Hi all,

First off, I'd like to toot my own horn. I managed to get in over 1500 bike commuting miles last year, which was a big step for me!!! With all of my other bike adventures last year, my total mileage was probably somewhere around 2500 miles. It wasn't an easy year though, trying to do 30-mile round trip commutes and centuries on a flat bar hybrid bike. It was a nice bike, but started to feel a bit uncomfortable toward the end of the ride. Windy days were a total *****.

So I started doing research in the fall, to buy a new bike with drop bars. A bike that actually fit me properly, and was more adept at handling long rides. I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to afford a new bike until 2013, but I could dream and plan for another year or so. The big barrier, other than money, was the fact that I don't really like road bikes and brifters. I tried out a Specialized Allez when I bought my hybrid, and liked neither the action of the brifters nor the feeling of being so far forward over the handle bars. I just didn't feel safe and in control of the bike. I'm also not into bikes with racing stripes and stuff. I don't want people thinking I'm a Lance wannabe. I used a classic steel ten speed road bike as teenager, with downtube shifters and suicide levers, and always had mountain bikes later in life. I've grown quite used to the mountain bike way of things.

The more research I did, the more I loved the idea of a Salsa Vaya2, with a set of installed cross brake levers. I could use the cross levers while I learned to use the SRAM brifters. I hoped that the SRAM setup would be more to my liking, having the separate shifter trigger. The Vaya appeared to be more relaxed in geometry than a typical road bike, which would hopefully alleviate that feeling of hanging over the handle bars. The Vaya also had a steel frame for a smooth ride, was a bit more durable than a traditional road bike, and could accommodate larger tires, racks and fenders. A dream come true.

Well, over the Christmas season, I suddenly came into some money. Approximately, the cost of a Salsa Vaya!!!!! And as luck would have it, Catskill Cycles in Catskill New York, just opened up shop last summer. Catskill Cycles is only a half hour drive away, and is a Salsa dealer. Bryan Hunter, the owner, is an awesome guy, and spent some time with me last weekend. I did a test ride to get a proper bike sizing, and went over lots of possible options with him. It was a great experience to deal with somebody like Bryan, instead of the traditional sales type person that I often find at bike shops. Bryan is very down to earth, knowledgeable, and really has a talent for listening to the customer. He's also obviously a big cycling fan.

The test ride went beautifully. Bryan immediately zeroed in on the right sized bike for me. The Vaya is wickedly comfortable. It's kind of like the La-Z-Boy of drop bar bikes. The Vaya is just laid back enough that I don't feel like I'm being shot out of cannon, but still more aggressive feeling than a mountain bike. Best of all, I tried out the Vaya3 with bar end shifters and drop brake levers, and loved the combo!!!! No brifter shifting/braking hell, and a very comfortable hand position for both steering and braking. No cross levers needed. Perfect for my long commutes and century rides. I also think that the Vaya3 will work out very well for my grocery runs, numerous carriage trail adventures that I normally reserve for my old steel hardtails, and as the front end for my daughters trailer bike. The Vaya really looks to be a do-it-all kind of bike, for people who don't do that whole roadie group ride thing.

For reference to others looking at the Vaya, I'm 5'10" and have a 33" inseam. I went with the 55cm Vaya frame.

I pick up my Vaya3 tonight!!!! I'm totally psyched. I honestly never expected that a drop bar bike could be so unbelievably comfortable to an old hardtail rider like me.

Pics will be posted as soon as lighting allows.

I saw a Vaya at my local bike shop the other day, and they are really cool. I am a confirmed roadie with 4 road bikes and no mountain bikes, but I definitely would not mind having a Vaya in my stable. I've got a Casseroll already and love it, but it is not really designed for off road use and loaded touring.

Congrats! Another new Salsa owner! I just got my Fargo!

Congrats! Looks like you've gotten yourself a great bike, IMO, from what I've seen of it and heard from those who've owned them.

nice! hope the vaya works out well for you.

picked one up really cheap a few months back and i have it set up as a SS daily commuter with fat studded tires on

My Vaya commuter is sitting next to my desk as I key this.

Nice. I want a Salsa Vaya, too. But I already have a perfectly adequate Cross Check so it's hard to justify another similar bike for $1,500.

I have a Vaya and a Cross-Check, altho neither are set up for commuting.

The Vaya is a long-distance mixed-terrain road bike and I'll be riding it in this years Dirty Kanza 200 race. No racks, no fenders, just Dura-Ace and Stans goodness, it's built for comfortable speed.

The Cross-Check is as a traditional single speed 'cross bike. Lightweight wheels, road drops, Paul cantis, and cx race tires. Used for urban exploring, cx racing, etc.

I commute on my trusty Trek 520, currently sporting rear rack, fenders, swept bars (FSA Metropolis), flat pedals, and singlespeed gearing. Before that it was the bike I rode from Boston to Key West on a loaded tour in 2007.

The Vaya would make an amazing commuter though, and I have had mine set up for that type of riding before. I've taken it on overnight camping trips and hauled crap all over town and it's a super stable, smooth riding do-everything platform.

Does anyone know when Salsa updates the paint jobs on their bikes? I really like their current 'Super Orange.' The 'Charcoal Briquette' is okay, but better than their previous brown and baby blue one. That thing was uglyy. I think I'd get Super Orange if I were gonna get one now, but I'm wondering when they release next year's models. No one liners, please. I really want to know when I can expect to see new colors.

Nice set-ups. Terry66 also had a CC and a Vaya, but he sold the CC because it was redundant and he didn't like the geometry as much as the Vaya's. If I get a Vaya, I think I'll convert my CC into a FG or something.

I wanted the orange also, but was told that no orange frames in my size would be available until March. So I went with the charcoal. No where near as sexy as the orange, but at least it isn't baby blue.

The Charcoal is okay, just kind of dark like most black or gray bikes. I've just always wanted a red, yellow or orange bike that pops! (but not in an annoying fluorescent fixie way)

Anyways, take pictures! You have to do it now cos it will never be as pristine as it is now. I recently found pictures of my Surly CC when it was new, so nice. Everything was clean and shiny. Now I've got gunk built up and scratches that I don't care enough about to clean. One day it will be restored! Pictures, please.

Will do tomorrow. I tried to take pictures the last couple days, but it was already too dark out by the time I got home from work. Ugghhhhh.... I hate winter.

I just got the vaya 2 super orange last week. I have been commenting on an aluminum caad 8 for the last three years since it was my one road bike. At the time, I had hopes of racing on crits and fast group rides. But with three small kids, the only time I could ride was my 15 mile commute to work each way. Over the last year, I considered the curly cross check and LHT and was about to pull the trigger on the cc when I started reading some reviews of the vaya and seemed to fit my riding and needs the best. No bike shop in the dc area had any in stock to test ride for a long time. Finally a 55 and 56 came in stock and I got the 55. I took my first commute ride yesterday. Initial impression is that it is super comfortable and smooth. But the stock tires are 42. On long smooth streches it feels very slow. But weaving in city streets that are rough feels fast and fun. In need to make a decision on the width of the tires because that will determine the size of fenders I need. I am thinking about schalbe marathon supremes 35. Can I get some advice on tire sizes and fenders. A longer review with pictures will come out after a few more rides.

I'm in the same boat, trying to make a tire before ordering fenders. The stock tires are super comfy, but by no means road racers.

I finally got to take some nice pics today. They can be viewed directly at https://photobucket.com/Vaya3

A couple of full bike shots



Reflective Sidewalls!!!!


Ordered a Brooks B17 at the same time


Seat Leash for the Brooks


In case you've never seen a seat leash mounted



Bought some traditional Wellgo's


I prefer Power Grips for my pedals


Salsa!!!

Adventure by Bike


Chili Pepper Head Badge


My first bike with bar end shifters


Tossed on a bottle cage that won't scratch the paint job on my steel water bottle


Cateye sensor mounting position


Bought the bike from Bryan Hunter at the excellent Catskill Cycles


My homemade chain stay protector


The cockpit


Deore in the rear


Front Shot

Front Hub


Rear Hub


Schwalbe Marathon Mondials

Very nice bike! It is on my short list if I ever buy a new frame.

Great looking bike!!! Thanks for the pictures!

I just picked up my own Vaya. The original plan was to wait until April, when the snow should be melted. Then I decided I'd pick it up in March, just in case we got an early thaw. Then we got a heatwave in February and so I went to pick it up. (My brother pointed out yesterday that it was colder near his home in Atlanta that it was at my home near Anchorage.) But at this point I can't do much more than look at it for the next six weeks. So far, I've probably ridden a mile or more--six feet at a time in my living room.

I spent last winter salivating over a new Vaya for commuting and touring. I'm a big old guy with a long torso and short legs so an upright flat-bar config is what I wanted plus discs, fenders and racks so the 56cm Vaya seemed perfect.
Anyhow, I put everything together last March and after a bit of fiddling with fit, am quite happy with it. I ended up with a long high stem and FSA Metropolis bars (albatross-style with a slight rise).
I'd have preferred a lower-geared mtb crankset but the Vaya's road chainline spec made that impossible so I had to hunt around for a 'touring' crankset. It ended up 48-36-28 so not too bad. Good strong wheels (Velocity psychos) and big tires (700/40 Mondials - not in photo - which fit under the fenders despite Salsa's claim of 38 max) make me feel invincible.
Toe clearance with fenders could be a bit better (it's minus 1/4 inch) but there's plenty of heel clearance. The braze-ons are perfect -- everything fits. The frame has some beautiful detailing.
The bike is incredibly stable with large loads - not noodly, not twitchy - comfortable to ride and the only bike I've ever owned that I can ride hands-free.
And I like the colour.

Funny you mentioned that. I used to ride all of my bikes "no-hands" when I was a kid. When I got back into a cycling a few years ago, I couldn't do it anymore. The I just noticed last weekend, that even I can ride hands free with the Vaya.

Got my full Retroshift CX2 9-speed kit installed today, on my Salsa Vaya3, by Bryan of Catskill Cycles. I really love it. Puts the bar end shifters in a much more sensible spot. Very easy to use.

[QUOTE=AlmostGreenGuy;14396427]Got my full Retroshift CX2 9-speed kit installed today, on my Salsa Vaya3, by Bryan of Catskill Cycles. I really love it. Puts the bar end shifters in a much more sensible spot. Very easy to use.
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Happy to hear they arrived safe and you already have them installed.

LOVE to see photos!

Xoxo

The Goats
Retroshift