As we shared earlier this week, Tim and Mark were in Taiwan overseeing production of our new Chili Con Crosso. Tim is on his way to Europe now and Mark is hand carrying this production frame back home. This images should give you just a bit more info about the details and features of this new frameset.
Look for the full product launch with pricing, specs, & details of the new Chili soon. We do want folks to know we will be selling the new Chili Con Crosso both as a frameset and as a complete bike. We like options and we hope you do too.
We've sponsored the Salsa Two-Four In Support Of MORC for the last 3 years. This year's event has really taken a step forward to becoming the bike, art, and music festival that we'd hoped it would eventually become. Massive props to Amanda from MORC for her work on this event. MORC runs it. Salsa sponsors it.
Here is some of what is going on: Friday Night DH Race, 24-Hour Racing, 8-Hour Racing, Bike Games With Salsa, Homemade Salsa Competition & Tasting, Artists Displaying & Selling Bike-Related Art, Live Music, Food, Bonfires, Camping...
And here is the kicker...aside from the racing, this is a FREE event! C'mon out and take part even if you aren't racing! For more info visit Salsa Two-Four
Today we start with a little sneak peek. This one is a bit more revealing than previous sneek peaks yet only represents a small part of the end product. This product will be on display at Eurobike. Keen eyes may see one or more of the Salsa crew out and about rambling around with this product before that.
We also thought we'd also take this time to chat a bit about our Salsa racks we showed as prototypes back in late February and wrote about here back in March.
The good news is both racks shown above on the Vaya are officially moving to production. Here are the details. At the moment, we estimate they will be here sometime in November. Yes, that is an estimate and this is disappointing as we were expecting to be selling them already. Here are the details.
Wanderlust Rack (rear)
- Light and durable tubular aluminum alloy
- Black or Silver
- Extra long deck. It's slighly cupped to assist in holding bags, sleeping pads or whatever you strap to the top deck.
- Extra long struts for mounting, even to small frames and small rear triangles
- Universal mounting system allowing movement of struts in any direction
- Two threaded barrels for light and reflector mounting
- $100 MSRPWanderlust Rack (rear)
Down Under (front low rider)
- Light and durable tubular aluminum alloy
- Black or Silver
- No wheel hoop so they work with fat 29" wheels or even 4" Surly Endomorphs
- Mounts to mid blade eyelets and fork/drop out eyelet. Note: Requires mid blade eyelets on both the inside & outside of fork blade
- Retains full use of Fargo fork leg mounted water bottle positions
- Has a threaded boss on the top of the hoop to attach the strut from our Minimalist front rack, making a really functional and strong front rack system
- Designed to work well with disc brakes, meaning they mount easily on bikes with disc brakes and are forward positioned to allow full access to the front brake
- MSRP $70
We also showed this Fargo with very cool, Light weight, and functional mini racks. The only update we have here is that we have officially named them the Minimalist rack. These products are still in testing. We will post and update once they pass the tests.
So...There you go. Sneak Peak Friday and new Salsa Rack update.
Two years ago, I went down for my first Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational (GTDRI). I wasn't sure what to expect, but the ride had meaning to me, both personally and professionally. Personally, it was my first ride over 100 miles in a number of years. Professionally, it was my first true test of a prototype that we were developing at that time, now the Salsa Fargo. This ride would be the first public showing of the Fargo to anyone outside our walls. It was a fitting ride to really share the Fargo with the outside world and the Fargo proved to be the perfect vehicle for this awesome tour and ride.
I missed the GTDRI last year and after reading the reports, I was bummed. Thankfuly Mark said he was running the same course again this year. Sweet, I knew I had to do it. I also knew from reviewing the course, that this year would be a bit more difficult than the course I completed 2 years ago, especially considering the expected temperature (mid 90's) and humidity levels. It was truly going to be a Death Ride.
I came into this years event with quite a few more miles in my legs and was confident with both my fitness and my equipment. I rode my now trusty titanium project that I rode down at the Dirty Kanza 200 and out at the Maah Daah Hey. Due to my busy schedule, I ended up leaving the suspension fork on the bike that I installed to ride the Maah Daah Hey just two weeks prior. I certainly didn't need the fork for the Iowa gravel, but it was on there and I didn't want to mess with it. I made a last minute change to go with slightly lower gearing as I knew there were several 15-20% grade climbs on this route. I also took the mountain knobby tires off and tried out a set of Stan's Crow tires as I wanted low rolling resistance. In the end, I could not have been happier with my set up. I had zero weight on my back thanks to the Revelate Designs Tangle Mountain bag and Gas Tank. Not one single complaint on gear on this trip. It's not often I say that as I'm pretty picky, but after several iterations of gear on this bike, I've got it pretty dialed.
As we proceeded up and down the hot & dusty Iowa country side, it became evident that day would end up being a crusher. Repeated steep climbs with little or no rest were made even more difficult by the fact that there was zero wind to help cool the body back down. It was a death march and all of us were feeling the impact of the temperature and lack of wind. At one point while regrouping around mile 60, my old farm memories took over and I took refuge in a corn field because there were no trees to be found. The temps were at least 5-8 degrees cooler. Soon, the others would join me.
Shortly after the regroup, we decided to alter the route a bit and find the nearest town. It was time to refuel and cool the body back down. After about 30 minutes in the convenience store, we collectively decided that it wasn't the day to do the entire route as planned. That said, we were still at least 40 miles from our cars! After some deliberation, a route was put in place and we took off zig zagging across Iowa to get back to camp. The day ended with a 40 mile time trial back to the cars with one other rider, Jeremy Fry, a Trans Iowa and Dirty Kanza veteran.
In the end, we ended up with 102 miles in the grueling heat. It was reminiscent of the Dirty Kanza. Another long day in the saddle pushing the body, mind and equipment. Despite the challenges, I must say that riding through the country side with like minded friends is the perfect way to spend the day. This part of Iowa is truly stunning and filled with such a diversity in the terrain. I returned home tired and sore. I'm already thinking about next year's Death Ride.
Thanks Mark for an awesome route and an awesome day. Thanks to Jeremy too for pushing me just a bit out of my comfort zone and reminding me what it feels like to go fast.
I love riding the Maah Daah Hey. In fact, this is my third time in 3 years. Last week I shared my set up. I'm from the camp that if there is an opportunity to ride the Maah Daah Hey, I will take it every single time. This is a special place. It is remote. It is beautiful. It is challenging. It evolves every year. It is big country without sound or light polution. It is an incredible country that is almost untouched and harkens back to a time gone by.
Many folks planning to ride the Maah Daah Hey often ask me what to expect or what gear to bring? There are some easy answers and some not so easy answers. Here are my thoughts on my last 3 trips.
- The riding isn't that technical. It is slow, almost always under 10 mph. The climbs are not that hard, but they are endless and unrelenting. The trail sort of lulls you into thinking it isn't that hard and then at the end of the day, you are physically pretty hammered and crushed. At a comfortable pace, we did 50 miles in 8 hours with stops for pictures & lunch.
- Water - You need to have a great plan for water. There are pumps at some of the campgrounds. You can also pay Dakota Cyclery in Medora, North Dakota for support of various levels. I even hired them one year to drop me off. They rock and you should stop in and suppurt them.
- Map - Buy a map. The trail evolves and at times erodes. I've helped folks that were lost (on horseback) and this year, I couldn't find the trail at one point and had to spend some time orientating myself to find the trail.
- Bike - First, 29ers are ideal for this trail. Suspension is nice too. I've ridden it with a softail, a hardtail with front suspension, and a full rigid bike. Again, I personally don't think that the trail is that technically difficult, but there are a lot of hoof prints and erosion along with countless short climbs. Comfort is king. Bring what you are most comfortable riding for hours on end.
- If it rains, the trail is unridable. On this trip, both my brother and I brought cross bikes to ride pavement and/or gravel in the area if it rained. My recommendation is to have a back up plan because you simply can't ride if it is wet.
With that, here are a few pictures from the trail. Special thanks to my brother that went with me and served as my model. He was riding his Salsa Big Mama.
There were a few road blocks and we had to occassionally share the trail.
Trail markers make it pretty easy to navigate but I still recommend buying and using a map!
My brother winds around, over and through the big country.
Western North Dakota has received quite a bit of rain and the trail was filled with flowers and green prairie grass. I've ridden it each of the last 3 years and every year I've gotten something just a bit different.
In the end, both my brother and I left refreshed and felt fortunate that we got to experience this beauty and remoteness on two wheels and under our own power. There is simply no better way to experience this part of the country. I've said it already, but if you ever get a chance to go ride the Maah Daah Hey, go do it. You won't regret it.
For those that don't know, the Maah Daah Hey is a 100+ mile mountain bike trail out in the Badlands area of North Dakota. It is very remote with stunning beauty and big open space. It's a special place to be sure. I love it and if you ever have the chance to go out and ride it, do it. You won't regret it.
My first run at the Maah Daah Hey was back in 2008. I took my orange Dos Niner.
This bike set up proved to be a perfect bike for the Maah Daah Hey. The 29" wheels ate up the country side and the 1" of travel on the Dos made it more comfy on the hoof battered sections of the trail. I had just received the then new XTR group (notice the uncut brake housing). All in all, a perfect bike for the Maah Daah Hey. It was a good trip, but I was in a different place with my fitness and the peak of my weight. I also carried a heavy pack on my back. The trail with its unrelenting short climbs and descents punished me.
Last year, I took a different approach because we were headed to Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. I took my trusty Fargo. I was really just out touring and taking pictures so it worked great. In fact, I loved the frame bag on it for my food and gear. This lightened up my load on my body. The Fargo ate up the terrain pretty easily. However, at times I wished I had a suspension fork on it. That said, I was in much better physical condition on this trip and had a blast.
This time, I think I have the perfect set up. I put a suspension fork and bigger tires on my titanium Bike With No Name that I built for the Dirty Kanza 200. I can't wait to hit the trail with this set up. I think it should be perfect this trip. We'll see. Come back next week to find out.
Last week marked the official 2nd Annual Fargo Adventure ride. Some might argue that it really is the 3rd, but that first one was really just a bike ride with friends that provided the back drop and vision for this annual ride. The concept is really pretty simple. Get like minded individuals together for camping and a non traditional ride that challenges everyone in some way. It's not a race and if folks want to race it, we encourage them to find an actual "race" to enter instead of coming on this ride. This ride is about fun, adventure, challenge and friendship. It could be argued that the routes and adventures are designed to highlight the versatile and capable Salsa Fargo, but I would argue the routes and adventures are planned to challenge folks and that the Fargo is simply the right tool for the job.
Due to severe weather here in MN, this year's event shrunk quite a bit. The campground we stayed at on Thursday evening during the storms was almost vacant. I wondered who would show up for the ride? Nine brave souls came out and trusted me to guide them through my local roads, trails and unmarked pathways. We finished the day with 60 miles of varied terrain and surfaces. All had smiles on their faces. All were challenged in some way. A few of us crashed (me included). In the end, I left the day excited about riding and about sharing my local riding secrets with good folks.
Here are a few images from the day. Hope you enjoy. Someday, maybe some of you can come up here and participate in one of these. Heck, maybe we'll come out to your area and ride with you. Who knows where our Fargos will take us?
For some odd reason, I entered my first race in 13 years. My last race was the Leadville Trail 100 back in the day. I can't begin to describe the feeling I had at the start of the race. Some day I'll delve into that, but needless to say, I was a bit nervous. I mean who wouldn't be, right? It was supposed to be 95 degrees, windy and I had 200 miles of gravel facing me. I had a goal of sub-18 hours. I secretly thought that I could finish in the top 20-30 if I persevered and finished. In writing that last line, I must have been crazy to have those dreams given I haven't raced in so many years. That said, I rarely set my goals low. My strategy was not to sit back and finish. My strategy was to race and push myself to my limit.
The police-escorted roll out of town was fairly uneventful. Truthfully, I expected it to be a bit faster, but I think the police car kept folks in check. I knew there would be a strong lead group as this DK field of about 160 riders had a stacked field. My goal was to be just behind the lead pack so that when we hit gravel, I would not be following too many folks. I don't like following people on gravel for a couple of reasons, dust and not being able to see the surface of the road.
Prior to the race, I had talked to a lot of folks about the rocks and how the sharp Flint Hills gravel really tears up tires. I sort of thought that this was hyped just a bit to add fear and drama to racers stories, sort of a Kansas cycling folk lore. Not more than 800 meters onto gravel after the paved roll out, I witnessed the first flat. Maybe there was something about the sharp rock? Maybe it was bad luck? Maybe it was shoddy mechanics? I snapped the pic above and then pondered my chances of a flat-free DK?
As we rolled out of town and got deeper into the open range of the Flint Hills area, I looked back. I wanted to see the sunrise. It was a beautiful morning. I also wanted to see how spread out the pack was at this point. I wanted to ride on my own. It's not that I didn't want to share it with anyone. I just didn't want to be part of someone else's story. This race was a personal battle.
As we zig zagged across the Kansas country side, it was fairly obvious that wind is a big part of the Kansas landscape and environment. Much of the first 40 miles was into the wind, or at least a strong cross wind. I love windswept trees like this. I thought about stopping to perfectly frame and expose and capture the riders as they crested the hill. However, it was a race and I snapped this shot as I pedaled and put my camera back in the frame bag.
Soon, the field was spread out over miles and miles of Kansas countryside. I saw riders searching for derailleur parts in the gravel, others changing flats, while others battled cramps. The sun was getting higher. It was getting hot. I felt incredibly strong. I picked off rider after rider. I rolled into the first check point at 60 miles in under 4 hours. I was pleased, yet the cows were not impressed.
The next section to checkpoint 2 was 40 miles. There was a tailwind and it was getting hotter yet. I was still feeling incredible. I continued to pass folks and press on. I didn't take many pictures on this section. I was focused on getting this 40-mile section put to rest and behind me. I wanted to get halfway as that is where I thought the real battle and test would begin. Then, it happened...I flatted. We had ridden a very rough section of gravel. I think it was called the CC road. Upon inspection, I found a nice tear in the tire. The fabled flint rock got me. Crap! Thankfully, I had a tire boot and all the stuff. I sat and baked in the hot sun as I changed my flat. With no wind movement, sweat was dripping everywhere. Salt stung my eyes. I think I counted 10 or so riders that passed me. As quick as I could, I got back on the road hoping and praying the tire boot would hold and that I would get to town where I could further inspect the tire. If it was bad, I made a plan to swap the rear tire to the front and put the less worn front on the rear. Filled with anxiety, I pressed on and repassed most, or all, of the riders that had passed me. I made it into the second check point at 100 miles in under 7 hours. Pretty darn good considering I had a flat and haven't raced 100 miles in 13 years.
This is where the race and my story really begin. I will apologize now for the lack of pictures that follow. My picture taking pretty muched stopped. I had planned to do a short video at each checkpoint. That did not happen. The checkpoints were points of anxiety for me. Many riders had support folks there to assist, refuel, put fresh tires on, etc. I did not know that was an option and had planned on self support. I carried all my food and supplies with me. I only replenished on liquids at the checkpoints. As folks got help, I scrambled and feverishly refilled my bottles, ate and worked to restore my electrolytes.
With 100 miles down and a 100 to go, it was time to get back on the road. I hopped back on my bike and rolled out of town. I left town alone again and then caught up with Scott, the eventual singlespeed winner, about 3 miles out of town. He was on a Moots. We chatted about the wonders of titanium and discussed singlespeed chain rings. It was the first time I had ridden or talked with anyone. It was nice to break up the miles. Eventually we split up and I pressed on ahead alone.
This section proved to be incredibly difficult. Some of the roads were very, very primative with huge rocks. One of the roads was called Little Egypt. After riding it, I'm guessing it was named after the huge rocks that I'm sure could have been used to build the ancient pyramids. It was rough and brutal. I was very careful to pick my line and somehow managed to avoid a flat through this section. As the road smoothed out and turned to rolling hills, I was once again flying down the road and pressing on. The last 5 miles into Alma was hot. It felt like it must have been 100 degrees. My black shorts were on fire. My calf muscle brushed the seat stay on my titanium bike and it too felt hot to touch. I made it to the 3rd and final checkpoint in Alma, mile 140. Someone told me I was in the top 30. I was elated....But I also knew I was starting to crack and needed some time to cool my core body temp down.
At Alma things got interesting. It was so incredibly hot. I was cooked. I ate my last peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwich along with some beef jerkey and cashews. I downed a chocolate milk and a cold Gatorade. After 30-40 minutes at the store, my body finally cooled down and I hit the road again.
Earlier in the week, someone told me that section 3 that I had just completed was the most difficult. In my mind I had mentally prepared myself that what I rode through was the hardest and that the rest would be easier. I was wrong. Things went up. Repeatedly and for long distances. At one point I stopped on an old concrete bridge to cool down. It was in the shade and I thought just maybe the concrete was cool. I lied down on my chest with my arms outstretched on the concrete. I was wrong again! It was hot just like everything else. I rested, ate some more CLIF Shots and then pressed on. Up and up the road turned. Where was this fabled convenience store folks were talking about so I could get more cold liquids? My map didn't seem to make any sense. I was missing course markings. After some 30mph gravel descents, I eventually made it to mile 165 in Eskridge.
There was quite a group of riders at the store in Eskridge. I caught back up to many folks that left the last check point before I did. Many folks were cooked. Several were dropping out. I was unsure. I ran cold water over my head in an attempt to cool down. I rested on the bench and my arms were twitching and my hamstrings were cramping. I was cooked. I knew in my head I could finish, but at what cost?
I said "I gotta finish", grabbed my bike and started rolling it away from the store. I quickly found out my tire was flat. I must have flatted again rolling into town and didn't know it. Now the stakes went up just a bit. If I pressed on, I knew it would be dark by the time I finished. Did I want to head into the night with only 1 tube left, no blinkly tail light because it vibrated and fell apart somewhere between mile 100 and 165, no other scheduled stop and most importanly, no one to call for help? I just didn't want to put myself in that situation. I decided the tire was a sign from above and called it quits. I walked over to a guy in a pickup truck that had a red Salsa Chili Con Crosso on the back of it and asked if he could give me a ride back to Emporia? He said yes. That was it. Finished. 165 miles. Not 200.
Here are the facts.
- My first race or organized event in 13 years
- My longest ride of my life as well as the most physically challenging thing I have ever done
- 13 hours of riding time (plus checkpoint time)
- Top speed - 35.4 mph
I am happy with the facts, but disappointed in that I did not attain my goal. It's hard not to think about 'what if'...What if I just would have booted the tire again and pressed on? That certainly was one of the two choices that I could make out in my head at that moment. However, I chose the other and I am trying to find peace in setting a big goal, going for it with gusto and stretching myself. The facts speak for themselves. I rode a strong race and pushed beyond my old limits despite not finishing. Sounds like a victory in my personal battle with the race. I'm good with that. I'm not looking back.
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Salsa presents Ride The Divide at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis on June 15th at 7pm. Advance tickets recommended. Click the logo below to purchase. Here's what the press is saying about Ride The Divide:
Kick-ass feature film – Vail Daily.
The cinematography was stunning. – Adventure Cycling Association
The Dirty Kanza 200 is fast approaching and I am in the final stages of putting my gear together. I wrote last week that I designed and built a special bike for this event. Keep in mind that I don’t intend to be a contender in the race. If I were 10 years younger and had been gifted with different genes, then I may have made different choices. But I am 40, need comfort and demand a bike to take me lots of places over just about any terrain. With that, here is a closer look at my personal dream bike.
Last winter I painstakingly put together my ideal bike for the DK200 and another event I hope to do and write about some other time. I wanted a bike that had the key features of function, 29er wheels & the comfort of my beloved Fargo, but in a lighter, faster specification. The only logical choice was to build my custom bike utilizing titanium. Oh yes, the sweet silver alloy with the unmistakable ride quality, durability and low weight. Yes, this comes at a price, but for me and my intended use, I think it is worth every penny.
Upon receiving the frame, I set out to spec the bike as my ultimate long distance, ultra lite adventure bike. My parts choice is based on durability and function. It is designed not for traditional touring racks; think Epic Designs bags and Salsa’s upcoming Minimalist rack system. I think it is a bit over the top and should provide the perfect platform for the Dirty Kanza 200 and other future epic adventures, but you can judge for yourself. Here is my build spec for the DK.
Frame: My Bike With No Name
Fork: Salsa CroMoto Grande 29er
Headset: Cane Creek 110
Rear Derailleur: XTR M950 series
Front Derailleur: XTR M960 series
Crank/BB: XTR M950 series 36-48T
Cassette: Dura Ace 12-27T 9-speed
Chain: Shimano Dura Ace 9-speed
Shifters: Shimano 9-speed bar end
Brake Levers: Cane Creek Drop V levers
Brakes: Avid BB-7 Mtn Mechanical disc brakes
Cables/Housing: Jagwire Stainless with Compressionless housing
Bar: Salsa Woodchipper, 31.8mm, size 46cm
Stem: Salsa ProMoto Ti, 100mm, 31.8mm
Tape: Salsa Gel – Black
Seatpost: Eriksen Ti or Cane Creek Thudbuster ST (depends on terrain)
Saddle: Fizik Aliante Gamma
Rims: Stans 355 29er rims
Hubs: Shimano XTR M970 Centerlock
Rotors: Shimano XT Centerlock
Spokes/Nipples: DT 2.0/1.8 with brass nipples
Tires: Bontrager XR1’s 29er 1.9 tires (set up tubeless)
Skewers: Salsa Stainless – Black
Cages: Salsa Nickless Cage
Bags: Epic Designs Gas Tank, Custom Frame Bag & Timbuk2 seatbag
Lights: Princeton Tec EOS
So….I think that is the perfect set up for…..me. I’ve got a few thousand miles on it and absolutely love it so far. Will it help me finish the DK? I guess I’ll find out later this week. Wish me luck!
Remember, online ticket sales for the Minneapolis screening of Ride The Divide are now available. Click the logo below to purchase advance tickets.
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