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1988 Salsa Custom #289

This Salsa was designed by the original owner to be used for loaded touring, with a system of racks, fenders, and panniers that was carefully planned to work in harmony.  Anticipating the added stress and flex that a fully-loaded bike exceeding 60 pounds would impart on the frame, the downtube and toptube are both 1.25 inches in diameter.  Extra thick blades were used in the Bontager fork to reduce chatter while braking.  By design, the frame and rear hub have a spacing of 140 mm to create a dish-less rear wheel for added strength.  For the ultimate in reliability, serviceability, and function on the road, the original owner made extensive use of parts from Wilderness Trail Bikes, including the brakes, hubs, headset, shifter mounts, and handlebars.  The upright riding position was designed for clear vision of the road ahead and long days in the saddle.  However, all of this durability came at a price, in the form of weight.  With empty bags, the setup weighs in right at 40 pounds.  Perhaps with this in mind, the owner had Ross Shafer make him a second bike (SM1040) four years later which was significantly lighter.  In honor of the fully-loaded Pearl Pass Tours done by Colorado mountain bike pioneer Mike Rust, this bike was taken on the 42nd edition of the Tour in self-supported fashion.  The inherent stability of a fully-loaded bike on rough terrain can't be underestimated, but the total weight was arduous on the pushing sections.  Of course, the bike wasn't really designed to be used on such high-country adventures but still proved capable.

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

The Build

Year: 1988
S/N: SM289
Frame: Salsa Custom
Fork: Bontrager Race
Stem: Salsa P10
Headset: WTB / Chris King Grease Guard
Bottom Bracket: Press Fit Cartridge Bearing
Handlebar: WTB / Specialized RM-2
Shifters: Shimano XT M732 w/ WTB Multimounts
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M730
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M732
Brake Levers: Shimano 600 Aero
Front Brake: WTB Speedmaster Rollercam
Rear Brake: WTB Speedmaster Rollercam
Crankset: Specialized Touring
Chainrings: SR 24-36-48
Pedals: Suntour BMX MP-1000, Fisher Double                   Clips, WTB Toe Flips, Binda Straps
Hubs: Wilderness Trail Bikes Grease Guard 
Rims: Bontrager Cut Down
Tires: Specialized Crossroads II
Wheel QR: Salsa Flip-Off
Seatpost: Suntour XC
Saddle: San Marco Concor
Seatpost QR: Modified Specialized
Bar Tape: Foam Cork w/ Velox plugs
Chain: Sachs
Cogs: Shimano Dura Ace Freewheel
Bottle Cages: American Classic
Computer: Cateye CC-8000
Fenders:  Moots by Rich Cast
Racks: Bruce Gordon

Panniers: Robert Beckman Needleworks
Pump: WTB Modified Zefal Solibloc
Cables: Gore Ride-On
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