1992 Salsa La Raza (proper one!)

[pete_mcc]

Back when I worked in Action Bikes in Embankment around 1993-1996 I had an opportunity to borrow a demo Salsa roadbike off NTi (the then importers), It was a real beauty: bright red, campag parts, Rolhoff chain, SR forks, the lot. Best thing was it was in my size (52cm) and it rode like a dream. Only downside was that I had to hand it back and I couldn't afford to buy one of my own.
Then, of course, Salsa was sold, the Raza became some Taiwanese 'me too' frame and the spark of desire I had went.
For the past umpteen years I have been searching for an original to build up and ride and then this turned up:

Frame number SR1135.14.
I had sourced a completely NOS 8 speed Campag Record Titanium and Campag Racing T groupset for a song a few days earlier so it was only natural that the Salsa was built up with that along with a set of 15 year old Speedplays, Nitto bars, a King 'No-logo' headset, a Rolhoff chain, an Avocet 30 computer, a Syncros Ti seatpost and a smattering of rasta coloured parts (this is no Bob Marley tribute bike, i wanted to be a little more subtle!).

The custard yellow paint job is amazing, just like new, partly because it's as thick as the furring in John Prescotts arteries.

And the best thing is it rides just like the one I had all them years back!

 

[theboy]

SWEET!

 

[The Ken]

That is stunning - I want one!

 

[elite504]

Say man that is nice. . . ticks my boxes on all the same fronts. Embankment in the early 90's. . . I was at covent garden cycles then, when it had the Jo Burts on the wall. . .

 

[pete_mcc]

SWEET!

It's the girly twin to your butch MTB one, even looks like the same pot of paint!

 

[theboy]

not twins, its the younger sister of mine

oh, and do you know who built it, I have a hunch it may be a Mr Shafer built one? track him down and mail him, he's pretty helpful, although they didn't keep any frame no. records so he may not know - I could only get an approximate build date and a builders name for mine...

 

[wooly pluto]

Absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Carlos the Slackal]

Say man that is nice. . . ticks my boxes on all the same fronts. Embankment in the early 90's. . . I was at covent garden cycles then, when it had the Jo Burts on the wall. . .

When did you leave?

I ran another CG Shop a few years after that.....

 

[pete_mcc]

Say man that is nice. . . ticks my boxes on all the same fronts. Embankment in the early 90's. . . I was at covent garden cycles then, when it had the Jo Burts on the wall. . .

Funny you should say that, that's where I tended to get all my quality stuff from back then along with Magic Bikes in Whitechapel (even when I worked in AB). Bought a lovely Titan 1/2 trac from CGC back then. Sadly I went past CGC yesterday and it's now a barbers.....

 

[No Longer Registered]

That is a true 90's classic when the majority of brands had their own individuality and stood for principles or concepts the owners believed in rather than purely a marketing .