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Salsa El Santo Anyone Seen/Ridden?

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#2 ·
Just got one myself. Haven't built it up yet and I haven't got the chance to ride one yet unfortunately. Planning on the following build: Minute 1, Juicy 5s, SRAM X9 (NO SHIMANO), TV Stylo Team GXP, DT rims w/240s, Thomson stem and post...
 

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Discussion starter · #5 ·
quickly I hope...

DJay said:
Cool. Are you planning on building it up right away or do you still have some parts to buy?
Click to expand...
Hope to have it up and rolling by April. There's still snow on the ground here (ug!!)
and might have to wait for all the parts to come in.
What size is your frame? I got the 20". I'm 6'1". Little concerned about the lack
of S.O. but the top tube and rest of the geometry seems to match well with my HT.
 
#6 ·
jasondean said:
Hope to have it up and rolling by April. There's still snow on the ground here (ug!!)
and might have to wait for all the parts to come in.
What size is your frame? I got the 20". I'm 6'1". Little concerned about the lack
of S.O. but the top tube and rest of the geometry seems to match well with my HT.
Click to expand...
I also got a 20". I'm 6'3" and went back and forth between the 20" and 22". Post pics when you have it done!
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the support

Thanks for the support. We think the new El Santo is a very cool ride. I just got my own too. I'm building it up with a fox 100RLT and a complete SRAM XO/Juicy7/Race Face kit. I've got FSA wheels on it right now, but will be changing to some DT 240s wheels when I have enough $$$.

I am almost done and will post pics soon. It's still cold here so unfortunately, they won't be ride photo's.

Thanks again.

Jason
Salsa Crew
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
cool ride/thanks too...

Jason,
build sounds cool. Look forward to the picts.
Almost went with similar build but wanted to
keep all my parts simlar to my HT so I didn't have
to be buy 3 diff. brands of parts and could swap between
bikes if needed at races (6/12/24 Hour solos).
Thanks too for Salsa's support of 2005 team bikeman.com
mucho appreciado!! :D
 
#9 · (Edited)
Update...

Well, it's coming along good. So far have: Minute 1, King headset, Truvativ Stylo Team, Thomson X4 stem/Thomson post, Answer OS carbon bar, DT classic series wheels w/340s, WTB Pure V team, WTB exiwolfs w/greenlites, Crank Bros Candy SLs. Im getting Juicy 5s and X9 triggers and RD/Xgen FD this week so I'll take her on her maiden voyage next weekend, cant wait!
 

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#11 ·
Jason- Have you ridden any trails yet? Impressions?

I got out for the first time last weekend and was impressed. This is, however, my first full suspension ride so I may be easily impressed. Also the trail I rode is very flat and non-technical. I will say I felt no bob whatsoever and the bike seems to want to go fast. Coming from an older Stumpjumper HT, the chainstays feel a lot shorter and the bike seems a lot more manuevarable and fun to ride. I'm also still getting the shock dialed in. I'm not used to having this many adjustments to play with on a bike, with SPV in the front and rear. I'll post a picture of the finished product tomorrow. :cool:
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
El Santo is rolling!

Hey DJay!

Yeah, I got mine rolling and I'm loving it! But like you I'm coming from a HT as well.
I have my basic build and a pict on the Salsa Aqui! post in this forum.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=70392

I'm still adjusting the shock as well. I have 115 in both the SPV and main chamber.
Been working fine. I have about 12 hours in at that psi. But I'm gonna try some others
this weekend. The only time I've experience a little bob is on bumpy out of the saddle forest road climbs but not on road sections at all. This could be the front too though, Not good about hitting the lock out on the Fox.

I did 3 hours on it last Sat. I couldn't believe how well my body felt afterwards.
In contrast I did 1.5 hours on my Ti HT this week and was feeling it. Granted I
was doing that ride at "cough up a bloody lung" race pace. So I was bound to feel
it do to pushing harder gears.

Overall though I'm really geeked up over the Salsa and would recomend one to anyone.
Have a 12 hour race coming up in a month. Can't wait to race it.

Enjoy the ride, it's a good one!
 
#13 ·
updates please!

hey guys i'm looking into getting an el santo and was hoping that by now u guys have got some decent saddle time in and can give me your impressions of the bike??
i'm coming from an 03 specialized stumpjumper fsr, so i'm keen to hear about how it compares to a fully active (stumpy was pre-platform shocks) bike, and also how the standover height is(the stumpy had heaps)? thanks guys, hope ur having a blast on them!
stevo
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
El Santo Update and Full Review LInk

whippet said:
hey guys i'm looking into getting an el santo and was hoping that by now u guys have got some decent saddle time in and can give me your impressions of the bike??
i'm coming from an 03 specialized stumpjumper fsr, so i'm keen to hear about how it compares to a fully active (stumpy was pre-platform shocks) bike, and also how the standover height is(the stumpy had heaps)? thanks guys, hope ur having a blast on them!
stevo
Click to expand...
This was my first FS and I love it. I've had it since April and not had an issue with it. I HAVE had issues with
the Race Face Deuse Crank (it sucks, stay away) but the El Santo rocks.

Check out my review here
http://www.bikeman.com/partsroom/prodtest/salsaelsanto.htm

Also hear great things about the Titus Racer-X and Giant NRS.

Good luck,

Jason
 
#15 ·
I just Built up my El Santo and it is in one word...Fast.

Im 6'1" and bought a Lrg.
Fork: fox rlt 100
Der: sram x0 and x gen
Crank:Xt
Brakes:avid Juicy 7

Im comming off of a SC Heckler. The Geometry is lower than Im Used too. I think that it is exactly what I was looking for in a xc bike.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Picts?

rednow said:
I just Built up my El Santo and it is in one word...Fast.

Im 6'1" and bought a Lrg.
Fork: fox rlt 100
Der: sram x0 and x gen
Crank:Xt
Brakes:avid Juicy 7

Im comming off of a SC Heckler. The Geometry is lower than Im Used too. I think that it is exactly what I was looking for in a xc bike.
Click to expand...
Got any picts? Lets see that bad boy.
 
#17 ·
Salsa El Santo for Sale

Hey folks,

I have a one month old El Santo for sale. I ordered a 20" El Santo frame and after I took it for a test ride out the shop I realized my fears that the frame was slightly too big for me. I bought a KHS XC 904r frame instead which fits me like a glove. If anyone is interested in the Salsa, I'm selling it at cost (employee discount) instead of retail. It goes for $1309. I'm selling for $800 and will negotiate. Possibly for trade of of an equal value. My e-mail is futurepath@charter.com. If interested e-mail me then I will give my phone number. Also, I have the receipt showing I paid for it if that would be an issue.

Other than being the wrong size the bike felt very comfortable. Basically I was inbetween sizes. The issue was the top tube. The bike has only been built up and ridden around the parking lot at the shop. My inseam is 32, the bike is 33.2. I gave Salsa my dimensions and they recommended this frame. After I tried to return it they would not take it since it had been built up. So.........

Here is a link to Salsa's web page with more information on the frame. http://www.salsacycles.com/frames_05ElSanto.html

Here are some of the specifics of the frame.
• Complete Scandium tubeset
• Custom drawn Salsa Scandium tubing with butting and wall thicknesses tuned to the size of each frame
• Sealed bearings in all pivots for increased life and lateral stiffness
• Standard 1-1/8" headset
• Seatpost diameter: 27.2mm Seatpost clamp: 30.0mm Front derailleur clamp: 31.8mm Bottom bracket shell: 68mm
• Includes Salsa Flip-Lock seat collar
• ISO disc tab mounts and removable cantilever bosses for mounting linear pull brakes
• Designed for use with 100mm travel fork
• 4-inches rear travel
• Manitou SPV-equipped Swinger 3-day rear air shock
Here are the measurements of the frame.
• seat tube (center to center) - 20" (508 mm)
• top tube (center to center) - 23.4" (595.1 mm)
• top tube (horizontal) - 23.8" (605 mm)
• head tube angle - 71 degrees
• seat tube angle - 73 degrees
• bottom bracket drop - 0.2" (5 mm)
• chain stay length - 16.9" (429 mm)
• wheel base - 43.1" (1093.9 mm)
• standover height - 33.2" (843.1 mm)
• head tube length - 4.9" (125 mm)
 
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