This will be a review of sorts on the 2018 Salsa Fargo, nothing too technical but more of a general over view mixed in with my personal thoughts. Well, probably mostly my personal thoughts mixed in with some facts. Those not familiar with the movie of the same name, that is where the tagline for the post comes from. If you're into quirky, cult classic type movies Fargo is definitely up your alley, bonus if you like that slow upper Midwest drawl, dontcha know.
The Fargo is not a new bike, it's been around since 2008, spawning 5 separate generational changes along the way. I have always been a fan of the versatility and the unique look of the Fargo but just couldn't ever really justify the need for one until last year when they upped the tire size to 27.5+. I know that the Deadwood was out in 2016 and the Deadwood also really intrigued me, until I rode it. Being somewhat vertically challenged the Deadwood with it's ginormous hoops always made me feel like I was sitting in between the wheels rather than on top of them, so I passed on the Deadwood based on ride feel. The Deadwood has since moved onto being a dual suspension 29+ bike, which seems to be the way quite a few Bucksaw users went for the summer time anyway, so I suppose there is a niche for full suspension bikes with plus rubber. Anyway the Deadwood in it's Fargo-esque iteration was basically a one and done design since the Fargo moved into the 29+ and 27.5+ game the very next year.That move actually makes a lot of sense from a production standpoint, why make two "different" bike models that are so similar?
The larger rubber on the Fargo is what finally made the difference for me, for gravel, the weight and rolling resistance penalties are eclipsed by the stability, float in loose gravel/sand and comfort that the larger volume provides. To me the Fargo is now the ultimate Midwest gravel rig for my style of gravel riding, it's certainly pounds lighter than the Pugsley I have been hauling up and down the gravel rollers for the past two years. A WTB Ranger paired to the SunRingle Duroc keep the bike rolling along, the Fargo also boasts thru axles and boost spacing
I really wanted a Fargo last year but if you didn't get in on the initial order, you were SOL for the rest of the year unless you could track one down at a shop that had purchased one that wasn't already sold. I thought I had a lead on one last year at one point but the guy who was there 20 minutes before me was at the register paying for "my bike". Missing out last year and not wanting to miss out again this year, I made sure to get in on the pre-order, which is kind of unnerving as you basically order a bicycle you have never seen based entirely on what it looks like this year. I was hoping it wouldn't end up being some awful color like neon yellow when the colorway was finally released. Lucky for me they picked a great color IMO, that purple just pops off the frame, especially in the sun; it's the first thing you notice about the bike. The second thing you notice once you swing a leg over it is the upright riding position, which as you get older isn't a bad thing, even better when you can find it on a fully capable go anywhere bike and not a recumbent or cruiser.
The Fargo is setup as a 1x, which is the current philosophy in bikes right now for that clean look and I imagine to keep a better chain/rear tire separation. Not sure if I'm a big fan of it entirely, especially for bikes like the Fargo which are great for gravel riding and racing but more intended for touring. Loaded down with bags and equipment it might be nice to have that little ring up front to give you a wider range of gear options. The 27.5+ Fargo comes equipped with a mix and match of SRAM parts for the braking and drive train. The Apex 1 hydraulic levers and brakes are near the bottom of the SRAM lineup but they work adequately with a more utilitarian look and feel to them than some of the higher levels. If you look at the tower on the hydraulic lever you'll notice that it shoots straight up from the base of the lever and it's pretty tall, I wasn't sure if I'd like that or not but after roughly 300 miles on the bike so far they aren't all that bad. The height gives you an extra, almost bar end like, hand placement option and the abrupt up shoot helps to make sure your hand don't slip forward on the hood while riding single track. I still have a bit of an issue with the double tap system that SRAM uses, more of a familiarity than anything else really but when you've ridden Shimano for ever it does take some learning. I do feel that the double tap takes away a bit on the fiddling aspect when you get a ghost shift, I find that I either have to go up a gear or down a gear and then come back to where I intended when this happens. I know, if the shifter was tuned properly that wouldn't be an issue and generally it isn't but keeping a shifter smooth after 70+ miles of dusty gravel can be a challenge. The rear shifting duties fall to the Rival 1 derailleur, which sits kind of smack dab in the middle of the SRAM food chain and does a good job of moving the chain up and down the cassette. SRAM has always stuck me as getting the job done but not necessarily being too worried about being smooth or pretty about it, like a 68 muscle car, while Shimano tends to shift more like a Lexus, all quiet and smooth as butter. You don't always get what you want when buying a bicycle as a whole unit though, so if you're dead set on a certain parts spec a frame up build is about your only option without immediately swapping parts on a new purchase. I have found the hydraulic brakes to have good stopping power, with just the slightest hint of that goose call that has become synonymous with SRAM brakes.
Rounding out the cockpit are a pair of the Salsa Woodchipper bars and a WTB Volt held in place by a Promax seat stick. While there isn't anything special about the seat post or the saddle, both are functional and the WTB is actually pretty comfortable. This is the first bicycle I've owned that has the Woodchipper bars, the drop bars were one of the things I was least certain I'd like when I decided to go with the Fargo. Drops have never really been my thing, even on my road and cross bikes I very rarely find myself in the drops. So far that hasn't been the case with the Woodchipper bars, I forced myself to try them on one of the first rides and found that I really like the reach, angle and lean over when in the drops on the Woodchippers. The hoods are probably still best for climbing but even that isn't all that difficult in the drops with the Woodchippers and they really excel when just cruising along. Sometimes an old dog can be taught new tricks.
I really love the purple paint, the difference in appearance between sunlight and overcast skies is pretty drastic but I like both the darker and the more sparkly hues. She's almost too pretty to want to get dirty and dusty but that is what I got her for.
Who is the Fargo for? Well, who isn't the Fargo for might be a better question. With ample mounting options for racks, fenders and bags, you can load it up and take it bike packing, touring or even as your daily commuter. The voluminous tires make it a great choice for gravel, sand and with the right pressure even snow shouldn't be a problem for the Fargo and it's even quick and nimble enough for tight and twisty single track if you find yourself there. Versatility I think is the Fargo's biggest asset, it could be your one bike for almost anything; given a pair of slick tires you could even do fairly well on the road with the Fargo, although you might not want to take it to a group road ride. If you're on the fence about a Fargo, don't stay on that fence for too long because just like last year all of the Fargos that were made for 2018 have already been sold to bike shops. What is out there now is all that there will be for the year most likely; so if you want one get it while it's still around or wait until next year like I had to and hope the colorway isn't dog squat brown or something worse in 2019 or that they changed up the tire size if you like the current offering.
Guitar Ted does a pretty good job of breaking down the different generations of the Fargo HERE if you're into that sort of thing. It's actually pretty interesting to see how the Fargo has adapted over the years to keep current and to stay in the Salsa lineup.
Last two pictures are courtesy of Michael McColgan of McColgan Photography and he takes pretty good pictures.
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