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Pivot Cycles’ Vault gravel bike has plenty of amazing tech securely (wink wink) stashed in the frame making for a comfortable and uncompromising riding experience. Spencer is ever chasing something other than geometry inflation to review and Pivot’s patented ISO FLEX technology caught his eye. Make sure you take a peek inside the Vault for all the hidden treasure below…
Kogel Bearings brought low friction and precise shifting to GRX 12-speed gravel bikes with this Kolossos oversized derailleur cage ($474.99). This upgraded cage fits mechanical 12-speed (RX820 series) drivetrains for Shimano GRX 1X rear derailleurs and is designed to enhance chain retention and reduce friction while shifting, even under load.
The overall length of the Kolossos is within a few mm of your stock cage, so ground clearance is not a concern. It is also equipped with road seals for optimal efficiency, but can easily be switched to cross seals for wet riding conditions.
See more at Kogel Bearings.
The Paramo Ultra from Colombian bicycle builders Scarab Cycles is arguably the brand’s most versatile offering. With clearance for thicc tires, sliding dropouts, and comfortable geometry, the Paramo Ultra is inspired by the unrelenting high-elevation Andean mountain terrain where Scarab is based to provide a capable ride experience in even the most demanding pursuits. And because every Scarab is built to order based on a rider’s size, discipline, and style, no two builds are ever the same.
Josh has ridden a Paramo Ultra for the past six months both in Colombia where it was made and on his local roads and trails around the Sonoran desert. Below, he shares his thoughts on the build as well on Scarab’s overall approach to fabricating custom bicycles in the mountains outside Medellín…
Today, Shimano released the long-awaited mechanical 12-speed versions of their popular GRX gravel-focused drivetrain. With three 12-speed varieties to choose from (two 1x configurations and one 2x) and a list of desirable accouterments (optional dropper lever, interchangeable derailleur cages, refined wheelsets, updated ergonomics, and more), Shimano is covering a lot of ground in this new generation of gravel components. Josh recently had a chance to click through and pedal the wide range GRX RX820 groupset and, below, details the full product launch along with his first ride review…
At this year’s Unbound, Shimano will be unveiling its new GRX Limited group, which offers silver components for drop bar and flat bar GRX kits. It’s been a while since a big brand offered up a brand new, high-end group in silver, so as you might have guessed, we’re stoked to share this news with you.
To commemorate this special moment, Shimano pinged ten framebuilders to showcase this new kit, so let’s look at each of the builders’ creations below…
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Ribble, the UK bicycle manufacturer, just announced their new gravel lineup which includes aluminum builds, carbon builds, and this titanium model. Each material comes in a few build tiers, ranging from GRX 400 to GRX 810 and Campagnolo Ekar on the higher end models.
The model shown here is the Titanium frame with GRX 600 and retails for $2,985.38. See the full gravel lineup at Ribble.
Rolling in after the titanium frameset announcement is the new Cosmic Stallion GRX. Nothing on the frame has changed for this model year but it’s now available with a flashy new wet paint job and with Shimano’s GRX. The retail for the Cosmic Stallion GRX is $2799. See more at All-City and throw a leg over one at your local dealer…
Hot off the press, fresh out of the kitchen, or brand spanking new. However you want to put it, today’s new build is one mightily impressive gravel bike! Built for Girona-based creative director, Nik Howe, this Legor Cicli LWTUA is inspired by the very place Nik will be riding it in – and specced according to match. But don’t take our word for it; read on what Nik has to say below and check out more photos of this dream bike.
The Fugio 30 returns this year in the expansive Genesis lineup. Along with a blinged-out, 1980’s inspired fade, the Fugio 30 comes with a Shimano GRX kit and is built from a Reynolds 725 tubeset, with a full carbon fork.
For those unfamiliar with 725. It sits three rungs down the Reynolds ladder. This steel tubeset uses thinner walls thanks to its production technique of mandrel butting. It’s then heat-treated to increase strength. 725 is lighter than most production steel tubes and this just adds to its responsiveness.
Head to Genesis to see more on the Fugio 30.
The Vault is Pivot’s flagship drop bar bike and for the forthcoming model year, the brand took a step back from flashy graphics and released two new colors, Firebrick Red and Deep Metallic Blue, while offering up a new bottom tier pricepoint GRX build.
Pivot still offers the Vault in 1x SRAM kits but the GRX 2x kit is $1,400 less in price than the next build (Force). Check out more on the Vault at Pivot.
Kona’s popular Libre DL all-road model has some changes in build spec for 2020. Most notably is the wheel package. The Libre DL now comes with 650b/27.5 wheels and a 2x Shimano GRX 800 drivetrain, giving this capable bike even more range. The Libre DL’s frame is made using Kona Race Light technology and is mated with an Easton carbon bar, Race Face carbon seatpost, Easton EA70 AX wheels and a Kona Verso Carbon touring fork. Retail for the complete build is set at $3999 with the frameset coming in at $1999.
-Frame Material: Kona Race Light Carbon
-Fork: Kona Verso Full Carbon Flat Mount Disc
-Wheels: Easton EA 70AX 650b
-Crankset: Shimano GRX 810
-Drivetrain: Shimano GRX 810 11spd
-Brakes: Shimano GRX 810 160mm front / 160mm rear rotor
-Seat Post: RaceFace Next Carbon
-Cockpit: Easton EC70AX bar/Easton EA90 Stem
-Front Tire: WTB Venture TCS DUAL 650bx47c
-Rear tire: WTB Venture TCS DUAL 650bx47c
-Saddle: WTB SL8 Pro
Jamis’ Renegade received an update after being announced in 2016. With two new models, the C1 ($3,699) and C2 ($2,599), both competitively priced, the brand offers up two different carbon layup designs and the versatility of Shimano’s GRX component groups. This follows the trend we’re seeing this year with a lot of brands building their carbon gravel bikes with GRX.
While the C1 (in tan) has the better kit and layup (Omniad M30), the C2 (in grey) is over $1,000 cheaper and cuts cost with the more affordable layup (T700/FRP). Both frames have mounts for cargo and clearance for 40mm tires. See the full lineup at Jamis.
In 2015, I was able to partake in the launch of the Cutthroat, Salsa’s Tour Divide Race Bike, a unique drop bar 29er and since then, I’ve had zero contact with it. That is until I unboxed the brand new 2020 Cutthroat, which is full of new updates and boy is it a long list. While I plan on reviewing this bike in more detail further down the road, I wanted to give you a look at the new model on its launch day. Read on below for a first look at the new Cutty.
