The original version of this article was published on BikeRumor.
Minnesota’s Salsa Cycles has been teasing the Wanderosa, a full-suspension gravel e-bike, since November. Well, today it has officially launched. Introducing the Wanderosa, a bike that marks Salsa’s (and possibly the bike industry’s) entry into full-suspension gravel e-bikes.
The Wanderosa represents its fifth electric bike platform launched since February 2024. This new discipline-bending bike has a carbon fiber frame with a flex-stay design and gives the rider 110mm of rear travel, which is paired with a 120mm travel suspension fork.
Salsa calls the Wanderosa its light electric full-suspension gravel bike. Using the same electric system as the Salsa Morain full-suspension mountain bike, the Wanderosa is equipped with FAZUA’s Ride 60 mid-drive motor that delivers 60Nm of torque with a 480Wh internal battery for class 3 assistance (class 1 in Canada).
Powering Up New Gravel Adventures
Salsa’s category manager, Joe Meiser, said in a press release that the Wanderosa was inspired by the team’s extensive e-bike experience.
“After ride experiences on a wide variety of gravel e-bikes and light drive systems, our team recognized we had an opportunity to merge the power of FAZUA’s Ride 60 drive system with an equally capable ride experience,” Meiser said. “Wanderosa comes from the team that defined gravel to begin with and continues to develop products that redefine what gravel is.”
The Wanderosa runs progressive drop-bar geometry and is aimed at those who are looking for electric assistance to ride longer distances while tackling rougher and more challenging terrain.
The headtube angle on the new Wanderosa is pretty slack at 65.3 degrees. This, when combined with the long rear center, would make it feel pretty stable on the techy stuff.
It also sports a steep, 75.1-degree seat tube angle, which provides a comfy pedaling position. Salsa also made sure that the 44cm to 52cm bar width aligns with the frame sizes XS-XL.
It looks like a blast of a bike.
Rear-Suspension Info
Front and rear travel come in at 120mm and 110mm, respectively. Riders can choose to reduce the rear travel to 100mm by simply reducing the shock stroke from 45mm to 40mm.
The rear flexing stays help reduce both the overall weight of the bike and the amount of hardware that needs to be maintained. It also allows for the use of flat-mount rear brake calipers tucked inside the triangle.
Frame Details
Considering this is a unique bike packed with features, don’t expect it to run cheap. Pricing for the Wanderosa starts at $7,999 for the Apex Eagle model, and then goes up to $9,999 for the Rival GX AXS Transmission model, and tops out at $12,999 for the X0 Force AXS Transmission bike. Based on the website, it appears that the Apex and Force models are available now, while the Rival GX build is coming soon.
- High-modulus carbon fiber frame
- Flexing-stay suspension design to reduce weight and complexity
- Clearance for up to 29 x 2.35″ tires
- SRAM UDH compatible
- On-bike cargo mounts let riders carry their ride essentials in a streamlined way
- Direct mount compatible with a custom frame pack
- All sizes fit one bottle
- Accessory mount on downtube inside main triangle
- Tool/tube mount location
- Pump mount
Salsa Wanderosa: Pricing & Availability
The Salsa Wanderosa drops Thursday, Jan. 29. It’s available in three models, each more expensive than the last: the Wanderosa Apex Eagle ($7,999), the Wanderosa Rival GX AXS ($9,999), and the Wanderosa Force XO AXS ($12,999).
As of Thursday, the Wanderosa Rival GX AXS wasn’t yet available on the Salsa website. But the other two models are ready to order.
Wanderosa Apex Eagle
Retail: $7,999
Wanderosa Rival GX AXS
Retail: $9,999
Yes, these are pricey bicycles, but they’re also handsome and fully equipped with tons of respectable components. So they’re likely an investment that will last. Moreover, with an e-bike battery and full suspension, it’s a bike that just might open up new possibilities for going farther on your next adventure.
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