Van Dessel Cycles is one of the few companies that still unveils new bikes at Interbike. At the 2018 show in Reno, the New Jersey-based company proudly unveiled its newest offering, the Straight Up.
The Straight Up is actually return of an older model, after 17 years away. The original model was a swoopy mustache-bar townie, available as a singlespeed or internally-geared 7-speed bike. The new model is what Van Dessel founder Edwin Bull calls "urban gravel."
The new sub $1k Van Dessel "urban gravel" Straight Up 650b bike. 2018 Interbike. © Cyclocross Magazine
Available as a complete bike, the updated Straight Up comes with 650b disc brake wheels, WTB 47mm Byway tires, fenders and a SRAM GX 1X drivetrain.
The new sub $1k Van Dessel "urban gravel" Straight Up 650b bike comes with a SRAM GX 1X drivetrain. 2018 Interbike. © Cyclocross Magazine
Perhaps best of all, at least before the latest round of import tariffs imposed on goods from China, the flat bar bike is set to retail for under $1k.
With all the attention on the "urban gravel" Straight Up, Van Dessel's other cyclocross and gravel models got blue with envy.
The steel WTF complete bikes and $699 frameset has a new blue fade.
The steel WTF gets a new blue fade for 2019. 2018 Interbike. © Cyclocross Magazine
The versatile bike accepts fat tires up to 2.1″ and remains curvy. While the current orange color scheme accepts a belt drive and has IS brake mounts, the new blue frame goes flat mount and lose the seatstay split for belts.
Not to be outdone, the top-shelf carbon Full Tilt Boogie cyclocross bike also gets a new wardrobe with an eye-catching Belgian blue color dressing.
The top-shelf Van Dessel carbon Full Tilt Boogie gets a pretty baby blue for 2019. This versatile model is what carries Van Dessel-sponsored women including Caroline Mani, Sunny Gilbert and Cassie Maximenko. 2018 Interbike. © Cyclocross Magazine
The frame that carries Caroline Mani, Sunny Gilbert and Cassie Maximenko to podiums has quietly evolved over the years, adding reinforced, updated cable/hose routing and ports, and Mavic's Speed Release thru axle system.
The top-shelf Van Dessel carbon Full Tilt Boogie gets a pretty baby blue for 2019. The model has big tire clearance and can double as a gravel machine, while tackling World Cups under the Van Dessel sponsored women including Caroline Mani, Sunny Gilbert and Cassie Maximenko. 2018 Interbike. © Cyclocross Magazine
The Full Tilt Boogie also remains a great do-it-all option to tackle gravel in the offseason, due to its clearance for 40mm tires out back, and even bigger tires up front, thanks to Van Dessel's big-clearance fork.
See more details of the updated bikes in the photo gallery below.
More info: vandesselcycles.com
We’re digging out from a mountain of content from Interbike, RenoCross and World Cup Waterloo. See our ever-growing archive of new products from Interbike 2018 here.
2019 Van Dessel Cycles Photo Gallery: Full Tilt Boogie, Straight Up, and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF):
The new sub $1k Van Dessel “urban gravel” Straight Up 650b bike features Shimano hydraulic brakes paired with a SRAM GX drivetrain. 2018 Interbike. © Cyclocross Magazine
