Originally Posted by
Marc40a
The Marakesh looks nice, I looked into Salsa myself at one point (the Vaya) .Don't quote me on this but I'd be wary about the the frame's compatibility with other racks and more importantly, fenders. For some reason I remember reading a review that pointed out the owner's frustration with the lack attachment points near the rear dropouts. Maybe it's been resolved since then.
I don't know if you're specifically referring to the Marrakesh but I have had two Vayas and it has always been very easy to attach racks -- front and rear -- and fenders. No interference with disc brakes and no problems whatsoever. My fenders are regular SKS, the front rack is a cheap no-name and the rear rack is a cheap Axiom. In fact, the ease of attaching things is a big benefit of the Vaya. Too bad if that has changed with the Marrakesh. I suggest asking Salsa, they are very responsive.
Re the kickstand plate, I was initially concerned about it's never an actual problem, there's always something to lean against and the bike is less likely to fall over than it would be on a kickstand.