Salsa owners in Scotland

[El Ce]

Hi everyone

Back from Torino Nice Rally - huge thanks and respect to JamesO - and wanting to go further and more off road (work up to a crack at HT550 in a couple of years hopefully).

So now I'm in the market to buy a Fargo.

At 5"8ish/174cm I'm right at the top of the Small range and right at the bottom of the Medium range. So trying to work out which one to go for.

Effective top tube wise most of my bikes are more toward the small. But standover and seat tube wise the small looks like it'd be properly small.

Are there owners of a small OR medium Fargo (or any other model of Salsa in Sm/Med) in the Edinburgh area (or in striking distance of the central belt) who wouldn't mind me turning up on their door step and throwing my leg over their bike?

Just to get a sense of reach/standover?

Very happy to bring some beers or such like along in thanks!

Cheers
Luke

[BigdummySteve]

Hi Luke, I’m in the midlands but am 5’8” and the medium Fargo is a perfect fit for me. I’ve fairly short legs as well and the stand over height is fine (sloping top tube) The Fargo is a great bike, I’ve had mine over two years and am still enamoured with it

Mine’s built with Fox factory float 32 fork, hope/SON hubs on WTB Ci31 rims, raceface carbon crank/ absolute black oval ring with SRAM Eagle 12 speed on a bar end shifter, took it on Duncan’s C2C route in May and it was perfect.

When are you thinking of buying, it would be a good excuse for a Scottish bimble

Failing that I could take some measurements at various points for you.

[El Ce]

Thanks Steve! That’s good to know. Maybe the medium would work after all

Hoping to get one soon! Am looking forward to some winter miles.

Will give a shout when it’s up and running.

Cheers

[lune ranger]

FWIW I’m 6’2” which is exactly bottom of the XL Fargo size range as quoted by Salsa. I’m finding it fine - running a short high rise stem. Riding a size up rather than size down gives two advantages as I see it.
1) Bigger front triangle for load carrying.
2) Easier to get the bars up high to have the hooks level with your saddle for (arguably) optimum Fargo riding position.

[boxelder]

A fargo is a way short of being the ideal bike for the HT550. It's more of an MTB route, with at least front suspension. In my opinion, obvs.

[sean_iow]

A fargo is a way short of being the ideal bike for the HT550. It's more of an MTB route, with at least front suspension. In my opinion, obvs.

I'd agree with this, I've ridden it on a rigid mtb and I wouldn't do it again on one. The fastest times set have been on short travel full sus bikes.

But, as you say you want to work up to the HT550 in a couple of years then buy a fargo now and anther bike this time next year for the HT550, you can never have too many bikes

[lune ranger]

A fargo is a way short of being the ideal bike for the HT550. It's more of an MTB route, with at least front suspension. In my opinion, obvs.

Not that I totally disagree with you... I probably wouldn’t ride the HT550 on my Fargo over my Krampus but Fargo’s are mountain bikes. They also run perfectly well with suspension. If you have the latest version it could be running 100mm travel forks and have 3.0in tyres. Get the drops up high and you can ride any bikepacking route any other bike could without problems.

[sean_iow]

Bits of the HT550 are right on the limit of what I can ride on any bike, I wouldn't want to have any bars narrower than the 710 wide Jones loops I used, but that might be a lack of talent on my part

[lune ranger]

Bits of the HT550 are right on the limit of what I can ride on any bike, I wouldn't want to have any bars narrower than the 710 wide Jones loops I used, but that might be a lack of talent on my part

Very humble. We all know what you’re capable of Sean.
I think you’d be surprised how capable a bike a Fargo is. What flared drops lack in width they more than make up for in an extremely secure ‘locked in feeling’ IF they are set up well. With your hands in the hooks at the right height you have a natural feeling stable descending position.
I’m sure there are a lot of folk who would dismiss Loops as not being ‘proper’ mountain biking bars for technical riding unless they have tried them set up well.

[sean_iow]

I have got a fargo on my wish list, if it was a ti one I think the wife might think it's my Selma with different bars

I'd also like a ti warbird and a carbon spearfish... I think I'm going to need a bigger shed

[lune ranger]

Dig in!
I think a ti Fargo would suit you very well indeed.

[boxelder]

carbon spearfish...

Now you're talking........

[AndyTheBikeGuy]

We all know what you’re capable of Sean.

Could be taken one of two ways...

[Karl]

I'm with Sean, I've ridden the HT550 on rigid, hard tail and short travel full susser. Full susser is by far the comfiest and probably the fastest. I have a cutthroat and a spearfish. The spearfish for the HT550 is the bike for me. I feel the cutthroat would batter me a bit too much over a few days.

[BreninBeener]

Luke, i dont have one. However i thought i would say Hi as we had a final night bivi in the same place and a post trip beer.

Regards

Ian

[Mariner]

Sorry I am late.
I am 5' 10" and had a Medium Fargo. Hated it.
Just felt too long for me and basically just one riding position that was usable.
When I lived in Scotland I had a FS bike which owing to a cock up by Alpine Bikes was a size too small and was brilliant.
I loved that bike -sigh.
If you want to stick with brand then Spearfish or Deadwood would be my two penn'orth.

[lune ranger]

Sorry I am late.
I am 5' 10" and had a Medium Fargo. Hated it.

I thought we were supposed to have a blasphemy filter on this site... call the moderators...

[drain]

Alas, I’m not that near you here in Yorkshire to try mine out, but as another information point I ride a Small and am 5’7”” / 171cm with a 30.5” inside leg. It’s quite an upright ride which I like but I think being that smidge taller you might find it cramped, depending on your ride preferences. Great fun bike