Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational)
Reload this Page >

Yet a new bike category? Salsa’s new Warroad (no bird required)

Notices
Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Yet a new bike category? Salsa’s new Warroad (no bird required)

Old 03-27-19, 07:55 AM
  #1  
chas58
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
chas58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863

Bikes: too many of all kinds

Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 335 Posts
Yet a new bike category? Salsa’s new Warroad (no bird required)

Salsa introduces a more athletic warbird, the Warroad.
https://salsacycles.com/culture/introducing_warroad

During development I saw Warroad as a road bike with a side of gravel. We succeeded in mixing the agility and responsiveness of a road bike with the confidence to turn down a sketchy road whenever the opportunity arises.
650b tires, 415mm chain stays.

Where Warroad differs from Warbird is its focus on agility over stability. Warroad is for road with a side of gravel; Warbird is for gravel racing where its longer wheelbase and greater stability excel.

I wanted a bike that didn’t limit the ride to a surface, had quick handling and was responsive to rider feedback. The Warroad balances this with a stable road ride, hence the endurance geometry idea,” Said Meiser.

Personally, this addresses the issues I had with the Warbird. I found it a capable bike, but a bit boring to ride. Yes, if you are doing 100% gravel, boring is good – but I was looking for a more livelly mixed surface machine.

GT’s take: Guitar Ted Productions: All The Wars! (birds wars and road wars!)
chas58 is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 08:23 AM
  #2  
Lava
Reno/Seattle/NYC
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 124

Bikes: Cannondale Topstone 105

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 53 Post(s)
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
I would have thought long and hard about this model prior to deciding on the Topstone, due to most of my riding being primarily on the road. The price for a Tiagra build, similar to the Warbird, is a little off-putting though. I know the Journeyman exists to fill that value niche in Salsa's lineup, but it feels like there's a big gulf between the Claris/Sora Journeymans and the Warroad.
Lava is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 08:33 AM
  #3  
FlashBazbo
Chases Dogs for Sport
 
FlashBazbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,288
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 983 Post(s)
Liked 141 Times in 94 Posts
It's a road bike. Probably a good one. But there are lots of very similar, good road bikes out there. And from companies with greater visibility and a higher commitment to the customer. I understand what sets a Warbird apart. What makes this a compelling purchase in light of all the competition? 650b?

Last edited by FlashBazbo; 03-27-19 at 08:46 AM.
FlashBazbo is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 08:40 AM
  #4  
5teve
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 212
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 69 Post(s)
Liked 65 Times in 29 Posts
It's a throwback to the sort of bikes that started this whole gravel trend, at least for me-a fat 650b-tired road bike meant to take on any and all road surfaces you might come across. It's like a modern carbon version of the Rivendell Saluki that was my first 650b Allroad bike! I like it.
5teve is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 08:52 AM
  #5  
tdilf
Full Member
 
tdilf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 294

Bikes: Niner RLT RDO, Trek Remedy 9.8

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 108 Post(s)
Liked 117 Times in 70 Posts
Originally Posted by FlashBazbo
It's a road bike. Probably a good one. But there are lots of very similar, good road bikes out there. And from companies with greater visibility and a higher commitment to the customer. I understand what sets a Warbird apart. What makes this a compelling purchase in light of all the competition? 650b?
Agreed.
tdilf is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 08:57 AM
  #6  
ksryder
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 2,549

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1281 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times in 329 Posts
Knowing Salsa, if you order now you have a good chance of getting it by 2021.
ksryder is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 08:58 AM
  #7  
FlashBazbo
Chases Dogs for Sport
 
FlashBazbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,288
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 983 Post(s)
Liked 141 Times in 94 Posts
Originally Posted by ksryder
Knowing Salsa, if you order now you have a good chance of getting it by 2021.
Maybe. Maybe not.
FlashBazbo is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 09:34 AM
  #8  
ThermionicScott 
working on my sandal tan
 
ThermionicScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625

Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)

Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3868 Post(s)
Liked 2,560 Times in 1,574 Posts
I think "new bike category" might be a stretch. Seems to me that the ideal "gravel bike" all along was essentially a mountain bike that handled and felt like a road bike. So we're just getting closer and closer to that ideal.
__________________
Originally Posted by chandltp
There's no such thing as too far.. just lack of time
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
RUSA #7498
ThermionicScott is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 10:31 AM
  #9  
PickleRick
Junior Member
 
PickleRick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Finger Lakes NY
Posts: 84

Bikes: Felt Z4, Trek Remedy 9.8, Pivot 429SL Di2, Salsa Warbird Di2

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 18 Posts
Knowing Salsa, if you order now you have a good chance of getting it by 2021.
LMAO!....no , wait, that's not funny sez just another sucker waiting for the 2019 Warbird I ordered in January. (sigh)

....my LBS tried to get me to buy this Warroad when it became apparent my Warbird order would be (ahem) significantly delayed. "Why would this arrive any faster?" I asked. LBS owner shrugs.
PickleRick is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 10:43 AM
  #10  
TimothyH
- Soli Deo Gloria -
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,782

Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix

Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times in 469 Posts
This may have changed cycling forever!
TimothyH is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 10:50 AM
  #11  
chas58
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
chas58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863

Bikes: too many of all kinds

Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 335 Posts
Originally Posted by FlashBazbo
It's a road bike. Probably a good one. But there are lots of very similar, good road bikes out there. And from companies with greater visibility and a higher commitment to the customer. I understand what sets a Warbird apart. What makes this a compelling purchase in light of all the competition? 650b?
What are you thinking of? Open UP? Diverge?
Gravel bikes tend to be somewhat sedate and endurance oriented - there does not seem to be much in the gravel world that feels athletic.

This one does look pretty slack - not sure how the short rear end and slack front end will feel...
chas58 is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 10:56 AM
  #12  
shoota 
Senior Member
 
shoota's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 8,128
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1871 Post(s)
Liked 689 Times in 467 Posts
Our lbs said they won't be ordering any. It's obvious this type of bike is hyper-niche market orientated and we aren't the right fit.
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
shoota is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 11:02 AM
  #13  
FlashBazbo
Chases Dogs for Sport
 
FlashBazbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,288
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 983 Post(s)
Liked 141 Times in 94 Posts
Originally Posted by PickleRick
LMAO!....no , wait, that's not funny sez just another sucker waiting for the 2019 Warbird I ordered in January. (sigh)

....my LBS tried to get me to buy this Warroad when it became apparent my Warbird order would be (ahem) significantly delayed. "Why would this arrive any faster?" I asked. LBS owner shrugs.
You, too? At last notice, my September 2018 Warbird frameset order, last promised by the end of March 2019, was then promised the first week of May then, the last week of May . . . and now . . . "indeterminate." If Salsa's manufacturing ever catches up with their marketing department, they're going to eclipse Trek and Specialized in sales!
FlashBazbo is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 11:03 AM
  #14  
shoota 
Senior Member
 
shoota's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 8,128
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1871 Post(s)
Liked 689 Times in 467 Posts
Besides, if we wanted an expensive, limited clearance gravel bike we already have Allied.
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
shoota is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 11:12 AM
  #15  
PickleRick
Junior Member
 
PickleRick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Finger Lakes NY
Posts: 84

Bikes: Felt Z4, Trek Remedy 9.8, Pivot 429SL Di2, Salsa Warbird Di2

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 18 Posts
Originally Posted by FlashBazbo
You, too? At last notice, my September 2018 Warbird frameset order, last promised by the end of March 2019, was then promised the first week of May then, the last week of May . . . and now . . . "indeterminate." If Salsa's manufacturing ever catches up with their marketing department, they're going to eclipse Trek and Specialized in sales!
Well, if Salsa doesn't get their s&$t together right soon they're going to have a slew of customers riding the brand new War-path. : -(
PickleRick is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 11:43 AM
  #16  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times in 2,510 Posts
I went to the Salsa website linked in the first post. I like this bike! A bike designed to solve a problem, not a bike designed to fill a need no one had found yet. A bike to make the rides they do better.

This bike is a little like my Peter Mooney. The big difference is they started from scratch with a rather specific hard, physical goal in mind. I ordered my Mooney with just as specific a goal, but that goal was to have a bike that could be my link to sanity over the coming post-head injury crazy years. They knew the roads they'd be riding if not the pavement. I didn't know what coast I would be living on. I also didn't know the wheel standard I would be using. 700c or 27"? In 1978, not knowing where I'd be living, that wasn't at all obvious.

Well, 38 years later, my Mooney had a new focus - as a fix gear to ride Crater Lake with Cycle Oregon AND ride the promised 30 miles of gravel with its 1000' ups and downs. I did it. The bike could run 37c in front, 35c in back and run gears of 44-13, 42-17, 36-21 just moving chain and flipping a wheel and (unscrewing a cog) 36-24. I rode it the length of the Trask River Trail to the Oregon coast as a trial (with fellow forumites) and it thrived.

In many ways, my bike is similar to this Salsa. Long chainstays, big tire clearances, steep front end. But also big differences. Canti brakes so 650B is not an option, High BB. (As a fix gear, I love it! Even if it is a small drawback on gravel. And even higher with those big tires. Longer stem (140 and it might even be a Salsa), much deeper, wide (semi-pista) bars. This worried me knowing the Trask gravel descents would hit 17% but the bike thrived with me in the drops!

This Salsa isn't going to be my bike. Hitting pedals with the low BB and 175 (my knees demand those cranks) would get old. I am a long ways from making the jump to a new braking system (disc) and even further from jumping to carbon fiber. Bars and stem would have to change. Still, I like this bike and I like where it came from. Conceived on the road, not the drawing board.

Ben
79pmooney is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 11:51 AM
  #17  
prj71
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: North Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,601
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2965 Post(s)
Liked 1,167 Times in 763 Posts
Just another in the long list of gravel bikes that will now accomodate 650b tires.

yawn...

Giant Revolt Advanced...same but better component spec and cost less.

Last edited by prj71; 03-27-19 at 11:54 AM.
prj71 is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 11:57 AM
  #18  
gravelED
Newbie
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 64
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 6 Posts
I like the short stays and bb drop, looks good!
gravelED is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 12:19 PM
  #19  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,393 Times in 4,148 Posts
Originally Posted by 5teve
It's a throwback to the sort of bikes that started this whole gravel trend, at least for me-a fat 650b-tired road bike meant to take on any and all road surfaces you might come across. It's like a modern carbon version of the Rivendell Saluki that was my first 650b Allroad bike! I like it.
650b bikes started the gravel trend? Definitely for you and few others.

It does have a memorable graphics design, so thats cool.
mstateglfr is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 12:54 PM
  #20  
chas58
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
chas58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863

Bikes: too many of all kinds

Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 335 Posts
Just another in the long list of gravel bikes that will now accommodate 650b tires.
yawn...
we gotta have a fad!!!
we have gone from
  • ultra stiff carbon road bikes to
  • Fixed gear bikes to
  • fat bikes to
  • gravel bikes
  • to 650b bikes to...
  • what's next???
    • (folding electric powered 650b drop bar cargo road bikes???)
chas58 is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 12:59 PM
  #21  
chas58
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
chas58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863

Bikes: too many of all kinds

Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 335 Posts
They did to an interesting job of crimping the seat tube and shoehorning a front derailer in there...
chas58 is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 01:01 PM
  #22  
PickleRick
Junior Member
 
PickleRick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Finger Lakes NY
Posts: 84

Bikes: Felt Z4, Trek Remedy 9.8, Pivot 429SL Di2, Salsa Warbird Di2

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 18 Posts
Originally Posted by chas58
we gotta have a fad!!!
we have gone from
  • ultra stiff carbon road bikes to
  • Fixed gear bikes to
  • fat bikes to
  • gravel bikes
  • to 650b bikes to...
  • what's next???
    • (folding electric powered 650b drop bar cargo road bikes???)
I'm thinking that fat bikes need to up their game and become morbidly obese bikes. ; )

PickleRick is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 01:06 PM
  #23  
gus6464
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 2,235
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 353 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 92 Times in 67 Posts
I love how Salsa consider themselves a boutique mainstream brand all of a sudden. Those prices are insane. They are not Santa Cruz or Yeti.
gus6464 is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 01:13 PM
  #24  
shoota 
Senior Member
 
shoota's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 8,128
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1871 Post(s)
Liked 689 Times in 467 Posts
Originally Posted by gus6464
I love how Salsa consider themselves a boutique mainstream brand all of a sudden. Those prices are insane. They are not Santa Cruz or Yeti.
They have a cult following like them though.
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
shoota is offline  
Old 03-27-19, 01:15 PM
  #25  
Marcus_Ti
FLIR Kitten to 0.05C
 
Marcus_Ti's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 5,331

Bikes: Roadie: Seven Axiom Race Ti w/Chorus 11s. CX/Adventure: Carver Gravel Grinder w/ Di2

Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2349 Post(s)
Liked 406 Times in 254 Posts
Originally Posted by gus6464
I love how Salsa consider themselves a boutique mainstream brand all of a sudden. Those prices are insane. They are not Santa Cruz or Yeti.
Yea...I laughed a bit. $4,400 for a middling-tier component bike. The gentrification and unaffordability problems keep escalating.

I bought a 10 year old gas-hybrid car for not much more than that 3 months back.
Marcus_Ti is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.