mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Salsa Overview =====

In 1972 Ross Shafer started building road frames using the [[http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/Proteus.htm|Proteus]] frame building kit and sold them under the [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1978_Red_Bush_Tandem.html|Red Bush]] brand name.  ((Background via: [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Salsa.htm]]))
After working for [[https://santanatandem.com/|Santana Cycles]] making frames for a year, he welding his first personal mountain 650b under the Red Bush name in 1981.  His friends then clamored for more.  And yes, the name comes from Ross' love for spicy salsa.  See logo: {{logo.jpg?40|logo}}


{{redbush.jpg?200|bush}}
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Pre-Salsa Red Bush Brand
</div>

<div column 45%>
{{shafer.jpg?360|Ross Shafer}}
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Ross Shafer
[[https://craftsmanship.net/from-bicycles-to-pedal-steel-guitars-one-makers-quirky-frontiers/|vcraftsmanship.net]]

</div>

<div column 50% #s1982>
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===== 1982 Salsa =====


<blockquote>
In 1982 [Ross] built what he said were “the only
5 mountainbikes I will ever build.” Producing
one for himself to “see what all the noise is
about”, he was hooked. Salsa Cycles was born.
<cite>
[[https://salsacycles.com/files/reviews/enduro13_Salsa.pdf|salsacycles.com]]
</cite>
</blockquote>
\\

Within a week, there were 16 frame orders for Salsa. At one point, the waiting list was up to 80 frames. (([[ http://mombatbicycles.com/Salsa.htm|mombat]]))


</div>


<div column 40%>
{{1982.jpg?300|1982 Salsa #1}}
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1982 Salsa #1
[[https://bikerumor.com/2014/05/13/collectors-edition-marks-shed/|bikerumor]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Salsa =====

Fillet brazed, mixed Reynolds 531 & Tange tubing.  Serial #SM053.



</div>


<div column 40%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Salsa #53}}
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1984 Salsa #53
[[https://web.archive.org/web/20150817223556/http://velocult.com/bikes/salsa-cycles-red|velocult]]
</div>

<div column 50% #poofta>
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===== Pooftaflage =====

As camouflage paint schemes became "popular" in 1983 (why?), Ross countered with his own interpretation of hiding a quality bicycle in paint, which became a popular and unique option for Salsa.

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\\
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Another Salsa style was the rear fish mouth end to the top tube (how did that work, structurally?)


</div>

<div column 25%>
{{poofta2.jpg?200|Pooftaflage}}
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Pooftaflage
[[https://www.mtbr.com/threads/museum-bike-dilemma-a-1983-salsa-story.1002501/|mtbr]]
</div>

<div column 25%>
{{fish.jpg?200|Salsa #5 Fish Mouth}}
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Salsa #5 Fish Mouth
[[https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/mtn-bikes?year=1982|theproscloset]]
</div>

<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 Ala Cart =====



In 1985 Salsa tried its hand at "mass" production of the TIG welded Ala Cart bike.

<blockquote>
75-100 Ala Cart frames were built in 1985 and were pretty much all sold before the tubing arrived.   Since stem production was really taking off by this time, this was the only batch of production frames.  Custom frames continued to be available at the rate of about 20-25 per year.
<cite>
[[ http://mombatbicycles.com/Salsa.htm|mombat]]
</cite>
</blockquote>
\\



Why Ross stopped selling Ala Cart bikes:

<blockquote>
I won't ever get rich building frames; no frame builder ever does.  It's one of those occupations done out of love, not for the money.  So I decided if I'm not goinf to get rich, I might as well enjoy building frames.  That's why I build custom frames only.
<cite>
[[https://www.oldschoolracing.ch/archiv/salsa-cycles/|June 1987 Mountain Bike Magazine]]
</cite>
</blockquote>
\\
Salsa, owned by [[https://www.qbp.com/|Quality Bicycle Products]], continues to make an Ala Carte today: [[https://salsacycles.com/bikes/archive/ala_carte1|salsacycles]]



</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Salsa Ala Cart}}
\\
[[https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/mtn-bikes/1985-salsa-ala-carte|theproscloset]]
</div>

<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Scoboni  =====
Shimano RD-AL11 (1984-86) rear, XT (1982-86) front.  Frame #175.
</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|Scoboni}}
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Scoboni
[[http://www.vintagemtbworkshop.com/vintage-ross-shafer-salsa-photos.html|vintagemtbworkshop]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Custom  =====
Custom, dishless rear wheel, 40 pounds w/Bruce Gordon racks, frame #289.  Built for touring, with XT M732 (1989?)
</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|Custom}}
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Custom
[[http://www.vintagemtbworkshop.com/1988-salsa-custom-289.html|vintagemtbworkshop]]
</div>



<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Ala Carte Ti  =====
Ala Carte Ti prototype, frame made by Merlin.
</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|Ala Carte Ti}}
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Ala Carte Ti
[[https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/mtn-bikes?year=1989|theproscloset]]
</div>




<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Ala Carte Ti  =====
XT front and rear, re-built in 1994.  Bontrager composite fork, Cook Bros cranks.  Frame #470.
</div>

<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|Ala Carte Ti}}
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Ala Carte Ti
[[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1990_Salsa.html|mombat]]
</div>



==== Production Notes ====
<WRAP #prod1 />
[1].  Salsa Custom frames are available at the rate of about 20-25 per year.  Serial numbers verify this:
  * [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Salsa.htm|mombat]].
  * [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1982_Salsa_Scoboni.html]],
  * [[https://www.vintagemtbscandinavia.com/thebikes]],
  * [[https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/mtn-bikes?year=1982]],
  * [[http://www.vintagemtbworkshop.com/the-collection.html]]
<WRAP #prod2 />
[2].  Ala Cart production added about 100 extra frames in 1985.  See: [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Salsa.htm|mombat]].