Salsa Fargo 32 review: an intriguing first step for 32-inch gravel

The Salsa Fargo 32 was the first 32-inch gravel bike to hit the market after being revealed at Sea Otter in the spring. The new Fargo is billed as a bikepacking-specific bike, meaning it’s a longer, slacker design than most gravel bikes.

These qualities also allow Salsa to address some of the challenges of designing 32-inch gravel bikes, while avoiding other, thornier geometry issues. Ideally, this produces a platform well suited to storing bicycles. The slack head tube, long chainstays and tall front end all offer distinct advantages for traveling long distances through unfamiliar terrain. The 32-inch wheels also offer advantages, smoothing out some bumps and rough surfaces without adding the complications of a suspension system.

Nonetheless, in our testing we primarily used the bike as a straight gravel bike. For this use case, we quickly realized how many advantages and disadvantages arise from the new wheel size standard.

What I like about Fargo 32

What I like about Fargo 32 is that it exists! It’s a bit of an ironic answer, but I sincerely mean it. If we as an industry want to figure out what to make 32-inch gravel bikes, we need 32-inch bikes to ride. And being the first to market with an authentic, mainstream product is a risk, so big kudos to Salsa for that.

While riding the bike, what I noticed right away was, above all, better traction. Talk about rollover and stability all you want, traction is where the bike showed the most tangible improvement over other bikes in our field test. Since we were able to standardize the tires across the range of bikes we were testing, I immediately noticed how differently the tires handled the mix of dirt, rocks, and roots I encountered during the ride. I could really tackle the corners and push the bike downhill with confidence. Braking traction was particularly beneficial for larger wheels.

On paper, the number one argument for 32-inch bikes isn’t traction. Rollover and efficiency on rough terrain are most often cited as the biggest advantage of 32-inch gravel. During our tests, I was a little disappointed at first. It didn’t really feel smooth over most of the bumps I thought it would. However, I think my expectations were too high. After all, 32-inch wheels don’t have suspension.

After spending more time driving the Fargo, I found this rollover advantage to be a bit more nuanced, presenting itself in more subtle ways. We rode a steep uphill trail that was punctuated by three tough rooty climbs with three bikes on our first printing day. After failing the previous two reps, I cleared the roots with relative ease on the 32-inch bike. The increased stability, increased contact area, and better flipping all worked together to smooth out the roots, allowing me to master this feature.

That, coupled with the bike’s ability to shave a few seconds off my descent time without feeling like I was risking anything, left me with a great first impression of the Fargo, even if it didn’t really sweep me off my feet as much as I thought it would.

These flip gains were further enhanced in the climbing challenge, thanks to a short, technical climb where I was able to tackle a mix of slopes and surfaces. Although the bike was neither the lightest nor the snappiest, the Fargo won the challenge. When I pushed uphill, the bike just held speed on stuff that bogged down every other option except the drop bar mountain bike. I couldn’t be as precise in the placement of my front wheel; it didn’t matter. The bike would continue to roll.

It was never really smooth, but that didn’t matter. It got the job done and preserved forward momentum better than the 700c rigid bikes, no doubt.

What I don’t like about Fargo 32

All my issues with the Fargo have to do with not being able to get into a true gravel bike position. For some, this simply won’t be a problem. Many cyclists like the upright position the bike requires. But for me the front end was too high even though the bike was sized correctly.

The most important aspect that limits Salsa’s ability to lower the front of the bike is the same aspect that limited many early 32-inch bikes. Compared to 700c gravel bikes, where there are plenty of carbon fork options to build steel or titanium frames, there haven’t been any 32-inch gravel forks to work with. Instead, early 32-inch gravel bikes used rigid 29-inch mountain bike forks.

These forks fit the largest 32-inch wheels easily, but they have a much greater axle-to-crown length than necessary. This excessive axle-to-crown ratio pushes the stack higher, forcing a higher riding position. There is a limit to the length of a bicycle’s head tube.

This upright position is difficult in itself, but with the extra length and relaxed front end, the bike doesn’t feel aggressive at all. Bigger wheels certainly don’t make the frame snappier. The result is that the bike feels like it’s picking up speed and struggles to maintain pace on calm or smooth terrain.

Habitability

From an ease-of-use standpoint, the Fargo 32 is pretty traditional. As you would expect from a bikepacking-focused bike, the frame is designed to be configured in a variety of ways. All cables and pipes are routed outside. The seat post features a conventional 27.2mm dropper post compatible seat post. At the front, the fork is corrected by the suspension. Overall, the bike was built to be a 32-inch modular bike designed to allow riders to explore 32-inch wheels on their own terms.

One of the trickiest aspects of moving to 32-inch gravel bikes is the lack of a solid standard for thru-axle spacing. The Fargo 32 uses a 110mm Boost front spacing and a 148mm Boost rear spacing. This mix-and-match is key to knowing if you’re looking for the right wheelset.

Who is the Fargo 32 for?

The Fargo 32 is an ideal bike for those looking to go far and those seeking unfamiliar terrain. Cycling is not made for speed, but it comes into its own the longer the ride. Its relaxed geometry makes it easy to handle, even after a long day. The improved traction of the 32-inch tires provides greater margin for error when things get noisy, another benefit for riders undertaking long journeys.

More than anything, what the 32-inch wheels give the Fargo is a wheel system that can handle anything thrown at it. Even compared to the suspension, which will always be a little wobbly on pavement, the larger wheels make for a bike that can keep its head above water when things get unpredictable. In bikepacking, where even the most refined routes can quickly become difficult, this extra capacity can be a huge advantage.