Saddle Drive: All the latest from Salsa and Foundry

A couple weekends ago I headed to the mountains of Utah to check out the latest from Quality Bicycle Products and its associated bike brands. Here I’ll go into the new offerings and updates to the 2013 drop bar models from Salsa and Foundry. For info on the latest off-road offerings please click over to Singletrack.com.

Foundry Cycles has three new drop bar models for 2013, all in carbon, all with disc brakes, and all with thru axles on the front wheels. PressFit 30 bottom brackets, double bottle bosses and Whisky forks with tapered steerers are also standard on all three models. Foundry also offers a 10-year warranty to the original owner on all Foundry bike models.

The Riveter is a claimed 1,060-gram, tube-to-tube construction, disc-brake road machine with aggressive race geometry. Foundry says the Riveter “is a no-holds-barred race bike through and through.” The only small problem with that is the Riveter, with its disc brakes, isn’t legal for sanctioned road events. But that may change in the future. With a chainstay-mounted rear brake and internal cable routing, the complete bike, available only in black/gray, has a low key, refined look. Foundry will offer the Riveter in three build packages ranging from $5,175 for a SRAM Red model to a 105-equipped base model priced at $2,715. A bare frame will run $2,199, meaning that the complete bikes, as expected, are a much better value.

The Thresher uses monocoque construction, longer chainstays and a fork with increased offset to create Foundry’s endurance road bike. Again, it uses disc brakes and Whisky’s No. 9 thru axle fork. Frame weights are a little heavier than the Riveter at 1,200 grams. The Thresher’s rear brake is mounted to a braced seatstay and cables are routed externally with a nice through-head tube cable guide feature. Stack and reach numbers of the Thresher are identical to the Riveter, with nice middle-of-the-road figures. The increased wheelbase should make for a more stable bike, though. Like the Riveter, Foundry will offer the Thresher in three complete builds and as a frameset. Pricing runs from $5,125 to $2,949 for complete bikes and $1,800 for a frame.

Last but not least is the Harrow, Foundry’s newest take on a cyclocross bike. It doesn’t replace the Auger that Foundry unveiled at Interbike last year, which is available in rim or disc brake versions. Instead, Foundry will market the Auger as a more utilitarian bike, with fenders included on complete bikes. The Harrow, meanwhile, actually has a slightly heavier frame compared to the Auger (1,150 grams vs. 1,060 grams) but should be stiffer thanks to a massive square-shaped down tube and more compliant with its spindly seatstay wishbone. With full cable housing and ample tire clearance, the Harrow looks to be a great foul weather ‘cross machine. If you’ve noticed a theme in the offerings, you’ll already know that Foundry will offer the Harrow in three complete builds and as a frameset. Pricing starts at $4,195 for a SRAM Red bike and drops as low as $2,850 for a Shimano 105 bike. A frame will set you back $2,000.

Unfortunately for cyclocrossers, the Harrow, like its Riveter and Thresher siblings, won’t be available until early 2013. But Foundry is booking orders now, so check with your local shop to see if they have them on the way.

Salsa has two new drop bar models on offer for 2013. The Colossal is a disc-brake road bike, named after a café in Minneapolis, offered in both titanium and steel. The tag line for the bike is: “Colossal. Eat a big breakfast.” That hits at the intended use of the bike. Less road racer and more endurance road bike, it has clearance for 28mm tires but no more. So don’t buy it thinking you’ll slap on cyclocross rubber. Both models use Enve’s disc-brake carbon fork. Salsa will offer a complete bike in each frame material, at $3,900 for the complete titanium bike and $2,400 for the steel rig. Framesets cost $2,500 and $1,200 respectively.

The Warbird, offered in aluminum and titanium, is a dedicated gravel-racer from Salsa. Tested at events like the Dirty Kanza 200, the finished product is a smart take on the ever-growing gravel segment. With a lower bottom bracket and larger front triangle than a typical cyclocross bike, the Warbird is designed to be stable over rough roads and allow room for two bottle cages and a top tube-mounted bag for long days. For many, it replaces the much loved, disc brake-equipped La Cruz model that Salsa retired a few seasons ago. Look to spend $3,900 for a complete Warbird Ti and $2,500 for a complete Warbird 2 (aluminum). Titanium framesets will cost $2,500 and an aluminum framset will be $1,300.

Salsa is also offering the Vaya, its disc brake touring bike, in a stainless steel, S&S-coupled “Travel” version. The use of Salsa’s Alternator swinging dropouts makes building a single speed travel bike very appealing. Without paint or decals to damage in transit or in travel, the bike should find a following quickly. Complete Vaya Travel bikes will run $3,950 with an Ultegra triple group and stout DT Swiss wheels. The frameset will cost $2,200. Neither cost includes a travel case, but there are many good options on the market.