Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Clint in Michigan, who shares his titanium Salsa Fargo with a custom Ti fork from Black Sheep Bikes. Scope out Clint’s stunning one-of-a-kind build and read about some of his bikepacking adventures here…
Words and photos by Clint Ford
Hey there, I’m Clint. I’m from the awesome state of Michigan. After spending many years trying out mediocre bikes, I found my first Salsa Fargo, which was the first bike that felt like a perfect fit for me and my riding style. Once I learned that you could throw all the gear you would take backpacking onto a bike, I was hooked. Pretty sure BIKEPACKING.com played a huge role in fueling that early obsession. I spend most of my time riding gravel and singletrack in southeast Michigan. We have some damn nice gravel roads here, perfect for long days on a Fargo.
This Fargo Ti is my second one. I bought my first steel version (second-generation) about 10 years ago and loved it for many thousands of miles. When the funds became available for an upgrade, I figured buying a Ti version was a safe bet. I will never sell either of them.
Last winter, I wanted to use the Sinewave Beacon that I had from another bike, but the stock Firestarter fork on the Fargo didn’t have a fork crown hole to mount it, and I really wanted it there. So, as an expensive solution to a small problem, I asked James at Black Sheep if he would make me a new fork. I think it looks so natural on this bike, and it just rides amazing.
- Frame: Salsa Fargo Ti
- Frame: Black Sheep
- Rims: Velocity Blunt 35s
- Hubs: SON 28 dynamo (front) / White Industries XMR (rear)
- Tires: Maxxis Ikon
- Handlebars: Salsa Cowchipper Deluxe 50cm
- Handlebar tape: Campandgoslow Eastern AND Western Rattler Tape
- Headset: Chris King Mix and Match
- Crankset: White Industries M30, 32T chainring
- Pedals: Yoshimura Chilao SS Large
- Cassette: e*thirteen TRS Plus 9-46T
- Derailleur(s): 11-speed SRAM Rival
- Brakes: Paul Klampers
- Shifter(s): SRAM Rival
- Saddle: Cheapo Selle Royal
- Seatpost: Salsa Regulator Ti
- Stem: Paul Boxcar 90mm
- Front bags: BXB Goldback Small V2
- Frame bags: Oveja Negra Full bag, BXB Upperhand
- Rear bags: MLD Poco Panniers V3 with Tumbleweed Pannier Rack
- Accessory bags: Oveja Nega / Morrow Packs
- Other accessories: Sinewave Beacon 2
Beyond riding, I’m also a technical illustrator. I freelanced for many years for some great outdoor brands, and I was fortunate to connect with the awesome people at Oveja Negra. They offered to make me a custom frame bag in exchange for some illustration work, which is still on their site today. That frame bag remains one of my absolute favorite pieces of bike gear, proving incredibly durable and reliable. I found one of these postcards in a shop in Marquette, Michigan, and was pretty thrilled to see it.
I feel very fortunate to have a couple of awesome brother-in-laws who also have Salsa Fargos. We’ve gone on many bikepacking trips in Michigan, including riding across the state and, most recently, completing the GAP and C&O this summer.
You can see more from Clint on Instagram.
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Use the form below to submit your bikepacking rig. We’ll choose one per week to feature in a Reader’s Rig Dispatch and on Instagram. To enter, email us your best photo of the bike (preferably at a 90° angle), your Instagram username (optional), and a short description of you and your rig. If your bike is selected, we’ll need a total of five photos and a little bit more info.
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Further Reading
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