News

2020 Salsa Warbird

By 3 min read
Rider on a Salsa Warbird gravel bike rolls along a dry gravel road past fields in low autumn light.

SCRAMBLE!

Salsa’s benchmark gravel racer, the Warbird, has been revised for 2020. As last year’s overhaul saw a whole new frameset design, the changes for 2020 just refresh the the colour schemes and reflect the latest component releases. We’ll look at the components after a quick recap of the frame highlights:

Warbird 2020 Highlights

  • Race-ready geometry
  • Class 5 VRS (Vibration Reduction System) to increase comfort and fight fatigue
  • No seatstay or chainstay bridges for increased compliance and mud clearance
  • Room for 700c x 45mm tyres (38 with mudguards) & 650b x 51mm (47mm with mudguards)
  • 3 (49-54.5cm) or 4 (56-61cm) bottle mounts on the frame and bolt-on toptube feed bag mount
  • Dynamo cable routing, three-pack cage mounts and rack & guard mounts on the forks
  • Thru-axles front & rear (12 x 100 & 12 x 142mm respectively)
  • 1x, 2x and Di2 compatible (1x & Di2 allow dropper fitment) and internal cable sleeves
  • Flat mount brakes
  • 57.5 cm frameset weighs 1.39kg (3lb 1 oz)
  • All full builds ship with 700c wheelsets
  • Unlike in previous years, Warbird is an all-carbon range
Rider in an orange gilet on a 2020 Salsa Warbird heads towards the camera down a gravel road lined with autumn trees.

Electric shifting, eye searing range topper

While Shimano were caught napping by SRAM, the release of GRX has seen the Big-S turn the tables. Like the new Cutthroat, the Warbird range is dominated by Shimano GRX. At the top of the tree is the Warbird GRX 810 Di2. Finished in a striking Atomic Pink it’s not for the shy & retiring rider. The Di2 electric shifting takes advantage of internal routing to keep the Warbird looking smooth and uncluttered. Salsa’s own carbon post and cowbell bars, along with gel tape and WTB Volt Pro saddle, will work with the VRS Frameset to kill fatigue building vibrations. DT Swiss provide their CR1600 wheelset, a smart combo of DT 350 hubs, 26mm wide tubeless rims and a reassuring 130kg weight limit.

Salsa Warbird GRX 810 Di2 in Atomic Pink, side view, with WTB saddle and DT Swiss CR1600 wheels.
Salsa Warbird GRX 810 Di2 – Pink

GRX Without the Electrickery

The GRX 810 closely follows the range-topper while making a few concessions to bring the MSRP down. The gearset is the mechanical Shimano GRX 810. The bars and seatpost are alloy this time and the wheelset is a notch down in DT’s range, the CR1600. The black paint finish will help your Warbird fly more easily under the radar!

Salsa Warbird GRX 810 in black with green and yellow decals, side view, with mechanical Shimano GRX groupset.
Salsa Warbird GRX 810 – Black

Despite the name, the GRX 600 pairs 810 derailleurs, 600 series cranks and shifters with 400 series hydraulic brakes. WTB step in to provide their Speedterra hubs and proven ST i23 rims.

Salsa Warbird GRX 600 in dark blue with red and yellow accents, side view, on WTB wheels.
GRX 600 – Dark Blue

1x was so last season…

The Warbird Apex 1 is the sole 1x and SRAM equipped version. With a 1x transmission and TRP cable-brakes, it could be the Warbird best suited for out-there races. Despite bringing up the rear, it still features Salsa’s cowbell bars, a WTB tubeless wheelset and top-notch Teravail Cannonball tubeless ready tyres. As with the Cutthroat, the Warbird Apex 1 comes in two colourways.

Salsa Warbird Apex 1 in light blue, side view, with single chainring SRAM Apex drivetrain.
Apex 700c – Light Blue
Salsa Warbird Apex 1 in white with orange and red decals, side view, with SRAM Apex 1x drivetrain.
Apex 1 – White

Finally, for those riders wanting total control over their spec list, the Salsa Warbird is available as a frameset in super-stealthy matte carbon. A dream frame for a dream build?

Salsa Warbird carbon frameset in matte black with fork, side view, on a white background.
Warbird Carbon Frameset – Black

Salsa Warbird UK Pricing & Availability

The new Salsa Warbird full builds and framesets are almost with us and should be available from dealers commencing the 27th January 2020.

Pricing

  • Warbird Carbon Frameset £2150
  • Warbird Carbon Apex 1 £2950
  • Warbird Carbon GRX 600 £3400
  • Warbird Carbon GRX 810 £4500
  • Warbird Carbon GRX 810 Di2 £ 6100
Pink Salsa Warbird GRX 810 Di2 from the rear three-quarter view, with Teravail Cannonball tyres and GRX cranks.
Pink Salsa Warbird GRX 810 Di2 from the front three-quarter view, showing GRX shifters and cowbell bars.
Black Salsa Warbird GRX 810 from the rear three-quarter view, with GRX cranks and DT Swiss wheels.
Black Salsa Warbird GRX 810 from the front three-quarter view, with cowbell bars and GRX levers.
Dark blue Salsa Warbird GRX 600 from the rear three-quarter view, with red, white and yellow decals.
Dark blue Salsa Warbird GRX 600 from the front three-quarter view, showing hydraulic disc brakes.
Light blue Salsa Warbird Apex 1 from the rear three-quarter view, with 1x SRAM Apex crankset.
Light blue Salsa Warbird Apex 1 from the front three-quarter view, with cowbell bars and a single chainring.
White Salsa Warbird Apex 1 from the rear three-quarter view, with orange and red fork decals.
White Salsa Warbird Apex 1 from the front three-quarter view, with SRAM Apex shifters and 1x chainring.

As with everything Salsa, Lyon Equipment are the UK distributor and are your go-to for dealer information.