NEW Gravel eBike from Salsa Cycles: Confluence first look

[@randallgd]

I'm a big fan of e bikes even though I don't ride them. Over the years we have bought my wife several e mt bikes and I get to take my best friend/ love of my life on most of my hard rides. Game changer for us :) We have even done many over nighter bike packing trips. I can ride as hard and longer as I want and she can be right there. And to those who say they are not a workout. She has lost 40lbs riding her e bike. She just turns the power down. Also my 90 year old Dad has a Turbo Levo and often we go on many dirt road ridingATV trails with us. Two years ago the three of us rode "the going to the sun highway" in Glacier National park, 3000ft gain. A memory I will cherish forever. Can't we all just get along bikers :) If I had kids Id have one for them along with a their regular bikes. Just to be able spend more time wit them on harder/longer rides. So mang ways to use them to enrich our lives. Thanks for reviewing this bike on your channel!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for sharing :) input like this is what most e-haters don’t consider. I don’t ride ebikes (yet) but still appreciate the positive attributes, like you … my next video might appeal to you as well… stay tuned :)

[@davidalderson7761]

My mum is 80 and she took a E-bike across Europe 2000km ( hotels not camping ) so e-bikes are great for older people for sure. The battery’s she used was 2 x 500wah and could Do 125km on a single battery. The reserve batteries idea is sensible and now you can buy small 200-250wah top up for just in case.

[@sfdint]

The Confluence is a real winner. After 2 months of riding I'm totally happy with it, especially at its reasonable price point. I wanted an ebike that pretty much matched the geometry and fit of my Trek FX 6 hybrid and with the addition of a 100mm stem I've gotten the fit I want. Big surprise, the range is much longer than the advertised 45 miles. I just did a 35-mile ride today generously using the 2nd and even 3rd assist level on the hills. I finished with 57% of my power left. The phone app shows me the exact charge level, so no guessing with simple bar indicators. To be sure, the Mahle 35+ is not super powerful. If you want to blast up hills get a mid-drive Bosch or Fazua, but a moderate assist is what I was looking for. It's just enough that my 73-year-old legs can keep going on a 10% grade without running out of gas. Negatives: It's challenging to plug in the charging cord. The fit has to be exact. A simpler plug would be handy. The stock tires aren't tubeless compatible. I had to upgrade to Bontrager Gironas to get tubeless to work.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks so much for adding in your detailed takeaway - ride on!!

[@karenrichardson945]

At a recent gravel event, I serendipitously started a conversation with a new owner of the Confluence 2x, she offered me a test ride which of course I accepted, and fell in love! I have been test riding ebikes as I'm recovering from surgery earlier this year, and though I'm back to riding my regular gravel and road bikes, I am more fatigued and am feeling that the timing is right for me to try ebikes to be able to keep up with my friends and club folks. After doing some more thinking, research, ordered mine today! (I would prefer that the motor controls were on the brakes like the Trek Domane+, everything else I love!)

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks so much for sharing!! Ride on :)

[@SalsaCyclesOfficial]

Thanks for the detailed first look at Confluence. Much appreciated!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching 🤙

[@davidalderson7761]

Alan has a great way of doing his videos so there is a few Folks who love the “aptitude” for it he has. None of it is rubbish just to get clicks.

[@iowen8585]

I’ve never thrown a leg over an e-bike but I’ve always stopped to look and pay reasonable attention to the details. I like this clean design and Salsa always builds a comfortable bike. I will own an e-bike someday, hard to say which one but I’m happy to see Salsa join the party. As always, thank you for these great videos! You’re the best!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching and your kindness always makes me smile! Ride on :)

[@curtbrown7967]

Your video put me over top to picking up the Confluence Altus Flat Bar model. Totally stoked!!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Awesome! Hope it takes you on great adventures!

[@curtbrown7967]

Good job. Confluence is a bike with e-extension rather than an e-scooter. Love it!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching and commenting :) Ride on!

[@leslieg1527]

I love that they kept the bike clean looking of the battery, that said it would be nice to hot swap batteries if you can’t wait for the whole bike to charge. Tern bicycle is coming out with a cargo bike with estimated range of 200 mile on 2 batteries and 450ish pounds of cargo it can carry.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

That Tern cargo bike sounds enticing- thanks for sharing :)

[@jasonisaac1]

Interesting design from Salsa. Flat bar version would be good for commuting. Nice build options for the drop bar version. I love riding my Salsa Vaya gravel bike, mostly unpaved. I have a Specialized Turbo Vado SL for commuting to work some, so I find lightweight e-bikes appealing.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching and sharing!! Ride on :)

[@btydings]

I am excited about this bike! This video has me considering selling a few toys in the shed to purchase the GRX 600! Lots of flat roads to explore where I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for sharing… Stay tuned for my next video :) 😉

[@dirtnastyish]

The pricing is really decent on this lineup, it could tip a lot of people who were on the fence more toward e-bikes. The range extender option is awesome also. The aluminum frame will have some limitations as you get onto rougher terrain, but this is just the beginning, they might come out with carbon or steel options soon. Thank you for a great video!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for sharing… and stay tuned for next video… might have some carbon frames mentioned :)

[@PumpkinVillage]

Nice timing. Just started the e bike rabbit hole research. So many choices but love the normal look of the bike. Price is not bad and like the range extender if needed. Thanks for the video and take care, Al

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Stay tuned - rabbit hole has room to grow :)

[@MarkMark]

thank you for the review! this looks a very promising replacement option for my trusty vanmoof s2. an electric bike that is... a bike, not a DIY space station. ;)

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

😂 thanks for watching and sharing :)

[@radgravel]

This is a great dive into the lineup. Excited by these!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching!!

[@ChefGiosGoneWild]

Yes , love it

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks again 🙏

[@sfdint]

Looks like a winner and is reasonably priced! I would definitely need the range extender battery.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Def seems like good bang for the buck - ride on!

[@draymond1739]

Great review. Touched all relevant points regarding e-bikes.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Glad you liked it! Ride on :)

[@gregknipe8772]

I hope you find a market for this bike. looks good. thumb shifters are a great option.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for your input

[@worldnomad2301]

I have test rode a couple of hub drive e-bikes, and I’m not really a fan. They don’t feel nearly as natural as a mid drive motor. I can’t wait for the light weight mid drives to come down in price.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for sharing :) ride on!

[@martinschwartz7342]

I have a 3 year old Specialized Kenevo SL with a Mahle mid-drive motor. I have 4,000 miles of hard mountain biking usage on the motor and it has be stone reliable. Since it has performed flawlessly since day one I cannot tell you what it is like to get repairs on. it.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Great to hear your long-term experience- ride on!

[@bryceulrich7655]

For the curious, the still photos look to have been taken on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail near Fall City, WA.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Awesome- thanks for sharing!!

[@sylv_ain]

that new bike is looking good, the battery extender that fits in a bottle cage is very smart and I'm really wondering how hard swapping the internal battery would be. I just tried my very first ebike on a quick 40 miles ride from Vegas downtown to Red Rock Canyon. I have to admit its pretty sweet and its a game changer for commuting or heavy head wind like what we had yesterday

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

I don’t think swapping the internal battery will be that hard in a workshop environment…you do have to pull the crank and BB though… so swapping out in the field would be a chore- ride on!!

[@garygriffin5432]

Love your channel; e-bike, c-bike, d-bike, I like em all.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for your kindness! Ride on!!

[@schauflermom1]

Alan! Great video as usual! I want one of these Confluence e-bikes! Please recommend this to Dave! :)

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Haha!! Will do :) Nice to hear from ya, and hope to see you later this Summer :)

[@schauflermom1]

Yep that would be super nice to see you! Dave would love it!

[@Mosely2007]

Got mine yesterday. Interesting for sure. I, guessing in the eco mode 75 miles or more. 35 today used 31 %. Mine has drop bar. GRX, AND MID BIKE MOTOR. Bausch . I ride gravel daily. Heart wearing out ater 70 yrs riding. Suggested an E Bike. Giving it a whirl.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Nice 👍

[@quigger101]

Thanks!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Wow!!! Thank you so much 🙌 ride on :)

[@patrickmitchell9271]

This bike is Spicy!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

If you like spice… wait for the next video :)

[@francestyrrell6135]

Nice video. Do you happen to know if Salsa sends their bikes to dealers with the fork steerer tube uncut, can it be customized to have more spacers on the steerer?

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Pretty sure they ship with the steerer pre-cut and around 30mm of spacers - but you should give Salsa a call - ride on 🤙

[@davidalderson7761]

Reserve battery good……charge port hmm I would want it high up really out of any wet and mud.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Good point - thanks for sharing :)

[@db_cooper3941]

More people on bikes/ebikes is a good thing. That battery is tiny and most riders will be lucky to get 30 miles range with new battery.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for sharing 🤙

[@sfdint]

I bought a Confluence 2 months ago. I immediately bought an extender thinking that the rated 45 miles is not enough for the day long rides I like to do. Surprise. My first 30 mile ride with a fair amount of climbing used 1/3 of my battery power. Even without the extender I can probably ride 60+ miles.

[@TarmacSkin]

Not for me… But good they are keeping up.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching and sharing! Ride on :)

[@rachelmummeyphotovideo]

Does anyone know is the button weather proof? How is it sealed?

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Good question :) I’d hit up Salsa directly

[@airbikebuilder]

Hub motors can do regen braking, does this bike have regen? I think I recognize the trail at 4:25, I've ridden it 10 or 15 times. Snoqualmie Valley Trail in Wa state

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Salsa did not mention regenerative braking in their press materials- great question, I’d reach out to them for an answer - ride on!

[@sfdint]

It does not have regenerative braking. Manufacturers have given up the idea on ebikes because there is so little return for the extra cost and weight.

[@jeffrohr5586]

Do you know if it tubeless ready? It doesn't say on salsa website

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Sorry just saw this, no I don’t know- but Salsa usually responds quickly- I’d ask them or call your local dealer🤙

[@michaelmetcalfe795]

hi, Dirty teeth wow, beautiful🙋‍♂️. Looking forward to this adventure. I'm in two feet... thank you🙏

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for watching!!

[@tedbellWRV]

Currently, my eyes tell me (and discussions with a friend that is a major e-bike retailer) that most e-bikes are sold direct to market (DTM) to the age 50-70 demographic , many with ailing knees or limited fitness (I confess at 66, I fit the bill age-wise). (Yes a few high end ($5k to $15k) e-bikes are sold to the mountain bike community, but this is a very small segment.) This bike looks to aim itself at the under 40 crowd that are smaller than average size (the "average" North American is 185 lbs!). This Salsa e-bike will work well for someone that is 20-something and wants to commute 5-10 miles each way to work. The provisions for a kickstand and bags are a must for anyone using any kind of e-bike, especially a city/commuter. I do not believe it is a bike that can be realistically used as a true gravel bike in the back country. The range is too limited. I don't believe a battery that size will get more than 20 - 25 miles tops in the real world, with realistic levels of assist. You did not mention it, but does this bike have a torque sensor (as opposed to a cadence sensor)? We only ride Class 1 e-bikes with a torque sensor, but a throttle is a must for a Class 2 cadence sensor e-bike - because of the significant lag in assist that must be programmed in to cadence sensor e-bikes (so they do not take off on you if you bump the pedals when parked). Having recently visited the "Amazon/Google/tech neighborhoods" of Seattle, I think there are a lot of those young commuter types, but many probably did not have the $5-k to $10k in cash for a sleek European-designed e-bike (e.g. Bulls, Gazelle, R+M, Cube, Moustache, etc.), and the heavy 70 to 90 lb DTM e-bikes in the $1k to $2k price bracket may not have been so appealing. Between my wife and I, we have about 40,000 miles accumulated over the past few years on several e-bikes. We paid the astronomically price for Bosch-powered European e-bikes that have proved enormously satisfying - but we are retired, our kids are raised and this is our one vice in life. Personally, the Salsa e-bike would never work for me (but I am not the intended market). I'd never consider an e-bike with a not-easily-replaceable battery that is so small. You'll need to max out the battery capacity continually, causing degradation (which will occur after about 500-800 cycles (for me, 3 years of regular, 5-day-a-week use). Lack of front suspension is also a non-starter for me - but being old, I can no longer unweight my seat for every bump and pothole - due to arthritic knees and back. For me, front suspension and a good suspension seat post are necessities. I do see this Salsa e-bike as something that will help get the younger crowd out of their SUV or even Prius. Heretofore, that crowd was only offered very expensive e-bikes, or the massive family friendly cargo bikes as an option. Those options work for some, but not everyone in that younger demographic.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for your detailed notes! All the info Salsa released to the media about the Confluence was included in the video. Sorry I don’t have more answers yet. Ps- my next video might be of interest… ride on!

[@tedbellWRV]

@@DirtyTeethMTB One thing I forgot to ask - UL listing? Super important as regulations, laws and rental agreements for multi-family are often prohibiting storage or charging of e-bikes or their batteries due to deadly fires caused by cheap, improperly designed and utilized lithium ion batteries.

[@sfdint]

I'm not following your "20 something" appeal of the Confluence. I'm 73 and ride about 5000 miles a year, most of it on an acoustic bike, but the Confluence is great for getting out on more adventurous, meaning hilly, gravel routes. You are way off on the range. Way off. They rate it at 45 miles but that is very conservative. I've only had mine a few weeks but my first 30 mile ride with plenty of elevation gain only used 1/3 of my battery power. With the extender I am looking at an 80 mile range.

[@tedbellWRV]

@@sfdint That's great you are doing well. My point is that in the e-bike market, you represent a very small segment of potential e-bike buyers, well off the average. That's awesome for you. For every 73 year old that rides 5,000 miles a year, there are a dozen bona fide e-bike buyers age 50 to 70+ that ride less, weigh more and get less range, etc. If Salsa can survive selling this bike to a very narrow segment of e-bike buyers, then more power to them.

[@gregknipe8772]

not a big fan of e-bikes, hope you dont spend a lot of time on this, or maybe I am the only one, and I'll just skip this stuff when you put it out. adventures are now going to be only as great as the battery you can haul around. so it goes.

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Thanks for sharing - Probably won’t like my next video either :) ride on!

[@lindawright7545]

You might not be a fan now, but someday you won’t be as young and healthy… there is a good place for e-bikes and while I’m not ready for one yet, it’s great to see affordable options that look relatively “normal” and might mean I could get a friend or loved one to join me on adventures that would otherwise not be possible.

[@steventyree3851]

I bought a cheap e-bike a few years ago. A significant training advantage immediately became apparent. I could ride at my target level of effort without blowing out up the hills. That's a game changer, especially in the winter time!

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

thanks for sharing your insight :) @@steventyree3851