel bikes side by side and see what the difference is between each.
The Kona Libre is quoted by Kona themselves; “a drop bar bike for big gravel, big climbs, and big adventures”. It essentially fits into the ‘gravel adventure bike’ category.
While the Salsa Cutthroat is known for being inspired by the Tour Divide Bikepacking race across the States. It is a bike that is capable then much more than most gravel bikes. Considering that the Tour Divide is a mountain biking route. It’s a bike built for ultra-endurance mixed surface bikepacking.
With both these bikes as expected from adventure bikes. They both feature upright and comfortable riding positions. Thanks to a generous stack/reach ratio of 1.59 (Cutthroat) and 1.58 (Libre) thats for a 54cm bike size.
When it comes to climbing the Cutthroat bikes are slightly more capable, however the Libre CR is just a good at climbing, if not the best. Descending the Salsa Cutthroat GRX 600 is most capable allowing for up to 36 mph or 58 km/h escape velocity, that is the top speed while peddling at 100 rpm in the highest gear. Followed by the Kona Libre CR at 34 mph or 55 km/h.
Taking a look at the frame build. The Cutthroat features quite a few more mounting options. With many more braze-ons for mounting direct frame bags (no need for straps around the frame tubing) and top tube mounts while also including those handy triple braze-ons on the carbon fork. Similarly the Libre has fork mounts and top tube mounts, less mounts on the inside of the frame. But you still get the option to mount three bottles inside the frame.
The Cutthroat is able to fit a much wider tire with an official tire clearance of 2.4” for both frame and fork. But some have claimed being able to fit up to a 29 x 2.8” tire. While the new 2021 Libre has 700c x 45mm WTB Riddlers with just enough clearance for mud. You might be able to fit a few mm wider tires but not much more then 45mm.m
Salsa Cutthroat
Let me introduce you to the Cutthroat family.
2020 Salsa Cutthroat Apex 1
Their more budget option Cutthroat in the line up is the Apex 1. Another one of those 1X gravel setup that has me frothing. You can get it in black if pink is not your thing. The Apex 1 is still a very capable bike but in comparison to the higher end models it only has TRP Spyre-C, 160 mm mechanical disc brakes (which is the only other bike with the Kona Libre AL to have mechanical.) With the SRAM Apex 1 components it puts this bike in the category of a mid-range component level carbon frame gravel bike.
It comes with a 1 x 11 Apex 1, Race Face group-set/drivetrain (rated 2 out of 5 stars for all gravel bikes). With a 36t chainring and 11-42t cassette. With this gear setup you get a 24.84″ climbing gear and 94.46″ largest gear with a 0.86 to 3.27 gear ratio. The full carbon build results in a the bike weighing 23.3 lbs / 10.6 kg. Rolling on the Teravail Sparwood 29 x 2.2″ tires.
2020 Salsa Cutthroat GRX 600
The GRX 600 Cutthroat has high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes. Featuring a 2 x 11 GRX 800, GRX 600 groupset, with Race Face Ride w/ Easton DM 46/30t chainrings and Shimano HG700-11, 11-34t cassette. Weighing 23.4 lbs / 10.6 kg and those same 29 x 2.2″ wheels/tires. The 2 x 11 drivetrain gives you a 25.42″ climbing gear and 120.75″ highest gear. That means a gear ratio of 0.88 to 4.18
2020 Salsa Cutthroat GRX 810 1x
The Cutthroat GRX 810 1x is a carbon frame gravel bike with high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes. Featuring that 1 x 11 GRX 800 groupset and weighs 21.6 lbs / 9.8 kg. Comes with the Race Face Turbine w/ Race Face DM 36t chainring and Shimano M7000-11, 11-42t cassette.
Which gives you the same 24.84″ climbing gear as the Apex 1, but with higher quality components. Same 0.86 : 3.27 gear ratio and is priced at $4,199. However you do get better quality DT Swiss X 1900 Spline 15 x 110 mm rims then the entry level Apex.
Kona Libre
Now let’s take a quick look at the Libre lineup.
2021 Kona Libre AL
If you are after the cheapest bike option out of the two at US$1,899. Kona’s Alloy Libre is your best option. It is an aluminum frame and carbon fork gravel bike with mid-range components and mechanical disc brakes and 700x45c wheels. Featuring a 1 x 11 Apex setup. That is made up of a SRAM Apex, 40t X-Sync crank and SRAM PG1130 11-42t cassette. The means a 26.63″ climbing gear and 102.03″ highest gear or a 0.95 to 3.64 gear ratio.
Comparing both Apex Cutthroat and Libre. The Cutthroat has a better climbing gear by 1.79 gear inches. But the Libre gets more speed on the descents, thanks to 7.57 more gear inches on the highest gear. The escape velocity (top speed when pedalling at 100 rpm) for the Apex Libre is 31 mph or 50 km/h. For the Cutthroat Apex you get 28 mph or 45 km/h.
2021 Kona Libre CR
The Libre CR is a full carbon gravel bike with high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes. It takes the cake for the best climbing bike out of all the bikes here. Thanks to the 2 x 11 GRX 800, GRX 600 drivetrain/groupset, with a Shimano GRX 600, 30/46t crank and Shimano 105 11-34t cassette. It achieves a 23.35″ climbing gear and a 110.92″ largest gear. Which is a 0.88 to 4.18 gear ratio. The reason why it achieves a better climbing range than the comparable Salsa Cutthroat GRX 600 with the same crank and cassette range. Is because this bike is running 650b x 47c wheels. Simply because a smaller wheel in the form of a 650b has less rotation to spin compared to a 29″ making climbing that bit easier.
2021 Kona Libre CR/DL
Last bike from Kona for the Libre lineup is the CR/DL. This is a full carbon gravel bike with high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes. I would go as far to say that when you get this high up in bike price very little changes. Yes as you can see down below in the specs and parts comparison table there are a few upgrades. You still get essentially the same frame just a different design and 700cc wheels instead of 650b. You also get the full 1 x 11 GRX 800 groupset instead of a mix between GRX 600 and GRX 800.
You do get a dropper seatpost with this bike and it is the only bike for that matter to come with one. This bike has the same gear range as the Alloy Libre. So it is practically capable at climbing and descending exactly the same. Except for maybe better quality components.
Comparing Cutthroat and Libre Bike Specs
| Salsa Cutthroat Apex 1 | Salsa Cutthroat GRX 600 | Salsa Cutthroat GRX 810 1x | Kona Libre CR | Kona Libre AL | Kona Libre CR/DL | |
| Frame | Cutthroat Carbon V2 | Cutthroat Carbon V2 | Cutthroat Carbon V2 | Kona Race Light Carbon | Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted | Kona Race Light Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fork | Cutthroat Carbon V2 | Cutthroat Carbon V2 | Cutthroat Carbon Deluxe V2 | Kona Verso Full Carbon Flat Mount Disc | Kona Verso Full Carbon Flat Mount Disc | Kona Verso Full Carbon Flat Mount Disc |
| Bottom Bracket | Press Fit BB92, 41 x 92 mm | Press Fit BB92, 41 x 92 mm | Press Fit BB92, 41 x 92 mm | Shimano PF86 | SRAM GXP 68mm | Shimano PF86 |
| Headset | Cane Creek 40 | Cane Creek 40 | Cane Creek 40 | FSA No.42ACB | FSA No.57B | FSA No.42ACB |
| Stem | Salsa Guide | Salsa Guide | Salsa Guide | Kona Road Deluxe | Kona Road | Easton EA90 |
| Handlebar | Salsa Cowchipper | Salsa Cowchipper Deluxe | Salsa Cowchipper Deluxe | Kona Road | Kona Road | Easton EC70AX |
| Saddle | WTB Volt Sport | WTB Volt Comp | WTB Volt Race | WTB SL8 | WTB Volt | WTB SL8 |
| Seatpost | Salsa Guide | Salsa Guide Deluxe | Salsa Guide Deluxe | Kona Deluxe Thumb w/Offset 31.6mm | Kona Thumb w/Offset 31.6mm | TranzX Dropper +RAD Internal 31.6mm |
| Grips | MSW Anti-Slip Gel | MSW Anti-Slip Gel | MSW Anti-Slip Gel | Velo Shock-Proof Bar Tape | Kona Cork Tape | Velo Shock-Proof Bar Tape |
Groupset
| Cutthroat Apex 1 | Cutthroat GRX 600 | Cutthroat GRX 810 | Libre CR | Libre AL | Libre CR/DL | |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM Apex 1 | Shimano GRX 810 | Shimano GRX 812 | Shimano GRX 810 | SRAM Apex | Shimano GRX 810 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Derailleur | — | Shimano GRX 810 | — | Shimano GRX 810 | — | — |
| Crank | Race Face Ride, DM 36t chainring | Race Face Ride w/ Easton DM 46/30t chainrings | Race Face Turbine w/ Race Face DM 36t chainring | Shimano GRX 600, 30/46t | SRAM Apex, 40t X-Sync | Shimano GRX 810, 40t |
| Shifters | SRAM Apex 1 | Shimano GRX 600 Hydro | Shimano GRX 810 Hydro | Shimano GRX 600 | SRAM Apex | Shimano GRX 810 w/ Integrated Dropper Lever |
| Cassette | SRAM PG-1130, 11-42t | Shimano HG700-11, 11-34t | Shimano M7000-11, 11-42t | Shimano 105 11-34t 11spd | SRAM PG1130 11-42t 11spd | Shimano SLX 11-42t 11spd |
| Chain | SRAM PC-1110 | Shimano HG601-11 | Shimano HG701-11 | Shimano 105 | SRAM PC1110 | Shimano 105 |
| Brakes | TRP Spyre-C, 160 mm | Shimano GRX 400 Hydro, RT66 160 mm | Shimano GRX 810 Hydro, RT76 160 mm | Shimano GRX 400 | TRP Spyre C | Shimano GRX 810 |
| Brake Levers | Shimano GRX | SRAM Apex | Shimano GRX |
Wheels
| Cutthroat Apex 1 | Cutthroat GRX 600 | Cutthroat GRX 810 | Libre CR | Libre AL | Libre CR/DL | |
| Rims | WTB Serra Hub, WTB ST i23 TCS 2.0 32h, 110 x 15 mm | WTB Speedterra Hub, WTB ST i23 TCS 2.0 32h Rim, 15 x 110 mm | DT Swiss X 1900 Spline 15 x 110 mm | WTB KOM Light Team i25 TCS 2.0 | WTB KOM Light Team i25 TCS 2.0 | Easton EA 70AX Wheelset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokes | Stainless Black 14g | Stainless Black 14g | Easton EA 70AX Wheelset | |||
| Front Hub | Formula 100x12mm (centerlock) | Formula 100x12mm | Easton EA 70AX 100x12mm | |||
| Rear Hub | Formula 142x12mm (centerlock) | Formula 142x12mm | Easton EA 70AX 142x12mm | |||
| Tires | Teravail Sparwood 29 x 2.2″ Durable, Tubeless Ready | Teravail Sparwood 29 x 2.2″ Durable, Tubeless Ready | Teravail Sparwood 29 x 2.2″ Durable, Tubeless Ready | WTB Venture TCS DUAL 650x47c | WTB Riddler TCS 700x45c | WTB Riddler TCS DUAL 700x45c |
| Disk Rotors | Flat mount (160–180 mm), flat mount frame standard (35 mm thickness), 42 mm bolt length | Flat mount (160–180 mm), flat mount frame standard (35 mm thickness), 42 mm bolt length | Flat mount (160–180 mm), flat mount frame standard (35 mm thickness), 42 mm bolt length | Shimano RT54 160mm (centerlock) | TRP TR160 160mm | Shimano RT54 160mm (centerlock) |
Geometry – Cutthroat Vs Libre
Geometry can play a big part in the difference of how I bike rides and feels. It is definitely something to consider when buying a bike. But all the measurements below are in mm and are for both 56 cm sized bikes.
Want to learn more about understanding bike geometry? Read this article which goes through all the jargon and what it means for a comfortable ride!
| Bike | Cutthorat | Libre |
| Stack | 619.53 | 630 |
| Reach | 385.28 | 389 |
| Stack/Reach Ratio | 1.61 | 1.62 |
| Top Tube Length | 560 | 588 |
| Seat Tube Length | 508 | 540 |
| Seat Tube Angle | 74.25 | 72.5 |
| Head Tube Length | 127 | 196.5 |
| Head Tube Angle | 69 | 71 |
| BB Drop | 70 | 72 |
| Front Center | 655 | 638 |
| Chainstay Length | 445 | 440 |
| Wheelbase | 1090.31 | 1068 |
| Rake | 51 | 50 |
| Trail | 79 | 61 to 67 |
| Standover Height | 810.51 | 812 to 830 |
Taking a look at the geometry specs above we can see that the Cutthroat is slightly more versatile when it comes to adventure riding with gear. With the 22.31 mm longer wheelbase, which helps make the bike a little more stable when under more weight from gear.
The trail ranges from Libre models but it is shorter than the Cutthroat by a fair bit. The Libre’s trail is more predictable, moving to a more stable ride feel when you get to 67. While the 79 trail on the Cutthroat could be considered more sluggish but also stable too.
The rear of the bikes are very similar with only 5mm between the chainstay lengths. With the Cutthroats being slightly longer. Making both feel rather chill in the back.
Overall if you are after that adventure gravel bike for bikepacking and carrying gear. I would opt for a Salsa Cutthroat. With the wider tire clearance it makes all the difference for a more capable adventure bike. But if you are just getting into gravel riding and want the cheapest option the Kona Libre might be a good choice starting with the Alloy option.
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