Salsa Fargo owners, whats the widest, fastest rolling tyre you can fit…

…in your frame?

I’m going to risk it for a biscuit and give a Fargo a try. I’ve got some 32m touring tyres I’m sure will be good for the roads and bike paths, but what are you using for out in the wilds?

I just built one on the weekend. It had Conti speed kings out of the box.

I’m building mine up from a frame only.

Any idea of the width?

2.2 conti x king / race king here

seem to be okay on the road as well as off road

Pretty sure I’ve read of 2.35″ Schwalbe big apples being used.

There’s a long standing Fargo thread running on MTBR with loads of information on:
http://forums.mtbr.com/salsa/salsa-fargo-thread-467422.html

I can see me on a Fargo soon. Just seems to fit the bill.

I’ve fitted some big Halo twin-rails 2.2 maybe. Not to bad as dual purpose with a road bias.

I think it depends on the model Mk1 or MK2 I have a mk2 fork on my El mariachi and can get a 2.35 easily through it.

mk2 here as well, loads of tyre room in frame and fork, have had 2.2 kenda nevagals on it with plenty of space to spare and the 2.4 conti x king fits nicely and work quite well.

2.4 Mountain king on the front and there is more than half 20mm everywhere clear.
2.4 Mountain king on the back and the stays are clear by 10mm. Closest point is the front mech mount.
I have bought tyres from Ebay to try.
Conti 2.4’s from On One quite good idiot tyre!
Small block 8’s 2.1 are fast
Spech The Captains 2.0 are a good everything size
Use Conti Cyclocross tyres 42mm for mixed touring.
This is now the only bike I own
Mk 2 Fargo with Jones Loop Bars

Hey mc!

I’m running S works Captains on the Fargo. Light, big volume tyre that rolls really well. I use the Fargo to carry Julia or pull her in the trailer and the tyres cope easily with the load without wearing out quickly or puncturing too often. I would buy another set in an instant. I even use them out in Mallorca when riding the roads and have never felt the need for a lighter or narrower tyre. Plus it makes chasing down roadies or keeping up with them very satisfying!

Cheers

Sanny

Basil, how does the Fargo cope off road…
Does it feel heavy ?

Great guys, thanks for the input. The frame is a 2012 model so it should accept a fairly wide tyre, I’ll keep my eyes on the classifieds and ebay for something suitable.

Off road it doesn’t feel heavy to me, the first impression to me is the control of the steering of the rigid fork. This is my first no suspension bike.
I have felt my bat wings would have me taking off when too fast on rutted ground but mainly I feel accomplished picking routes through rather than over the ground.
I have had light bikes , and I feel you only notice weight if you switch rides alot?
I use this for touring ,cross country commuting (today was soooooo much fun )and trail centers. The thing that changes is the tyres.
Amazing to think this frame set 2012 is available for £330!

Amazing to think this frame set 2012 is available for £330!

where are they available please?

Ton – http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m4b104s251p8314/SALSA_Fargo_Frameset/RS_GB/22258

Only available in you’re size though 8)

ton,Triton Cycles have them for 325 and youre in luck as as only in an XL, which from remembering when you bought my 21″ cove would be right for you. I’ve one, bought from sideways, and they are simply fantastic.

Pete – have you bought it yet?

That’s a cracking price!

I bought (still need to pay for on collection) Cupra’s one off the classifieds with 5 miles on it for a bit less.

Basil, what bars are you using? I’m going to swap over all the bits from my On One Ti CX, which has Salsa Bell Laps. I seldom ever ride on the drops but I like the flare of the bars and where the sti brake hood sit. I had a brief shot with Salsa’s Woodchipper bars, the hoods felt really close together and I didn’t get on with the drops.

I bought Cupra’s one off the classifieds with 5 miles on it for a bit less.

That’s what I feared 🙁 – I just saw his ad.

I’d like to come and sling a leg over it once its built up if possible – I’m praying the medium would be too small.

You haven’t got t the woodchippers for sale have you? I couldn’t be lucky enough you have and that they are 46cm and 25.4?

Jones Loop bars, nice and upright position and proper brakes and gears!

Geoff, I’m going to try and pick it up at the weekend, he’s swapping the parts over onto a Vaya frame. You’d be more than welcome to give it a go when I get it built up. I wasn’t sure of the sizing either, but when I compared the stand over height against my hard tail it looked workable. I’m tall, 6 foot, but with short legs. Top tube length looks beet than my CX bike too, which I always found short.

Commander, no I don’t have a set of Woodchippers, they were on a friends large Fargo.

Basil, I thought about going the Jones bar route, more realistically the Titec copies. Have you got any pics of that set up? I will try the Bell Laps first.

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Cheers Pete – it’ll be interesting to see the sizing.
I’ve got a pair of cheap 700c disc wheels off a specialized hybrid which you can borrow if you want to get it up and running quickly.

Geoff,

I’m just going to swap all the parts over from my CX bike, it has disc wheels and rad BB7s, that’s largely what motivated me to go for the Fargo, it’s a straight parts swap. I should be able to recover it’s purchase price with the sale of the CX.

That looks really nice, Basil.

What impact does using a Jones bar have on choice of frame size?

I’m just going to swap all the parts over from my CX bike, it has disc wheels and rad BB7s, that’s largely what motivated me to go for the Fargo, it’s a straight parts swap. I should be able to recover it’s purchase price with the sale of the CX.

Makes sense – it’ll be a bugger if it’s too small* for you after swapping it all over though .
*crosses fingers 😉

all you gent’s who own a fargo, are they really that versatile that they can be used for nearly everything?
i bought a on one 29r, which i was gonna try to use as a do it all bike, do it all being pootling around, touring and odd days offroading.
but i want something fitted with full guards, i am not using the suspension forks att all, so something fully rigid would suffice.
got to be honest, they do look pretty versatile.

Mcmmonter – Fargo in “standard” set up is designed to ride on the drops most if the time, which you need to do to get at the brakes properly off road. Drops will be a lot higher than drops on a cx bike. For me ianyway it’s a really comfortable position

Riding in the hoods you are really upright as front is high

Unless you go the flat bar route, in which case you will I think have to minimise spacers etc to keep front end not too high

Hi Ton

Just buy one. It’s a great bike that does a bit of everything. I use mine for off road jaunts in big hills, long day rides, towing or carrying the little one, road rides etc. The great thing about the Fargo is that it can turn it’s hand to a lot of riding possibilities. It feels secure and stable off road and riding the drops is a comfortable affair as opposed to my CX bike which feels less stable and a bit too low on the drops for extended descents. The numerous mount points add to the versatility. I’ve barely ridden a cross bike since getting the Fargo.

It’s one of those bikes that makes me smile every time I ride it. 😀

Charliemort, thanks for that. Once I get it built up I’ll have a better idea. My only experience with the Woodchippers on a friend’s large Fargo. It has a longer top tube its owner had ftted a lnger stem, it felt too stretched out even for me.

I’ll look out for some Woodchippers though? Are On One’s Midgebars another workable option?

Ton, that’s the sort of riding I want it for, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’ve got a dew drop for this kind of stuff, i’m tempted to get a Fargo frame just so i can fit bigger tyres 😀

Questions…questions…so many questions… 😕

How do they fare off road with full guards ?

I’m looking for the same sort of thing as Ton. Something that will run full guards & a rack for commuting, but also for the occasional off-road/long way home type commute, & as a mid-week winter low maintainance bike.

Anyone run singlespeed on one ?

I think the frame can take 2.3s without guards, mine is built with 700x42s with guards and there is plenty space to spare. I can fit 2.1s under the guards but clearance would be an issue. I built it up to do a mix of road and off road work and used on one midge bars. I found it sluggish on the road and sluggish off it. I’ll be stripping all the bits and putting them on a Vaya instead which will handle the off road it needs to do just fine and can take the 700×42 cx tyres for some slippy slidey off road.

mcmoonter – we should be on for this weekend as I missed the frame delivery yesterday but it is out for delivery again today. I’ll be in touch.

I’ve recently built one of these up, bought secondhand off here. Realised that my Solaris just wouldn’t be practical for winter commuting so built the Fargo up with a spare set of disc 700c wheels and spesh 45mm Borough XC tyres and guards. Just fitted a pair of Schwalbe studded tyres in anticipation of icy roads and on my commute home last night at about midnight visited my local woods for a blat. It was amazing, the tyres gripped like they were on rails and the bike always surprises me how it rides. It is heavier than my Solaris yet rides just as well and is more comfy than the Solaris which has carbon forks fitted and 29×2.3 tyres (which I have fitted to the Fargo easily). For me though the main point was getting the bars sorted, had woodchippers but couldn’t get dialled in with them so fitted Ragley Luxy bars, they are really lush, comfy and wide. Doesn’t feel like a twitchy road bike but more like a refined MTB that is practical. Also you can only find guards in the UK that fit tyres up to about 50mm wide, SKS Velo 42 Cross, using the stays on the rear only. Planet bike in the US do full guards for 29er tyres but the cost of shipping is really high.

I’ve got over 3000 miles on my Fargo now and i absolutely love it. (1st gen ‘Fun Guy Green’ one.

Built with 3×9 using 105 shifters, deore touring chainset, tiagra front mech and xt cassette. I run 46cm Salsa Bell lap bars which are ace and bb7 road brakes. I had the wheels built strong with xt hubs on Flow rims 36h rear 32h front and i use it mostly as a road commuter/winter bike as it just eats up potholes with it’s 2.35″ Big Apple tyres (pretty much any 2.4″ tyre and below will fit comfortably). I tried it offroad and it was fun but obviously not a ‘proper’ mtb although it’s more than fine for bumpy towpath rides and badly maintained back roads.

I run a SKS Bluemel full rear mudguard (available from Germany in the 65mm version (around £26 posted) which gives loads of room even with the Big Apples). Front guard is more of a faff with the brake calliper but is fine with a bit of fettling. I don’t tend to run a front guard though as they always seem to rattle a bit and its a pain to fit in the car with it on.

Ton, i may be in Leeds in Feb for the Evans ride with a mate and could bring it up if you wanted to try one (although mine is the discontinued XXL which is a monster but you’d just about be ok on it)?

Of all my bikes it’s the most versatile and the last one i’d give up.

You can get guards SKS Bluemels that are 65mm wide from bike discount in germany for £25 shipped.

For me though the main point was getting the bars sorted, had woodchippers but couldn’t get dialled in with them

If they are the 46cm wide ones, I could find a use for them. 🙂