# Any experience with the Salsa Firestarter fork?



## Glynn Sluder (Jun 25, 2011)

29 inch, 483 a-c. I'm guessing it's going to compare to most of the "others".

I'm getting a new lower end bike with entry level sus. fork and not going to spring for a carbon. Cost too much to get one that'll handle my 220 lbs. (naked)

This bike will be dedicated to gravel for the most part, I was tempted to try one of the chinese offerings that look like they would, but just can't find any testimony. My face aint much to write home about but would like to keep it off the road.


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## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

Considering a carbon fork as well and the Salsa caught my eye since it had those mounts for bikepacking, but the price is a bit much for me. Check out Carver...they have quite a few forks priced well below that. Seems they may be a little heavier than most though.


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## LonelyDwarfProd. (Jul 22, 2015)

No experience with the Firestarter, but I loved the Cromoto Grande I was running on an old Monocog that I sold a while back. It was compliant without being flexy and felt better over rough stuff than the entry level suspension fork I was running before that. The forks look pretty similar.

Edit: Realized you were asking about the Firestarter Carbon, no experience with that either, but seems to me that a good steel fork would still fit your needs.


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## mdilthey (Dec 15, 2014)

Had a few Salsa forks and a few Surly forks. I think the Krampus steel fork is a better value, and it still has braze-ons for bikepacking.


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## Glynn Sluder (Jun 25, 2011)

No, I am talking about the steel Firestarter, I was not very clear in my post. 

Looking at the Firestarter instead of Cromoto because it is 483mm axle to crown. Copys the 100mm travel cheapo allowing for sag.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

FWIW, I just emailed Salsa and they said they are still making the Cromoto Grande but are out of stock for a few months.


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## Glynn Sluder (Jun 25, 2011)

I have a Firestarter on the way (up to three weeks to get here), going to give it a whirl.

Will weigh half of the spring fork and work great for the gravel and rails-to-trails I'll use it on.


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## TomiKoo (Aug 2, 2015)

I had Firestarter fork for last summer. Frame was Surly Instigator 2.0 and wheels 27+. Another choise for Firestarter was OnOne MKM35 carbon, which I prefered for smoother ride.









Firestarter was good quality, bit heavy as all other steel fork's too. I would take another shot if needed. I had DT Swiss 9x100 thrubolt. Maybe 15x100 thruaxle and tapered tube would be better, I guess Cromoto Grande would make that but it's only available 468mm?

I sold all those fork's and frame and bought 2nd hand Kona Raijin frame with Carver Trail fork. Should be nice too.


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## Glynn Sluder (Jun 25, 2011)

Well I thought I had a fork on the way, but after two weeks Jenson sent me an email saying that they had no idea when they would be able to fulfill my order.

So I started looking for someone who had one...looking...and looking....hmm.

Just about everywhere I went was out of stock, no Salsa, no Surly, no Soma. I'm talking about a 483 mm A-C, steel, disc brake fork. Ebay has an IRD that looks just like the Soma, maybe that's what came on a Juice, but I couldn't get a definite specifications list on it and didn't want to risk a restock fee and shipping costs.

What is up with the total absence of this type fork? Is there too much demand and no manufacture? No demand and so they are not manufacturing? 

I finally found a shop that let me put a Krampus in my shopping cart and said that the item was in stock, hope so anyway, my new bike is coming home next week and I want to start messing with it.


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## Glynn Sluder (Jun 25, 2011)

I did find a few of these Soma's after I panicked and snagged the Krampus. It looks very nice with the forward drop outs and clean "D" shaped forks. Pretty much the same rake and A-C.

I would probably spend a little more and get one the next time I need a steel rigid fork choice. Most I saw were double the price of the Krampus, but I did see one at Universal for about the same as the Salsa. It was a delayed purchase there as well I think.

The Krampus will work fine for what I want right now.

Anybody ride one of these Soma's?

Soma 29"/27.5" MTB Disc Fork - mikesbikes.com


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## Glynn Sluder (Jun 25, 2011)

Update... bike shop website that said the Krampus was in stock emailed me the day after Thanksgiving to say that the fork would be delayed indefinitley. wow

So I wound up going with the IRD off of ebay at a good price. Same specs, picture, and manufacture # as the Soma. Pretty sure it is the exact same fork even though I am not sure of anything that's not in my hands for awhile now. 

So, I guess I will find out how the Tange Soma rides for myself now. The guy at Jenson gave me his take on the unavailability issue. Seems like it would affect a lot more bike parts to me. I'm not sure.


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