Salsa’s new bike is for roadies who like a side-serving of gravel

by 1

Salsa already has as wide a #dirtydropbargoodness range as pretty much any other manufacturer that we know. We took a look at its current range recently and it was hard to pick a favourite. Salsa felt there was still a gap to be filled though: enter the Warroad.
salsa warroad gravel bike gritcx
The Warroad – like the Warbird, but not

Warroad

In Salsa’s own words, its new bike “is our endurance all-road bike. Featuring our new Endurance Road Geometry, Warroad is designed and built for long road rides that don’t always stick to smooth pavement.”

salsa warroad gravel bike gritcx
650b and 700c clearances

Those of you familiar with Salsa’s bikes might have spotted the new bike’s name is similar to one of Salsa’s stalwarts; the Warbird. The company claims the Warroad focuses on agility while the Warbird focuses on stability. Warroad is for road riding with a side of gravel; Warbird is for gravel racing, where its longer wheelbase and greater stability excel.
salsa warroad gravel bike gritcx
Salsa always has some good colour options

This translates to a slightly steeper head tube angle, lower bottom bracket and shorter chainstays on the Warroad vs the Warbird. The Warroad is also torsionally stiffer in the bottom bracket juncture, head tube, seatstays and chainstays, which gives up some of the compliance and comfort you’d likely look for on all-day gravel rides in exchange for pedalling efficiency and quicker handling.
salsa warroad gravel bike gritcx
Salsa has three build options available, as well as the frameset

Specification and features

  • Class 5TM Vibration Reduction System (VRS)
  • Three bottle mounts on 56-61cm frames
  • Two bottle mounts on 49-55cm frames
  • Bottle or accessory mount on underside of the down tube
  • Mounts for EXP Series Toptube pack
  • Clearance for 700c x 35mm or 650b x 2.1” tires
  • Fits Salsa Wanderlust rear rack using Salsa Rack-Lock
  • Full fender mounts
  • Accommodates 1x and 2x drivetrains (Di2 compatible)

Fork Features

  • Three-Pack mounts
  • Low-rider rack compatibility
  • Full fender coverage
  • Internal dynamo light routing
The perfect bike for going long?

UK pricing and availability

We imagine that the Warroad will only appeal to a handful of riders, but it will be the perfect bike for that group. It looks ideal for long-distance tarmac-based bike packing races like the Transcontinental.
The Warroad comes in three full build options, as well as frameset only. Shimano Ultegra, £4800; SRAMForce 1, £4800; Shimano 105, £3750. Frameset is £2100.
Stock will be available early April via Lyon Cycle.

Comments (1)

Comments Closed