Salsa Warbird Apex 1 Review | Initial Bike Check on my REI Gravel Bike

Hey everybody, here is a quick bike check intro for Eric's Gravel Bike, a Salsa Warbird Apex 1.
The quick version: 1) Eric loves this bike 2) Mechanical disc brakes suck buy one with hydraulic brakes or upgrade right away 3) Eric might not be strong enough to pull off a 1x 4)Let us know your questions on the bike and we will answer them in the next Salsa Warbird Video with a more in depth review after some time on the bike.
If you dig the bar tape Eric is rocking:
www.amazon.com/Supacaz-Super-...
Thanks for watching please like and subscribe!

[@Johnpvb]

Just picked up a Warbirds GRX 600 and excited to add gravel riding to my cycling repertoire! I chose this model over the Apex 1 for the reasons you discussed-upgraded brakes and 2x chainring. Very happy so far with the ride. 56 cm same as my road bike (Trek Edmonda) for my 5’11” height.

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

"... because it's the only bike you could find"??? You're insane! It's one of the just beautiful bikes out there. Look at those lines: the seatstays, the chainstays, the beautiful tube shape, the compact frame geometry... It's also very comfortable. I know, because I own one, too. I have a few beautiful gravel bikes (more specifically, a Salsa WarBird, a Norco Search XR C, a Genesis Datum, a Norco Search XR S) - and while I love them all (especially the carbon bikes), Salsa is My favourite. Save for the discrepancy in price, I wouldn't swap a WarBird for a Pinarello Dogma (which I consider downright ugly). The only thing I wish was different - would be a Santana Z coupler type spitting 3D-printed Titanium frame for touring / transport, but looking and feeling precisely like the WarBird in every detail from the geometry, the tube and carbon junction shape, the comfort and the speed. That would be My touring dream bike. The only other details I'm not so keen on in the current WarBird - are the omission of the fork crown headlight mount, a lack of dedicated internal dynamo wiring guides for the taillight (which 99.9% of bikes don't sport), a slightly lower seapost clamp (so that I wouldn't have to elevate the suspension seapost to clamp it onto a stand when working on it), a slightly lower distance between the rear mudguard mount behind the bottom bracket (to use a shorter bolt and minimise the leverage on the mount), a better removable seatstay bridge (i.e., Norco's Sassy or Cannondale Synapse bolt-on mudguard bridge) - and maybe a left chainstay that mirrors the drive-side one exactly. As for the looks, in My opinion very few bikes come close to matching the WarBird, and none surpasses it. These would include the Bastion road bikes, the Giant TCR Advanced, the Cannondale Synapse (Women's version with a greater top tube slope), thee Merida Silex x000 -series and a couple of others likely including the carbon KTM and Storck gravel bikes demoed at the Friedrichshaven Bike Expo last couple of days. By the way, Shimano has used the WarBird to showcase some of their products, including the GRX groupset (which I'm no fan of, and believe that something like the Sram Red eTap AXS complements the WarBird's looks much better) for the last couple of years.

[@nealart]

I just bought the same bike used in light blue. Still setting it up - can't wait to try it out. Thanks for the review.

[@bipinbecky]

thanks for the awesome video man!

[@XCBen]

Great video work. Bike looks fun. My wife wants it. I have a Focus Mares AX.

[@jbandt]

A couple ideas on gearing. One you can drop the chainring down to 38 or maybe chage out the cassette to 11-46. Or both for decently low gearing.

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

A couple of recommendations: - Sram eTap AXS. A mullet would do well for gravel riding. - Fabric bar tape - Spinergy or Scope deep-section wheels for tarmac or gravel ones for gravel. - RedShift ShockStop suspension seapost and stem. - Selle SMP Plus saddle in colour (they feel much better than the black ones, plus are animal-friendly. And are much gentler on the rear, the inner thighs and perineum than any other saddle). Their single drawback is their weight. - FidLock magnetic bottle cage adapters. - Flatter-topped drop handlebars for extra comfort or round ones, combined with RedShift Kitchen Sink ergonomic drop bar grips.

[@DaveCM]

I have SRAM mechanical 1x. I have two different cassettes and three different chainrings. I change it out depending on where I'm ridding. I am an old and kind of fat gut, so around central NC, l typically leave the 42 on the front and the 11-41 on the rear. I was in the Croatan Buck Fifty and changed to the 44 on the front since it is so flat and top speed was most important. If I am going to do insane climbing, I do have a 38 chainring I can put on and I can make an 11-46 cassette work just fine. (Be very careful if you try that one.) To make things easier, I have a chain setup for each chainring. So, it takes me maybe 10 minutes to change out the chainring and the chain. And I don't do it all that often since I only go to the mountains or the coast a few times a year. I left the 44 on for a couple of months because I was trying to get some Strava PRs and just changed it back yesterday. Anyway, That is an option for you.

[@714SNF]

thx for the video! the mechs around my REI are pretty bad

[@drbva2]

great video. How tall are you and did you go with the 57.5 cm frame. I’m 6’1” trying to decide on the best frame size

[@Planetone.]

This would've been the color I would pick, nice looking gravel bike. Unfortunately when I was shopping around in April 58cm in that color was hard to find. So settled for a Revolt.

[@socalcyclists21]

Bummer that it wasn't around then. What Revolt did you end up going with? that's an awesome bike as well

[@Planetone.]

@@socalcyclists21 Revolt advanced 1, Gravel is fun!

[@ColKlim98]

Hey Eric, great video! Was just wondering if you had any tips/tricks on changing out the stock brakes? I’m not super bike savvy, so a link to the brakes you bought/any helpful info would be appreciated. Thanks! Love the channel.

[@gldnedge]

Collin, I own the same Warbird and was underwhelmed by the stock brakes. The weak link is the rotors. I replaced mine with upper level Sram and have been thoroughly satisfied - the braking improvement was night/day. Save a bundle and replace your rotors only.

[@ColKlim98]

@@gldnedge Thanks Troy! I'll be sure to check that out!

[@jonathanwalker7199]

@@gldnedge I just purchased salsa warbird apex 1. if I replace just the rotors can I keep apex brake levers that are currently on it and use current cable that goes to mechanical brakes?

[@gldnedge]

@@jonathanwalker7199 You sure can!

[@mazditzo]

something wrong with WTB qc in recent months... many complaints related to wheelset systems

[@just_delightful]

Things may be changing- I've been in fully stocked bike shops recently.

[@jeremymitchell8470]

Any feedback after a couple years with your Warbird? I’m a fellow big guy and looking for a more dirt oriented rig to go along with my commuter.

[@davidadamus177]

Sounds like you got a bad batch of hubs. I have a 2019 Warbird which also has the serra hubs, and have never heard a single noise after almost 2000 miles, including a lot of singletrack.

[@thecappy]

I have the grx 810 black version in 56cm. Thing is sweet. I'm taking it on a 150 mile bikepacking trip this weekend. How tall are you? I'm 5'11 and felt the 57.5cm was a little big for me. I do have shorter legs and a long torso.

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

Bike manufacturers tend to recommend a size or even two bigger than ideal frames.

[@Ruben14Elias]

What's the link for the brakes?

[@robertschmitz8781]

Good video explanation! Just my opinion, but music that accompanies the commentary is not necessary. As a matter of fact, it's like the hub noise that you described. ha ha It distracts from what you are saying. Thx!

[@just_delightful]

Amazon link doesn't work

[@Sheisintomalakasdino]

Press fit .... pass