Frostbike is a dealer only distributor open house held by Quality Bicycle Products, (QBP), in Bloomington, Minnesota every year about this time, and Twenty Nine Inches was there to check out what was up. Here is a report on all the 29″er related news gleaned from the show…….
Salsa Cycles: Of course, QBP is the parent company to Salsa Cycles and we were able to lay eyes on the Titanium El Mariachi for the first time. Here are some bullet points from Salsa Cycle’s updated website on the titanium El Mariachi:
•3/2.5 seamless Titanium
•Designed for 80mm suspension fork
•Biaxial ovalized downtube
•Replaceable derailleur hanger
•Fits up to 29 x 2.3” tires
•135mm rear spacing
•Standard 1-1/8” headset
•Seatpost diameter: 27.2mm
•Seatpost clamp: 35.0mm
•Bottom bracket shell: 73mm
•ISO 51mm disc brake mount
•Includes Pewter-colored Salsa Lip-Lock seat collar
•Medium 18” frame weighs TBA
•Finish: Industrial mill finish with etched Salsa graphics
Salsa Cycles will be producing a run of these frames that will be delivered to Salsa dealers sometime this summer. These will be mostly to fill pre-orders that are being taken up until March 1st. The frames are being made in the U.S. by Lynskey and have the typical sano Lynskey look to the welds and finish.
In other Salsa news we found out that a running change will be made to all Salsa frames with replaceable drop out hangars, and frames that will be carried into the future will be fitted with replaceable drop outs, (think: Fargo, the future steel El Mariachi), and these replaceable drop outs will all be the same. No matter what Salsa Cycles frame you get in the future, if it has a replaceable drop out, it will be the same drop out insert used for all Salsa Cycles frames. Pretty smart way to go.
Future Salsa Products: Of course, there will be a steel El Mariachi coming, but other than that, we can’t say anything……..yet. Look for some further news on that coming soon. There were a couple of surprises though that were revealed. The most interesting has to be a new rigid fork based on the CroMoto Grande, which has been completely redesigned, and has a 20mm through axle featuring Rock Shox’s Maxle Lite.
The fork ends are svelte and the whole fork has a fairly light feel, for a steel fork. This is to retail at approximately $160.00 and is said to be arriving this summer. The 20mm through axle and regular CroMoto Grande fork now use Salsa Cycle’s own custom spec steel butting profiles and the regular CroMoto Grande fork is said to ride better than the previous model and comes in 40 grams lighter to boot.
Salsa Cycles is also working on these prototype cages, (working name is “The Everything Cage”), and will be compatible with Salsa Cycles Enabler Fat Front fork that is fitted with three braze ons to mount the cages to the fork legs. As shown, you can secure compression sacks, dry bags, and any “bikepacking” type gear for your back country adventures. These cages will be available in the near future.
In other news: It was confirmed again that Schwalbe is coming out with the Nobby Nic and Rocket Ron treads which should be out for 2011. Continental says it will be also introducing a couple new treads soon. We had heard about the Rubber Queen, (renamed the Trail King), which was to be released as a 2.4″er. Well, when it comes out, likely in 2011, it will be also available as a 2.2″er as well. The other tread, dubbed the “X-King”, is a model with medium sized blocks evenly distributed across its casing that is to be slotted in between the Mountain King and Race King models. (Thus the “X-King” moniker, which Conti folks were pronouncing as “cross king”, or cross between the two other available “King” model 29″er tires). Look for some further surprise news concerning some 2011 OE spec of Conti 29″er tires, and images of the X-King to pop up around Sea Otter time. Finally, WTB says that the Wolverine tires, which were coming in at well over 800 grams, were too heavy, and are going to be getting a rubber compound change which is said to bring the weights back into a range where WTB had originally hoped they would be. (Sub 800 grams)
That’s a wrap on the Frostbike 29″er news for 2010. We will have a post to put up on The Cyclist that will cover some of the other non-29″er news and products coming soon.
Hey, thanks for this.
what size for the rocket rons? i hope 2.0 based off the furious fred!
Wow… Man, you just made my Monday. Now I really can’t wait to get my grubby little hands on my new Ti El Mariachi. That’s some HOT Salsa!
Can that seatpost clamp size be correct? That would be almost 4mm wall tubing for the seat tube. Otherwise, yeah, I want one.
Nice catch t0m!
Good news on the wolverine! And more big tire choices from conti and regular ones from schwalbe! It seems like the only remaining hurdles for 29ers are some more suspension choices like a sid and a revelation and there won’t be any reasons left not to ride a 29er unless you are extremely conservative.
Thanks for the write up GT. I’ve got a couple of comments.
Our first ti orders are for Salsa Authorized dealers. Long term plan is to have inventory on hand at QBP to fill orders like our other products.
Seatpost size – It is correctly listed at 27.2. We use a pressed in alloy sleeve.
Seatpost clamp – The bike above is shown with red. This was done to complete the build. Stock frames are coming with a custom Pewter seatpost clamp. It’s hot!
Why go with a pressed in sleeve? Why not just a larger seat post? I’m guessing it came out at a strange size?
Brilliant job on the 20mm thru axle steel fork! Is this a first for any manufacturer?
Also, will you be sending anyone to the NAHMBS show this weekend? Looks like a HUGE turnout planned.
@dman: I will venture a guess and say that the larger seatube gives the structure more rigidity and the 27.2mm seatpost size is a commonly used one that will make getting the frame a more attractive choice. (Keep in mind this is a frame only product)
@T Shepard: I believe it will be the first to be mass produced. Custom builders have been doing one-offs for awhile now.
In regards to NAHBS: I can’t afford to get there. Twenty Nine Inches runs on an incredibly thin budget, so we will be skipping NAHBS due to lack of funds.
The smaller seatpost probably lends to a more comfy ride as well.