SALSA CYCLES FARGO APEX 1 | A Drop-Bar Mountain Bike for Beyond the Pavement
Singletrack, forest roads, and endless gravel – a bike for adventurous journeys that expand your riding horizons.
The FARGO APEX 1 is Salsa's flagship drop-bar mountain bike, created to bridge the gap between touring bikes and mountain bikes. It offers comfortable riding on paved roads while possessing the capability to effortlessly transition to rough forest roads and singletrack, making long-distance touring and bikepacking more liberating.
The frame utilizes triple-butted CroMoly tubing optimized for each size. The unique supple ride quality of chromoly alleviates vibrations over long periods, ensuring stable riding even when loaded with gear.
The lightweight Firestarter 110 carbon fork is equipped with abundant cargo mounts, accommodating various loading styles such as fork bags, bottle cages, and racks. Furthermore, the adoption of Alternator Dropouts V1.5 opens up future customization possibilities, including conversion to single-speed or belt drive.
The SRAM Apex 1 drivetrain combines simple operation with a wide gear range. This specification supports reliable riding, from mountain routes to long-term touring.
Features
- Size-specific triple-butted CroMoly frame
- Lightweight and highly rigid Firestarter 110 carbon fork
- Three-Pack mounts on both sides of the fork
- Fork designed for low-rider racks
- Features Alternator Dropouts V1.5
- Compatible with single-speed, geared, and belt drive setups
- Standard 29 x 2.2-inch tire specification
- Compatible with 27.5+, 29, and 29+ wheels
- Equipped with numerous cargo mounts for high carrying capacity
- Compatible with Salsa Alternator Plus Rack
- Ideal for long-distance touring and bikepacking
SPECIFICATIONS
- Frame: Triple Butted CroMoly Tubeset
- Fork: Salsa Firestarter 110 Carbon Fork
- Drivetrain: SRAM Apex 1 (1x)
- Standard Tire Size: 29 x 2.2”
- Compatible Wheel Sizes: 27.5+ / 29 / 29+ (S to XL)
- Dropouts: Alternator Dropouts V1.5
- Belt Drive: Compatible (Certified)
The FARGO is a model we highly recommend for those who want to embark on serious off-road touring with drop bars. Its design leans more towards an MTB than a typical gravel bike, providing a sense of security on singletrack and rough forest roads.
Particularly outstanding is its stability when loaded, a major appeal being that handling remains uncompromised even with a heavy load. It will be a highly dependable companion for those planning multi-day bikepacking trips or long-term tours.
The FARGO also offers unique expandability, becoming more interesting the longer you own it, with compatibility for 27.5+ and 29+ wheels, belt drive conversion, and single-speed setups. It's a bike we recommend for those who want to customize it to their own specifications while embarking on many journeys.
