Transit Interface: Salsa Night at NCC

It wasn't long after moving out of town that I came back. Not even a whole damn week. E-Fred from Salsa Cycles hauled a truck full of new 2014 bikes into town for a demo at North Central Cyclery, so I came back to check them out, eat some pizza, drink some drinks, and hang with some of the good folks I had to leave behind. I headed over after work and arrived just as things were winding down. Or maybe not, because the pennyfarthing emerged shortly after my arrival.

Salsa tends to attract a certain type cyclist. These people, to put in the least offensive way possible, are super-nerds that love geekin' out about all the little specs and gadgets and most likely own an REI Visa card. There's nothing wrong with that at all. It's ok to enjoy adventuring by bike just as much as researching bike stuff on the internet. However, if you're that kind of person, this is probably not the blog for you, because you will find no technical babble or product specs here.

I will say this, though: The 2014 Salsas look like some of their nicest yet, and the graphics on these bikes look better than ever. I like that they decided to add some paint to their titanium frames. I can't deny that a raw titanium bike is indeed beautiful, but after a while they all start to look alike. I think Salsa made a wise choice and avoided the potential boredom. Also, the new carbon Beargrease is light as hell. I took it for a good spin, and when you crank hard in a low gear, the front end effortlessly pops right up. It doesn't even feel like you're riding a fatbike. It handles like a relatively lightweight 29er.