Salsa Cycles

Ross Shafer founded Salsa Cycles in the early 1980s.^[4][5] The company initially focused on producing bicycle frames and custom stems.^[6] In 1997, the brand was acquired by Minnesota-based Quality Bicycle Products, which transitioned from a wholesale bike-parts distributor to a bike-brand conglomerate, with a focus on biking in climates with cold winters. In 2021, Quality Bicycle Products employed over 600 people.^[3]

Salsa has bike frames made in Asia out of aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium,^[7] and chromoly steel.^[8] They have several bike touring bicycles, fat tire bikes, bikepacking bikes, and gravel bikes, as well as full-suspension mountain bikes.^[2] Some Salsa frames are equipped with a unique dropout design that Salsa has manufactured in Asia. The "alternator dropout" allows for a bike to be easily converted from a rear derailleur to a single speed, permits the use of several different hub standards, and allows for an adjustable wheelbase.^[9]