Salsa

If you saw clouds of dust in the Californian mountains in the early eighties, it was definitely Ross Shafer. The Salsa founder was one of the first to discover the sport of mountain biking for himself and to make the terrain unsafe. He also got to know his limits pretty quickly. Not his own, but those of the material. Some components on the off-road bikes of the time simply couldn't withstand the strain. That was frustrating, but not the end of Ross Shafer's biker life. On the contrary: it was the beginning of Salsa Cycles. Ross began to tinker with building more robust components. Initially just for himself. The parts proved their worth and his bike-crazy buddies also wanted more fun. Soon bike stores were knocking on the door of his workshop. This was the official birth of Salsa and of robust stems, handlebars and quick-releases. Products that are still designed by Ross Shafer today. Shafer gradually expanded his range. Frames, seat posts, rims and chainrings soon followed. All durable and almost indestructible - which is important to Shafer. But not only that. Enjoying the biker lifestyle is just as important. Hence the name Salsa and the chilli pepper. As a symbol for the taco dinner that Ross likes to treat himself to after an extended bike trip.