Jones Plus LWB vs Salsa Timberjack
Both published charts held against each other, on the specs that decide what the bike carries.
The short answer
The Plus LWB takes tire clearance, the rack path, fork cargo mounts and bottle positions; the Timberjack takes dropper compatibility. Which matters more is your route, not a scoreboard.
Assembled from the differences below rather than written over them, so it cannot drift from the table. Every figure is the manufacturer's; nobody here has ridden either bike.
Where they differ
6 of the 7 things we can compare come out differently. The rest are close enough not to decide anything.
Widest published tire
12mm more on the Plus LWBThe frame figure, not the fork's — forks are routinely cut for more rubber than the rear triangle. Loaded, tire width is also seat-pack clearance: a big tire and a sagging pack compete for the same space.
Rear rack
Plus LWB is the one you can bolt a rack to without hunting for partsRead from each maker's own mount wording. An adapter is a real cost the price tag does not mention, and 'not published' is not the same as no — it just is not something to buy a rack on.
Fork cargo mounts
only the Plus LWB publishes somewhere to bolt a cageCage mounts on the fork blades. This moves weight low and off the bars, which is where a heavy bar roll does the most to the steering.
Frame bottle positions
1 more on the Plus LWBThe maximum the maker publishes across sizes. Worth knowing before you buy a frame bag, because a full-frame bag covers most of them.
Dropper post
only the Timberjack publishes dropper routingA dropper cannot be strapped to, so fitting one rules out almost every seat pack and leaves rail-mounted bags at a fraction of the volume. It is a capability and a constraint at once.
Chainstay
63mm longer on the Plus LWBThe gap between seat tube and rear axle, which a rack, panniers and your heels all share. Longer is more room for a load; shorter is a more compact bike. Which you want is a preference, not a winner.
Side by side
Including the rows where the two are level, because a spec that doesn't separate them is still a spec you might be checking.
| Jones Plus LWB | Salsa Timberjack | |
|---|---|---|
| Widest published tire | 83mm on 700c / 29in | 66mm on 700c / 29in, 71mm on 650b / 27.5in |
| Rear rack | Bolts straight on | Needs an extra part — Rack-Lock seatpost collar |
| Fork cargo mounts | Published | None published |
| Frame bottle positions | 3 | 2 |
| Dropper post | Not published | Compatible |
| Chainstay | 483mm | 420mm |
| From | $1,740 | $1,799 |
| Sizes | 3 | 5 |
| Frame | Steel | Timberjack 2.0 aluminum / 6061-T6 aluminum |
Drawn to scale
Largest published size of each, built from the charts rather than illustrated. The front triangle is the part that decides frame bag fit.
