Moraine Cues 10

The Salsa Moraine is a light-assist, all-mountain eMTB designed to bridge the gap between traditional trail bikes and full-power electric behemoths. Built around an aluminum chassis and Fazua’s compact Ride 60 motor, it targets riders who want a natural pedaling experience with just enough motorized support to extend their range or squeeze in extra laps. With 145mm of rear travel and a 160mm fork, the Moraine leans toward aggressive trail and enduro riding rather than casual cruising. The platform utilizes Salsa’s Split Pivot suspension, which isolates braking and pedaling forces, and features a flip chip to accommodate geometry tweaks or a mixed-wheel setup. By integrating a 430Wh battery directly into the downtube, Salsa maintains a sleek, traditional mountain bike aesthetic. It is a bike built for riders who prioritize downhill capability and a familiar trail feel over maximum torque and massive battery capacity.

$4,199

Build

Size

Stack	631.6mm
Reach	493mm
Top tube	634.2mm
Headtube length	120mm
Standover height	754.3mm
Seat tube length	455mm

Fit and geometry

The Moraine features modern, gravity-leaning geometry characterized by a slack head tube angle and a steep seat tube angle. This combination places the rider in an upright, centered pedaling position for steep climbs while pushing the front wheel far forward to maintain stability on fast descents. Reach measurements are generous, starting at 453mm on the size small and stretching to 513mm on the extra-large, contributing to a long overall wheelbase that prioritizes high-speed composure over quick, darting maneuvers.

A critical fit consideration is the frame's overall sizing, which runs notably large. The standover height remains relatively high across all sizes, and the long reach means the size small may be too stretched out for riders at the lower end of Salsa’s suggested height range. The cockpit is standardized around a short stem and wide 780mm handlebars across the board, ensuring responsive steering input to manage the slack front end. Riders looking to lower the standover height or quicken the handling can utilize the frame's flip chip to run a 27.5-inch rear wheel.

Full specs

Frameset

Frame

Moraine Aluminum

Fork

RockShox Psylo Silver RC, 160mm

Rear shock

RockShox Deluxe Select

Weight

50 lbs 13 oz (Medium)

Groupset

Shift levers

Shimano CUES U6000

Rear derailleur

Shimano CUES U6000 Shadow Plus

Cassette

Shimano LG400, 10-speed, 11-48T

Chain

Shimano LG500

Crankset

FSA CK-730 Fazua Ride 60 crank arms, 55mm chainline, 104 BCD spider, MegaTooth 34T steel chainring; MRP 1x SL TR2 for Fazua Ride 60

Bottom bracket

Fazua Ride 60 (mid-drive unit; integrated crank interface)

Front brake

Shimano MT420 caliper w/ Shimano M4100 lever

Rear brake

Shimano MT420 caliper w/ Shimano M4100 lever

Front rotor

Shimano Deore RT64, Center Lock, 200mm

Rear rotor

Shimano Deore RT64, Center Lock, 200mm

Wheelset

Front wheel

WTB ST i30 Tough TCS, 32h; Shimano TC500-15-B CLD; 2.0mm straight gauge, black

Rear wheel

WTB ST i30 Tough TCS, 32h; Shimano TC500-MS-B CLD; 2.0mm straight gauge, black

Front tire

Teravail Kessel 29 x 2.6, Durable casing (tubes installed; WTB TCS sealant included)

Rear tire

Teravail Warwick 29 x 2.5, Durable casing (tubes installed; WTB TCS sealant included)

Cockpit

Stem

Salsa 35.0 Guide Trail, 40mm

Handlebars

RaceFace Chester 35.0, 20mm rise, 780mm wide

Saddle

WTB Solano Medium, Fusion Form, steel rail

Seatpost

TranzX YSP18 dropper (SM/MD: 150mm travel; LG/XL: 170mm travel)

Grips

Salsa file tread, lock-on

Builds

The Moraine lineup is kept simple with two aluminum builds, both sharing the same Fazua Ride 60 motor, integrated battery, and aggressive Teravail tires. The entry point is the Cues 10 model, which utilizes a RockShox Psylo Silver RC fork, a Deluxe Select rear shock, and a durable 10-speed Shimano Cues drivetrain. It relies on Shimano four-piston calipers paired with 200mm rotors to manage the bike's weight.

Stepping up to the Deore 12 build brings material upgrades to the suspension and drivetrain. The fork moves to a RockShox Psylo Gold RC, and the rear shock is upgraded to a Fox Float X Performance, offering more refined damping for rougher terrain. The drivetrain shifts to a 12-speed Shimano Deore system, providing a wider gear range that is particularly useful for steep, technical climbs where riders want to conserve battery life. Braking is also upgraded to Deore M6120 four-piston calipers. For riders who frequently tackle aggressive descents or want a wider gear spread, the Deore 12 build offers a clear performance advantage, while the Cues 10 remains a highly capable option for those prioritizing initial value.

Cues 10

$4,199

Selected

Deore 12

$5,199

Reviews

Reviewers consistently praise the Moraine for its descending prowess and natural ride feel, noting that the Fazua motor delivers power without the abrupt surges common to full-power eMTBs. The motor's subtle engagement makes the bike feel like "you’re riding a regular mountain bike but how you dream you’d feel if you were extra fit and fast" (Femmecyclist). On the trail, the suspension platform excels at absorbing impacts on aggressive downhill lines.

Despite weighing around 50 pounds, the bike manages its mass well at speed. However, testers point out that the long wheelbase and inherent weight make it "less playful" (Femmecyclist) than a traditional trail bike. Navigating tight switchbacks requires extra effort, and one reviewer noted that the length "required a bit of discretion" (Terrain-mag) in sharp corners.

While the Split Pivot suspension is generally well-regarded for its bump compliance, pedaling efficiency drew mixed feedback. One tester observed "some pedal bob when climbing" (Femmecyclist), though they quickly added that the electric assist renders minor suspension inefficiencies largely irrelevant. Overall, the consensus points to a highly stable, gravity-oriented machine that trades a bit of low-speed agility for composure on fast, rough descents.