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1984 Salsa Custom #39

Although the name Salsa is primarily associated with mountain bikes, Salsa number 39 is a one-of-a-kind road bike made by Ross Shafer for his wife at the time, and harkens back to his pre-mountain bike days building under the Red Bush label.  This bike was a complement to the owner's number 18 Salsa mountain bike from a year prior.  This bike is part artistic expression, part display of craftsmanship, and part resourcefulness of available materials.  The frame features a Ishiwata aero tube set with unique teardrop profiles for the head tube, seat tube, seat stays, and fork blades.  The mitering and joining of the tubing creates unusual shore lines for the brass fillets which were painstakingly finished.  The fork features an offset crown which resembles something designed for Batman.  Component-wise, the bike is built with an eclectic mix of mostly Japanese components.  For a road bike, the most unique aspect is the brakes, with a modified delta tucked under the chain stays and a pair of small cantilevers on the fork.  Since this bike was made shortly before the first Salsa roller stems, the front brake cable routes directly through the stem extension.  The braze-on front derailleur mount is designed for aero tubing and integrates a cable guide for lateral pull.  As quirky as the bike might appear, it admirably served as the original owner's primary road bike for more than 30 years, intriguing many who crossed its path.

More information about Salsas can be found on the Salsa Photo Archive page.

The Build

Year: 1984
S/N: SR039
Frame: Salsa Custom Road
Fork: Salsa Aero Road
Stem: Salsa Direct Mount
Headset: Specialized Sealed Bearing
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Sealed Bearing
Handlebar: Cinelli Giro D'Italia
Shifters: Simplex SLJ
Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace AX 7320
Rear Derailleur: Mavic 801
Brake Levers: Suntour Cyclone
Front Brake: Shimano 600 EX 6102
Rear Brake: Weinmann AG Delta
Crankset: Specialized Racing
Chainrings: Campagnolo SR/NR 42-52
Pedals: 
Suntour Superbe w/ Cinelli Alloy Clips
Hubs: Specialized Cartridge Bearing
Rims: Matrix Iso-C Aero
Tires: Continental Super Sport 23c 
Wheel QR: Specialized
Seatpost: Dura Ace AX 7322
Saddle: Cinelli Unicanitor
Bar Tape: Deda Cork
Chain: Regina Hollow Pin
Cogs: Suntour Winner Pro Freewheel
Bottle Cage: Specialized
Picture
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