Salsa replaces Warbird with new performance gravel bike, the Flyway

Just in time for the Mid South gravel weekend in Oklahoma, Salsa Cycles has officially unveiled the Flyway, a new carbon gravel bike that replaces the much-liked Warbird and represents the brand’s fifth-generation gravel platform.

Cycling Weekly contributor Marley Blonsky will be riding the new steed at the unofficial season opener, but she's not the first to put the bike through its paces on the region’s red clay. Endurance cyclists Matt Acker and Jill Martindale piloted early versions of the Flyway to the men’s win and women’s fastest known time at the Mega Mid South event last fall, offering an early glimpse of Salsa’s latest performance gravel platform.

Designed to balance performance with comfort and carrying capacity, Flyway is intended to serve riders across a wide range of gravel riding styles, from competitive events to long-distance exploration.

Salsa says the bike draws on lessons learned from previous gravel models while adapting to the evolving demands of modern gravel riding.

"With Flyway we wanted to take what we learned from four generations of Warbird and create a platform that was fast, comfortable, and versatile enough to cover the wide range of terrain that riders find at gravel races, events, and rides in the current gravel landscape," said Josh Lavelle, product manager at Salsa Cycles.

The Minnesota-based brand says that when it launched the Warbird in 2012, it created the first gravel-focused race bike. Since then, many brands have pushed the category toward increasingly specialised race machines, separating their competition bikes from adventure-oriented models. Salsa, however, has largely stayed committed to a broader approach. As one of our reviewers previously put it, its gravel bikes tend to feel like "bikes for the people" — machines designed not just for podiums, but for the wide spectrum of riders who simply want to ride fast, go farther and explore more.

The name "Flyway" references migratory bird routes, which Salsa says reflects both the brand’s long association with gravel riding and the ride feel the company aimed to create.

"Flyway’s ride quality evokes the sensation of soaring over the road and the freedom of flight."

Race-optional performance platform

At its core, the Flyway is Salsa’s top-tier performance gravel platform, one that leans into some decidedly race-y features, builds and, well, pricing. Yet it keeps non-racers in mind with thoughtful design choices aimed at comfort, versatility and real-world usability.

As the brand puts it, Flyway is "the bike you want to ride every day of the week: confident at race pace, comfortable at party pace, and capable of settling in for far out adventures."

To support that wide brief, Salsa says it worked to improve both stiffness and compliance compared to the Warbird. The goal was to increase pedalling efficiency and power transfer while allowing the rest of the frame to better absorb vibration during long days on rough gravel.

The Flyway is offered in two carbon layup options: a Standard layup and a Deluxe layup designed to reduce weight while maintaining stiffness and durability. The claimed frame weight of a size M/L Deluxe frame is 1,050g versus 1200g for a Standard layup. An uncut carbon fork adds 600g.

The Flyway also features a tidier silhouette thanks to the IS52 head tube and FSA headset system, which enables fully or semi-hidden cables at the cockpit, depending on stem choice. Aesthetics aside, the clean cockpit makes bag attachments easier, Salsa explained.

But while Flyway gains some race-focused refinements, Salsa pairs them with features aimed at maintaining versatility. The frame is dropper post- and suspension-fork compatible and features extensive mounting options for on-bike storage.

Salsa opted not to inlcude in-frame storage in favour of on-frame mounting solutions to ensure that even the smallest frame (XS) can accommodate two tall water bottles, while medium through XL sizes fit three. Additional mounts on the fork, top tube and seatstays further support loaded riding.

Notably, Flyway manages to incorporate these mounts while maintaining a relatively low standover height across the size range, which is why shorter riders have often favoured the Warbird.

Quick list of features

• Two carbon layups: Deluxe and Standard (1050g vs 2000g in a size M/L)
  • Fork weighs 600g uncut
• Tyre clearance: 700c x 50mm in the frame, 700 x 57 in the fork
• Suspension corrected for 40mm gravel forks
• Class 5 VRS™ - 20% more compliant than the Warbird
• UDH compatible
• T47 Bottom Bracket
• Compatible with 2x (electronic only) and 1x drivetrains
• Ample mounts for on-frame bags
• FSA CRII Headset allows for versatile internal routing
• Rear rack compatible

Progressive gravel geometry

Flyway adopts a progressive geometry compared to a more road-derived gravel design. In short, this means a long-reach-short-stem approach that's becoming increasingly common in the gravel space. There's also a relatively low bottom bracket and slack head tube angle for a planted and controlled ride, paired with short, 425mm, chainstays to keep the handling responsive.

With the Flyway, Salsa is moving to "t-shirt sizes" rather than the traditional seat tube measurements, offering the Flyway in sizes XS through XL.

Builds & Pricing

The Flyway is offered in several builds alongside a standalone frameset. It will be available globally through Salsa retailers. UK and European pricing will be set by regional distributors and has yet to be confirmed.

At the top of the range sits the Flyway DLX RED XPLR, featuring a SRAM RED XPLR AXS 1x13 drivetrain with powermeter, Zipp 303 XPLR carbon wheels, Zipp and FSA cockpit components. This top-end bike retails for $11,999 USD.

Other builds include:

• Flyway DLX (deluxe) Force XPLR with SRAM Force XPLR AXS for $7,999 USD
• Flyway Rival XPLR SUS with RockShox Rudy suspension fork and dropper post for $5,499 USD
• Flyway Apex Eagle AXS with a wide-range 1x12 drivetrain for $4,499 USD
• Flyway GRX 610 build with Shimano’s GRX 1x12 drivetrain for $3,499 USD
• A Flyway frameset with the Deluxe caron layup $2,799 USD