Surly Ogre vs. Salsa Fargo

Dual of the off-road Adventure bikes.  These are two very capable touring machines.

My brother, sister in law and wife all ride Salsa Fargo’s.  I ride the Surly Ogre.  I didn’t just choose the Ogre to be different, I chose it for a few specific reasons that were important to me.  I’ll explain.

I owned a Surly Ogre a few years ago and sold it to purchase the new 2014 Salsa Fargo.  Well, last week I went into my LBS and purchased the 2014 Surly Ogre instead.  Why?

Ogre offers the following advantages over the Fargo:  

1. Ogre is geared lower.  The Fargo runs a 2x with a 28 tooth granny.  The Ogre runs a 3x with a 26 tooth granny.  Loaded with gear, climbing an off-road mountain pass, I’ll take the lower gear.
2. Ogre accepts a wider tire (according to the specs).  This, however, may be nominal (Ogre 2.5″, Fargo 2.3″).
3. The Ogre runs a larger front rotor (180mm vs the Fargo 160mm).
4. The Ogre runs the Jones H loop handlebar. I like drop bars on my road bikes, but if I’m bombing down a gravel road at 36 mph, fully loaded with 40 lb. of gear on my bike (like I was last Saturday on the Great Divide), I prefer a flat bar.  It’s easier for me to manipulate the brakes and the extra wide stance allows for superior control of the front wheel.
5. Ogre weighs more.  Is this an advantage?  Well, on an off-road touring bike it might be.  I hauled 4 liters of water on the front fork, (along with a 5 lb. tent, sleeping bag, air mattress and handlebar bag).  The fork felt solid, stable and confident.   So, I now cherish the heavy frame and feel Surly got it right.   How well would the Fargo carry this amount of weight?  Probably just fine…don’t know.  Just know the Ogre felt great.  I believe the weight difference between these two bikes (probably around 2-3 lb.) is all in the frame and fork.  Surly jokes they pour molten lead into their frames to make them heavy…whatever they do, the bike felt right.

Both bikes offer the following advantages over older mountain bikes:

1. Off road touring geometry (consult the experts for exact details).
2. Fork mounts for Salsa Anything Cages, or Cleaveland Mountaineering Everything bags (my personal favorite, reviewed earlier on this blog).
3. Disc brakes.
4. Frame mounts galore for all sorts of bags, racks, fenders and gearing options.
5. 29″ wheels for a smoother ride (there really is a noticeable difference, just try one).
6. Sloping top tubes for easy on-off.
7. Sloping top tubes for raised handlebar height (better ergonomics for all day riding).

Fargo offers the following advantages over the Ogre:

1. Suspension seat post (though this can be added to the Ogre).
2. Woodchipper drop bar with multiple hand positions (if you prefer a drop bar configuration).
3. Comes stock with a wider, higher quality Schwalbe tires (my Ogre came with a rather narrow 2.1″ tire, it looks like a 1.9″ to me).

Summary:

This decision really comes down to how you ride.  The Salsa Fargo runs the famous Woodchipper handlebar.   Many rave about it’s comfort and ergonomics.  The Surly Ogre runs the famous Jones H loop flat bar.  Many rave about it’s comfort and ergonomics.

Both are fabulous in their own right, yet very different.  My wife prefers the wrist orientation of the Woodchipper drop bar, so she went with the Fargo.  She loves the comfort and feels totally secure on the bike.  My brother and sister in law, love their Fargo’s, referring to them as their “most cherished machines”.  I love my Ogre for all the reasons noted above.

Get whichever bike best suits your needs.  I’m totally in love with my Ogre and feel I made the best decision for the way I use this bike.

Now go out and ride what you own, while you dream about what you don’t own.