The Takeaway: The Warroad is as close as you can hope to get to a bike that can handle big-time gravel yet still feel lively on pavement.
- Lightweight carbon bike that’s fast on pavement and very off-road capable
- Frame accepts 700c and 650b wheels with loads of tire clearance
- Aggressive gearing for hard riding
Price: $4,399
Weight: 19 lb. (57.5 cm)
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The venerable Salsa Warbird gravel bike has a new sibling—a similar, but speedier option called the Warroad. Expanding on the popularity of Salsa’s carbon gravel bike, Salsa developed the Warroad to appeal to riders who want something a little more aggressive. The new bike has tighter geometry and sharper handling to create an edgier ride, whether you’re entering a gravel grinder or covering max distance on a mixed-surface ride.
Whereas the Warbird is a purpose-built gravel bike, the Warroad Carbon Force 1 650 we tested is an endurance all-road bike that can crush the gravel. Many gravel bikes, including the Warbird, have a long wheelbase, short reach, and higher stack heights. But this bike heads in the other direction; it’s more like another bike we recently reviewed—BMC's Roadmachine X. Both that one and this one are designed to feel fast and efficient on both pavement and gravel.
Although not a replacement to a pure road bike, the Warroad is everything you’d want from an endurance road bike—crisp out of the saddle, stable at speed, and all-day comfortable. With 650b hoops and fat tires, the Warroad becomes a playful bike that begs you to let your hair down, yet still doesn’t feel like you’re dragging dead weight on the road. It’s such a pleasure to ride, it may have you wondering if you should even bother going back to 700c wheels.
Built for Gravel and Pavement
Salsa says the Warroad’s 71-degree head angle, lower bottom bracket, and shorter chainstays give it a nimble, agile ride and increase pedaling efficiency. It does, however, lack the extra tire clearance of the Warbird (and probably some of that bike’s comfortable ride, too). But this bike isn’t made for all-day gravel excursions like the Warbird. It’s designed for road rides that hit some dirt, for riders who want a bike that feels sharp and aggressive on the road but is still extremely capable off the pavement.
Despite trimming down tire clearance, the Warroad can take up to 35mm tires on 700c wheels, and 2.1-inch tires on 650b wheels. So if your adventures favor more gravel than pavement, you’ll still be well taken care of. And because it’s a Salsa, adventure is still at the forefront of the Warroad’s design. The four largest frames can carry three bottles inside the main triangle, as well as a bottle or accessory mount under the down tube. The three smaller sizes fit two bottles inside the main triangle and retain the mount under the down tube.
Eyelet Mounts
It's a Salsa, so you'd expect it to be packed to the gills with eyelet mounts.
Big Clearance
Curved seat stays look cool and give you massive amounts of tire clearance.
Subtle Flare
The handlebar flare is comfortable on gravel without feeling awkward for road miles.
Extra Bottles
The main triangle has eyelet mounts for four bottle cages.
Internal Routing
The cables seem to melt into the frame, accentuated by slick pinstripe graphics.
Details We Dig
The top tube sports a mount that fits Salsa’s EXP Series Toptube pack, and the brand’s Wanderlust rear racks can fit onto the back of the bike. Riders have the option to outfit their bike with full-coverage fenders, and the fork boasts additional rack and pack mounts as well as internal routing for a dynamo light.
The frame accepts 1x and 2x drivetrains, is Di2 compatible, and has sleeved internal cable routing, which makes fishing cables through the tubes much easier. It’s also compatible with 27.2mm dropper posts.
Frame: Carbon
Fork: Carbon
Wheel Size: 650b
Wheels: WTB Proterra
Tires: 47mm WTB Byway
Drivetrain: SRAM Force 1x
Chainring: 42t
Cassette: 10-42
Brakes and Rotors: SRAM Force 1 HRD, 160mm rotors
Handlebar: Salsa Cowbell Deluxe
Warroad Sizes and Options
Salsa sells the Warroad in seven frame sizes, making it easier for riders to find the ideal fit. The smaller gaps between sizes also allow riders to size up or down to get closer to their preferred reach and stack numbers.
The bike comes in four complete build options; three have 650b wheels and one has with 700c wheels.
For $4,399 riders can choose either the Warroad Carbon Force 1 650 (650b wheels) or the Carbon Ultegra 700 (700c wheels). The Warroad Carbon 105 650 will set you back $3,399, or you can get the Warroad Carbon Tiagra 650 for $2,399. All models have the same full carbon frame and fork, which Salsa also sells separately for $1,999.
Work Hard, Play Harder
Salsa goes to great lengths to talk about how this bike is designed to hold its own on high-octane road rides when outfitted with 700c wheels but also handle rugged gravel when spec’d with 650b wheels.
Our test bike came with 650b wheels and 47mm tires. And while we agree that the smaller wheels, fatter rubber, and carbon frame make for a bike that can handle rough, hard riding and float over potholes, bumps, and rocks, the bike still performs great on pavement. So well, in fact, you might even question whether or not you’ll ever go back to skinny tires—this, coming from someone who prizes speed and efficiency. The Warroad made me forget about power, heart rate, cadence, speed, and whatever other metric I use to measure results—and simply enjoy the ride.
Sure, the wider tires are a little slower on the pavement than skinnier ones, and the 1x drivetrain with 10-42 cassette might have you longing for bigger gears from time to time, but none of that mattered. What mattered is the Warroad’s ability to pull this performance-oriented, partially reformed, former racer out of his data-driven shell to just enjoy the ride.
