Warbird: Gravel Since The Beginning

January 14, 2020

In the early days of gravel racing, there were no timing chips, live tracking, online event coverage, or sponsored podiums. Finish lines promised handshakes and riders swapping tales on tailgates. It was just riders alone with the elements (and probably some livestock).

Salsa team members who rode in seminal gravel events such as Trans-Iowa, Dirty Kanza, and Almanzo, were tired of reaching the finish line bruised and battered, their bodies numbed by hundreds of bone-rattling miles on bikes not made for the task. They knew there was a better way, so they built it.

We created the original Warbird in 2013 for the races that defined gravel riding. This first purpose-built gravel bike affected the entire cycling industry, leading to the birth of the gravel bike category and fueling the growth of the gravel riding scene. Warbird has evolved as times and technology have changed, but it’s been gravel since the beginning.

Warbird: Gravel Since The Beginning from Salsa Cycles on Vimeo.

For 2020, we add more color options and build kits to the Warbird lineup—but every model has the features that make Warbird a world-class gravel machine:

Gravel race geometry – A stable wheelbase, long top tube, and short stem create a riding position that’s comfortable over long distances.
Class 5™ VRS – Specially-shaped seatstays and chainstays soak up the micro impacts of rough terrain.
700c or 650b wheel compatibility – Warbird fits up to 700c x 45 mm or 650b x 2.0" tires, with the ability to switch between sizes based on conditions.
Carrying capacity – Three-Pack mounts on the fork, an accessory mount on the bottom of the down tube, and a top tube bag mount expand your capacity for water, food, and equipment.

Here’s a look at the full Warbird lineup for 2020: