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When it comes to adventure cycling you can’t accuse Salsa of being half-hearted. The Fargo, Cutthroat, Warbird, Journeyman & Vaya have everything from 3″ Plus tyres to 37c covered. Perhaps the only thing missing was a successor to the Colossal endurance road bike. Well, that successor has arrived in the form of the Warroad! Don’t go thinking it’s only for pristine tarmac, to quote Salsa:
“Warroad is designed and built for long road rides that don’t always stick to smooth pavement…”
Warroad Vs Warbird
Taking its name from a small town in Salsa’s home state of Minnesota Warroad isn’t just a Warbird with a skinnier set of treads. It was developed with a steeper head angle, lower bottom bracket and shorter chainstays for sharper, faster handling. With a tarmac bias in mind, the Warroad frame has been made stiffer than the Warbird for even more efficient power transfer. That’s not to say the Warroad compromises comfort for speed, it still features the Class 5 VRS (Vibration Reduction System) frame technology.
The Warroad 105 with 650b x47c tyres
The Warroad has clearances for 700 x 35c or 650b x 2.1″ tyres so you can have the best of both worlds when choosing the ideal wheel and tyre combo for your ride. The frameset features all the mounts you might need for racks, mudguards or dynamo lighting. There are four complete builds, alongside a frameset option. With three out of the four builds shipping with 650b wheels, it’s clear Salsa sense a demand for Roadplus bikes. You won’t have long to wait either, as Warroads will be available in the UK in April!
Build Options
- Warroad Carbon Force 1 650 £4800
- Warroad Carbon Ultegra 700 £4800
- Warroad Carbon 105 650 £3750
- Warroad Carbon Frameset £2100
Salsa Warroad Carbon Force
Frame Features
- Class 5TM Vibration Reduction System (VRS)
- Three bottle mounts on 56-61cm frames
- Two bottle mounts on 49-55cm frames
- Additional bottle or accessory mount on underside of the down tube
- Mounts for bolt-on 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 mudguard mounts
- Accommodates 1x and 2x drivetrains (Di2 compatible)
Warroad Carbon 700c with Shimano Ultegra x2 setup
Fork Features
- Three-Pack mounts for anything cages
- Low-rider rack compatibility
- Full mudguard coverage
- Internal dynamo light routing
Shimano 105 and 650b wheels. Our thinking mans choice of the range
Technical Frame Specifications
- Frameset weight: 1865 gms/4 lb. 2 oz. (includes fork, headset, seatpost collar and axles)
- 12 x 100mm front spacing
- 12 x 142mm rear spacing
- 1x, 2x, and Di2 compatible
- Dropper post compatible with 1x or Di2
- Flat-mount brakes
- Sleeved internal cable routing
- Available in 7 sizes: 49cm, 52.5cm, 54.5cm, 56cm, 57.5cm, 59cm, 61cm
ADVNTR says:
New Salsa releases usually get us excited and the Warroad is no exception. Salsa have distilled the comfort and stability of the Warbird into a sharper tool that still shouldn’t leave you pummeled on a long ride. The Warroad could be the perfect UK backroad or Audax bike. It should lose little to the pure roadie on the black top while still taking 2.1″ tyres if you’re spending time on the trails.
For more information visit Salsa Cycles and for UK dealer information, head on over to the Salsa UK distributor, Lyon Equipment.
Last modified: 26th March 2019
