Selma

I just realized that since my old blogging days ended and now started again, I never posted anything about my Salsa Selma. Here is a crappy picture but it's better than nothing. The fork will be replaced by spring with something a little different. Maybe a nice steel or ti fork or maybe the new Bontrager carbon fork. Not sure but since the steer tube is too short for me on this frame I have to get something different anyway. The frame of the Salsa is not the lightest out there but it's pretty darn light. I know there are single speed frames under the 3lb mark out there but don't want something that is prone to breaking. I beat the heck out of my Salsa Mamasita and it never showed any signs of fatigue. So, I'm pretty sure the Selma will hold up just fine to my abuse. I feels a bit beefier than the first generation Mamasita. I don't have any idea what the complete bike weighs and I really don't care. Maybe when she it completed with the parts that I want to stay on I will toss her on the scale. The only problem that I am having is that the bars are so low and the top tube is pretty tall and I get the brake levers to smack on the top tube when the bars spin. A longer steer tube would help this by moving the bar higher but i don't want the bars too high. Salsa I believe could have made the large frame with a tad more standover height. Just a nit pick. The ride is quick, stiff and very efficient. There is still a nice touch of give in the rear but it's no soft tail.

So, this is what I will be rocking all over the midwest this season. I hope to make an appearance at quite a few mtb races. I might try setting this up with a double double gearing system. A nice easy gear for off road and a nice big gear for gravel roads. I have my Salsa Fargo for longer distances and group rides but I really want to ride single speed mostly this summer. I find that it's difficult to keep my leg strength if I keep riding a geared bike. I bet a single speed Fargo would be quite nice.

Anyway, hope to see you on the trails soon. Darn winter!

Captain